“A lot,” Silas says, shaking his head. “Potentially it gives them power over Rafe.”
“We have to stop him,” I say.
The three men look at each other, then all of them shake their heads negative.
“He’s made his choice,” Silas says.
“There is no other way,” Nathaniel says.
“Aviella, let him do this,” Efram adds.
“We can’t let him do this!” I say. “What is wrong with you guys? We stand up for each other. We can’t let one of our own put himself in so much danger.”
Anger pulses as I step towards the door and reach for the handle. Nathaniel moves in front of me, blocking the door, while Efram and Silas take hold of my arms on either side.
“Aviella,” Silas says.
“No!” I yell. “This is not what we do. I can’t lose him. I can’t lose any of you guys.”
Tears well in my eyes, threatening to fall. Memories of everything I’ve lost flood through me. Bunker E247 and all those lost souls. Rowan, the other innocents, and my Dad. His face floats through my memory, and I hear his voice, whispering, telling me I should be calm, be in control.
Damn it Dad, I think.
The door opens and Rafe walks out. He doesn’t look any the worse for wear, maybe a little paler. He smiles, but this time it doesn’t hit his eyes.
“Ready to go?” he asks.
Swallowing hard to get past the lump in my throat I nod, unable to speak. What’s done is done, and there’s nothing I can do to change it now. I resolve though, that I’m not going to keep letting others pay the price for me. They shouldn’t have to sacrifice themselves. I’m not worth it.
We follow Rafe as he heads down the hall. It must be an optical illusion, but it seems like the hall gets longer as we go. I would swear it stretches before us as we walk. That can’t be though, can it? Maybe it can, I don’t know. It’s weird, and makes my stomach queasy, kind of like going over hills too fast in a car.
Time seems to have no meaning in this place. I know it’s passing, I can feel that, but there’s nothing to measure it by. The only way to keep myself from feeling sick is to watch my feet. That way I bypass the sensations of the walls in the hallway stretching. It gives me some relief at least.
I’m staring at them so intently, I bump into Efram’s back. When I look up we’ve stopped, and before us is a different kind of door. This one seems to be made of stone carved with ancient runes. Rafe passes a hand over them and they glow a fiery red as if they are on fire. That’s not creepy, nope not at all.
There’s a loud cracking sound like a giant stone breaking, and the door swings open. An acrid scent hits me in the face full force, and I gag. There’s an instant where I think I hear screaming. It’s not just any screaming, it sounds like somebody who’s lost everything. It’s only there for a moment, and then it’s gone again. I would put it off to my imagination, but Nathaniel shudders.
Rafe turns towards me and pulls a dangling pendant out of a pocket. It’s a gold chain with an amethyst stone on it. It swings back and forth catching what little light there is and reflecting it back. He holds it out towards me. When I look at the stone, inside it there is a swirling blackness that calls to me. It feels like a whirlpool, sucking me in and down, holding my attention. I rip myself away from it.
“You need to wear this,” he says.
“Why?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.
“Protection,” he says. “It will hide you from the worst of the hell realms. Once we’re clear of them, you must discard it immediately.”
“Because…” I trail off letting it hang in the air.
“Outside the hell realms, it can be used to track you by the same things it hides you from while inside the realms,” he explains.
“Well isn’t that a handy dichotomy,” I quip. “Who is it that could trace me with it?’
“The dealer I got it from,” Rafe says, shaking his head. “I don’t trust him, but we don’t have a choice right now.”
Rafe’s protective intention is clear, as well as the risks and price he’s paid. I take the necklace and place it over my head. As the stone settles against my chest, a burst of energy pulses through me, causing cold chills to run down my spine.
“Oh!” I exclaim.
Rafe nods, but for perhaps the first time since I’ve known him, he’s not smiling. I know this trip has cost him a lot, more than he’ll probably ever tell me. I’m grateful to him. We needed to get out of Wormwood. I’m not sure how long it will take before the crazies there get out of my head.
“Here we go,” Rafe says.
“Where is it we are going?” I ask.
“Travel down here is never in a straight line,” Rafe explains. “We have to go down before we can get out.”
“Oh,” I say, not really understanding.
Rafe doesn’t bother to explain more. He walks through the door and we follow.
Chapter Sixteen
We’re in a new hallway but this one is lined with tall, fluted stone columns that rise into darkness. In between each of them, the shadows are thick and heavy. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I look around to see if somebody or something is watching us.
This hallway isn’t stretching at least, so there’s that. We move down it quickly and come to another door. Rafe passes his hand over it. More of those fiery runes light up and the door swings open.
We step out into a wet city street. A soft mist is falling. It’s chilly, much colder than I’m used to. I shiver. It looks like we’ve emerged into the seedier part of hell. Neon lights stretch for as far as the eye can see in either direction. The crowd down here isn’t one that’s out for some grand pageantry, these are streetwise survivors.
No one seems to be paying attention to us. Our dress fits into this area much better than it did the previous one. Crowds of people move up and down the sidewalks, and loud music drifts out of several open doors. When I read what the neon lights are advertising, my stomach drops a little. Girls. Live, nude girls is the main message. So, we’re in a red-light district, or hell’s equivalent. Great.
“This way,” Rafe says. Not waiting to see if we listen, he takes off.
Silas, Efram, and Nathaniel look at me. I shrug. What are we going to do? Hang out here? Sometimes the only way out is the way through. Rafe walks like he knows where he’s going. I try not to think too much about that. How well does he know this place? Did he spend a lot of time here? Did he work here?
No, I’m not going to think about it. I don’t want to know what Rafe has done in the past. He may be a demon, but now he’s my friend. I’m not going to judge him for what he’s had to do to survive. His actions now are all I’m going to take into consideration.
Scantily dressed women approach us as we walk. The guys do their best to ignore them, but some are pushier than others. One woman focuses her attention on me.
“Hey, little sister,” she says. She’s barely wearing any clothes, pieces of cloth strategically placed to hide the most important parts. “You look like you’re down for a good time.”
“No, thank you,” I say, pointedly not meeting her eyes.
“What’s the matter, don’t you like what you see?” she asks, pulling aside the light jacket she wears to reveal enough flesh that she could be ready for a shower.
“It’s not that,” I say, stomach clenching tight and my nerves sending mixed signals throughout my body. “I’m not interested.”
“I bet I could change your mind,” she says.
“She said she’s not interested,” Nathaniel says, stepping between the two of us.
“Are you kidding me?” the woman exclaims. “What are you doing down here?”
“That’s none of your business,” Nathaniel says.
“Right,” the woman says, walking away.
“That’s not good,” Rafe mutters under his breath. “We’re almost where I want to be. We need to hurry.”
As good as his word, he moves faster, grabb
ing my wrist and pulling me along. The others scramble to keep up as he maneuvers through the crowded street. He forces his way through the crowd by sheer force of will, and physically pushing when that fails.
The colorful people we’re working our way through don’t seem to mind. Now that we’re away from where the girls were throwing themselves at us, no one seems to be paying us any special attention.
Rafe pauses to look around, but before I can ask where we’re headed, he’s pulling me along again. We come to a stop in front of an open door guarded by a huge, biker-looking guy. He has massive arms covered in tattoos. He’s wearing a leather vest filled with patches, fingerless leather gloves, and jeans. There are tattoos and piercings on his face, and his head is shaved. He looks at Rafe with beady eyes.
“Hey, Tommy,” Rafe says, smiling.
“Rafe,” Tommy says.
“I need in,” Rafe says.
“Sure,” he answers, motioning towards the door.
“Thanks,” Rafe says, sliding past Tommy.
Music pulses out of the open door. Following Rafe inside, we walk down a tight hallway, dimly lit. As we enter, the beat grows louder, pulsing against my chest. It’s standard dance music, but something about it makes me want to swing my hips. Wouldn’t it be nice to just let my hair down?
“I have to see somebody,” Rafe says, shouting and leaning in close to be heard over the music. “This may take a little bit. You guys should relax. We should be safe here, I think.”
I nod in answer. I don’t feel like yelling to be heard over the music. Rafe walks away leaving me alone with the other three men. Looking at Efram, I feel his desire. When I look at Silas, he looks as if he could devour me. Only Nathaniel seems stiff as ever.
“Let’s dance,” I say, smiling from ear to ear.
I walk backwards towards the dance floor, motioning with my hands that the boys should follow. Instinctively, I sway my hips from side to side as I go. The way the three of them look at me fills me with a burning desire. I want them.
They follow me, pulled in like planets caught in my gravity. The music is pounding, heavy dance beats of a repetitive nature, and I lose myself in it. In this moment, for this little while, I let myself forget everything. All the stress, all the pain, and all the loss are outside of this time. This moment, I’m dancing.
Silas moves in front of me placing his hands on my hips. Our bodies meld together as we dance. He leans in close enough that the rough stubble on his face scrapes my cheek. His arousal presses into my pelvis. Efram moves behind me placing his hands directly above Silas’ and grinding against me from behind.
Nathaniel stands to one side, awkwardly, so I turn my attention towards him and smile. Holding out a hand, I beckon him to take it, pulling him in close. They form a triangle around me, and the four of us move in time with each other and the music. Their energies caress me like the touch of a sensual lover, as the pulsing music works its way into my soul. The deeper it drives, the further away it pushes all my worries.
There’s nothing but us. Each of their energies is so unique I can close my eyes and identify them. It weaves in and out, entwining and separating. They rotate around me moving in and out. I feel one then another moving in close, pressing against me, taking turns. It’s erotic and sensual and everything I’ve dreamed in my naughtiest fantasies. Maybe my dreams can come true.
I close my eyes and lean my head back, writhing with the music. Its sensual beats make my magic rise. Goosebumps run across my skin. I reach out and find Silas, stroking his energy. As I run my fingers down his face, a soft moan slips from my lips. My core is so tight, my lady bits are consuming my attention. There’s an empty ache deep inside me wanting to be filled.
Running my hands through my hair, I sense Silas’s pent-up desire. He barely contains it, it’s consuming, and I’m tempted to throw myself into it.
Dancing back from that edge, I switch my attention to Efram. His energy is different. Protective, honorable, held back out of a sense of duty. I tease him, letting my energy caress him. His arousal pulses through it, feeding me. My senses are hyperaware.
When I reach for Nathaniel through our connection, his honor-bound stiffness is a wall between us. Much like Efram, he has a strong sense of duty and obligation. It doesn’t matter. I sense his desire. He can try to hide it, but it won’t work. It calls to me. He wants me as much as I want him.
On a whim, I try something different. Reaching out through my energy and magic, I embrace all three of the men at once. My mind explodes, expanding to take in a deeper and broader sense of awareness than I’ve had before. A shudder runs through me, almost interrupting my dance, but the music commands and I follow. There’s no stopping the flow. I hear the boys gasp, or I sense it more than hear it.
Desire floods through me like a roaring whitewater river. I’m flooded with overwhelming feelings of love, devotion, and barely restrained passion. It’s like nothing I’ve experienced. They want me. Any part of me they can have they’ll take. And I, for my part, want to give myself to them completely. They are my men, mine.
Suddenly there’s a hand on my shoulder, and I open my eyes as I’m jerked around to come face-to-face with Rafe.
“We have to get out of here, now,” he says, urgency in his eyes and his voice.
“Rafe, what?” I exclaim.
When I open my eyes, it’s obvious we’re the center of attention. There’s an empty circle in the middle of the dance floor occupied by the five of us. Everyone is watching. Rafe grabs my hand without a word, turning and pulling, but four burly men step out of the crowd, blocking the exit.
“Shit,” Rafe says.
The biggest of the men shimmers, revealing blackened skin with glowing red cracks and horns. His eyes are empty pits where flames burn.
“Just hand over the girl,” the demon says.
“That’s not going to happen,” Rafe tells them, eyes flaming red with thinly bridled rage.
“Whoa, buddy. She’s got a price on her head. I’m not going to hurt her, I’m just cashing in. You know how it is down here,” the demon says.
“I also know the price of ice water,” Rafe answers. “You better bring a bigger army if you want to take her from us.”
“Have it your way,” the demon says.
Chaos erupts around us. Attacks come in from all sides. My heart pounds as I duck grasping arms. Quickly I weave my arms and slam my sigils together creating an obscuring mist. Hands grab my arms and I yelp, struggling against them.
“Aviella,” Efram says. “Come with us.”
Only then do I realize Silas and he have a hold of me. Ducking, they pull us through the mist, dodging our attackers.
“Where’s Rafe?” I ask.
“He can take care of himself,” Silas says.
Looking over my shoulder, I can’t see him. The mist and the bodies block my view. He has to be okay.
Chapter Seventeen
Rafe
“You should have known better than to go against me,” I say, summoning my soul sword.
Energy swirls and coalesces around my hand as the blade forms. Red flames erupt, licking up and down the length of it. The demons circling me pause when they see it, and a smile comes unbidden to my lips.
My blood sings to the tune of the powers I’m channeling. It feels good to let go. No reason to hold back—it’s not like I can kill them. I’ll put them all down, but they’ll be back up in an hour. Welcome to hell, there’s nowhere else for them to go.
The best part though, it will hurt. A lot. They deserve that and so much more. The glee of it fills me, threatening to overwhelm, but I push it down. I can’t give in to that. I’ll lose myself in it if I do. Aviella needs me. Stay focused; stay in control.
“Dammit Rafe,” the big one says, “we’re just trying to get by. You of all people should understand this.”
“You chose wrong,” I growl. “That girl is under my protection.”
“Then you’ve got lot bigger problems,” he sa
ys. “Get him, boys, he can’t take all of us.”
They attack. Everything becomes motion as I give myself over to the flow of battle. I love the fluidity of it. Step, then move to the next position, sword slicing through the air and bodies the same. Burning wounds left in its path.
A fist connects with my head, jarring me. Stars dance in my vision, but I don’t let it slow me down. In battle, there is no time for thought. Muscle memory takes over. Pain means nothing. The only thing that matters is moving to the next position, which my body does of its own accord. It’s a dance, a sensual, loving dance between myself and my sword.
The sword crackles and whistles as it moves through the air. It combines with the shouts and screams, becoming a symphony of destruction. I am a Maestro, directing the orchestral movement until at last I stand alone.
I hold the sword two handed across my body, knees bent, looking around for my next attacker. My heart slows, and I take a deep breath, realizing they’re all down. Lowering the sword, I don’t dismiss it yet. I walk over to the leader of the crew, and crouch next to him. The open wound across his gut was cauterized as I sliced through, but I know from experience how badly it hurts. He looks up, whimpering, expecting more pain to come.
“You need to stay away from this one,” I say. “She’s mine.”
“Rafe,” he gasps, sweat pouring down his face. “You’ve got bigger problems, man. She’s marked.”
“I know,” I say. “I’ll deal with it.”
I rise to my feet and step around the piles of bodies. The bartender is staring at me.
“Sorry about the mess,” I say.
The bartender shrugs and resumes cleaning a glass. Chuckling, I walk out the door.
Outside, I reach out, stretching my awareness until I feel her. I let my sword dissipate before I draw too much attention and break into a jog. We need to get out of the hell realms before anything else happens. There are more rumors down here, believable ones, that a trumpet is about to sound. We can’t be here when that happens.
Apocalypse the Blossoming (The Power of Twelve Book 2) Page 12
