by Tricia Barr
“Oh, my God!” she exclaimed.
When she looked back up, she was no longer in her prison, but in a large gymnasium decorated with hanging pastel streamers all over the ceiling. No more of the painfully bright florescent lights; the whole gym was dimmed, lit only by different colored accent lights. She looked at Sebastian and saw that he was now adorned in a wonderfully fitted tuxedo.
“Wha—” was all she could muster.
Sebastian stood up and offered her his hand. “I figured since you never got to your prom, and this might be our last night alive, I’ll bring the prom to you. Can I have this dance?” The song “At Last” began to play.
Phoenyx felt her face light up. She took his hand and let him pull her up. Still holding her hand, he put his other hand around her waist. She put her arms around the back of his neck and they began to dance.
“You are just full of surprises,” she said. “The song couldn’t be more perfect. Do you know that this song is at the end of just about all of my favorite romance movies?”
He smiled so handsomely. “How did I do with everything else? I’ve never been to a high school prom so I just had to wing it.”
“It’s perfect,” she said. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Hmm, we may have a problem,” he said, biting his lip. She cocked her head curiously, and he said, “I think I made your dress too sexy because you are killing me in it.” She threw her head back and laughed, then drew him near and kissed him.
When they managed to stop kissing, she said, “Thank you for this. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend what could be the last night of my life.”
“Thank you,” he said, “for turning out to be so amazing. If things do turn out for the worst tomorrow, I wouldn’t regret any of this because I got to meet you.” They held each other’s eyes for a moment, then she put her head on his shoulder and just swayed with him. She wanted to savor every second of this, to enjoy it to the fullest. She never wanted to let him go. Whatever happens tomorrow, at least they had tonight.
“Since this might be our last night together,” he started after a while, “there’s something I want you to know.” He pulled away just enough to look at her, still keeping the dance going. “I…I dreamt about you before we met.”
Her heart warmed.
“I know,” she said. “That night when you and Skylar were talking about it, I was still awake and heard by accident.”
He blushed and closed his eyes in embarrassment. “Oh God; all this time, you knew and didn’t say anything?” He laughed, getting more embarrassed by the minute. “I can’t believe you heard all that. You must have thought I was crazy.”
She also laughed. “It’s okay. Actually, I didn’t think you were crazy because I’ve dreamt about you too.”
The embarrassment left his face. They shared a look of complete understanding and acceptance.
“We both dreamt about each other before we met,” he said. He lifted one hand to caress her cheek, and she melted into his touch. “So, it is as I thought, as I hoped…we have met in other lives before this one.”
She nodded. “Or at least one. I think the one I dream about was our life before this one. I was working in a dance club as a bartender—”
“I was a mobster who left the life to play piano in your bar,” he finished.
“Yes,” she said, feeling absolutely completed. “You had the same dream.”
“More than that,” he said.
“Really? You’ve dreamt about our other lives?” she asked, mystified. “Tell me about them.”
“They’re only bits and pieces but I’ve dreamt about us living in times and places all over the world,” he said. “We’ve been painters in fifteenth century Vienna, nobles in ancient Egypt, a politician and a prostitute in ancient Greece—”
“A prostitute?” she blurted.
“Yes, sorry, they weren’t all fairytales.” He chuckled. “I think prostitutes were celebrities in those times because you were quite famous.”
She pictured it. She supposed it wasn’t all that different from certain female celebrities today who use sex to acquire fame. With her powers, it kind of made sense that such a profession would have crossed her path in at least one of her many lifetimes. With her ability to compel and affect men the way she does, she probably barely had to do any real work.
“Maybe it’s a good thing I don’t remember our other lives together.” She laughed.
“I’m glad I’ve had a chance to see parts of them,” he said. “I’ve seen us meet a hundred times, dance a hundred times, get married, have children, fight, get old. I feel…unbelievably blessed to have a glimpse at our connection to one another. The fact that we are these supernatural beings and have lived thousands of lives is incredible. But to know that, in almost every one of our lives, we somehow manage to find each other—”
He didn’t finish his thought. He didn’t need to. They had a deeper connection than just being Fire and Water. They didn’t dream about Lily or Skylar, at least she hadn’t. So it didn’t seem that all four of them found each other in each life. Just she and Sebastian were bound to one another as much as their elements were bound to them.
The buzzing inside her had been growing all night, and she was quite aware of it now. It felt as if her soul was spreading, growing, and radiating from her. She could almost see a sort of amber glow on her arms. Come to think of it, she could just barely make out a similar teal-tinged glow emanating from Sebastian. Even through the illusion he created, she saw it. She felt more connected than ever to him. She felt this glow from him—a kind of palpable spiritual matter which was cool, refreshing, and placating. She wondered if he felt her aura, and if it felt hot and out of control to him.
“Tell me more about our lives together,” she said. “I wanna know everything.”
As they swayed back and forth and more music played, he told her stories about what he’d dreamt. She let his words paint pictures inside her head and push out all the worry of what tomorrow would bring.
“Here, the rest is yours,” Lily said to Phoenyx, passing her what was left of the apple—a core with the slightest bit of fruit left.
Phoenyx took the apple and nibbled what she could. Oh, please let this work so I can get some real food! The desperation alone would be enough to turn her into a vicious ass kicker. She discarded the apple and stood, inviting everyone else to stand up with her.
“Is everyone ready?” she asked. “There’s no turning back once we open that door.” The three of them nodded, then all took in a deep breath. “All right, Skylar, open the bars.”
Skylar turned to the bars dividing the room. Bending and twisting like they were nothing more than oversized twist ties, the bars in front of both cells spread wide apart with a loud metallic whine. Phoenyx stepped out and over the low horizontal bar, then took Lily’s hand to help her out as the boys got out of their cell.
As they approached the door, Phoenyx trembled all over. This was the first time in a week she was able to take more than five steps in any one direction and her legs felt unstable beneath her, loose like overcooked spaghetti. Then there was the fact that they might be walking right into their doom.
“Is there anyone on the other side of the door?” Sebastian whispered to Skylar.
Skylar tilted his head to listen. “There are three people surrounding the door,” he whispered. “One on either side of the door against this wall and one standing a few feet in front of it, against the opposite wall. Sebastian, get on my right, Phoenyx on my left, and Lily—you’re in the middle behind me. Now, as soon as I open that door, be ready to use whatever means necessary. Ready?”
The group got into formation. Skylar took in one last deep breath, then the door quickly unlocked and swung open. The four of them rushed out.
The two men on either side of the door were thrust far backward down either ends of the hall by an invisible force. The man guarding the front of the door raised a large, long black gun. He aimed it at Sky
lar’s chest and pulled the trigger. What came out was not a bullet but a strange long silver dart with a short, thin tip at one end and a fluffy red feather at the other. The dart slowed and stopped a few inches from Skylar’s chest. It then did an about face and zoomed at the trigger man’s chest, knocking him out almost instantly.
“Everyone, be careful,” Skylar admonished, still and reserved like always, as if he hadn’t just been shot at. “That was a tranquilizer. All of their guns have them.”
“Tr-tranquilizers are v-very unstable,” Lily stuttered, much more shaken but still a river of knowledge. “They affect everyone differently and a-at different rates. Just because they don’t knock you out right away d-doesn’t mean they won’t affect you. We got lucky that it hit him so fast.” She looked in Sebastian’s direction and gasped. “Huh! Sebastian, look out!”
Sebastian spun around in time to face the guard who was flung from his side of the hall earlier and now came at him in a fury. He swung a fist at Sebastian’s head. Sebastian swooped down out of reach, then came back up with his own fist right under the man’s jaw, forcing the man to stumble backward in pain. Sebastian bent his leg up and kicked him in the gut, throwing the man to the floor. When the man was on his back, Sebastian stomped over, ripped the gun away from him, and shot him in the chest.
This one wasn’t going down as easily as the first. Snarling, he lifted himself up and, out of reflex, Sebastian spun the gun in his hands and smashed the butt against the man’s face, knocking him out.
“My element may not be useful in a fight but years of practice on the mean streets of Vegas sure are,” Sebastian said.
No sooner had the words come out of his mouth than strong, hard arms bound Phoenyx from behind. Before she knew what was happening, the arms flung her hard against the wall, shooting piercing pain all up and down her right arm where it made contact. She screamed out. She didn’t have time to give in to the pain, for the man came at her again, hands open and aiming for her neck.
She reached up her left hand and intercepted him as quickly as she could, gripping his meaty arm firmly and yelling, “Stop!”
The man froze in an attack stance above her. Trembling and panting, she let go of his arm and crept out from under him, staring at him the whole time. Not a single part of him moved—he wouldn’t even blink. She had compelled him to stop to the fullest meaning of the word. She didn’t even realize she was using her power, it just happened instinctively.
“Are you okay?” Sebastian asked Phoenyx with concern on his face.
The pain shot through her right arm again. She winced and yelped. “No! I think my arm is broken.”
Lily rushed to Phoenyx’s side and gently moved her fingers up and down Phoenyx’s arm. When Lily found the break a few inches above the elbow, Phoenyx cried out again. Lily put her hands lightly around that part of Phoenyx’s arm. Phoenyx felt a funny crawly feeling inside her arm. She imagined her bone reattaching itself and sprouting new fibers to mend the break. In seconds, the pain stopped and it felt as though it never was injured.
“Oh, thank you!” Phoenyx exclaimed, throwing her arms around Lily. “I told you we needed you. You don’t know how much that hurt! I would have been in serious shit if you couldn’t heal me.”
“Any time,” Lily said in faux nonchalance. “Just, please, no one else get hurt.”
Sebastian and Phoenyx laughed nervously.
Skylar bent to pick up the gun from the unconscious man and handed the gun to Lily. “You need one of these more than any of us.”
Taken aback, Lily accepted it with quivering hands. She looked awkward holding it.
“What are we going to do with him?” Sebastian asked, gesturing to the still statuesque attacker.
Phoenyx turned to the man and put her hand on him again.
“Relax now,” she commanded.
The man lowered his arms and shoulders and stood in a relaxed position. He looked at her as if she were the only person on the planet who mattered.
“Tell me your name,” she ordered.
“Bruce Livingston,” he answered enthusiastic-ally.
Angry for the fact that he attacked her and broke her arm, she felt some form of penance was necessary. “Bruce, I want you to slap yourself in the face as hard as you possibly can.”
Without pause, he lifted his hand and slapped the side of his face with a loud clap! His hand left his cheek bright pink, which soon turned to red.
“Good,” she said. “Now, you are going to lead us out of here in the safest route possible. If anyone gets in our way, you will defend each and every one of us with your life.” She tightened her grip on his arm and let her will flood into him as she spoke. “Got it?”
“Yes, mistress” Bruce said devotedly.
She rolled her eyes. “My name is Phoenyx. Now, come on and get us out of here.” She let go of his arm.
Bruce nodded and headed for the hall to the left, gun raised and ready to shoot. As they followed, stepping over the man Sebastian knocked out, Sebastian said to her, “You’re so hot when you take control like that.” He slipped her a quick peck on the cheek. Funny how such a simple thing as a kiss on the cheek could give her the pip in her step she needed right now.
****
The hallways they walked through were all made out of cobblestone—the floors, the walls, the ceiling. Every threshold was an archway, making Phoenyx certain this was all quite old. Not to mention that what illuminated the hallways were lanterns with actual flames in them rather than light bulbs; it made everything so dim after days with the blinding fluorescents overhead that she could hardly see her nose in front of her face. They passed by more cement doors like the one that kept them prisoner. She wondered who else was kept down here.
“Where are you taking us?” she asked Bruce, keeping pace behind him.
“To the stairs,” he replied.
“The stairs?” Lily asked.
“Yes, we are three stories underground,” Bruce said. “We will go up three flights of stairs, all of which are not consecutive so we have a lot of walking to do, then we take the service passage to the kitchen where we will go out through the back. The kitchen only operates for dinner so there shouldn’t be anyone there for several hours.”
“Are there many more guards like you?” Phoenyx asked.
“Yes, there are thirty-seven security guards patrolling the premises. With the ritual tomorrow, members from all over the world have come. As soon as someone realizes you are out, they will all come after us.”
“Well, then I guess we’d better be quick,” she said. “Just for curiosity’s sake, where are we?”
“The Four Corners Lodge,” he answered.
“Yeah, we kinda gathered that,” Sebastian said. “Where is the lodge located?”
“Salt Lake City, Utah,” Bruce said.
“We’re in frickin’ Utah?” Sebastian exclaimed. “That’s like a nine hour drive from Vegas, and even longer from LA and Seattle.”
“Salt Lake City?” Phoenyx asked.
“Yes, the Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in town,” Bruce said. “Well, the underground tunnels connected to it, anyway. The above ground stories have been an ongoing work in progress.”
She was going to ask more questions about the cult or whatever they called it but, at the end of the hall, a man emerged. When he saw them, he turned the other way and ran out of sight.
“Stop him,” Skylar shouted. “He’s going to alert the others that we’ve escaped!”
“It’s too late for that,” Bruce said as Phoenyx and Sebastian braced themselves to run after him. “We all have ear-pieces; he’s already reporting your escape. We have to move, quickly!”
Their pace turned into a jog as they zigzagged through the hallways. They made it to a narrow stairway of carved stone. They hurried, pausing at the threshold to make sure the coast was clear. When Bruce decided it was safe, they rushed into the hall with him at the front of the pack. As soon as they turned the corner, they ran
into a group of guards heading their way, all of whom raised their guns instantly and shot at them.
“No,” Skylar shouted and threw his hand out in front of him. With that, a roar of wind rushed at the attackers, throwing them hard against the wall behind them. The darts they shot at the escapees deflected back their way and hit them not long after.
“Quick, back this way!” Bruce barked, herding them in the direction they had come and through another series of passages. Then he turned into a niche and opened a door. “In here. They won’t expect us to go this way.”
“Why is that?” Phoenyx asked as they ran in after him. “Oh,” she said, faltering as she saw where they were, an answer no long required.
They were in a large square room with a very tall vaulted ceiling. The floor was made of blocks of stones, with a mosaic of different colored marble in the middle to make a huge version of the symbol their captors wore. This room looked as old as the passages they’d been running through, except for a few terrifying modern accessories. Sitting on top of the giant mosaic symbol were four hospital style gurneys, complete with arm, leg, and chest restraint straps. Each was topped with a metal helmet connected to wires dangling down and grouping up next to an altar-looking thing with a giant lever on the top.
All four of the prisoners stopped cold and stared in horror at their surroundings.
“This is where you were going to do it,” Sebastian said, aghast.
“These were going to be our death beds,” Skylar said.
“Oh, my God!” Lily gasped.
Instinctively, Phoenyx turned to comfort Lily but was stopped by a detail she should have noticed before—a dart was stuck in Lily’s shoulder.
“Oh no, Lily,” Phoenyx said in a defeated tone as she pulled the dart out.
Lily’s eyes widened in fear as she stared at the dart in Phoenyx’s hand. They were filled with a look of doom, a realization that death was so very close.
“It must have somehow gotten through when I deflected them just now,” Skylar said.
“What do we do?” Lily whimpered. “When this stuff takes effect, I’ll be dead weight.”
