“Keely, don’t let go of me, no matter what.” Nick tightens his grip on her and she grabs hold of his shirt with her other hand.
“Flashlight?” Dustin asks.
“Kitchen. Top drawer, all the way to the left. I don’t know if the batteries are any good. If not, there are more in the drawer,” Nick directs.
“Lila?”
“I’m here. I’ve got Dusty by the belt.”
“Stay with him.”
“I am, believe me.”
The phone rings in Nick’s hand, startling them all. It sounds louder than usual in the dark and quiet basement apartment.
Nick puts it to his ear, lighting one side of his face in a pale blue glow. “Hello?”
Keely can feel her heart pounding in her head. She can hear it, thundering in her ears. Her whole body trembles uncontrollably.
“Hello? Who is this?”
Sweat beads across Nick’s forehead. Trickles down his neck. The hand holding on to Keely is moist. “I said who is this?” he demands.
Keely can hear that Dustin has made it to the kitchen. She can hear him fumbling around in the drawer. She tells herself it will only be a few more seconds until there is light. Hears the empty click, click as he attempts turning it on to no avail.
“Hello? What do you want?”
Keely’s breathing begins panting out of her. A chill runs down her spine and she shivers, despite the heat. There is something so familiar… She turns her head, eyes bulging as they dart across the darkness. Just as she smells it, something brushes the side of her head as if stroking her hair. She means to scream, but her mind is still stuck back on the stench.
“Cigar,” she shrieks and jumps off the couch, losing Nick’s hand.
“Keely?” Nick calls frantically.
“He’s here, Nick. He touched me. Can’t you smell it? The cigars. He’s here.” She feels her way to the wall wishing she hadn’t let go of Nick.
A noise to her right makes her spin. She tries to look for any movement, but it’s too dark. She can’t see.
“Stay where you are. I’ll come find you,” Nick whispers.
Keely spins again at the sound of his voice. She is disoriented now, having no clue where she is. Something sweeps across her back and she whimpers.
“It’s all right. I’m coming,” Nick says.
Keely falls to the ground. Covers her head with her arms. Tries to make herself small. This is much too tiny of an apartment for it to take Nick this long. Another swipe across her back sends a wail rushing through her lips. It feels like her back is burning, as if she has been branded and she cannot bare the pain. She screams through clenched teeth.
There is another click and light shines across the room just as hands clamp down on her shoulders. Keely doesn’t have a chance to scream again before she is shoved to the side. The light shakes and moves, but Keely sees Nick fall to the ground beside her. Hears a grunt of pain. Someone is screaming. Somebody else is shouting. Keely covers her ears. Though she tries, she cannot close her eyes. She stares at Nick as the light bobs back and forth across him. Then there is a moment of complete silence before the room is illuminated with a blinding white light. By the time Keely has blinked her eyes, the power is back on. The darkness replaced with the soft yellow glow of the lamps.
Keely looks around her. Pulls herself over to Nick. There is a rip down the front of his shirt. A long gash across his chest. Without thinking, Keely rips the rest of his shirt away and uses it to stop the bleeding.
“Nick,” Lila murmurs as she drops to her knees beside him.
“I’m all right. Hurts like hell, but it’s not deep.” He puts his hand over Keely’s, presses the shirt harder to his chest.
“Keely, your back.” Dustin cringes.
“What is it?” She somehow had forgotten about the pain, but now feels it full force.
“Looks like that,” Dustin says, pointing to Nick. “But there’s more. Looks like two of them.”
Nick pushes himself up with his elbow and lifts the back of Keely’s shirt. Long jagged slices bleed down her spine. They aren’t deep, but he knows they hurt. “Lila, the first aid kit.”
Lila nods and disappears into the bathroom.
“What the hell was that?” Dustin spits.
“That was my brother,” Keely mutters.
“Nice guy. So, I take that as a no to the whole park meeting then?”
“That seems like what he was trying to say,” Nick scoffs.
“I really wish he would have just text,” Dustin says.
“Yeah, me too,” Keely whispers.
Right on cue, Keely’s phone sounds from where Nick dropped it on the floor. They all stare at it, afraid to touch it. Lila sets the first aid kit down between Nick and Keely and picks up the phone.
“It’s a text. It says: PANDORA, FRIDAY, 8.”
“Yeah, we already got that message,” Nick nearly shouts.
Lila goes to work on his chest as he works on Keely’s back, dabbing gently with cotton balls soaked in Peroxide. Nick stays quiet, but Keely sucks air through grinded teeth, her hands turning white from squeezing them so hard.
Lila bandages Nick’s wound then helps with Keely. As she takes over, Nick watches quietly.
“You’re very lucky, Keely. These don’t even need stitches,” Lila tells her in a soothing voice.
“I know. It could have been much worse,” she says. Her fingers caress the scar on her throat.
Nick shakes his head. Has to look away.
“So, what’s the plan now?” she asks.
“Plan for what?” Nick says each word perfectly enunciated.
Keely looks at him. “For Pandora. I obviously don’t have a choice. I have to do it his way.”
Nick lowers his head. Rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands. “You have a death wish, don’t you? Well, fine. We’ll go to Pandora Friday. We’ll hand you right over to him. Maybe if you’re lucky, he’ll spend some time torturing you first. How’s that sound?”
“Nick, I have to-”
“NO YOU DON’T! I am risking everything for you and you are going to let him kill you, Keely! Please. Please don’t do this. I can protect you. We can go. We can get in the car and just drive away. We can hide.” He takes her hands in his, grips them firmly. “We can go anywhere you want. Just please stay with me.”
Keely looks away, unable to watch him pleading with her like this. She knows he’s risked himself, his life, his job. That’s what makes this so hard. She stares at the wall as she says, “I’m going, Nick. I have to try to help my parents. He can get me if he really wants to. We just established that. I just want it to be over. I’m sorry.” She pulls her hand out of Nick’s grasp. As soon as Lila has taped the bandage, Keely pulls herself up and goes straight to the bathroom. She glares at her reflection in the mirror.
She doesn’t understand where this resolve comes from. Just a little while ago, she was sitting on the floor giving up, yet now she is determined to find her parents. Because this is probably what is happening to them, she realizes. She can’t just run away. Why can’t Nick understand that? She can’t give up on her family any more than he can give up on her.
Thirteen:
The air is warm and smells like Saturday mornings at home. Saturdays—when Keely would sleep in and awake to the sweet smell of homemade cinnamon rolls or huge Belgian waffles. On those days, she would bounce down the stairs and find her mother standing in front of the oven, her father perched at the table sipping coffee and reading the paper.
But this is Thursday morning and she is not home. The overly comfortable bed gives it away first. She knows where she is. Keely half opens one eye. Peeks around the fluffy blanket. Home sweet freaking home. Right.
“Good morning.”
Keely pulls the blanket over her head with a groan. “Send me b
ack, Asmoday.”
“Cannot do dear sister. He wants to speak with you. And when I say speak with, I really mean speak at. He talks, you listen. Come now.”
Shaking her head and rolling her eyes from the protection of her hiding place, Keely growls out an annoyed, “Fine.” Shoves the blanket away from her and stands. The long silky nightgown slides down her legs. Another annoyed sound grumbles in her throat. “Why do you guys insist on dressing me?”
Asmoday raises an eyebrow devilishly. “Would you prefer to be nude?”
Keely refuses to make eye contact with him. Refuses to let him get to her. “No. What I would prefer is to be left alone, in my own clothes, in my own home. Why does he keep bringing me here? What is this place?”
Asmoday tsks. “Those are not questions for me to answer.”
“Why not?”
“They are not about me and I am not one to presume to know his reasoning on such things. He is… What is the right term?”
“Insane?”
Asmoday laughs. The sound is shockingly child like. Pure and sweet. “As I said, I am not the one to answer your questions.”
“Where is he?”
“Through the rabbit hole, Alice,” Asmoday instructs, gesturing with a sweep of his hand in the direction of the door.
“Off to see the Mad Hatter, I suppose.”
“Indeed.”
“So,” Keely asks as she brushes past her brother, hand on the door knob. “What’s that make you? Twiddle Dee or Twiddle Dum?”
Again, Asmoday laughs. Slides a finger down Keely’s spine, exposed from the backless nightgown. “I did not do this.”
Keely shivers at his unexpected touch. His fingers are like ice and feel good against the painful gashes. “No, you didn’t. This is courtesy of our brother.”
“I am not a fan of his art, though he did have a beautiful canvas.” His voice drips like honey, surgery sweet and maddeningly sticky.
“You’re my brother,” Keely says, more to herself than to him.
“Hmm, but I do not have to be. I can be anybody you wish. What form do you desire?” His finger glides across her back again. Gently. Tenderly.
“You disgust me.” She pulls on the door only for Asmoday to push it shut.
“Who do you want me to be?” He is so close to her now. Too close. His breath in her hair tickles her neck. Another shiver.
“Nobody. I don’t want you to exist.” She tries for calm and collected, but knows she sounds anything but.
“But I do exist. I am flesh.” He reaches out, touches her shoulder. “And blood.” Let’s his fingers trail down her arm. “And bone.” Takes her hand and turns her around. Keely gasps. Can’t close her eyes because it’s not Asmoday standing before her, but Nick.
His fingers touch her cheeks timidly. Slide to her neck. Soft as a feather, caress the scar there. His body touches hers just barely. Just enough that she should feel the heat of his skin, but instead it’s like standing in front of an open refrigerator.
He can be anything. He can be anyone.
Keely smacks his hands away. “You make me sick. You always will. No matter what form you take.” She is shaking, but feels confident her voice didn’t quiver. She actually meant what she said. He is not Nick. He cannot be Nick. Never.
Asmoday chuckles. In the time it takes Keely to blink, he has shed his Nick glamour. Keely stares into deep brown eyes.
“Don’t try to be someone you’re not, brother. You are just a cheap imitation. I don’t want the knock off.”
“Oh, I am the real thing, sis. Trust me.”
“Not if my life depended on it.” Keely’s stomach twists. Her life may very well depend on it. Why is she being so defiant? She swallows hard and turns back to the door. Without another word, Asmoday allows her to leave.
“My beautiful. My Keely. My daughter.”
Her father, King of Demons, sits at the table, large silver trimmed glass in hand. She can’t tell exactly what’s inside, but wouldn’t be surprised if it were blood. The color is right. Consistency too. Gross.
He smiles and stained red teeth greet her. There is red between his teeth as well, looking as if his gums are bleeding. Keely turns her head, feeling sick.
“Please, sit with me.”
Keely shakes her head. Backs up a step. “I’m good, thanks.”
He inclines his head in her direction. “Your stubbornness is a trait you have inherited from me I think.”
Yet another shiver. She doesn’t want anything from him. She doesn’t want to be anything like him at all. He meant to compliment her, she assumes. Make her feel some sort of connection to him. Instead, he’s put Farah Fritz to shame in the insult department. Up until this moment, Keely would have sworn Farah slung them better than anybody.
She clears her throat. “Asmoday said you needed to talk to me?”
“Yes. I would like your help.”
Hard swallow, like choking down pebbles.
“I can’t seem to locate Apophis, and you see, his trying to murder you is putting a damper on things.”
Hmm. She couldn’t agree more. “What do you want me to do?”
“Tell me where he is.”
“I don’t know where he is.”
“He has hurt you again.”
“Yes, and Nick too.” Keely averts her eyes. Doesn’t want him to read any emotion in them that he could use against her as her brothers are so fond of doing.
“I can make him stop. I can make him pay for his betrayal.”
“I think I would really love for you to do that,” she says, half of a smile twitching her lips.
“Then tell me.”
Uh… “I don’t know where Apophis is. Really. If I did, I would tell you. The thing is, he has my parents, and if I had any clue at all to his whereabouts, I would have gone there.”
“Your mother, he has her?”
“Yeah. My dad too.”
“I am your father, my Keely.”
“Right, yeah. I just meant my dad that I grew up with. Anyway, he wants me to give myself over to him and he’ll let my par—my mom and step dad go.”
“He never will. He’s lying.”
Keely cringes as her father takes a long drink from his glass, the thick liquid sloshes and slowly runs down the side. He licks it from his finger leaving a stain of crimson on his skin.
“Yeah, I figured that, but I have no other choice,” she murmurs.
“But you do. You have me. Tell me. Where is this exchange to occur?”
Keely hesitates. It’s not like she trusts him anymore than her brothers. Could he be trusted now? Doubtful. However, he did want her alive. If she could use that to her advantage to insure her parents’ safety, well…
“I want my parents rescued. I want them to go home safely. Alive. If I tell you where I’m meeting him, can you make that happen?”
“I can make you stay here and see to it you never make your meeting.” He glowers at her before putting the smile back in place. “However, I want nothing more than for you to be happy. If this is what you want, then I will make it happen.”
“It’s what I want.”
“Good then. Tell me.”
Keely wrings her hands. Hopes she is making the right decision. Couldn’t be any worse, right? “Pandora.”
“Good, Keely. Now, when?”
“Tomorrow. Eight o’clock.”
“Friday? That is a special day. I look forward to it.”
With a start, Keely blinks her eyes several times. Looks around the dark basement apartment. The familiar orange glow from the street lights shine on the wall. Nick’s soft snores comfort her speeding heart. She lay awake for hours trying desperately to remember what her father had looked like. She recalls seeing him, the light dim around him, but all she can envision is the syrupy red about
his mouth.
Turning on her side, Keely knocks her phone to the floor. She picks it up and checks for missed calls or texts. Nothing. Bites her lip before deciding to try Bryon again. The voicemail picks up immediately. There is a message indicating that his mailbox is full. She closes her eyes and ends the call.
When the sun finally comes up, Keely moves silently off the couch and into the bathroom. She shuts the door most of the way, leaving it open a crack. She doesn’t care what Nick says, she isn’t taking chances with those whispering Demons. She sheds her clothes and takes a steaming shower. Feeling clean after the visit with her father isn’t easy. It takes two hair washings, three rounds of body washing, and all the hot water.
By the time she emerges from the bathroom, Nick is awake. Blankets are folded neatly beside him where he sits gulping coffee and avoiding looking at her.
“I’m going to school today.”
He still doesn’t look at her, just asks, “Why?”
“I want to talk to Mr. Giordano. And I want to find Bryon. If he isn’t there, maybe someone at school knows something.”
“I need twenty minutes. Is that all right?”
The cold compliance is unnerving. “Yeah. We have plenty of time.”
Nick sets his mug on the tray and makes a quick stop at his dresser before quietly closing the bathroom door behind him.
A loud noise sounds from her stomach. Breakfast time. She makes herself a bagel and sips orange juice while she waits for Nick. Unwraps the towel from her hair and brushes it slowly. Puts on socks and shoes. Powders her face and glosses her lips. Puts on mascara carefully, taking her time to coat every lash. Then she sits with legs crossed beneath her. Waiting.
They still have nearly forty minutes until school starts, so Keely decides to wash the handful of dishes sitting in the sink. In the trash by the counter, she notices her and Nick’s shirts from last night. Tattered and bloody.
She flips on the water and soaps up a rag. A shout from the bathroom makes her jump and drop a glass. It shatters across the countertop. Keely vaguely notices it as she runs to the door and throws it open.
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