Once Upon A Midnight

by Stephanie Rowe

  Legs still wobbly from the fall, I walked directly towards him. I knew I couldn’t use my power against him right then, but I ambled my way over to him with a single-minded purpose—to prove that I could be as threatening, and a laugh-a-minute-riot, as he could. His brows arched, the smug smile quickly fading from his face. Right before I was in striking distance, I jerked my shoulders, pretending like I was going to reach for him. He shrieked and jumped back behind the tree. I took small satisfaction from his reaction. Wolf was scared of me, but I already knew that. He just needed a little reminder. With a twist of my lips, I wiggled my fingers, still keeping my arms at my side as I said, “Look ma, no hands.”

  He scoffed, not appreciating the joke. Again, I took pleasure in his discomfort.

  “You’ll pay for that. Just wait and see.”

  The creep stepped out from behind the two-foot width of white bark he had been cowering behind. But that didn’t surprise me, either. Most bullies were cowards, underneath all their false bravado.

  “Maybe I will…but just maybe, and over your shriveled-up body, I won’t.”

  There was no use in playing the nice necro. We were enemies, plain and simple.

  He mottled red as he tried in vain to plaster another villainous mask across his face. I’d put a chink in his armor, so he looked constipated, instead.

  “If you’re done with your little school yard games, we can proceed,” he said, standing a little straighter.

  I was still grinning in triumph from ear to ear. Was I gloating? Yes. Did I give a crap? No. My small victory was well earned.

  “I’m just waiting for you.”

  He gave me one more cramped look before walking away. Still seething, I followed him into the rolling, grey fog, not able to see more than a few feet in front of me. My boots trudged through piles of ash, making me wonder who could survive in that desolate wasteland.

  “Watch your step!” Wolf called. He was farther ahead of me than I thought.

  I picked up the pace, spooked by the fog. In my rush to catch up, I forgot to heed his warning. My foot came down, falling through open air. I tumbled forward, somersaulting sideways. My head smacked up against something hard, pain sliced through my side, and the wind was knocked clean out of me. I came to a jarring stop, my face landing in a pile of ash. I hacked, spitting out wet clumps of the stuff.

  He smirked and said, “That’s exactly what you deserve for not listening.”

  My face flamed, but I ignored the smug jerk standing in front of me. Instead, I took in my surroundings. We were at the threshold of yet another corridor. That one and the first we encountered were like night and day by comparison. Black marble veined with slivers of white covered every inch of the room. Two columns stood on either side of an extremely large door. The pillars loomed as tall as a two-story building; the door was half that height.

  My knees shook as I stood, from either fear or the fall. I dusted my hands on my jeans, a cloud of ash rising from the beating. Our footfalls echoed in the massive space, jumping off the walls as we walked into the room. I craned my neck, almost pinching it, as I took in the opulence of it all.

  “Why is the door so large?”

  He gave me another one of his ridiculous smiles. “Everything is grand here.”

  I chuckled, tasting ash. “It’s a bit of overkill, if you ask me. Are you trying to compensate for something?”

  He looked serious for a second, almost reminiscent. “The size and weight of the door is also used as a safety precaution. I like to throw several complications in front of any would-be foes, so as to better my chances against them. It’s why I kidnapped your sister. I could have found other ways to get you down here with me, maybe by letting it slip who’s behind those glorious doors.”

  Wolf wasn’t making any sense. Besides Helen and my sister, and after recent developments, Rush and Rafe, there was nobody behind those doors I would care enough about to crawl into the bowels of Hell for.

  Before I could ask another question, Wolf slipped four fingers, two from each hand, between his lips and blew. A shrill whistle pierced my eardrums. All at once, what sounded like a tornado came blasting through the space. A chill that was colder than the Himalayas sunk deep into my skin. The freeze crawled up my spine as I watched two of the most exotic beings I’d ever laid eyes on sashay into the corridor. They appeared out of nowhere. The women had matching hair that draped past their waists. The shimmering locks of spun gold swayed seductively in time with the erotic movement of their hips.

  A sheer dress of white draped from their curved, but lean bodies. The material left nothing to the imagination. With stoic features, they came to a stop, one beautiful vampire on each side of the door. I knew they were the undead because of the faint glow of red emanating from my eyes. In one fluid motion, the vampires slipped their fingers into a hidden latch and pulled. There was a grinding sound before the door swung open.

  “Come here, my perfect creatures,” Wolf beckoned.

  They moved, but my eyes couldn’t fully register the streaked blur of their movement. They were suddenly in Wolf’s arms.

  “Welcome home, master,” a pair of velvet voices cooed in adoration.

  “Is this the necromancer who is to save our mistress?” one of them asked.

  “Yes, my darling, she is. Did you feed well on the humans I left for you?” Wolf took his time to stroke each of the women’s heads like they were his favored pets.

  Don’t mind me; perv away, phantom boy.

  The one on his left, who had light velvet eyes, pushed out plump, round lips, looking like a sad little girl, almost ready to cry. “One of the treacherous cows killed herself before we got to her, so we didn’t get to play with her first.”

  “She threw herself on a ghoul,” whined the one on his right with powder blue eyes. Even her whine sounded sweet, almost edible.

  “Now, don’t you worry. I’ll round up some more humans for you to play with right after I’m finished here. I promise. Now, run along. I have business to tend to,” Wolf said to them both.

  Without another word, the female vampires zipped away in a flurry of sheer silk and wild hair. In that whole time, neither of those women had bothered to look at me for more than a second. Their mistake; they should have weighed me more carefully. I guess to them, down there, I was considered as worthless as a mortal, one of their playthings. Last time I checked, I didn’t have Lunchables stamped across my forehead.

  I could feel the crackle of my power riding just under the surface of my skin, tingling at my fingertips, the change of venue not hindering or tampering with my powers in the least. If anything, I felt stronger. Bring it on, vamp bitches.

  I looked through the open door and thought, If I live through this insane ordeal (my mind picturing helpless men, women, and—Heaven forbid—children in the viscous hands of these psychopathic, female vamps), I’ll find a way to kill both of those heartless blood-suckers.

  My eyes landed on Wolf’s back as I followed him over the threshold, into a room that was even more richly appointed than the large vestibule we’d just left. I planned on killing his sorry ass, too.

  ~~~

  I reached down and offered Torra my hand, but she shook her head at me. Pushing up from the ground, she stood on her own. If she was in pain, she was hiding it well.

  Torra’s refusing my hand reminded me so much of her sister. They were both exquisite beauties, dangerously armed with a roar of independence that could deafen any poor soul who’d dare get in their way. I smiled because I knew how it felt to be one of those barriers.

  “Didn’t any of you hear me? Where is Kris?” Irritation evident, Torra tapped her leather boot on the ground. “I know the silly cow risked her life to save me, and I tell you what; I could kill her for it.”

  Rafe, who had been standing off to the side while Torra regained herself, stormed forward, almost tripping in the process. After getting his ass handed to him at the club, and then that stumble from a vampire, I was beginning to
think he was a major klutz. For some reason, the thought amused me. I coughed back a laugh.

  “Why, you…you, ungrateful wench! Kris, at this very moment, is risking her ass for you, and I,” Rafe stood a bit taller, “just saved your life. You need to be a little more grateful, I think.”

  Torra’s eye’s flamed with heat. She closed the distance between them in two confident strides. Without fear, she shoved her face right into his, their noses almost touching.

  “I’d never want my sister to run off on a suicide mission. I can handle myself! And I sure as hell didn’t ask for a vein-drainer to save my life. If you’re looking for a pat on the back, I have really bad news for you, ‘cause you’re sucking up the wrong neck!”

  “Enough!” The night boomed with Deidra’s angry voice.

  All eyes swung to the ghost. Even Torra stopped mid-rant to look at her. I’m sure Rafe was grateful for the reprieve; he never knew what hit him.

  “It’s high time we make our way over to the portal. Kris has been down in the Shadowscape long enough.”

  “What is she talking about?” Torra asked Rafe, the threat of mutilation gone from her features. He shrugged and looked at me for an answer.

  After a curt nod at Deidra, I said, “Kris has ventured down the proverbial rabbit hole, into another land, dimension, plain, or whatever you’d like to call it. It’s home to ghouls, phantoms, and the occasional vampire. From my studies at the Center, I’ve learned that it’s next to impossible to find your way there, and apparently, even harder to open the gateway between our lands, once you do.”

  “But lucky for you,” the ghost interrupted, “I know exactly where this door between our worlds is located and how to open it.”

  “Then, why are we standing here? Let’s go get that stubborn sister of mine,” Torra announced with an I dare you to say anything about it look at Rafe.

  The vampire smiled and held up his hands. “We’re on the same page, hellcat.”

  Torra stormed passed Rafe, looking at me impatiently. “Well?” she asked.

  At that, the ghost zipped forward, taking the lead. Rafe and I followed, keeping our mouths shut.

  Chapter Thirty

  “What do you think, necromancer? This place is more beautiful than anything you’d find in your world,” Wolf said. He looked around, hypnotized by the grand trappings and expensive flourishes that surrounded us.

  The room, if you could call the football-field-sized chamber that, was indeed a sight to behold. The floors sparkled and gleamed, clear and glossy, like the gems I coveted on my mother’s ‘special occasion’ jewelry when I was a child. My mouth dropped when I looked down.

  “Is that what I think it is?” I asked.

  “Diamonds. Pure and flawless,” he said with a nod.

  Unbelievable. One small chunk of that floor would be worth millions in my world. There, it was only foot tread. The walls were built of stone, nothing all that spectacular, until you noticed the gold cascading through it in massive, shimmering waves. The river veined and pumped through the rock as if it was alive. The golden lava flowed down, penetrating the diamond, spreading out to create a border of deadly heat around the entire perimeter of the room.

  The air was heavy with the scent of roses. Thick, green stalks grew from the diamond floor in a straight, even line down the middle of the room. How the plant was able to breach the hard stone to grow, I didn’t know. Every thorn-bearing stem coiled and wound together like a beanstalk. Humungous red and white roses grew from the coils. The flowers were in full bloom, with silken petals flaring out in pure majesty.

  I ached to pluck one, to feel its satiny surface across my fingertips. I imagined dragging one of those flowers over Rush’s naked flesh, erotic moans slipping between his lips as the petals caress and contour his sculpted muscles. I could hear his beckoning moans and see his hand outstretched to me as he lay wanting on my bed, his length hard against his thigh.

  “From your expression, I’d venture to say you’re about to cum.”

  What the…? I mentally shook myself. My body was trembling, my loins aching; tingles of desire thrummed over my overheated body. If Rush had been anywhere near me while I was having those thoughts, I would already be riding him like a cowgirl going for a buckle.

  “What just happened? What did you do to me?” My voice was heavily laced with accusation.

  “It’s the roses, my dear.” He hissed the word ‘dear.’ “They are called Lothario because of their lure. Lothario roses are fabled to entice even the most chastened of men or women. One drop of Lothario extract slipped into someone’s drink will make the unsuspecting recipient insatiable for days.” Wolf threw back his head and laughed. “There are stories about influenced humans being so ravenous with lust that they fuck their partners into an early grave. Ha, ha! I guess you could say that they were ‘ridden hard and put away cold.’ That’s something I would have really loved to have seen. I wonder if the poor humans stopped long enough to realize the flesh they were pounding was limp and cold.” The sicko stopped to ponder over that thought. “Hmm…probably not. Hyped up enough, humans will fuck anything…with or without a pulse.”

  “You’re disgusting,” I spat.

  “You flatter me.”

  I blinked, trying to focus. The smell of those roses had me dazed. I took a moment to center myself. If that was how Lothario affected me, and I wasn’t even human, then I could only imagine what it would do to a more susceptible victim. Thank God, those things didn’t grow in earthen soil, because if they did, there would be a lot of screwing going on and a huge population problem. Rape and mass orgies would become ‘the new black’ in that hellish scenario.

  A thought slid through my mind. How long have I been standing here? Instinctually, I knew I had to move. My body was feeling increasingly heavier in my boots. My nipples were growing sensitive and flush, hard. So hard. They were like the diamond I was standing on. Heat infused my panties, moist, hot, and slick with need.

  God forbid, I was overcome enough to act on the forced lust! Wolf and I were the only two beings around; that fact was enough incentive for me to get the heck out of Dodge…quickly. I couldn’t even imagine blacking out, blinded by lust, only to come to and find myself straddling that sickening brute. I threw up in my mouth a little just thinking about it.

  “It’s time to move. Now!” I barked, kicking my horny ass into gear.

  I didn’t give a shit in what direction I walked, which ended up being forward, deeper into the room. I wasn’t going to stand around there and wait for the unthinkable to happen. Ugh, more vomit.

  ~~~

  I heard water roaring in the distance, as well as the soft thud of bare feet falling against the hard floor. The power in the room hit me right off. Without a doubt, I knew we’d arrived at our final destination. Compared to that power, what I initially felt in the mausoleum was a slight irritant. Thankfully, the full force of the power knocked the Lothario’s lingering effects right out of me. It felt good to be rid of that crippling desire.

  Rounding a corner, I came to a staggering halt. I grabbed the wall to steady myself. Several creatures walked around. For what purpose, I hadn’t a clue, because all they did was walk from one spot to another with no apparent intention in mind. My eyes roamed over each one of them. The creatures looked dangerous, with corded muscles, the thickest band of which bulged to create a wide set of hunched shoulders.

  Their dull skin resembled leather, tautly stretched to cover their thin, almost emaciated, olive-colored bodies. Skinny or not, the muscles on their shoulders, arms, and legs made it clear that they could do some real damage if they wanted to. Limp knuckles dragged the ground cave man style, making the curved claws on their bony fingers screech eerily along the floor as they walked naked, back and forth, as if lost. If the sight of them didn’t make me want to piss myself, I might have felt sorry for the beasts. But I didn’t; I feared them.

  “Daddy’s home!” Wolf announced, gliding into the room, trudging through t
he cluster of creatures without worry.

  Beady, yellow eyes followed his progression. A couple of them lifted their bald, abnormally shaped heads long enough to growl in a lazy, low-based tone. My breath hitched as I caught a glimpse of their pointy, sharp fangs.

  The better to rip your throat out, my dear. I shivered. What were those monsters?

  I pressed my back to the wall, my palms against the surface. Sidestepping, I slid along, making my way into the room as if being careful was even a possibility.

  One of the monsters reached out, gently swiping at Wolf’s leg. It looked as if it was pleading for something. From the state of its body, caved in abdomen and cracked lips, I ventured a guess that what he was begging for was nourishment. The thing looked starved.

  Wolf stopped walking. His dark hair swept into a pair of eyes that projected indifference. Slowly, he turned to look at the beast groveling at his feet. In a show of expected cruelty, Wolf turned on the creature like a whip. Scowling, he growled and kicked, a well-polished shoe making brutal contact with the side of the beast’s skull. An ear-shredding screech tore from the creature’s throat, making all the other monsters in the room turn in our direction. Still, Wolf was not afraid…but I certainly was. Something was stopping those monsters from attacking him, even after he attacked one of them, and I wasn’t sure if I would be given the same clemency.

  I reached up and grabbed the back of my neck. I could feel what seemed like a million knots bunched up underneath the muscle and skin. It made sense. I was definitely stressed.

  “What are those things?” I couldn’t hide the tremble in my voice.

  With a stern expression, he glowered at me. “Ghouls…good-for-nothing bags of bone. A waste of space, if you ask me.” Wolf’s face contorted like he tasted something foul. “If Camille wasn’t so fond of her pets, I’d be rid of them all.”