***
Karim sat stunned, tears stinging his luminous eyes, his mouth open in abject horror. He jerked his hands from them and pushed himself back on the bed, making sure that his nakedness was covered. His chest burned, his heart aching as tears fell onto the bed sheets. The horror she suffered because of his actions made him wretch, the agony tearing him apart. What had he done? Dear gods in heaven, what had he done?
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Nyx!!! I know you can fucking hear me. And I know you can get in here if you want to, your fucking daughters have been here. Nyx!" Karim paced his bedroom, checking the clock every minute, waiting for sunset. He needed to get to Celeste to tell her ... what? He had no idea but he needed to see her, talk to her. God, how could he have been so stupid? How could he have been so selfish and thoughtless? No wonder she hated him, he hated himself for what she had gone through. Damn it, why hadn't Nyx told him? If he would have known, he could have helped her. He could have stopped her being sold to a slaver, he could have ... he could have kept her with him. Would that have been so horrible? Breaking his promise to Nyx would have been the lesser of two evils. Instead, she had been repeatedly abused and finally murdered.
Before they had gone, it was Atropos who'd left the lasting impression, her eyes narrowed as she studied him while the other two exited the room. She sighed as if she'd decided something major and touched his stubbly cheek and said, "Fate is flexible. You are not the one but you are one. She has a trusted circle and you will gain entry perhaps. You and she will be linked for an eternity, not always good, not always bad. But soon you will find it bearable." She'd given him a somber look before they faded from the room.
"Nyx!!! I swear to Christ if you don't answer me," He didn't know how he was going to finish that statement, but he needn't worry. Nyx appeared in a swirl of blue grey smoke, her ageless face tense.
"What are you screeching about?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. Her annoyance quickly dissolved into curiosity.
Karim prowled toward her, his eyes hard, his face a mask of thinly veiled anger.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he said and her face fell. She opened her mouth and shook her head. "You knew what happened to her, you knew what had been done to her and you send me of all people to protect her.”
"When she left here this morning, she looked ...if I would have known I wouldn't ... FUUCCCKKK," he screamed, and for a second, Nyx was afraid that he was going to strike her. Instead he stabbed his fingers through his hair, then settled his hands on denim clad hips. For the first time, Nyx paid attention to Karim and his state of undress. He wore old jeans, inside out and undone, no shirt and his feet were bare. He smelled slightly of the ocean but more like lavender and vanilla.
She stared as he stalked across the living room pausing at a painting before kicking the easel to the floor. The painting fell face up and she was struck by the beauty it captured. Celeste in the moonlight.
"You slept with her," she said on a whisper. "Oh Karim ... that ..."
"Was a mistake? No shit. Do you know how it feels to be hate fucked? Do you have any idea what it's like to have something you've wanted for so long only to be told that it meant nothing? That I meant nothing? I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what I could have done that was so wrong, what made her hate me so much. I mean, as far I knew, she had been returned safely to you. I thought she was pissed that I left her with the merchant and his wife. I had no idea-but now ... now I know why. I know everything. How did you ever think it would be a good idea to have me protect her now when I did such a bang up job the first time? You knew her seeing me again would open so many wounds..." He stood still watching, his glare unwavering as he stared Nyx down.
She returned his glare, her eyes suddenly cold her expression giving nothing away but spoke volumes.
"Oh my God, you knew. You knew where she was the entire time. From the moment I left her you knew. Your daughters, those mind-bending fuck heads, told you exactly what was happening to her. You knew that she was broken. You were counting on it. How could you?” he asked, his stomach churning as if he were going to be sick.
"You don't understand.” She said evenly, as if speaking to a child.
"You left her in hell!" He growled. The tears that had threatened finally ran down his cheeks as he moved closer to Nyx, who nearly cowered before him. She took a step back and stiffened defiantly.
"And I would do it again in a heartbeat. She has a destiny Karim, that doesn't include you. She will have more than you could ever give her. She will be the most powerful goddess ever born and I did what I had to do to make that happen," she snarled, her eyes swirled white, her dark hair streaked the purest white and his blood ran cold. He looked at her in utter disgust, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You're a monster. You pretend to care about her, but you did this. You made sure she was broken before you helped her. You’re more evil than Nemesis ever was, at least she didn’t pretend to care about her," he said. "If you think I will let you continue to hurt her…"
"You have no choice. You pledged fealty to me and I will hold you to that. If you so much as breathe a word of this to her, to anyone, I will destroy your entire race and I will make sure they know that you are the reason why. Then,” Her voice was even, smooth and as gentle as a late summer breeze, but her face was a mask of pure hatred. “I will spend an eternity, killing you."
He stared at her, his cool green eyes never leaving her face. Slowly, his scowl lightened and he smiled. The smile gave way to a chuckle and finally rose to a demonic maniacal laugh that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
“Do you find me amusing? Do you think my threats are idle?" Her expression softened in her confusion.
"No, I believe that you would kill us all to punish one. I realize that you have a dark, empty hole where your soul should be, you hateful cow. I laugh because when she finds out what you've done, and she will, it will all be for nothing. All of your schemes and plots, your pitiful life won't be worth shit," he chuckled, taking a step closer with each word. "She already mistrusts me, so I will probably get off easier than I deserve, but you ...she'll unleash an unending hell on you the likes of which you could never imagine. And I will revel in watching you burn." He turned and stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him, leaving Nyx shaken by his quiet fury.
***
Lilith was late, but fashionably so, per usual. In the human world, she was the flamboyant daughter of a state senator; her flashy grand entrance always garnered her photos on gossip blogs and in shiny tabloids that lined the checkout aisle of grocery stores. Sighing, she took out a compact and checked her make-up, deemed it acceptable, and waited for the driver to get out of the car to hold her door open for her exit.
Slipping Chanel sunglasses on before easing out of the backseat of the black town car fully she emerged to the pop of flashbulbs. She acted as if she hadn't seen them. She wore a bright teal sundress; a wide brimmed sun hat covered her crimson hair and shielded her delicate skin from the harsh rays of the July sun. Feigning a sigh of disdain, she walked past them into the posh eatery on St. Charles Avenue. She managed to glance at the paparazzi when someone called her name and was immediately bombarded by camera flashes. She groaned and shook her head, acting as if she were irritated by their presence. In reality, she loved the attention; being a celebutante was almost as much fun as being a movie star. All of the perks, none of the work, just the way she liked it.
Sauntering to the hostess, she looked around the dinner room watching the human faces that turned to see who'd entered the room. She smirked as a group of men nodded to her as she sashayed by, her skirt making a soft swish as she moved. Humans, they had such an obvious stench when they were attracted to a female. She inhaled sharply; stench wasn't the correct word, she decided. There was a distinct scent but it was far from unpleasant on most. It reminded her of freshly baked bread and sugar. If she weren't in such a hurry, she might be inclined to indulge. There was
no time for that right now, she thought. And though lust was one of the strongest weapons in her arsenal, it would be useless on her lunch date. For this date, she needed something a little different. She needed charm and grace, a certain vulnerability to make her date think that she needed protecting.
She moved past the linen covered tables and saw her guest had already arrived and was seated with a glass of water in her hand. Lilith lifted her glasses so she could rub her eyes until they were red and raw. When she felt the sting of irritated eyes, she lowered her shades and mustered up a few tears, just an enough give her eyes a watery look, not enough to spill over. Not just yet.
She took her seat, taking the hand that was extended to her in both of hers.
"I'm so glad you could make it," she said breathlessly. "I'm so sorry I'm late." She ordered a drink and purposefully averted her gaze as she removed her glasses. She couldn't help but feel grim satisfaction when a look of concern floated across the ever serene face of Arbor Kent.
"Not at all. Are you alright?" She placed a comforting hand over Lilith's, her voice lowered as to dissuade eavesdroppers.
"I don't want to burden you with my problems. This was supposed to give us a chance to get to know each other, Mrs. Kent." Arbor waved her hand, dismissing the notion.
"Please, you can tell me anything, sweetie. Now tell me, what's wrong?" The waitress returned then with Lilith's drink and their lunch orders. Lilith hid a smile behind her menu as Arbor rattled off her choice. The Queen wasn't the only one who could scheme, she thought. While the Queen dominated the Dark Realm with a velvet fist, Lilith had learned long ago that there was always a better way. Vulnerability was key when trying to garner trust in others. Perceived weakness had a way of opening doors much faster than aggression. More flies with honey, her father had always told her, more flies with honey.
***
He didn't know when she'd gone, just that she had, and he was relieved. If she'd stayed, he wasn't sure what he would do or could do to Nyx. She’d known and had been partly responsible for all of the pain Celeste had suffered. And why? Because of some centuries old prophecy made by a trio of prepubescent whack jobs? No, Karim thought, running a hand over his face. She'd done it because she didn't want to lose control of Celeste, she didn't want to lose the power of having one of the most powerful deities ever born under her thumb. That was all the gods cared about, that was all any of the preternaturals cared about, power and adoration. A bunch of children afraid that they would be forgotten and discarded by the humans they claimed disdain for. Secretly, they craved the adulation and praise, they wanted that attention, needed it. After all, what is a god if no one worships him?
He needed to see Celeste, he needed to ...what? Tell her what Nyx had done? That was the one thing he couldn't do. Nyx held power over him. He couldn't break his oath no matter how much he wanted to. Yet, if Celeste asked, he couldn't lie. He was trapped by his own stupid honor. And Nyx knew that. She was using it to keep him from confessing all to Celeste. Damn it, how did Nyx expect him to be around Celeste knowing the truth?
If only he'd bitten her that night in the oasis, if he had taken from her they would be connected and he would have felt her pain. If he had taken from her, if he had made love to her that night, she would have been his and he wouldn't have been able to leave her. Vampires bonded when they fed on their lover and they remained bonded until death. If only, he rubbed his eyes and sighed. If…
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he considered his options. He could just manifest in her apartment lobby, but that would cause an uproar. Not to mention the fact that he had no idea what the lobby looked like. It could be floor to ceiling windows for all he knew. And if it wasn't and he managed to get into her apartment, who was to say that she wouldn't kill him as soon as he crossed the threshold. Not that he could blame her.
His best-case scenario would be another session of mind blowing sex, but you could only get hate fucked for so long before it started to affect your performance. Not that he didn't deserve anything she decided to do to him. He’d do anything to gain her forgiveness, even burn in the afternoon sun. He sat up, letting the thought settle over him, making his decision that much easier.
"Shit," he said, and pushed a button on a small remote to lift the shades. He heard the motor begin just as he grabbed the blanket from his bed and made his way into the bathroom. He was willing to risk it and what ever happened, he damn well deserved it.
***
"What the fuck is up with you and this new hip hop obsession, Ce?" Nicky leaned back, taking a deep inhale on the blunt between his fingers, and exhaled the sweet smelling pink smoke into the air. He took one more hit, then passed it to Celeste, who lay with her head in his lap, her bare feet propped upon the arm of the sofa they shared. Across from them, a shirtless Remy head bobbed to the blaring music that rocked the apartment.
"Aren't you supposed to be rehearsing? I thought you had a tour to prepare for," she said, her eyes drifting closed. Nicky ran his fingers through her hair, watching the strands fall in inky waves.
"You should come with me on tour." Nicky choked. "It's been awhile, you could use some mindless fun. And I'm going to South America and Japan. You love Tokyo." He looked down at her. She had her eyes closed as she thought about it.
"What about the Grey?" she asked, but her mind was already on the lights and sounds of down town Tokyo, the smell of Cherry Blossoms and taste of the world's best unfiltered Saki.
"I can handle that," Remy piped up. "I’m second for a reason, Ce. Go have fun. You're just about done with the semester. I can manage for a couple of weeks. I'll behave and everything." He glanced at his watch and rose slowly. "I have got to get home. I've spent way too much time around you two burnouts and I need a shower." He pulled a t shirt over his head, kissed Celeste on the forehead and fist bumped Nicky.
"Later," he mumbled, slipping into the elevator.
"You'll be back before fall semester starts. Come on." Nicky bounced his leg, jostling her head. She looked up at him slightly annoyed.
"What about the band? Would they be okay with me tagging along?" Nicky hooted as if she'd said the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. He had a band of five that traveled with him and had been with him from the beginning.
"They would love it. Hell, if they could, they'd go on tour with you and leave my ass here. Come on. I need my number one fan. "
She thought for a minute, her eyes drifting closed as the Mist took her. She nodded but Nicky wasn't sure it was to the music or an affirmation. After a second, he realized it was to the music and that she had mellowed out to the point of sleep.
***
She was floating somewhere between heaven and earth, her body drifting in the ether. She reached out, in search of something, in hopes of gaining some sort of perspective. What she found was the hard muscled chest of a male, a large male. He grasped her, crushing her body to his, his pelvis grinding into her. She looked up into impossibly blue eyes, skin so dark and smooth that it reminded her of glass. She could barely make out his features, but she felt safe in the arms of this giant. He smelled of sandalwood and a slight spice that she couldn’t place. She ran her fingers over smooth skin and taut muscle, his body hard, making her wet at the slightest touch.
"Kiss me," he whispered in a deep baritone in the old language and her body grew hot and liquid against him. She lifted her lips to meet his and was stunned by the tenderness of the kiss. He explored her mouth with a practiced tongue, tasting of something so deliciously addicting, she held him tighter. His head was bald, her fingers moved over the smooth pate to hold him closer. She wrapped her legs around his hips and pushed against the hardened length of him. She wanted him, rigid and thick inside of her.
He broke the kiss, his hands on her face as she breathed against her.
"You are mine. You have always been mine,” he whispered, his voice thick and fervent against her skin. She rubbed her core against him, needing to feel him, coaxing him. He held her thighs
and slid easily, smoothly inside of her and her bones turned to nothing, her body molded to accommodate him. She opened her eyes to look into the darkness that hid his face and was stunned. His eyes were no longer brilliant sapphire, now they were cool, pale green.
"Azizam,” he said and she found that she could no longer breathe.
***
She woke when her face smacked against the cool wood of the floor, a high pitched buzzing ringing in her ears. Groggily, she sat up and looked around the dimly lit living room. She was dazed slightly, confused by the drawn curtains, the smell of something burning mingling with the lingering floral and spicy aroma of the Mist. Nicky was no longer in the apartment but someone else was. She stood slowly, realizing that she'd rolled off of the sofa and onto the floor. The buzzing, she soon discovered, was the smoke alarm and someone was sitting on the sofa opposite her silently smoldering. Smoke rose from the body of a male who sat completely still, breathing deeply and evenly through clenched teeth. She waved her hands, clearing the air with a great whoosh and the alarm went blessedly silent.
She rubbed her eyes and turned on a lamp to see the figure sitting on the sofa Remy had occupied before she'd dozed in her Mist haze. His head and face were a mask of burned flesh and muscle that had already begun knitting itself back together. His lips and ears were returning but his hands were still smoking, as was the skin scorched through the holes in his t-shirt and jeans. He was sitting perfectly still, concentrating on breathing through the pain.
Mark of the Fallen: A Fallen Novel Page 13
