by Maya Daniels
“What the fuck, move!” I snap before I see movement in front of them. Spinning around, I gather as much fire as I can and, like a flamethrower, I launch a big blast of it into the tunnel, smiling grimly when I hear their screams. Good! If I die, I’ll take as many as I can with me.
I straighten my back and join Remi’s side, my eyes landing on what she is staring at. My heart freezes in my chest.
“Ah, how lovely. All of us together just like old times,” Derik says cheerfully. Behind him, like a kite connected with an energy cord, Tiamat writhes in the air. I narrow my eyes and realize it’s an apparition, that she’s not really here, though she’s somehow attached to him.
Taking a deep breath, I amble forward until I’m standing in front of everyone because his problem is with me, not with them. As I do, I feel like a weight has been lifted off me. Fuck! The wards. He stopped Lucifer two steps before he could use his power, that asshole. Well I’m about to fix that little problem. Just give me a minute.
Smiling what must be an evil smile judging by the widening of Derik’s eyes, I creep towards him. Let’s do this!
Chapter 14
“How lovely of you to come greet us, Derik. I almost thought you rude for not saying hi,” I say, pouting like a child. I really should try acting because this is an Oscar winning performance, I’m sure of it.
“Don’t move a step, Lucifer, or I’ll kill them all before you make it out of the wards. Nice little trick, isn’t it?” he says, scowling over my shoulder, and my blood boils.
“Oy, asshole, I was talking to you. After everything, have the decency to look at me and answer back,” I snap at him and he smiles. Okay, more like baring of teeth than a smile, but whatever. His palms are forming eerie green flames as I watch. Well, shit!
“Oh, I’ll look at you, alright. There’s plenty of time for that, Alexia.”
“Hmm … I’m not so sure about that, but whatever you say.” I shrug. I’ll either kill him or die. I have no intention of spending more time than necessary here.
“Why? Are you in a rush to destroy the potions? How did that work out for ya, by the way?”
I hear the glee in his voice and breathe through my nose to keep myself under control.
How the fuck does he know the potions are not destroyed? Lucifer and I tried many times, but no matter what we did, they stayed in their pretty little box, untouched. Shivers trail up my spine when I see the twinkle in his eyes, which are like soulless holes right now. How didn’t I see this? Am I really that naïve? I shake my head to dislodge the thoughts, since there’s no time for those now.
“Nope! They’re still good to go. I actually changed my mind about them after everything that happened,” I tell him conversationally. You’d think we are talking about the weather.
“Is that so?”
“Mhm.” I can play dumb with the best of them, and I’ll bluff till kingdom come if he wants to play that game. There is no way he can get to them, of that I’m sure, because Lucifer put a protection on them and I hid them where no one but I would be able to get them.
Okay, maybe Thanos, but he’ll need to get to the place first, and since he has no legs, that leaves yours truly the only person with access. See? I can do something right.
Derik eyes travel from my head to my feet, while I narrow mine at him. The mushy me is hurt and wants to curl up in a ball and cry, but the other me is finding a weakness in the enemy. She’s not controlled by a moral compass. She’s all instinct. I never thought I had a predator in me, but at this moment, I’m grateful for it. Emotions make you reckless, impulsive. I can’t have that right now, so I push as hard as I can and shove the mushy me so far back in my consciousness that I’m a little worried I’ll never be able to bring her back. I don’t have time to worry about that either, though.
Grabbing the clasp of the cloak around my neck, I pull at it, letting it drop and pool around my feet after I untangle the lantern out of it. Of course, I get the reaction I want. He is a man, after all. Only one head can work at a time.
His eyes gloss over and he takes a deep breath, a smirk tilting the corners of his lips. I smile. Not because of him and his leering. I smile because I hear Lucifer’s sharp intake of breath behind me. Angel, god, and human alike, they are male. Behold the power of the vagina. It’s pathetic and disappointing, really. Not that it has been any different since the beginning of time, but they make us be ashamed of it like it’s our fault they can’t control their basic instincts. Just think about the story of Adam and Eve until Lilith showed up. Need I say more?
Thanks to the huge moon above, I’m basically naked in this stupid white dress I’m wearing, even if it is coated in dirt and grime from the earlier tumble up the mountain. It still serves me well for now.
“See something you like?” I purr while cocking one eyebrow at him.
“Whatever you’re playing at, Alexia it won’t work,” he says, glaring at me. Too bad I know different, and the bulge in his pants is the thing telling me. I grin.
“Should I cover myself to preserve my modesty, then?” I bat my eyelashes and bite my lower lip.
“She’s lost it,” Jezzinta whispers behind me, and I almost laugh out loud at that. Hell yeah, I’ve lost it, but that happened a long time ago. I think I was only trying to keep it under control, at least until now. Well, fuck it. I’ll go out with a bang and all that crap. First, I need to figure out if I can kill the bitch Tiamat while I’m at it as well. Wouldn’t that be handy?
“Well? Should I?” I bet my eyelashes at him as if I’m an idiot and need instruction.
“I know you’re doing this so the angel can move and open the portal, so it’s not working.”
“What’s it to you if he opens it or not? You need me, not them.” I jab my thumb over my shoulder.
“Right, so I can deal with them coming to rescue you. I’m not you. I look at the bigger picture.”
“Why would anyone rescue me if I’m here by my own free will? I don’t get you.” I shake my head. “And can you get the damn lantern? It’s annoying to hold all the time.” I stretch the hand holding it towards him.
“How did you get that, by the way?” He glares at the lantern like it’s a traitor.
I can’t stop the laughter from bubbling out. “Really? After your fucked up, deceiving actions, you’re angry at an object?”
“Something is different about you,” he mumbles, I think more to himself than me. “Don’t you dare, bitch, or I’ll burn you all before you blink,” he snaps to someone behind me.
“Bipolar much?” I turn around to see what he sees, just as Jezzinta rises to her feet, probably trying to get the earth element to come to her aid.
I jerk my head left and right at her subtly; they need to just move a couple of steps and get out of here, not fight. She narrows her eyes at me, lifting her chin stubbornly. I guess even though we are not blood, we can sure as hell pass for sisters since all of us are the same: stubborn as mules, even when we’re hurt.
“Let them go. Derik. I’ll stay because I want to stay, and they won’t come back here again.”
“Right! And I’m Santa Claus!” He shakes his head.
A thought hits me when he does that, and I blurt it out. “Where’s Philip?”
Derik smiles like he just became the All-Father and I hear Remi’s choked cry behind me. My stomach drops to the dead dirt at my feet. If he’s a traitor too, I’m going to flay his skin with a butter knife. I’m used to being betrayed, but not Remi. Not if I can help it.
“He is around. I was going to kill him first, but I thought you and Remi could bond better if I turn him to my side. I’m almost there.” He puffs his chest out.
“But he is alive.” I make it a statement.
“Depends what your definition of ‘alive’ is, I guess.” He angles his head.
“If you turned him into one of those creatures, not even death will save you from me,” Remi snaps from behind.
I’m trying to convince him to let them go an
d this one is threatening him. Why can’t things go smooth and easy for once? Oh, right. Because I can’t keep my mouth shut, that’s why. I need to get him to pay attention to me.
“What would Tomorith say about all this? This is his realm, after all. Where is he?” A change of subject might help, or so I hope.
“Tomorith is no more. We had a change of leadership and he didn’t make it,” he says proudly, and my stomach twists in knots.
“Listen, Derik, I did my fair share of thinking after our lovely reunion the first time. No matter how hard I try, I still can’t help but care for you. Even if at the moment I hate myself for feeling this way, it’s the truth. I still have the potions, so I have a proposition for you.” I pause to gauge his reaction, his mind working as he tries to figure out what my game is, but I keep my poker face intact and stand relaxed, as if we’re at a picnic.
A rustling noise makes me turn, the blood chilling in my veins. While I’ve been blabbing and not paying attention, the cloaked monsters have surrounded us. It’s like a living wall with us in the center. They’re everywhere, all the way up the mountain and around the cave opening. Trying not to show my concern, I focus him, shaking my hand with the lantern in his face.
“The lantern! I have no desire to be like them.” I jerk my chin at the cloaks around us.
“Let’s hear the proposition first. The lantern will not make you be like them.”
I narrow my eyes at him because I think he mumbled “on the outside” but I can’t be sure, so I don’t press.
“Let them go and I will give you the potions so you can open the portal. I’m coming with you to retrieve the tablets, and we can share them, I guess. We’ll discuss the logistics after we get them.”
Holding my breath while he squints his eyes into slits, I assume to judge my state of mind, I pray he’ll just go for it. It’s too tempting of a deal for a vile, power-hungry ass like him. Why else would he do all the things he’s done otherwise? Throughout all of this, and with his actions playing in the back of my mind on repeat, that’s the only explanation I can think of. I honestly never thought myself to be so gullible after everything I’ve been through, so he did teach me a lesson. I should be grateful but I’m obviously not. At least not right now.
“It’s a very tempting offer, but you’ll need to prove that you mean it first,” he says, and my gut twists at those words.
“Prove it how? You want a blood oath?” I snap before I have time to think about what I’m saying.
I want to slap myself when I see the glint in his eyes. I hear the women behind me gasp, all at the same time. Lucifer is uncharacteristically quiet, so much so I wonder if he’s still there. A chill crawls up my spine like icy fingers, stopping at the base of my skull and numbing it to the point I think I’ll collapse where I’m standing. What the hell did I just do? Did I give him an idea that will screw us all?
“Let’s get back inside and we will talk more about this lovely idea,” he says cheerfully, and that sets me on full alert. Flames form in his palms, and as I’m about to move, I register his next words like through a fog. “Put the flames down, or they’ll be dead for real this time.” he says to me, and I blink stupidly at him.
Following his gaze, I glance at my palms and my eyes widen. From the tips of my fingers to my wrists, both my hands are engulfed with flames, but at least the lantern is nowhere in sight. I didn’t notice, nor did I call on the fire consciously. I take a deep breath, willing it to go away while I’m trying to calm the panic rushing through me. I have to remain in control to keep them alive. I can’t let him rattle me like this.
“Let them go, Derik. I’ll stay.”
“You think I’m stupid like Enlil? I don’t think so. All of you turn around and get in the cave or I’ll make you. How many of you are inside is not important to me, so it’s your choice who lives and who dies.” Fire slams in front of Meda’s feet, almost hitting her as he finishes his orders, and my heart jumps to my throat when I hear her yelp.
“Fine. No need to act like more of an ass than you already are.”
I turn on my heels to start walking, but as I take two steps towards the cave, I have to stop or I’ll collide with Lucifer’s chest. He’s not moving, so I look up at his face. The breath gets stuck in my throat at his expression, and for a split second I wonder if he’s a bigger threat than Derik. Anger radiates from his body in waves that almost double me over. The shock of it wears off fast and is replaced by my own anger at him for acting all superior and not dealing with things quickly like he should have. If he hadn’t toyed around, we’d be gone by now.
“Move,” I growl through clenched teeth at him.
He stares at me for a few more moments, then turns on his heels and stalks towards the cave. The creatures part in front of him like he’s royalty walking through his subjects. I want to scream at him, but instead I take deep breaths and close my eyes. Great Mother, help me stay sane long enough to see them safely home and not self-combust before it’s done.
Cold fingers entwine with mine on both sides of me and I open my eyes to see Remi and Jezzinta taking one hand each with Faith holding Meda up with an arm around her waist. My heart shrivels even more in my chest. They’re here because of me. The Goddess knows what they’ve been through up to this point. Yet instead of hatred or resentment, love and understanding shines in all their eyes like this is something we all have to deal with. Guilt eats at my insides like a hungry beast because they’ve accepted their fate, standing strong around me as if to say, “We’ve got this, we’ll deal with it together,” and here I am falling apart with self-pity.
Two gentle reassuring squeezes on my hands make me take one more deep breath. “We’ve got this,” I whisper as I lift my chin and square my shoulders.
From the corners of my eyes, I see Remi and Jezzinta do the same. Even Meda stands taller against Faith, and there is such pride in them filling my lungs that my chest almost bursts from it. These are my sisters and they’ll stand with me even when death is staring us straight in the face. No questions, no doubt, and no uncertainty. Simply pure love, trust, and faith. I will never let them down, even if it means my life. Gripping tighter to the hands I’m holding; I take the first step. Together, we move towards the darkness of the cave in front of us, taking the path Lucifer cleared through the creatures.
Chapter 15
I stalk away from the witch without a word so I don’t blurt something stupid. It is not like me to act this way. Luckily the wards are around me, for I am not sure anyone would be left standing with the anger rolling off me in waves. I’m not angry at her—well, not much. I’m angry that a puny mortal—dark wizard or not—has played me for a fool and is planning to keep me trapped here. Me! No matter how stupid the humans have been, never in their right minds have they tried something like this. Then I think back to Tiamat tethered by a magick string like a house pet and I almost laugh. It’s no laughing matter seeing a god bound to do the bidding of a mortal. Something is very wrong with all this, but I can’t put my finger on it.
One thing I am certain of is this: I will not let anyone play me like a pawn, and may the Universe help whoever tries. I should’ve known millennia ago that their greed and lust would come to this one day. Damn my curiosity and faith in them! Still, I’m trying to understand why I didn’t move and destroy everything around me outside of the cave. Why do I care about the women? Well, maybe not about all of them (I like to lie to myself), but the witch will be eve more heartbroken if anything happens to them, and that very thought kept me rooted to the ground like Tiamat to that string. That angered me more.
When she dropped the cloak and the moon illuminated her from above, I stood there stupefied, trying to get air into my lungs like a mortal male. She was like a vision glowing with an enchanted aura around her, and I almost reached out to touch her to see if she was real.
Stupid. Of course she’s real. She’s mortal like the rest of them.
My steps falter at that. Is she mortal? After ev
erything the old witch told me back in their realm, I’m not sure anymore.
I also saw how Tiamat had her calculating reptilian eyes trained on Al like she’s seeing the witch for the first time. It gave me an uneasy feeling. I know all about her adventures trying to hurt Alexia, but after what I just saw out there, I am not sure of what to think. There is a lot more at play here and it will be wise to see it unfold. I can stay and watch what happens so I can put the pieces together, but only if my heart doesn’t jump into my throat every time Alexia is in danger. That is hard in itself since the witch chases death with everything she’s got, though why I care so much is beyond me.
It’s the damn myth Daisy was talking about. It cannot be true. I would’ve known about it … maybe. That maybe is toying with my mind and I do not like it.
I’m jarred out of my thoughts by the shuffling behind me, and I flick a glance over my shoulder to see the five women following behind me with their chins up like queens going for a stroll. Their disheveled looks don’t take away from their show of strength, and I grudgingly admit, if only to myself, that I admire it. There is determination in all their eyes as they come closer, and my anger ebbs in my chest. Maybe this is why I find mortals so fascinating.
The first two pass me but I can’t take my eyes from Alexia. I watch as the witch comes closer, holding the other two by their hands. They act so carefree and innocent it almost gives me the illusion of safety, even in this dark, dead place. She stops in front of me, and the other two release her hands, walking past me but staring daggers at me as if threatening my life if I look at her wrong. My lips twitch at that.
“Something funny, angel?” The anger in her voice is as palpable as the rocks around me.
“This whole thing is funny, witch, but I am not sure I feel like laughing at this moment,” I tell her as she narrows her eyes at me. We move together as I remember why I got so angry earlier, and I grab hold of her wrist. Energy zaps me like I’ve touched lighting and I drop her arm like it burns me.