by Jas T. Ward
His Power had called them his children. Reno just called them wisps because of the way they looked and how they were whispers in his head.
Omega and Yin had been fascinated by them and the only thing they could surmise was they were what were left of the nana-bots from him being a Breaker. That the tiny beings had been evolved by Madness just as he had as part of the Keeper package. They now had a new purpose too. And that was to help him feed and maintain Madness.
As he turned over his hand to watch them dance around his fingers, it made him smile. “Wonder if I should name you guys? How do you feel about the name Carl?” They giggled in his head and Madness approved. Sundown just snorted and called him a few names that equaled to the definition of stupid. Oh well. That wasn’t anything new.
“You are exquisite.”
Reno’s head snapped up to see a tall man in his mid-thirties, yet seeming ageless, standing behind him, causing him to narrow his gaze when he turned to face the new comer.
The man was taller than him, but almost too beautiful to look at. So much so, he even made Bounce look a smidge dowdy. His skin was pale with pitch black hair that he kept pulled back in a ponytail, except for two long red locks that hung down each temple. Sideburns were trimmed close and shaped into angled points that connected with a goatee trimmed just as perfectly short.
His eyes were blue and rimmed with red which seemed to swirl in the color of the iris. High cheekbones and full lips completed the supermodel package.
If... supermodels emanated the most powerful darkness he had ever felt. Madness hissed in his head not liking the man, and Sundown issued a warning; both of which Reno listened to but didn’t show signs to the man.
Evil Fabio’s clothes were a throw-back style yet seemed perfectly modern on the lean frame. Brocade vest worn over a black silk shirt under a designer suit jacket with perfect slacks and wicked red-tipped pointed boots. Black leather wrist cuffs circled each wrist above black nailed fingers completed the look to spell out without a doubt- total b-a-d-a-s-s.
Feeling Madness cower, Reno tilted his head to look at the man and then looked down at his newest form. “I’m not sure if I know what that word means. Unless it means scary and Halloween.”
The man laughed softly and motioned with one hand up and down Reno’s body. “You are the thing of legend. Something I never thought to see. Lost, and that loss caused so many events to turn. Now that I see you for myself, perfect in purpose as you were meant to be so long ago? The only word that comes to mind is exquisite.”
Reno wrapped his arms around himself feeling like he was once again a mouse, but this time with a much bigger, hungrier cat than Yin. “So you know what I am?”
The man smiled. “Of course I do. We’re related. I know you like I know my own dark soul. You’re the lost Shadow-Keeper. And I,” held his hand out for Reno to shake, “am Lucifer. But you can call me grandfather.”
“So, you’re the big, bad dark lord of Hell? Wow. That must be cool. I didn’t think you could come to Heaven.”
Lucifer laughed as they sat on the balcony overlooking the valleys outside of Reno’s rooms. The night was cool and Reno’s Keeper form had vanished as he calmed, receding and leaving him as he was before. The wisps were still under the surface of his skin, he knew because he could feel them like tiny ants burrowing in and making themselves at home. He felt like he had become a Motel 6 for all things bad and black, but he was getting to be okay with that.
He had his bare feet pressed against the top of the marble rail with a cool glass of ambrosia laced wine in his hand, but craving Kool-aid something fierce.
What good was Heaven if they didn’t have better snacks? He had been starving for candy for weeks, like an addict needing a fix. Guess some things didn’t change no matter what the form.
Lucifer sat in the opposite chair with one foot pulled over a knee, drinking a glass of the concoction as well, his strange eyes alternating between looking at the beauty of Heaven and him. It was very unnerving.
“I’m actually from here.” Lucifer’s voice was like listening to a cat talk. Smooth and liquid with a purr to each vowel as if pleasure was in the making of the sound, and Reno bet the dude had no problems getting laid.
Reno looked over at him as his brows rose. “You? I mean. You’re the ruler of Hell, right? But you came from here? I’m confused. But don’t worry. I get like that a lot. A lot a lot.”
Lucifer smiled as he looked down at his goblet of wine and nodded. “Let’s just say myself and management had a bit of a disagreement and I found that Hell suited my lifestyle better.”
He looked over at Reno as he took a drink. “But yes, I once called Heaven my home. And I am allowed here when issues arise that concern me and mine.” He angled the goblet towards Reno with a smile “Such as long lost relatives being found and other concerns of the war. And always for the parties,” said with a wink, “but they are better in Hell.”
Reno nodded and with a frown stared down at the dark wine in his goblet. “Your son. My father,” god that felt weird to say, “ he killed me.”
Reno looked at Lucifer as his eyelashes and lids came down to hide the hatred that he knew smoldered in his blue eyes. Not wishing to piss Lucifer off, but needing to say it. “He’s not a good person.”
The dark lord sighed and set his goblet on the rail as he stood to look out over the glimmering lights below. “He is a product of one horrible tragedy after another. I’m afraid I had a very heavy hand in it all. Hell is no place to raise a child, and a dark Lord is not a suitable parent for any child. But,” Lucifer angled his head to glance over at Reno, “it may be hard to believe, but I do love him in my way. Just not in a way that would have saved him or helped him I’m afraid. No, my love only made him worse.”
Lucifer’s eyes went back to look beyond but not before Reno saw regret and sadness in their deep depths. “Now I fear it’s too late, for not all get second chances Reno.” He gave him another sideways glance and smiled wanly, “Or thirds.”
Reno pulled his legs up to wrap his arms around them as he laid his cheek on his knee to stare into the moonless night. “I haven’t done so well with chances. I make the worst decisions and I’m really bad at choices. They want me to make another one. A really important one, and I am really afraid of screwing up. Again. Because I always do. It’s like I’m cursed to keep making the same one until I get it right. Destiny is a confusing bitch.”
Lucifer chuckled and nodded, looking over at him with a smirk. “Perhaps this time you are better equipped to make it as you wish. A chance to break this curse you believe you have. To make your life as you would wish, and now, as it is meant to be. Even I can see you have a good spirit and heart, as well as a sharp instinct.
Do not let the darkness that now empowers you be all that you are. Be a part of your purpose; do not let it be your whole. Trust me. Being the devil isn’t easy, but I find peace in the fact that I’m not all bad.” He smiled a dark smile that showed his fangs, his eyes becoming solid red, seeming to flicker like flames. “I just enjoy doing bad things.”
He looked back forward once more with his tone turning serious. “You are very strong, Reno. A war hinges on the power you bring to into it. Mankind’s existence hangs on the balance you now must control. You are the son of my son and are therefore a force to be reckoned with as never known before.”
Reno sighed and laid his head back on his knee to stare at the night. “Yeah. But I don’t want to make a bad mistake and decide wrong. Or hurt someone I love more than anything. She’s been hurt enough.”
Lucifer’s merriment faded as he lowered his head to look down at the ground far below them. “Sometimes the best thing to do for love, Reno, is realizing it must die in order for the one you love to survive. No matter how much pain you have to suffer from cleaving your love from your heart.”
The dark lord’s voice went soft with agony as he turned to face him. “I failed Epsilon. I do not believe there was a single time that I told
him that I believed in him or that was proud of him. I guess Old Scratch does mellow in time even if it is only in hindsight.” He let out a long sigh and angled his head towards Reno. “Hindsight is as much a bitch as destiny. But now, I fear it’s too late for my son. He must be destroyed to stop this. The end battle he is trying to bring about must be stopped.”
Reno blinked. “Old scratch? I hate itching.”
Lucifer laughed with amusement. “I do not, however, know where your odd sense of humor comes from. But it is amusing. No, Old Scratch is one of my many names. Not one of my favorites. They all sound rather lame.”
Reno smirked as he went to stand next to him, bending over to fold his arms on the rail so he could rest his chin on his forearm. “Well, Omega says that sometimes destiny needs a few chances to get it right. Maybe Epsilon is the same way.”
Reno turned his head to look at Lucifer, “But it doesn’t matter. Sorry if I don’t care. Not after what my so-called Dad did to me and everyone else. That seems to be a trend too, people related to me wanting me dead. You should meet my so called brother. Boy could he tell you some stories. My Witch’s family were killed by Epsilon’s creations and it has to stop, related to him or not.” He winced as he said the last part. Just the thought of Witch and mentioning her had his breath catching as a stab of pain lanced through his quiet heart. Made it hurt as bad as when he was killed. He wasn’t ready to poke at that agony yet or face that he might never see her or Rugrat again.
Lucifer smiled with those elegant brows going up to say softly, “I too am at that point, sad to say. But I myself cannot wield the blow. Even if it would end this war once and for all. I made a promise to his mother, and dark lord or not, I, as with all higher gods, must keep my word in all things spoken.”
Reno nodded and faced back forward to watch a pink light that laced through the darkness of night that signaled that dawn had arrived in Heaven.. “Okay. But I didn’t make any promises.”
Lucifer’s brows came down as he turned to rest a hip on the rail, crossing his arms on his chest to regard him with an intrigued look. “What do you mean, Keeper?”
Reno stood and mirrored the ruler of Hell’s stance. “Easy. I’ll find your son. Capture him. Alive if I can. Dead if I can’t. So you can do whatever it is that you want to do. Maybe stick his ass in stasis for a few centuries and see how he likes it.”
Lucifer laughed, a rich and deep sound that Reno found kind totally cool. “Oh and why would you do that, Keeper? Learn from thy creator’s mistakes. Revenge is never a good reason to drive your course. You are always destined to lose control.”
Reno smiled and held out his hand. “It’s not for revenge, though that would be a bonus. It’s because there’s something I want.”
Lucifer popped a brow upward and looked down at Reno’s hand before smiling darkly and taking it to shake. “Of course you do. Everyone does.”
Chapter Forty-Five
I Choose You
Emma had no idea how long she had stood at the kitchen sink. Long enough for the suds in the sink to have vanished into the murky cold water where the dirty dishes were submerged. She should give up on the task like all the rest, which seemed to become her habit in the three months since Reno had been killed. She would try to focus on a task and something involved with it would make her think of him. His laugh or his easy smile; the amazement he had at things that anyone else would have taken for granted. The way he had touched her, whispered her name, or kissed her.
“Just go to sleep Emma. You’re being a wimp.”
She knew that too. She functioned every day, begrudgingly doing what the Grid needed her to do, suffering through days that seemed far too long only to face nights that were endless.
Sophia seemed to have grown up beyond her years in the time as well. A sad testament to having to learn about death far too early and needing to take care of the only person the little girl had left. Or, as Emma felt, half of the person her daughter had left. Because in reality, Emma had not felt whole since Reno’s body had vanished. As if not being able to have the closure of a service to say goodbye had halted any mending her soul may have even attempted to pull off.
She was beginning to think she would never heal, and was not sure if she ever wanted to. At least the pain let her keep something of what she had with Reno. Kept a part of him alive in her mind in a twisted, messed up way because it was all she had left.
Reaching up to turn off the light over the sink, she lifted her eyes to the window to watch the heavy rain drops strike the glass. Another storm was rolling ed off the bay and ushering in the cooler winter weather.
The trees had all turned to drop their colorful leaves in a swirl on the browning grass, and the nights were longer with the days shorter and cool.
An arch of lightning lit up the backyard and Emma’s hand froze on the light switch. Had she just seen something in the brightness of the strike? No. It couldn’t be. Her mind must be digging around in memories and pain causing her eyes to betray her to show what her heart only wished was so.
Her hands shook as she stared out into the night, her legs frozen in place, whispering a plea for the sky to spark again and show her she wasn’t going insane.
Her plea was answered and with it her legs were in motion and running through the dining room, out the backdoor, and down the stairs, slipping in her bare feet as she made her descent. The rain soaked her pajamas in seconds, her hair plastered heavy to her head with drops of the sky’s tears dripping off her long lashes.
This was like her nightmare months ago and that caused a cold feeling to weave its way into her blood. She jumped when a loud clap of thunder sounded, followed almost immediately by more lightening, and she let out a surprised gasp, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth in shock.
He stood there.
It wasn’t a dream, and she knew it wasn’t a nightmare because she was wide awake. More awake than she had been in three months.
Reno stood under the big tree in the backyard with Sophia’s tire swing swaying in the storm next to him. He was dressed all in black and his rain soaked clothes felt as heavy as lead since he had stood there in the storm since it had begun.
The cold winter rain felt warm on his colder skin. He was realizing he didn’t feel cold or hot the way he had when he was alive. He felt whatever temperature his power felt, which was nothing on the Void where it once again resided. His eyes were turned up to the house, to the very window she had been standing at until he heard her gasp.
Reno wasn’t sure what he was going to say or do. As usual, he didn’t plan before coming here after letting Yin and Omega know his choice. Who would have thought making a deal with the devil would have helped him decide.
So when he saw her standing there in the haze of the storm with the porch light trying to shine in the rain, his breath was stolen away. She looked tired, exhausted, and way too thin, as he could see every line of her body under the thin pajamas now molded against her from the rain.
But god was she beautiful.
She stood there and he totally expected her to run away screaming to call the Grid so they’d come after him. He couldn’t blame them, and he sure couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t often someone came back from the dead and just went ‘Hey’ in people’s back yards.
He opened his mouth to speak, blinking away heavy drops of rain from his lashes and nothing came out to say. Not a single word. Once again, his power of speech failed him like a fool as always and he mentally beat himself up about it. This is your moment. This is the only one you’re going to get. And you’re screwing it up.
Emma’s common sense knew that most likely this was not real. Her logic chastised her for not facing the reality of what her eyes just could not be seeing.
But her heart?
Her heart had her flying in a run across the yard to him, bare feet sinking in grass and mud, throwing herself against him to see if he was solid.
To see if he was real.
Her arms went around h
is waist, sliding under his soaking leather jacket, to clutch the equally as wet material of his shirt in her fingers. She pressed against him with her cheek on his chest, tears falling from her eyes as large as the drops that fell from the sky.
“Oh my god Reno! You’re here. You’re real. You’re alive.”
Reno kept his arms at his side with a frown folding his features as he was unsure what to do. Never in a million thoughts had he considered she’d do this. Okay, maybe one out of those million had dared, but it had been outnumbered.
Looking down at the top of her head, he slowly brought his arms around her to encase her in his embrace, his own cheek coming to rest on the top of her head. She was shivering and he felt bad about that, but she felt like she was on fire compared the chill that was now his skin.
“Witch, I...”
That was when it registered and Emma went frozen still. Still, like his chest. All sound seemed to hush, even the storm as she realized no heart beat under her ear. No vibration of the muscle moved beneath his flesh to soothe her as it once had. Placing her hand on his chest over his heart, Emma pulled back and realized other facts gone unnoticed.
He was cold. Even the winter rain felt warmer on her skin than his skin under her hand. “Reno?”
He knew the exact moment she noticed, and he kept down the fear that now would be the time she ran and screamed. That would devastate him after having her in his arms again. He had dreamed of it for months.
Bringing his arms up to then wrap his hands around her upper arms, Reno looked down at her to search the beautiful emerald green depths of her eyes. “I’ve changed.”
Emma frowned as she looked up at him and mapped out his face to find a touchstone of the man she loved. Bringing her other hand up to touch his cheek, she found the same coldness there beneath the short stubble. But his eyes were the same. Brilliant blue and almost shining from some light within, even in the darkness of the stormy night.
