Shade parked near a beautiful spot overlooking a breathtaking green valley. We walked close to the river’s edge and put down a blanket. The water surged by like a breeze. The hypnotizing sounds of the water breaking across the golden rocks filled the air around us. I popped open the cooler and found some bottled water and soda while Shade reached into the reusable bags and pulled out some sandwiches and condiments.
“I made you whatever I was having since you can’t taste it anyway.” Shade giggled.
“Thanks.”
We munched away, small talking for hours. Clouds started to roll in and block out the sun. A mild wind pushed through in front of them and drastically dropped the temperature in the air in seconds.
“This must be the start of that front they were talking about on the news.”
“Looks like it.”
“How odd is it that on a night like tonight, the first real snowstorm of the season is blowing in on the range? At least at the higher altitudes where we will be, it is.” Shade hinted at the irony.
“It is strange. It’s as if the wind of change is blowing in, telling us that the switch of seasons is on the horizon, and a changing of the times.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing.” She sounded hopeful.
“Maybe.”
Taking my gaze off the sky, I asked, “By the way, what did you tell your parents so you could come out and hang with me today?”
She smiled. “I told them I was gonna chill with Sandra and then stay the night with her. She said she would cover for me even though her and Mark were planning something.”
I laughed and shook my head.
“What?” She nudged me.
“Now I know why I like you so much.”
“Why is that?”
“You’re sneaky. That’s a quality you and demons both share.”
We both laughed and looked back up at the hovering clouds that had now shadowed the landscape entirely.
“It’s getting cold. Let’s go.” Shade took one last sip of her water.
As we packed our picnic and got back into the car, a few snowflakes began to fall. Once inside the warmth of the vehicle, we discussed going ahead and getting to our destination a little early. Not because we were in a hurry, but because I wanted to give her some kind of an escape plan should something happen to me. I also needed to fully evaluate the area. I needed any kind of tactical advantage I could get in case things went south. The chances for escape were remote, for both of us. I had to at least try to give us an edge on something.
We drove as far as we could up Eagle Peak and parked directly below the meeting point, which wasn’t very far up. I quickly realized that once I flew her up to the very top of the range, there was no way, especially with the oncoming storm, she could come down to her vehicle without some kind of help. She would be trapped if I was taken out of the equation.
“Forget it. You can’t go with me.”
“What do you mean? I have to.” She was obviously confused by my sudden change of heart.
“Look around. If something happens to me, there’s no escape for you. You’ll be trapped.” I felt hopeless and rubbed my face in stress.
“But Christian said I have to. I fear he’ll hurt you even more if I don’t show up.”
“You can’t go, Shade.”
Gently, she reached over and pulled the hand off my face and held it within hers. “We’re in this together…together…so whether or not you want me to go, I am. That’s it.”
I remained silent, not knowing what to do. For now, I hesitantly agreed on going through with the original plan. She smiled and let my hand go and we got out of the car. She started pulling extra clothes out of the trunk. When she was finished, I walked around and grabbed her from behind and whispered in her ear.
“Thank you for being here with me. I love you. Do everything you can to escape if I fall. Promise me.”
She rested her head on my shoulder. “I will. I love you, too.”
Then she gave me one last passionate kiss before we took to the air. The further up we went, the colder it got and the thicker the snow became. It wasn’t coming down in droves yet, but it was already getting a little tough to navigate to the top of the peak.
We eventually landed on a flat area at the extreme highest point of the mountain. It was a perfect circle fit right in the center of a dense patch of trees that cloaked the mountain. No one other than Shade and I had shown yet, as expected. This gave us time to survey the area. Neither of us had ever been on this point of the mountain. I’d flown above it a few times, but never landed there, so I knew what it looked like from up this high.
“This is spectacular! The way the mountains carve around as far as the eye can see like gigantic, jagged snakes. The trees all over the mountains…the town from here…they all look so tiny. It’s so cool.” Her eyes glazed over as she sported a mysterious smirk.
“The world is truly a beautiful place.”
She agreed with me by not speaking and widening her smile.
“There’s nowhere to go, Shade; it’s impossible to leave, as you can see. Are you sure you still want to go through with this?”
“No, but I want to be by your side through whatever.”
“Whatever?”
“Yes.”
We waited patiently, but tensely, unable to watch the sunset because of the ominous blanket of cloud cover that had swallowed the countryside. The snow was falling thicker now as the night crept in. The environment seemed to turn from gorgeous and enlightening to dark and thick with malice.
Everything was deathly silent, including Shade and I as we scanned the area. Only the sound of falling snow hitting the trees, rocks, and foliage around us filled the night. Shade edged close to my side and hugged my arm as we stood motionless, our vision obscured by the increasing snow. The tension was almost unbearable.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps compacting snow came from somewhere among the outlying forest. We were no longer alone.
Shade began to shake violently. Her jaw shimmied into a chatter. I patted her arms that clung to mine and strained my eyes through the wall of snow to see a figure casually strut out of the woods.
At first I thought it was Christian, but when the figure spoke. I knew it wasn’t my direct overlord; it was another I feared almost as much. The deliberate, calming voice of Shimmer, lord of all vampires, had arrived to greet us first.
“Aaaaahhhhh…” He held his arms in front of him as if we were some kind of presentation he was showing off to himself. “If it isn’t the little demon that could. I think I can…I think I can.”
I stood silent, watching him gloat. His fangs were on full display. This told me I worried him to some degree, as he was on guard. He sported his usual silver neck chain from which swung a black Celtic cross. The usual black rag covered the top of his head and most of his long, black, curly hair. Not so strange for him in this cold weather, due to him being undead like myself and constantly cold, he wore a skin tight, short sleeved black shirt that exposed his very well-muscled torso. He clasped his ring-filled hands together and rubbed them like he was awaiting a meal.
“And thissssss must be Shade. The human girl who likes to dabble with trouble. My, my, my, you are a stunning piece of art, aren’t you? Maybe I can put you into my…gallery, as it were, sometime? I hear you’re quite…spicy.”
Shade, to her benefit, and my admiration, remained still and quiet.
“So finally. I get to meet the boy who cried Diccitidel. Stupid, stupid boy.” He hissed, opening his mouth and showing his fangs as he got right in my face. “There is no turning back now.” He twirled his finger in front of my face before pointing to Shade. “How lovely. So noble. So much courage.” He balled his fist. “But still…so stupid. You have no chance. You will lose, Leo.” He chuckled as he turned his back and slowly walked a few feet away.
Shade leaned into my ear. “Let me guess…that’s the Vampire Lord Shimmer?”
“Yes, he’s the oldest and
strongest vampire ever known.”
“You’re right, he does look like Chris Angel.”
“Sssshhhh.”
Shimmer faced us again. “If you make it to me. If you survive…” In a blur, he shot into my face, intimidating me with those glowing red eyes. “I will rip you into a thousand parts and let my minions pick up the pieces. You’re not worthy of such a challenge, boy. When I’m finished with you, maybe I’ll turn your little toy here into one of my mistresses.” He glanced over to a cowering Shade.
A soothing woman’s voice came out of the darkness, “Oh, Shimmer, stop playing with your food.”
All three of us looked to see a beautiful woman coming towards us. Dressed like she was going to some kind of upscale social engagement, the bell of the ball, she glided through the snow wearing a beautiful blue lace Victorian era dress. It was the Goyle Queen of Hell, the head of all the stunning gatekeepers, Agrelia. One would never guess just how violent and merciless she truly was behind all that grace and beauty.
“Besides, our naïve friend here will never make it that far in the game. Now step aside my dear, and let me get a good look at the fool.”
Shimmer bowed. I couldn’t help but feel as though Shade and I were on display like some freakish sideshow, all for their amusement. I was hesitant to speak. I didn’t know what they had planned. I wasn’t about to provoke them into acting early.
Spiritual law gives me the fighting chance of taking them on one by one and they must abide by it. But nonetheless, these were the biggest deceivers of all and the most evil. They broke the rules many times in other ways and I wasn’t giving them reason to do it again, ending my chance before I ever got one.
“Well, my dear, you have chosen death. Good for you. We don’t need dissension in our ranks. Treason comes at a heavy price. It will be my pleasure to destroy you. Pity that the next time we make acquaintance we will be at fate’s end. No matter, not nice to meet you.”
Finished with me, she glided over to Shade. “Oh, to be the woman that soothed a savage beast. You must be a find. How splendid. But every rose has its thorn, I’m sure. Right, sugar? You’ve gotten our boy Leo here into quite the tiff. His death will be on your hands, not nice meeting you, either.”
I finally broke my silence. “Don’t listen to her, Shade.”
“Oh, it speaks,” Shimmer chimed in.
“Yes, it does, apparently. Oh, Shimmer, I’m done here. I’ve seen what I needed to see. The boy is no challenge. You can have the girl, do what you will with her. Where is Christian? I have an engagement to attend and it’s so ugly to be late.”
As quickly as Agrelia spoke his name, the voice that made my spine crawl pierced the night, announcing his own arrival.
“I am here, my lady. Patience now, patience.” Christian materialized from nothing behind the gawking duo of Shimmer and Agrelia. He tipped his top hat as he passed between them. He tapped the silver ball end of his leather cane into his palm in true Christian style.
He approached us, looping his thumb around the cane so he could clap his hands together arrogantly. “Fantastic. The gang’s all here, and you, Leo my lad, are the guest of honor, Mister Diccitidel himself. I’m surprised you showed. That’s worthy in itself…almost. You’re still a blithering idiot, but you have courage…a trait that will soon lead to your demise.” Christian circled us, making Shade tremble even harder each time he passed.
“Then, when you fail, our dearest Shade here will be all alone. Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a shame. What’s a girl to do? I guess we’ll have to let Shimmer here decide your fate, girl.” Christian pointed to a sadistically laughing Shimmer, who was rubbing his hands together.
“But for now we have other business to attend to. You have claimed freedom from Hell by Diccitidel. It is the obligation of the council to indulge you in this pipe dream.”
“As if you had a choice according to spiritual law,” I interrupted.
“You see my distinguished guests…” Christian walked through the piling snow and up to the smirking duo of Agrelia and Shimmer, locking his hands behind his back as he twirled his cane magically through his fingers. “Our young friend here is always talking. He never listens. This lack of discipline will lead to his regrettable downfall.” Christian spun to face Shade and I. “A sad story, really—he held such promise. But first, we must see if you are worthy of our challenge, strong enough to play with us—”
“I am,” I interrupted, trying to show some backbone to the mocking trio.
“See what I mean?” He checked with the giggling council members. “Always talking, never listening. If he listened a little more, he would have heard what was coming up behind him.”
Before I could turn around, a violent blow slammed me in the back. The force thrust me forward, between the casually dodging council members. My arms flailed out of control as I sailed twenty yards and landed, doing a face-plant into the snow. My feet shot over my head, causing me to roll a couple of times. I gathered myself and searched for what had struck me.
A boasting Christian yelled, “Game on!”
Shade screamed, “My god!” and ran from the scene like her butt was on fire.
“Go get the girl, Shimmer. She needs to witness this,” Christian ordered.
“My pleasure.” Shimmer shot like a rocket into the woods.
I still wasn’t clear as to which culprit landed the cheap shot. I focused my attention on movement on the blanketing snow. A tattered varsity jacket came into focus. The closer it got, the more it became apparent what, and who, it was.
“Don’t look so surprised, Leo,” an extremely familiar voice said. Then, his face, looking more deviant than ever, became perfectly clear. Those sadistic eyes met mine. Darryl Kite was back, and he was all demon now.
“Welcome back, chump,” I told him.
“I’ve been waiting for this. Let’s dance, Leo.”
CHAPTER 16
OVERDUE
Darryl stuck his hands out, palms up, waving them as if saying “bring it.” Before I could answer his physical challenge right away, I was momentarily distracted. Shimmer was dragging a kicking and screaming Shade like a rolled up sleeping bag under his muscular arm. Even though I wanted to attack Shimmer, who was strong-arming my girlfriend, I knew I couldn’t take my eyes off the new and improved Darryl. He was glaring at me with a hatred that could burn a hole right through me.
Darryl took one step towards me but Christian slashed up to him and placed his cane into his chest, stopping his progress momentarily. “Easy now, boys. I know the two of you are anxious to get reacquainted…”
“What the hell is going on here, Christian? What is he doing here?” I pointed at the predatory Darryl, who snarled and lunged at me once more, only to be held back again by our powerful leader.
“I told you to wait.” Christian shoved him back with his cane and then peered at me with disdain. “You’re really beginning to tick me off with your utter lack of respect for my authority by interrupting me—”
“Answer me. What is he doing here?”
Christian only grinned at my disrespect. “My, you are foolish, but I like your abrasiveness. You want to know, huh?”
“Yeah, I wanna know.”
Christian chuckled again. “Very well.” Christian removed his cane from Darryl’s chest and approached me. His face was beaming as if he had been waiting for some time to tell me exactly what I asked of him.
“I was there.”
“You were there?” I replied a little confused.
“Yes. I felt the need to watch your work up close and personal. Your incompetence was becoming more and more apparent, so I took matters into my own hands. We couldn’t let Darryl slip away, he’s much too perfect for us.” Christian stared me down.
“What happened?” I asked.
“While you were busy disobeying me and saving that mortal slug…” He winked at Shade, which caused light chuckling to happen among the evil onlookers. “Darryl and I came to a little understanding up in
his room after your failure. I told him I had a need for someone a little more…loyal, evil…to do my bidding. For his sacrifice to the cause, through me, Hell would grant him an eternal life on earth. And maybe I could give him another shot at our mutual thorn in the side.” He held his hand out and aimed it at me. “You, Leo. So, I think more for the reason of being able to take you out, he flung himself off his deck and here we stand.”
I smirked at the two of them, knowing there had to be more to their deal. “So what would you have done if he refused?”
Christian opened his mouth wide and raised his eyebrows, proving their deal wasn’t that simple. “Always clever, Leo, always. I think you know the answer. Once I told Darryl here that he was damned to Hell, whether he took me up on my offer or not, he decided to pass on the torments of Hell.” Christian grinned. I guess that was probably the choice I would’ve made at one time as well.
“But he still remembers everything.”
“He does, a touch of spice I added just for you, my lad. After today, he’ll no longer remember anything, his old life, you, his decision, and this little skirmish here. He’ll be…reborn, as it were. I think you’ll be much more than our boy Leo here. Much more.”
Darryl chuckled at his master’s lofty expectations.
“So why don’t you show me what you’re made of, my newborn friend.” “My pleasure,” Darryl said with a smug certainty.
“Play nice, boys.” Christian walked backwards a few steps before turning to rejoin his council members.
All my attention was squarely on the demon Darryl now. I fully felt what it was like to be that fierce demon I was supposed to be as all the hate in my being was aimed in the direction of my menacing rival. I have to admit it; I hate Darryl, in any form, with a passion.
“When I’m done with you, I’m going to finish what I started with Shade. I’m going to take her like I was about to before you stuck your nose where it didn’t belong. Let’s see who pulls the strings in our relationship now, Leo.” He swiped his tongue across his teeth like a scavenger about to pounce on an old piece of meat. This enraged me, which I’m sure was the reaction he wanted. It was on now.
Drift (Drift Series) Page 18