Finding Meridian Ch. 25

Does love last or die...Conclusion

Thank you everyone for staying with me throughout this long journey. I know it seemed to take forever but sometimes good things take time. Also, thank you MSNJ for not only editing but acting as my muse! Thank you everyone for reading! For now we have an ending.

Meridian

Characters

Reardan O'Brien -- Prime Alpha of UK, Werewolf. Father is Teague O'Brien.

Alice Grandy-Young island female whose parents were killed and uncle tried to rape. Uncle attacked Queen Trinity and was sentenced to death.

Hermes Trismegistus- Ancient Egypt spiritual leader whose name means 3 times great.

The Blue Priestess -- Magical daughter to Hermes and her powers are yet to be shown.

Marcus & Meridian -- Marcus vampire leader that mated with Meridian. Lead singer of Genevieve's Revenge and One of the three Triadic Queens. Children: Marcus Jr. and Gweneal

Trinity & Drake -- Triplet sister to Meridian and Alex. Mated to Drake. Powers of hypnotic voice. Children: Nico and Skylar

Alex (Alexandria) & Logan-- Triplet sister to Meridian and Alex. Now mated to Logan. Children: Caleb and Gabriella. Pregnant with 3^rd child Lucian.

Zeus -- Ancient Great Great (you get it)...Grandfather to Meridian, Trinity and Alex.

Band: Genevieve's Revenge: David: Drummer, Billie: Bassist, Alex: Guitarist

~~~~~~

NOTE: SINCE MERIDIAN'S DRUMMER IS NAMED ALEX TO KEEP DOWN THE CONFUSION HER SISTER WILL BE CALLED BY HER FULL NAME ALEXANDRIA.

Marcus awoke with a start feeling as if something was horribly wrong. Then he heard the scream downstairs. He ran to the stairs seeing a collapsed Meridian at the bottom with blood pooling around her.

At the same time Alice awoke with a cry. Despite his strength Reardan was unable to hold Alice back as she ran to the door and headed down the stairs. By now there was a group of people surrounding Meridian as Marcus cradled her in his arms.

Reardan rushed down the stairs to see Alice blur to Marcus' side. Marcus was cradling her in his arms trying to coax her to drink his slit wrist but her eyes were staring off into space. As much as he tried she wasn't responding.

Reardan rushed up checking out her head wound and cussing at the severity of it. He noticed her weakening heartbeat as did Marcus.

Alice reacted from instinct from memories from her past. Tears began to flow down her face as she leaned forward holding Meridian's face in her hands as she went to lightly kiss her lips. A golden light seemed to flow from Alice to Meridian causing their lips to glow through the kiss. Golden iridescent tears fell upon Meridian that did not slide down her cheeks. Instead they dissolved into her skin.

Marcus went to push Alice away as her hand went to his cheek causing him to still. Alice's head went back as her other hand stayed on Meridian's face. A brilliantly enchanted singing voice began to chant, "Stay with us...Stay with us...Ignore the other side...You belong with us. Stay with us...from me to you...from him to you." Alice very lightly and lovingly kissed Meridian as the glowing began again from Alice's mouth and illuminated Meridian. A glowing began at her hands and seemed to link both Meridian and Marcus together as he felt his soul scream for her to stay.

Alice's head went backwards as Reardan was barely able to move as she screamed out and wings sprouted. Her hand slid from Marcus' face to Meridian's heart. Everyone stared in shock as they both disappeared.

Marcus howled an ancient vampire whose soul had been ripped from him as he just howled a cry of loss and sorrow making everyone around him fall to their knees in grief.

Drake and Logan immediately sensed the volatile nature that was surfacing within Marcus. They rushed and grabbed him struggling as they dragged him into a safe room and locked him in.

~~~~~~

Meridian stared over at Alice confused. All the pieces were jumbled and a blur. She stared down at the amazing gown she was wearing and gasp in surprise. She turned to see Alice and lost her breath. Alice was amazing dressed as a warrior with armor and weapons. Her beauty was all encompassing.

Alice was scowling, "We don't have long on this plane. You need to make a choice now! Look in the mirror. This is what you are choosing right now? Is this what you choose?"

Meridian turned to stare in a full length mirror to see the gorgeous gown but she was dead. Not vampire dead! She noted to herself in her head.

"If you die now we go to war. It will be a very long and brutal war. Some of the children will die. Marcus will lose it and kill anyone and everything that gets in his way. War will be his only focus."

Alice placed her hands on the sides of Meridian's face. "This is the future if you do not fight and come back with me." The images that filtered through her view made her scream and cry as tears fell down her face. The sight of Marcus in the vision made her cry out. He had lost all humanity. She saw him leave their children with her sisters as he left. The visions of the war and the dying made her collapse to the floor as Alice held her making her see the results of her death.

Finally, Alice removed her hands as she sat behind Meridian holding her as she sobbed. "I'm just so tired. He seems to resent me and the children. All I hear is that he has conference calls. He ignores me now. I'm so lonely and tired."

Meridian turned and stared at Alice. "You are one strong Queen and one hell of a fighter. This is not you. I know that you are hybrid but you still have a very human nature. It is possible to be depressed after birth. Normally you would demand that Marcus pay attention and talk to you. Instead you work yourself to the bone and kill yourself falling down stairs. I can bring you back but we don't have any more time. What is your choice?"

"I'll go back. I'll work it out. Even if I do it alone." Meridian said as she took Alice's hand.

"Correction, both of you will work this out. You have sisters, staff and plenty of people who love you. Without all of you I wouldn't have lived. You gave me Reardan. Now I need to tell you that bringing you back is at a cost to me. When we get back I will collapse. I need you to just have Reardan put me to bed and let me rest. This wears me down. Don't make any assumptions that I have died it's a hibernation. Explain that to Reardan."

~~~~~~

Meridian and Alice appeared within the safe room as Alice collapsed to the floor. An almost feral Marcus approached Meridian with anger and loathing in his eyes for her leaving him. He grabbed what he had perceived to be an illusion and briskly bit into the side of her neck sucking rapidly. Using the blood to try to ease his pain he started feeling he was hurting someone he loved. His eyes opened to a weak Meridian crying with tears falling down her face.

His humanity slowly started to resurface as he heard her weak words.

"Please Marcus, I'm so tired and weak. You're hurting me." A broken Meridian let the tears fall.

His eyes focused on her face and the fact that he had not used his venom during the bite. He had wanted her to suffer for leaving him. Now his heart was heavy with regret.

He went to bite his wrist when she stopped him. "I need you to be strong if something happens." She was fading in and out.

"Something happens?! I lost you. I fucking lost you! You will feed and that is it." He bit his wrist and cradled her head to it as she slowly swallowed. When he felt he had given her enough he pulled his wrist away.

"I'm so tired." Meridian stared up at him with weary eyes.

"Then sleep my Meridian." Marcus lifted her as Logan and Drake opened the safe room and Reardan rushed in grabbing Alice.

Meridian stirred and looked at Reardan as he howled out in grief to what appeared to be a dead Alice.

Meridian looked at Marcus, "I need to tell Reardan something."

"He just lost Alice that's not wise." Marcus was scowling at the thought of going near him.

"She's not dead she wanted me to tell him."

Reardan overheard the words as he picked up Alice in his arms and walked over to a weak Meridian being cradled by Marcus.

"She's not dead?" Reardan said with a touch of hope in his voice.

"She said she goes into some kind of hibernation after the strain of bringing me back. She just needs to rest in bed. She will be fine. She saved me." Meridian began to drift off as Marcus carried her back to their room.

He settled her in bed and went to the Library to drink.

~~~~~~

Marcus sat there thinking that he had hurt her so badly. Maybe letting her go was the best thing. Maybe he wouldn't feel like his heart was tied to her if he let her go.

Drake and Logan headed to the library to find out why Marcus was not with Meridian. They waited until they had a few drinks and then started to ask him.

"So you are just going to leave her alone to wake up?" Logan said as he stared at Marcus.

"It's none of your business! A nurse is there." Marcus said with malice in his voice.

"Don't push her away. You almost lost her today you idiot!" Drake said as his control snapped.

"Yes and I almost lost myself. I let her get too close. I should know better." Marcus said coldly.

"So you are throwing your mate away. How does that work oh Ancient one? How does it work? Does she meet someone else? Do you give up custody of the children? Do they see you on weekends?" Logan said pushing him even farther.

Marcus threw his glass across the room. "If you were hoping to push me you've both succeeded!"

Marcus grabbed a new glass and drank rapidly. Logan and Drake watched him until he passed out at the table.

"Should we take him to their room?" Logan asked.

"No, let him wake up to what he has done." Drake said as he left the room.

~~~~~~

Meridian felt herself in Marcus' mind as she heard him saying the words in the library. She knew it was real when she awoke alone and called Marcus just to get no reply. Her anger rose as she order servants to move her to another part of the palace. She refused to be around him until he got his head out of his ass. She needed to be strong for the children. If he decided to not be with them she would have to deal with it.

~~~~~~

King Douglas stood in court yard with Michael surrounded by guards.

"It seems that during my years as a ruler some have forgotten the laws on this island." One guard pushed Michael down on his knees. He pushed him forward so Douglas had a good straight aim. "Michael Smith you have been found guilty for kidnapping, slavery, abuse, attempted murder and attempted rape. Your sentence is death."

Most of the Queens and Kings had made it out to the courtyard to watch the execution. They were surprised to see this side of Douglas.

Douglas drew his sword as if weighed nothing and swiftly cut Michael's head from his body.

Douglas refused to say anything else as a guard wiped his sword clean; he turned with a scowl and left.

~~~~~~

Marcus finally made it back to their room to notice silence. He entered and the room was spotless. So spotless there was no Meridian or their children. Logan and Drake had warned him. It didn't matter he was better off alone. His business was suffering and he would focus on that.

He walked over to the desk and saw the ring. A small note was next to it.

You're free. Meridian

Pain surged through Marcus as he decided to leave the island and go back to work at the office. He quickly boarded their jet and left the island.

~~~~~~

Meridian was heartbroken over the next few weeks. She tried her best to not cry every night but every time she turned around she cried. She put up a strong front in front of everyone else but alone she cried. Reardan finally came to see her and check out her health.

She burst out crying as Reardan held her close to let her cry out the pain.

"I need to do an exam. You did have a C-section. You haven't made it to any follow up appointments. We have to assure there are no problems."

Over the next hours she had test after test done until Reardan came back to talk to her.

Reardan pulled her into his arms to hug her. He knew this news would be devastating and she was already alone. "Sweetie, you have a very bad infection. You ran yourself down too much and you're not healing. I can call Marcus to give you blood." Meridian just shook her head no. "Then we are going to have your sisters take care of the children while we take you down for a procedure. Even with Marcus' blood I doubt it would reverse the damage done. I'm sorry but I doubt you'll be able to have any more children. Can I explain it to your sisters? You need someone here for you."

"Yes, can you also call Connor for me?" Reardan nodded as he instructed a guard to keep a constant eye on her when he left.

Connor entered the room not too much later. Meridian just burst into tears crying as Connor pulled her into his arms. He waited until she calmed down, "Connor can you work with Douglas to get my band here? I need them. I can trust them."

"Of course sweetie, I'll help however I can." Connor just held her and cursed Marcus in his head.

Connor left as he saw her sisters enter. Logan and Drake finally told everyone what had happened after Reardan explained how she needed surgery.

Alexandria and Trinity held her close, "We're having our rooms moved towards you." Alexandria said as she wiped her sister's tears away. "We'll help you. When we leave the island you'll be staying with us. Logan and Drake agreed we would raise the children together."

"I would like that but I may record an album and take them on the road with me for a while." Trinity just looked at Alexandria. They both knew her band was coming and they had to devise some way to stop this distance between Meridian and Marcus.

They looked at each other decided they would discuss some way to make this right. They didn't have much time. Her surgery was in two days while she prepared paperwork in case something went wrong. Reardan had reluctantly agreed to the delay while he put her on antibiotics.

~~~~~~

Marcus buried himself in work.

Despite his wanting to not feel anything for his mate over the weeks the hurt just increased. He felt like a human as he felt his heart hurt. He missed her and the children but he reminded himself he just hurt her.

Marcus walked back to his office and sunk to the floor with his hands in his hair. How did shit get so bad so fast? His love just increased for her and the children the longer he was away.

He felt himself sinking deeper as another week went by. The days and nights dragged and he felt empty. When he saw Logan and Drake come in later with the children including his children he nearly dropped to the floor. His heart hurt even more.

Logan just smiled at him, "We thought we'd stop by."

Marcus immediately went to his children having Trinity help him hold both of them. Confusion set over him as to why Meridian wouldn't have the children.

Logan and Drake looked at each other wondering if this plan was a good idea. "Meridian is going to go back on tour after an excuse is made to the press about her alleged death. We offered to take custody of your children."

They hoped Marcus wouldn't sense their lie. Well if he kept up his stubbornness it wouldn't be a lie.

"She's just going to abandon our children while she goes off and has some rock star life?" Marcus began to scowl at them.

"She's keeping the tours short so she can come back and see them of course but she said she has to get back to her life. She's sent us with paperwork to dissolve the mating. I'm not sure how it works I've never heard of one." Drake said with mischief in his eyes.

"Where is she? Where the fuck is she?" Marcus demanded.

"Back at the palace and her band is with her. That Alex is so hot." Trinity said hoping to cause some jealousy in Marcus' mind. She noticed the fury in Marcus' eyes.

Trinity helped him put the babies down as she noticed him rush to the desk. "Is the jet ready?"

"Well, yes we were just stopping by. Did you need to use it?" Drake asked.

"We are all going back to the island." Marcus said with such force as to not cause anyone to question him.

Trinity and Alexandria hid their smile.

~~~~~~

Meridian was surrounded by her band as they hugged her. Each had crawled into bed with her holding her to prove she was still alive. Alex pulled her into his arms as he noticed her sadness. He noticed her constantly touching where the ring used to be.

"Spill it!" Billie said as he watched her.

"It's a long story." Meridian said in a shattered voice.

"We have time," David said as he held her hand.

The fatigue of everything took her over as she spent the next few hours telling them everything until she finally finished. She then cried as they held her and she dropped into a deep sleep.

After all of the travel and hearing their lead singer was still alive and what she had gone through exhaustion settled over them as they fell asleep holding her.

~~~~~~

Marcus was in a frenzy when he entered the palace and searched for her rooms. He was filled with violent rage and resentment.

When he opened her door and saw the men in bed with her he was ready to tear them limb from limb. Alexandria and Trinity had quickly realized things were going to go bad really quickly.

Logan and Drake rushed forward grabbing Marcus as the men woke up to look up at Marcus.

Alex was the first to look at him with distain, "I'm guessing you're Marcus."

"Get your hands off my mate!" Marcus felt his fangs elongating with his anger.

The two other band members left the bed but Alex suddenly had a concerned look on his face. "Meridian, Marcus is here." He felt her not stir and he shook her lightly, "Meridian, wake up." He felt her head. "Call the doctor, she needs a doctor."

Marcus just noticed the IV's hooked up to her as once again he felt his heart clench. Marcus felt something break inside him. His mind was made up. He no longer had the strength to run away in fear of losing her and the children. He was going to lose her if he didn't stay. Alex could sense the change in him as Logan and Drake let go of him. Alex gently lifted her in his arms and handed her to Marcus. Marcus noticed her shallow complexion and weightlessness as she resembled a ragdoll in his arms.

Reardan rushed in while Marcus was holding Meridian and kissing her face asking her to forgive him. He pulled the ring from his pocket and put it where it belonged, on her finger.

Reardan quickly got her stabilized over the next few hours and she was taken for surgery.

~~~~~~

Alex tried to be angry at the Marcus but it was hard when he saw him pacing the waiting room. Finally after hours Reardan and another doctor finally entered the waiting room. "She's going to be fine but will need time to recuperate." Reardan looked directly at Marcus, "NO STRESS!"

They all went to the library to drink since Meridian wouldn't be awake for at least 12 hours.

Marcus telepathically talked to Drake and Logan.

'I apologize to both of you. I can only hope she will forgive me. If she will, I want to be tied to her by marriage too. I won't ever let her go.'

Logan smiled, 'Bout time you got your head out of your ass. Why not a triple wedding?"

Drake just smiled and nodded.

Marcus looked at the band members and began to speak, "Thank you for consoling her. I am going to ask her to marry me. I'm not sure how things will go forward with the band but we'll figure it out after she's healed."

David finally spoke up, "I don't know about the others but I'm just relieved she is alive. Also, I'm in shock by the duplicates of her here." David winked at Trinity. "Definitely hotties."