PART TWO)
A living nightmare stood smiling before Famine’s eyes. He felt as of the world had suddenly disappeared and he was in the middle of a cold, formless void. His mind was numb…trying in vain to make sense of what he was seeing. Just seconds ago he had been in awe at the sight of the underwater home in which he stood and now he was staring at a person who, just weeks ago, had tried to kill his friend and steal his untapped powers. When he was finally able to find his voice, it was weak and soft.
“No. No, it can’t be you.”
Angelique stepped under the light of the largest candelabra and regarded him with tenderness. “But it is, dear boy. I thought you’d be happier to see me.”
“Why would you think that? You didn’t exactly make that great an impression on me the first time.”
“Oh that,” she said turning and walking towards a chair and small round table in one of the corners of the room. “Perhaps I was a little out of line. It was an extraordinary situation…I acted on impulse.”
“That’s a bunch of crap. You knew full well what you were doing. What do you want from me?”
Angelique took a seat and grabbed a handheld mirror that was sitting on the table. After touching her face and admiring herself for a few seconds, she looked at Famine. “Want? I don’t want anything. You’re being here is as much a surprise to me as it is you.”
Devon came up beside Famine and held his hand. “This is the boy, mother. Isn’t he lovely?”
“Mother? Is she really your mother?”
“We’ll, she’s like a mother to me. She kept me safe when I first came over. She’s given me shelter and safety.”
This was all too much. Within the last hour he had stolen Ankou’s cart, had a major fight with The Reaper and Morrigan, run off with his boyfriend, and reunited with an enemy. It was as surreal as it was jarring and nightmarish.
Something in the back of his mind also suggested it all seemed a little too coincidental. How was it that he came to have a fallout out with his family on the same day he visited Devon’s home for the first time? Why had Devon never mentioned Angelique? In the times that they had talked and shared with one another the subject of his living arrangements, it had never come up.
Devon talked about himself very little, actually…it had been Famine that had revealed the most about himself. That struck him as strange now, too. Pushing these thoughts away, Famine just blankly looked at Devon and nodded.
“I still don’t trust you, lady. You tried to kill my friend the last time I saw you. That’s not something I forgive.”
Devon was surprised. “What? What friend?”
“Your mother over there,” said Famine pointing at an offended-looking Angelique, “almost killed Morrigan.”
“Morrigan? Isn’t she the one who took your parents’side? I’d hardly call her a friend…she turned against you just like they did.”
Angelique got up and began walking towards the boys. She spoke calmly, and with seeming concern. “Turned against you? What happened?’
“Like you care!” Famine said taking a step back as she got closer.
“He had an awful fight with The Reaper and everyone else. They didn’t approve of me…they practically threw him out,” Devon answered.
Angelique stopped. “Is this true?”
Famine didn’t know how to answer. It was true to a point. But in his mind, he was the one who had decided to leave. The Reaper had only provided a reason for doing so. “Yes,” he said thinking on it a bit more, “we had a fight. I left. They gave me ultimatums…they wanted to keep me locked up again.”
Angelique smiled and looked quite content with herself. Devon broke away from Famine and moved by her side. “I told you the truth, didn’t I? I warned you they were that way but you didn’t listen.”
Those words hit hard. She was right. No matter how much The Reaper tried to smooth over it or how much Morrigan tried to reassure him, he had kept the doubt about his family deep inside. It had been Devon who opened his eyes to it even more. He looked at Angelique with new respect now. Yes, she had tried to kill Morrigan but she had also offered him the chance to break away from the broken family unit and live free. He had just been too stubborn to listen. Threatening Morrigan had been an extreme way to get him to agree.
“I didn’t and I should’ve. These last few days have shown me how blind I was to it all. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
Angelique motioned for Famine to join them. When he did, she put her arm around his neck and took on a matronly demeanor. “It’s okay. I should apologize for acting the way I did, too. I was just trying to get you to a better place. It was selfish in asking for your Dead Light. I should have been content with just taking you away. In the end, I just wanted what was best for you.”
It seemed like everyone wanted what was best for him. Why couldn’t he decide what was best for himself? Her words were strangely comforting. And at least she had admitted she was wrong about her behavior.
“Can Famine stay here, Mother?” asked Devon anxiously.
“Of course he can. That is…if he wants to.”
They looked at Famine with wide anticipatory eyes. He had no place to go. He couldn’t go back home after the way he had acted. No…he couldn’t go back home after the way The Reaper acted. The man was being unreasonable. Here, he felt like he could do anything he wanted. He wouldn’t be controlled or forced to stay in one place. Now he basically had the freedom that Angelique had offered him weeks before.
“Yes,” Famine answered with determination and a grin, “I will stay. Thank you both very much.”
Devon squealed and gave him a tight hug. Angelique patted his shoulder. “Devon and I don’t have much but you’re welcome to it. Stay as long as you wish.”
When Devon had let go, Famine reached out and gave Angelique a hug. She acted startled at first but returned his embrace within a second.
“I was so wrong about you. You’re the one I should’ve been with all along.”
Angelique gently pushed him away but kept her warm smile. “All water under the bridge as the humans say. Now, why don’t you go and get settled. Devon will show you to a spare room where you can stay.”
“Just go through that door over there,” Devon said as he pointed to one of the archways in the far corner, “it’s the third door on the left. I’ll be there in a few seconds.”
Famine nodded and quickly went through the door. As soon as he was out of earshot, Devon turned to Angelique. His voice took on an angry impatient tone. “How much longer must we go on?”
“I don’t think he suspects anything so let’s not blow it by acting like a jack ass, OK? We’ve got him where we want him. It’s just a matter of time and will. I don’t think he’ll think twice about giving me what I want this time.”
“Giving you what you want?”
“My apologies, dear,” Angelique said with a giggle, “I meant to say it’s only a matter of time before he gives us what we want.”
Keeping Up with the Deadlanders Page 20
