The door above me closed and I heard the latch scrape shut sealing me in with the two Lycans. I wasn’t sure what their plan was but I had a feeling it would happen soon. I had to think back to my studies about the best way to deal with these predators. Both of them were over eight feet tall and in the confined space of this room their bulk would be an issue. The only way to truly kill one was to separate its head from its shoulders or to burn them to ash. They could be subdued however by severing the spine. Just when I was going to move forward, hoping to catch them while they were still restricted by the chains, two small clicks sounded from in front of me. They were loose.
Both of them rushed forward and I did the only thing I could think of, I dove low trying to slide between them and headed for the stairs. The plan kind of worked, I made it through the gap and the Lycans crashed into each other, but one of them landed a blow to my leg. The cloth of my pants ripped as easily as the flesh below it. There wasn’t much I could do now, with no chance to outrun them I did the only thing I could. Pulling myself back into a standing position I felt my lower leg almost buckle. Hobbling around I turned to face the two Lycans behind me. I stripped my jacket off of my shoulders and waited for them to charge.
They could smell the blood in the air and one of them rushed at me almost before I finished getting my coat off. I tossed my coat at the one standing still and rolled off the side of the stairs while slashing out with a blade of fire. I was rewarded with a howl of pain but didn’t have time to check where I had hit the creature before the other Lycan was on top of me. It was coming down from a leap into the air, set to crash into me with all the fury that it had suppressed when Tessa was present. I threw myself onto my back, landing in a pile of the creature’s filth; it bought me just enough room that the Lycan sailed over me. Spinning on the ground I formed a blade of fire around my arm and sliced at the creature’s back. I was rewarded with another howl of pain before being thrown across the room by the werewolf I had attacked first.
I didn’t have much time before the spinal injury healed so I needed to end this now. I pulled on my gift creating a shield of dense air around myself. The Lycan’s claws scraped through the hardened air, but the shield held them just far enough away that I was still alive. Calling on my gift again I superheated the air of my shield, the creature howled in pain as its skin burned but kept attacking. What I had planned next was going to hurt but if it worked I might just get out of here alive.
I opened the shield and ducked under the Lycan’s attack. The surprise of the shield disappearing gave me just enough time to dodge past it. I reversed the shield I had been using to protect myself and trapped the Lycan inside of it. I pumped more and more oxygen into it before igniting the air within. The blast of fire was stronger than I thought it would be and as the Lycan burned to dust so did most of my clothes.
Walking towards the stairs, the smell of burning fur filling my nostrils, I looked towards the remaining Lycan. With detached interest I watched as it rolled on the ground to face me, pulling itself forward with its arms, jaws snapping in anger. I was lucky that my strike had severed the spine when it did. There was no reason to get too close. I aimed a hammer of dense air at the creature’s head, and as it hit dead center I watched consciousness flee from its eyes. Stopping beside it for a moment, I cut the beast’s collar off. It would take the beast several days to heal from the injury to its brain, but I hoped that if I encountered it again, that it would remember this small kindness.
Naked, I stepped over the body and made my way towards the top of the stairs and freedom. There was still work to be done here. I never missed my mark, and a target had never escaped from me. Tessa had shown me where her true loyalties belonged. Mine were with Cane and my new family, hers were to herself. There was nowhere in this city they could hide from me, but I had the feeling I wouldn’t have to look too far outside of the basement door. The large wood and iron door slowly came into view, and I picked up my pace. Rushing towards the door I called on my gift and it shattered outwards into the house beyond.
Splinters from the shattered wooden door sank into the tiled wall beyond. The only thing that would have made the explosion more satisfying was seeing Tessa’s body impaled there. Instead I found myself one floor up from the basement. From the looks of things I was still underground. Falling three stories probably had the same chance of killing me that the two werewolves had. Tonight was my lucky night, and it was about to get unlucky for someone else.
A quick scan of the room didn’t show any immediate threats, giving me some time to look around. The walls and the floor were covered in white tiles, and the far wall boasted several showerheads. Was this the room they used to clean the Lycans before taking them to the market, or was this just some kind of servant’s quarters? Who did they think they were screwing with? I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the pair of them now. I had proved my worth time and again and now it was time for people to pay for their lack of appreciation of my considerable talents. Sometimes people just didn’t believe the truth until they saw it. I was going to show them something special.
Stepping further into the room, looking around wearily for another trap, I noticed a small note taped to one of the showerheads and what appeared to be one of my suits hanging from a rack at the far end of the room. I pulled the note down and started to read it.
Dear Mathew, I hope this note finds you still in good spirits and good health. You have passed the final test and are receiving a very big promotion. Please shower and dress and meet us upstairs for your celebration. Congratulations! Elijah Cane
Goddamn Demons, their endless tests. Their fucking games were starting to fray at the end of my good humor. Just what had he hoped to accomplish by pitting me against two Lycans in that dungeon, and why had Tessa been there? Before we celebrated anything I was going to be getting some answers. Turning on the cold water I let it clean the filth from my healing skin. The cascade of water did little to calm my burning emotions, but it was a start. A glass of whiskey or ten might be enough to take the edge off, but killing someone would be better.
Finishing the shower and getting dressed was simple enough; my body was already almost fully healed from my ordeal. I made sure to take my time, as far as I was concerned they could wait up there forever. I walked from the shower towards the only door I could see, calling my gift to shield myself against any further tests of my abilities. It was time to see what this so-called celebration was all about. The door opened before I could touch it and a tuxedo-clad servant waited on the other side to escort me to the party.
Following the man made things easier as far as watching out for any kind of traps. I kept myself shielded and tried to step in the exact same spots as the servant had as we made our way up another flight of stairs and down a long hallway. We reached a set of red doors and the servant stepped aside after opening them. He made a motion that indicated I should enter the room. After what had already happened tonight I found it odd that he wasn’t entering the room first, so I took a wary step through the entrance. It seemed that all my fears had been for nothing. Smiling, I stepped out of a nightmare and into a dream.
The gorgeous ballroom was two stories tall, beautiful golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling illuminating the dance floor as people moved and swayed to the music. The costumed dancers crowded the center of the gigantic room; the perimeter was filled with tables covered in fine red cloth with gold embroidery. A man to my right tapped something against my arm and I noticed he was offering me a mask. Slipping the mask on I examined the dancers again noticing that every one of them was masked. I nodded towards the servant that provided me the mask and set off across the room.
It wouldn’t be too hard to find Cane, he would be at the head table. Before I got there I wanted to find Tessa’s father and have a few words. Pacing slowly around the room I was unable to find my target, several men had the same body type, but with all of them being masked it wasn’t worth the risk of grabbing the wrong man. Giving up on the e
ndeavor for now, I moved back around the edges of the room towards the large table set slightly above the others. I could make out a man with Cane’s shape at the center of the table, possibly in conversation with my target. I was surprised to see Tessa sitting to his right, her burning red hair a dead giveaway even though she wore a detailed fox mask.
I had plenty to say to her as well, and the open seat next to her was probably reserved for me. Continuing on my way towards the table I noticed several nooks had been set into the back walls of the room. The first one I passed had masked men taking advantage of unmasked women; their passions open for the world to see. It was hardly disturbing considering the company, but I had still hadn’t grown used to the Demons’ appetites and their willingness to let others watch when they indulged in them. The next room I passed gave off the slight smell of opium smoke and masked men and women were in different stages of undress, enjoying the mind altering and relaxing properties of the drug. The third and final nook was occupied by a few of the high ranking Fallen from the city, they were taking turns sampling blood from a room full of willing hosts.
Slightly disgusted, and more than a little aroused by the sights of the ball, I made my way towards Tessa and Cane. I placed a hand on Tessa’s shoulder and when she looked up at me her eyes widened in surprise and she let out a little gasp. Clamping my hand down on her shoulder the gasp turned into a little squeal of pain prompting Elijah to stop his conversation and turn around. I left my hand clamped to Tessa’s shoulder as I addressed him. “What was the meaning of that final test, to see how many pieces of me you could put back together?”
Elijah’s smile turned into a frown. “What are you talking about?”
“The two Lycans in the basement. This one,” I made Tessa squeal again, “set them free to try and kill me!”
Cane made a tutting sound as he looked at Tessa. “My dear, it seems you have some explaining to do.” I watched her face fall as she realized that she wouldn’t be receiving any support from Cane. He continued by saying, “I asked only that she keep you occupied, it seems in the future I will have to be clearer when delivering my instructions to her. It seems to me that you two have a great deal to talk about. I have a space set aside behind us if you would like to use it.”
Tessa tried to stand up and I shoved her unceremoniously back into her seat. “And what of Tessa’s father?”
“He is our host tonight, and my instructions were merely a ruse to get you here for the surprise. After you are done speaking with the lovely lady come back and enjoy some food and maybe a dance. We will talk in the morning at my shop about your promotion and what it entails.”
Tessa stood again and I forced myself to let go of her shoulder, but quickly replaced that grip on her wrist. There was too much that she had to answer for. I wasn’t going to let her wriggle her way out of this one. The thought of falling for another one of her seductions appalled me. She led me from the table towards the back of the room. As we approached, the red satin curtains were pulled back revealing a room full of couches and a bed. Everything was draped in silk, even the lights. The multicolored silk over the lights bathed the room in a glow that seemed to shift colors from one step to the next. Tessa led me towards the back of the room and the bed. If she thought sex would save her from my rage she was greatly mistaken.
I let go of her wrist as she approached the bed, the thought of touching her filled me with a sense of unease. I shouldn’t have been surprised but next to the bed was a plethora of bondage equipment. Two chains hung from the ceiling, with rubber cuffs on them. Tessa stepped out of her dress and placed her hands in the cuffs. She motioned to the wall and said. “You should tighten the chain until only my toes can touch the ground.”
I looked at her with shock on my face. We had always been adventurous in our love life but this was something altogether different. Doing what I was told, I tightened the cuffs on her wrists until they almost cut off her circulation, and then I lifted her by the chains until her toes barely touched the ground. The chain itself I secured to a hook on the wall, holding her firmly in place. It was growing harder for me to remember just why I was so angry at her. When she tried to balance her backside wiggled around in such a fetching manner that I almost let her down. Next to the where the chains were tethered into the wall I found a gag and a leather cat o’ nine tails. Looking back at Tessa I could see the smile on her face grow as I picked them up. “If you think this is enough to make me forget you almost killed me tonight, you are greatly mistaken.”
She didn’t say a word as I walked back over and when I ran the leather down her back she let out a little purr of excitement. I had always known Tessa was different, but this was something I hadn’t seen before. I wondered if the Demon she had bound herself with had taken over or if it was just her psychosis. Either way she was going to pay for her little stunt tonight. I put the gag around her neck but not in her mouth. I wanted to hear her scream just a little bit before I took away her ability to do so.
Stepping behind Tessa, I used the cat o’ nine tails, bringing it down across the unprotected flesh of her back. She let out a little whimper as the whip crashed against her flesh. The sound did nothing for my anger; it felt raw like an open wound and would not be sated by a mere whimper. The lash across her back left a trail of bright red marks, that wouldn’t do either. There would be payment in blood for what I had endured tonight. I reached back again, aiming for the same spot on her back. This time when the whip hit she giggled.
Something inside of me broke, the whip rose and fell until I could no longer lift my arm. Tessa’s cries of anguish had long ago faded into sobbing, and then silence. I looked down at myself and saw that I had been spattered in her blood; I almost couldn’t bring myself to raise my eyes. Turning my gaze towards her, the horror of what I had done struck me full force. The flesh on her back hung in tatters, blood and bits of skin littered the ground under her feet. She must have passed out at some point, her body hung limp in the restraints, her wounds still bleeding freely. Looking around I found a cloth to cover her in, and a blanket to slide under her feet protecting her from the gore. Running to the wall I lowered the chains and ran back to release her. Picking her up in my arms I carried her to the bed.
Laying my hand on her I called on my gift to ease her pain and began to heal her wounds. Tessa’s eyes fluttered open and I was surprised not to see rage or blame in them. They seemed to fixate on me in what I could only think of as adoration. The healing spell finished its work, she might have some light scarring but other than that she remained whole. The entire time she never looked away from me, and I started to feel exhausted from the excessive use of my gift.
Tessa smiled up at me. “Feeling better?”
I frowned. “Not really.”
“Why the long face, everything is just as it should be. You and I are both alive, our love was tested, and tonight we proved just how much we mean to each other.”
Standing up, I looked down at her, feeling just the smallest fraction of shame at my actions. “What do you mean we were tested? You left me with two Lycans that would have killed a lesser man.”
She reached up and grabbed my arm, pulling me down beside her on the bed. “Yes, but I knew they wouldn’t kill you, just as I knew that you wouldn’t kill me when you had the chance. Now I know just how much I can trust you.”
“I grow tired of these endless games, and tests. Why is it you cannot just tell me what you are feeling, what you need from me? My only desire is to give you whatever it is that makes you happy.”
“No more games,” she murmured pulling me down by my tie for a kiss.
I pulled away from her kiss, which took a considerable amount of effort. “I’m afraid that I have ruined two suits tonight as well as this sheet we are laying on.”
Tessa looked down at the bed sheet covered in blood. She ran a finger through it, bringing it to her mouth and flicking out her tongue to taste it. She said, “I don’t see that anything has been ruined. I do see that
you are still wearing too many clothes.”
With that she sprang at me ripping my clothes off with superhuman strength. Sometimes I forgot just how powerful of a witch she was. She pulled me back into her, biting gently at my lip before offering me a deep kiss. She rolled me into the blood on the sheets and soon it covered both of us. As the blood stained our flesh we fell into each other with a ravenous passion. For the next twenty minutes the world faded away, and I realized that all along I had already made my choice. This is where I belonged and who I belonged with.
A noise from the front of our room brought me back to my senses. Tessa still slept gently beside me. A servant entered the room and bowed to me before saying, “Mr. Cane has requested your presence at the head table.”
I looked down at my torn and bloody clothes, and then at myself covered in a mess of dried blood. What the hell had we even been thinking? This was a little bit over the top even for me. “You wouldn’t know if there are any spare clothes lying around? I seem to have lost mine.”
The servant pointed towards a dresser in the corner. “I would make it quick; Mr. Cane does not like waiting.” He bowed and left through the curtained entrance.
Walking over towards the large armoire I thought, He can damn well wait for me this is my night. Opening the door I started to laugh. The armoire was filled with a selection of leather clothes. I selected a pair of loose fitting pants and decided to forgo the leather harnessed top. I walked back towards the bed and gave Tessa a kiss. “Cane wants us to join him.”
Ascendancy Origins Trilogy Page 32