by Jack Crosby
As he finished, “What did Kyrule want with you?”
“He wanted all my years of surveillance on you. Everything from photos, to reports - you name it, I had it.”
I wasn’t surprised Vlad went to those lengths to keep tabs on me, especially if he was fearful of retribution. “I guess I don’t get what he needs with that information.”
He leaned in, “Bargaining. In my final report, I noted that the Lust demon might be the way in. You hadn’t let anyone that close in years.”
I jumped up. “So when the Nyx fled the scene, the next best thing was to kidnap my brother and the two girls. The bastard is going to use them against me!”
Vlad started clapping. “Bravo, well done old chap. Now, you should probably answer this phone call.”
****
My phone started ringing and that brought me out of my sleep. Damn that Vlad. Astrid picked it up off the table and brought it over. “There’s no number listed on the ID.”
“I know who it is.” I clicked the green icon and started swearing. “Listen here you fuck stick, I will kill you.”
The slimy voice on the other end confirmed the identity. “Now now, I wouldn’t want your temper to cause any problems for your friends. As of this moment, their continued living is all up to you.”
I had a pretty good shot to fire back, but I stopped short. “Let’s cut through the bullshit and get down to business, shall we?”
“Something we can both agree on. I have something you want and you have something I want. A simple trade is all that needs to occur.”
I looked over at Astrid, who I wasn’t about to give to this creep. “I’m guessing you’ve got a place picked out for such things to occur?”
The receiver clicked for a second before coming back. “Of course I do. Unfortunately it is a bit far from where you are. You see I do hate the cold weather and left Western Europe behind. Bring what I require safely to Iran, as I believe you were going there anyways. When you cross the border, I will call with more information.”
The line disconnected before I could yell some more profanity at him. “Damnit, Kyrule’s got the girls, War, and his horse.”
Astrid sat on the bed, close to me. “I heard, in Iran right? He wants to trade them for me.”
The sadness in her eyes ate away at me. “I’m not handing you over to him.”
“Death is right; the lives of many outweigh the lives of the few. Handing you over to the demons would be a sentence for all of us.”
She looked shocked at Khloros’s words. “You would let your friends die to save mine?”
This was a hard decision to make. “He’s right. Giving you to Kyrule isn’t an option. Either we save them or we fail. If we fail, then the last thing for us to do is get you home.”
Tears started coming from her eyes, “I never wanted any of this to happen! I don’t want anyone to die for me.”
Instincts took over and I wrapped her up, close and tight. “This isn’t your fault. This is on the Arch-Demons who want to kill me. If anything, I’m the one to blame.”
She leaned in and kissed me. With my good hand I put my hand on the back of her head and returned it with as much passion as I could. I could hear Khloros pull his head back out the window, giving us some privacy. Falling on to the bed, we continued to kiss for hours. When she finally broke away, “I love you Derrick Grimm.”
A feeling hit me, hard, like nothing I’d experienced before. The words fell out before I could even think about what just happened. “I love you too.”
Chapter 25 – I Opened Pandora’s Box
“You do?”
Oh damnit I did. “Yeah, I do.”
She started jumping up and down. “I’m so happy! I didn’t mean to say it when it slipped out but to hear that you reciprocate the feelings makes it all worthwhile!”
I wish I could say the same. I felt awful for Roxanne, because she loved me. I loved her too, just in a much different way than this. “It’s weird, as I barely know you, but I know what’s in my heart.”
When I saw her, I saw a life that wasn’t filled with bloodshed and constant demons. I saw my beachside shack in Mexico. I saw a place that I could live without ever lifting my scythe and most importantly, I saw a place where I could truly live free.
Unfortunately, with her maybe having fifteen to twenty more years to live and me being around forever, the math didn’t add up. “That’s what makes this even harder. I don’t know if I can do anything about it. Loving someone and then watching them die is the hardest tribulation to ask one to endure.”
Just like that her heart broke. “I do not understand. You won’t act on your feelings because you’re afraid of watching me die?”
“That’s it wrapped up in a nutshell. I know it sucks hard, but…”
“Sucks? You are acting like a fucking child!”
Did I deserve it? Maybe, but I felt like I deserved the truth on a few different topics. “Hey now, don’t act that way! If we’re putting all the cards on the table, just how old are you? I mean how much longer do you have left?”
“I am closing in on my nineteenth year! It will be expected when I turn twenty to have produced the next in line and then to take over for my mother!”
Nyx society wasn’t on the syllabus in college. “Tell me more about your people and your life. Not just random generalities; I want to know details, especially about your life.”
It took a bit for her to calm down, as the tears were flowing pretty good. Khloros even stuck his head back in and called me a dumb asshole. Listen, when he throws around callous insults, I know I’ve done something bad. I gave her some space, as this wasn’t anything I was used to dealing with. My feelings were really weird, like not my own.
When she seemed okay, she came over and sat back down on the bed. “For a Nyx princess, you have two tasks in life, produce an heir before your twentieth birthday and take over for your mother. The males in our society never ascend to a position of power.”
Well this just proved my hallucination of a dream wasn’t real. She’d been trying to get me to produce a child with her and she was already the queen. “What’s so significant about your twentieth birthday?”
“That is when our feline side fully matures and at that point we become barren. As you can see, I am quite behind.”
So that’s why her form was of a kitten, or I guess just a small cat. “What will your mature feline form be?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “It is different for everyone. Some of us stay smaller cats, like tabbies, and other became predators like lions or tigers.”
It was hard to imagine Astrid as anything other than a small cat, let alone a lion or tiger. “I guess that’s what makes your society strong, having predatory cats as guards and everything.”
“Yes, for the lower clans, if they can produce a great feline it is a great honor. For those who keep smaller forms, other tasks are handed out.”
I wondered what her mom was. “What’s the queen’s feline form?”
“My mom?” Duh. “She’s a white tiger, one of the rarest felines to become.”
She started telling me all the queen’s duties, which included keeping the location of Shangri-La as secret as possible. Only a few in the celestial community knew where it was, and it was meant to stay that way. “That is why none have been sent for me. When the demons abducted me, I basically became a lost cause.”
I tried to wrap my head around that. “That sounds more like War’s way of thinking. So your mom doesn’t care if you came back?”
“My importance is to keep our family line on the throne. Personally, I don’t have much use to her.”
“Do not mind me,” Khloros stuck his head in a bit further, “but it seems we may be doing the princess a disservice by taking her back. Are we sure that is the most logical thing to do?”
Was it? He made a really good point. “How would they react if two Horsemen, an angel, and a Lust demon showed up?”
She put on this
coy smile. “Obviously you and your brother would be welcome with open arms, as expected of your station. As for Roxanne and Veronica, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were attempts on their life for being there.”
War and I were the ones expected to know where Shangri-La was (he did, I didn’t). That was more due to both of us being incredibly old and the Nyxes being under the watch of Conquest when they fled Hell. For Roxanne and Veronica, they were just along for protection detail and knowing the location could be seen as a hazard if the queen was a bitch. “We will figure that part out once we save our friends. For now, we need a plan to bust out War and the girls.”
You know that feeling like something doesn’t quite add up? That’s what this trip is starting to give me, like a bad case of heartburn. The longer we got into it, the more questions I had. We went from Astrid being a mute cat to an eighteen year old princess. Then we find out her mom doesn’t give a flying bag of shit about her. My math skills weren’t good, but two plus two didn’t equal four. Not yet and I was bound to get to the bottom of this.
Of course was I the best person for the job? My thoughts were currently being clouded by my new and unfamiliar feelings for her. I’d been close to a fair many mortals in my lifetime as well as Roxanne. What was going on at this moment was a whole new ballgame. Each time I looked at her as she sat there, I felt a weird jump in my chest and a growing pit in my stomach. Just what the fuck was going on?
“Derrick? Or should I not call you that?”
I looked up, “Oh it’s fine. Derrick is what I prefer actually.”
She looked a bit concerned. “I’ve been saying your name for about five minutes but you didn’t respond.”
Had I really been that deep in thought? “Sorry, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
Khloros kicked the side of the cabin, getting my attention. “Grimm, I need assistance recalibrating my vehicle form. Are you able to assist?”
I got up off the bed for the first time in awhile and I felt pretty good. My body was really good at recovery if I gave it the chance to. “I think getting out for a minute might do me some good.”
Astrid walked over to the door with me. “While you help your horse, I will get something ready to eat.” She leaned in and gave me a kiss and I didn’t pull away. Nope, I let it happen.
I followed Khloros a little ways away from the little house in the woods. “I know you don’t need any help, so obviously something is on your mind.”
He shifted into the grey 2014 Ford Taurus and popped a door open. “Get in or it will look suspicious.”
It wasn’t the first time I had to take commands from my horse. Once I was in the driver’s seat, the car kicked on and I pretended to be doing some car related things. “Okay, I think the ruse is in full swing. What’s wrong?”
“Something is very much missing here. I think it was no coincidence she was sent here.”
I stopped pressing buttons on the touch screen display. “You think she’s a mole?”
“The girl? Heavens no, that one could not lie her way out of a cardboard box. She is an innocent.”
To get a vouch from Khloros was impressive. “We thought the same thing about Maggie, remember?”
The engine revved up a bit, his sign of annoyance. “That one used her black magic to cover up her true nature. Trust me, after that encounter, I have grown much wiser.”
That still didn’t answer the question of what he thought was off. “So if it’s not Astrid, what do you think it is?”
An old rock and roll jam came across the radio. It was in German, which made the lyrics even more interesting. “You pissed off the Arch-Demons Derrick. Nothing will stop them from exacting revenge on you. Tell me the coincidence of this girl being dropped off on your front doorstep has not been lost on you.”
That was part of the gnawing sensation at the back of my thoughts. It was no damn coincidence and I knew better than that. Someone was fucking with both Astrid and me and I was too damn caught up in what was going on to investigate. If I didn’t take this threat seriously, I’d get us all killed. My voice grew more serious then it’d been in years, “Get yourself ready. We leave for Iran at nightfall.”
Chapter 26 – No More Mr. Nice Guy
Astrid and I made it across the border into Russia with no problems. By no problems, I pretty much threatened the border guard in my Death persona and they shit their pants. With all the cards on the table, I decided it was time to get back to what made me who I was.
The one thing I hadn’t expected before we left was to see the Grasscutter lying on the table next to my scythe. Astrid had found it on the roadside and kept it. What surprised me was the fact she was able to hold it. When she put it into the car, I asked, “Did that thing shock you?”
“No, was it supposed to?”
On our drive I hadn’t said anything more about it, but it caused me to worry that Roxanne might’ve been killed. I didn’t want to voice my concerns to either of them, but the faster we got to Iran, the better.
I did have a few things to say, and I figured the time for secrets was long over. “Astrid, I don’t think it was happenstance that you ended up with me. I honest to God think someone planned it so we’d find each other.”
She turned the radio down a little. “I’m guessing you’re not referring to something as obscure as fates are you?”
“No, I’m not. Someone knew about your vision of me and obviously made a good assumption I’d feel the same way. I don’t think you’ve had anything to do with it, but someone close to you might’ve.”
She looked straight ahead at the dashboard. I couldn’t tell if she was deep in thought or reliving a memory. “The only people that knew about me seeing my soul mate were my mother and our tiger Leopold, if he can even really count. But how would either know you were Death?”
“They wouldn’t, but a demon would. Are you one hundred percent sure that your people have cut off all ties to the Downstairs?”
She got a hard look on her face. “None of my people would betray us to those bastards! We left for good reasons, with the help of the angel Dante no less! To think any of them would betray us so…”
I got the feeling there was something missing, but I didn’t think she knew. This would require a lot more investigation. Maybe my new friend Kyrule would be able to give me some information as I drilled his eyes out.
“Grimm, we have a car tailing us. They are doing their best not to be avoided, but it has followed us since we crossed the border.”
I looked in my rearview mirror. There were no other cars on the road at this time of night, so it was easy to see the headlights, even at the distance they were currently at. “Set a surprise for them. Let’s show these piss-ants who they are messing with.”
Khloros leaked out some oil on the road. He then pulled off to the side and Astrid and I got out. Picking up Leviathan, “Grab the sword. For the time being, it is your weapon.”
She gave me a small nod and grabbed it. Just as she looked up the car hit the oil slick and lost control. The driver tried to keep it on the road, but it was someone else’s turn to go flipping through the air. I ran over to the car and saw it was the blonde guy and redhead from the diner.
Pissed, I ripped the driver’s door off and yanked the mortal from the car. “Just who the fuck are you?!”
I didn’t need to see my vision to know how this man’s fate was going to end. With blood running down his face, “I am a herald of Kyrule. You do not scare me Death.”
“I should.” I pressed my thumb into his eye until it popped, making him scream in pain and terror. “Listen here Allen, you’re going to tell me everything you know, or else,” by this time Astrid had removed the redhead, who was unconscious, from the car, “my partner here is going to cut your friend’s head off. Deal?”
With his one good eye, he looked over. Whimpering, “I don’t know much.”
Not in the mood for this, I ran the tip of Leviathan over his forehead, causing a small cut. For h
umans though, interaction with Death’s scythe is pure torture. His screams broke through the cold night. When I stopped, he was ready to speak. “Kyrule is waiting for you in Tehran. Our job was to make sure you didn’t stray off course.”
Of course he’d employ humans; he didn’t give a shit if they lived. “I don’t care what he promised you, because soon you’ll be joining his brood Downstairs. Before that unpleasantness meets you, who is the demons’ inside source in Shangri-La?”
His eyes got really big. “Oh fuck!”
Astrid heard his answer and ran over. Grabbing his hair, “Is there a traitor in my house?! Answer me you cock sucker!”
Allen started laughing. “You’ll just never know!” He ripped his head out of her grasp and impaled himself on the scythe. This took me by surprise as I saw me reaping his soul, but not like this. The fact he was willing to give his own life to protect the demons spoke of something really foul.
I kicked his body off my scythe. Blood was everywhere and pieces of his skin and brain stuck to the blade. I’d clean it off after I was done with the girl. I turned around and she was standing up. Underneath her robe she was wearing a leather suit and her black heels made her tower over me. On the ground she didn’t look nearly as intimidating as she did standing. In a deep, unknown accent, “Good to see even the infamous Death can be fooled by my illusions.”
I put an arm out, pushing Astrid behind me. “Just what the hell are you supposed to be?”
“You make a girl feel unwanted. After all, who released your inner desires? Who showed you how good life could be?”
Was she behind that dream? Could she even be manipulating my feelings? Either way, “Listen here bitch, I don’ need your help with anything. You got me?”
She started to fade from view. Damnit, she wasn’t human. “Before I go, let me tell you my name so you know to scream it. Just think of me, Sabrina.”
