Rebirth

by H. P. Mallory

  “My dear, the time has come to discuss the subject that I mentioned earlier,” Alaire suddenly said, throwing me for a moment or two.

  “Yes? What is it?” I asked, using as smooth a recovery as I could manage.

  “Your immortality,” he answered as he cut a piece of meat from his dinner plate, and his eyes never left my chest. “Or rather, your lack thereof.”

  “Oh?”

  Hmm, this was an interesting turn of events.

  “Yes,” he continued, like we were discussing no more than the weather. “And to address this issue, I am finally going to consent to your request of allowing Donnchadh into your body.”

  My jaw dropped limp. My tongue felt fat in my mouth. Serendipity couldn’t begin to explain the unbelievable gift Fate just dropped into my lap.

  What did that son of a bitch just say?

  Of course, every piece of luck seems to have a downside. Persephone was back.

  Apparently he wants to banish you forever, just like I do. I almost smiled. Of course, I knew banishing Persephone wasn’t Alaire’s sole intention—securing her longevity was. But I had no doubt that Donnchadh would destroy her. He wasn’t known as the sharing type.

  Ah, it was all too perfect for words… Tallis’s lies to my one-time captor were being realized by Alaire’s actions.

  I blinked several times, my natural reaction to the bombshell that Alaire just shared with me.

  “I don’t know what to say, my king,” I croaked. And I really didn’t. “Thank you!”

  “Rather than thanking me, why don’t you show me your true gratitude?”

  Inside, I cringed as. I realized I had to put on a show for him now, lest he change his mind. But Tallis and Bill’s life depended on me figuring out a way to release them and this was the first step in the right direction. So if Alaire wanted me to put on a show for him, a show he would have.

  I stood up, knocking my chair to the floor so I could hurry around the table to Alaire. I gave him a head hug, pressing my boobs right into his face.

  Persephone, probably fully realizing what this all meant for her, began to scream inside my head. I ignored her anger and looked down at Alaire, who just smirked up at me, as per freaking usual.

  “There is a catch, however,” he added with a raised finger.

  I pulled away. Of course there was. Alaire never did anything that didn’t first benefit him. The screaming stopped and my smile faded at his words.

  I leaned against the table with a tiny glare in my eyes. “What is the catch?”

  Alaire picked at his plate and dropped his attention to my breasts. “I am perfectly willing to give you the immortality you seek if you are, in turn, willing to give me something I desire more than anything else.”

  My brow knitted. “And what might that be?”

  “Innocence.” Alaire abruptly stood up, balling his hands into fists as though he were preparing to hit me. Seeing the wild look that entered his eyes, I wondered if he wouldn’t have. “Corruptible, pure innocence,” he all but hissed in my face. “And you, my gracious and wonderfully terrible queen, have lost all of your innocence.”

  “But,” I started until he held up a hand to shush me.

  “Though you no longer possess your innocence, you can provide me with someone who does.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  He pointed at my chest, though I suspected he was aiming for my heart. “Deep down inside you, Lily still lives. I know you hear her, perhaps you even feel her from time to time?”

  I was stone still. How should I answer that? Was this a test? “Yes,” I said finally, using my genuine annoyance with Persephone to flavor my words. “Nagging, feeble sort of girl that she is, she does indeed do all you say. I honestly do not know what you ever could have seen in her.”

  Self-deprecation was an effective and deceptive device. At least I hoped it was.

  Alaire stepped toward me, unclenching his fists to grab my shoulders. “But don’t you see? Her feebleness, her inexperience, her naiveté… all of those were telltale signs. That virgin mind was exactly what I saw in her!”

  Beads of sweat were rolling down his temples by this point. He was so close to my face that I could smell the steak on his breath.

  “Go on,” I said in a whisper.

  “It’s one thing to ravage and tarnish a body,” he stated as he pulled on one of my straps. That released one of my breasts and he cupped and squeezed it. I flushed with embarrassment but forced myself to stand still and let him do what he wanted with me.

  “But to taint a purely innocent soul,” he whispered. “Ahh… that is a pleasure I desire above all others.”

  I fought the urge to slap him but I could only play along. Still, I had an inkling that Persephone would protest… at first anyway.

  I batted my eyelashes and stuck out a pouty lip. “But am I not your queen, Alaire?”

  Alaire smiled as the wildness in his eyes faded. “Until the end of days, my dear. But I am a man of many needs and desires, just as you are a woman who demands the same for herself.” He arched a brow at me. I assumed he was referring to finding me with Tallis earlier.

  “I suppose that’s a fair argument,” I “reluctantly” conceded, stepping away from him to tuck my boob back into the dress. “But how would it work? How would I be able to allow this silly girl to overtake my body?”

  From his shirt pocket, Alaire produced a small vial, the same one the Retrievers used to house their wandering souls. Inside floated an angry red dot of light, which bounced like a mini-rubber ball. It was so bright that I had to look away until Alaire tucked it back into the place where he pulled it from.

  “What is that?” I asked, blinking hard.

  “Who would be the better question, actually.”

  “Very well… who is that?”

  “Donnchadh, naturally” he answered, his feral look returning.

  “Oh,” I said, gulping at what I’d just seen—Donnchadh’s soul was housed in nothing but a glass vial! I was somewhat surprised the angry little, red dot hadn’t shattered the glass of its prison already. “And how does he get inside me?”

  “A very simple procedure, my dear,” Alaire answered with a chuckle as he flexed his hands and popped his fingers against themselves.

  “Even if you put him… ahem… inside me, how will that help you get what you want?” It was a legitimate question. I didn’t see how making Persephone immortal (at least in Alaire’s mind) would allow Alaire to “corrupt” me.

  “Now that is a fantastic question, my lusty wench.” Alaire licked his lips, never losing his trademark smirk. “You have undeniable strength in you, Persephone. Donnchadh would enhance it to a level you cannot begin to fathom. You can use that strength to bring Lily forth to me. Only then can I speak with her, be with her; and do the things that I want to do to her.”

  I was at a loss for words. This was literally everything I wanted right now (minus the gross Alaire part), so why all the hesitation? Something nagged at me and for once, it wasn’t Persephone.

  “I must think about this, Alaire.” I said, pushing myself away from the table. “Granted, this is what I was asking for. But the extra terms attached to it make me uneasy.” I had to remember the part I was playing. “I admit, I do not like the idea of you harboring such interest in another woman.”

  He shrugged. “I am what I am, my dear.”

  “Be that as it may, I still need some time.” I stood up and moved away from the table but Alaire followed me every step of the way.

  “Of course, my dear. Take your time.” The crazed hunger had faded but there was still something unsettling about the way he looked at me. That craving was still visible.

  I opened the door to step into the hallway. Several of Alaire’s Watchers stood outside in rank and file like petitioners lining up in front of a Mafia don’s door.

  “I should mention one last thing, my love,” Alaire said before I could escape. “I’ll be in your chambers in one hour. So take
as much of that hour as you need to reach your decision… I’ll be expecting your answer at the end of it.”

  I glanced back and saw he’d regained his normal, stoic composure. With a backhanded wave, he let me know I was dismissed.

  I didn’t say anything or look anywhere once I entered the hall. I just walked straight to my bedroom, unsure if I needed to scream, laugh or cry.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lily

  The hour I’d been allotted by Alaire couldn’t pass slowly enough. I wanted this, I knew I did. Taking Donnchadh inside me would most likely rid me of Persephone for good and, bonus points, also ensure Alaire couldn’t take Donnchadh inside himself. So why was I hesitating?

  The memory of the first time I saw Tallis flailing his back popped into my mind.

  If I accepted Donnchadh and Tallis couldn’t get him out of me, would I have to drain my blood like I’d often witnessed the Bladesmith doing time after time? Could I drain my blood without actually killing myself? Tallis was a Druid who could heal himself automatically. I didn’t even know if I had the ability to learn that kind of magic. Of course, wasn’t healing myself part of having Donnchadh inside of me? I wasn’t sure. So many questions remained and I had no time to gather the answers.

  I was still pondering those questions while sitting at the cluttered makeup table in my bedchamber when Alaire knocked on the door. My stomach took an instant nosedive into my colon.

  “Hello, my darling,” Alaire said, stepping inside. His expression was more than a little coy as he walked up to me. “Have you come to a decision?”

  “Um,” I started.

  “I can’t imagine it must have been a very difficult one. After all, you’ve been positively hounding me about that spirit since I freed you from the crown.”

  I stood up and reached for a glass of wine I poured after I returned from dinner. His hand fell over mine the second my fingers touched the glass.

  “Don’t drink that,” Alaire warned me, suddenly seeming irritated. “For the ritual to work, you must be completely clear mentally.”

  I let go of the glass with an appropriate eye roll. “My king, I have no doubts that I can control Donnchadh whilst still enjoying my refreshment.” I did my best to impersonate Persephone. “However, your request is what I am having some difficulty with.”

  “I wish only for your happiness, my dear. But I must as you: do you not wish me to be happy as well?” Alaire replied, his face set in stone.

  I had to remember myself and the part I was playing. “Of… of course I do!” I spoke with the inflection of a lovesick girl. “Your happiness means everything to me (gag) but why do you need her?”

  “I believe I have already explained my position and quite sufficiently,” Alaire said as he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “My original question remains unanswered: will you exchange a simple pleasure for the immortality you so desire?”

  No doubt about it, I needed Donnchadh to rid myself of Persephone for good. More than that, I needed him to free Bill and Tallis as well as to attain my own freedom. So I had to trust that Tallis and I could remove Donnchadh from my body when the time came.

  Persephone screamed at me. Don’t do it, you damned fool! You’re being played by this trollop, you stupid bitch!

  I shut her out and replied, “I say, let us do it, then. Give me what I seek and I will give you your simple pleasure.” I cleared my throat. “With the understanding that the pleasure you experience with this foolish girl will never equal the pleasure you know with me, Persephone.”

  “Of course, my dear,” Alaire answered immediately. “Lily could never equal you, in any way.”

  Alaire rubbed my arms, his smirk breaking his composure into a toothy grin. His teeth shone beneath his peeled back lips like polished ivory. The sudden openness on his face made it seem as if he actually forgot how to really smile. I wasn’t sure if that were a good or bad thing.

  ###

  “Are you comfortable, my dear?” Alaire asked as he adjusted the ropes around my ankles and wrists. Given that I was completely naked, tied to a bed and being observed by not one but two sets of eyes… no, I was not comfortable at all, not in the slightest.

  That other set of eyes belonged to a woman. Alaire held her by a chain in his hand like a dog on a leash. She was naked as well, her wrists bound by the chain. Lines of dirty streaks ran down her cheeks from her tears. “Uncomfortable” couldn’t begin to describe how bad she must have felt.

  “I’m so comfortable,” I lied, hoping my acting skills could dismiss my own distress. “But I fail to understand why I must be tied up such that I am and why I must be naked.”

  Alaire nodded, as if this were not an unreasonable question. “Donnchadh is a furious spirit, my love,” he started. “And he is extremely powerful. I am fearful for what he could do once he is introduced to your body, hence your bindings. As to your nudity, I must admit I prefer you in your birthday suit, as they term it.”

  Then I glanced at the other person in the room. The woman, who was reasonably attractive without entering supermodel territory, sobbed.

  “The woman?” I asked Alaire, unsure of what part she played in all of this.

  “Oh, just a Retriever I captured in the Eighth Circle, or the Morgue, as they call it now,” Alaire answered. He laughed as he added, “This was her first mission too. And now it looks like it will be her last.”

  Rage boiled up in my throat at hearing those words. I swore right then and there that I would take all of this to Streethorn, even if I had to use my own sword to chop through a thousand secretaries to do so.

  “But why is she here?” I continued, like I was still missing something.

  “Did the Bladesmith never inform you of the process involved in allowing Donnchadh to possess him?” Alaire asked. He brought the girl’s arms up over her head, hooking the chain that bound them together to a conveniently placed hook in the wall. Alaire eyed her lustily, fondling one of her breasts and kissing her neck before stepping away. She cried out in protest, her tears flowing faster after the violation.

  Alaire didn’t wait for my response.

  “He picked the most beautiful woman from his village as an offering for the fearsome spirit,” Alaire said, brushing her trembling cheek. “As this one is quite attractive, I can only look forward to what Donnchadh will do to her after he makes his presence known.”

  I suddenly remembered the vision I experienced of Tallis summoning the ancient warrior spirit. In it, I had seen a poor girl tied to a tree and bawling her eyes out, pleading for freedom as Tallis swallowed the drink that would allow him to visit the spirit world and summon Donnchadh. The vision ended and luckily, I was spared the details. Whatever he’d done to the girl, I was fairly sure must have been categorized as sexual assault.

  “Is she really necessary to this process, though?” I asked, suddenly realizing what all this meant. Donnchadh would be inside me! I shuddered to think how he could outdo Persephone in the depravity department.

  “Oh, most certainly,” Alaire assured me as he triple-checked the strength of the chain before leaving the girl. “If you request a favor from Donnchadh, he will demand an offering in return, such as this one.”

  I glanced at the girl who was sullen now, not speaking or even sobbing. As if all the light had been taken out of her. And why not? Her doom was as good as sealed.

  “I have taken the liberty of setting up a camera so that I may view the event later for my personal enjoyment,” Alaire finished. “And should you desire to relive the experience yourself at a later date, I am most willing to share.”

  His words made me sick to my stomach. Whatever Donnchadh intended to do to this girl while using my body to do it, the last thing I’d ever want was to relive it through a recording.

  I had no idea what to expect. I almost hoped Donnchadh would go into a mad rage and tear the castle apart. But the realist inside me knew better than to hope for something so grand. Besides, I had a feelin
g Alaire would put a quick stop to anything that destructive.

  Alaire mounted me, pulling my attention back to him. He felt heavy and disgusting. He sat on my stomach and pulled out the small vial from his shirt pocket once more. The beam inside the vial was now so bright, the lights in the room faded in comparison.

  “Once I do this, there is no going back,” he said, all business in his tone. “Do you still wish to proceed?” I only nodded, distrusting my own voice. Alaire returned my nod. “Here we go, then.”

  He popped the top off the little vial. The light inside tried to escape, zipping and bumping against the walls of its tiny prison in an effort to flee. But Alaire held his hand over the top and mumbled something that I couldn’t understand. His eyes began to glow, like Persephone observed when Alaire removed Donnchadh from Tallis. This was a far different kind of magic than Tallis’s though. Tallis possessed Druid magic, and Alaire? There was something very wrong with Alaire’s magic. Its unsettling nature crawled over my skin like dozens of little bugs.

  Looking at me with those hungry, iridescent eyes, Alaire finally spoke. “Open wide.”

  “For wha—?”

  As soon as my mouth opened to say the words, Alaire shoved the vial into it. The light shot down my throat. It felt like a BB from a gun that had just been fired and was now bouncing off the walls of my esophagus.

  The girl against the wall opened her mouth to scream but a weak squeal was all that came out. Persephone screamed inside my head once more.

  I felt nothing at first.

  Alaire remained on top of me for a few more moments before he dismounted. “Well, then, I will leave you to it.” He went straight towards the door and said, “One of my servants will be outside when you return to yourself again.” I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. With that, he slammed the door shut. I heard a lock click into place and knew I was alone with the girl again.