6. Bash

Igingerly moved Diana to the side of her bed, giving myself room to lie next to her as I held her hand. Oisín took my free hand, with Lucifer taking his other hand.

I took a deep breath, trying to cleanse myself of the anger I felt at having my integrity questioned. Yes, I claimed her without her permission—and I withheld information from her that I now realized was harmful—but I would never use my powers to alter her mind in any way. I didn't even think my powers could do that Diana's magic was getting stronger every day, and it would soon surpass my own, if it hadn't already.

I'd remind Oisín and Lucifer of that, but I didn't feel like getting my ass handed to me by the ginger giant, my pride still bruised from the last time. They should be cautious of Desmond, because his emotional manipulation was much more dangerous than my dreamweaving.

"Are we going to sit here all day?" Oisín asked, huffing in impatience.

"You can always stay behind if you don't want to wait. The mind is a very delicate, fickle thing, and given Diana's circumstances, I'm being extra cautious," I replied, exasperated with his attitude.

"Let Bash work," Lucifer interjected, giving his son an admonishing glare.

I took a few deeper breaths and got to work. Tapping into her psyche, I envisioned the locks of her mental shields. It had always been protected since Az taught her how to form them, but I felt how much more advanced they were compared to the ones she had previously. The physical manifestation of her mind was dimly lit, with dark undertones instead of the bright colors I normally found. Everything was foggy, and I could barely see past my own face. The whole atmosphere made me apprehensive—I had spent more time in Diana's mind than she could imagine, but it felt as if I barely knew this place.

Eventually, I was able to focus enough to see her mental shields. Hopefully getting past them would allow me to see something that could help us bring her back. Even in her state, the layers of her protections were still mostly intact. My magic slowly weaved its way through her defenses, finding the weak spots between the layers and seeping in, like sand through a sieve. My magic met some resistance when I got to the final line of defense, but I patiently kept unraveling her protections and broke through it.

Diana's psyche was pitch black—pure darkness as far as the eye could see. Lucifer created a ball of light that floated several feet above us, but all it did was illuminate the stark nothingness that was so unlike the dreamscapes I'd crashed before.

"I take it from the look on your face this isn't normal?" he asked me.

"No. Even when Diana isn't dreaming, her psyche still has color or some kind of vibe at the minimum. Sometimes it's warm tones, like tie-dye. Other times it resembles a field of lavender, or she's wrapped in cozy blankets, reading a book. It's never been empty like this."

"What can we do while we're here to fix it?" Oisín gazed out into the void like he may have missed something. I shrug, taking a minute to think because I never experienced this before in anyone's psyche.

"We have to find a way to reach her—coax her psyche out of hiding," I suggested.

"Diana!" He shouted. Nothing happened.

A glowing ray of magic weaved its way from Lucifer's hands, past us and into the darkness, but it fizzled out before it could go too far. He tried a few more times, then paced our small lit area. Then he unleashed torrents of magical energy into the void, but to no avail.

I walked further into the void, using my magic to feel around me for anything hiding out here as I thought of how to fix this so we could bring her home. Technically her psyche wasn't empty—it was dormant. Psyches could be fickle things, but they were the most alive while dreaming. If I could manipulate and weave dreams, maybe I'd be able to use that power to jump start Diana's psyche. I needed all of my power, so unfortunately, Lucifer and Oisín had to go.

"Sorry guys," I apologized before I broke the connection between us, throwing them out of Diana's psyche and back into the real world.

I blocked all mindlinks, putting all of my focus onto Diana. I crouched down and put my hands on the ground. Channeling my magic through them, my mind filled with images of Diana. Her smile. Her blue eyes and the way she'd roll them at me when I was fresh. The sway to her hips when she'd walk. How soft her body felt when we'd cuddle after sex. Her pouty lips and how they tasted. With each memory, I feel my magic becoming more powerful as it moves through me, into her psyche.

Despite an increase, my magic still met resistance. A force that felt like a brick wall blocked me from penetrating Diana's psyche, and I had no clue how to break through it.

I wanted to break it down brick by brick until it crumbled. Diana was my woman. She was the perfection that kept me up at night. My obsession, my everything. Knowing she bore my bite—my claim—wasn't enough. Owning her heart and soul was never going to be enough. I could bind her to me and hide away in the most desolate, hidden corner of the world and it would never be enough.

No matter what, I'd always crave this woman. I'd do whatever it took to free her from her own mental prison. Because she's mine.

Every dark, possessive thought made my magic more powerful—more determined—until it crescendoed, exploding like a bomb. The ground shook and I fell to my knees, gasping for air. A black, shadowed figure rose from the smoke, slowly gliding toward me, like some ethereal nightmare. As it got closer, I felt a familiar power signature. Smelled her familiar scent. Felt her overwhelming energy rolling over me in waves.

The smoke dissipated, and I'd recognize the curves and dips of her silhouette anywhere.

Diana stood before me, but she wasn't her normal self. She was painted in shades of darkness, like a black and white movie. Her tight, black dress covered her completely, high neckline and all. Her face molded into a melancholy mask when she saw me. The energy radiating from her was devastating.

Hurt. Betrayal. Anger. I caused that. We caused that.

She stared at me, still and silent.

Cutting straight to the point was the only decision that seemed right. The longer I stayed in her psyche, the more magic I'd use and I could feel myself growing weaker by the second.

"I miss you and I'm so sorry for hurting you. It's time to leave this place and wake up."

She said nothing to me, but the expression on her face changed to anger. I may have been imagining it, but it seemed like there was a slight red tint to her cheeks.

"I'm serious, you have to wake up, Diana."

"No, I don't." Her lips didn't move, but the rasp of her voice rang throughout the space, as if it was over a loudspeaker. "I'm done with you all. I'm done getting hurt."

A tear slid down her cheek. Then another. She looked like a dark weeping angel.

"The longer you stay here, the less chance you have of getting out. You could be trapped here forever." I get up and try to move closer to her, but some invisible force keeps us a few feet apart.

The ground still shakes, and even though we're in a dark void, I can feel the space shifting. The light above us that Lucifer left behind is pitching back and forth.

"Why would I go back to four men who shattered my heart?" she asked me as tears streamed down her face. "No."

"Diana, please, there's a war going on. Supernaturals and humans are dying, and Red is gaining ground again. The entire world as we know it is at risk."

She turned her back on me, dismissing me.

"Birdie, please, come with me. If you won't do it for us, or for the millions of innocent lives at stake, do it for Angie, Charlie, and Nonna. Your family deserves to be safe, and all of us are a target until Red is permanently stopped."

The mention of her family gets her attention. "I miss them."

The shaking worsened, causing the darkness to crumble and give way to bright red. Instead of feeling like we were in a void of darkness, there were clearly walls now, and they felt as if they were closing in on us. We had to get out, now. Something wasn't right here.

"They miss you. We all do. Your fathers miss you, and so does your brother. Your men miss you, whether or not you're done with us. We love you, and we'll never stop fighting for you, Birdie. Please, take my hand?" I extend it to her as far as I can reach, given the force that surrounds her.

The walls get closer, and I give her a pleading stare. Please, Birdie, please take it.

"I'll never forgive you, Bash. Or any of them," she promised me as she took my hand.

"We'll see, Birdie."

I used the little magic I had left to pull us out of her psyche. As soon as I came to, I fought the overwhelming exhaustion that kept my eyes closed. I was still laying in bed next to Diana, but I wasn't holding her hand anymore. She sat up in bed, glaring at me.

"Are you okay?" I knew she'd be mad, but I had to ask.

"I'll be much better when you're out of my bed and I don't have to see anyone." She scanned the room before she shouted, "Out! Everyone get out!'

Steam billowed from Diana's ears and her face turned red.

"Diana we need to—" Lucifer was cut off, rendered mute, as was I. Everyone in the room opened and closed their mouths like fish out of water, trying to talk to her. Mal smiled at all of us like the cat that got the cream. Of course she didn't mute him…

"Do you want me to leave, princess?" Mal asked as he took her hand, his voice smooth and calm.

"No, but please teleport them all out. I want to be alone."

"Done."

Desmond, Ares, Az, and I materialized into our barrack. I couldn't believe that shit turned on us like that.

Hey, don't worry. I'm going to stay with her tonight to make sure she's okay. Hopefully she'll want to talk in the morning, Mal mindlinked me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Diana's psyche was proof as to how not okay she was. She needed someone to stay with her so she could adjust. I reminded myself that he wasn't a traitor—he was supporting her. Even if that meant helping her get space from the rest of us. Desmond brought me into a fierce hug, giving me a good squeeze. He motioned for our attention.

"Bash, how bad was it? I can feel your concern and anxiety like a brick to the face." Desmond's face scrunched at his own analogy.

"There was nothing. Pitch black…darkness. I've never seen something like that before. She didn't want to leave and told me she would never forgive us…"

"But she has to!" Ares shouted, a tear streaming down his face. "I won't lose her. None of us will."

Az shrugged as he sat on the couch. He fiddled with his hands, eyes downcast. "We can't force her to take us back, no matter how badly we need her." The sadness that clung to his words cast a somber scene over the room.

He was right. No one could make Diana do anything.

Ares sat next to him and crushed him in a fierce hug. A hint of a smile crossed his face, and I realized I hadn't seen him smile in ages. I barely even recognized him, honestly. I had been too angry and volatile these past few months to truly see him at all.

"Bringing her back was only half the battle. Now the real work begins, gentlemen," Desmond announced. "We need to work together to prove ourselves worthy of her forgiveness."

"Yeah, and that means getting right with each other first." Ares pierced me with a glare, then swung his gaze to Az.

I took a few moments to work myself up to apologize. It wasn't that I didn't think I was wrong. I just hated emotions and feelings. They made me uncomfortable.

"I'm going to bed," Az said as he rose from his seat. "In the morning we'll get Mal and think of some ways to fix everything. Good night."

Before I could ask him to stay, he faded out to his room and closed the door behind him.