Forgotten Fates

by S J Doran

  His mind reeled. He wasn’t even aware he had a grandmother. His father was celestial, born of the fabric of the universe. His mother… was no more than a myth to him.

  “What does the sword have to do with my memory?” Cass hedged, clearing his throat, pondering how much to tell this stranger. Who knew more about him than he knew himself.

  Barbatos just nodded to himself, his barely visible face turned to face the wall. “They all want to know what you know before they tell you what they know.”

  Cass stifled a growl, taking in a calming breath, reminding himself to practice his patience.

  “Mostly I remember a girl.” Cass looked away, not wanting to meet any of their eyes. “Other stuff that I can’t make sense of.”

  “Your father,” Jez blurted out and Cass shot him a scathing glare.

  “Ah yes.” Barbatos mumbled. “It wasn’t supposed to be that way. How many times can an apocalypse be averted?”

  “Beg pardon?” Cass leaned forward, definitely interested now.

  “We were supposed to meet before this day. I sent them to watch you,” Barbatos mumbled, his voice sounding echoey. Cass shook his head, trying to concentrate. “The Sword is back in play, heralding the next shift, the gods are playing pick-up-sticks and the fates are blind.”

  Levistus was mumbling something, Cass couldn’t hear it over all the noise in the room. Giggles and the sound of flesh rubbing against flesh, wet sucking noises and everything all at once.

  Jez jumped to his feet and dragged his hands through his hair, slowly looking around the room with his brows drawn. Levistus was shaking his shoulder, Cass was too busy concentrating on Barbatos’ words.

  He was whispering in Greek, the words drilling into Cass’s brain.

  “And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.” Barbatos mumbled.

  Cass moved in closer. Was he quoting scripture? Revelations and apocalypse shit? Cassius knew the mortal scripture by heart, it had been part of his studies.

  “I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death,” Barbatos shook his head slowly, breaking free of his trance. “I pity those who do not stand on your side through this shift, my King.”

  Take peace from the earth— a sword— what did the Sword of Justice have to do with anything? And why bring up Death? Because Death had the sword… Cass nodded to himself, pleased he’d figured it out.

  He jumped when Barbatos placed skeletal hands over his. The hand turned back to flesh and Cass’s eyes jumped up to meet Barbatos’s beneath his hood. They glowed an iridescent green, otherworldly, and not in the demonic way.

  “I didn’t send her to you.” Barbatos said, his voice hushed, “and I only meant the drink for you. Best head back now, while you’re all still in your right minds.” His hand settled on Cass’s chest, directly where his mother had in his memory.

  “Know you are not abandoned.”

  Cass shook his head. Then shook it again. The world was starting to feel fuzzy. Not poison, but not right.

  Barbatos was ushering the Erinyes out of the room, leaving him alone with Jez and Levistus. Both stood, rubbing their faces. Then their hair. Cass found himself doing it too, the need to stretch an obsessive feeling, his skin feeling tight.

  “We have to get back.” Levistus said, his pupils blown wide. “Now.”

  “He poisoned us?” Jez said, rubbing his hand up and down his chest.

  “Not poison,” Cass said, movement on the walls capturing his attention.

  Even the walls were alive. Squirming.

  Wait. They shouldn’t be. They hadn’t been…

  “Drugs.” Levistus said, grabbing both Cass and Jez by the backs of their necks, “he uses drugs to help him see.”

  Cass’s every movement blurred blue traceries behind it, Jez seeming to have the same problem, judging by how he was watching his hand moving.

  Cass waved his hand, opening a hell-gate, snickering as the blue flames swirled in with the red.

  “Keep it together Cassius. Five more minutes,” Levistus said, pulling them all through.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

  and if you go chasing rabbits

  They walked back through the hell-gate, shoulder to shoulder, propping each other as they entered Cass’s rooms. The fire was out, and a small detour to his door and a shout for an attendant had his guards scrambling to set his rooms to rights.

  “Poke fun all you want,” Jez poked him in the chest, “I’ve seen your taste in women.”

  Cass ushered the attendants out of the room once the fire was lit and bed was turned down, speaking over his shoulder to Jez, who stood between the settee and the mantle.

  “But, a Furie?” Cass snickered, laughter bubbling out. He couldn’t seem to stop it. Everything was fucking hilarious. “The first female I’ve seen you attracted to and she has to be the complete opposite of what you are.”

  “That’s not true,” Jez said, cutting him off, his eyes focused over Cass’s shoulder. “Your priestess is a delectable piece.”

  “No—” Levistus shouted, jumping for them.

  Too late. Cass lunged, tackling Jez to the floor. He had the advantage of surprise, but Jez outweighed him in sheer bulk, his arms and shoulders straining as he shifted Cass’s entire weight and pinned him beneath him.

  “Fucking pansy.” Jez snarled.

  “Kiss your mother with that mouth?” Cass snarled back, shifting his legs so that Jez was fully laid out over top of him, legs tangled, Jez’s forearms pressing Cass’s shoulders to the ground.

  “Oh! my lord.” A female gasped. Dravite, he guessed.

  “At least I know who my mother is,” Jez hissed at him, sinking down lower, pressing his chest to Cass’s.

  “Do you?” Cass said, his squirming stopping.

  “Oh.” Jez pulled himself up on his elbows. “I don’t think so.”

  Cass snorted then burst into full bellied guffaws, Jez joining in, both laughing so hard they couldn’t breathe.

  “Get your shit together,” Levistus was yanking on Cass’s arm, trying to pull him out from under Jez.

  Cass only laughed harder, grasping Levistus and pulling him down too. Jez let out a peal of laughter, kicking off another bout for Cass.

  Levistus lay on his back looking at the ceiling, a smile twitching on his own mouth.

  “Are you three addled?” Dravite stood over them, poking at Levistus with her toe.

  All three of them burst into laughter with that.

  “Have you been drinking?” The warlock kneeled to pull Levistus back up into a sitting position.

  Cass sighed, Jez snickered again.

  “Don’t,” Cass groaned, “my ribs hurt.”

  “Because you let your woman slice you up?” Jez looked at him from the side of his eyes.

  With another snarl, Cass rolled on top of him, pinning him to the floor this time, holding his hands above his head.

  “I’m sure you have a few kinks in that closet, holy boy.” Cass said, leaning so close their lips nearly touched.

  “Do it.” Jez said, his expression mulish.

  He tore his hand from Cass’s, palmed the back of Cass’s head and pulled his mouth onto his. Their lips met with a spark of power, Jez’s mouth hot and hard on his. Tension left his body, all of his focus diverted to this need— his one hand gripping Jez’s neck, the other tangling in his hair to hold him steady, deepening the kiss.

  Cass lost himself to it, the heat of his mouth, his slow sensual sucks— the power flowing between them like a pulse.

  “Oh no.” Levistus pulled Cass up, “you two are not doing this in this condition.”

  “But I want to.” Cass said, pulling his arm free.

  “Please, let me.” Dravite sat between them, leaning down and turning Cass’s face to hers.

  “My turn.” Jez said, sitting up and cupping Dravite’s c
heek, bringing her lips to his.

  “All the hells. You boys play nice. I’m off to meditate this shit away.” Levistus said, brushing himself off and moving briskly out the door.

  Cass turned her lips back to his, probing her with his tongue, building up her desire. He felt Jez’s hand between them, cupping her breast, then the other. Cass moved his fingers lower, sweeping aside her robes to seek out her center.

  She broke off their kiss and turned back to Jez, her hips rocking against Cass’s hand, so he kissed down her neck, then lower, his tongue circling her nipple as his fingers pushed inside of her. Jez’s mouth devoured hers, his hand holding her other breast, his thumb dragging back and forth across that peak.

  Cass’s thumb circled her engorged clit, his fingers stroking her inside, she was making noises of pleasure that were lost in the angel’s mouth. Then Jez had Cass’s jaw in his hand again, his mouth back on his, deep and hot. He felt a soft hand circling his cock, and Jez’s groan told him they were probably both getting the same treatment.

  “Wait.” Cass pulled back and stood up, running to his dresser and grabbing the case off the top.

  “Don’t,” Jez shouted.

  “Not…” Dravite’s words faltered away as Cass shot back the entire vial. “a good idea.” She finished with a mournful shake of her head.

  He tore off his clothes, then stood watching as Jez stripped down and slowly removed the warlock’s robes, revealing pearly skin and a battle-honed body.

  “Now.” Cass said, grabbing them each by an arm. “Dravite, you- up on your hands and knees. Jez, you’re going to take her from behind. While she sucks me off.”

  His energy was a manic, palpable thing. It surged. He felt like he could fly.

  Both of them stared at him with mouths agape.

  “Come on!” Cass said, clapping his hands and smiling too brightly. He jumped on to the bed on his knees, bouncing delightedly, Jez following behind laughing, tackling Cass onto the mattress.

  “I feel fantastic.” Jez said, pushing Cass’s hair back, before kissing him again.

  So did Cass. His body burned…

  “Wait,” Dravite said from off to the side of the bed. “I’m supposed to be in there somewhere.” She pulled Jez off Cass, “I think you’re higher than a kite, Jez. Bloody lightweights.”

  Cass reluctantly let go of Jez, his mind having latched on to the idea of sharing power with him like this and was now fixated.

  He forgot that the minute her lips wrapped around his erection. About the same time as the burning through his body turned painful. But he had control of it this time. It wasn’t scattered about. It was centered on where his power gathered, forging it anew, clearing the path.

  Making him lose his mind to it.

  She was moaning around his cock, her breasts bouncing against his legs as Jez pounded into her. Cass’s bleary mind turned over, agony eating up all his neural transmissions, his body no longer his to control. He felt his orgasm, like he was observing and rating it. The entire process from one feeling to the next.

  His mind went fuzzy, with nothing left to focus on it retreated into itself… or, somewhere.

  His blood boiled, his skin splitting open, the cracks making way to blue flame. Ashes floated off his burning body, carried away on the breeze. He heard the rhythmic pounding of hoofbeats before he felt the horse beneath him.

  Ka-thunk thud- sawing breaths- repeat.

  The horse beneath him had a coat of gleaming black, together they rode through barren fields, no sign of life anywhere. Dying crops lay wasting in the heat of the sun, skeletal remains scattered about, the sound of hoofbeats following him close, but not another soul could be seen.

  Then he was standing above it all, his hands weighted down with scales that were teetering precariously.

  “You doubt that he will speak for us? He is my son!” A woman’s clipped tones echoed across the wasteland.

  “You say that with such certainty, when the boy has no memory of you.”

  Voices whispered back and forth, Cass couldn’t make them all out. Sibilant whispers drilling into his brain…

  “Divine Justice has left its mark… he will be our tool…”

  “The vampire gave him his mind back.”

  “His soul forged anew…”

  “unheard of…”

  “He had an anchor— and protection.” A woman’s voice. That voice, he recognized, the vague familiarity pulling at his mind.

  “Where do you stand, young King? When all the realms lay balanced in your hands?” A voice came from behind him.

  Cass whipped his head around and found no one.

  “Behold, a black horse and he who sat upon it a pair of scales in hand,” This time, Cassius recognised the whispers as Barbatos’ voice. “Famine, controlling the desires of man, followed by death upon his pale horse.”

  “All the realms shall tremble in the wake of this shift.” The woman’s voice again, this time he saw her. A teasing fleeting glimpse of silken black hair and dark eyes that gleamed like embers… and she was gone again.

  He blinked open his eyes and couldn’t move. A second of panic before he realised he was tightly cocooned in blankets, covered by an angel’s wing, the quiet murmurs of conversation beside him.

  Jez and Dravite. Jez had his hands in the air, his fingers making pictures, the warlock on his other side chuckling at whatever he was trying to explain.

  “Oh, you’re awake again,” Jez turned on his elbow, “all done trying to peel your skin off?”

  The angel was smiling, a maniacal glint in his eyes. Cass was still trying to gather his thoughts.

  “I think I had a vision,” Cass mumbled.

  “You’re an oracle?” Dravite popped up over Jez.

  “No,” Cass scoffed, “not ever before.”

  “Probably the drugs. You guys got some good stuff.” Dravite said with a nod to herself. “The Priestess is not-mmpf”

  Jez’s hand clasped over her mouth.

  “Shh, we don’t talk about her.”

  “Fuck, you just did.” Cass said rolling his eyes with a snort. “You can’t say you won’t talk about her, that’s talking about her.”

  “But if I don’t say we can’t talk about her how are we all supposed to know we can’t?” Jez gave him a puzzled look.

  Dravite was giggling uncontrollably. “You two are fried! Completely high,” she sighed.

  “Are we high?” Cass whispered. “Where did Levistus go? Was he high too?”

  “I think so,” Jez whispered back, “he left cause you were kissing me and it’s wrong.”

  Dravite laughed louder.

  “You kissed me and it’s not wrong.” Cass got up on his elbow after he fought free of his blanket wrap. “I should go find him.”

  He pushed the blankets off the rest of the way and jumped to his feet. And fell right back down. His legs were like water. And he was wearing pajama pants.

  Dravite helped him to his feet and pushed him back into bed.

  “When did I get dressed?” Cass whispered to Jez, as though the warlock couldn’t hear everything they said to one another.

  “You sleep better when you have clothes on.” Jez whispered back with a shrug.

  He did, always had. He felt less vulnerable— he hadn’t known Jez had paid attention.

  Dravite came back to the bed, Cass hadn’t even noticed she went anywhere.

  “There is a Leira here to see you,” Dravite’s expression gave away nothing.

  “No, send her away.” Jez wrapped an arm around Cass… protectively?

  “I can’t see her like this. She’ll know I’m high. Tell her to come back later.” Cass shrunk into Jez’s side. “How long are we going to be like this?” He whispered to Jez.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never taken anything like this.” Jez whispered back, pressing a kiss to the top of Cass’s head.

  Cass wrapped his arm over the angel, clinging to him like an anchor.

  “You two are going
to be just fine after some sleep. If you’d like I will go check on Levistus,” Dravite said, covering them with blankets.

  “Yes, please make sure he’s okay,” Cass whispered sleepily.

  They lay there in silence a few moments, listening to the door shut quietly behind the warlock.

  “I like her,” Jez quietly said.

  “Yes, I noticed.” Cass could barely speak anymore, his eyes feeling like he was blinking over sand.

  “Do you remember your vision?” Jez said, speaking just as lazily as Cass.

  “I won’t ever forget it.” His mother. That had to have been her.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

  is there a demon of pestilence?

  “I am not even going to waste my breath by asking what it is you are doing inside my closet En-Levistus, BEGONE!”

  The banishment failed, causing her cast a glare at the unwelcome visitor currently sitting upon the floor of her dressing room, amidst a pile of discarded fabrics and undergarments. The effort wasted, for he was paying her no mind.

  His face was marked by deep lines of confusion and thoughts, his attention fully riveted upon the item he currently held in his grasp. Recognition struck, her jaw slackening as indignation reddened her cheeks. “Old man, unhand my bra this instant!”

  He ignored her. “Why is there water inside this garment…?”

  Finding the legendary demon Prince of Secrets sitting in a pile of her undergarments had been astounding enough. Yet what he did next had Amara question her own sanity as she watched him pull the bra over his head, positioning the cups to his ears. “I think I can hear the ocean!”

  With two quick strides she had reached the maddening prince, hooked the elastic strap between two of her fingers, and pulled back.

  “What are you doing, I’m still listening to it!”

  -snap-

  He balked when the elastic band recoiled and smacked him in the face. “This is a torture device!” He gave her the most incredulous look she had ever seen upon a demon while furiously rubbing his nose. “Did you lose a bet? Why would you ever wear such a thing?”

  “Highness, you have a visit… or.”