The Pure Soul (Book 3)

by Jeff Hale

  “Nina. Seriously. Knock it off. If you ever want another chance with me, you’ll just stop this bullshit that you always pull!” Dave threw his fork onto his plate in disgust.

  “Wait. You mean this was some… test for you?” Nina asked, giving Dave a shocked look.

  “It kinda was, yeah,” Dave said sullenly.

  “Why?” Nina wanted to know.

  “Because for some fucked up reason, I still fucking love you!” Dave exclaimed. Luckily the whole area was fairly noisy with lots of people talking loudly, so it didn’t draw attention.

  “Oh,” was all Nina could muster. To her credit she looked ashamed. Then something seemed to occur to her. “Wait. What bullshit? Huh? The fact that I tell the painful truths that no one seems to want to hear?”

  I saw Serena shrink into her seat a little and give me a questioning glance. I just shook my head and shrugged.

  “No! The bullshit rumor mongering and gossiping that no one likes! You know, you kept bitching and moaning about Kelly and her friends, but honestly, you are no better than her!”

  “Oh, fuck you, Dave! You know damn well that…” Nina was starting to say before Serena’s quiet voice cut through the loudness of the yelling.

  “Please. Stop guys. Please?” she asked, looking between them. I don’t think she was coping well with how bad it had gotten between them. They were always happy when she was alive.

  “Sorry, Rena,” Dave said, looking genuinely sorry and embarrassed.

  “Yeah. Sorry, I guess. You’re on their side, though. I can tell. So let me leave you with this little piece of information. Your precious Ricky there? He fucked my brains out like you wouldn’t believe. I mean, I almost couldn’t walk afterwards. Oh, and he loved every hot, sticky, sweaty, nasty minute of it. And I guarantee you that your little ‘love making’ sessions will never compare to the fucking he gave me,” she said as she stood.

  “Nina, you’ve crossed the line,” I said, standing as well.

  “Oh, what, you going to kill me now, too?” Nina taunted.

  “Don’t tempt me,” I said, willing my hand to be wreathed in flames.

  “No. Ricky. Don’t. Just let her go,” Serena said, putting her hand on my arm. It was risky, but she wanted her point to be clear.

  “Darlin’, don’t do that, you could burn yourself,” I said softly as Nina walked away and I extinguished the flame around my hand. I took a deep breath and took my seat. “Sorry, but I did warn you.”

  “I know. But at least you guys tried. I do appreciate it. So is there anything else we can do?” she asked, obviously hoping to leave this incident behind us.

  “Sure, we can go hang out at the Flame later,” I suggested.

  “Sounds fine,” Serena said.

  We headed back to her car and home so we could hang out and watch TV until later that evening. If I had known more drama was to come, we would have just stayed in that night.

  TWENTY

  We pulled up to the Velvet Flame later that evening sometime around eight o’clock. Since the trial was over, the Flame was open and there were a ton of people in line. No matter how sporadic Lucien’s hours were, it seemed that everyone wanted to be in that club whenever it was open.

  I got out and did a check of myself in the side mirror. I was wearing a nicer pair of black slacks and a short-sleeved button up with blue flames along the bottom hem. Dave was wearing nicer blue jeans and the same shirt from earlier. Serena had me mesmerized in a pleated leather mini skirt and knee-high high-heeled boots, and a tight buttoned vest under which she wore a shiny black bikini top.

  I pushed our way to the front of the line like I did every time we came here and quickly got escorted inside by Theros. The Flame was back to one of its original configurations with an Egyptian flair to it. There was a bar that ran the wall to the left, and another bar to the immediate right along the wall that held the front door. There were tables scattered about the empty floor, each with four chairs. The floor and walls looked to be made from tan brick with gold trim. Palm trees and fountains that mimicked tropical waterfalls were spread about the area.

  Televisions played in various points around the dining-social area, and wandering around the tables were waiters and waitresses, each in equally revealing clothing consisting of a short skirt or loincloth, and for the females a golden bikini top that was barely just a strip of cloth. The guys were bare-chested and all of their uniforms were Egyptian in design.

  In the central part of the floor was a raised stage-like area about eight feet high. It was encircled by sound blocking curtains and I couldn’t see any obvious way to get up to it. At the back of the room, on both the right and left hand side, were similar curtains.

  I led Serena by the hand towards the left-hand back curtains, Dave following close behind us. I pushed the curtain aside and we were immediately blasted by loud rap music as we entered the actual nightclub area. On the other side of the curtains, a set of stairs to the right led up and back into the raised area from the other room and I could see a large pyramid replica surrounded by tables and booths, with clumps of palm trees in each corner.

  To my left was another bar, and booths lined all of the walls, except in the back near the dance floor. As usual, the dance floor and the areas where the walls met each other, the ceiling and the floor, were lined with tubes. This time there was sand coursing through the tubes, illuminated by lightning or fire occasionally. When the sand lit up from either, it would turn to glass briefly, then shatter in the tube into sand again.

  There was a wide catwalk overlooking the dance floor, with booths along the railing, and this was where I led us. A very nice looking fae woman with a flimsy, transparent shawl about her shoulders came over and took our drink orders. No food back here; Lucien hated having to clean up food and grease off the dance floors. From my vantage point I could see that there was a small section with tables that aligned with the middle of the raised pyramid area, and on the right side it was identical to the left. It essentially created two different dance floors.

  “So what now?” Serena asked.

  “We get drunk and dance,” I shrugged.

  “I don’t drink, Ricky, ya know that,” she said, a frown creasing her delicate features.

  “Right. You don’t. Have you tried it?” I asked.

  She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “And I don’t want ta either,” she protested.

  “Okay, that’s fine. It’s up to you. I’ll get drunk and we can go dance,” I suggested.

  “Okay, sounds good ta me,” she said, laughing, “Oh! It’s Kat and Kris!” she exclaimed suddenly, pointing out at the dance floor. The current song ended and Serena called out to them. They looked up and saw her, and I thought I saw Kat’s face go blank for a second. Serena waved for them to come up, and they started making their way towards us.

  “Why, in the name of the Aether, did you do that?!” I asked, shocked.

  “Because, they’re mah friends. And yers, too, right?” she asked pointedly.

  “Not really,” Dave and I said at the exact same time. As they approached us, I noticed that Kat was wearing skin tight black jeans and a turquoise fringed halter top that left her stomach bare. Her friend Kris, who I’d only ever spoken to briefly the one time, was dressed in worn blue jeans and a Metallica t-shirt that was so faded and old that worn spots were starting in places.

  “Uh, hey, guys,” Kat greeted.

  I glanced at Dave, surprised to see that he was just about drooling on himself as he stared at Kris. “You’re slobbering, Dave,” I leaned over and whispered to him. He seemed to straighten for a second and then went back to giving Kat a friendly smile.

  “Hey, Kat,” Serena said, scooting over so they could sit.

  “Hey, Cele… er Serena,” Kat responded, then she looked at me and Dave. “Aerick, Dave.”

  “Heya,” I replied, feeling suddenly awkward. Dave just gave a small wave.

  “Oh. Sorry, I guess you haven’t officially met Kris. Kris
this is Aerick and Dave. Serena you… well, sort of know. Aerick, Dave, this is Kris,” Kat stated.

  “Uh… hi?” Dave said, looking all the world like his chest was being crushed.

  “You okay? Or have you had too much already?” Kris asked Dave with a smile.

  “Oh. No. I’m fine,” he said, recovering far quicker than I would have in a similar situation. “I think I just swallowed wrong is all.”

  “So, uh what’s with the name change?” Kris asked, looking at Serena.

  “Serena’s mah real name, I was, I don’t know what I was before. I was living a lie is all I really know. I… died, I guess? And I jus’… came back. I don’t know how or why, but I did, and I was told by everyone that I had this other life. Why would they…?” She became distant for a moment before shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter now. I’m Serena and I’m here now.”

  Kat whispered something into Kris’s ear and Kris nodded in understanding. “Well nice to meet you, Serena,” Kris said, giving her a bright smile.

  “So how are ya out of the hospital so quickly? Last I saw, ya were still in traction!” Serena gave Kris a once over.

  “Well, I had… supernatural help,” Kris said, waving her hand in dismissal.

  “Oh,” was all Serena responded with.

  “Hospital?” I asked.

  “I was in a perfectly mundane car accident,” she said, looking straight into my eyes. “Nothing supernatural. Just a normal, every day accident.”

  “Okay. I got it. Why the emphasis?” I asked.

  “Because, I have it on good authority,” she gave Kat a quick look, “that you’re on some crusade against Aetherics that hurt us mere mortals.”

  “She’s not wrong, but I’m sure I would be getting in line if someone hurt you. I think you’re well protected,” I said, gesturing towards Kat, but inferring her entire pack, and I had a suspicion of someone else’s involvement. There was only one other person I knew of that had the ability to heal someone’s wounds that fast, and he had ties to Kris through Kat at the very least. I gave Kat a quizzical look, and I suddenly had to know something.

  “Are you and Darien going to work things out? Or have you already?” I asked, wanting to know if her pursuit of me was completely done now. If she wanted to be with Darien at least I knew she would be happy with someone.

  “I don’t know,” she muttered, looking suddenly sullen.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “He’s being… an ass. A high and mighty know-it-all ass,” she said with a snort. I looked over and saw Dave and Kris giggling about something. I knew Dave’s flirtations when I saw them.

  “Oh… I’m sorry. Talk to him maybe?” I asked.

  “Pffft! Right! Have you... nevermind. I just… I don’t know, when he gets it in his head that it has to be one way and one way only, you can’t change his mind. He’s an Alpha so he thinks if we’re together that he’s in charge a hundred percent. I keep secrets and he gets upset, but he can keep secrets and it’s okay,” she said, shaking her head.

  So he was being controlling, and usually that meant abusive as well. He was a violent sort… but then again, so was I. But I would never physically hurt anyone I was with like that. I wouldn’t want to hurt them at all, physically or otherwise. After the talk I had with Darien, I doubted he would either. Besides, Kat wouldn’t stay with someone who abused her in any way.

  “Ahem, I’m uh… going to go get another drink. Anyone want anything?” Dave asked as he stood up.

  Everyone except me gave him an order to take with him. I stood as well. “I’ll go with you,” I said. As we got away from the table I saw Kat, Kris, and Serena starting to converse amongst themselves. I looked over at Dave and shook my head. “Damn man, you have a fucking death wish.”

  “What? Why?” he asked, giving me a startled look.

  “Well, you’re over there practically licking Kris head to toe in your mind,” I pointed out.

  “Is it that obvious?” he asked, sounding slightly down.

  “Only to me because I’ve known you for forever and day.” I laughed.

  “Why a death wish though?”

  “Well, first there’s the matter of your crazy, shifter ex-girlfriend that would probably kill anyone you actually started to have feelings for. Then there’s the whole cheating on a vampire thing.”

  “Wait! What? What vampi… oooooh. Kyra. Yeah. That never happened. We talked on the phone a couple of times and once in person. That’s not going to work. She’s too busy with the band and what not, and I like staying here. What can I say, the city… she loves me. Anyway, we have a thing that if she’s in town and we’re both single, well, I get a… personal… concert.”

  “And you’ve already gotten one, haven’t you?” I gave him a look of amazement.

  “Hey, a gentleman never kisses and tells,” he said, giving me a sly grin.

  “And you were just telling Serena earlier today that you weren’t a gentleman.” I laughed again.

  “Well… dammit.” Dave chuckled along with me. We ordered our drinks at the bar, then collected them and headed back to the table. As I sat down, Kris gave me a quizzical look.

  “What?” I asked her.

  “I heard Kat’s side of the trial. How was it from your end?” she wanted to know.

  “Boring. Tedious. Kind of… intimidating,” I answered, deciding to be somewhat honest.

  “But ya knew ya were right, didn’t ya?” Serena asked me.

  “I did. Henry and his pack were working for Baba Yaga, and Queen Cynthia corroborated my story and proved that I had every right to do what I did,” I said with a shrug.

  “You’re still blasé about the whole thing, aren’t you? Didn’t you learn anything?” Kat asked, giving me an incredulous look.

  “Yeah, next time be more like Malachai and don’t get caught. Look, Kat, I’m fighting the beginnings of a war here, and Henry’s pack was nothing more than a squad of reconnaissance troops. Whether you want to believe me or not, it doesn’t matter. Dammit, Kat, don’t you get it? It had nothing to do with that fact that they were shifters! They were forward soldiers working for fucking demons!” I said, trying to make her, will her to, understand. I ducked quickly as Serena tried to smack me on the back of the head for my use of bad language. I glanced her way and she gave me a reproving look. “You don’t see it now, and maybe you never will, but anyone working for Baba Yaga or the demons is an enemy and has to be put down! It doesn’t matter who it is!”

  “So anyone working for demons has to automatically be killed?” Kat asked pointedly.

  “Yes,” I said without hesitation.

  “So, if Serena were to be possessed you would kill her?” Kat asked, and I knew she was trying to prove a point.

  “Yes,” I said again, without hesitation.

  “Hey!” Serena cried in outrage.

  “Sorry, darlin’, but I would,” I said, putting my arm around her, “You have to understand, any demon getting a foothold of any sort on this world would spell disaster. Even a minor demon can cause all kinds of havoc. None of you are even remotely aware of what they’re capable of,” I said with a heavy sigh.

  They would never get it. Not until it was too late, especially Kat. I feared for her. She didn’t have the right sort of mentality to deal with the demons when they came. She would try to redeem someone who was possessed and get twisted to serve them more than likely. Her and Serena both. They were similar in that way; they saw the best in people, or at least tried to.

  “Kat, listen, when the demons come, stay out of their way. It won’t be your fight anyway. Just lie low and let me and any other Sentinel that happens to get the call handle it. Okay? For your own good,” I told her.

  Kat gave me a dirty look. “Why is it everyone seems to think they know what’s better for me than I do?” she asked with a clenched jaw.

  “I’m not saying I do. I just know what demons are capable of. It was a good chunk of my non-combat training that I received from Merlin
. He didn’t teach me Aetheric Theory, or how to use my magic better. He taught me how to fight and he taught me about demons so I could fight them better,” I replied. “And well, you just wouldn’t be able to deal with one. Even a minor one. So just stay away from them.”

  “No, dear little kitty Kat, you should just stay away from me,” a voice said from behind me. I turned in my seat and saw a figure wearing a trench coat and a fedora. Malachai.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing here, Malachai?” I asked, standing quickly and facing him.

  “Oh, you know. A little of this, a little of that. Hunting you down to fulfill my contract so that kitty Kat’s father doesn’t send someone after me. Or wait. That might be fun. Well, the Hag really wants you dead now.” He narrowed his eyes and tapped his chin. “You and someone named Darien. But one thing at a time.” He conjured his blades.

  The lightning blade seemed to surge with more energy than I remembered it having, and the diamond blade was gleaming. I saw a manic sparkle in his eye, and under that he seemed… dead. He had no doubt that he was going to kill me this time and I felt the Aether rolling off of him in anticipation.

  I conjured my blades in turn and several people around us gasped and scrambled out of their seats to get away from the obvious magical fight that was about to take place. I sighed as I prepared for a fight that very well might see the end of me.

  “Kat, get everyone to safety. Now,” I said over my shoulder to her.

  “Oh. How cute. You’re all worried about the normal people. Well, three of them aren’t normal, but that doesn’t really matter. I’m not here to kill them, I’m here to kill you!” he said, rushing at me.

  Suddenly, I wasn’t where I had been and neither were Dave, Serena, Kat or Kris. I was standing near Lucien by the bar, and I couldn’t see where the others were.

  “Do not worry, they are safely in the parking garage,” Lucien whispered to me. He then looked over at Malachai. “You will not bring your violence into my club. You will leave peacefully, or I will incinerate you where you stand and send half your ashes to the Hag and the other half to your mother!”