The Heart of Arima.

by Emma V. Leech

  Unusually for me I was too numb even to cry. I stood staring out of the window, seeing nothing but Corvus’ face in my mind and wondering how many more times I would get to see him before I was snatched away from everything that I loved. I stood for hours, staring at nothing until my attention was finally taken by three big coaches with blacked out windows pulling up, one after the other along the driveway in front of the Chateau.

  The doors opened and out piled the scariest looking assortment of men I’d ever seen in my life, which considering I lived with a family of vampires was saying something. They were all dressed identically in dark suits and sunglasses. It looked like Armani had sponsored a Blues Brothers convention.

  The biggest and baddest looking, who was about seven foot tall and not a great deal narrower, shouted instructions to the men. They were all looking around them with interest, chatting and lighting up cigarettes, while their boss turned and headed purposely for the front door.

  I decided I might as well go and see what they were here for and headed down to find Rodney being lifted two feet off the floor, and crushed in the arms of the giant of a man at the door. I was about to blast him with a fire spell when I realised he was being given a hug.

  “Bleedin’ ‘ell, Dimitri ... Can’t breathe ... Put me down, will yer!”

  Dimitri obligingly did as he was told and smacked Rodney on the back in what I assumed was a friendly gesture but almost sent him flying across the room.

  “Rodney, is good to see you again,” boomed the giant in a heavy eastern European accent. “When Corvus call me, I was very happy. Time I pay my debt to the family. Dimitri, he not like being in debt to no man, especially one like your Master!” He beamed at Rodney and looked to be about to hug him again when he saw me coming down the stairs.

  He narrowed his eyes and whistled low. “Da, da, now I see ... Minunat, doar minunat.”

  I had no idea what he was saying but it sounded sort of complimentary so I smiled nervously back at him and he grinned, large dark brown eyes with a slightly disturbing red ring around the iris twinkling at me merrily. His skin was a smooth, deep mocha, his hair black and wiry and cropped close to his head. He was very impressive, making the space we stood in feel suddenly cramped, and he was more than a little intimidating.

  He put his great trunk of an arm around Rodney’s shoulders. He grimaced under the weight. “Do you remember vechi prieten, my old friend, that night in Transylvania?”

  I looked at Rodney who sighed. “Not too clearly, t’ tell the truth, Dimitri. It’s a bit of a blur, like.”

  “Ha, ha, ha!” We both jumped out of our skins as his voice boomed and echoed around the chateau. “Da, da ... I remember now, you passed out early in the evening.”

  Rodney flushed and looked indignant. “Well, bleedin’ ‘ell you could-a warned me what that stuff was like. I thought the gut rot Corvus drinks was rough but blimey ... Thought I’d go blind, I did!”

  He clapped Rodney on the back again. He was beginning to look a bit sick.

  “Da, is good stuff, demon brew ... The best, nu?”

  Rodney shook his head. “Nu, Dimitri, definitely, nu!”

  “We talked much of you, his inima,” he said, looking at me with soulful eyes.

  “His ...what?”

  He slapped his chest with a meaty fist. “His inima.”

  “Oh.” I smiled. “His heart.”

  “Da, da, his heart. He told me your story, such a sad story ...” He suddenly sniveled and then burst into tears. I looked at Rodney in alarm but hesighed and patted the huge man gently on the back.

  “Dimitri’s a bit tender-hearted, luv, he’ll be alright in a mo. Let ‘im cry it out.”

  “El a fost inima franta!” he wailed, clutching at Rodney’s arm.

  “Yeah, I know. There, there. Here, Dimitri, the rooms are all ready. Why don’t you go and see Pierre, he’s the head guard an’ you can get your fellas settled in like?”

  Dimitri unearthed a slightly grubby looking hanky from his jacket pocket and dabbed his eyes. “Da, da, is good. I will go now. Later I come see Corvus, we talk, laugh ...drink! Big reunion ...da?”

  Rodney looked slightly alarmed at the prospect but smiled good-naturedly as he ushered the big man out the door. “Da, I mean yeah, yeah, alright mate ...as yer like. See you later then.”

  I looked at Rodney after he’d closed the door. “What ...was that?”

  He laughed and shook his head. “That, lovely, was Dimitri, master of the Romanian Demons and a nicer bloke you won’t never meet.” He paused. "Well, as long as yer friends wiv him."

  “And if you’re not friends?”

  “Dunno really, no one’s ever not been friends wiv him ... And stuck around to say at any rate.”

  “You said he’s a demon, but he’s not like Raphael?”

  “Nah, he was an incubus. Dimitri an’ his fella’s, they’re fire demons.”

  “Oh.”

  I thought briefly about asking what that was but my heart wasn’t in it.

  “You ‘ad a little chat wiv Cain then?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.

  I nodded.

  “Everythin’ ...alright ...is it?”

  I bit my lip, determined that I wouldn’t cry but just shook my head as I didn’t trust my voice.

  I saw Rodney’s shoulders droop and he sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I figured. You know we're supposed to get ready for the off today, while they're sleepin' ...but ... Well I ‘appen to know where there’s a stash of chocolate brownies an’ a box set of Hammer Horror films. What say you an’ me take the rest of the day off like?”

  I smiled and nodded vigorously, the lump in my throat making it impossible for me to say a word.

  “Come on then, lovely, let’s go take our minds off it for a bit.”

  By dusk I had packed my rucksack, under instruction from Rodney, which seemed to consist mostly of weapons and potions rather than food and clean clothes but I’d managed to sneak in a bar of chocolate and some extra pairs of clean undies to be on the safe side.

  I’d spent the last hour in the bathroom. Once we were in the underworld Corvus and I were unlikely to get any time alone so I was going to make sure I looked my best and took advantage of every moment we had left together. I’d chosen a black wool dress with a deep v neck that clung to my curves and silver earrings in the shape of feathers, which had been a gift from Corvus.

  I sat down on the bed for a moment to put on my heels, which wasn’t easy as most of the space was being taken up entirely by the great cat that had been my other Christmas present. I’d finally chosen a name for him, Maximilian or Max for short. He was growing at an incredible rate and was now about as tall as a medium sized dog. He looked up as I put my hand on the door handle and leapt elegantly to the floor to follow me, he really was as faithful as a puppy dog and I worried if he would pine when I ... When I wasn’t around.

  I hoped that he would keep Corvus company. The thought of what Corvus would do when he realised that he really couldn’t save me lay heavy on my mind. The family needed him, needed his strength but based on past experience he was going to be devastated. I just hoped he didn’t do anything reckless. Knowing that he was still here with the family was going to be one of the small comforts I would take with me.

  I stroked Max’s silky head and he pushed his nose into the palm of my hand to encourage me not to stop. “Promise me you’ll take care of him, Max,” I whispered. “I need to know he’s going to be alright without me. He’s not as tough as people think, not really. He’s like you ...a big pussy cat.” I stopped as my voice caught in my throat. I didn’t want to cry and mess up my make-up again. I’d already had to repair it twice and I didn’t want Corvus to know that I knew what was coming. As far as Cain knew I’d believed his promise to keep me safe so nothing had changed as far as they were concerned. So I put on my brave face, smiled brightly and went into the apartment.

  Dimitri was already there, apparently regaling Rodney with old war storie
s, as well as another man who I assumed was his second in the same way Lucas was to Corvus. Far from joining in the conversation he had his head stuck in a magazine and barely looked up as I walked in. To my amusement I realised it was a copy of Cosmopolitan I’d left lying around, and I was pretty sure I knew which article he was so engrossed in. Dimitri however stopped mid conversation to give me an appreciative look which nearly had me turning and heading back to the bedroom.

  “Uimitoare!” he murmured and gave a low whistle then elbowed his companion on the sofa. “Look, Boian, look ... Vrăjitoare cu părul roşu, just as he described her.”

  Boian tore his eyes away to glance unenthusiastically at me before returning his attention to Cosmo. I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or thankful. What I was thankful for was that the door opened and Corvus came in.

  My heart leapt in my chest and I drank in the sight of him, trying to remember every tiny detail. The way his eyes found mine first and the warmth in them when he smiled at me, the slightly unkempt, blonde hair that was so soft to touch and the deep cobalt blue of his eyes. I wanted to engrave the sight of him on my memory the same way it was engraved on my heart. I wished everyone else in the room was anywhere but here and from the rueful smile he gave me Corvus felt the same, but I knew he would never be rude to an invited guest.

  Dimitri leapt to his feet at the sight of Corvus and opened his arms. “Tovarăşul!”

  Corvus grinned and Dimitri enveloped him in a hug. I had never seen Corvus do anything but tower over anyone else in the room but compared to Dimitri he was swallowed up. There was a lot of jovial back slapping and punching that any male of the species seemed to find necessary and I bit back a smile when I heard Corvus talking to him in fluent Romanian. Well of course he did.

  I also noticed that Boian's eyes lit up when Corvus arrived in a way they hadn't for me. Well that explained a lot.

  Dimitri gestured in my direction and made some comments I was relieved I didn’t understand as they seemed to be accompanied by a lot of eyebrow waggling. Corvus smiled with a sly glance in my direction and replied. I don’t know what he said but the back slapping and punching resumed. I made a mental note to find out later and sighed inwardly, this could be a long night.

  By the time Corvus had managed to get rid of Dimitri it was almost midnight. We closed the door on everyone gratefully and fell into bed. We didn’t talk about the journey we had to take or about the future, or about anything at all. By unspoken agreement this night was precious and not to be wasted on discussing things we couldn’t change. Instead we pretended that the world was far away, that no one and nothing could ever come between us and wished with all our hearts that the morning would never come.

  Chapter 43

  I awoke early, and looked out to find a bright and sunny morning. A thick frost sparkled on the grass and the lake was wreathed in mist.

  Corvus had gone; he didn’t like sleeping in the Chateau with so many of the demons around. He said it wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, more that old habits die hard and he’d sleep better somewhere more defensible. His original sleeping place had obviously bitten the dust, in more ways than one, though the family had long since cleared up the mess. Apparently he had an emergency bolt hole which he was using at the moment until a new one could be sorted out.

  I made the bed, smiling to myself as I remembered certain events of the night before. Just thinking about it was enough to bring a blush to my cheeks and make my heart beat faster. One thing was for sure, it wasn’t a night I would ever be forgetting.

  I picked up Corvus’ shirt, which lay where he had thrown it down, and I held it to my face, breathing in the scent of him. I was standing, clutching the shirt to my chest and staring dreamily out of the window when a voice behind me shattered my thoughts.

  “I remember when you used to look like that when you thought about me, little one.”

  “Shit!” I dropped the shirt and whirled around, knowing exactly who the owner of the voice was. I looked at the man in front of me with disbelief.

  I gasped in horror and stepped away from him until I was backed up against the windows and could feel the cold of the glass seeping through my top.

  I was actually grateful for this as the temperature in the room had risen sharply. Whereas Corvus was naturally cold unless he had fed, this man brought heat. His skin was deeply tanned in a way that spoke of a Mediterranean heritage. Thick, jet black hair hung halfway down his back and should have made him look feminine or like an eighties rocker, but it didn’t. He was wearing skin tight black leather trousers and boots and a white cotton shirt that was opened just enough to give a tantalising glimpse of a heavily muscled chest. Despite exuding sex appeal like he’d invented it himself, it was his eyes that drew attention. They were entirely black; there was no distinction between iris and pupil, just a deep, fathomless black.

  “There is no need to be afraid, Jenny. I will not hurt you.”

  “My name isn’t Jenny.” It was all I could manage to say, my heart was beating in my throat and fear paralysed my every muscle. All I could think was not yet, please not yet, give me a little longer.

  He laughed and I shuddered. It was the laugh that had haunted my dreams for so long. A rich throaty sound was accompanied by his scent, warm and spicy. It wrapped around me, as sensuous as a fur blanket and clouded my senses with promises of opulence and seduction. I wrapped my hand in the heavy damask curtain that hung in the window as though I could anchor myself to this place and stop him taking me.

  “Very well then, if not Jenny, what shall I call you? Perhaps you would prefer your true name?” he taunted, the black eyes full of secrets.

  “My ...what? What do you mean?”

  He smiled kindly, though he wasn’t fooling me, and walked closer. I backed up hard against the window and seriously considered jumping out of it. I’d jumped from a great height to escape him before after all.

  “Your true name, little one. The name by which I first knew you, by which all in the underworld know and fear you.”

  “F-fear me? Why would anyone there fear me?” I asked, bewildered.

  He was getting closer and I slid along the wall in an effort to stay as far from him as possible but soon found myself wedged up against the bedside cabinet. He was standing bare inches from me now as my heart thundered in my chest.

  “Because of what you are, little one. Why do you continue to hide from reality? You have more power than you can imagine. If you would only accept what you are ... And now you hold the key as well.”

  I felt my heart skip. “You know I have the key?”

  He roared with laughter and I jumped.

  “Of course I know, it was always my plan that you should have the key, my love. Though I admit, the way it came to you was not what I had in mind. I have great plans for you, for us.” He stroked the side of my face with a finger, leaving a burning trail in its wake. I could feel the heat from his body like I was standing next to a fire and wanted more than anything to get some distance between us. I ducked under his arm and ran to the other side of the bed. He scowled at me and I quailed under his glare. “This childish sulking and running from me wears my patience.”

  “What did you mean, you planned for me to have the key?” I asked, hoping to distract him and gain more information in the process.

  “Exactly what I said. The second key has to held by another. Hekatê has always been power hungry and I knew as soon as I saw you that I had to make you mine. It was a simple enough thing to arrange an exchange but I never intended that she should keep it. Once you were mine I intended to take it back and give it to its rightful owner- my new wife. We were to rule the underworld together, you and I, and soon we shall do just as I planned. You were so captivating back then, power and beauty and such ambition ...before your squalid human existence ruined everything. I should never have agreed to let you go.”

  “Why did you then? It you loved me so much, if everything was so bloody perfect, why did I have to go
?”

  He frowned. “I made a deal with Hekatê and if I had reneged she would have joined forces with Persephone and made sure I never heard the end of it.”

  “Oh, yes ... Your wife!”

  He smiled and looked at me through heavy-lidded eyes. “One of my wives,” he corrected, “but you were always my favourite.”

  “Such a comfort,” I muttered. “And yet you still sent me away.”

  His tone hardened. “As I said, I made a deal, and besides, it was agreed it should take no more than twenty five years, thirty at most, for you to complete your task. What is that in the life of a god? I could wait, after all you were doing it for both of us. You were just as keen to increase your power, and mine, back then. As it was, you returned to me much sooner but it still ruined everything. You had changed ...beyond recognition.”

  “I’m still changed, probably more so than before.”

  He nodded and sighed. “Yes, I can see that but the truth of the matter is that I still miss you, I still want you back. It’s irritating really. Life would be much simpler if I just forgot about you but it seems that I cannot.”

  He started moving towards me again and I began backing off but suddenly he was gone and I was slammed up against the wall with his hands pinning my wrists above my head. I hadn’t even seen him move. I could feel the heat of him blaze through my clothes and my wrists began to burn. The combination of heat and fear brought my own magic blazing out and his hands were engulfed in blue flames, which didn’t seem to bother him in the least.

  “I am tired, little one, tired of these endless games and I will not play much longer. I know you have a deal with Sariel and in this I cannot interfere. After that, however, I will come for you and you will take your rightful place at my side, once and for all. And, sweet Jenny, you will please me this time. I have no patience left for your games and deceptions. I will not tolerate your disobedience, not like the last time you returned to me, so full of anger for the loss of your pathetic human life. You will be my wife and you will behave as such, or your existence will not be a pleasant one.”