by Keri Salyers
I flounced back to the table, disgruntled to say the least. It was time for me to collect this rag-tag team and, if they were too busy enjoying parties, powdering noses or flirting with bimbos, then so be it; I’d confront Invyrchal on my own. First, Devi. I marched toward the apparent Life of the Party. No doubt his Harbinger senses alerted him to my approach, for his charming smile vanished and he pivoted toward me.
“Devi, we’re leaving.”
“D V?” The woman at his side tittered. “Finally, we get a name! Is that short for something? Let me see, is it… David… Victor…?”
“Deviant,” he replied, all his jocularism gone from his posture. His groupies laughed. Clueless.
I found my son not too far away and was rocked back onto my heels. Devi and Ian joined me. What was it with the women here?! Were all wealthy influential women in this city all under the impression that gala events were their own personal dating venue? The girl in question did not look like a fool, she was pretty in a quaint not-good-enough-for-my-son sort of way, but when she dared to place her hand on Cen’s shoulder, I reacted the only way a single mother would when her only boy was about to make a decision she did not like—I turned into That Mom. Full of irreproachable umbrage that some hussy would dare lay a finger on my boy, I was about to boil her insides when Ian suddenly grabbed my hand. “Let him be. He can make his own decisions.”
“Is that so? I think you are forgetting that despite appearances he IS a Sarkkrai. A three hundred fifty pound six-six Sarkkrai destroyer and warband leader who knows nothing of humans, let alone human anatomy. If she’s lucky, he won’t accidentally kill her. If not, he will on purpose kill her. So before anything like that scars my baby, I will kill her.”
“Zofeya, wait. You can’t—”
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do! That’s my son!” Before I could make good on my threat, a new unknown came forward. Apparently, not-good-enough had other admirers and they thought group tactics worked when you lacked a spine. The ringleader latched onto the girl’s arm and pulled her away from Cen. Cen didn’t look too concerned and that concerned me. We didn’t need this right now. I glanced about, searching for Sarkkrai. They were there but like Cen, they looked completely unconcerned. A few even looked amused, as if they hoped a fight would break out.
The foolish ringleader stepped into Cen’s personal space, confident with his friends at his back. He said something and Cen replied. The ringleader gestured, not at all put off by the fact the giant man before him didn’t speak a lick of English. Oh this was not good. I rush as fast as my heels could take me. When he saw me, it was like I had caught him sneaking dessert.
“This your girlfriend? Big man thinks he can just have all the ladies?”
Dick.
“Don’t kill anyone, Cenav,” I reminded him in his own tongue. He smiled a terrible, delightful smile and mine mirrored it.
“Absolutely not.” Ian stepped forward. The buzzkill poked the ringleader between the eyes. “Gentlemen, please. This is a celebration, not a time for fighting. Enjoy the festivities.”
The human shook his head as if coming to from a daze. His friends around him were confused. “What? Yes. Festivities. Yes.” He wondered off with them in tow. I sent the girl scurrying after them with a look. Ian favored me with a withering look of his own, as if somehow this was my fault and I should know better.
“Cenav,” High-and-mighty lectured. “At your age, I assumed you had already taken a mate back in Lehiras.”
Cen frowned and looked like he would not speak but then came out with: “Irritating, all of them. How could I not snap their necks if I see them day in and day out but find them an annoyance? They all cower and avert their eyes, I cannot stomach it. I see favor when they look at other males—why not me? I would make many strong young. When they think I am not watching, what I see is not something I understand…”
“Like you are some fascinating danger that they both fear but want to touch…” Ian finished. Cen blinked and then nodded his head once in agreement, face reflecting astonishment. Great. My son and the jerk were bonding over boy-stories….
“How unfortunate; the paramedics won’t get to sop up what’s left of that twit with a sponge,” I muttered. They both turned and as one asked ‘what’s a paramedic’. So much for my rapier wit… I flung up my hands. “Where’s Eleanor? I want to get this over with.”
“Over there,” Devi replied and I looked where he was jovially pointing. I spotted Eleanor looking harried. A man was in possession of her hand and was keeping her from joining us. My housesitter, being the spineless wimp she is, was probably going to agree with whatever he asked. I sighed. I was tired of intervening but it looked like I was not done yet. Ian stopped me. “I know the type. He won’t listen to anyone who’s not bigger than he is. Cenav?”
“The female’s plight is on no concern of mine.”
“She is an unmated female under the protection of your mother. The King’s property, so to speak.”
That certainly did it. Cen’s blue eyes grew large, then narrowed, darting to the offending man still currently in possession of my shrinking violet’s hand. Appealing to the Sarkkrai sense of propriety was a good idea. He marched over there, picked the man up by his lapels and gave him the eyeing of his life. No words were even needed. My son came back with Eleanor in tow. Together at last. I glanced at each of them. We were ready to end this.
~*~*~*~
CHAPTER 11
Perhaps it was my inner despot speaking, but I knew exactly where that flaming cockroach would be. The top of the building. Waiting for an invitation is not what heroes do! They take charge! They take the fight to the baddies, throw it in their face and say look here campfire, back off or I’m getting marshmallows! Yeah!
Back in the steel box—much to Ian’s glee—I looked at the panel, ready to jab that button with one helluva virtuous digit when... “Shit. You need a passcode for this? What the everlovin’ hells?” Not to be dissuade, I hit the highest accessible number and up we ascended. From there, we hit the stairs. The door at the top needed a card to open but didn’t bargain with my impatience. I fried it then shoved the door open. No one was there to stop us. The hallway was silent and empty.
I wasn’t pausing as the hallway yawned, turning from stark professional to refined luxury. The vaulted ceiling boasted a crystal chandelier, lighting up the gorgeous paintings, the potted trees and exquisite dark wood mantle. There was a single desk and a mix of comfortable chairs beside the corner of open glass windowing. A woman sat behind the desk rhythmically typing upon a laptop. I thought I heard the sound of some sort of music but was not sure. I stepped forward into the room and felt a rush of energy. I turned to see if the others had felt it as well.
They were gone.
“Oh, hello! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” I turned back to see the pretty young thing behind the desk smiling up at me. She followed my line of sight questioningly.
“I…” Where were they? Were they safe? What…. “I am here to see Sho Hashida.”
“Of course! I will let him know you are here.”
“Do you need my name?”
“Nope,” the blond said with a five-grand smile as she picked up the desk phone. She never said a word before setting the receiver back down. “Mr. Hashida will see you now.” She gestured toward the door, the smile never leaving her face. I felt off-kilter but with one last glance toward the hallway, I squared my shoulders the best I could and opened the door. Nothing prepared me for the torrent of deafening sound; the blast of what could only be heavy metal music that nearly bowled me over. The blond merely smiled, spinning her seat side to side.
The door clicked behind me. It was so loud I could barely think. Like the outer room, the office was decadent, beautiful. The same style of lovely art graced the walls, the far wall was open the city. The top of the desk was occupied an array of fruits, candies, desserts, cocktails and a pair of socked feet. This had to be the infamous founder and CEO of Has
hida Securities Inc. With his feet kicked up, a bite of chocolate in one hand, the other hanging over the side of the chair, he did not look like any CEO I’d ever seen. He had short shiny black hair and dark almond eyes. The suit he wore was expensive, adding a flare of power to an otherwise unassuming-looking man. Two Sarkkrai stood flanking the closed door.
Sho was watching me with a smile, waving the chocolate around like he was conducting the ear-splitting raucous coming from the in-set speakers that was filling the room with its screeching sound. He didn’t look the type to like that sort of music. Or desserts. Or kicking up one’s feet on the desk without shoes. He downed the candy, chewed thoughtfully and got to his feet, coming around to stand in front of me. “Ajax, Theseus, please wait outside. Assure that we are not disturbed by riff-raff.”
Ajax? Theseus? Sarkkrai code names? There was a large bookshelf in the room; a betting woman would have said there were Greek epics stationed there. His voice was soft, no accent, yet carried over the pounding music. It didn’t take a genius. “Invyrchal.”
His face split into an impish smile. Flames licked at his eyes.
“If you are masquerading as the founder of this company, where is the actual founder?”
“I ate him.”
“What?” I felt the blood leave my face.
Invyrchal laughed, sitting on the edge of the desk. “You’re so gullible! I absorbed him to learn everything about him then I eliminated all the weaknesses. I am Sho Hashida now. I must say, I do love how prim and proper he looks in these lavish suits. He had good taste at least. Not in music though. I found something better.”
“He had a family, Invyrchal—friends, lovers, married? You think you can fool them?”
“I do think that. Actually I know that. His wife is quite… impressed… with Sho’s sudden attention. He had always been a little standoffish when it came to his affections.” He grinned rakishly.
“That’s horrible.”
“I suppose. I could have bought him out then had him consummately replaced, bankrupted him, ruined his reputation.”
“Of course. Because absorbing someone is so much more humane.”
“Humane? Don’t speak to me of such things.” A flash of his temper burned behind his eyes but quickly guttered out.
“If you are so interested in this world, why not just take over by force then? Why choose to take over the life of one man?”
“Now, now, that simply would not do! These humans are more like the Pelthocians than just in appearance. A violent usurpation might work on Zarhsha, but it would not work against them.”
“So you are employing Ve’Sath’s destroyers as… as bodyguards in a security service? Are you out of your mind? They are brutal! Of course, I can’t imagine someone who’d think absorbing another life was the better option would be reasonable.”
“Ah, you are the only one who truly understands me,” he commented wistfully.
“Delightful. You know, Invyrchal, I’m not really interested in understanding you. I came here—as you asked. I am standing here—as you asked. Now, tell me why I shouldn’t just cook you from the inside out?” I crossed my arms over my breasts in my best no-nonsense pose.
“Your kind have always had the ability to weave great magic but never had the actual capacity themselves.”
“What? My kind?”
Invyrchal smiled a small private smile and did not respond right away. He looked over my dress, my posture. He studied my lips longer than was appropriate. When he spoke, it was slowly with a low voice, as if he were tasting the words before saying them. “Silly, silly, wonderful girl. What is it you go by now? Ah yes, Zofeya…” The way he whispered my name sent shivers down my entire body. “Do you think you can stand against me? Who do you think has been feeding you for so many lifetimes? Ah ha, a light in those shadowed depths?”
He pushed off the desk and paced slowly languidly off, watching me all the while. “I guess it’s time you knew. Let me ask you this, did you think that any of your cursed kind ever held the power you do? It’s never happened. Your kind are best left to their sleep and their dreams. The power you wield is mine! It has always been mine and now, my dear sweet Zofeya, I dare say, so are you. Now, no need to look so defensive; you should have known. Or at least suspected…”
“What are you going on about?” I did not like the dark humor in his eyes.
“You fell asleep. Do you remember? Of course you don’t. It was a long time ago. I directed the Sarkkrai to find you and awaken you. Boredom can cause the oddest reactions. The only power you wield that I did not give to you has been your blue flame, nothing more.”
“Th-that… is not true. It’s not true,” I managed to breathe out. I shook my head, feeling my hair slide over my shoulders.
“I easily stopped you before—did you not consider why? Are you that arrogant? Rhetorical question, of course you are. Try now, Zofeya, try and cast against me.”
I tried. I truly tried. I looked at my hands with their perfect painted tips. Nothing. I could feel my ability to change back to my natural self like a gentle hum beneath my skin. I called my blue flame, its heatless glow engulfed my hand—beautiful but a mockery. This wasn’t all I was capable of, but… what if it was? I dropped my eyes to the desserts on the desk, singling out a glass of wine. I wanted the wine to boil, to suffuse it with my energies and have it burst. It shouldn’t have been a problem. I could do that in my sleep. Yet… there the wine sat, unspoiled and sparkly and not on fire. Impossible.
“A mere mage couldn’t do this. Not even the vaunted Master Mage Nalach.” He tucked his hands behind him back and paced around the room. “Ve’Sath, with all his military might, certainly couldn’t. I am no mystic sword or enchanted heirloom yet I can empower you to cross very worlds. So… Zofeya… I had said I would ask you what I was, when the time came.” Invyrchal stepped behind me, his breath in my ear. “Tell me what I am…”
My own voice was choking me. My heart was ready to beat through my chest. Invyrchal’s presence was weighing me down like a weight in deep water and I couldn’t catch my breath. He was no obnoxious sprite. He was no wayward mage. No one could have such power. No one could bestow power like that. No one mortal. I was blind. “You’re…”
“Yessss…?” He leaned closer, his head touching mine. His hands lightly gripped my shoulders.
“A… god…”
Invyrchal laughed. I felt heat at my back and his presence was suddenly gone. The fiery figure I was used to appeared before me. “About time. I hate not getting the utter respect I deserve.”
How could I—we—fight this? A god? A Lehiras god? “What is it you want?”
“You. Just you. For now.”
“What?”
“You will become my priestess or—” He paused, smiling and spreading his hands. “Or you will forfeit all the power I have given you. All of it. I will leave you in mortal form since both of us are quite fond of that but you will be bereft of all magic. In short, you will no longer be able to touch the energy you know swirls about you, you will be subject to the whims of everything around you, and…. my dear sweet wonderful girl… you will die. Alone. Here.”
I couldn’t help it. My vision blurred and the thoughts his words invoked stirred within me. No magic. No magic. Was it true? Could it be that all this time when I thought it was I who had grown in power, it was merely Invyrchal funneling his own power into me? “It… it’s impossible. How…”
“I’ve watched over you while you slept. I tread through the snowscapes of your dreams, making my home deep within the darkest cave in the highest mountains. Every time you asked, I gave. Every one of your smallest whims, I answered. Doesn’t that make me a good patron? One who deserves a loyal priestess?” Invyrchal stepped close, gathering a handful of my mahogany hair and squeezing, admiring their resilient bounce.
“What…” My voice gave out for a second. “What does this entail?”
“Nothing that it doesn’t already. I know whenever you cast,
I can feel the draw. However, as my priestess, you will pay homage by bringing me new sources of energy. This, we will discuss later. A word of warning though,” He traced my cheek with a burning finger. I felt the heat but it did not scorch my skin. “I can’t have you relying totally on me. I will curtail you while you are in the human world but don’t fret, I would not ask you to refrain if I were not willing to do the same. We both must be careful to not injure this world. Do you accept all this? Will you accept me as your patron?”
As if I could say no. I clamped my lips together and nodded. What else could I do?
“Say it. Let me hear that you will place me above all others.” Invyrchal leaned close, his lips so close to my forehead that I could feel his breath when he spoke.
“Yes,” I whispered.
I could feel him smile. My eyes were closed when he pressed his lips to my forehead. When he pulled back, I could still feel the place where he had touched me. Warmth, then a burning cold. Invyrchal ran his fingers softly over my eyelids and down my cheeks. His hands moved to my shoulders and down my arms. The warmth followed, as did the aching frost. When I opened my eyes and looked up into his, he was smiling and there was a triumphant possessiveness there. “I’ve marked you as my own. No other can take my place in your dreams. I’ve given you a way to measure your limits. When you press upon me, your skin will darken in an arcane pattern. When the pattern turns fully atramentous, you will know you can no longer call upon me. Should you attempt to try, I will be forced to rethink your position…”
“Pattern?”
Invyrchal held his hands loosely before him, palms facing each other. The air chilled and ice began to form. Within moments, the glass hardened into a mirror large enough for me to see my reflection. I gasped. The mirror showed me naked but before I could become indignant, my eyes lit upon the patterns he spoke of. There was a symbol I didn’t recognize on my forehead where Invyrchal had placed his kiss. The trails that his fingers traced down my cheek looked like my eyes had bled ink. Swirls and lines ran down my limbs, over my body. They steadily grew thicker and thicker till my skin was more black than its normal pale color. It was beautiful and it was frightening. Then it faded away and the mirror melted into steam.
