Linda Leigh

Here We Go . . .

I think I'm finally ready to let Bellum III go. Now when I started this I had a few scenes in mind one of them being how this section starts. Chapter 1 has two parts to it this is part 1.

In Bellum II

After Helios kills Hippolyta for being captured, Seraphian switches sides and forms an alliance and relationship with Paris.

"Paris, you know what this is. Don't complicate things."
I sit down in the desk chair next to the window, the view is still breathtaking. We are at the top of the world.
"Don't act like you don't know how I feel, Seraphina"
"Paris.", she's practically scolding me, "We have more important things to worry--"
"-About than my love life. Yeah, I know. Forget it. Whatever", I pretend to let it go.

Meanwhile Ariel who is at fault for Hippolyta's death starts to drink and has to deal with Seraphina's anger.

"How long is this going to going on, Seraphina ?"

"Stop following me, Ariel."

I follow her outside and into the quad.

"Are we at least going to talk about it ? I need to talk about this Seraphina. I can't. . . I cant keep holding it in. I can't"

Paris' inner circle in the Brotherhood doesn't exaclty trust Seraphina and the more time Paris spends with her the more he starts to learn about her. Some good . . . some bad

She had decades of experience with this kind of thing (centuries maybe), Sera was the kind of woman who knew what men wanted. She knew what men liked, what made them feel good. Made me want to spend hours taking anything and everything she would give me. Taking the lead had always seemed pointless, I was never going to catch up to her anyway.

“I had my reasons for following Helios. I have seen the error of my ways.”, she looked down, "I will tell you everything I know, do what I can to wash myself of that massacre.”

“You’re hands will never be clean”, Lysander snaps at her, "And I'll always be marked by it."

“Remember”, Callum says, “Loyalty isn’t just earned around here.”

Meanwhile Sera carries out the traitorous acts the Brotherhood asks her

It was short. The police had been called to Queen Anne's after a fire broke out. Lots of property damage, no deaths. At no deaths I let myself smile.

Something else is going on though as Sera and Paris follow Helios to Long Island. Where he goes every night at the same time. Then When Paris and Seraphina are away Callum and Ashe decide to mutiny and go after Helios with the cache of white gold bullets they've made

"Did they at least wait until I got out the drive way before plotting a mutiny ?"

Lysander sits up against the wall and shakes his head. We had been trapped for three hours. I couldn't even wrap my mind around how the Brothers I had trusted to be in my inner circle had just betrayed me.

"It happened this morning.They waited until I was asleep to come after me. I'm sorry Paris. I should have seen this coming."

"No you shouldn't have", I said, "Jona's my brother. He should have known better."

On the night of the ambush, Helios stops the attack before it can happen. The question is how did Helios know ? (pssst. It was Jona) Sera is shot in the maylay and a realization comes to surface.

“I love you”

The syllable was barley out of her mouth when I started kissing her. She leaned to meet me, her whole body arching towards me. My grip tightened on her hips and the kiss was so cold it burned my lips.

“Sera . .you've taken a lot of medication “

“No. I love you”, she said again, "I've loved you for a long time"

“I know", I said, " I love you too, Seraphina. I love the way you see me. I promise I will be that Prince one day for you."

Also on that night Aria gives birth to a daughter, whom Helios takes an interest in.

Tessa was praised by Helios. At first we were all shocked, assuming Helios would have wanted a boy

Paris finds a hidden Camera in his room. . . meaning someone knows about him and Seraphina's relationship. At the same time Paris and Sera realize they may have an expiration date

"Listen to me, Paris. I can't stay in New York. When we get rid of Helios and SGI I plan to get out. Leave forever. . . and you won't go with me will you ?

". . . I can't . . .I have responsibilities. Father's company, St. Lilith's, the daemons."

"No matter what happens we won't end up together and the reason", she continues, " I didn't tell you about that call is because you don't need Isobel now. You'll need her later after I break your heart."

"You don't get to decide my life like that, Sera. If you want to break my heart, do it."

"No", she says looking . "Not today, anyway."

Helios proposes to Seraphina and tells her why he is in New York and what he wants.

Helios wants New York ?", Damien laughs, "He wants his own country ? How ? Why ?"

"I think the why is pretty obvious", Jona says from his seat next to Callum, "We lost our country. We hide out here like we don't exist. If we could have our own land our own place to belong. . . . wouldn't you go for--"

"Ever since SGI returned to Homeland and found it in ruins, it's been the dream of each SGI leader to bring back our civilization." Sera had said her eyes on the road, "Helios fought other men's wars, fought for other men's countries in hope he'd have one of his own one day.

Helios was following a lead from his predecessor about the possible existence of female Angels. When he tracked us down in New York he scouted the area before he made contact."

"Isaiah noticed them when they were scouting", I'd cut in, "It was why he created the daemons he thought they might try to start the old war."

She'd nodded and continued

"Helios found more than he was bargaining for. Not only did he find a community of Angels but he found the perfect land to conquer. Manhattan has infrastructure, riches and eight million humans to live as second class citizens.Manhattan is also an island, so he can easily isolate it and put up defenses to take it as his own.

Helios spent years working for corrupt governments and organizations. He knows how to stage an attack and win, he knows how to take by force. Apparently he spent the past year learning the city and it's weaknesses.

The only hiccup in Helios' plan was. . . you Demons. You know only white gold can hurt our kind, plus you are just as invincible as him. When Helios rises up to claim Manhattan as New Aeterna, he couldn't risk having you oppose him or working with the government to stop him.

His plan was to move you out of the city and cut you down one by one. It's why he wanted to push you into one corner of the city. But he realized Hmjeu's business was very profitable. The money is the only reason he's keeping you around for a few more months."

"So our money has been staving off genocide", I simplified, "Damm. We've kept ourselves hidden from humans for so long. Their ideologies and notions about what we are and aren't could be problematic. He can't reveal us like that."

"There's more"

"What.", I'd said flatly

"Helios' knows the United States government isn't going to just give him the island. Not even close. He's going to wage war to conquer the island, it should only take a few days for him to win and Helios loves the thrill of war."

"He can't win. . . not with his small army. There's what ? 60 SGI"

She made a sharp turn

"Helios has a second army."

"More Angels ?"

"No. . . he is getting an army of bloodthirsty daemons."

She couldn't circle the club anymore and pulled into a shaded parking spot. I turned to face her profile half covered in shadows.

"How ? The only survivors are with us."

"You killed the creatures but you didn't kill the creator."

Isaiah

Fuck.

Paris thinks he has time to figure things out

"In the meantime we act as if we know nothing. Callum is working on the new bullelts. When he is finished we aren't going to just take down Helios. . . we are going to take down every SGI at Queen Anne's who doesn't surrender. Everything we do from now on is to prevent New Aeterna from ever existing."

But it turns out that his brother Jona is the leak and has been working with Helios. After Paris and Seraphina break up Jona tells Helios about the affair. Helios tries to kill Seraphina but with the help of Leon Sera escapes with her life.

Helios knows she will go to Paris but Paris promises Helios he would never help Sera. . . becuase he's in love and engaged to Isobel.

It'a a countdown until New Aeterna. The Brotherhood are working to toward another uprising but in the meantime they need to stay out of Helios' way.

PLAYLIST

+1+ - Sail by AWOLNATION
+2+ - Let Her Go - Lexi Blue
+3+ - If I Ever Fall In Love (Not sure this is apropos but I've had this song forever)

Bellum III Chapter 1 Part 1

It has been quite on the homefront. I got some stuff done while I was on tour with the other Colboltians. Is that a word we are still using ? I think Seattle was the best city it was so laid back and practically smells like Starbucks ! I wish I could live there.

Being back has been great I've been embracing more of a political side an getting more involved with that. . . but all these drafts keep calling to me. My daughter has been helping me out a bit so I may have to start giving her partial credit.

Here is a .Gif post that has been waiting in the wings.

So writing Bellum III has been . . . interesting. I feel a little like I'm stumbling