Dana sat in one of the reading chairs in the office, facing Lily, who sat on the desk. Through the window, she could just see the hood of the town car through the gap in the wall at the edge of the property. She had come here from the fountain, intent on asking what Lily had in mind, but the succubus had been staring out the window with an intense look of fear.
In Dana’s pocket, her phone buzzed. Out of habit, she pulled it out to reveal that she had a new text.
Feeling hungry? Results soon or you starve.
Shit. She read the text again and swallowed the lump in her throat. What would happen to her when she starved? She looked up at Lily and then back at her phone.
“He just texted. Apparently I need to provide results or I starve,” she said, then put her phone away.
“That’s Daryl for you.” Lily’s hair swished dramatically across her face when she turned her attention to Dana. “He’s done some pretty sick shit in his time.”
“Like this?” Dana asked, indicating herself.
“Oh, he’s done much worse.” Lily shook her head. “I’ve seen and heard things that made my stomach curl.”
“Worse than risking my immortal soul?”
Lily nodded. “Remember the Holocaust? The Nazis were delving into the paranormal, trying to find any angle they could to get a leg up. Well, at one point, Daryl offered to be of service. To a man like him, the opportunity to explore his abilities on a large scale was too tempting an offer to pass up. He did exactly one experiment with a room full of Jews. Just one. It was so disgusting that even the Nazis decided it was too much, that he was too much of a risk.”
“Wow, seriously?”
“Yes. For him, it’s not about morals. It’s about seeing what people will do, experimenting with what makes them human. While you may begrudge your current state, remember that there’s a chance we can fix it and you will walk away intact.” She sighed. “If not for his ability to undo bodily harm, his proclivities would be seen as a threat by the others in the society.”
“They aren’t worried he could turn on them?”
Lily laughed. “Not with my former master in charge, no, he wouldn’t.”
“Your former master?”
“That is a story for probably never.” Lily shivered, then turned away from the window. “I don’t like talking about him. It’s like splashing the edge of a pond with a crocodile underneath. If you make too many ripples, he’ll leap out and snap you up in his jaws.”
“Then he is the leader of the society? What do they even want with this place?”
“In terms of leadership, the society acts more like a boardroom than a dictatorship. However, he controls so many shares that they defer to him. Doesn’t hurt that he founded the place.”
“Is that why you know so much about them? Have you been with them this whole time?”
Lily laughed without humor. “Yes, I have. For them, keeping to the shadows is of the utmost importance. I remember when magic used to be commonplace, a skill that could be paid for like that of a plumber or an electrician. Over the years, magic has died out almost completely, and one of the main reasons is people like the society. They harvest it and keep it like gold, locking it away for their private use. You’re only a tool, much like I was. They would let me out to feed on selected targets, people who would pass away in the night from a heart attack, their souls sucked from their bodies. Centuries of doing someone else’s dirty work and reaping no rewards of my own. Do you know how lonely it gets, stuck inside of a gemstone prison?”
“You sucked out souls?” Dana’s eyes were wide. “What happened to them?”
“They’re in here.” Lily tapped her chest. “Damned for all eternity. I’m a demon, a creature of chaos. I feed off them until they are withered up, forced to do my bidding in the Dreamscape.”
“Why don’t you let them go?”
Lily’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. She looked down at the floor, deep in thought for several moments before answering. “If I do, I die. And then I end up in the same boat as you. Allowed to cross over and go straight to Hell.”
“But you’re a demon. Didn’t you come from Hell?”
Lily kept her eyes on the floor, her lower lip trembling. “I wasn’t born a demon.”
“Then you were born…human?”
Lily nodded. “Your fate and mine are very similar in many ways. I was once mortal and made a choice out of naivete that has haunted me to this day. Yes, I am a demon, and I have done wicked things. But the nature of eternity is that we often live to regret the things we have or haven’t done.”
“So you are like me. Trapped.” Dana shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t feel sorry for me!” A pair of wings sprang out of Lily’s back, flapping momentarily before vanishing. Dana took a step back, and Lily’s face immediately softened. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I don’t want your pity. That’s what I meant to say.”
“Well, you can have it anyway.” Dana moved closer to the succubus and sat on the desk next to her. “I can feel him from here, you know. It’s like a sick feeling in the back of my throat. When I look out there, I know that that is the bastard who killed me and made me this way, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m glad you’re so mad about it. My emotions are just so numb right now, and I should be far angrier. It makes me happy, kind of, that you can do all the hating for me.” Dana moved her hand on top of Lily’s and gave it a squeeze. “That being said, I am feeling very murderous right now.”
Lily looked at where their hands touched, then raised her gaze to look into Dana’s eyes. There was a brief flash of light in them, and the scent of sulfur permeated the room.
“No.” Lily shook her head. “No. Forget I even said that.”
“What? Why?”
“There’s still a difference between us. All those bad things I did were because of a stupid choice I made long ago. You didn’t get to choose to become a zombie, but you do get to make all your choices from here on.”
“But how is that fair?” Dana took her hand away. “You don’t get to decide that for me.” When she pushed herself off the desk, her feet slapped against the wooden floor. A sharp pain tore through her stomach, and she gasped, falling to her knees.
Lily was immediately at her side, helping her to stand.
“We need to get you to Zel right away,” Lily told her. “What the fuck is taking Mike so long?”
“I don’t understand. What’s happening?” The pain ripped through her again, causing her to gasp. It subsided, allowing her to walk on her own. She pushed away from Lily to go into the bathroom down the hall instead. Wondering if she would be sick, she started to lean over the toilet when she saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
Her hair was going gray.
The slow, slippery climb out of the frozen lake had left Mike tired enough that he started dozing on the long walk back to Ratu’s lair. Asterion carried the naga in his arms, and Mike couldn’t help but be a little jealous of her royal treatment. They followed Asterion back to Ratu’s lair, and Mike sat down at the nearest table and stretched his legs.
“I’m fucking exhausted,” he said, rubbing a sore spot on his knee.
“Or are you exhausted from fucking?” Abella asked.
“Ha ha.” Mike rubbed his face and lightly slapped his cheeks. “I didn’t think nearly freezing to death or being chased by a Russian witch would make me so tired. And you’re probably right about the other thing.”
Abella smirked. “Just imagine how tired you would be without your magic.”
“My magic?” Mike was immediately awake.
“You know, from the soul swap with Naia. Nymphs get their energy from sex. I’m guessing you do too. Naia told me once that it’s like dipping a cup into a river to drink some of it. So whenever you have sex, you take some of the other
person’s energy.”
“But that doesn’t make sense. You took my energy that time on the cliffs, not the other way around.”
“Sex is about giving and taking. It should be an even swap, but a nymph can shift the scales dramatically and take extra, weaving it into magic.” The gargoyle shrugged, her heavy tail shifting behind her. “You would have to ask her about it.”
“I may have to.” Give and take, Mike thought. He pictured Cecilia in the cave with him once more, the two of them creating a magical feedback loop. Pondering this bit of information, he stretched until something in his shoulder popped.
The others quickly joined them, and when Ratu walked over to sit down, she looked like she was limping.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I will be. I almost froze to death, you know.” She winked at him and then looked at Asterion. “It should be ready in my room. Please bring it.”
“Bring what?” Mike asked.
“We’re going to have some tea,” she said.
“We’re going to pass. I need to get back right now, so if you don’t mind, I just need directions out of here.” He stood and let out an involuntary grown.
“Nonsense. You are in poor shape, and the tea will help. You need your wits about you if you are to face the problems up above.”
“And we need a plan,” added Beth.
“So what’s the plan? Go home, boot the witches, go to bed?” He grinned, but nobody laughed. Asterion reappeared holding a silver platter with a tea set. He handed cups out to everybody, and Ratu poured the tea for them.
Mike pulled a cup toward him and sniffed it. “This stuff is caffeinated, right?”
Ratu smirked. “In a manner of speaking. Once you have finished your tea, Asterion will lead you and the others to the front gate. I will remain here. While I believe that the artifact is indeed destroyed, I have to be certain its magic has not affected anything near the lake.”
“Affected how?”
“If the object’s magic didn’t leak into the surrounding area, we are fine. If it did, then literally anything you can think of could have happened, and it can migrate to the house itself. I need to explore the area to make certain the Labyrinth is still safe and will do so once Asterion has returned from leading you out.”
“Once we are outside of the Labyrinth, we can use the viewing pool just outside of the gate to return quickly,” Sofia added. “It’s a shortcut to the house.”
“I’m familiar with it,” Mike said. He had tackled Jenny into it last week when she had tried to hide from them in the Labyrinth, and it had been a one-way trip straight to the house.
“Anyway, once we’re back, you should be able to use the goggles to activate the home’s defenses.”
“Great.” Mike sipped his tea. It spread warmth through his chest, chasing away not only his fatigue but the sore spot in his knee. Letting out a sigh, he slid down in his chair a bit. “The last couple of days have been awful.”
“I’m afraid you will have many days like this,” Sofia warned him. “It is true that there will be times of peace. But there will also be times of hardship.”
“I’m ready for some peace.” Mike sipped the tea again, smacking his lips. “Peace and quiet. And I have all of you to help me now.”
“Indeed.” Ratu grinned. “Perhaps I will stop by sometime?”
“We would love to have you. So can we go now?”
“Once your tea is gone.” Ratu sipped at her own cup and sighed. “You will have to take one of the longer routes to get out, I’m afraid. That way, you avoid any madness that may have been left behind.”
“Uh-huh.” Mike looked at his cup, licked his lips, and then drank the rest of the tea. He set the cup down on the table and stood. “Well, looks like I’m ready.”
The others followed suit and rose to join him.
“I wish there was more I could do to help,” Beth said, standing up from her chair. Jenny’s head was poking up out of her backpack, but Mike couldn’t tell if the doll was awake or not. “I feel like the outsider here.”
“Uh, well, yeah, I get that,” said Mike. “You kind of got sucked into this whole mess when I gave you Jenny. I’m really sorry.”
Beth waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. It’s my job to help you settle in, remember? And if that means getting rid of a coven of witches who are camped out on your lawn because they want to steal your house from you, then count me in.”
Mike laughed. “Well, the good news is that we at least know where we are going. So that’ll be a nice change.” He walked up to Asterion and gave him a mock salute. “Lead the way, big guy.”
Asterion grunted in response and then took them out of Ratu’s chamber. Mike paused briefly to wave at the naga on his way out.
“Try not to die,” she told him.
He smiled in response, then turned away from her and jogged to catch up with the others.
“This is not good.” Dana’s eyelids were being held open by Zel, who was examining her face under the brightest light bulb in the garage. The centaur let go, then made some more notes in her notebook. Dana was sitting in a chair that Lily had borrowed from the dining room.
“What’s wrong with her?” Lily asked.
“She’s dying.” Zel’s tail swished, her pencil furiously scribbling.
“I thought I was already dead.” Dana looked at Lily. “Or undead. However you put it.”
“Technically, you’re mostly dead.” Zel rummaged through her saddlebag. “Human cells live, replicate, and die. Over and over again until the whole body dies. You take in food, water, and air, the cells get energy, they keep living, the process continues. You, however, are now dead. Your body won’t digest food, and you don’t need to breathe, so your cells have to replenish themselves in some other manner.”
“Like human flesh?” Dana really hoped it wasn’t human flesh.
“Aha!” Zel pulled a book out of her bag and opened it. “Yes, you do, but why? Zombie legends state that a zombie eats with abandon, and there is usually some kernel of truth in every tale. What is it about living flesh that sustains a zombie?”
“I don’t see the point of these questions,” Lily added. “If zombies eat human flesh, then we need to figure out where to get her some.”
“Daryl told me I might go feral.” Dana held out her hands. Her skin had gone very pale. “I don’t want to go feral, and I really don’t want to start eating brains. I guess this is what he meant when he mentioned starving.”
“Of course!” Zel slammed her book shut. “The brain is the seat of consciousness for a mortal. By consuming a brain, you take in that person’s essence.”
“You mean like eating their soul?” Dana shook her head. “I don’t want to do that.”
“No, not their soul. Think of it like life force. Humans shed this stuff like hair. It’s in their blood and their breath, but it will be most concentrated in the place where soul and body are linked.”
“So the brain.” Dana hung her head. “Shit.” The pain in her gut was intensifying and caving in on itself.
“I bet you are experiencing the beginnings of hunger.” Zel was digging through some of her old journals now. “Zombie hunger will likely be worse than normal. Your whole body is degrading at the same time, meaning you will need a rapid influx of something to sustain you before you eat whatever you can get your hands on. I’m afraid it will take some willpower from you to buy us some time. You need to avoid the urge to…snack.”
Lily looked at Dana, then at Zel. “Is there anything you can do for her? ’Cause I don’t mind grabbing her a jogger or something.”
“No. I’m not eating anybody.” Dana scowled. That would mean crossing a line, and she refused.
“I might be able to mix her up something to buy her more time.” Zel pulled out a notebook. “If my theory holds up, I
might have something that will help.”
“You do that. I think I might have an idea too.” Lily knelt so that she was eye level with Dana. She took Dana’s hand in her own, leaning in close. The smell of cinnamon and sulfur washed over Dana, making her stomach growl. “I need you to hold on for a bit. Can you do that?”
“Yeah. Where are you going?”
“Out.” Lily gave her a quick hug. “I’ll tell you more when I get back.”
“Okay, thanks.” Dana watched Lily leave, determination written on her face. Looking back at Zel, Dana watched the centaur pulling various vials out of the tool bench she had commandeered. A veritable apothecary was constructed on the bench, Zel identifying different compounds. After watching the centaur for several minutes, Dana felt another pang in her stomach, this one worse than the rest. Determined to take her mind off her hunger, she stuck her hand in her pocket for her phone. Maybe a few rounds of Sweet Smasher would help keep her mind off how hungry she was.
Her fingers curled against the bottom of her pocket. Baffled, Dana stuck her hand in her other pocket. It was empty too. Standing up, she looked around, wondering if she had set it down somewhere.
“What’s wrong?” Zel asked, concern on her face. She was holding a vial of something that looked like tree sap in one hand and a pine cone in the other.
“My phone is gone,” she replied.
“Progress.” Daryl patted Kali on the knee, tucking away his phone. “For what it’s worth, you did a far better job than Sebastien. He barely got in the door.”
“What are you talking about?”
“My plan worked. She just texted me that she’s on her way out with something I desire.” He opened his car door. “I’ll be back in just a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere.”
“I should come with you,” Kali said.
“Absolutely not. With the succubus here, the high priest’s attention will be elsewhere, meaning I will have some extra time to sort out what she is bringing me.” Daryl stepped out of the car, tossing a dash of powder across the roof. “And if you do get out, your wounds will undo themselves. Won’t stop you, but it will wreck your day.”
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