25

                                    

                                          
Kadence's pov
My arms stretched out beside me as I woke up. My eyebrows furrowed when I didn't feel Lilith next to me. With a shrug I get up and take a shower. After my warm shower I get dressed and brush my hair and teeth. I grab my bag and head downstairs. My mom and Cadell were in the kitchen. Cadell passed me a fruit parfait. 
"Thanks," I say. Cadell smiled at me. 
"Is Lilith joining us for breakfast?" Cadell asked. I look at him then to my mom. 
"You mean you haven't seen her? She was gone when I woke up," I muttered while taking a bite of my food. 
"She must have gone to school already," my mom says. I make a face. 
"It's Lilith I doubt she went into school earlier than she wants to," I say. My mom shrugged. "Ryland or her cousins must have needed her."
After my breakfast I drove to school. The school was already full of students. My eyes land on Ryland and Kayla. They stood next to their lockers.
"Hey guys, have you seen Lilith yet?" I asked. They both shook their heads. 
"If she doesn't show up I would check the palace," Ryland says. I nod my head. With a sigh I put my bag in the locker. I got out my notebook and pencil as the bell rang. I head to class.
~~~
Once the last bell rang. I was out of the school faster than the other students could register that it was the end of the school day. I rush to my car and get in. The door slams shut and I pull out of the parking lot. I drive to Rylands pack. Once my car was parked I got out of my car and rushed to the woods. It was a long walk without someone to keep me company. Xazas was dragging a body out of his cabin. His head snapped over to me causing him to drop the body and he stood in front of it. If I wasn't so worried about Lilith I would have cared. 
"Is Lilith here?" I asked. Xazas shook his head. 
"Nope, I haven't seen her since I left your house yesterday," He says. I nod my head before making my way to the palace. I was let in. As I walked to the castle I got stares from the other vampires. 
Griffin appeared in front of me causing me to jump back. He gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he mutters. 
"Is Lilith here?" I asked. Griffin pursed his lips. 
"No. She hasn't been here in a while," Griffin says. My shoulders sagged in defeat. This was the last place she could have been. Tears pricked my eyes. Maybe she left me again. My chest tightens. Griffin's eyebrows furrowed. "You checked everywhere?"
"This was my last stop," I say while sniffling. Griffin wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back. 
"We will find her. Let's go pay Rune a visit," Griffin says. He pulls away from me. Griffin and I walk to a cottage. Rune and a woman with white hair were outside tending to the garden. The woman looks up. Her eyes widened. She rushed over to me. Her hands clutched my shoulders lightly. My eyes were wide. The woman had a bright smile on her face. Her eyes roamed over me. 
"Mom, let her go. You're freaking her out," Rune mutters. His mom let me go. 
"Wow, you are absolutely stunning. Lilith is lucky to have you," the woman says. My heart stung. "Where is Lilith?" Griffin shook his head. 
"Kadence this is my mother Mave," Rune says. I give Mave a small smile. 
"How long has Lilith been gone?"
"I woke up and she was gone," I muttered. Mave's eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes shut. Mave's white hair now had a light glow to it. 
"I can't feel her," Mave mutters. My eyes shoot to Rune. 
"What does that mean?" I asked. Rune let out a sigh. 
"She isn't on Earth," Rune states. My heart beats faster. 
"It either means she is dead or in Hell," Griffin sighed. 
"She's banned in Hell," I mutter. Griffin sighed before smiling at me. 
"Good news is she is alive or you would have felt Lilith die," Griffin says. A frown was on my face. 
"Did you feel anything when Xyla died?" I asked. 
"Since I rejected her and she accepted it our bond completely broke. I didn't feel anything. It would have been different if we were marked and mated," Griffin spoke. 
"Why would Lilith go to hell if she is banned?" I mutter. 
"Xyla is the devil's daughter. Lilith could be with the Devil because she killed his daughter," Rune says. 
"If she was dead wouldn't you say Xyla was the devil's daughter?" I asked. Griffin shook his head. 
"No. Since demons are practically dead they just get a new body. There is this portal-like thing in hell that regenerates the body for their soul," Griffin says. 
"So Lilith is paying a price for killing someone who can come back to life?" I asked. They all shrug. 
"We don't know why she is down there. Your guess is as good as ours," Rune says. 
"We could try strengthening your bond," Mave says. "It will make you feel the bond like Lilith does. You'll still be human but have the bond effect like a supernatural being. You'll be able to tell if something is wrong because of how strong the bond is. Since you are human at the moment you only feel it to an extent," Mave states. 
"Do it," I mutter. Mave nods her head. She held her hands over my body. Rune joined her. They both chant something under their breath. Mave's hair starts to glow again. Rune's eyes were glowing. A jolt goes through my body. My hair shot up before dropping. A sharp pain goes through my side causing me to groan and clutch my side. 
"Oh shit," Griffin says. 
"Seems she isn't there for a friendly visit," Rune says. The pain went away immediately. I let my side go.
"What do you feel now?" Griffin asked. 
"Nothing," I say. 
"Hmm, maybe she isn't getting tortured then. Looks like we're back to square one. We have no idea why she is in hell. The devil is clearly not torturing her," Griffin sighed.