“I did? Oh, yeah. You're right. Well let's find a table then. I see some cards. Are you any good at go fish?”
“I love go fish. I'll play a game,” Halyn said and dragged Denver to the table.
“You people are so lame,” Denver muttered and slouched in the nearest chair.
They played cards for quite some time and talked about everything under the sun. Members of the group made their way in and out of the game. All in all, it was what Cheyenne and Zes did best with one another, being comfortable and relaxed. She was completely unaware of the fact that the night was slowly coming to a close, until Zes stood from the table and offered her his hand.
“Come on, we should dance.” He led her out to the floor and glanced toward his brother, who was busy swooning over Jewl. The two of them were completely lost in one another, holding on to each other tightly, as they had been for most of the night. Cheyenne couldn't think of a time when she’d looked out at the dance floor and not seen them together.
“I'm not as good as Anj is. I'm not anywhere near as fancy,” Zes said softly and placed his hands on her waist.
“His style is a little over my head anyway,” she said.
“Good to know,” he whispered and stepped closer. It didn't take long for her head to be resting against his chest with her arms wrapped around his neck. She could get used to this. One song faded into another, and time slowed, and all they did was simply hold each other. Too soon the slow music was done and the faster songs began. Reluctantly, she pulled away and the two stood staring at one another in the middle of the crowd.
“I need something to drink. You want anything?” Zes asked.
“I'm all right. I actually need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back,” she said and put her hands to her warm cheeks to hide her blush.
He nodded at her, and she left the dance hall in a daze, lost in her own thoughts as she went about her business. His hands had been so warm and safe. He said he wanted to give her a protective bubble, and he had lived up to his promise. Yet again, Zes had created a moment where she didn't have a care in the world. Her mind left him in the background, though, when she noticed Denver standing outside.
“I was wondering if you were ever going to escape from the leech.” He said.
“He's not a leech. He's my date. He's supposed to hang out with me.”
He rolled his eyes. “You could have fooled me, because he acts like a leech with how he's stuck to you all the time. He won't leave you alone.”
“Kind of like you?”
“Whatever. So you didn't come out here to meet me after all? I figured as much.”
Cheyenne had completely forgotten about the note attached to her dress. “Thank you, it was a sweet gesture.” She wasn't quite sure what else to say to him.
One of his eyebrows shot up and he stepped away from the wall. “It was more than sweet. I told you poetry and songs weren't my style, but I figured I'd give it a try, since you seem to be into sentimental, romantic garbage. I don't think you are though. I think you only pretend to be.” He was backing her into the wall, much as he had the night they first met. He breathed down her neck Just as seductively as ever. She wanted to try to stop herself, but she was melting under his stare. Why did she feel so drawn to him? It couldn't only be his bad-boy appeal.
“What you want is a man who's going to challenge you,” he continued.
“Like you?” she whispered, her voice shaking.
“Yeah, like me.” His fingers trailed along her now almost-healed bite wound and his lips moved up to her ear. He gently kissed her left lobe. The gesture was tender and sweet. She wouldn't have thought him capable of such a thing.
“We could be good.”
“We—” She wasn’t able to finish the thought because he leaned in to kiss her. He was hungry for her. She could feel it when he tried to open his mouth as if to nibble on her lips. As he turned his head ever so slightly to invite her into a deeper kiss, she reluctantly pulled away from him. She wanted to keep going—in fact, she dared to reciprocate briefly—but she felt too guilty afterward. He was all kinds of wrong for her, despite whatever chemistry the two had. As much as she wanted Denver, she didn't feel she could give him a proper chance without first giving one to Zes. But she did want him. For her first kiss, it was as magical and firework-filled as she had always hoped.
“Sorry,” he murmured against her lips. “What were you going to say?”
“We shouldn't have done that.”
“Too fast for you? That's how I go. I don't see a point in waiting and skirting around what we both want. Courtship is a waste of time.”
“That's not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“I mean, that shouldn't have happened and it shouldn't ever happen again.”
“Why not? Because of him?” He snorted before shaking his head, but he didn’t back away.
She shifted her weight in an attempt to put more distance between them. “Yes, because of him, and I know you don't love me. You don't even care about me.”
“So? And he does?”
“I don't know if he does, but I know it's a lot closer to being love than whatever it is you feel about me. You don't believe in love or any of that 'stupid crap,' remember? Stupid crap I need.” Her temper was starting to rise.
Denver stepped away with clenched fists. It hurt her to see him so mad, and she knew she had probably blown any chance with him. “You're an idiot. He's going to hurt you and use you and break you. When you come crying to me about how I was right, well, I'll get it out of the way now: I told you so.”
She rolled her eyes. “That's not going to happen. Now, unless you have something else you want to say to me, I do have a date to return to.”
“Yeah, fine. You two deserve each other. Besides, it's written in the stars or something lame like that. Have a nice life.”
“Fatalistic much?” She threw her hands up and was about to go back to the ballroom when she noticed Zes standing by the doorway watching the whole scene. At least, she was pretty sure he had seen the whole thing. His brow furrowed in a mixture of horror, confusion, and sadness. She slowly walked over to him, glancing over at Denver, who was now leaving. What do I do?
“Zes, I—”
“I think I need to get some air,” he whispered.
“Let's go out for a walk in the courtyard,” she said and nervously reached out to give his arm a squeeze. He didn't flinch or pull away, which was a good sign. She'd have given anything to be one of the mind readers of the school at that moment. “I...”
“You?” he prompted as they walked toward the nearest door to take them outside the manor. For a moment, Cheyenne wondered if anyone would try to stop them. For a school function of this scale, the event was low-key and there weren’t a lot of chaperones around. She had spotted a handful of teachers in the ballroom, and the usual night guard patrolled the other hallways, but outside of that, there were hardly any adults. Then again, the school was small, and someone needed to stay back at the dorms, as well.
“I don't know. I have so many things I want to say right now, but I don't think any of them would be good enough,” Cheyenne said.
For a long time he didn't respond. He walked toward the angel statue and sat down on a nearby bench, quietly patting the spot next to him. She sat without saying a word and looked up at the statue. Again, it was different. The angel had a sword out, holding it as if it were ready to defend the school from an attack. When they were taking pictures earlier, it had been praying.
“You don't need to say anything,” he said. “I got enough of what you're thinking just seeing it. I know I'm not the most amazing guy or the smartest or the cutest, and I don't have that mysteriousness my brother does or the bad-boy sex appeal. All I got is what I wear on my sleeve. I'm transparent. What you see is what you get, and I understand if you don't think it's all that amazing, but—”
“Zes—”
“Please, let me finish. I'm almost
done. I promise.” He swallowed. “I'm not anything out of the ordinary or superspecial, and I'm okay with that. Let me just say, though, that what I've experienced in the time I've gotten to know you has been great. I consider you one of my closest and best friends. And you were right. I can't say if it's love or anything, but it's good and what I can offer you if you'll give me a chance. Now I'm done.”
“It's okay,” she whispered. There was so much she could have said in response, so much she wanted to say back, but she never got the chance because the second she opened her mouth she noticed a figure moving over the angel statue. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust enough in the lighting to see it was Lucien.
His wings were spread wide as he hovered next to the statue. With an affectionate stroke, he patted the top of the angel's head. Then with a smirk, he floated down to the ground next to Cheyenne.
“My love, it feels like it's been so long since I saw you. You look as radiant as ever.”
She instinctively moved closer to Zes, who put an arm around her, pulling her back behind him.
“How are you back here?” she asked.
“You. You’re the reason I'm here, and it's time now,” he said and reached his hand out to caress her chin. Zes stepped forward to stop him. Lucien only laughed. “Step aside, boy. She's mine.”
“I don't want to go with you. I don't want anything to do with you. Please leave me alone,” she said, her body shaking behind Zes's. Something about him was different. His body felt firmer and stronger than normal, almost as if he were made of stone. When she stared up at his eyes, she could see they were glowing much as his brother's did. Only instead of a soft blue, they were a vibrant gold.
“It hurts me to hear you say that, but I know you'll change your mind soon,” Lucien said before raising his hand up in front of him. A small black orb of dark energy started to emerge from it. She felt hopeless and afraid. The opposite of everything good radiated from the ball. As it wrapped itself around them, she became paralyzed. And then everything was black.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The first thing Cheyenne saw when the light returned was Zes being pinned to the ground by a group of demons. They weren’t anything like Lucien. They were grotesque in appearance, and though they had some indication of being human still, their features were deformed and flawed. Their hands were large with long, sharp claws, and their faces were elongated with disproportionately huge black eyes.
They sat on Zes's body and limbs, digging into the poor guy's skin. Everything surrounding her was bathed in red—the dusty ground, the sky, even the way the light tinted their skin, all red. The temperature was unbearably hot as well, almost as if they were in a desert, because complete desolation was all she could see. There was so much to take in, and it all blurred together as her eyes tried to focus. She knew for certain she wasn't at the school anymore though.
“Welcome home, my love,” Lucien said and made a grab for her hands. When she pulled away, he shook his head. “I wouldn't do that, dearest, or I’ll be forced to hurt your friend. And I know that would displease you greatly.”
“But you're not afraid to use him for unfair leverage,” she said. She let him touch her. His hands were icy and he was as pale as the first time she’d laid eyes on him.
“I love you enough to not play by the rules. There's a good girl. You'll be happy here, trust me. Now, we have a few preparations to attend to before the ceremony,” he said.
“C-ceremony?”
“Yes, our commitment ceremony.”
“I don't want to commit to you.”
He glanced over his shoulder at Zes and shrugged indifferently at her. “Is that so? Too bad for him then. Go ahead and kill him.”
“No, don't!” Cheyenne screamed as she watched the demons dig their claws into Zes's skin. He whimpered pitifully.
“No?” Lucien signaled for the demons to hold their position with a small flick of his fingers, and they stopped their slow wear and tear on Zes. “It's simple. You perform the ceremony in accordance with the written contractual agreement made long ago, and I will not only spare his life but also return to you your freedom. This place will be your true home, of course, but I won’t force you to stay here while you enjoy the beauty of Earth. I know how much you enjoy the life there, and our replica is hardly anywhere near as accurate.”
I can't think. She closed her eyes, needing to focus. “So all you want is a paper saying we're committed to each other? You don't care about anything else? Here I thought you loved me.”
“I’m still a realist. I know I won’t be able to keep you happy forever. I’m willing to sacrifice and compromise. That’s what love is, after all. Do we have a deal?”
She stared at Zes. He was in so much pain, and as the two made eye contact, she could see his tears and determination to stand his ground. She knew he would die for her, but she didn't feel worth it. Especially if she wasn't sure the gesture would be returned if their situations were reversed. She was a horrible person for that, she was sure of it.
“Yes, if it's just a piece of paper,” Cheyenne said, closing her eyes once more, not wanting to see Zes's reaction.
“It’s an agreement,” Lucien said with a smile and motioned for the demons to loosen their grasp on Zes. They lifted him off the ground roughly. He struggled momentarily but stopped when one of the demons kicked him behind the knees.
Lucien faced his minions. “Have fun with your toy, but don’t kill or fatally injure him or you will suffer the true depth of my wrath. The lady must not be displeased. In fact, as a sign of my generosity, he shall be marked. He will be her gift. Understood?”
The demons chattered excitedly among themselves, though everything they said sounded more like gibberish than actual words. Nodding, they pulled Zes away.
“Where are you taking him? You said you weren't going to hurt him,” she demanded, watching in horror as they dragged him out of sight. He struggled the entire time, grunting in desperation. The last thing Cheyenne saw before Zes disappeared was the absolute terror on his face.
Lucien laughed and grabbed her arm firmly as he took her in the opposite direction. “I said I would spare his life. Had you not wanted him harmed, you should have said so while we were negotiating.”
She scowled, but she had nothing to counter him with. How could she have missed that? It seemed so obvious to her, and now Zes would be tortured because of her stupidity. How could she be forgiven for this? He was right based on a technicality.
To her right was a massive, dark brick wall making up the base of what appeared to be an ominous castle. She thought this only because the wall was so tall, she couldn't see anything above it. Lucien brought her inside through a door, and she was hit with an instant wave of cool air.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Home,” he said as he continued to lead her through the dim, cool hallways. “The underworld. What you saw outside is what composes the majority of this world. There aren’t many worthy of spending their afterlife in the pleasant areas of our land. I won’t be subjecting you to Hell anymore though. I’ll take you to your garden, where you can relax and undergo preparations for the ceremony.”
* * * *
Under normal circumstances, she would’ve been overjoyed to see the garden, as it was the same one from her dream, from the pool to the smallest of flowers. Awaiting her was a small group of what she could only assume were also demons. These demons were more like Lucien in appearance. They were all female with brightly colored wings, cute even, and they were all too eager to wait on her hand and foot. Were these the shadows from her dream?
“Your attendants will help you.” Lucien brought her hand to his cold lips and kissed it. Shivers went up her spine. “I’ll see you soon.”
Once he was gone, the demons surrounded her.
“Pretty nails. We should give them a French manicure. It would go perfectly with the dress,” one exclaimed.
“I call the hair.”
She almost l
aughed at their enthusiasm over the chance to wait on her. At the very least, she cracked a smile in an effort to make light of the situation. She would have enjoyed it all immensely if she wasn't dreading the events following. I have to think fast. Time was running out, and her conversation with Mr. Thantos played over and over in her mind. If the demons and the Divine mixed, who knew what kind of disorder would come from it.
Cheyenne didn’t get a chance to plan, though, because she once more had a blackout accompanied with a great lapse of time. After the feelings of distortion and confusion passed, she realized what was taking place. It didn’t take long for her to acknowledge the simple and flowing white dress she wore. The bust was lined with jewels and decorated with roses. It was pretty elaborate for a commitment ceremony, she thought.
She quickly scanned the room. They were in a chapel of some kind, no doubt in the castle. The stained-glass images weren’t pleasant to behold, as they all resembled fire or darkness. Why the underworld would have a chapel to begin with was beyond her. The personal attendants watched with teary eyes, and the more disgusting demons who had taken Zes sat with great anticipation and eagerly licked their lips.
Finally, there was Zes, who was still being held by the demons. His face was scarred and bruised, and she didn't even want to think about what else they’d done to him that she couldn't see through his new black suit. Every so often his body swayed and his eyes drooped as if he were fighting to stay conscious.
“And now by the power vested in me, and the law of the Divine, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” the chaplain said with a large smirk.
Before she could protest, Lucien's lips pressed against hers tightly. He tried to fight his way into her mouth, forcing her either to kiss him back or choke on his tongue. Neither was appealing to her, but she'd rather choke, and did so, coughing loudly once he finally pulled away.
“There,” she said once she could speak again. She wiped her mouth and watched as everyone in the room, sans Zes, laughed. “Are you happy now? Can we go back? You got what you wanted.”
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