The Marquis (The 13th Floor)

by Christine Rains

  The top two tiers of the fountain were blasted to bits, but the bottom had managed to stay in one piece. Water gurgled out of the blackened stump. The eternal flame was not quite so eternal as it spurted out. Vetis wiggled his fingers in farewell and straightened himself.

  “I see you got my invitation.” Vetis hopped down to the edge of the fountain and extinguished the illusion of wings.

  “I think the whole city got it.” Marc surveyed the area. Plenty of room to fight in the heart of Carmine.

  “There were a few other nosy nellies, but I didn’t want them at my party. I only want to play with you, Marquis. And oh!” Vetis clapped his hands. “Look at you! You were always an impressive demon. All I have is funny ears, a tail, and pointy little teeth. It’s horrible to look so human, but at least I know the blood that boils in my veins is not tainted by mortality. Or morality. What about you, old man?”

  “Nothing’s holding me back this time.” Anger and hatred surged through him. Marc never liked that Vetis had to put on a show. Nothing more infuriating than an ostentatious little prick.

  “Nothing?” Vetis skipped along the edge of the fountain. “You know I have your vampire. In fact, he’s up over there.” He pointed to the highest building on the Circle. “Chained to the rooftop. I could’ve staked him or set him on fire, but there’s nothing more satisfying than a vamp shriveling up in the morning sun. Sunrise is, what? Twenty minutes away?”

  Marc twitched and turned, wanting to rush to the rooftop. He’d let down someone who was counting on him. Kiral didn’t have anyone else. He only had him, and he had gotten him targeted through association alone.

  Slowly, he faced Vetis again. The enemy was here. Running to save Kiral would only prolong the game. So many lives depended on him ending it right this moment.

  “So you’ll let him roast. Marvelous!” Vetis chuckled and snapped his fingers. The clop of hooves echoed off the buildings as six constructs trotted into view. Each carried a woman. The only one that was conscious was weeping quietly.

  “And what do you think about this now, hm?” Vetis leaned forward.

  Marc frowned as he peered at each of the women. All older with dark hair. His psychic vision told him they were good people, and he didn’t know a single one of them.

  “No? Nothing?” Vetis sighed. “Well, drat.” He cocked his head and then whooped as a seventh construct entered the Circle. The rider’s arms were locked tight around its captive. “Here we are.” He pulled out a pair of sunglasses from within his jacket and slipped them on. “Oh yes. This is the right lady!”

  “Marc.” Mae shook her head, tears streaming down her lovely face.

  No. This wasn’t happening. She was supposed to be safe. Could God not hear just one of his prayers for the sake of one of His most compassionate souls? If He hated Marc so much, so be it, but Mae shouldn’t have to suffer for it.

  Red swirled within his eyes, tainting the world. Bellowing her name, he threw up his hands and flames zipped over his body. His clothes turned to ash, and he grew near eight feet tall. Each horn was bigger than his head. His jaw cracked as the lower half of his face extended much like a wolf’s muzzle.

  He snapped his teeth in a mockery of a grin. The Grand Marquis had accepted the invitation to the party.

  CHAPTER 11

  The Marquis’ first move was easy, like stretching stiff muscles. He stomped one foot on the ground and sent his power out in a wave all around. The constructs howled, exploding into several demonic imps, which then promptly ended up in black piles of dust.

  All the women fell to the ground. Most still unconscious. Mae bounced on her behind, seemingly unaware that it hurt. All her attention was focused on him.

  Rolling his shoulders, he then cracked his neck. It felt good. More than good. It was spectacular. The power searing through his body wanted to burst out of every pore. Hate, fury, and vengeance provided such potent fuel for it. And it was righteous. He deserved this power. He deserved to have his revenge on Vetis for everything he’d done to him.

  The Marquis leapt to the edge of fountain and balanced six feet from Vetis. The beating he’d given the bastard earlier was nothing like he was going to give him now.

  “My old friend! You’re back. I’d shed a tear if I weren’t afraid you’d rip off my limbs while I wiped it.” Vetis danced backward.

  “Demons don’t have friends.” The Marquis snarled, stepping closer. Each of his steps was matched by Vetis’ backward one.

  “Oh, how you wound me.” Vetis held a hand over his heart. “And you will if I let you catch me. Thankfully I’ve always been quicker than you. So you can chase me all over town or you can give in to your true nature and finish what I started here before we head back home. Home, old man. I know you must have missed it.”

  The Marquis curled his upper lip. Missed Hell? No one misses Hell, not even their Master on the rare occasions he left. Kicking a huge spray of water, he jumped at Vetis and felt him slip through his grasp.

  “You can’t catch me!” Vetis waggled a finger and only just managed to raise a shield of fire as the Marquis blasted him. “This game is one you’re not going to win. You’ve always been reasonable. Give in to the inevitable.”

  Talk, talk, talk. The Marquis knew the other demon’s ways. He was a creature of action. Let Vetis flap his jaw, but he wasn’t listening. Another bubble of roiling hate added to his power and his stream of fire drove Vetis back a few feet. This wasn’t a fight he was going to lose. And seeing the realization of it spread across Vetis’ face added more fuel to his flames.

  Vetis was blasted off his feet and flew backward to the other side of the street. He rolled back onto his feet before jumping to his left as the Marquis threw a fireball at him. The ball sizzled and skidded over the sidewalk and into a building. The Circle rocked with the explosion.

  “You were always like talking to a brick wall. All smash and kill. Never savoring the moment. I often wondered if you took any joy in it at all.” Vetis ran, skipped, and flipped onto the signless rod of a restaurant. He balanced like a trained circus performer and snapped his fingers.

  The unconscious women jerked up as if pulled on strings. They rose to their feet and swayed, heads lulling forward or to the side. Spelled as they were, the Marquis could still see they were alive. They breathed and moaned, stumbling forward toward the fountain.

  Sparing a glance for Mae, she appeared unaffected by Vetis. She had crawled over to the weeping woman and wrapped her arms around her, comforting her. Comforting her in this waking nightmare.

  Something in his chest tightened, and he had to look away. These other women were nothing to him. Vetis’ tactics made no sense. When one of the women got close enough, the Marquis raised his hand to hit her.

  “No! No, Marc, please.” Mae rose to her knees. “They’re just innocent victims.”

  Yes, they were, but right now they were also Vetis’ tools. He couldn’t afford to look weak. He wouldn’t risk himself for a bunch of strangers.

  The spelled women closed in with arms flailing in an attempt to hit him. The Marquis pushed a couple back when they got too close. Too aware of Mae’s cries even at that. One of them hit him and he went sailing into the fountain.

  Water sloshed over in two great waves. The Marquis steamed as he stood up and bared his teeth. So they weren’t powerless little tools after all.

  A ball of flame ignited in one hand. Smiting humans was much easier than even lesser demons.

  “Marc, no!” Mae stood as she screamed.

  Vetis laughed from his perch.

  Spinning around, the Marquis threw the fireball at Vetis and slammed him against the building. He fell to the ground with a thump and the spelled women did the same.

  Fight all the puppets or take out the puppet master. It was much more satisfying to see his flames still searing Vetis.

  The Marquis launched himself at Vetis and rammed him with his horns. He pressed his head hard enough against the wall to hear bones crack before
tossing him over his head. Letting out a victorious roar, he turned to finish him off.

  Vetis was on his hands and knees, chuckling. He spat out a couple of mouthfuls of blood, but it didn’t stop his laughter. Mae screamed again. The Marquis whipped his head around to look at her. She was trying to run to the fountain, but the woman who she had been comforting had her arms wrapped around her waist and held her to the spot.

  “Save them! Save them!”

  Frowning, the Marquis didn’t understand. There was no one else—

  He didn’t want to be the hero, couldn’t afford to waste time saving miserable humans. It was Vetis that he needed to concentrate his furious energy upon. The bastard had ruined everything and the Marquis would have his revenge.

  The Marquis strode over and kicked Vetis, sending him flying ten feet. He ran over and drove his knee into Vetis’ chest to pin him to the ground. Mae’s frantic cries echoed in the Circle as he hit Vetis once, then twice. The feel of hot blood and broken bones made him grin.

  “Marc!” Mae’s desperation made his fist still. “Save them! They’re drowning! The fountain!”

  Twisting, the Marquis saw all the women were slumped over into the fountain. None of them fought their fate.

  “I can’t get free! Marc, please, I know you’re still in there. Help them.” Mae had scratched her captor’s arms in an attempt to get free, but she was held fast. Even from across the Circle, he could see her tears. Her eyes shimmered with fear just like they did in her café when the construct attacked.

  “Dammit.” The Marquis hit Vetis once more and raced over to the fountain. He yanked the women out and finally their survival instincts kicked in. Their bodies shook as they threw up water. Only one of them didn’t move. She didn’t even seem to be breathing.

  Anger. Hate. Somewhere else in him, he had to remember how to give CPR.

  He knelt down beside the woman and rolled her onto her back. Mouth to mouth? That wouldn’t work with his fang-filled maw. There was another part to it. What was it?

  “Pump her chest!” Mae shouted.

  Right. Hands just above the sternum and press with the palm. He needed to be careful he didn’t push a hole right through her.

  The Marquis did a few compressions, paused, and did a few more. It wasn’t working. Why wasn’t it working? Damn, but she looked like Mae. A few more wrinkles, but a lovely face and large breasts.

  Back in his bathroom, he had felt it. Love. His heart pounded and the redness in his vision eased. He continued pumping the woman’s chest. Mae. She was his only light in the world. Just a smile when she handed him his coffee would be enough to make the weight of a bad day evaporate. And the feeling of her mouth pressed to his when he kissed her, it was more magical than anything he’d ever experienced, and that was saying a lot.

  The woman coughed and curled up as she rolled onto her side. Water spewed out of her mouth.

  She was alive. He’d saved her. The Grand Marquis had saved a life.

  He stood and turned, wanting to see Mae’s reaction. The light in her eyes, the smile. Everything could be all right again.

  Instead, he saw her terror as Vetis held her from behind. Vetis had one arm locked around her, keeping Mae’s arms pinned to her sides. His other hand rested upon her exposed neck. Long sharp nails pricked her flesh.

  The Marquis cursed, hating himself for taking time for doing anything other than killing Vetis. It was his fault Mae was in his clutches. All this was his fault. And there was no way to escape except by breaking his heart.

  CHAPTER 12

  “Hm, what sort of cliché line can I spout off right now? The tide has changed. I have the upper hand now. Ha ha!” Vetis laughed at his own joke. Neither Mae nor the Marquis made a sound. Then his face went hard and cold. “I think it all boils down to: you’re fucked. Now get over here and kneel down before me or I’ll tear out her pretty little throat.”

  Mae remained absolutely still, biting her lower lip. The Marquis kept his gaze upon her as he walked over. Every ounce of fear within her made his anger rise tenfold. He went to his knees, glaring at Vetis.

  “Excellent.” Vetis nodded once. His nose had already straightened and the bones were slipping back into place in his face. It was as if little bugs under his skin were moving things around. “Here’s what’s going to happen. Anything I tell you to do, old man, you’re going to do. You’re going to kill those women as you should have done and then we’re going back to Hell a happy threesome. You will bow before our Master and let everyone know it was me who brought you back. Me.”

  “No, Marc.” Mae barely moved her lips. Fat tears broke free of her long lashes. “My life is only one. Don’t kill those women.” She whimpered as Vetis dug in his nails a little deeper.

  Her life was the greatest one. The only one that mattered. The Marquis knew she wouldn’t understand it. She always sacrificed so much for others. Why shouldn’t others sacrifice for her? They were only a few women. He could kill them, give him time to think of how to free her. There was no way he could let Vetis take her to Hell. That was a death sentence itself.

  “I’ll do it, but Mae’s not coming to Hell. You’ll release her.”

  “I think you’re missing the point here. She’s my insurance. The second I release her, you’ll kill me.” Vetis raised his brows as if to challenge the Marquis to say it wasn’t true.

  “I give you my word.” The Marquis held up his chin.

  “No.” Mae pleaded. “No. Please, don’t do it. It doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

  “Ah, but it does matter. That’s the only reason you’re still alive, sweetcakes,” Vetis said near her ear. “As for your word, old man, no. Never trust a demon. You’ll do as I say right now, or she’ll suffer the consequences.”

  No witty remark. No little dance. Vetis had run out of tricks. The Marquis’ hands itched to rip Vetis’ head from his shoulders.

  A few nights ago, he had barely enough power to create an illusion to try to frighten Vetis off. Now the power was burning through to incinerate his very core. He had felt pitiful, even helpless that night. Detestable emotions. It sickened him. What the Marquis was he loathed, but at least he had power.

  Vetis was doing it again. He had no control as long as he wanted Mae to live. She was the perfect tool to manipulate him, and Vetis would use her to whatever ends his beastly heart desired. He couldn’t allow it. This had to end now.

  “Mae,” the Marquis breathed out her name. “He’s right. You do matter. You matter more than anyone else has ever mattered to me. I can’t let him take you to Hell. You belong to Heaven.”

  As soon as the ball of fire appeared in his hand, he threw it. There was no point in dragging this out for any of them. The world shattered as it hit Mae. The look on her face. It was as if he died too. Vetis immediately dropped her, and she fell to ground screaming.

  The Marquis howled and pounced upon the other demon. They rolled, each trying to get the upper hand. Flames brewed between them. Desperation drove Vetis, but the Marquis had something much more powerful ready to tear him apart from the inside out.

  Mae’s screams cut off in mid-shriek.

  Vetis kicked upward, attempting to catapult the Marquis. The Marquis held on and used the momentum to take Vetis with him. He slammed Vetis into the cornerstone of a building and followed it with a fist to his face, crushing his head.

  “Never again.” With those words, the Marquis released the full force of his inner fire.

  Vetis’ cry didn’t even get a chance to escape from between his lips as his body ignited and was cremated in the same second. The pile of dust that was a greater demon fell with a soft whoosh and blew over the Marquis’ feet.

  He threw back his head and howled. The rush of victory. The power.

  A few of the women screamed. He could smell their fear. Ripe and mordacious. He turned to breathe it in all the more. They huddled by the fountain. And across the street, her body was still.

  Mae.

  The ac
he in his chest eradicated his triumph. The Marquis ran over to her side and collapsed onto his knees. His hand hovered over hers. Something burbled up in his throat. No growl or roar. If he saw someone else doing it, he would call it a sob.

  It was his fault. Mae. She—

  Her hand lifted and took hold of his. A soft hand with no blisters or burns. Mae smiled as she sat up and it was as if the sun had risen for the first time in a dark world. This time the sob did break free even thought it sounded a bit like a wolfish snort.

  His illusion had worked. She was alive.

  “Marc, you did it.” She glanced over at the other women and further relief spread across her face. “You saved us all.”

  The Marquis shook his head. “It was my fault. All of it. None of this wouldn’t have happened—”

  “Shush.” Mae held up a finger, touching his mouth. He knew it had to disgust her, but she was gentle. “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t. All those people out there are alive. I’m alive. You’re alive. And it’s because of you.”

  “I took a big risk. If Vetis wasn’t so shocked by what I did, he might have noticed you weren’t really burning.” He squeezed her hand. He couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to hold on and never let go. Though he knew it couldn’t be. Not for him.

  “You had to take the risk and I’m so grateful you did. Stop thinking about what might have happened. It’s over.” Mae caressed his cheek. He flinched as if she had hit him. She was too good to be touching a demon. He was a monster.

  “It’s over.” He agreed and started to rise. “Everything’s over. I should leave now.”

  “No.” Mae had a firm grip on his hand and pulled him back down. She rose up onto her knees, trembling but not letting go. Still not close to his height, but she didn’t have to crane her head as much. “You’re not running away from this. You’re Carmine’s hero. My hero.”

  “I’m a demon.” The Marquis growled and gestured to himself. “Look at me. I’m no hero. I’m undeserving of anyone’s forgiveness.” He twisted away and she pulled him back as if he were a ragdoll.