by Mari Mancusi
Jareth is silent for a moment, then nods slowly. “Sarah?” he calls out. “Can I talk to you?”
“Of course!” Sarah bounces onto the seat across from him. “What’s up?”
As Jareth leans forward to take her hands in his own, I slip off the couch to try to give them some space to talk alone. Still, I can’t help but stay close enough to overhear the conversation.
“I just… I just wanted to apologize,” he says, stumbling over his words. “I’m sorry for what I did to you back at our castle, the night Slayer Inc. broke through the walls.”
Sarah squints her eyes at him, looking puzzled. “Wait, what did you do to me?”
Jareth rakes a hand through his hair, a tormented look on his face. “I failed you. I let you die. I hesitated when you needed me most and that slayer struck you through the heart.” He hangs his head. “It’s my fault you’re here. That you never got to live out your life.”
I hold my breath, waiting for Sarah’s response. Will she forgive him? Or tell him it’s too late to say sorry?
To my surprise she does neither. Instead, she bursts out laughing.
“What?” Jareth demands, looking annoyed. “What in Hades could be so funny?”
“Sorry, sorry!” she cries quickly. “It’s just—is that why you’ve been so emo all these years? You think you were responsible for my death?” She shakes her head, looking at him with loving, clear blue eyes. “Oh, Jareth,” she murmurs. “You remember it all wrong. You told me to stay back, remember? You even had a hiding spot for me. But I wasn’t about to back down against those bastards. I may have looked like a little kid, but I was already a hundred years old. I knew exactly what I was doing when I ran out there and took on Slayer Inc.”
“But I could have stopped you…”
“No. You couldn’t have.” Sarah shakes her head. “Even if you wanted to.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I never told you my vampire power, bro. I guess I figured if you knew, you’d find a way to stop me from using it.”
“I don’t understand. What power? And how could it have made any difference?”
“Jareth, I can bend people’s wills,” she explains. “It’s something I’ve been able to do ever since I first turned into a vampire.” She shrugs sheepishly. “That night, well, I knew you’d go in there, fangs blazing, trying to take them all out yourself—even if it meant your own death. So I placed a hold on you. I suggested you stay in one place. I mean, you had all those other vampires in the Consortium to worry about. I couldn’t rightly let you sacrifice yourself for me.”
Jareth stares at her, shaking his head in disbelief. “So I didn’t leave you?”
“Not of your own free will, anyway. There was no way on Earth you could have resisted the power of my suggestion,” she assures him. She reaches out for her brother’s hands again, finding his eyes with her own cool green ones. “Jareth, you didn’t cause my death. I saved your life.”
Her admission is too much. Jareth bursts into tears. His sister climbs over to the couch and hugs him close, rubbing a reassuring hand up and down his back. “Oh, big brother,” she murmurs. “I’m so sorry I did that without telling you. I can’t believe you’ve been walking around all these years feeling guilty over something you didn’t do.” She pulls away, giving him a rueful smile. “Can you ever forgive me?”
He swallows hard, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Only if you forgive me first.”
“It’s a deal! Shake on it?” She holds out her hand. He grabs her into another hug.
“Oh, Sarah. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“No, big brother. Thank you. I’m just glad you don’t blame me for what I did. Now I don’t have to feel guilty, either.”
“I would never, ever blame you.”
As the siblings hug, I look over to the kitchen where Jareth’s mom and dad, who have come back in from outside, are both standing. Mom gives me a thumbs-up. I grin. Victory at last!
But just as I’m about to do a little dance of joy, a loud siren erupts over the chamber. What the… ? Jareth’s parents swing into action, checking the video monitors by the door then turning to us, unable to hide the panic on their faces.
“What is it?” I ask, my breath catching in my throat.
“Demon Patrol,” Jareth’s father announces grimly.
“Here?” Oh God. Not here. Not now. Not after we’re this close for a home-run-happily-ever-after ending. I glance over at Jareth, wide-eyed. How did they find us? And what are we going to do now?
“They must have followed us somehow,” Jareth says, rising to his feet, his face white and his hands clenched. “I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have come. We’ve put you all in danger.” He grabs me by the hand. “Come on, let’s go out the back door.”
“No, wait,” his father interrupts. He rushes to a nearby floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcase and pulls out a book, seemingly at random. The case swivels, revealing a small dark room beyond. “Get in,” he instructs. “You can hide there until they’re gone.”
“But—” Jareth starts to protest. But his sister cuts him off.
“You either do it of your own free will, or I’ll make you do it with my mind,” she informs him in a tight voice that leaves no room for argument.
Jareth bites his lower lip, thinking for a moment, then seems to make up his mind. “Okay,” he says, leaning down to step into the small chamber. “But I’m not staying here if things get bad.” He gestures to me. “Come on, Rayne.”
I don’t need a second invitation. As soon as I’m beyond the books, Jareth’s father replaces the tome and the bookcase slides shut again. We wait, holding our breaths in the darkness, as a loud, ugly voice echoes through the castle.
“We know you’re in there, so open up,” the demon leader demands. “Otherwise you will be charged with aiding and abetting the living, according to Edict 432543-2. You will surrender them—or be prepared to face the consequences of your disobedience.”
I look over at Jareth with anxious eyes. Even in the darkness, I can see his distraught face. “What are we going to do?” I whisper.
27
There’s a banging on the front door—so loud it practically shakes the entire castle. “Open up!” the demon guard demands. “Or we will break this door down!”
“Oh, no need for that. Just getting my key,” Jareth’s father says quickly. We hear a click in the lock and a creak as the heavy wooden door slides open. Jareth winces at the stampede of heavy feet trafficking over his family’s beautiful carpets.
“Where are they?” the demon demands. “A neighbor reported seeing them enter this house not ten minutes ago.”
Ugh. Sold out by the neighbors. So not cool.
“Sorry,” Jareth’s sister says. “Where is who? We don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Maybe this will jog your memory.”
There’s a thud, then a squeal of pain and a loud thump to the ground. Jareth cringes, shooting me a look.
“Now, now,” Jareth’s father cuts in. “There’s no need for violence. We’re citizens of good standing here and we’re happy to assist you in your search. But we need more information. Who is it you’re looking for again? And why do you think they might be here?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, vampire. You’re already all in deep trouble. If I find out you’re aiding and abetting wanted fugitives, you will be charged with treason. Kicked out of your little castle here and sentenced to a thousand years in the Lake of Fire prison.”
Jareth turns to me. Even in the darkness, I can see his ashen face. “I can’t let them do this for me,” he whispers. “They already died once on my account. I can’t just sit here and let them take another punishment for my sake.” He reaches out and brushes my cheek with a soft hand, searching my face anxiously. “You understand, right? I mean, you’d do the same if it were your family?”
I nod, swallowing back my tears. As much as I don’t want him to go out there and face the
demons, I know he has no choice. In his mind, this is his one last chance at redemption. I can’t stand in his way.
“I love you,” he whispers, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. “I love you so much. And I’m so sorry for everything.”
My heart aches at the agony in his voice. “I love you, too, Jareth,” I whisper, covering his face with kisses. “And I’m so proud of you. I can’t even tell you how much.”
He gives me a sad but pleased smile, then presses his hand against the back of the bookcase, forcing it to slide halfway open, then slipping out the crack before closing it behind him. Leaving me trapped in the darkness, practically drowning in fear.
“Leave them alone,” I hear him say. “I’m the one you want. If you agree to spare my family, I will go with you without a fight.”
The pride in his voice sends chills down my spine, even as I burst into tears. While half of me wants to storm out from the hiding spot and demand they take me, too, so I can at least spend a few more minutes with the vampire I love, I know that doing so would negate his sacrifice. He’s doing it for his family, but he’s also doing it for me. So I can stay safe and rescue my sister. And, as much as it kills me, I have to let him.
My heart breaks at the scuffle that follows. The grunts of pain that escape my boyfriend’s lips. I dig my fingernails into my palms so hard they draw blood, hating to just stand here and wait and not try to save the day.
“Where are you taking him?” I hear Jareth’s father demand. “As citizens of Elysian Hills, we have the right to know.”
“And don’t try to do anything stupid,” his mother adds. “We are witnessing this arrest. If he’s not treated in a lawful manner, we will report your patrol to the proper authorities.”
“Don’t get your panties into a bunch,” the demon sneers. “We’re taking him to the Lake of Fire prison, nice and legal like. You can file an application to visit once he’s been processed.”
“We will do that. And I better not see a hair on his head out of place when we do.”
I can’t help a small smile at Jareth’s mother’s bravery. Standing up to slimy demons can’t be easy. But she loves her son. I can hear it in her voice. And I’m pretty sure she’d stand up to Hades himself to protect him.
It’s not long before I hear the heavy front door slam shut behind the demons and their voices fading off into the distance. The bookcase slides open and Jareth’s family peers in at me. “Rayne?” Sarah calls. “Are you okay?”
How do I even answer that question? I emerge from my hiding spot, my whole body still shaking. Jareth’s mother pulls me into a warm hug, stroking my hair. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I wish he hadn’t done that. He didn’t have to.”
I pull away from the hug. “Actually,” I tell them, “I think he did. But don’t worry. I’m not going to give up until I get him out.”
“Oh, Rayne, I’m so sorry!” Sunny cries, as I tell her and Race the story later that evening back at my father’s house. “You must be totally freaking out.”
I flop back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “Freaking out doesn’t even begin to cover it. I can’t believe I just stood there and let them take him away. Without even a fight. What’s wrong with me?”
“What good would it have done to have both of you in jail?” Race points out. “This way at least you have a chance to save him.”
“But how?” I moan. “I mean, I can’t exactly storm a Hades prison and break him out. Even with Hercules’s help, that would be impossible.”
“Maybe when you talk to Hades about me you can ask him to free Jareth as well?” Sunny suggests hopefully.
“But then what about you? You think he’s going to let you both go?” I scowl as I realize the position I’m in. Will I really have to choose between my sister and my boyfriend? How could I possibly make that choice if I can only save one?
“There’s got to be another way,” Race reasons. “If only we could get in touch with Hercules. Maybe he could help us out. I mean, I know the prison-storming thing is out. But the guy’s pretty clever. He might have another idea up his sleeve. After all, he’s been hooking up with the boss’s wife for hundreds of years and still manages to keep his head somehow.” The rock star’s voice is full of admiration.
I look at him, my mouth dropping open in excitement. “That’s it!” I cry, bouncing up on the couch. “That’s totally it!”
Race and Sunny give me puzzled looks. “What’s it?” my sister asks.
“Hercules’s girlfriend. Hades’s wife. Persephone. I bet she has the power to spring someone from jail. And I’m sure she’s listed in Hellbook.”
“But why would Mrs. Hades help us?” Race questions. “I mean, unless Hercules mentioned us to her, she doesn’t know us from a hole in the wall. Why would she stick her neck out for some random non-dead strangers?”
“Because,” I say, my eyes shining my enthusiasm. “These particular random, non-dead strangers know about her secret love affair. And I’m guessing she’d pretty much do anything in the world to avoid us mentioning this little tryst to her husband…”
Sunny stares at me in disbelief. “Are you serious? You want to blackmail the Queen of the Underworld?”
“If it means getting my Jareth out of the Lake of Fire? Abso-freaking-lutely!”
28
“He’s over here, Your Majesty,” the green-skinned demon jailer announces, jingling his keys as he leads the beautiful Persephone and me down a narrow, rocky path along the shores of the Lake of Fire the next day. The goddess, dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and blinged-out tank top instead of the Grecian toga I’d imagined her in, wipes her sweaty brow as she gingerly steps over a boulder in strappy Louboutins.
“Finally,” she mutters. “This heat is going to ruin my complexion.”
I’m not enjoying it much either, but I’m too happy to complain. Thank the gods that when I first contacted Persephone—“Call me Percy”—over Hellbook, she was more than happy to help me out. Especially once I explained the situation. Turns out Mrs. Hades isn’t too fond of the Demon Patrol either, as it’s always trying to mess up her opportunities to see her boyfriend. And she’s a sucker for stories of forbidden love. So when I told her of their actions and how I needed to get my own boyfriend back, she was more than happy to throw her weight around to spite her husband’s guard and give us a happy ending. As a bonus, she also agreed to bring us to the palace afterward for a personal meet-and-greet with the husband. And we didn’t even have to blackmail her for the privilege.
“Ugh. I hate this place,” the goddess mutters as she pinches her nose with delicate fingers to ward off the stench of rot and sulfur. “I cannot wait until winter is over and I can go back up to Earth for the next six months.” She glances over at me. “I’ll look you guys up when I get back. Maybe we can try that new Mario Batali restaurant that just opened. It’s supposed to be to die for.” She giggles at her pun. “Get it, to die for?”
“Um, sure. That sounds… great?” Okay, she’s a little annoying, but I think her heart is in the right place. Guess it can get pretty lonely down here for the living.
“Here we are,” the jailer announces, stepping in front of a room literally made of pillars of fire. Thank goodness as a vampire, I don’t have to be concerned with smoke inhalation. I try to squint past the flames to catch a glimpse of my boyfriend. I gasp as I find him lying on the ground, bruised and battered. I guess the demons didn’t keep their promise not to rough him up. Bastards.
“Jareth!” I cry as the guard slips his key in the lock and the fire door slides open. He looks up, confused and dazed. Then his eyes lock onto me.
“Rayne!” he cries, scrambling to his feet. He rushes over to me and gives me a huge hug. “You found me. You actually found me.”
“Of course I did, silly,” I say, hugging him back. “You think I’d leave you down here?”
He looks at me, then at the jailer. “But how… ?”
“Jareth, meet Percy. As in P
ersephone, Queen of the Dead. She totally hooked us up.”
Jareth bows low to the goddess. “I am forever in your debt, Your Majesty.”
But Percy waves him off with a laugh. “Don’t mention it,” she says. “It’s the least I can do for true love.” She looks over at me with a smile. “You’ve got quite a lady here,” she tells Jareth. “You’d better hang on to her tight.”
“Oh, I will,” Jareth replies, his eyes shining. “You’d better believe it.”
And that’s how we find ourselves, sometime later, in a large, luxurious one-bedroom suite in the castle of Hades himself, waiting for our audience with the big guy. Percy said it might take a while for her to pull some strings, and in the meantime, she wanted to make our reunion as sweet as possible. The room is decorated entirely in white and the bed linens are made of the softest silk. As I step out of a nice, hot steamy shower, wrapped in an Egyptian cotton robe, I find Jareth propped up in the king-sized bed. He gestures to me with a smile and I join him, curling up into his body and resting my head on his shoulder.
“You’re amazing,” he whispers, stroking my back, looking down at me with love in his eyes. “You never give up. You always find a way for a happily ever after.”
“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” I remind him, rejoicing in the feel of his hands on me. Happy I’ll never have to leave his arms again. “I mean, what you did for your family… For all you knew, you could have been stuck in that jail cell for eternity. And yet you had no reservations.”
“I would have been, if it wasn’t for you,” he says, leaning down to kiss my cheek. “Oh, Rayne, I’ve been such a jerk. Such an idiot. I pushed you away when all you wanted to do was help me. And yet, you didn’t give up on me. Not even after I told you I never wanted to see you again.”
“Yeah, well, I can be just as stubborn as you,” I reply stoutly. “And you’re my blood mate. You’re stuck with me—no matter how far you try to run.”
“I promise I will never run again,” he assures me, gazing into my eyes with affection. “How can I ever repay you?” he asks. “For what you’ve done for me and my family?”