"Did you really expect me to set you free?" It demanded angrily. "You are useful to me but you can be replaced."
"What have I done to displease you?" Rumex whined. "I have served you faithfully, haven't I?"
"You serve me out of fear. You're weak and cowardly, which means you can't be trusted. Still, I find you useful. Now, who are those that disobey me and who is their leader? I must make examples of them."
Rumex hesitated. It was true he was a coward, but he wasn't stupid. When It had no more use for him, he would have to return to the others and bear the brunt of their unhappiness. Although each Shadow kept a solitary existence, there were ways of enhancing the loneliness beyond that created by the Shadow Demon.
"Did you not understand my question?" It growled. "Or have you suddenly gained a false courage?"
Shivering, Rumex shook his head.
"Forgive me. I only want to please you, but I don't know who these Shadows are except for their leader. No one trusts me."
"Then give me the name and I will teach the others what it means to betray me."
"Candesca. Her name is Candesca."
The demon wasn't surprised. The Shadow had a strong energy. It was clear she wasn't willing to accept her confinement willingly.
"Bring her to me."
Rumex nodded and then vanished from the darkness. Seconds later, he reappeared with Candesca. Circling her slowly, It sniffed at her in a display of contempt.
"I'm impressed. You seem to have collected a few followers here even though I have forbidden it." When Candesca didn't reply, It grew angrier. "Do you really think you can accomplish anything with a few pathetic Shadows backing you up?"
Silence! It glanced at Rumex. Such defiance in front of a servant would make It appear weak.
I can't allow this, It thought, but wasn't sure how to handle the insubordination.
"Take her away," It ordered. "I'll deal with this later."
Rumex nodded obediently but already his mind was mulling over what he had just witnessed. For the first time, his master had shown weakness. Looking at Candesca, he motioned for her to follow him. When she refused, he rippled nervously. There was no way Rumex could force the Shadow to do anything it didn't want. It was only his connection to his master that gave him power over the other Shadows.
"Please," Rumex begged, his voice barely a whisper.
Candesca realized she was jeopardizing Rumex's position with the Shadow Demon and decided to relent. There would come a time when she might need his assistance, so it was imperative she establish some type of rapport with him. Nodding, she disappeared.
The Shadow Demon had not missed the exchange and understood its meaning. If It didn't do something quickly, more Shadows would grow bolder and join the revolt.
Perhaps I should send her home. I can afford to be benevolent. Yes! That's what I'll be! Benevolent!
Satisfied with its decision, the Shadow Demon vanished, hoping to lure more unsuspecting Les Gris into Its web.
CHAPTER 15
Dementia
MAKING HER WAY UP the stairs, Belle tapped a monotonous rhythm on the concrete steps. Occasionally someone would stop to offer her assistance, which she graciously declined. Most would give her a curious look and then move on, but one man in particular seemed determined to help her as far as the nursing home door. Not wanting to arouse his suspicions, Belle grudgingly accepted his offer.
Don't be such a grump! Lunara chastised.
Belle sighed.
"I know, I know," she muttered unable to dispel the normal depression she felt whenever she visited her mother. "I hate this!"
There was nothing we could do to help her. You were too young to recognize the symptoms until it was too late. Even I didn't know that Shinette was so unstable. She hid her illness well.
"I'm not blaming anyone, Lunara. We can't save everyone. It’s just..."
Belle couldn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.
She's your mother. It hurts more. It's natural to feel guilty when you've helped so many. You have to move on, Belle. Your mother wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this.
* * *
Opening the door, the man stepped aside to let Belle pass.
"Thank you," she said. "I really do know my way from here."
Realizing that he had pushed his good Samaritan luck as far as he could, he bid her goodbye and left, much to Belle's relief.
Glancing up from her desk, an elderly woman smiled when she saw Belle approaching.
"Good afternoon, Miss Belle. How are you doing today?" she asked.
"Fine, Mrs. Brogden. How are you?
"Well, I'm still able to get up in the morning and make it to work, so I guess I can't complain." Annie Brogden had worked at the nursing home for twelve years. Her husband had been injured in an accident and had been moved to the nursing home fourteen years ago, after the doctors had determined he would never regain consciousness. The home director had been so impressed with her dedication and caring personality, she offered Annie a job as receptionist. Seven Oaks Nursing Facility had been her home since then.
"Your mom's been moved to room 324. It's a lot nicer than her old room -- more modern and a little bigger."
"Thanks. Could you get someone to show me the way?" Belle asked. It was expected and it wasn't good to arouse unnecessary suspicions.
"Come on! I'll show you," Annie volunteered.
After guiding her down the hall into another wing of the building, Annie deposited her in a chair by her mother's bed.
"You just call out if you need anything," Annie said, patting her shoulder before leaving them alone.
"How does she look?" Belle asked.
She's well cared for, Lunara replied. Maybe a little thinner.
Reaching out, Belle gently touched her mom's shoulder.
"Hi, Mom," she whispered.
At sixty-two, Tamara O'Reilly looked old and frail. Turning her head she stared at the stranger sitting next to her.
"Do I know you?" she asked, her lifeless eyes peering uninterestedly at the young woman.
"It's me, Mom. Belle."
"Belle? Belle, who?"
"Belle, your daughter."
"Oh."
For a minute, Belle thought her mother might remember her. For a minute, perhaps she did. Belle would never know. Even Lunara couldn't help on this one. Connecting with a lost Les Gris was bad enough, but a mind destroyed by dementia was beyond repair. No sane Shadow would enter into such a dark realm, for fear of becoming lost in the jumbled maze of chaos. Of all diseases, dementia was the stealer of souls and memories. Insidiously creeping into one's mind, it spread its tentacles through the brain like an invisible malignancy. By the time it made its presence known, the damage was done and the battle lost. Now nothing remained of Tamara but a ghostly shell housing the remnants of what was once a vibrant human, and Belle could do nothing to keep at bay the beast within. Even Lunara couldn't retrieve those scattered memories.
In Tamara's case, as in so many others, the mind couldn't adapt to losing its life partner and was self-destructing. Alzheimers! Brain disease! Those were the terms the doctors liked to use in their diagnosis of dementia. Belle and Lunara knew it for what is was. Over the years, The Society had managed to help many of those unfortunate enough to lose their life partners. It never resulted in a complete cure. Most led relatively normal lives, although they still acted oddly at times. There was no cure for absolute loneliness.
I don't think she's suffering, Belle, Lunara offered.
"But you can't say for sure, can you?" Belle countered, her voice barely above a whisper.
No!
The two fell quiet, each trying to imagine how horrible it would be to exist without their life partner.
* * *
Intunecat stared at the young woman sitting next to the hospital bed. Rubbing his chin, he cocked his head slightly, unaware that Lilith was watching his expression with interest.
"This one may be able to hel
p us," he murmured, more to himself than the demoness standing next to him. "She lives in darkness but has a strong connection to her Shadow-mate."
"You can tell that just from watching her?" Lilith asked, seeing nothing in the woman's behavior to indicate such a relationship.
Without looking at Lilith, he nodded and pointed at a faint gray aura surrounding the woman's body. "I've seen this before, but only a few times. It took me awhile, but eventually, I discovered what it meant."
"Which is?"
"All life arrives with a Shadow-partner. For most, the connection is strong enough to keep both stable. Occasionally it is so weak it creates instabilities. Even rarer, though, are those whose connection grows stronger as they grow older. These two are the strongest I've ever seen."
"Even if that's so, I doubt if a mere mortal and her Shadow-partner have the power to reunite my daughter with her lost Shadow. We don't even know what happened to it, let alone how they can be rejoined."
"They will know," he replied confidently.
"So how do we enlist their aid?" Lilith asked. "Knowing how most humans feel about demons, I doubt they will jump at the chance to help one."
"Don't underestimate them, Lilith. Especially this one. She has an inner strength that would surprise you. Besides, she's a non-believer."
"Great!" Lilith muttered. "Even more reason to doubt she'll help."
"Leave it to me," Intunecat advised. "I can be quite persuasive when I want to be." The smile he gave her was so beautiful, she barely contained a gasp. If he could have that affect on her, she couldn't begin to imagine how a human could resist him.
"So I see," she acknowledged, her voice slightly husky. "You'll keep me informed of your progress," she added, although she knew it was an unnecessary comment.
Nodding his head, he chuckled as he watched Lilith disappear into the darkness.
"Interesting," he said and then vanished.
CHAPTER 16
A Les Gris Moment
SOLEIL AND LUMIERE watched their life partners snuggling under the blankets, exhausted from their passionate love-making. Within minutes, the two humans were sound asleep, their breathing barely breaking the silence.
I get exhausted just watching them, Lumiere joked, nudging the dark shape leaning against her.
Right, Soleil responded. Since when did you ever get tired during sex?
Lumiere laughed softly. It was true that she and Soleil took advantage of those times when they could be together in the light. Both were grateful to Sylvie for giving them those moments together, and for Angie for believing in her partner even if she didn't believe in the Les Gris.
So, do we spend the next seven hours staring at our life partners or do we take advantage of the situation? Lumiere asked, stroking her Shadow-partner's cheek. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen one of the Shadows shimmer slightly as if shivering.
It's been awhile, Lumiere whispered, leaning even closer. Her shadowy head merged with Soleil until they were one.
Yes, too long, Soleil replied softly, enjoying the essence of Lumiere's energy as it seeped through her own, spreading its warmth across and around her until both shimmered with an invisible glow that only they could see. Colors flickered wildly in kaleidoscopic spirals, exciting their passions to greater levels. Light was their lifeblood, but colors inflamed their passions. Each basked in a radiance that if it were measurable, burned brighter and hotter than the sun they worshipped. Fortunately for those around them, their darkness not only contained the enormous energy created but shielded the world around them from its destructive power. Fortunately for all, it was a force that could never be tapped.
Soleil groaned as Lumiere's hand roamed across the surface of her physical form. Unlike humans, a Shadow's dark shell was extremely sensitive to the slightest change in air temperature, pressure or light, an evolutionary adaptation necessary for their existence.
Again the two Shadows shivered. Lost in their passion, neither noticed Angie's eyes opening slowly and staring sleepily at the dark images on the wall. Blinking rapidly, she rubbed her eyes with her fingertips and then pushed herself up on her elbow for a closer look.
"This has got to be a dream," she murmured, her voice slightly raspy.
Oops! Lumiere yelped, shifting quickly into a more neutral position. I think we're busted!
Soleil glanced at her life partner and laughed.
She thinks she's dreaming. Reaching out her hand, she touched Angie's forehead. Sleep, she ordered quietly. Yawning, Angie closed her eyes and settled back onto the pillow, snaking her arm under the blanket to embrace Sylvie.
Now, where were we, Lumiere asked.
Giggling, the two resumed their previous activities, knowing they still had a few more hours to satiate their inexhaustible passion for each other.
CHAPTER 17
The Visitor
BELLE WASN'T HAPPY. Although visiting her mom was always depressing, she knew this time was different. The dementia had progressed to the point where nothing was left of Tamara O'Reilly's essence. It was true what people said. People with dementia died twice. Sighing, she made her way home, unaware that someone was waiting inside.
Opening the apartment door, Belle took off her jacket and hung it on a nearby hook. She didn't need to turn the lights on, but did so out of habit and consideration for Lunara.
You have company, Lunara said calmly.
"Company?" Turning in a circle, she tried to figure out who was in her house without being invited and more importantly, how they were able to get in. "Hello?"
"Hello, Belle!" a male voice replied. Moving forward, he touched her arm gently. Belle shivered, although it wasn't from fear. His fingers were unnaturally cool.
"Who are you?" she demanded, taking a step backward.
"I am Intunecat. We've never met."
"How'd you get in here? I'm not afraid of you if that's what you think."
The man's laughter was warm and unthreatening.
"Good! I'm not here to harm you."
He speaks the truth and he isn't human, Belle.
"Not human? What is he, then?"
"I'm a spirit," Intunecat said. "I take it your Les Gris is talking about me."
My people have heard of the spirit called the Dark One. He's legendary amongst us, although I never believed he was real. It appears that much of our folklore is more real than I ever imagined. It must be important if he has come here.
"So it would seem," Belle replied. "So, Mr. Intunecat–"
"Intunecat, please."
"Well, Intunecat, why are you here? Lunara seems impressed."
Do you have to make me sound like a groupie?
Belle smiled.
"A friend has need of your assistance. Yours and your life partner's, that is."
"You're a spirit. What can we do that you can't? Surely you have a lot more power than we do?"
"Naturally. Unfortunately, the problem lies more within your expertise than ours. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I'm really not into socializing with mortals."
Apparently not! That sounded almost like a put-down.
"I think that was a put-down!"
"Put-down?" Intunecat repeated, not quite sure what Belle meant.
"You know, insult! Your egotistic side is showing."
"Ah, well, my dear, some things are undeniable. I am superior to mortals. It is a fact and not meant to insult you."
He has a point!
"I suppose." Belle's agreement was meant for Lunara, but she realized Intunecat would think she was talking to him. When he chuckled, she knew he understood what was happening and laughed. "Well, apparently there are a few problems even spirits can't solve."
"True. I merely said I was superior. I never said I had all the answers. Especially when it comes to Les Gris and the phenomena of detaching. Normally, I don't get involved in these things but this problem can have apocalyptic ramifications."
Talk about an attention getter!
"Yeah!" B
elle really didn't know what else to say.
"Perhaps we should sit down while I explain everything," Intunecat offered and then took her arm to lead her to the couch. "You may find the details hard to believe but I assure you that failure will be catastrophic for all the realms."
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