Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 801: Take It ()

A strong scent hit Neveah first.

It hung heavily in the air, something sickeningly sweet and floral but not in any natural way. It twisted in the back of her throat, warm and thick like honey that had gone bad. It didn’t belong to the forest at all. It was something foreign.

Something intentional and designed to seduce.

Neveah stopped just beyond the tree line, one hand bracing against the bark of an ancient willow, its bark was slick with dew. Her pulse quickened as the scent hit her in waves. It was wrong, but more than that, it was familiar in a way she couldn’t place.

Until she did.

’Aphrodisiac.’

And then... beneath it... there was something else.

A metallic, coppery scent that didn’t belong here, either. But it rooted her to the spot and her heart constricted.

Blood.

But not just any blood.

His.

"Jian," she breathed.

Beside her, Xenon’s jaw clenched. She didn’t need to see it to know. She could feel his tension in the air, could hear the way his breathing shifted, low and dangerous, too controlled to be calm.

The grove before them was veiled by a magical barrier. It shimmered and distorted the image beyond. It looked soft, maybe even beautiful. There were flowers glowing under a pale moon, casting a halo of silver light across the clearing. A gentle mist curled along the surface, making it appear dreamlike.

But Neveah had seen enough illusions to know better. They were often designed to keep victims in and others out.

"What is this place?" Xenon muttered,

"A trap," she replied darkly, her voice barely a whisper. "He’s inside."

Without waiting, she raised her hand. Magic surged within her, sparking to life with a pulse in time with her heartbeat. The magic wasn’t loud, but the moment it touched the barrier, it sliced through it cleanly. A fine crack shimmered through the air, spreading across the shield until the entire veil shattered like glass

The scent grew stronger the moment the barrier fell.

Neveah stepped through first.

Her boots hit the soft moss with a wet sound. She didn’t stop to marvel at the beauty. The entire grove was unnaturally serene. The moonlight was too bright, too silver. The mist was too perfectly placed, as if it had been painted. Every flower bloomed fully, unblemished, their petals opening as if to watch her. The trees didn’t rustle. The wind didn’t whisper. It was quiet...too quiet.

And in the center, surrounded by water so still it looked like glass, sat a white stone throne.

Her heart dropped.

Jian.

He was slumped on the throne, his body too still to be relaxed yet too tense to be asleep. His chest rose and fell with ragged, uneven breaths, his skin flushed a dusky hue. Sweat shone along the lines of his throat and chest, and his hands gripping the arms of the throne were stained red.

His blood.

Her eyes dropped to his thigh, and her breath caught. The wound still bled, fresh and deep. He’d stabbed himself. To stay conscious?

To stay sane?

She didn’t have time to ask.

Because they weren’t alone.

Three fairies stood in the pool surrounding him, ankle-deep in the glowing water. They didn’t notice her arrival. One traced a finger lazily across Jian’s shoulder, as though tasting the tension in him. Another leaned toward his throat, inhaling, lips parted just shy of his skin. The third stood behind him, her hands poised above his temples like she was conducting a ritual.

They were beautiful. Ethereal even. With hair that floated like silk, and skin that shimmered. Their gowns were nearly translucent, clinging to curves with deliberate, calculated allure. One had no gown at all, discarded somewhere in the grove.

But beneath their beauty, Neveah saw it, the stillness of a predator. The gleam in their eyes that didn’t belong to anything innocent.

They hadn’t noticed Xenon either, he stepped out behind her like a storm held barely in check.

But Neveah moved first.

She didn’t make a sound.

Didn’t warn. That was too much of a privilege...one she wouldn’t allow.

She walked forward into the water, it soaked through her boots, chilling her feet.

The fairy touching Jian’s shoulder lifted her head, her eyes catching Neveah’s.

That was the only warning she got.

Neveah’s claws extended quickly, glinting and laced with fury. The first fairy barely had time to scream before her body hit the water, blood tainting the moonlit pool.

The second turned, mouth open with something between surprise and horror.

Neveah didn’t wait to hear it.

She slashed through her with one strike, magic humming in the air. The body dropped.

The third fairy, the one who had been behind Jian, moved to escape...too late. Neveah caught her by the throat, dragging her forward and slamming her into the shallow edge of the pool, her claws sinking into her neck.

"Did you touch him?" Neveah asked, voice dangerously calm.

The fairy’s lips parted, trembling.

"Did. You. Touch. Him?"

The answer didn’t come fast enough.

A sickening crack followed.

Then silence.

The grove, once a place of false peace and allure, now reeked of blood and magic. The moonlight seemed colder now, finally honest in its illumination. The beauty was still there, but it was no longer seductive.

Neveah stood at the edge of the throne, staring at him. Her gaze pained.

Jian.

He didn’t look at her right away. His head lulled slightly to the side, his eyes barely focused. His breathing was still uneven, and his body trembled slightly, whether from the poison or what he’d been fighting off, she didn’t know.

She dropped to her knees before him, the water lapping at her waist. She reached up to touch his face, hesitated, then did so anyway, cupping his jaw.

His skin was hot. Feverish. His eyes finally lifted, meeting hers.

"Neveah," he rasped.

The sound of her name in his voice broke something inside her. It was more of a question than a certainty. She swallowed hard.

"I’m here," she whispered. "You’re safe."

He was shaking.

He didn’t meet her eyes. He was staring at the water like it held answers, or guilt too heavy to speak aloud.

"Don’t," he muttered hoarsely.

"I’m not asking permission."

Jian flinched at her touch. His face was pale, eyes glassy with the remnants of whatever haze still clawed at his mind.

He tried to speak again, the words caught in his throat. She saw the pain flicker in his face, the tightness in his jaw as he fought against his own desire.

Her gaze trailed him slowly and she took in the sight fully

The wound on his thigh was deep. The dagger still lodged there, buried to the hilt...his own blade.

"You did this?" she asked.

He gave a small nod.

"Why?" Neveah whispered.

"To stay conscious."

"Because...it wasn’t you."

She inhaled sharply.

"It’s over," she said. "They’re gone."

She didn’t hesitate. She gripped the hilt and pulled. He grunted but didn’t move away. Blood flowed freely again, and she pressed the heel of her palm against it, her magic knitting just enough to stop the bleeding.

It was like instinct now, bending magic to her will. Using it to do her bidding.

Behind her, she felt Xenon step into the water too. But he said nothing, he didn’t need to. His presence was steady. Watchful. Tense with the same fury Neveah carried.

Jian’s hand lifted, slowly, and cupped the side of her neck.

His fingers dug in, just a little. Desperate to hold onto something real.

"I thought..." he started, but he left the words hanging. His eyes went closed. "I should be immune... I don’t know how this is possible."

"It was created with you in mind." Neveah murmured. "By someone who knows dragons...too well."

"They looked like you," he said hoarsely. "I couldn’t think. Everything in me wanted to believe it. To give in."

"I knew it wasn’t real. But my body didn’t care."

Neveah leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "I know. But you didn’t break."

His breath hitched. "I almost did."

"But you didn’t."

He blinked at her, guilt warring with relief.

"I would’ve rather died," he whispered, "than touch them thinking they were you."

She felt that. Deep in her chest. Her heart shuddered, torn between pain, rage and the depth of how much she adored this man.

She looked at the three fae again.

"They touched you?"

He nodded once.

The edge of her jaw tightened, the muscle there ticking with restraint.

"Three deaths aren’t enough..."

Then she rose and pulled him up with her, slinging his arm around her shoulder. Xenon supported him from the other side. He leaned on them heavily. The throne behind them glistened wetly. The air reeked of blood and fading enchantment.

They reached the edge of the pool, and she lowered him gently to the grass.

"I didn’t think I’d find you two." he said, eyes on the sky.

"You didn’t have to," she said. "We’d already decided to find you."

He looked at her then, something flickering behind his eyes. A question. A need.

The effects of the aphrodisiac had not faded.

They wouldn’t...unless...

"Veah... I..." He trailed off, fighting the urges that consumed him.

She didn’t respond right away. Then, slowly, she reached out and brushed the hair from his forehead.

"Do you want it to be real?"

He met her gaze. "I don’t want it to be like that. Not blurred. Not... stolen."

Her hand lingered. "And if it’s not stolen?"

He didn’t speak.

She leaned in. Her mouth hovered over his, breath warm, but she didn’t touch him. Not yet.

Her gaze moved to Xenon, watching his eyes darken.

"If you want something real," she said softly, "then take it."