Death Waltz

by A. M. Hargrove

  Jurek slowly rose to his feet. He was unsteady as he did. His voice came out in a croak. “Liasare. How do you mean to do this?”

  “I shall challenge him.”

  “You simply cannot do this. Under any circumstance. He is more powerful than you.”

  “But he wants me so he won’t kill me.”

  “Yes, he will. He is Abaddon.”

  “Jurek, we wants me as his mate. He won’t kill me.”

  The room was bathed in silence. Not so much as a single breath could be heard. The anger Liasare feared Jurek would show never came. Instead, a sorrow that was so profound emanated from him and seeped into her soul. It was crushing, yet she knew this was the route she must take. If she didn’t, this war would never cease.

  With his head bowed, Jurek left the room, not speaking to anyone.

  Tak went to Liasare and said, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

  “I’m not sure of anything anymore except we need to do something. My niece and nephew are suffering and this has to end. We all know he wants me so I intend to offer him what he wants.”

  “You’re sacrificing yourself, then?”

  “Tak, I didn’t say I was giving myself to him. I’m going to fight him with everything I have. But I have to do it in his realm. How else will I lock him back in there?”

  “But, Brownie, how do you know he’ll take you there?”

  “I just do.”

  “I’ve known Jurek for centuries and I’ve never seen him look this defeated before.”

  Liasare knew he felt that way, but there was nothing she could do about it right now.

  She grasped his arm and said, “Tak, he needs you now more than ever. Promise me you’ll help him through this. I’m going to have you stay here with him.”

  “I swear it to you. I will be with him as I’ve been since we were foolish teens.”

  She let out a small laugh and said, “Whatever you do, don’t act like foolish teens tonight.” For a reason she could not name, a deep sense of foreboding filled her, and it had nothing to do with her upcoming visit to Club Down.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Liasare entered their quarters as Jurek poured himself a drink. She stood and watched him toss back the entire glassful and pour himself another. When he was finished with the second, he faced her. The anger she’d expected wasn’t there. In its place was disappointment.

  “You could’ve at least warned me. Do you think that was fair?”

  “No. It wasn’t fair. I am sorry for that. But if I had told you ahead of time, we would’ve fought and argued for hours over it. And the end result would’ve been the same. We both know it’s coming to a head. I have to face him sooner or later and the truth is, I’m scared to death. So I’d rather not sit around and wait anymore, because all this waiting only makes it worse. The thought of January’s children locked in Abaddon’s realm brings me to my knees. So I must act.”

  “You emasculated me, Liasare. In front of everyone. Those are my people. My subjects. Our subjects.” He threw his glass against the wall and she watched it shatter into dozens of tiny pieces. Oddly enough, it was the glass breaking that made her focus, because that was exactly how she didn’t want this to end.

  “I’m sorry that’s the way it felt to you. To me it’s a way of drawing the hunter out. He knows we travel together. He may think I’m more vulnerable without you. My intentions were never to make you feel that way.”

  Jurek knew within his heart what he needed to do, but abhorred the very idea of it. “Nevertheless, I suppose my feelings in this matter are irrelevant. Liasare, listen to me. Do not, under any circumstances, let your mind shield slip. He will attempt every trick he knows to cajole you into thinking you are safe. You are never safe. Understand me? When you enter Club Down, you will feel the worst brushes of evil abrading your power. Do not succumb to it. And whatever you do, even if you must sacrifice the lives of the Praestani that accompany you, keep yourself safe. Our species depends upon you. You are The Light. This is a great burden you carry, but it is also one you must protect at all costs. Tell me you understand this.”

  His words imparted the gravity of what she would face in the hours ahead.

  “I understand every word.”

  Memories forced their way into Jurek’s mind, ones he didn’t particularly care to think about. They were when Liasare had been held captive by one of Abaddon’s minions. Then other memories infiltrated his head and pushed the hideous ones aside.

  “Tell me something. Remember back in our early days together when I asked you never to lie to me?”

  Liasare laughed. “How could I not? You scared me half to death most of the time.”

  His voice was gruff with emotion when he said, “But you never cowered from me. You stood up to me like a soldier going to war, just as you do now. So tell me, what is the real reason you want me to stay behind?”

  She flinched at his question. It wasn’t possible to avoid the truth, but by answering him, she knew it would cut him to the core. There was only one thing to do and that was to face him, head on, with brutal honesty.

  “I need you here because I’m fairly certain when I return I will need all of your powers to heal me. Not only will you have to piece me back together again, Alaric, I will also need you to tend to Justus while I am healing. I don’t know what kind of shape I will be in, or whether I will be able to see him. I don’t want him to see me until I am myself again. At least if you remain here, you will be able to care for him while I am recovering. My visions ... I have none until he is older.”

  Though he expected an answer he wouldn’t like, her words viciously punctured his heart. “Christ, Liasare. And how do you expect me to send you out there, knowing this?”

  “I’m not giving you that choice because it’s not yours to make.”

  He reached out his arm and touched her face. “How can I do this?”

  “This isn’t anything you can or can’t do. Don’t you see? It’s what must be done. It’s the prophecy, Alaric. It’s been written about centuries ago. I was born to do this. And either I go to him or he comes to me, but it will happen, one way or another.”

  Their clothes were gone, vanishing like smoke in a breeze. His hands surfed her body, like he was skimming across the waves of the sea, memorizing every dip and curve as they moved. His lips followed the path his hands began, touching, kissing, and tasting every solid inch of her, pressing into her skin, molding themselves to her as they trailed along. He inhaled her scent, committed to memory her essence so when she was gone he could call it forth. The room brightened with his power as a burst of energy danced across her skin where his hands touched her.

  Liasare responded in like, as her fingers weaved themselves into Jurek’s hair.

  Emotion smothered her words as she began to speak but she forced it back because she wanted him to know what she felt at this moment. Her hand trembled when she raised it to brush a lock of his hair off his forehead. “The first time I ever saw you was that night as I sat drinking my beer. I believe it was in Cosmos. Do you remember?”

  She waited for him to nod and when he did, she continued.

  “Your skin was so glorious. You looked like an exotic gladiator, like the kind I had read about from the old history books on Earth. You were dressed in your leathers and your tawny skin glowed. I could see it even in that dim club we were in. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how handsome you were. I had never seen anyone like you before. And there I sat, holding my beer bottle, and I looked down at my arms as they were covered up because I was so scarred. I thought to myself then, ‘I wonder how it must feel to be that beautiful?’” Her hands lightly cupped his neck, thumbs tenderly pressing the hollow at his throat. Then, following the curves and arches of his shoulders and arms, fingers spread wide, she outlined every inch of him as if she were caressing him for the very first time. When she reached his fingertips, she kissed each one, and then journeyed to his torso, discovering the remainder of his
body.

  “I was so afraid back then. Of everything. And then I remember the first time you took me to the sanctuary, after you found and healed me. But I couldn’t forget what happened. You came to me that one night and knelt before me, begging me to talk to you.” Her brow was creased as she thought back to that night. She touched her lips to the center of his chest right over his heart before she continued. “I begged you to erase my memories. I had this burning need for you to make love to me to help me forget. I was madly in love with you. And I didn’t care if you loved me in return. I just needed to feel you inside of me. But I was afraid you’d refuse, like you’d done so many times before. I was slowly cracking into tiny pieces, bit by bit. And there you were, right in front of me, and I wanted so much to throw myself at you. I remember thinking again that you were the most beautiful site I’d ever seen in my life. I couldn’t imagine how any man could be so perfect. And as much as I was falling apart, I was more afraid that night that you would push me away one final time. Do you know something? I think if you had refused me, I would’ve found a way to end it all. But you didn’t. You said to me that if I consented, there’d be no turning back. That you played for keeps.” She smiled then. “Those were the greatest words I’d ever heard, Alaric. I thought to myself, ‘Well, here he goes, saving my life again.’ And now you stand before me and somehow you’ve become even more beautiful than you were then. You are my heart, and will always be my heart. Facing the demon isn’t the worst thing I can imagine.” Cupping his face, she said, “The worst thing for me would be facing the rest of my life without you. I’m going to come back to you. But when I do, I’ll need you more than ever. So yeah, I want you here, safe, but also so you can heal me. Make love to me now, so that just for this little slice of time, I can forget what I’m about to face.”

  Liasare never saw Jurek after he rescued her from near death or she would’ve recognized this emotion in him. His hands gripped her shoulders and he looked at her, his lavender eyes heavily laced with silver in their depths threatened to spill tears. “Liasare,” he began, but had to stop because he couldn’t go on. Swallowing several times, he began again, “Liasare, when you say things like this to me, it makes me want to carry you away from this dreadful place. I ... I am afraid. I’m afraid of letting you go. But I’m also afraid of putting my arms around you. Because if I do, I may not let you go. I know I must and I know you must do this ... this thing you’ve been charged with, but it’s my duty as your mate to protect you and here I am sending you to the damn demon himself.”

  She didn’t give him a chance to say anything else before she kissed him, softly tasting and gently nipping at him.

  Against his mouth she murmured, “I want to savor this moment, relish every second. I want it slow and easy, Alaric.”

  They stood together, touching each other, as if it were their very first time.

  ***

  That night, Liasare and Talos entered Club Down after midnight. The place was mobbed with all sorts of undesirables. They didn’t attract the attention one would think, even though they were armed to the teeth. It was probably because the place was infested with all kinds of creatures, armed and unarmed, wanting who knew what. Liasare couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to come here willingly. She was dressed in black leather with silver studs outlining her garments. She carried her weapons on her back as well as in her boots, and Talos was armed as well. Ten other Praestani accompanied them in their energy forms. Outside of the club, twenty-five other Praestani stood as sentries, waiting as a precautionary measure. As soon as they entered, they both had difficulties with the forces of evil present.

  “Do you feel that?” Talos asked.

  All conversation was telepathic.

  “Yes. It’s much worse than I’d anticipated.”

  “It’s nearly painful.”

  The Praestani in their energy forms were forced to move in and out because the evil brushing against their forms was so vicious, it made it difficult to stay in one place.

  “Talos, do not let your mind block down at any time and if you need to leave, then get out of here.”

  “I cannot leave you, my lady.”

  “Yes, you can. It’s very dangerous here. Better to leave than sacrifice yourself. Get out if you must.”

  Talos nodded. “If it gets to that point, I will.”

  Liasare looked around to see men and women chained to the walls. It reminded her of when she was held captive in the dungeon. Were they doing that openly now? If so, where was their leader?

  She shoved her way through the pack until she reached the bar and asked the bartender who was in charge of the establishment. He only laughed at her.

  “Why is that so funny?”

  “Do you think I know?”

  “You work here, don’t you?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  She looked at Talos and he shrugged. Then she turned her attention back to the bartender and asked, “What’s going on over there?” She pointed to where the men and women were chained to the wall.

  He laughed again. “They’re tonight’s entertainment.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You must be new here.”

  “No, I’ve been here before.”

  “Not recently, though, have you?”

  Liasare said she hadn’t been in over a year.

  “Well then, you’ve been missing out. You’re in for a real treat tonight.”

  She wanted to shrink from his words, but didn’t. Instead, she said, “Great. What kind of treat?”

  “You’ll see. Shows start any minute now.”

  She turned to watch the crowd. It was disgusting. She wasn’t safe. She knew it. But she also knew she could vanish so she wasn’t worried since she could depend on her powers. She strolled through the massive crush of inhumanity. There were all kinds of lewd acts taking place in the open for anyone to see. It was as if the people there wanted to be noticed. The ones chained were calling out for attention and every so often, one of them would get fondled or whipped. And they wanted it. The stench in there was nauseating, too.

  Then the lights dimmed and everyone let out a cheer. They applauded and stomped their feet, banging on things and making any kinds of noises they could. It was deafening. The abrasiveness against her powers grew to an even higher level. Talos had to leave then. She knew there were either more evil beings here, or Abaddon himself was here. The cheering increased and she realized everyone was looking to the ceiling. But when she tilted her head up, it wasn’t the ceiling at all. The rooftop had slid open and Dark Creatures were descending in the room, dozens of them. The crowd was in a frenzy. Didn’t they realize what was about to occur? She wanted to scream to warn them, but she knew it was hopeless.

  As the creatures entered the club, people scrambled to them, touching them as if they were gods. But they pushed and kicked them away as they headed towards their chained victims. When Liasare saw the ones they were moving to, she was incredulous as she watched the looks on their faces. They all, without exception, were eager for the Dark Creatures to take them. Liasare was sick with disgust. She knew what they were going to do. She had been a victim herself.

  Her mind was invaded with questions from her Praestani brethren.

  “I don’t know!” she responded. “What’s wrong with them?”

  She looked on, in horror as she watched the men and women willingly sacrifice themselves to Abaddon’s beasts, while the crowd cheered them on. The worst thing of it all is they wanted to do it.

  Liasare staggered to the door of the club, eager to get away from the nastiness that prevailed in there. The brush of evil against her was increasing and the pain was almost unbearable. When she finally got to the street, she saw her comrades.

  “What the hell was that?” Marik asked her.

  “For the life of me, I don’t know. Have they sunk so low that they are now enjoying watching people being torn to shreds? Or has he brainwashed everyone already?”


  “Let’s get out of here.”

  Her skin pricked and stung like a million hornets were attacking her and before she could blink, a searing pain sliced into her chest and ran straight down to her lower abdomen. She lurched forward, blinded by agony, and stumbled to her knees. Blackness dotted her vision and in the distance she heard a high-pitched shriek that impelled her to cover her ears. A steel band tightened around her lungs, squeezing every bit of air out of them and she couldn’t get a breath in.

  Marik fell to his knees and tried to help her, but he couldn’t get her to tell him what was wrong. He picked her up and her hands gripped his shirt.

  “Jurek,” she was able to eke out.

  He knew he had to get her back to headquarters, so he took her there.

  When they materialized, all hell broke loose. Liasare writhed in Marik's arms and he felt so helpless.

  “Naroo!”

  Naroo and Tak met them and asked where Jurek was.

  “What do you mean? He’s supposed to be here with you,” Marik answered. “Abaddon never showed and we had to watch the Dark Creatures slaughter a group of people.”

  Naroo glanced at Tak and then at Liasare and back at Tak.

  “She came out of Club Down and then this is what happened. I don’t know what to do! What’s going on? What’s happened?” Marik asked Naroo.

  Naroo said, “We were here when he was summoned by one of the Guardians and said he had to leave. That Liasare needed him. So he left.”

  “What? Where did he go?” Marik asked.

  “He did not say.”

  “Naroo, who summoned him?” Marik asked.