This Time

by Alisha Basso

  I looked down and sucked in a gasp of air. He’d shackled my wrists. The chains were heavy and bolted to the ground. I looked up in shock as suddenly, the chains pulled tight and I was forced to my knees.

  I screamed and tried to rush him but movement was impossible. He laughed and shook his head. “I warned you.” I jerked back and screamed, cursing him, I shouted and kicked. My mind was a wash of hurt and confusion.

  “Cain,” Lu’s voice cut through my tirade and I watched in horror as the man I stupidly thought was on my side prostrated himself, his hands fisted and crossed in front of his chest.

  “Now,” Lu spoke low, and in a movement too quick for my eyes to follow, Cain withdrew two long blades and held them high above his head.

  I watched in horror as two shrouded demons approached the altar. Standing on either side of Lucian and Seth, each demon took a fistful of one man's hair, and pulled his head back to expose his neck.

  I screamed and pulled on the chains, my magic was no use against the bonds.

  “Stop!” I screamed at the top of my lungs and Lu looked at me and smiled, his brows high as if letting me speak. “Please, don’t do this!” I cried out blinded by tears

  Lu shook his head in disgust and he nodded to Cain who then bowed and then transferred the lethal bladed into Lu’s hands.

  It was now or never. I closed my eyes.

  My blood grew warm as the glamour surrounding me fell. My hair began to dance and whip about my head as I silently spoke the words I had memorized. There could be no mistakes, nothing overlooked. I inhaled as the souls of the Madea swelled inside me, energizing every cell. My power built inside my mind. I felt my eyes glow as I slid the shackles easily from my wrists.

  I stood.

  Lu paused.

  I smiled as he lowered the swords, his eyebrows high. And then suddenly, the room burst into flame as Lucifer charged me. I lashed out, sending out a protective arc of power. He bounced off and flew several feet back.

  “You dare?” he ground out between his teeth. His eyes narrowed as he blew out a great puff of smoke.

  Eyes wide, I backed up a step. He’d never done anything like that before and I’d pissed him off plenty.

  A crackling sound met my ears as his skin began to sizzle and pop. His eyes bulged inside of his head, his features split and contorted painfully. Lu growled, his arms bulging, his chest swelling. Bones cracked as every part of him literally grew before my eyes.

  I felt my magic waver. I stood gaping. What the fuck was happening?

  He was over ten feet tall. His glossy black horns rose another three feet into the air. Goat eyes watched me from a face only slightly familiar. His skin was as black as bat wings, his sharp teeth were white as snow and curved to deadly points.

  My holy Hell, Seth has nothing on those.

  “How do you like your groom, my darling?” he laughed and I staggered back in astonishment. His voice was deep and guttural, it vibrated my chest like a base. “I’m thrilled that you’ve finally found your spine.” He laughed and my heart pounded against my chest like a jackhammer. Terror had nothing on what I was feeling.

  My hands began to shake and I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the last few words to my spell. It was almost impossible with his demon face branded onto my retinas. He was a nightmare although no gore covered him. He didn’t need it.

  His fur-covered legs moved closer to the demons who, despite all that was happening around them, had never wavered in their stance. Seth and Lucian’s heads were still painfully pulled back. As the horrid, cloven-hooved monster approached, I knew my time was up.

  His deadly teeth gleamed as he spoke. “I hate that you had to see me like this. But you left me no choice, my bride.” He gripped a blade in each hand. “You tried to win the day, but unfortunately, like all failed heroes. I’m afraid you are too late.”

  He lifted the blades.

  Time slowed as my spell wound down to the end. A few more words and it would all go away. I concentrated hard, my mind never slowed as Lu smiled, and with both hands, he deftly severed the heads from the men I knew I loved more than life itself.

  TWENTY NINE

  Time is a strange thing. Some say it marches on. Well, that’s pretty much true. Pretty much. Time always moves, but its progress isn’t always forward. I lived in a world where time is a weapon. A weapon few creatures knew how to use, I was one of them.

  Well, at least I was hoping I was.

  The world was black. I kind of hated black at the moment. It felt too absolute. Too final.

  “So, did I royally screw us all?” I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.

  “No, Grace. This is the in-between.”

  She was warm and I reached out. Without seeing, I felt her.

  “Where are we? What the hell is the in-between?”

  “Open your eyes.”

  I felt like an idiot. I opened my eyes.

  “I’m glad to see you.”

  I blew out my breath.

  She smiled with my lips. My face. She was everything I always wanted to see in myself. Beauty was there, but she had a wisdom I lacked.

  “Mariee.” I stepped forward. “How the hell are you here in person? Aren’t you supposed to be inside me?”

  “This is where I have always been. You are the visitor.” She smiled, her gown fluttering in the breeze.

  I spun, we were in a forest. The sky was bluer than it should have been, the grass too green. “What am I doing here?”

  “You shifted time. You tell me,” she laughed.

  The horrors of only moments before bombarded me and I spun. “Oh, God! Lucian, Seth!” I looked at my hands, then I grabbed hers, pulling her close. “He killed them!” I screamed.

  Blood had covered the ground, some of it had splashed onto the skirt of my gown. He slashed at them so fast.

  I gasped. My chest squeezed and I clutched my chest, falling to my knees I choked on my sobs.

  Mariee followed me to the grass, her eyes filled with tears. “Yes. Your friends are dead,” I felt her try to meet my eyes. She touched my knee. “So what do you plan to do about it?”

  I looked up, shocked. She appeared as a bright blob through my tears, and I sniffed and rubbed my eyes. “Cain said that once something happened in hell, that’s it. It must remain.” I choked out. Overwhelmed with my own revelation and the certain truth, I lowered my head into my hands and sobbed. I had taken too long and they had paid the ultimate price.

  “Life and death are constant. Time is powerful.” I looked up and she smiled. “Think Grace. This is only a stopping point, you aren’t finished.”

  I stood and took a few steps away.

  “Wait,” I said, turning back, “are you trying to tell me that life and death aren’t bound by the laws of Hell?” I smiled, feeling a small shard of relief slowly creep in.

  “Satan does not control that power. As much as he tries, that power is and always will be beyond him. He can bring death and even bring life, but the ultimate control has never been his. Time is a stronger master to those who know how to use it, to those allowed to maneuver its dangers.”

  “What do I do?” I balled my hands at my sides.

  “Well, that is the tricky part. Do you really want to do this, Grace? You do understand the risk?”

  I closed my eyes. “I understand.” I nodded, determined. I knew that I had planned the best I could have. My words were exact.

  “You know you have no control of when you land?” she warned. Her voice so much deeper than mine. Or perhaps mine really sounded like that. “You could undo too much, end up erasing it all.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding.

  “Yeah.” I nodded again. “I’m ready.”

  She took my hand in hers. Her skin was warm and dry and I felt strong.

  “Then open your eyes, Grace,” she whispered as the world went dark.

  THIRTY

  I screamed, ice covered my skin as I flailed my arms out. I kic
ked. My leg was stuck. I felt paralyzed, which was stupid because I was moving around like a windmill. I swung out in a panic once more, only to come into contact with something hard. I slowly opened one eye and then the other. It was bright and I flinched back, squinting. Why the hell did light always feel like it that was slicing my brain open?

  I froze, my mouth opened in confusion.

  I was in a car, my lap covered with loose tampons and cotton balls.

  What the fuck?

  I tried to move, only to realize I was being paralyzed by the seatbelt. I sat up and picked up one of the white tubes. I stared at it for a long time it seemed, and then I looked up.

  I remember this car.

  I frowned and turned around to study the contents.

  Boxes and bags. Clothes on hangers draped over the seats.

  I felt a rush of adrenaline.

  “Are you coming, Grace?” I jerked my head toward the sound of Jamie’s voice. The screen door slammed as she went inside Lucian’s house. Her house.

  My skin tingled all over and I stared straight ahead.

  Oh my God! It worked! It really freaking worked. I threw the tampon and covered my mouth with my hands. Filled with an insane euphoria, I began to laugh.

  “I fucking did it!”

  I slapped my hands over my mouth and looked around frantically, sighing when no one seemed to have heard me.

  Movement caught my eye and I threw my hands down. Fumbling with the door handle, I scrambled out of the car, tripping over Jamie’s belongings and raining feminine hygiene products onto the rocks. I gripped the side of the door, trying not to fall on my face.

  More adrenaline surged into my limbs and I stumbled away from the car, scanning the drive in a panic. I thought I might have messed up but then I saw him; strutting up the steps, his little kitty tail sticking into the air. I smiled and let out a breath as Puck disappeared into the room above the garage.

  I stood for several seconds, trying to force myself to breathe slowly. I worked to piece together my thoughts, but the only thing I could process was that Lucian was up there, alive! He had stolen my blood and had gone pretty damn far at making himself a Madea. He was thinking of nothing more than competing with Seth, who was also fucking alive! He was hurting and I was the ass for not seeing it.

  Yep, it was mostly my fault. I was the selfish one…

  They are alive! He is only a few steps away… Right up there.

  My body trembled uncontrollably as reality zinged through me. I fisted my shaking hands.

  He is alive.

  I smiled and did a little dance in the dirt. My mind was everywhere at once. Straightening my clothing, I stepped onto the first stair. The wood creaked and I had to force my body to calm down and not race up the steps or I would end up re-living everything all over again.

  The door was open just a crack. I stood there as memories of what happened last time flooded my mind.

  I shielded my body with magic. This time, when Quick Draw threw his magic at me, I would deflect it.

  I pressed on the painted wood, opening the door wide. He was there, the same as last time. Sunshine framed him once again, painting him with golden light. I smiled, knowing that soon he would turn that beautiful back away from me and his eyes would be silver and bronze.

  “Lucian?” I said, softly.

  He rose and then spun on his heel, he looked at me. No power flew from his hands, he’d heard my voice and knew it was me.

  Well son of a bitch, I laughed to myself. If only I had done that to begin with none of this would have happened. How simple. Ironic. More proof that all of this was indeed my fault.

  I looked down, feeling overwhelmed as the truth hit home.

  I looked up once again. Seeing him standing there, alive and healthy made my heart almost burst. Then I frowned, his eyes were no longer looking at me. They were wide and full of fear as they focused on the bags of empty blood near my feet.

  I followed his gaze and then he lurched forward, his face a mask of panic.

  I threw out my hand. “Lucian, please no.”

  He froze, his shoulders slumped.

  “Grace, I…” He held out his hands in surrender.

  “No.”

  He flinched and rubbed his hand down his face, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

  I pulled in a slow breath through my nose and smiled.

  “Don’t explain,” I said, moving closer, my heart swelling. “Please, I’m the one who needs to explain.”

  His brows pulled down, his expression dumbfounded.

  I took his hands. They were warm and soft. I met his beautiful eyes and pulled him close. And then I sighed and yanked him hard against me, crushing him in my arms as hard as I could. Tears streamed down my face and I pulled in his scent through my nose.

  “I don’t understand,” he mumbled into my hair and then he pulled away.

  I stepped back, and slid my shirt sleeve across my eyes.

  “I know,” I sniffed, laughing. “Just understand one thing, okay?”

  “Alright,” he said slowly, shaking his head. He looked completely confused and a little worried.

  I cleared my throat and took his hands in mine once again.

  “I know how angry you were at me,” I began, “I left you and made you think that you were nothing. That was wrong of me. I handled everything so badly and I understand that all the things you’ve been doing were a result of what I pushed you to do.”

  He opened his mouth, his brows high.

  “It doesn’t make it all okay,” I rushed on, “but I want you to know that I’m not mad. I’m not mad and I still love you, okay?” I watched his face. Emotions came and fled as I spoke.

  He frowned. “I’m not sure what happened to bring this on, Grace. But I’m not going to say anything except, thank you.” He met my eyes. “I know I was wrong and I thank you for making me feel better about my mistakes.”

  His relief hit me like a wave and I had to brace myself on his shoulders to keep from staggering backwards.

  The bonds were back.

  Oh no.

  I wasn’t sure if the bonds that Lu had severed would return when I turned back the clock, but now I knew for sure. I’d put the pieces together and now I understood that perhaps not all of the feelings I had when it came to these men, had always been my own.

  “We have a few things to talk about,” I sighed, knowing that this little bit of info was really going to really piss them off. “How about dinner at my house tonight?” I smiled.

  “Alone?” he leaned forward, smiling and my stomach fluttered with pleasure.

  I had to hand it to him, he was a beautiful charmer.

  “Well, no.” I was sad to say. “We all have a lot to talk about.”

  A giggle rang throughout the room and Lucian and I spun. Jamie stood by the door, her hand over her mouth. She had tears in her eyes.

  “You two are speaking,” she gushed. “I’m so happy.”

  I whistled out a breath. Damn, I was still on edge. Hopefully it wouldn’t last or surprises would become unpleasant. I looked at my friend. “Are you free for dinner as well, James?”

  Her eyes lit, “Of course,” she laughed, and then she really looked at Lucian and I knew then and there that he had kept his deception from her as well. Her face contorted as she examined him.

  “What the fuck?” she shouted as Lucian’s eyes glowed like a cat in headlights.

  “Grace!” she screeched, “look what he’s done!” She looked apoplectic. “Oh my God, holy fuck, Luc!”

  He sighed, and then bent and started cleaning up the empty bags of blood.

  Her eyes bugged out and she started toward him, her hands curled into claws. I grabbed her. “Stop, James. It’s okay. Leave him be, okay?”

  “Are you freaking crazy?” she shouted into my face. “Luc, you stupid douche-bag, a-hole!” she shouted, trying to get around me. “You stole her blood!” she screamed and then stopped short. “Wait, why aren’t you pissed?�
�� Her eyes narrowed.

  Lucian stood, tossing the last of the bags into the waste basket. “Yeah. I’m kind of surprised you’re not trying to tear my eyes out too.” He ran his hand through his long hair, tousling it, then he frowned. “Wait a second.” He stepped close to me, his hands on his hips, “I just realized, you came in here as if you already knew what I’d done.” He examined my face closely. “What’s happened to you, Gracie? Something feels strange with you.” He touched my arm where my mark had once taken up most of my skin. It tingled and I flinched back.

  “I can’t tell you right now. Can we save it for later?” I asked, backing from the room. “Please, just come to the house tonight and I swear I’ll tell you as much as you need to know.”

  Lucian opened his mouth and I turned before he could speak and quickly raced from the room. Funny, I thought I would leave feeling happy without a worry in the world, yet now dread had found its way to me again.

  THIRTY ONE

  As soon as I reached the bottom step, I zapped myself to my front porch. It was a sight for sore eyes and I stood for several seconds taking it in. The sun was still shining high in the sky and I smiled and sucked in a great gulp of the cool, clean air.

  Shivering, I ran up the steps. I knew that I had a lot to prepare for before nightfall and I wanted to make everything perfect. To me, this was a homecoming.

  Even though I’m the only one who knows that I was gone.

  I burst through the door, my face smacking straight into Seth’s hard chest. I stumbled back laughing.

  “You are home sooner than I had expected,” he beamed, crunching into an apple. “Was he, still there?” He looked happy and I smiled. God, he looked good. His skin was smooth and free of cuts, his hair was short and cropped into an edgy style that suited his bad boy nature.

  “Yeah, he was there,” I said. I felt happier now that Seth was near me. I smiled. “He’s coming to dinner.” I burst out laughing when Seth’s face looked like he’d swallowed a worm.

  “What are you doing, Sweet?” He tossed the apple into a small trash can. “You really feel this is a wise move? You know you are too strong for him, he’s mortal,” he smirked. “Remember? Mr. Fragile?” He lifted his chin.