House of Phoenyx: House of Phoenyx book 1

by T. John Greene

  Chapter 19

  Percaline

  The hallway was shadowed in shades of gray and green. Percaline started down it. Landon followed. Neon lights hung from the ceiling every ten feet or so but it wasn’t enough light to drive away the shadows. Rainata moved in front of the group and led them towards the stairs. Percaline passed an ancient patient room, looking through the glass window in the door. A metal bed frame with mattress and shackles furnished the room and like everything else in the sanatorium it was covered in dust, dirt, and filth.

  They all stopped at the sound of the door opening behind them. Percaline peered down the hallway and past the dining area to the lobby. Two men were helping another man through the door. She squinted and realized that one of the faces looked familiar. The man they were helping was Blake.

  Percaline steeled herself for a fight, ready to kill Blake, but Isidora who stopped her. She held a finger to her mouth when Percaline started to speak and pointed down the hallway in front of them. Percaline could hear the faint sound of Mischelle’s heels coming up the stairs. They were being closed in on both sides and they needed the element of surprise on their side.

  Lucas tried one of the doors in the hallway, turning it and allowing all of them to quickly and silently slip into the room. Bars covered the windows and the smell of mold clogged Percaline’s sinuses. They stood quietly, listening to Mischelle walk by.

  “Where have you been?” Mischelle called accusingly.

  One of the men started to answer her but she talked over him. “Blake?” Percaline heard a slapping sound. “Wake up. I need you to do something for me.”

  Blake groaned something incomprehensible.

  “The girl stabbed him in the leg and he’s lost a lot of blood,” one of the men said.

  “That’s fine. He just needs to hang there.” They heard Mischelle turn and head back to the stairs with the men following her. “I need you to turn transform into Mason.”

  Blake again muttered something incomprehensible.

  “How about you do this for me and I don’t kill you right here? And if you don’t bleed to death then you get to live,” Mischelle answered him. They walked down the hallway and back down the stairs.

  Rainata opened the door slowly and listened for a minute. Then she gave the hand signal for them to continue on their way. Percaline followed, still wrapped in shadows, stopping when she hit the top of the stairs.

  The stairs were dark so she could fully shadow herself. She was the first to creep down, staying to the side of the wall until she was able to look over the banister to see if Mischelle was waiting at the bottom. She wasn’t. Percaline signaled to Lucas and the rest of the group to follow and when they got to the bottom of the stairs, trying their hardest to be quiet and avoid old squeaky floor boards, Rainata, Isidora, and Landon separated from her and Lucas, approaching the room Savannah was in from the back.

  The downstairs area, like the rest of the sanatorium, was in disarray. Paint was falling off of the walls where it wasn’t graffitied over and everything was covered in a layer of dirt. Three large rooms comprised the basement: the one they were in, the one Savannah was in which was separated by a glass cube wall, and the larger room behind them which Rainata, Isidora, and Landon disappeared into.

  Percaline and Lucas stayed against the wall as they rounded the staircase to peer through the windows that separated one room from the other. Percaline stayed in front of Lucas because she would be invisible to anybody but him. She peered through the glass cube window and located Savannah, hanging in chains and having a conversation with Mischelle. Lucas switched positions with her so he could look through the glass without being noticed and said in a whisper, “They’re using Mason against her.”

  Percaline nodded in agreement. The two men that had been carrying in Blake now looked like they were holding a barely-alive Mason and if Percaline hadn’t seen Mason with Nyx at the House, she would have believed that he was really there. Percaline stepped out from behind the glass, knowing that she wouldn’t be visible to anyone. She needed to get a closer look to see what they were dealing with. Savannah was bleeding from her wrist. Her face was bloodied and red and her eyes were swollen but she was still able to talk.

  “That’s not Mason,” Percaline heard her spit at Mischelle. At least she wasn’t fooled. Percaline didn’t need Savannah trying to save Blake because she thought he was Mason.

  Percaline watched Blake look up and change from Mason into Rainata and then into Isidora. It was in that moment that Percaline finally believed in Isidora. She wasn’t one of the bad guys. Blake had been the bad guy the entire time and now he was going to pay. An arrow came from behind Savannah and hit Blake in the forehead. Isidora had found her mark just like she did every time in practice. That was their signal to move. It was time to finish what Mischelle was trying to start.

  Lucas, sword in hand, moved with such precision and grace Percaline almost didn’t realize he wasn’t behind her until she saw the head of goon number one roll to her feet on the floor in front of her.

  Lucas

  Lucas was there for two things; first, to rescue Savannah and second, to protect Percaline. Percaline had unwrapped her shadows and was now visible, sword fighting with goon number two. If he hadn’t moved his head just as Lucas had swung his sword, goon number two would also be dead. Lucas didn’t want Percaline to be in this fight but he also knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop her. It was in her blood and he couldn’t stop that anymore than she could stop him from protecting her. Savannah was the only family Percaline had and he knew that Percaline would rather die than let anyone hurt Savannah. She moved like a true femme fatale who was more than capable of taking care of herself.

  Two red eyes appeared in the darkness in front of him and Lucas immediately checked his surroundings for more. Rainata, covered in dirt and blood, her eyes burning with revenge, was closing in on Mischelle. Isidora was beside her, an arrow locked in her bow. Landon was helping Savannah escape her handcuffs. He had already bandaged her wrist. A large dog walked out of the shadows, revealing the body that belonged to the eyes. Lucas recognized the breed from the trials. It was a Hell hound. Shit!

  Percaline kicked goon number two’s knees out from under him and as he fell backwards, she grabbed him by the hair and stabbed him through the heart. The man fell to the ground. Percaline moved so fast it wouldn’t have been recognizable to the human eye and took position behind the Hell hound.

  Lucas swung at the Hell hound, catching him in the side without making so much as a mark on him. The hound lurched at him, taking the bait. If Lucas could keep the hound preoccupied then Percaline could stab it. Lucas tried to keep the dog busy, but the creature knocked him over instead. He was much bigger and heavier than Lucas had imagined. Drool and blood ran down his muzzle and his breath smelled like death.

  Lucas let go of his sword and felt for the knife he had strapped to his leg. He pushed the dog away with one arm, trying to prevent him from eating his face, but with the dog’s four legs on top of him, he couldn’t reach the knife. The dog continued to snarl and snap at Lucas’s face, preparing for its dinner.

  “I can’t kill him without hurting you,” Percaline yelled from somewhere above the dog. She was right. If she stabbed the dog there was a good chance it would go through its sternum into him and if she tried to cut the dog’s head off she might also behead him.

  Lucas turned his head behind him and spotted Isidora, who was lined up to take a shot. He pushed the dog’s head up with all his strength. “Now!” he yelled and in the next moment an arrow was sticking out of the beast’s eye. He tried to push the dog off of him. Percaline rushed over to help and managed to roll it off. Lucas wiped the bile that blanketed the Hell hound’s body from his hands and picked up his sword again.

  Rainata was still with Mischelle and Landon was trying to break Savannah free of her last shackle. Lucas watched as Landon paused for a moment. Was he communicating with Josephine? Lucas took a couple of
steps towards Mischelle before he stopped, dizziness and fog filling his head. He needed to get to Mischelle and kill her, but he couldn’t separate one thought from another. His hand moved by itself, grabbing for Percaline.

  “Percaline, watch out! Azazel can possess Lucas!” Landon screamed in the background as Lucas faded away, taking up a new perspective above his body.

  Percaline

  Percaline heard what Landon was saying but it didn’t register with her fast enough, which allowed Azazel the opportunity to seize her with Lucas’s hands. Even with a sword being held to her neck she couldn’t understand what was going on. “Lucas?” she asked, knowing who would answer.

  “Percaline, that’s not Lucas, it’s Azazel,” Landon called from across the room. In the shuffle, Mischelle moved away from Rainata and Isidora and grabbed him, pressing a dagger to his back right where his heart would be. Rainata and Isidora remained where there were, Rainata’s eyes boring a hole through Mischelle.

  Azazel had Percaline’s arms pinned down and one arm around her chest and neck. “Drop the sword,” he commanded her. Percaline was in no position to argue so she followed his orders. She listened as her sword hit the ground.

  “You two,” Azazel said, pointing Lucas’s sword at Rainata and Isidora. “Weapons down.” Rainata and Isidora began lowering their weapons.

  Percaline began to struggle, but Azazel held on tightly to her. He moved his sword so it crossed her throat. “Keep struggling and my last act in this body will be to kill you and then fillet your boyfriend.” Of course Azazel knew the one thing that would get her to stay completely still. It was one thing to threaten her but it was a different thing altogether to threaten the life of someone she loved. Without Lucas she would die.

  “What do you want, Azazel?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you be preparing to walk through a portal?”

  Azazel laughed. “I should be yes, but your sister wouldn’t cooperate with Mischelle.” He nodded towards Mischelle. “All Savannah needs to say are six little words: aperit ostium meum sanguinem, in tartarum. Once she does, I’ll leave your boyfriend’s body.”

  Percaline looked at Savannah. She was still chained to the floor by her ankle. Landon had bandaged her wrist, but gauging from the pool of blood on the floor she’d lost a lot before they got there. Savannah looked up at her sister. Her face was pale and swollen and she seemed faint like she was ready to pass out. Percaline needed to get her out of here quickly. With more strength than Percaline would have imagined she had, Savannah asked Azazel, “And why would I do that?”

  Azazel motioned to Mischelle, who, for being such a talkative bitch, had been silent since his arrival.

  Mischelle pushed her dagger farther into Landon’s spine. “Because if you don’t, Mischelle will kill the dog and I will kill the phoenix,” Azazel replied.

  If the situation had been reversed Percaline would have done anything they told her to do if there was a chance of saving Savannah and Landon, but since this was the position they were in, she hoped Savannah wouldn’t do the same.

  Landon struggled against Mischelle but she held on tight. “I’m not worth it. Let her kill me!” he yelled.

  They needed a distraction but Savannah couldn’t give them one. She looked weakly between Landon and Percaline and then to the blood on the floor and before Percaline could stop her she said, “Aperit ostium meum sanguinem, in tartarum,” and fainted.

  The space below the platform, now covered in Savannah’s blood, hummed briefly. Fire shot up through the circular crack like the water show at the Bellagio and spread all around the platform. Everyone watched in awe. Landon took advantage of Mischelle’s intrigue paralysis and bent forwards so her blade would no longer be an issue, flipping her over his back into the fire. Mischelle tried to cross the circle’s fire barrier but the circle wouldn’t let her cross. She screamed as her eyes sunk back into their sockets and her body dried up from the inside out until she became a pile of ash and was absorbed by the fire.

  It was now time for Percaline to do something about Azazel. She butted him with the back of her head, sending him back a couple of feet. It wouldn’t hurt Lucas and it allowed her some much needed space. She turned, expecting the attack, which Azazel brought. “Sorry about your girlfriend,” Percaline taunted. She threw a punch and hit him square in the jaw. That would make Lucas uncomfortable later.

  “That’s okay. I found someone I like more,” Azazel smiled using Lucas’s lips. He swung at her with Lucas’s sword.

  “Don’t you have someplace you need to be?” she asked, dodging the sword and kicking it free of his hand. It landed a couple of feet away.

  Azazel grabbed her hair and pulled her into him. “There is, but I wanted one last thing.” And he kissed her.

  Although he kissed with Lucas’s lips, it was completely different from Lucas’s kiss. It was full of fire and desire whereas Lucas’s was full of passion and comfort. It wasn’t bad, which was not what Percaline had expected. There was no denying they had chemistry. She pushed Azazel back and wrenched her eyes open.

  Percaline watched as Isidora raised her bow behind Azazel. She was aiming for his head, but Percaline wouldn’t let her kill Lucas. She lifted her arm and caught the arrow milliseconds before it hit its intended target, Lucas’s forehead.

 

  Lucas

  Things were different this time since Lucas understood that his body was being possessed. In the lighthouse he had just been floating above everything, feeling fuzzy like he’d taken cold medication. His body was present but he was disconnected. With this new knowledge his spirit had freedom of soaring above his surroundings. He watched as Savannah repeated the words and fire shot up from the circle under her perch. Lucas hovered above Savannah’s unmoving body and felt the life draining out of her. She was still breathing but she needed help soon.

  He soared over to Landon, who was watching as Mischelle’s eyes turned into black holes in the fire. Rainata and Isidora stood nearby, weapons in hand. They stared at the fire. “Come on guys!” Lucas screamed. “Do something. Help Savannah!” But they couldn’t hear him.

  Percaline was on the other side of the fire, fighting with Azazel. All she needed to do was last a couple of minutes until it was time for Azazel to leave his body and go through the portal. Hopefully he wouldn’t kill her before then.

  “How do we close the portal?” Rainata asked.

  Lucas couldn’t understand why this would take precedence over helping Percaline. The room was starting to quake. Lucas couldn’t feel it but he could see cracks radiate from the platform and run up the walls. They needed to get out of there.

  Landon looked grave and spoke in a low voice. “Josephine said that the only way to close the portal was to let Savannah die or to kill Lucas.” Rainata and Isidora both froze.

  Rainata spoke first. “That’s why Savannah was left alive. She needs to be alive for the portal to open. If she dies it closes.” They all peered over the flames at Savannah. If they didn’t move quickly enough the decision would be made for them and Savannah would die.

  This wasn’t what Lucas had expected. There had to be another way. Percaline would never willingly kill him. He watched as Azazel brought her into his arms and kissed her. Azazel needed to stay in Tartarus. If they closed the portal they could get to Savannah in time to save her life. He looked back at Landon, Rainata, and Isidora and watched as Isidora aimed an arrow at his head. Yes, that’s it. Kill me.

  Percaline stopped the arrow in midair. He wasn’t dead yet.

  “What are you doing?” Landon asked, slapping Isidora’s bow down.

  “We can’t let the portal remain open,” Rainata answered for her.

  “And you’re willing to kill Lucas to do that?” Landon inquired.

  “Our orders are to stop Azazel from rising at all costs,” Isidora replied, feeling the wrath of Percaline’s eyes boring into her through the fire. “And the only way we can do that is to let Savannah die, which may or may not prevent Azaz
el from rising, or to kill Lucas.”

  They had orders. That’s why Don had wanted to talk to them without the others around.

  Landon looked between Savannah and Lucas, then at the portal. “Lucas’s blood will close the portal,” he said in a whisper.

 

  Lucas’s vision sped up and slowed down again as he snapped back into his body. Azazel had left, presumably to find the portal, but Don had told the bodyguards that they couldn’t let that happen. Percaline’s hand was still clasped Isidora’s arrow. “Percy?” Lucas asked. Her eyes moved from Isidora to him.

  She peered at him and he smiled. “Luke?” she asked.

  He wrapped his hand around hers and took the arrow from her. “It’s me.” She lowered her hand and gave it to him.

  He moved so that he was closer to the fire. He didn’t have orders to close the portal like the bodyguards did, but he still understood that they had to do it. Savannah needed medical attention and there was no way to get to her without the portal closing. Her life depended on it.

  He moved Percaline’s hair away from her face and cupped her cheek with his free hand. “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you too,” she said back. “But we need to get Savannah.” She tried to move past him but he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms for a kiss. He was going to help her get Savannah, but he also wanted the last memory she had of him to be this kiss. She kissed him back as passionately and heatedly as she had during their first kiss and every kiss since then, and before he was ready for the kiss to end, Lucas shoved her away from him and plunged the arrow into his heart. The girl with the pigtails had changed his life.

  Percaline

  “No!” Percaline screamed. Lucas fell into the fire with the arrow in his heart.

  Percaline watched as his body disappeared and the fire that had been shooting up from the floor ceased to exist. All that remained was Savannah’s poor limp body on the stone altar.

  Landon was the first to snap into action. He crossed onto the platform. The blood was now mostly dried and gone. “She needs help!” he screamed at Percaline but she couldn’t hear him. She walked to where Lucas’s sword had fallen and picked it up. The ground continued to shake. Pieces from the ceiling above her started to fall, but she didn’t care. Savannah was seconds away from death and Lucas was dead. Her soul felt empty.

  She fell to her knees in front of the glass wall and bowed her head on the sword as she heard the House of Phoenyx bells begin to chime for a fallen soldier. She let the sword go, and as it fell to the ground and as the bells silenced she burst into birds and all that was left of her was flying around.