“Never mind,” he says softly. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
“I love you. But I love him too. Both of them.”
Bryon’s hand shakes on her arm. He nods stiffly. “That really sucks.”
Keely looks away. “Yeah.”
He stands up and offers her his hand. She takes it and he pulls her to her feet. He sighs. “I’m probably going to regret not taking advantage of this.” He smirks at her, but the sadness in his eyes makes it clear he isn’t joking.
Keely glances at the store. “We need to get your hat.”
Bryon runs his hand up the back of his head, his palm sliding across his dark hair causing it to stick out. Keely brushes it back into place and heads to the store. The door sticks slightly when she opens it, making a sound like peeling a sticker from fabric. The small building seems darker than it was a few minutes ago. And colder. Something prickles Keely’s skin. Some kind of sixth sense or intuition she can’t quite place.
Just as she is about to voice her strange feelings, Bryon pulls on her arm. He shoves her back to the door, but it is completely stuck now, refusing to budge. He hisses something in her ear that sounds a lot like, “hide.” She isn’t sure she heard him right over the pounding of her speeding heart. He pushes her again and reaches into his pocket, coming back with three throwing stars. Keely feels her eyes go big as it occurs to her that they are definitely in some kind of danger. She looks around quickly. Heads for the counter where the cash register sits.
She pulls herself over the counter and ducks behind it. Her head is throbbing with each beat of her heart. She sniffs the air expecting to catch the scent of stale cigars, but picks up a softer, sweeter smell instead. Lavender and vanilla. Something about it brings an image of Dustin to her mind. Keely shakes it away. That can’t be right. Her confusion brings her back to her senses. She reaches into her pocket for her cell phone and nearly curses when she remembers she left it at home to charge the new battery. Why couldn’t these things happen when she was better prepared? Keely looks around hoping the store has a phone conveniently placed. She trails her eyes over the cord coming from the wall to where it connects to the base of a cordless. And of course, the actual cordless phone is missing. The base sits empty, mocking her.
“Well hello there, handsome,” a voice calls sweetly. Keely wants so badly to peer over the counter to get a look at the source. It takes all her self control to stay in her hiding place.
“We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Mianna. And you would be…hmm. Bryon, right?”
“Who are you?” Bryon demands, spitting the words.
“I just told you, I’m Mianna.”
“What are you?”
“Just a girl,” she laughs.
“How do you know me?”
“I’m good friends with your buddy. The one with the pretty eyes. Well, eye.” She giggles quietly. “But your eyes, they’re much prettier. I could play with you all day.”
“I’m not much up to games right now,” Bryon sneers.
“Sorry, I’ve been given strict orders. I’m to play with you so they can grab her.”
Though Keely can’t see, she can tell by the way her voice projected that Mianna was looking in the direction of her hiding place as she said this. She has a feeling she isn’t actually hidden at all. And now she really wants to see who the ‘they’ are.
“Nobody is touching her,” Bryon says coldly. “Not unless you want to lose an appendage.”
Keely can’t stay back here any longer. Not when she’s imagining Bryon surrounded by Demons. She grips the counter and pulls herself up slowly. Her eyes dart around the room scanning over the four Demons. Two behind Bryon. One—the girl that’s been doing all the talking—directly in front of him. One in front of the door. This one turns his head slowly and stares at her with eyes reflecting like a cat’s.
“Oh, good. There you are, Keely,” Mianna purrs. “Wow, you really are as pretty as they say. Your brother is quite taken with you. He gave us strict orders not to leave any permanent marks on you.” Keely doesn’t have time to respond before Mianna is in front of her. She uses both hands to flip Keely’s hair off her shoulders. Her fingers linger in her hair.
“So soft. What kind of shampoo do you use?”
Keely blinks in shock. “Shampoo?”
Mianna leans forward, pulling a chunk of hair to her nose and inhales deeply. “Strawberries.” She drops the hair and takes Keely’s chin gently in her grasp. Turns her head to the side, then to the other. “Flawless.” She smiles coldly. Her grip tightens and Keely jerks away. “Let’s get this show on the road, boys.”
Bryon grips his throwing stars, ready to throw as two of the Demons stalk toward Keely. Mianna disappears from in front of Keely and pops up behind Bryon. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Good thing you’re not me.” He releases one of the stars. It sails through the air imbedding itself into the throat of one of the Demons. He plucks it from his thick flesh, dark syrupy blood flows from the wound. He turns his head, fixing an expressionless gaze on Bryon and throws it back at him. It strikes him below the shoulder, just to the left of his arm. He makes a sound of surprise mixed with pain.
Keely places her hands on the counter and propels herself over. She lands it gracefully and runs to Bryon’s side.
“Seriously? You can’t restrain one small girl?” Mianna seethes. She pulls back her arm and backhands Keely across her face with such force her feet leave the floor. In the time it takes Keely to land on her back, knocking the air from her lungs, Mianna is on top of her. Hands move around her throat. Nails dig in as she shakes Keely. Her head hits against the hard wood floor again and again.
Mianna leans close to Keely’s ear as her fingers tighten on her windpipe. “He’s not coming to save you. I put a seal around this entire store. Nobody gets in.” She kisses Keely’s cheek and let’s her weight settle on her chest.
Asmoday. He must feel her fear. Her pain. The fact that she can’t breathe.
Why does every Demon insist on suffocating her? Keely raises her hand and makes a fist. Punches Mianna in the face. She spits blood.
“Stop fighting little Princess. This goes on until you pass out.”
Bryon raises himself up, pulls the throwing star from his chest. Shudders as he sees how deep it implanted itself. Blood spreads across his shirt, turning it a rich crimson. He feels dizzy as he tries to raise the star. The two Demons are only steps away. His right arm refuses to cooperate. Shifting the star to his left hand, Bryon tosses it at Mianna before falling forward. Hears it hit its mark.
Mianna looks at Keely with eyes full of astonishment. Her fingers slide from her throat and reach to the back of her own neck. Keely shoves her off of her and rolls over gasping for air. Pulling herself to her knees, she crawls toward the table in the middle of the room. On top, thick wooden stands hold hats. One hand grips her throat, the other fumbles with the display. A hat stand falls to the floor, bouncing and landing next to Keely. She wraps trembling fingers around it and pushes herself back.
Mianna rips the star from her neck. She smiles at Keely before disappearing. The lights flicker. The room brightens significantly as Keely moves herself toward Bryon. The other Demons stand around him uncertain of what they should do next.
Keely gets to her feet and swings at them maddeningly. She succeeds in backing them away a few steps before one—the one with the cat eyes—wrenches the hat stand in Keely’s hand. Her fingers burn as she frantically tries to keep her grip. With little effort, he wins the tug-of-war and throws it hard behind him. It hits the door shattering in large chunks of glass.
“Keely, go. Run,” Bryon demands. He pushes her away from him weakly as he tries to stand.
“I’m not leaving you,” she cries.
Bryon’s eyes plead with her. “Go.”
Keely takes his hand and
pulls him to her. She ducks under his arm, offering herself as support. “We’ll go together.”
“You have to come back with us,” one of the Demons begins. “Apophis awaits your return.”
“Apophis’ Demons are weaker in the daylight, right?” She asks Bryon quietly as they hesitantly approach the door.
He nods and looks over her head. “It’s sunset. There’s no time. Please just go.” He shoves his keys into her hand.
“We’re almost there,” she assures him quietly.
The Demon with the cat eyes blurs as he flings himself in front of the door, blocking their escape, but he doesn’t touch them. His eyes lock with Keely menacingly. “The only place you’re going is back to the realm. We have orders from the Prince.”
Bryon’s knees buckle and he slides out of Keely’s arm. He catches himself from falling on his face, but his right arm can’t hold his weight and he collapses the last foot to the floor. Keely cries out, a sound twisted with panic and fear.
She drops to her knees beside him and rolls him over. His shirt is drenched in blood. She knows she has to stop the bleeding, but first they need out of here and away from these Demons.
She looks around the room again for anything she may have missed earlier. The Demons are keeping their distance from her and Bryon. They haven’t touched them once. In fact, they appear to be purposely stalling. Or maybe confused.
Keely pats Bryon’s pockets. Finds his phone. Even as she pulls the slim cell phone from his jeans and begins to dial, they do nothing to stop her. And that’s when it hits her.
This is a trap.
Keely ends the call before it has a chance to ring. She stands quickly. Puts one leg on each side of Bryon’s waist. Bends over and clasps his hands. Pulls him up to a sitting position. He grunts in pain, grinding his teeth.
“I’m sorry, but we have to get outside. It’s our only chance.” She takes quick, short steps backwards, pulling him to his feet. Drags his arm around her shoulder and takes the waist of his jeans firmly as she moves him forward.
The cat eyed Demon towers in front of the door unmoving, but his eyes flick quickly to the other Demons.
“I’m going out that door. One way or another.”
“Prince Apophis-”
“Get out of my way. Now.”
His cat eyes reflect the setting sun as he looks back at her. She holds his gaze. “That is an order from your Princess,” she says strongly.
His eyes dart to the side, to his friends for help. Keely doesn’t take her eyes off him, so she doesn’t know what travels between them unspoken, but the Demon takes one large step to the side clearing the door.
She doesn’t try to open it, just kicks out the last chunk of glass and finagles her way through, pulling Bryon with her. He sucks a breath through his teeth and she looks back at him. A piece of glass scrapes across his shoulder drawing more blood. She nearly lets go of him, but he begins to fall and she squeezes him instead.
“Almost there.”
Apophis appears as if from thin air. Leans against Bryon’s car like she would do sometimes after school. But he’s not a friend.
Keely stops so abruptly, Bryon sways beside her. Apophis looks up as if just noticing them and clips the tip of a cigar. “Where are you going dear sister?”
“He’s hurt. He needs to go to the hospital. Please.”
Apophis tsks. “Not yet.” He leans close to her as if sharing a secret. “I’m waiting on someone.” He lights the cigar. Puffs of thick smoke swirl around them.
“Who?” Her voice quivers over the one word. She knew this was a trap, but she hadn’t called anyone for help. But she wouldn’t necessarily have to she realizes. “Asmoday.”
Apophis winks at her. “Clever little kitten.”
Thirty-Four:
Though this was not how he intended on the evening playing out, Apophis carries forth with what is left of his plan. It would have been better if he had Keely in his possession, hidden away in a realm. Asmoday would have felt the loss of their connection. The agony would have brought him to his knees. He would have folded like a piece of paper, agreeing to anything Apophis had offered. He’ll have to revise his plan as he goes. But it could still work if he plays his hand just right.
While he waits for Asmoday to show, Apophis watches Keely struggle to hold the boy up. She is so small next to him. He wonders if she even realizes she’s covered in his blood. He’s curious if she is at all enchanted, the way he is, by the sensation of hot, sticky blood on one’s skin. With a long pull on his cigar, he fantasizes about trailing his tongue over her arms, her hands, her fingers. Licking her body clean of the Watcher’s sweet vital fluid. How much blood has he lost? His wound must be deep. Apophis hopes the boy is strong enough. Hopes he makes it until Asmoday arrives.
“What is taking him so long?” He grins at Keely. Crosses his legs at the ankle. “It makes me wonder if he truly cares about you at all. If it were me, I would have been here by now.” He tosses the cigar and places his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket. “He isn’t looking too good.” Apophis gestures at Bryon with an elbow.
“Please,” Keely pleads. “Just let us go to the hospital.”
Apophis glowers at her. “Do not beg for his life. It’s pathetic.” He adjusts his expression, aiming for indifference. “Of course, if you come with me willingly, we could make arrangements. Contact an ambulance.”
Keely stares at him. He knows she’s tempted. But not stupid. He enjoys the torment that passes over her features as she weighs her choices and it occurs to him that, though she is not stupid, she is selfless. He can’t help himself, he straightens his lazy posture. Fights against the smile that wants to spread his lips. She is going to do it. She is going to give herself over to him. Her life for an ambulance. It’s almost funny, how little she thinks of herself. How much importance she places on this boy’s life.
“Look, dick, she is not going anywhere with you,” Bryon says. His voice is cocky and hateful, but weak. His skin is an ashen white from blood loss. The skin around his eyes is dark. Sweat beads at his hairline. No, there is not much time left for him at all.
“Though I do enjoy a foul mouth,” Apophis begins, “I don’t think your heart is really in it. You are dying. You know it.” He nods his head at Keely. “She knows it. And I know it.” He takes a step bringing himself just inches from Bryon’s face. “You can’t stop me.”
“But I can.”
Apophis stiffens. Puts a smile on his face. As he turns, he catches the twitch of Keely’s lips. “Well, well. It is about time. I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show,” Apophis calls.
Asmoday looks past Apophis. His eyes rake over Keely. His heart races at the sight of the blood. It takes him a moment to see through his panic. He takes in the sight of Bryon. Observes the way his weight rests on Keely. Eyes slide back to her. “Are you hurt?”
“No. Just Bryon. It’s bad. He needs to get to a doctor,” Keely explains. Her voice is choked with worry.
Asmoday reaches out his hand. “Come on.”
Apophis laughs loudly. “Do you really think I went to all this trouble just for you to swing by and pick her up?”
“Come on, Keely,” Asmoday says again.
Apophis jerks Keely’s arm, knocking Bryon to the ground. “We need to make arrangements first. A treaty, if you will.”
“Let her go or I will kill you.” Asmoday fixes Apophis with a glare that makes Keely cower away. She has never seen him look so much like a…a Demon. “We both know I can do it.”
“There has been talk. Of war,” Apophis says as if Asmoday never spoke. He squeezes Keely’s arm, twisting it in a vice like grip. She gasps and tries to pull away.
“Do not harm her,” Asmoday warns.
“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of it. Not as long as we can come to an agreement.” Apophis puts his l
ips to Keely’s ear. “Your friend is running out of precious time. You may want to help move things along.”
“Asmoday, please. Do whatever he wants,” Keely cries. She looks down at Bryon and tears fall from her lashes.
Asmoday drops his eyes. “What do you want?”
“Your allegiance.”
Asmoday glares at the ground. Shakes his head before raising his eyes to Apophis. “What do I get in return?”
Asmoday shrugs casually. “I won’t kill her.”
“Ever,” Asmoday amends. “And you let her go.”
Apophis laughs again. Releases Keely’s arm. “I never really wanted to hurt her anyway. You know how I enjoy beautiful things.”
“No,” Bryon murmurs.
“Too late, Watcher.” Apophis gazes at Asmoday. “It’s done.”
Asmoday nods, a slight incline of his head and Apophis vanishes in a blur.
Keely drops to the ground next to Bryon. “Help me get him in the car,” she cries. “We have to get him help.”
“My way is a bit speedier.”
Asmoday picks Bryon up as though he were a child. “What have you done?” Bryon’s blue lips barely move.
“What I had to,” Asmoday says.
***
Keely sits in the waiting room staring at the dried blood caked under her finger nails. Asmoday sits beside her, still and quiet and cold as an ice sculpture. His hands ache to pull her close to him. To hug her tightly. Inhale her familiar scent, reassuring him that she is all right. Because right now, all he feels from her is a frigid numbness. It reminds him of the eerie stillness of a forest before a storm.
Asmoday also feels a certain numbness of his own. His entire body thrums with it. He has never in his life felt the terror he experienced tonight. Even when the Demon King would threaten to feed him to the Rapax Demons, he hadn’t been this frightened. Not even when he sliced his palm to allow his blood to drip into their pit, teasing them with a taste as they twitched and clawed their zombie-like bodies toward him, licking where their lips had once been. That was the most terror Asmoday had ever known until an hour ago. Because it wasn’t fear for his own life. It was for hers. And that fear sits like dead weight in his stomach. How did he get here? From not understanding what love meant, let alone feeling it for anyone, to loving so completely, so thoroughly that it threatens to tear him apart from the inside out. And she doesn’t come close to comprehending the depth of his devotion. She couldn’t possibly.
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