Dancing With Monsters

by M. M. Gavillet

  I gasped and tried to pull away, but Ben only shoved me closer.

  “Feel his life force, or what’s left of it, that surrounds him.” Ben pressed his body next to mine and whispered in my ear.

  “I don’t feel anything,” I replied.

  He pushed me slower to the rotting man. “Concentrate, and let your hexmark guide you.”

  I thought of my mark and how it looked on my pale skin. It had given me the strength to fight off the demon that tried to attack me at Ben’s house. But I didn’t feel the need to protect myself anymore, the dying man was no longer a threat, but begging me to put end to his agony.

  I looked into his eyes, and a flash of a former life filled with dreams, hopes and a future, I could see clearly. The man was that, a man. His death would be slow if I didn’t do something.

  I lowered myself closer to him, his eyes, now blue, was the only thing left untouched by the serum’s poison. The blood color was all but gone, and he clung to the last thread of his human existence. I felt it radiate from him as if the sun was warming my skin. With a skeletonized hand, he grabbed my arm. I didn’t flinch with disgust of his condition. He was a human being and he needed my help.

  “You have it, now take it,” Ben said behind me.

  Everything faded around me. Yellow light engulfed me and the half rotten man. But I looked past that, and all I saw was his magnificent eyes. Like two tunnels of blue, I burrowed my gaze into them. I was light and heavy with exhaustion at the same time as I pulled myself further into them until everything exploded around me in a burst of gold and blue flecks.

  I jumped back and covered my face with my hands as I screamed.

  “April, you did it,” Ben said, holding onto me. “You’re alright.”

  He took my hands away from my face as I gasped for air.

  “There…there was an explosion…I’m hurt,” I said, examining my hands and feeling my face as Ben chuckled at me.

  “No, there really wasn’t an explosion, it just appears that way.” He smiled at me. “You relieved him of a bad choice he was paying dearly for, and,” he pulled me to my feet as I noticed the bits of thin tissue blowing around my feet. “You now have energy—his energy from his life force in you.”

  I glanced at the tissue remains of the man that looked like discarded Kleenexes.

  I should have felt disgusted or even sick at the thought of what just happened, but I didn’t. The man wasn’t in pain anymore. I ended his misery that was prolonging a certain death. My body felt strong, and I wasn’t a victim to any human, monster, or demon anymore.

  “But April,” he looked at me with his brown eyes. “You shouldn’t have left the house.”

  “I didn’t want to stay there and wait for you.” I crossed my arms.

  Ben looked at me and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. “Well if you want to get back home without an angry mob coming to our house later with pitchforks and torches, put these on.” He handed them to me.

  “Why,” I took them and handed them back to him. “I don’t need them.”

  Ben pulled out a small mirrored compact and flashed it in front of my face. I gasped and looked at Ben with horror.

  “What the Hell!” I gingerly touched my face. My eyes were just as black as Ben’s were.

  “They’ll turn back to normal in a couple of hours. It’s your first Taking, and your eyes will be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked taking the mirror. “What if they don’t?”

  “April,” he took the mirror gently from my hand and put the sunglasses on me. “Trust me, I’ve had to unfortunately do several Takings and after a few, the effects will barely last for no more than a couple of minutes.”

  “It will be hard to run through the woods with these on. Can I take them off when we reach the edge of town?”

  “We’re not going to go home,” Ben said, grabbing my hand.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as he pulled me out of the alley. “Did something happen?” I whispered.

  “No,” Ben said, as we crossed the street and up to a black limo.

  “Is this yours?” I asked as Ben opened the door for me with a grin.

  “Oh, sorry, wasn’t fast enough, Mr. Marsh,” said a thin man no taller than me dressed in a black suit and tie.

  I looked back at Ben. “Mr. Marsh?”

  Ben nodded. “My last name.”

  I didn’t know Ben’s last name and didn’t even think to ask.

  “As you requested, there’s a chilled bottle of champagne and sorry, I couldn’t get strawberries so I got chocolates from Shangri-La—strawberries aren’t in season and well, nothing compares to produce grown there.”

  “Thanks, Sam,” Ben said as he motioned for me to get in. “Well, are you going to get in or let a few more of the townsfolk gather for the spectacle?”

  I looked at several pressed faces that looked out from the salon window. They didn’t hide their gawking at us as I could see them as they talked among themselves.

  “I could take off my glasses and smile—that would give them really something to talk about.” I said with a raise of my eyebrows.

  “Ben shook his head. “Just get in.”

  Seth

  “Demons have penetrated the Shadowlands, are you sure it wasn’t someone’s hallucination?” Ayil asked Ezra. “The Shadowlands are secured by the angels.”

  Ezra huddled next to me like a frightened cat. “The angels have all but abandoned the Shadowlands. Their portals are in danger and they abandoned the gates. A few of us passed, but some lingered…” Ezra nestled her head into the crook of my arm and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

  She stayed and risked being caught by demons for me. Ezra didn’t escape the Shadowlands because she wanted to be together. I took a deep breath and held her back stroking her hair.

  “The demons will easily take the power of the orb and make the Shadowlands their own.” Ayil paced the floor rubbing her chin.

  “That’s not all,” said Ezra. “There were more than just demons there. They had an army of new demons that I’ve never seen before. They looked like a cross between demon and monster.”

  Ayil’s eyes shifted to me. “Demons must have been successful at transforming humans to hybrid monsters—this isn’t good, not good at all. Walk with me.”

  Ayil abruptly went out of the room and into her study. Malachi, Nessa and I exchanged glances as a light from the study flicked on.

  “I said walk with me, and that means come here please,” Ayil said with a raised voice.

  We went into the cluttered room with books piled high and loose papers strewn throughout the room. It looked like a windstorm had gone through it, but Ayil seemed to know what she was looking for.

  “Tuscany was considered a sleeper town now, but at one time it was a major trafficking route for demons to transport their drugs. And all was wonderfully quiet in what I thought was retirement for me, then, a monster, genius really, came to town with an amazing discovery,” Ayil said as she rummaged through a basket she sat on top of her paper laden table. “He had created a serum that we believe was contracted for him to make by demons. Since demons are of a delicate state to travel to other realms, often use humans, monsters, and even fairies to do their leg work for them. But this guy, this monster went to them, and I haven’t been able to locate him. He lives in the area, but travels and moves very quickly.” She then pulled something from her basket, and held it over her head. “Ah ha,” she said. “This will be our secret weapon.”

  Ayil had in her hand an amber colored stone.

  “A broach?” Malachi gazed at the antique looking piece of jewelry. “A gaudy piece of jewelry is going to save everyone from demons?”

  “This, my young monster, is no ordinary broach. In fact, it wasn’t even supposed to be a piece of jewelry—I had it made into one. This amber colored stone is light from Iethia long before demons poisoned it.” Her brown eyes focused on me as her silver hair glistened with
gold from the light emitted by the stone in her palm.

  Ayil extended her hand towards me and smiled. “And you will be the one to save us, archangel.”

  “Archangel?” Nessa blurted out pointing at me with her thumb. “Seth isn’t an archangel. He couldn’t even use a dragon blade correctly until I showed him.”

  Ayil shifted her eyes towards her. “Nessa, some things are in us that we don’t know we have. Seth brought Ezra back from the Shadowlands, a feat no monster no matter how strong they are could do.”

  Ayil turned her attention back to me. “Take this.” Her voice commanded.

  I took the intricately cut stone that flickered with light. “What do I do with it?” I asked looking at her.

  She smiled and then shrugged her shoulders. “Your Uncle Hes gave it to me and said one day you’d come and said to give it to you. As far as instructions, he gave none. I disguised the importance of the stone as a piece of jewelry.” She then cupped her hand over mine that held the stone. The light emitting from it dimmed. “It’s yours and as a monster with an archangel heritage, the limits of your power are infinite.”

  “You mean Seth can rule any dimension he wants?” Malachi asked standing next to Nessa.

  “His powers are infinite; I didn’t say what powers were infinite, and dimensions are another story—they require more than just having the power to kick ass.” Ayil stepped in front of me. “There are things that one must discover on their own, rather than have someone tell them everything. Power must be understood on one’s own terms, not by following in another’s footsteps.”

  I looked at the stone then at Ayil. She was telling me something that I didn’t understand and before I could ask any questions, she turned off the light and motioned for us to leave the room.

  “I suggest we all get some rest as our hunt for this serum-making monster will start tomorrow as well as the never ending battle with demons.”

  “Wait,” Nessa said, turning towards Ayil. “Shouldn’t we start now? I mean the Shadowlands are being taken over by demons and you want to go to sleep like nothing is happening. What if Iethia is attacked? What…” Ayil waved her hand over Nessa’s face.

  Malachi caught Nessa before she slumped to the floor.

  “She’s right about some things, but she hasn’t been in very many battles.” Ayil glanced at all of us. “Anyone else want to discuss as to what we should do now besides go to bed and get a few hours rest?” No one said anything. “Good, be up by sunrise.”

  “I can’t believe I’m here with you,” Ezra whispered as she laced her fingers through mine.

  The moonlight poured in through the window as the breeze made the tree limbs sway making shadows dance across the floor. Ezra laid next to me, her body was warm, her skin was soft, and she was as I remembered holding her.

  “And I plan on keeping it that way.” I gently kissed her on top of her head smelling her sweet scent.

  “But what if it comes back?” Ezra sat up, and gazed at me with worried eyes. “What if my cancer comes back?”

  I sat up and curled my arms around her. “It won’t. Didn’t you listen to Ayil?” She nodded. “I’m a monster with the abilities of an archangel.” I could hardly believe those words were coming out of my mouth. “If I can bring you here from the Shadowlands, then I think I can stop anything that might hurt you—including cancer.”

  Ezra took in a deep breath and burrowed her head into my shoulder. “Just hold me, Seth and be like how we were with no disease, no serum, and no demons. I want it to be just you and me watching the sun come up over Black Sea in Iethia—our home.”

  I closed my eyes and thought of home. I had a simple life compared to now. Uncle Hes always said I was special, and I wondered if he knew of my archangel abilities. But I didn’t want to think of that right now. I wanted to go back to a time when it was going to the beach with Ezra and going out with Malachi who deemed to annoy every girl he met when he was trying to impress them.

  Suddenly, a bright light flicked on and I opened my eyes to see Ayil standing in the doorway.

  “No rest for the wicked, come on, there’s been a disturbance in Brumbriar. It’s about an hour away. Time to put your abilities to work,” Ayil said leaving as she left the door open.

  “Seth,” Ezra said with worry.

  “It will be alright. I promise,” I said, putting a black wool coat over her shoulders and kissing her on the forehead.

  I wish I knew how to use my abilities to transport us back to Iethia and to another time before demons ruined our world.

  April

  “Alright,” I said, as I watched the scenery go by through the tinted window. “You have got to tell me where we are going.”

  Ben smiled. “No, I don’t, because it is a surprise and you should’ve stayed home like I said. Now, as your punishment, you’ll just have to wait.”

  “Seriously, you’re punishing me by feeding me chocolate and allowing an under-aged person to consume alcohol? I think I can handle it,” I said, taking a sip of the sweet champagne. I’ve had a couple of glasses and found getting buzzed felt pretty good. “You know Sunrise Acres should give out booze for sedatives—not to mention to make the place a little bit better to live at.” I giggled as Ben took the glass from me.

  “I think you’ve had enough spirits for now.” He then handed me large white box with a silver bow on it. “Here,” he said.

  I took and looked at it. “What is it?”

  “Really, haven’t you ever been given a gift before?” He smiled.

  “Yes, but…”

  “Just open it April and see what’s inside.”

  Like a kid at Christmas, I tore the tape from the sides and flipped open the lid. Inside, glittering back at me was a silver beaded dress. I lifted it up and it sparkled like diamonds.

  “Ben, it’s…” I’ve never had or been given anything so beautiful before.

  “Don’t like it?” He asked.

  I looked at him with wide eyes. “Don’t like it? I love it!” I gently put it back in the box and wrapped my arms tightly arm him and began to cry.

  “What’s the matter?” He asked pushing me away as he held onto my hands.

  “No one has ever given me anything so beautiful before.”

  Ben laughed and then hugged me. “Oh my April Snow, you surprise me all the time.”

  It was noon when we arrived in the city of Brumbriar. I still didn’t know what Ben had planned for us and no matter how much I questioned, he still didn’t tell me. So far, everything has been nothing but a wonderful dream I was caught up in and didn’t want to wake up.

  We went down several streets lined with magnificent houses surrounded by manicured lawns and tall oak trees that edged the street. Rich people must live here I thought as I watched each house go by.

  “I can’t believe people actually live in those humungous houses,” I said, turning to Ben.

  “Some of them are very old, and have been made into apartments, but some are still owned by the original families. And here is the one we’ll be staying in.”

  The limo came to a gentle stop as my door opened and Sam smiled at me.

  “We are here Miss,” he said, stepping aside as I got out holding onto the box my dress came in.

  “Oh, no, let me get that for you.” Sam took the box from me that was nearly half his size and managed to shut the car door as well.

  I looked up at the house that was in shambles and looked to have been abandoned many years ago.

  “Come; let’s not linger too long in the street.” Ben slipped his hand around my waist as we followed Sam up to the rickety looking house.

  “We’re staying here?” I asked. “Is it even safe?”

  Ben smiled at me as we stood at the end of the stone path that led up to I’m sure a once grand porch.

  “You’re not seeing it as a monster—you’re seeing it as a human.” He looked down at me with his emerald eyes. “Look at it again, but this time, really look at it.”

&
nbsp; I shook my head wondering how a second look would change anything. I gazed from top to bottom and nothing changed. Broken windows, peeling paint, splintered spindles on the railing of the sunken in porch led to a beautiful stained glass window, untouched by time and neglect, glowed brilliantly from a light that suddenly flicked on. I gasped at the transformation of the house that blossomed before me. The old house was washed away, and its once former glory stood before me.

  I looked at Ben with surprise. “How…”

  “It’s a glamour made by our host. Not all are welcomed here, but we are. Let’s get in before our glamour wears off.”

  “Glamour…you mean like a spell?” I asked looking over my shoulder at the other houses with cars parked outside in the driveways. A pickup truck drove by. “You mean whoever just went by couldn’t see us?”

  “No, they can’t, but not for long.” Ben tugged gently on my arm.

  It felt weird knowing I was invisible, like a ghost, walking up to a house that was really in shambles, but in some magical way, beautiful.

  Sam carried my box in along with a large leather suitcase and sat it down.

  “Will that be all Mr. Marsh?”

  “Yes, thank you Sam for your services.” Ben handed him a large gold coin about the size of a half dollar.

  Sam nodded and flipped the coin in the air before putting it in his pocket.

  “Anytime sir,” he said, with a bow as the door shut behind him.

  The foyer was magnificent with marbled floors, glistening chandelier, high ceiling that was made of stamped copper panels, and richly stained wood that was polished so much it too even glistened in the soft light.

  “So if this house is really falling down, how are we seeing this?” I asked gazing at everything as Ben looked at his phone.

  “I thought she’d be here,” he said, preoccupied with his phone. “She should have been here or at least messaged me.”

  “It’s simple Mr. Marsh’s companion,” said a female voice from the darkness beyond the foyer.

  Light footsteps clicked on the floor as a woman with striking red hair cut into a bob and blue eyes, emerged from the shadows.