She had forgotten for a split second that Mark was technically the enemy. As much as she liked him, he was still a spy. Not that he was being mean about it, but it was his job to report anything unusual or out of place that he witnessed in Hell. The torture of a prisoner that the Council considered off-limits to such treatment would definitely be reported. Even though Mark was kind and seemed to like her, they weren’t exactly friends, so she couldn’t ask him to look the other way. She needed to find out what Lucifer was doing and fast.
“My lady,” Mark bowed stiffly, upset by her dismissal of him.
He walked to the entrance of the hall and disappeared.
As Mark left Hell, he breathed a sigh of relief to be going home, though he was upset that Lady Black had so quickly dismissed him. He knew that Hell considered him the bad guy, the one who overheard their secrets and ran to the Council to get them into trouble. Typically, he was happy to report their deviant behavior, but he liked Lady Black. She was the only kind one in Hell. He did not want to see her in trouble. Had she confided in him and asked him not to say anything until she straightened out the matter, he would have been more than happy to hold his tongue. He wished she trusted him more. The thought made him pause. He had never had to earn trust before. Of all people, she should trust him since he had risked his life to tell her that Gabriel was trying to see her when she had been trapped by Lucifer in Hell. That alone should have made him the hero in her eyes. Perhaps Hell was taking its toll on her just as it did everyone else.
Chapter 3
The mist was thick on the dark road as he wandered along. He was tired of the musty castle and needed some air. It was late, well past midnight in the city, and few would venture forth from the safety of their homes. His reputation had seen to that. He was looking for something to entertain him, though not much did the trick any more. Too many days, too many nights, and too many breaths in and out, keeping him alive. Life was repetitive and it took much for him to feel even the slightest emotion. He was cold, as always. He pulled his charcoal gray cloak around his shoulders, though it did little to warm him. He knew what people would think if they saw him approach; a specter, a ghoul, a reaper, or even the devil himself, though he was better dressed. Alazar chuckled at the thought of being mistaken for the devil. If only they knew who he really was.
The air was chilly and the temperature was dropping. Snow would soon start to fall and it would signal the end of his potential fun. He knew any wayward mortals would seek shelter and abandon the streets. He needed to find someone, or a few someones, quickly.
The moonlight peeking through the gathering clouds showed him the pathway, though he knew these roads well. He had traveled them periodically throughout the years. While progress had changed the landscape in so many places in the Mortal Realm, this place was a mix of old world and modern industry. It had rustic buildings, sprawling farmlands surrounding the castle, and steel mills within the larger part of the city. Castle Moartea, as the locals called it, was at the rural edge of the city. Whenever he needed to get back to basics, he returned here. The locals were hard working and simple in their needs. They offered the most resistance to his power. They posed a challenge since most were content with their lives and were not as susceptible to murder and suicide. He admired their wherewithal, but enjoyed pushing them beyond their limits, just to prove that he could. Death was legendary, or rather infamous, throughout the entire region of Romania. They respected his gifts and did their best to stay out of his way.
He looked around as he heard frantic mooing in the distance. It seemed the cows knew he was out for a stroll. Though he held no power over them, since they relied on instinct and couldn’t be tempted, they still felt uneasy when he passed by. It was all the same to him. He didn’t need the comfort of animals, mortals, or angels. He cared nothing for love or compassion. Even sex was something he didn’t often think about, though he was physically sated, for the time being. He’d recently had a visit from a certain female that had eased some of his despair, or moderately so. He tried to recall when he had last seen Maraquette and was surprised to realize that it had been longer than he thought; five months. He was worse off than he thought. He pondered whether being sated meant that he was completely numb and no longer needed intimacy.
The frost was consuming his body, one piece at a time and the darkness was dangerously close to overtaking him. Soon he would become a killing machine with fewer morals then he currently had, which was a scary thought. He needed to do something to change his dire situation, lest he finally become a Rogue. Still, he wasn’t desperate enough to make the ultimate sacrifice. Even if he were close to succumbing to the darkness, he wasn’t willing to give up his freedom and find her. He refused to allow anyone to leash him and put him under their boot. That’s why he left in the first place. That’s why he had chosen loneliness. He wouldn’t serve anyone but himself. He knew what his mission was. He knew his purpose. That was why he was walking in search of the wretched mortals. He didn’t want to be in their world, but he no longer had a place to call home.
He was pulled from his melancholy thoughts by voices arguing in the distance. Ahh, this sounded interesting. Perhaps the night wouldn’t be a loss after all. He pledged that he would not return home feeling cold again. A spark ignited inside of him as he listened to the quarrel.
“I saw her first, why did you have to distract her? She was about to let me buy her a drink,” a man growled in the distance.
“Yeah, right, she didn’t give you a second look. She had her eyes on me the whole time. I’m the one who got her number. If she liked you that much, she would have talked to you instead of me,” the other man argued.
Alazar assumed they must have come from the local pub, though they were still a few streets away. He hoped they were out-of-towners and new to the area.
“You didn’t give me a chance. You started talking about your job and how much money you make. Really, did you have to tell her that your family is loaded? No wonder she didn’t talk to me,” the first man groused.
“Look at the two of us, Lucas. Do you really think I could have gotten that girl with my looks? We both know you are the face and I’m the style,” the second man snickered.
“You mean the money. I can’t believe she blew you in the bathroom. Despite being the better-looking one, I still manage to go home stiff. It’s not fair. She was the prettiest one by far and you stole her, Johann,” Lucas panted and sounded as if he were running after Johann.
“There was that other girl. She looked happy enough to play with you for a while,” Johann snickered.
“She had three missing teeth, Johann. Why do I have to lower my standards because you throw your cash at all the good ones? Can we just get out of this town? There’s nothing happening here. You’re never going to get that guy to buy anything from you. Everyone here is too set in their ways. They will never modernize their equipment. Rustic my ass, old is the problem,” Lucas huffed.
“I thought you said you were desperate. Missing teeth or not, she would have helped you out. Though I agree, we are in the wrong town. No one is going to invest in new machinery. They are content to stick to their antiquated ways. I’m ready to move on,” Johann sighed.
These two sounded promising. There was already strife between them, which was easy enough to exploit. Yes, Lucas and Johann sounded perfect for his needs. Alazar walked around the bend in the road and saw the two men for the first time. They were dressed in suits like traditional businessmen. They were definitely in the wrong place.
“Good evening, gentlemen, a little late for a stroll, isn’t it?” Alazar approached the two men and bowed gracefully. He held out his arm and allowed the cloak to fall open as he bowed.
“Yeah, we were just heading out. The pub’s closed, if you were on your way there,” Lucas nodded his head and acknowledged the stranger.
Lucas had the nicer voice of the two and was definitely handsomer than Johann was. Lucas had white blonde hair and a killer smile. Joh
ann had a weather-beaten appearance and looked like he had taken one too many boards to the face growing up.
Alazar shrugged casually. “No. I was out getting some air. On the way back to the inn, I assume.”
“Yeah, we’re leaving town. Well, good evening,” Johann walked past the stranger.
“Would you mind if I asked what you were arguing about? I overheard your conversation. Sorry, I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop; the cold air tends to amplify voices,” Alazar blocked Lucas and smiled politely.
“Actually, we just want to get back. We’re leaving tonight. Don’t want to wait until morning. You understand,” Johann was polite, but getting annoyed with the stranger.
“I understand. It won’t take more than a moment. It gets boring this late at night. There aren’t many interesting people to talk to. I heard that you were salesmen, some sort of machinery?” Alazar continued to block Lucas’ path.
“Really, we must go,” Lucas spoke up; uncomfortable that the stranger was standing in his way.
Lucas noticed that the man was good-looking and had soft features, almost feminine. He was dressed in dark-colored clothes. His skin practically glowed in the darkness despite the moon being overshadowed by the thickening clouds. His hair was as dark as the night sky and seemed to shimmer even without the moonlight. The most striking features were his eyes. Even in the dark, Lucas could tell his eyes were bright blue, like a clear afternoon sky. He felt at peace when he looked into the man’s eyes. He could see a sunlit meadow and feel a warm breeze on his face. Wildflowers filled the meadow all around him. The colors were dazzling and mesmerizing. Birds of all kinds sang in the swaying trees. He felt happy and at peace.
Lucas blinked suddenly, and shook off the image. He wasn’t standing in a warm meadow; in fact, his feet were freezing in the night air. How had he mistaken where he was? He was shocked to see that he had unintentionally walked closer to the man. Was he hallucinating?
“I really do insist that you stay. Things are about to get really interesting,” Alazar smiled, but it was no longer friendly. He looked like a predator as his eyes glinted and focused on Lucas.
“Lucas?” Johann asked, looking back over his shoulder. He saw the stranger lean in, gaze into Lucas’ eyes, and whisper something. “What are you saying to him?”
“Now, now, you’ll get your turn, Johann. Be patient,” Alazar spoke to Johann, but he continued to hold Lucas’ gaze.
Johann was stunned when he saw the stranger put a hand on Lucas’ shoulder and pat him in a comforting way. Lucas stood still and didn’t speak.
Alazar leaned in and whispered to Lucas. “Now Lucas, I know it’s been hard listening to Johann drone on and on about how difficult his life is. He does nothing but complain. I mean, look at the guy. You’re the pretty one and yet he gets all the girls, all the business deals, and all the money while you struggle to make it through the day. He has everything and he’s never had to work hard for it. It sucks. It must be difficult to stand next to such a lazy sloth that enjoys his parents’ money and never stresses about paying the bills. I know I couldn’t do it. Yet, he complains when you try to get the girl, make the sale, or have something he thinks he deserves. It’s just not right. I mean, he gets away with everything; he even got the promotion that you worked so hard for. He happens to screw the client’s daughter and the next thing you know, he lands a sale for 1000 machines. Your boss rewarded him with a raise. You worked for two years trying to land that account and Johann screwed his way into it. It must drive you crazy to watch him get the glory, the women, and the money. After three years, you must be tired of it. No one ever gave you anything for free. You’ve had to earn it the hard way. It was guys like him who beat you up in school. Rich guys like him who stole your girlfriend. You’ve been humiliated by them and still it continues. Guys like him don’t deserve what they have. Are you going to stand by and watch this lazy sloth get the life that you should have? Before you know it, he’ll be running the company. You’ll be working for him and still scraping by. It’s time for you to take a stand Lucas, for yourself, and for all the hard-working people. You must rally against the Johannes of the world. You know you’ve thought about it before. You know what you should do. It’s time Lucas; it’s time to take what should have been yours. You know what you have to do,” the stranger’s gaze burned into Lucas’ eyes while he stood motionless, unblinking.
Johann couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Lucas, this is bullshit. You aren’t listening to this, are you? He’s crazy.”
Lucas appeared to be in a trance, though his mouth twitched a little as if he was smiling. He didn’t respond, but remained quiet, his eyes locked on the stranger’s blue eyes.
“Who the hell are you?” Johann shouted. He dove for the stranger, but when he was within arm’s reach, the stranger disappeared. A gust of air brushed past his hand, but his hands came up empty.
“My dear Johann, forgive me for not introducing myself. It was rude of me. My name is Alazar,” the stranger said from behind Johann.
Johann whirled around and saw Alazar standing directly in front him. Lucas was still rooted to the ground.
“Well, Alazar, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it ends now,” Johann swung his fist at Alazar’s face, but was met with another cold breeze.
“Ah ah. Hitting isn’t allowed. I haven’t placed my hands on your friend, aside from his shoulder, and that doesn’t count. I haven’t harmed him. Why the sudden violence?” Alazar chuckled from behind Johann.
“Damn it, stand still. Lucas, we’re getting out of here. Let’s go,” Johann quickly turned to push Alazar out of his way, but the infuriating man was gone.
Lucas didn’t acknowledge the fight in the least.
“Oh, he’s not going anywhere, and neither are you. Isn’t that right, Lucas? You and your friend have a few issues to resolve. Lucas will be kind enough to give you a head start though,” Alazar grinned evilly and waved his hand toward the road.
“Head start? You’re out of your mind. Lucas, we’re leaving,” Johann turned to walk back to the pub to find help, when he heard a growl to his right. It sounded like an animal. Johann was terrified by the sound. He turned, expecting to see a wolf or at least a large dog. The growl sounded again, but it was coming from Lucas. “Lucas?” Johann managed to squeak out his friend’s name, before Lucas launched himself at Johann.
Johann was pummeled by his friend and business associate. He tried to block the blows as best he could, but Lucas was younger and faster. He fell backward, landing on the cold ground. He was pinned under Lucas, who was punching him mercilessly. Johann could feel the blood pouring down his cheek into his ear as a fist landed against his nose. He heard the crack before he felt the pain. Though stunned and dizzy, Johann pushed Lucas off him long enough to scramble to his feet.
“What the fuck, Lucas?” Johann shouted, but Lucas wasn’t listening. He looked wild, almost feral.
Lucas’ fists were clenched, ready to strike again. “You had everything and you still took more. You stole Carol, Diane, Marie, and even Darla from me. You stole that promotion. You made salesman of the month, three times in a row and got the bonus because your cousin bought a ton of equipment. All the while, I was struggling to survive. You’ve never gone a night without supper; you’ve never had to sit in the dark because you couldn’t pay your electric. You know nothing about hard work; everything comes so damned easy for you,” Lucas was panting and snarling.
“What you are talking about? I work hard for everything I have. My life hasn’t been easy. You don’t know what you’re talking about. A few lies from this guy and you’ve lost your mind! What the hell is wrong with you?” Johann turned and ran down the road. He needed to get away from the freak with the blue eyes and his insane friend. He needed a doctor. He couldn’t breathe from his nose and pain roared throughout his face and head.
Johann ran through the quiet town. He banged on a few doors, yelling for help, but no one came to his aid. He doubled
back around to the pub and headed for the inn from a different direction. He needed to get to his car and get back home. He swore he would never come to this place again.
Johann made his way through the cemetery a few blocks from the inn. He ducked behind the headstones and moved stealthily through the area. How could a guy he’d known for three years turn on him like that? While they might not be the best of friends, they did go on holiday together and socialized whenever possible. He thought he knew his friend better than this. He’d never seen Lucas violent or even angry. He could be a tight-ass sometimes, but never crazy.
Johann looked around, decided that the road was clear, and took a chance on using it.
“You’re not leaving so soon, are you?” Alazar stepped out from behind a tall headstone, arms behind his back, and blocked his way.
“What do you want? Why are you doing this? Johann asked, desperate to understand the deranged man’s motivation.
“I told you. I’m bored. And, you lose” Alazar peered up over Johann’s shoulder.
Johann felt a sharp pain in his neck that knocked him to his knees. A chunk of headstone fell to the ground next to him. The pain was too much to bear and he fell to the ground, twisting to land on his back. Lucas stood over him, in a rage. He was sweating and panting, his face contorted with hatred. He bared his teeth and yelled a guttural swear.
“Lucas, man, pull yourself together. We’re friends. Don’t listen to him,” Johann could hardly speak; pure agony was overwhelming his thoughts.
“Not. Any. More,” Lucas threw his knees into Johann’s chest, crushing his ribs. He wrapped his hands around Johann’s neck and choked him, while banging his head on the frozen ground.
The Third Throne: Angel of Death Page 6
