Her Immortal Love (Brides of the Vrakken #2)

1. Alexei

1

ALEXEI

I stand among the crowd of vrakken, my skin tingling with anticipation. The air crackles with an energy I've never felt before, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. We stand on the edge of Oshta, having just been portaled from Earth to this new planet — Protheka — by our god, Akeldama.

When I first Made, I wasn't sure I believed what Nyx had told me. She said that she was mortally wounded on the night of the winter solstice, but after she was attacked, she stumbled into the Stonehenge…and magic saved her.

Akeldama appeared before her, gifting her powers of healing, magic, strength, and immortality, along with our wings…and the need to feast only on blood. He Made her the first vrakken and told her to make more. And he returned one year later to bring all of his children here, to his planet that he made for us.

Now, we are here. Nyx stands at the center of our gathered crowd, everyone on edge now. We're all waiting for her instruction.

Her presence alone commands attention, but tonight, there's something different about her. Her eyes, usually pitch black, now swirl with flecks of silver. Her long hair, a cascade of midnight and starlight, whips around her as if caught in an invisible storm.

She raises her arms, and the ground beneath us trembles. I instinctively brace myself, my muscles tensing. Suddenly, tendrils of darkness shoot from her fingertips, coiling and twisting in the air like living shadows.

"Holy shit," I mutter under my breath, unable to tear my eyes away.

The shadows solidify, taking shape into grotesque, writhing creatures. They hover around Nyx, their forms constantly shifting and reforming. My stomach churns at the sight, a mix of awe and revulsion washing over me.

Nyx's wings unfurl, their span seeming to stretch impossibly wide. With each beat, waves of pure energy pulse through the air. I feel it in my bones, in my blood – a call to something primal and terrifying.

She turns her gaze to the crowd, and for a moment, her eyes lock with mine. In that instant, I see eons of power, of secrets hidden since the dawn of time. My knees nearly buckle under the weight of that stare.

"This is who we are," Nyx declares, her voice echoing with otherworldly power. "This is what we're capable of."

The shadow creatures disperse, melting into the ground. In their place, flowers of darkness bloom, their petals made of night itself. The scent that fills the air is intoxicating, a mix of earth and starlight.

I struggle to process what I'm seeing. Since my transformation, I thought I understood the limits of our abilities. But this... this is beyond anything I could have imagined. It's beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.

Around me, I hear gasps of wonder and fear from my fellow vrakken. Some fall to their knees in reverence, while others take a step back, their faces a mix of awe and terror.

As the display reaches its crescendo, Nyx raises her arms once more. The flowers of darkness rise into the air, swirling around her in a dizzying dance. Then, with a clap of her hands, they burst into a shower of starlight that rains down upon us all.

I feel the cool touch of that light on my skin, and it's like nothing I've ever experienced. It's power, pure and unfiltered, seeping into my very being. For a moment, I glimpse the vastness of what we could become, and it leaves me breathless.

I feel it too, the magic coursing through my veins like liquid fire. It's intoxicating, this raw power that Nyx has awakened in all of us. My skin tingles, every nerve ending alive with potential.

Without thinking, I let it loose. The magic surges from my fingertips, a torrent of midnight blue energy that dances and spirals around me. It's exhilarating, like nothing I've ever experienced before. I laugh, the sound foreign to my own ears – wild and unrestrained.

Around me, other vrakken are doing the same. The air is thick with magic of every hue imaginable. Tendrils of crimson intertwine with wisps of emerald green. Bolts of lightning-white magic crackle overhead, while pools of inky darkness swirl at our feet.

"Unbelievable," I breathe, watching as a nearby vrakken conjures a swarm of shadowy butterflies from thin air. They flutter around her, their wings leaving trails of stardust in their wake.

My gaze is drawn to Akeldama, our creator, our god. He moves among us, his form shifting and changing with each step. One moment he's a towering figure of smoke and flame, the next a lithe creature of shadow and starlight. He changes into people I know and ones I've never seen. His grin is constant though, wide and mischievous as he watches his children revel in their newfound power.

As he passes by me, our eyes lock. In that instant, I feel a surge of... something. Pride? Approval? Whatever it is, it makes my magic flare even brighter.

I raise my hands, letting the energy flow freely. It forms into shapes – first a wolf, then a dragon, then something entirely alien that I have no name for. Each creation lasts only moments before dissolving back into pure magic, but the thrill of creation is addictive.

Laughter and shouts of joy echo around me as my fellow vrakken discover what they're capable of. Some are creating intricate illusions, others are manipulating the elements themselves. One particularly daring vrakken has even managed to open a small portal, though it snaps shut almost immediately.

Through it all, Akeldama watches, his ever-changing eyes gleaming with satisfaction. This is what he wanted, I realize. This chaos, this unbridled expression of magic and power. We are his children, and we are finally coming into our birthright.

But suddenly, Akeldama turns his head, an unsettling grin spreads across his face as he stares. "Looks like the others have been having fun too," he says cryptically.

I follow Akeldama's gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. The euphoria of our magical display fades as I take in the sight before us. In the distance, imposing figures loom on the horizon, their forms shimmering with power that rivals even Akeldama's.

"What-" I mutter, my eyes widening. "Are those..."

"Gods and goddesses," Akeldama confirms, his voice a low purr of amusement that seems to twist all around us.

I scan the gathering, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. There are twelve in total, and I realize that they are not unalike Akeldama himself. Each deity seems to radiate a different energy - some fierce and warlike, others serene and mysterious. But it's not just the gods that catch my attention. Among them, I spot figures I've never encountered before.

"What are those?" I ask, gesturing towards a group of gray-skinned beings. They're tall and lithe, with an otherworldly grace that sets them apart from anything I've seen on Earth.

Akeldama's grin widens, revealing teeth that seem just a bit too sharp. "Ah, it seems they've been busy while I was away."

I study the creatures more closely. Despite their alien appearance, there's something familiar about them. The way they move, the gleam in their eyes - it reminds me of us, of the vrakken.

"Did they... did the gods create them?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Akeldama nods, his form shifting subtly. For a moment, he looks almost like one of the creatures before settling back into another figure I once knew. "Indeed they did. It seems I'm not the only one who can play at being creators." His lips curl up into a grin. "Dark elves?" he says quietly, almost like he is answering one of the others.

Are they talking to each other now? Have we been made as pawns in the game of gods?

I don't have time to ponder that as the implications of his words hit me like a physical blow. We're not alone here. We're not the only powerful beings on this planet. And from the way the gods and dark elves are eyeing us, I have a feeling they're not thrilled about our arrival.