by Dee, Maria
I VT’d Nicholas because I couldn’t track him otherwise—not in this hectic environment. “I’m here, alone and it’s very dangerous. I’m on my second bag of cotton candy, riled up without a partner in crime. Where are you? I can’t find you.” I hit send reluctantly. Soon after its delivery, I incessantly checked my messages, impatiently waiting for his response. I saw Calliope with Landon and one of his friends. While Calliope moved in on her prey, I looked into mine. If Sebastian turned up, I’d let Styx have her way with him.
My Cyclopod beeped with his reply. “I’m here. Try and find me.” He sounded himself but then again, it’d be easier to dismiss girl Kiran if the rest of the immorta of Endeca weren’t also bitten by the idle bug, or worse, missing.
“I like challenges,” I replied, playfully. I focused in on the atmosphere, drawing from the earth’s core, signaling my coordinates. I had come to learn that I needed to move slowly in such a big crowd. My eyes guided me and just as I approached, he turned to face me.
“You’re good.”
“Oh no,” I whispered, horrified by the swirl in his eyes. It was discrete enough that humans wouldn’t notice. “I’ll be right back.” I quickly took off in a panic, in search of Edric. If Viola and Sebastian were up to something, I’d need his help. It wasn’t long before I located Edric.
“Are you enjoying the carnival?” he asked, mundanely. His eye color swirled markedly…he was freshly seared.
“How could I?” I sighed, leaving a place of turmoil. Boy Kiran was nowhere to be found. His cell went straight to voicemail and he didn’t respond to any VT’s. Was girl Kiran really who she said she was? More importantly, was Castiel really trying to get me alone? Shivers travelled down my back one too many times.
It didn’t take Castiel very long to orchestrate his plan at the carnival, the best place to get to us all, especially being as I was the common denominator. Nicholas was first to go, then Kiran, and Edric. In the distance, I saw Viola cruising around in a daze. I approached her too, except she was just like the others. Swept over by alarm, I knew I had to leave and fast.
“Where’s this psychic already? She’s twenty minutes late!” Marla vented, pulling me into a tented pavilion.
“I’m sure she’s on her way. With so many different tents set up, she’s bound to get lost. Oh, and hi.”
Marla grumbled under her breath, annoyed. “She could VT or call at least. Some kind of update so that I could plan a backup. How would you like to get paid for waving a wand around?” she asked, pretentiously.
I snickered before another person joined us in the pavilion.
“I don’t use a wand—only energy,” crooned a petite woman.
“Use whatever you want! Just be here once people start arriving,” Marla snapped.
“There you girls are,” said Calliope, joining us.
“Great! Our psychic just arrived. Show us what you’ve got. Calliope, sit,” Marla delegated. The psychic closed her eyes breathing in deeply, visibly annoyed by Marla’s temperament. She sat down, and took a moment to light a candle and celestial smelling incense. She nodded to Calliope, gesturing for her hand.
“You’re cold,” she whispered.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” she smirked.
“I meant your hands, not your person,” she said, continuing, “I see greatness ahead. Your children will be a force to be reckoned with.”
Calliope instantly recoiled. “Excuse eh moi? Chil-der-en? Eww, no thanks. Here’s a twenty. Tell me something like I’ll be rich and famous.” The psychic looked worried, refusing the money. “No? Okay, your turn,” Calliope recruited Marla in her place.
The psychic cleared the air for a fresh start with a whisk of incense as Marla settled into the chair. Her inviting hand awaited Marla.
“You have a good heart, but…” her smile gradually formed into a taut line.
“If it’s children, it’s okay. I like them,” Marla whispered, lightheartedly.
“Your life’s path will be altered.”
“How so?”
“Darkness,” she gasped with wide eyes. “Your fate lies in another’s hands.”
“Okay, listen. You’re gonna have to tone it down for rest of them. People like to hear happy things not cryptic omens. Got it?”
“I read what I see. Nothing more.”
While Marla and the psychic covered formalities, I made an exit.
“Not so fast. We haven’t had corn dogs yet,” Calliope chirped.
“I’ll be right back, I promise.” Marla and Calliope smiled, appeased. We had rituals of our own to fulfill. Each ritual as of late had a mutual self-fulfilling prophesy—my untimely death, granted some took longer than others.
To the humans (and Castiel) the carnival was a hit. It felt like the entire populace attended. I caught a glimpse of a lanky man who lurked amongst the crowd. His menacing expression was unsettling.
Run now warned my lizard brain. Castiel in the flesh!
He caught wind of my alarm and moved faster than expected, undetectable in the crowd. I felt his grasp around my wrist but it wasn’t Castiel, it was Sebastian.
“Xenia, I’m sorry but you’ll have to come with me,” he uttered.
“Why’re you doing this?” I tried to escape, Styx even tried, but we were subdued by Sebastian’s hold.
“I had no choice. He’d kill me otherwise.”
“He’s going to kill me if you do,” I whispered in disbelief. I didn’t need Kiran to spoon-feed me on Diplozoe affairs any longer. It was all starting to make sense.
“I’m big on self-preservation. Always have been, always will be.”
“Somehow I’m not surprised.”
He led me to the outskirts of the carnival into a secluded tent. Just when I thought I’d met the darkest hour of my life, Girl Kiran reappeared.
“Sebastian, you don’t have to do this.”
He stared at the unidentified woman the same way I did the first time. He seared her and she reappeared quickly, knocking him to the ground before he could even blink.
The Kiran’s were a quick lot, I’d give them that. She moved quickly, anticipating his every move. ‘She wasn’t just clairvoyant,’ Styx whispered. ‘Her ternio used magic.’
Sebastian was enraged; his eyes were in full force, red with fury. Kiran gave me another opportunity to run but before that could happen, Castiel resurfaced.
“Well, what do we have here? You’re making me work double time, you know. It wasn’t enough to sear your on-source but now your stupid off-source too?” He held her gaze and started, what sounded like, a searing of a lifetime. Kiran screamed out in tongues.
“Stop it!” I shouted in protest. I (mostly Styx) broke Sebastian’s wrist, freeing us. In that brief moment, whereby Castiel’s eyes left hers, Kiran was able to spring free, as I prayed she, he would. With Sebastian and Castiel by my side, they pulled me into a secluded pavilion, away from everyone, and anyone that could possibly bail me out.
“I had strict orders to take care of you but not so soon. If Sebastian hadn’t interfered, so crassly might I add, we wouldn’t have had to escalate our plans. Yes, I know about your little rendezvous. Now what did she have to say?”
“She didn’t say anything,” I stuttered. The less I said the better. He knew of our meeting but I wondered if he really knew who she was.
He laughed, eerily. “Did she mention anyone of interest, Xenia?”
“No, she said to be careful. That’s all, I swear,” I spoke clearly, maintaining eye contact. It was better that way, less conspicuous if one maintained eye contact, but in his case, I averted his eyes shortly thereafter.
“Well, I can’t take any chances. I have direct orders. I always honor my end of the bargain,” he snarled, glaring at a grim Sebastian.
“
You’re the spy?” It was shocking that anyone of our kind would willingly dishonor our race.
“Yes. Except, they cut me a better deal to take care of what Orion couldn’t.” It was mildly reassuring to know that Orion couldn’t. Ironically, he had no trouble sacrificing me, which confused me furthermore.
“They want to end us, don’t you see that? You’re in danger too.”
“Xenia, they’ll never end us, but I could really use some bank,” he sneered, continuing, “I’ll tell you a little secret. I’m not fond of our unity either—forgot to thank you earlier. I liked the chaos the open portal brought.” I was certain he referred to the magnified power of Endeca.
“If I die, Endeca doesn’t stand a chance. The E-SOM will conquer and Edric will die too,” I played along. He obviously didn’t know of our little Corlissa/Daisy dilemma. The less he knew, the better.
“Let’s play devil’s advocate, shall we? With an open portal, we actually stand a better chance at overturning the E-SOM,” he grimaced mid thought. “Well aren’t you a sneaky little bitch. Trying to delay the inevitable?” He grabbed me tightly and forced me to succumb to his God-awful eyes—the enigmatic allure that was irresistible yet horrifying. Then the worst searing of my life commenced, it was as if he was obliterating me to the core. Just when I thought the end had finally neared, Styx reared her ugly head. My savior? Except there was nothing she could do under his spell. She was bound within a vessel, and not in a good way.
I cried out in sheer pain at the brink of death and then miraculously, the burning halted. I couldn’t see but I could hear them—the sound of a man’s voice, two men actually.
“Castiel, it’s over!” one man growled.
“Noooo!” cried Castiel, only his cries sounded too grave, inflicted by someone merciless.
All the voices progressively sounded unfamiliar. I didn’t know where I was, with whom or…who I even was. The voice that spoke to me, maybe my consciousness, was frightened—something that didn’t seem to be in its nature. I felt another’s presence, except it was grander, bringing with it a celestial wind.
“Vos inhonorus nos. I see they’ve recruited another,” she scolded, “You’ll pay with the ultimate punishment I’m afraid. Cordon sanitaire. But before that, let’s see if I could remind you of your faults.” Her aura vanished and in the background I heard faint cries intermixed with an odd sounding name, Xeh-nee-ah.
As I lay there on the ground, sightless and in pain, another presence came by my side. His scent was comforting, his heart beat abnormally and his breath was rickety.
He held me up and whispered, “I can help…here,” he said, placing my trembling hands over his eyes. A warm sensation overcame my exterior and then a vision of a white light appeared—sight! The light drew the darkness out, healing my aching eyes and returning my vision, my memories…my battered fragment. “What happened?” I asked, rubbing my eyes. “Nyxta?”
Nicholas nodded. “He’s no longer our problem.”
“Why was he blinding me?”
“He wasn’t blinding you, Xenia. He was destroying your fragment—slowly killing you.”
“You weren’t kidding when you said the worst would come last.”
“I’m afraid it isn’t over.”
“No kidding. And Sebastian?”
“He must’ve taken off before we arrived. Nyxta will find him, I’m sure.”
“Lucky him,” I cringed, standing up. “I heard another’s voice...”
“Orion’s,” he muttered, frowning. “And Caleb’s. He’s somewhat impervious to Sebastian’s ternio. He tracked and restored me in time.”
“Oh. Him…and what’s a ternio?”
“No need to worry about that now,” he dismissed.
“How d’you find me?”
“Kiran lead us,” he smirked, “but he was a she?”
“Ah, yes, you’ve met girl Kiran.”
“Sure explains a lot.”
“That’s what I said,” I playfully rejoiced. “Let’s enjoy the rest of the carnival.”
“Xenia, we really shouldn’t—”
“The worst has passed. Think about it. We’re in the clear…for now at least.”
Nicholas’ taut expression lightened, relinquishing to reason. “If you’re sure you’re up for it.”
“I’m sure.”
“After you.”
~
He returned to the line by the Ferris wheel where I awaited. “To add to your collection,” he smirked, handing me a ladybug.
“Aw, thank you,” I said, blushing instantly. “You just made my day.”
“I’m not looking forward to tomorrow,” he sulked adorably.
“Why’s that?”
“I may have agreed to work the dunk tank. Marla practically begged me. It’s for a good cause…I suppose.”
“Sucker! I promise I won’t dunk you. I hear it’s going to be a cold one though.”
“I don’t mind the cold. Being subjected to humiliation is the issue.”
“Just remember it’s for charity. Something tells me the dunk tank will be a big hit.”
“You think?”
“Of course! Look at you? You’re an Adonis who’ll be in swim trunks. Marla’s a genius.”
“I recruited a few others while at it. Orion, Edric and Kiran—it only seemed fair,” he smiled devilishly.
“The dunk tank will be all the rage this carnival has to offer.”
“Xenia, we should probably talk about…well, you know,” he said, tensely.
“Let’s not. Tonight is about fun times at the carnival…well, it is now anyway. You’re just a guy and I’m just a girl.”
“I’m just a guy,” he deliberated, continuing, “I like it.”
“For now at least. With the portal temporarily sealed and Castiel off our backs, I feel like a night off will do us some good.”
“Agreed,” he said, grinning happily. “I’ve missed you a lot, Xenia.” He slid his hand against my own, interlocking our fingers. His warm hand felt soft, comforting and mildly tingly. Over the past while, I’d become markedly desensitized to his electricity. What I found to be uncomfortable at first, soon became a compulsion of mine. I craved his presence and judging by his expression, Nicholas craved mine too. He swiftly drew me into a vacant tent.
“I’ve missed being around you…just us, not idle us,” he whispered. He placed a hand against my right hip pulling me closer to his body, while his other hand cradled my neck. His sensual mouth stirred my senses from the nape of my neck, slowly moving back up toward my ear. His warm breath against my skin sent my body off into shivers.
He smiled, mesmerized before pulling me closer, kissing me softly. I barely could control myself around him in general, and under Styx’s influence, I had to have him…all of him.
He lifted me effortlessly onto a table and I wrapped my legs around him, securing him tightly. He groaned, while my hands made their way down his chest, to his belt, unfastening it quickly.
He seemed surprised. “Are you sure? Here? I thought we’d be someplace nicer—wouldn’t you like that?”
My chaotic mind reconnected with my fiery body. Huh?
“It’s not that I don’t want to, I do—very much so,” he said, “I’ve even had extremely vivid dreams about it. I can’t believe I’m telling you this…”
“Dreams? What kind of dreams exactly?” I asked, intrigued. That night was definitely not a dream, yet he seemed to think so.
“We were at my place and we couldn’t get enough of each other. I thought I’d…combust,” he said while fighting a smile, “The chandelier however did.”
“And then?”
“You’re not mad? I had a vivid dream and you want me to go on?” He stroked my cheek with his hand.
; “Did I step on some glass?” I asked, impatiently.
“How did you know? Are you reading my mind?” he asked, amazed.
“No…I mean, I just guessed with the chandelier broken and all.”
“Quite the hunch,” he said, raising his brow.
“Are you sure it was a dream? Maybe you travelled offline,” I muttered, proposing the idea, although I knew it wasn’t the case.
“I wouldn’t do that, Xenia.”
“Are you sure? Because it sounds very explicit, almost like it actually happened,” I scolded. How didn’t he know?
“Xenia, it was just a dream, and can you blame me? Look at you…I can’t control my subconscious,” he said, reaching in for a slow, passionate kiss.
Just then, entered Marla with a clipboard in hand. “Oh, I—I’m sorry. I just came to make sure the psychic was still around…is she?” she asked peering through her fingers, partially shielding her eyes. Nicholas fastened his belt and I sat up, straightening my shirt.
“There’s no one in here, I mean aside from us,” I hastened to say.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in. Didn’t expect to find you two in here hanging out.”
“I have to go meet up with Kiran. See you later,” he said, giving me a quick peck on the lips.
“Oh, where do you think you’re going mister,” Marla intercepted. She reached into her bag, passing him a pair of bright pink swim trunks. “They’re for tomorrow.”
“Oh wow, I’ve never owned a pair of pink…anything.”
“Sorry, that’s all I could find on short notice,” she said, merrily. She was back to her authoritative state, checking her demanding list. Just as Nicholas left, another person joined us. The psychic returned to her post. She smiled at me eerily. “Xenia, would you like a reading?” she hummed my name as though we were well acquainted.
“No thank you,” I retorted, shaking my head side to side.
“I didn’t take you for the cynical type.”