I smiled back and briefly touched his hand, not at all bothered by the heat projecting from his body. "Thank you," I murmured gratefully.
Skylar looked to Chris and nodded stiffly.
Chris stared at Skylar seriously for a moment, but then his façade cracked to reveal a happy, cheerful smile. "Okay, everyone,” he said, "You are all officially invited to my house."
"Woohoo!" Ricky shouted. "We should have a party!"
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "You still haven’t changed at all."
"Of course not!" he shouted back absurdly. "If I changed, none of you would know how to have fun anymore."
"Uh huh . . . sure," I muttered. I rushed at him and tackled him to the ground, ignoring the slight tearing in my shoulder. I yelled like a crazy person and soon Ricky and I were wrestling like two immature children. "I’m so gonna kick your butt!" I shouted as he rolled over.
"As if . . ." he murmured, and he got me into a choke hold.
I conceded after Chris' worrisome face got on my nerves. "You win this time," I admitted. "But we’ll finish this later, okay?"
He smiled wryly. "Deal, lil’ sis."
“Would you please not wreck her?” Chris asked in slight irritation. “Honestly, Richard . . .”
“Whoa,” Ricky called, putting out his hand like he was a policeman, “Do not call me by my full name.”
“What happens if I do?” Chris retorted childishly. “Richard?”
Ricky smiled angrily. “That’s it, pretty boy,” he chided. “You’re done.”
“Oh yeah?” Chris shouted back. “Come at me, bro.”
Pa was watching this while erupting in fits of laughter, Alyssa sat there laughing hysterically, and Skylar stared at them like they were insane.
“Oh, jeez,” I muttered as I slapped my forehead. “Would you guys quit it?”
Chris looked at me with his fake pouting face. “Do we have to?” he asked in a baby-like voice.
“Yes,” I ordered with mock authority.
“Okay,” he pouted, and he smiled immediately after, walking up to me. He knelt down beside me and put his arm around my shoulder, lifting me to my feet with ease. My left shoulder was still pretty useless, numb and bloody from being cauterized, so I had to pretty much hold it up with my right arm so it wouldn't completely fall off. Gross, right?
The skin was still healing itself inside Alyssa’s tiny white orb, and it followed me as we walked, continually healing the torn muscles in my shoulder.
Chris supported me as we walked back toward his newly regenerated house, which was surprisingly only about five miles from this place, and the others chattered excitedly with each other. Ricky and Pa were telling stupid jokes, but they thought they were utterly hilarious, which made everyone else laugh at them. Skylar walked beside Alyssa, who was still studying his face as he stared with crimson eyes at the pavement in front of him.
The black palace began disappearing as we walked further away from it, disintegrating into the shadows that had given birth to it. The clouds in the sky raced away, letting the rising sun peek through and shine on us as we walked along the snowy pathway.
“Come on,” I murmured to the sunlight, yearning for it to touch me again.
“Hmm?” Chris asked. “Did you say something?”
I smiled. “I just called the sunlight over here, that’s all,” I told him. “I want to feel it on my skin again.”
He smiled back and caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. “I’m sure it’ll come to you.”
“Mm,” I murmured, closing my eyes at his touch. It was so hard to believe: I was still breathing. I had thought this was the end, that I wasn’t destined to have a wonderful life full of laughter and joy, that instead I was doomed to be the savior of others and give up my life for them. Yet here I was, living, breathing, and happy. I had my loved ones, and they still had me.
No one had to fade away. We could all stay here until it was our time to move to a world beyond this one. . . .
The rays of sunlight slowly crept out from behind the clouds, stretching out across the ground as they made their way toward us. A few of the rays touched my left shoulder, travelling softly over the dying skin, and I felt suddenly rejuvenated. The dead skin peeled off my arm, falling like snakeskin onto the newly-fallen snow, and new skin regrew in its place. I watched in amazement as my wound painlessly healed itself in the sunlight.
Chris looked over at me when he heard me gasp in wonder, and his eyes widened at the sight he saw; my shoulder was completely healed and all of the blood was either dried up or completely gone.
“Wow . . .” he murmured. “It’s amazing how the elements can heal us so quickly.”
I nodded. “I’m glad they do,” I said, “because I need to be healthy for another eight months.”
Chris stared at me blankly for a second. “Eight months?” he asked.
I nodded with a smile on my face and looked around at the others, who had all stopped walking and turned to face me. Ricky’s eyes were opened wide, and Pa’s were too, except she was smiling. Skylar was impassive as usual, and Alyssa was smirking.
“What do you think we should name her?” I asked, touching my hand to my abdomen. I rubbed my stomach affectionately and looked down at my womb, wondering if they would catch the message.
Alyssa and Pa started squealing and jumping up and down, Ricky’s face turned from shock to surprise to joy, and Skylar smirked a little. Chris was still shocked, staring at me incomprehensively.
“Dessa . . .” he murmured.
“She’s still alive, Chris,” I said happily. “I can hear and feel her.”
“How?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. I felt my stomach, and though I was barely aware of the presence of my child, I could still tell she was there. “She’s here.”
Chris’ smile slowly widened until he finally grasped the idea forming in my mind.
“I’m going to be a father!” he shouted, and everyone started cheering happily, dancing around in circles and kissing my face. Pa started talking to the baby in cooing noises, which made Ricky chuckle and start doing it, too.
“Congratulations,” Alyssa murmured in my ear. “You really pulled through for all of us on this one.”
I shook my head. “Nah,” I disagreed.
“Sure you did,” Alyssa argued softly. “You kept her alive, even when your life was falling to pieces. I’m surprised you both made it out of this.”
I smiled. “I am, too; but I think I’m happier more than anything.” I touched my stomach again and felt the presence of my child within me, a beautiful feeling that I cannot even begin to describe in words. Though she was no more than an embryo, without form or gender as of this moment, I could still feel her. Her life had begun . . .
The rest of the day passed in a blur of happiness and euphoria, a strange sensation to feel in lieu of everything that had just happened. Alyssa went home first, having modified her family’s memories of her time away from home. According to their memories, Alyssa had gone on a camping trip with me and Pa in the forest at the park. After Alyssa went home, Ricky decided to go on his way and take Pa and Skylar home.
Skylar, who was still a complete meanie, rode in the back seat and glared at Ricky the entire way home.
I stayed with Chris the entire night, sitting out by his lake and watching the stars shine in the sky. I thanked Desdemona for the beautiful scenery, and I felt a warmth pulse inside me when she said, You’re welcome.
He leaned over and kissed me, mixing his taste with mine, creating a beautiful homogenous spirit that we could both share. His hands traveled up to my face, setting off the pleasure I was starting to feel. I grabbed his shirt and threw it over his head, and my hands began feeling the contours of his chest, tracing the lines traveling up and down his stomach. The pleasure-high was amazing . . . I was intoxicated by his presence; his very smell drove my senses mad. Desdemona shared in this feeling, making it twice as strong w
ithin me . . .
After a while he pulled away and looked into my eyes; once again, their golden shine mixed with the sapphires buried deep within his eyes, creating the most beautiful fusion of colors I had ever seen. He gazed at me for what seemed like an eternity, and then he finally leaned in and whispered into my ear.
“I’m so glad you’re still here,” he said, and I could hear his voice beginning to break.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I told him quietly, and I embraced him, remembering the reasons why I had truly wanted to live.
Epilogue
Thousands of people hugged me that day, congratulating me and kissing me. I kind of hated the attention, but dealt with it anyway for the sake of my friends. My long white dress got stepped on wherever I went. It was gonna be a long day.
“Congratulations, D,” Pa said as she ran up to me in her vibrant green bridesmaid’s dress. She embraced me and made the cutest squealing sound out of her excitement.
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. “You’re probably like the five-thousandth person who’s said that to me today.”
“Dess, you got married today,” Ricky said as he came up behind Pa and wrapped his arms around her waist. He grabbed her left hand, and touched the beautiful wedding ring he had given her just a month before. “And about time, too. So, how’s the baby doing?”
I found myself smiling yet again. “She’s doing just fine,” I replied, putting my hand on my swelling abdomen.
I instinctively felt my eyes move around from where I stood in Chris’ backyard. The entire place was decorated for our wedding, with beautiful lilies adorning every touchable surface. All the guests were seated at tables arranged along the lake, and tiny floating lanterns lit the darkening sky as the sun began to set behind the hills.
I was touched on the shoulder, and I turned around to see Chris in his flawless tux, his sapphire eyes deep and calm.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said as he kissed my neck. “Are you enjoying the reception?”
I smiled. “I am,” I said as I kissed him back. “Have you checked on them?” He nodded.
“I just came from there. I have Skylar standing guard outside with Alyssa, but I’m pretty sure he isn’t too happy about that.”
I chuckled. “Is he ever happy?”
“If he has been, he hides it exceedingly well,” Chris replied with a smirk of his own. “Come dance with me,” he said softly. “I want to dance with my bride.”
I resisted for a total of five seconds, but then he gave me a look that made him look like an injured little puppy, and I gave up. I took his hand and walked out onto the dance floor.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and my hand went up to touch his shoulder, and when the beautiful music started I felt my body sway to the melody as Chris guided me across the dance floor. The crowd cheered for us, and then Ricky and Pa joined us on the floor a few measures later.
I looked over at my brother and my soon-to-be-sister-in-law, smiling as I watched them twirl around the floor together. They were laughing, enjoying themselves immensely, and it was about time we could enjoy ourselves.
It had been almost eight months since the entire situation with Desdemona, who was now completely assimilated into my mind the way we were in the beginning. She didn’t speak out anymore, I didn’t hear her thoughts circulating through my head anymore; it was almost like a part of me had been missing and what happened seven months ago made me whole again.
The dance ended a few minutes later and we left the dance floor, but just as we walked away, a dark veil of shadows fell upon the yard. The guests began to scream and run wildly as the wind picked up to a tornado-like speed and the earth began to shake. The water in the lake began to crash against the tables and flood the yard, and tongues of fire began licking the tents, setting the yard ablaze.
“What the hell’s going on?” Ricky asked as he knelt down and touched the earth with his hands, trying to stabilize the shaking. Pa looked over at me worriedly as she threw her arms into the air in efforts to calm the torrential winds.
Chris began to chant in our beautiful ancient language, and the blue haze began to encompass the air around us. Everything began to slow down and all the guests were frozen. A deadly silence reigned over the scene as the four of us stood in the middle of what could have been Hell.
I was amazed that I could still move since Chris wasn’t touching me; Ricky and Pa were still moving, too.
“You figured out how to do it after all,” I said with an appreciative smile.
“I did,” he said proudly. “Just have to add an extra phrase to the end of the chant.”
“What the hell was that?” Skylar asked as he ran outside.
“Did you leave Alyssa alone out there?” Chris asked sharply. “Do you have any idea what kind of people we’re trying to keep away from here?”
“Relax,” Skylar spat back. “She’ll be fine. Is anyone gonna answer my question?”
“I don’t think anyone knows the answer,” I said warily.
“Why don’t you ask one of us?”
I felt my blood freeze at the sound of his voice. Balthazar walked up to us through the blue haze, completely unaffected by it. His long black cape trailed after him, and his armored boots clicked loudly through the silence. Matthias, Raphael, and Cicero walked behind him, their menacing eyes staring us down as we tried to comprehend what was happening.
Balthazar’s black eyes somehow managed to glow in the darkness surrounding us, and his evil sneer sent a chill through me that I hadn’t felt in 5,000 years. When he looked at me, his eyes conveyed a longing; like he had been yearning to see me . . .
“Balthazar,” I said caustically, clutching Chris’ hand tightly.
“Desdemona,” he said back as he swooped into a low bow. “It’s been too long.”
“Enough with the pleasantries, Balthazar,” Chris added. “Say what you’ve come here to say and leave us alone.”
“Oh, but we were just dropping by to congratulate the newlyweds,” Matthias interjected as he took a few steps closer to us. Chris put out his arm to protect me, and Raphael began laughing together with Matthias. “Congratulations, Desdemona. Christopher.” He inclined his head toward me in respect, but simply stared at Chris with a look of contempt.
“Thank you, Matthias,” I said against my better judgment. “Now what is it you’ve come to tell us?” I released Chris’ hand and reached out into a parallel dimension, pulling Akarusa out into the open. I let the ribbon twirl around my wrist and fell back into a defensive crouch—at least as much as I was able to with my fat stomach. Pa, Ricky, Skylar, and Chris did the same, and we formed an arc facing the four Hunters.
“Find her, Raphael,” Balthazar said quietly. Raphael nodded infinitesimally and vanished completely from sight. “You see, Desdemona, we know what you’ve been up to these past few months.”
“Oh, and what’s that?” I asked provokingly. Balthazar smiled again and took another step closer to me. I flexed my jaw and tightened my hold on Akarusa’s hilt, but he didn’t seem in the least even threatened by the weapon in my hands.
“I hope Raphael doesn’t kill her,” Matthias mused. “It’d be a shame for you to lose the Keeper of Secrets at a time like this.”
An unbelievable rage filled me and I felt my blood begin to pump at a feverish rate. My eyes began to melt over with darkness—I felt the anger pulse through my eyes—and my irises started to glow even brighter. I felt the anger and malice building, making me stronger, and my personality altered immediately. Akarusa’s hilt grew longer and the ribbon was tainted black; the blade curved and transformed into a ripper blade, and the original markings appeared on the staff. I held Yamikage in my hands, and I felt more powerful as I stared at Balthazar through my beautifully evil eyes.
“There she is,” he said happily. “My Desdemona.”
“I never belonged to you, Balthazar,” I argued, relishing the feeling of raw power travelling through my veins. “Return Alyssa to me,
or I will kill all of you.”
“That’s quite a threat, Desdemona,” Cicero said as he spoke for the first time. I scoffed in disgust.
“I’ve changed in the past 5,000 years,” I muttered in vitriol.
“No doubt,” Matthias replied with a smile. “I’m sure 5,000 years as a statue gave you tons of time to contemplate lots about your life.”
I scowled at him. I made an effort to ignore him and looked toward Ricky and Pa instead. “Ricky,” I said in a strained voice. He stared at my eyes, and for a split second I thought he was afraid, but then his look changed to one of determination. “Take Skylar and Pa with you and make sure Alyssa’s all right. Chris and I will be fine here.”
“Yes, they’ll be fine here,” Balthazar chided. “Go check on her.”
Ricky stomped his foot to the earth and a ferocious earthquake shook beneath our feet. I pushed myself slightly off the surface of the earth and floated there until Ricky calmed himself, but the others all fell down in bewilderment. Even Pa.
“How did you get out?” Pa asked as she stood up.
“That’s easy,” Matthias answered. “Your little friend Skylar accomplished that for us. When he released you, Desdemona, he also released all of us. We were locked in there with you, remember?”
I swallowed, not wanting to remember memories that I hadn’t really ever experienced. I looked over at Skylar, who was staring guiltily at the ground.
“It’s not your fault, Skylar,” I said calmly. “It was going to happen eventually anyway. Pa, Ricky, Skylar, go.”
They all nodded and left immediately while I kept Balthazar and the others occupied.
“What do you want with us?” I asked anxiously, feeling the power pulse through my veins at an even faster rate.
“I thought you knew all of this, Desdemona,” Cicero taunted. “You should've known your unborn daughter was going to be one of them. After all, didn’t the legends tell you this would happen?”
“That’s impossible,” Chris said before I could find the strength to speak. “It’s nothing but a legend. Orion never held any ground here.”
Poison Page 32
