by Mina Carter
Suddenly, the murmur of voices rose so loud that the glass rattled and the wooden floor boards seemed to shake beneath my feet.
“You shall appear before the Council at the next meeting.” Thunder rumbled when Zeus spoke, his bright aura flashing like lightning. “Or you shall be judged guilty and eliminated without a trial.”
“Son or no.” An eerie howling like the wind rushing through a dark tunnel accompanied Hades’ words. “You had no authority to defy the punishment I placed on you.” The Dark Heir shifted and I saw who they addressed.
I took a step back tugging on Billy’s hand.
“I will do as I please, Old Man.” Apollyon’s tone was surly and defiant. “I did nothing wrong. The curse must have worn off. Maybe your magic isn’t as potent as it once was.” He whirled around and stormed toward the French doors.
“Holy shit!” Billy exclaimed shoving me protectively behind him just as both doors crashed open. A whoosh of outside air brought his foul stench to my nose. Stepping inside, spotting us immediately, Apollyon’s eyes narrowed. He straightened his charcoal tie and pulled his cuffs into place before slithering our way his cane underneath his arm.
I threaded my fingers tighter with Billy’s, moving even with him and lifting my chin though inside I was quaking.
“Ah, Mr. Blade. The pawn of the hour. Welcome to the game.” His gaze flicked to me, black eyes glittering with malice. I’d never seen him so angry. Apparently, he didn’t like being dressed down by his elders. “We were just talking about you a moment ago. I don’t think your next play is going to go the way you want.” He lifted a crimson brow that made the scar I’d given him stretch taut. “Did you obtain what I asked for, Thyme?”
I shook my head.
“Unfortunate, but predictable.” He grinned, but his brand of joy was a twisted thing as I well knew. The temperature suddenly plunged so much that my breath crystallized in front of me. Fear danced its icy feet along my spine. “I’m afraid I have some bad news of my own. So very sad.”
I didn’t want to know. I wasn’t going to ask. My knees went weak. If it weren’t for Billy’s grip I would have sunk to my knees on the floor.
Apollyon took a step toward me.
“Too close,” Billy growled glancing back and forth between the two of us. He didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t either, but the evil of the incubus hung cloyingly in the air like his stench. “Step away from her, you worthless son of a bitch.” Billy let go of my hand and moved putting himself between Apollyon and me.
That seemed to provoke The Evil One. His chest expanded as he pulled in a deep breath that made his body grow so large that he blocked the light behind him.
“You heard the man, hellspawn.” Morpheus suddenly swept in, heavy footfalls announcing his arrival at Billy’s side, multihued eyes glowing, wings outstretched and his feathers standing on end.
I sighed in relief.
“Blade will not tolerate any affront to his lady,” Morpheus stated, his expression menacing, his voice low. “Nor will I.”
“She won’t be his for long.” Apollyon wasn’t intimidated, even though it was now two against one. He ignored Billy and Morpheus, acting as if they were bothersome insects. His black eyes swept over me with cold calculating analysis. My spine turned to ice, a brittle icicle easy to snap. “Can you feel it, Thyme? Your life force ebbing away?” He clucked his tongue. “The part of you that clings to the magic is all you have left.” He rubbed his gloved fingers together as if he were crumpling something between them. Tears filled my eyes. “The strain on your fragile shade frame was just too much. There’s nothing that can hold it together now. It’s gone. All gone. I tried to warn you. I might have been persuaded to help you,” his tone hardened, “if you had kept the terms of our agreement.”
Staring into his gaze that glowed with a wicked light, I shook my head in denial, but I knew in my heart he spoke the truth. Hadn’t I sensed the dark cloud hanging over me the minute I donned the mask?
There was a pained growl from Billy that raised chill bumps on my skin and then a burst of abrupt movement as he launched himself at Apollyon. He caught the gloating Dark Progeny off guard knocking him to the floor. The Destroyer’s staff thumped to the floor. I quickly scooped it up watching with wide eyes as they rolled around in a furious tangle of limbs, tables and chairs crashing in their wake.
I glanced at Morpheus. His jaw was tight, his expression revealing his frustration. I knew he wanted to get in there and do something to help his brother. So did I, but we both knew we were just bystanders. The fight was between Billy and Apollyon now.
Apollyon kicked back gaining enough space to slam a vicious punch into Billy’s side, dark energy visibly roiling around his fisted glove.
There was a sickening crunching sound. Billy’s breath went out in a rush, his body seeming to crumple before my eyes. I bit down on my lip hard tasting blood. Apollyon came up to his knees grinning triumphantly. I took a step forward. I didn’t know what I could do, but I couldn’t just stand there and watch while Apollyon tore Billy apart.
“Insolent pup,” Apollyon scoffed smoothing his hair back from his brow as Billy scrambled backward using his hands and feet to put distance between him and the demon.
I moved toward Billy, so did Morpheus, but Apollyon was closer. “Such a disappointment. So much hype. You are barely a diversion. Now give me the harmonica,” Apollyon purred, stalking toward his opponent. He was using his persuasion. My gaze flew to Billy’s face.
“Your Jedi mind tricks don’t work on me.” Billy got to his feet though he listed to one side unsteadily. He crooked his fingers. “C’mon motherfucker. Fight me like a man if that’s even possible for a craven chicken shit like you.”
Apollyon hit Billy with a sharp undercut, an arc of power in the wake of his blow. Billy’s head snapped back. When he righted, he looked dazed, but let loose a flurry of wild punches. One connected with Apollyon’s middle. He grunted then got in two of his own that made Billy stagger. He bear hugged Apollyon and the two immortals went crashing backward into the bar, their momentum and combined weight sending wood and glassware flying through the air as if a bomb had exploded.
“That’s more like it.” Apollyon laughed maniacally as they both shrugged off pieces of broken wood and faced off again. Billy had a cut on his forehead. Apollyon wiped blood from his lip. His eyes were glowing. He was thriving on the negative emotions, the euphoric expression on his face like an addict on a high.
Something dark flashed in Billy’s hand. He feigned to the left and slashed quickly with his right. The speed of the movement so fast it surprised me. Apollyon was also caught off guard. Without my shade form draining him, Billy was now reaching his full power. He might not be a direct descendant of an Heir, but he was an immortal nonetheless, not to be underestimated.
Apollyon hissed, glancing down, his jacket, vest and button down flapping open, a line of red on his skin from his neck to abdomen. Billy slid to the side out of the demon’s reach and held up his prize. Apollyon’s chain and claw pendant.
Apollyon howled an angry high pitched screech that assaulted my ears. His body twitched and convulsed as he reverted to his skeletal goat form.
“Don’t mess with a Texan.” Breathing hard Billy shook his hair out of his eyes that glowed a brilliant blue. “We always win.”
“The pendant,” Morpheus shouted at him. “Hurry. Destroy it.”
Billy nodded dropping it on the floor and crushing it beneath his heel.
Vaguely, I realized that the Heirs had come in from the balcony sometime during the scuffle. I could hear the hum and feel the vibration of the pure power that flowed through their blood. Someone else moved beside me. I heard a gasp. But I couldn’t spare a side glance for any of them. My attention was transfixed on the scene before me.
Multiple gossamer ribbons like the one Apollyon had stolen from me all those years ago flew into the air as if they’d been spring loaded inside the pendant. All but one shot str
aight toward the open windows. The remaining one with moving pictures from events in my past came toward me. It swirled around my body in a complete circle seeking an entrance.
Heart racing frantically, I dropped the staff and tried to grab it, wanting to bring it to myself, but it slid right through my fingers as elusive as a wisp. Seeming to realize I was only a shadow and not the body to which it was destined to return, the ribbon reared away from me and slowly drifted toward the window following the same path as the others only more slowly as if reluctant to leave me.
Apollyon started laughing.
“Pic kee toi!” Cajun for fuck you. My father’s voice. I recognized it from earlier. A tall lanky man with brown hair moved purposefully toward the demon.
“Catch it, Thyme!” Billy shouted, his voice frantic. “Quickly!”
“She can’t!” the Destroyer crowed, his expression back to gleeful triumph. “It’s no use. It has rejected her. That’s a borrowed form she’s wearing. Just a fleeting illusion. See? She’s already wasting away.”
I could feel everyone’s attention turn to me. I raised fearful eyes to Billy. The first rays of the dawn bathed my fingers in its light erasing them from existence. I swallowed nervously. It wasn’t a matter of minutes anymore. I locked eyes with the man I loved but our time had run out. Apollyon had won. The emptiness was washing me away like rain on a sidewalk chalk drawing.
“Don’t you dare leave me!” Billy closed the distance between us. He was so close I could have been warmed by the fire in his blazing eyes. His handsome face was ravaged by the panic we both felt. All of that impressive power that had just vanquished a nearly indestructible Progeny was incapable of saving me now.
I wanted to reach for him. I wanted to hold him just one more time, but it was too late for that.
He glanced back and forth between me and the ribbon, trying to decide which one was the better option. He decided on me but when he tried to pull me into him, his arms went straight through me like mine had gone through the ribbon.
“I love you.” Tears filled my eyes and regret punctured what was left of my chest, its raggedly sharp merciless length digging in deep with the final cut.
Billy shouted something at me. I saw his mouth moving but I couldn’t hear his enticing voice. Not anymore.
We had both gambled, and we had both lost.
Everything this time.
Eyes cherishing every feature of his face, his doing the same to mine, we savored our last view of each other.
My world flipped to black.
Then I was no more.
Chapter 53
In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.
- Robert Green Ingersoll
Billy
While Morpheus and Arla stood in shock of what was happening, I ran down the stairs and dashed across the street following her ribbon down to the river. I got there just in time to see it disappear beneath the choppy surface that seemed agitated by its presence.
I tore out of my blazer and yanked off my boots before diving headlong into the water. The visibility was nonexistent. I waved my arms in front of me but couldn’t even see the ends of them. I reached and reached hoping to grab hold of the ribbon but all I got were handfuls of weeds.
Lungs burning, I surfaced, gulping for air before going down again. I don’t know how many times I tried, but eventually I felt strong hands dragging me to shore where I promptly passed out.
When I reopened my eyes, I was dry as a bone. My throat was sore, my arms and legs were aching but my heart hurt the most.
I threw back the covers. The scent of her on the linens made my eyes mist painfully. I had to find her. I had to do something. I couldn’t just give up now. The room spun. I fell back. The bedside lamp suddenly switched on.
Morpheus.
My brother’s face was shadowed and filled with concern.
“Where is she?” I demanded. “Where’s Thyme?”
“Don’t you not recall the morning’s events?”
“Yes. I recall,” I replied irritably. “But nothing after the river. How long have I been out?” I belatedly realized I was clean and in boxers instead of my waterlogged clothes.
“Don’t ask.” Morpheus apparently noticed the direction of my gaze.
I tried again to get out of bed, relieved when I was able to get my feet on the floor without an attack of dizziness this time. “Has anyone seen her?” I asked peering over at him, my voice raw.
Morpheus shook his head sadly.
“Where are my jeans? Get me my damn harmonica! I’ll make her come right now!”
Sighing, Morpheus stood up and knelt in front of me, shaking his damn head again. “I do not believe it is possible. Do not doubt that I have searched exhaustively. She is nowhere to be found above or below.”
“And we have other difficulties. We are now sworn enemies of one of the Favored. I believe it is only a matter of time before Apollyon guesses our true heritage. He is many things, but he is no fool. Bacchus’ friendship with our father was well established and your harmonica is the night god’s talisman. I do not believe that Apollyon will confront us directly but he has many agents. We must be on our guard.”
“Fortunately, he now has problems of his own. The parents of the other twelve immortals he sacrificed know of his crime, though he seeks to lay the blame at Laveau’s feet. She has herself disappeared.”
Rising to his feet he put a hand on my shoulder while making a low mournful keening sound that filled me with dread instead of comfort. He turned and pulled open the nightstand drawer handing me my harmonica. “Your switchblade lies within, also. I oiled it. The harp is probably filled with river water. I don’t know how to remedy that.”
“Thanks,” I whispered shaking out the remaining moisture before putting it to my lips and blowing notes that weren’t a song.
Shadows appeared. Loads of them. None the one I wanted. Go. Find Thyme Bellerose and bring her back to me, I ordered in my mind before I stopped playing. They nodded obediently before winking out.
“How did you instruct them?” Morpheus asked.
“To look for her. To bring her back.”
He didn’t say anything for a long time. He just stared at me. What he was thinking, I didn’t know. “They will not find her. Do you not see that I grieve as well? She is gone, my brother.”
“No. I don’t accept that. I can’t. I made her a promise. Heaven or hell. ” My throat closed up. I had to wait a moment before I could continue. “We are Fated, Morpheus.” I held onto that fact like a lifeline, like I was going to hold onto her if I ever got her back. “If she is truly gone, I would be dead, too.”
He scratched his head. “That is the lore, but who can say for certain?”
“What does Arla say?”
“Nothing. He too has vanished.”
“Dammit. Where do you think he went?”
“I am at a loss. You are closer to him than I.”
I went to the dresser, grabbed another pair of jeans and pulled them on before swiping a shirt from the laundry hamper. I brought it to my nose before putting it on. It didn’t smell quite clean, but it smelled a little like her, and I knew she’d been the one to put it there. A sharp pain inside my chest almost brought me to my knees but I pressed through it.
“What are you doing, brother?”
“I’m going back to the river. It’s the last place I saw the part of her that’s supposed to last forever. You’ll keep scouring the underground, won’t you?”
“If that is what you wish, but…”
“And find Arla,” I interrupted. Buts weren’t going to cut it. Death was a harsh reality I wasn’t going to accept. “I wanna talk to him as soon as he’s found. I want Thyme back. Whatever it takes. Whatever I have to do. If he can’t tell me how, I’m gonna find Marie Laveau.”
*****
Thyme
There was a weird rhythmic fluttering inside my chest that woke me. My eyelids felt like
heavy sandbags but I managed to crack both eyes open. As I peered down at myself and the acres of white cloth my body was swathed in another inexplicable thing occurred.
Air, wet and warm, a delicious pure breath without any taint of dark magic, rushed into my lungs and expanded my diaphragm, a rich oxygen exchange occurring.
All of a sudden I could feel everything.
The sharpening of my senses.
The blood coursing through my veins.
My tongue as I tried to moisten my dry lips.
Heat.
The sheen of perspiration on my skin.
My heart beating.
Holy shit.
My mind cast around for an explanation.
The last thing I remembered was Billy.
I felt a sharp ache beneath my breastbone.
He had fought Apollyon for me smashing the pendant. My immortality had swirled around me.
But it had rejected my shadowy form.
So what was going on?
What kind of strange magic was this?
A drop of warm water hit my forehead startling me as it rolled into my hair. I sucked in air through my nostrils. Air that I could nearly taste. Air that was wet and sweet and good…and familiar…like a distant dream.
I tried to sit up, to get off the hard slab I was on, but my hands and feet were bound.
What?
My heart picked up its pace. I wiggled my wrists and legs. The binding felt soft and a little bit bumpy against my skin like silk rope.
I swept a glance around to take in my surroundings I hadn’t noticed before because of my distraction with having my body back. I was in a cave the size of the living room in my apartment. Water cascaded down rough rock walls and dripped from the low smooth ceiling. It also ran across the surface of the glossy white and grey flecked marble floor.
