by Lynn Vroman
Wilma nodded, letting tears fall, as she kept her face pointed outside. She raised her hand and opened her fist, a tiny tear forming.
Tarek covered her raised fingers. “Wait. One more thing before we go.”
She must’ve seen the hate boiling in his eyes because she came to the right conclusion in seconds. “Mateusz?”
“Yes.”
Wilma lowered her hand, and her puffy, tear-stained face brightened a fraction. “How do you plan on doing that?”
He thought of the guy’s sanctuary. Thought of how he never allowed anyone there. His place away, he called it. Well, not today. Today, he’d have a few visitors. “We go get him.”
∞ ∞ ∞
As soon as they reached the threshold of Casimir’s manse, Tarek set Mateusz on his wobbling legs. It hadn’t taken much effort to grab the guy off his toilet. Wilma made sure he held still, pants around his ankles and all, when she opened the portal right there in the bastard’s bathroom.
Mateusz fell on his ass, scrambling backward. In a groggy, slurred voice, he said, “Please, Tarek, don’t.”
“You took everything from me.”
Mateusz, even with his pants around his ankles and bare ass on the ground, didn’t bother to hide his hatred. “I gave you a reprieve. You were better off without her.”
He didn’t need to hear anymore. Not even blinking an eye, Tarek ripped out the traitor’s throat.
Watching him die wasn’t hard. Blood on the ice, causing steam to billow in the dense air, actually had his breath coming out less ragged. Even the gurgling sounds relaxed him. At least now the bastard would be useful.
Wilma walked up from behind. “Don’t think I don’t know why you killed him here.”
He’d have to practice not clenching his jaw in the future; his back teeth started to hurt. “Never said I was honorable.”
She sighed. “You don’t have to say it.”
Gurgling interrupted them. Hell, the guy was rude when he died.
After a few seconds, Wilma said, “We’re starting a war, you know.” She nodded toward the door. “Cassondra’s not going take the death of her brother quietly.”
They were all so calm he almost forgot they watched a man die on the doorstep of Casimir’s place. Farren’s face registered the same Zen, his eyes focused on the mewling son of a bitch dying way too loudly.
They were all crazy.
“I’ll be ready,” he said.
Wilma shrugged. “Always liked a good war, keeps the blood pumping.”
He smiled, even as his heart ached.
Lena.
Wilma pushed open the front door with a wave of her hand when Mateusz took his last noisy breath. “Let’s get our girl.”
Lena
We’re coming, Lena.
Wilma’s voice snapped me out of a not-so-great attempt at sleeping.
For the past three days, her voice echoed through my head, telling me to stay calm, promising they’d be here soon. Her voice, so different and a lot more welcomed than Mateusz’s in my brain, kept me sane. Didn’t know if I dreamed it, but…God, I hoped it wasn’t a dream.
The last message gave me the drive to get off the bed. We’re coming. So much better than, Hold on a while longer.
My stiff body wished for another shot of Zander heat because my legs couldn’t seem to figure out how to work anymore. Unfortunately, the two times he tried to find help caused him to get weaker as the days blended together. Now, he slept–had been for hours.
After three more tries, my legs slid to the edge of the bed. I flopped on the floor and began to move my arms and legs as if making a snow angel in a vat of glue. The motion managed to get the blood flowing enough to drag myself toward the window.
Sweat drenched my forehead as exhaustion took over way too soon. My mouth, so dry I couldn’t even swallow, refused to form words to call out for Zander in hopes he’d wake up.
I gave up halfway to the window, curling up on the cold, wet floor hoping to hear Wilma one more time. In a desperate attempt to find my voice, I licked the moisture from the floor, finding small pockets of stale water within the cracks–for the fifth time since being here.
Like before, my stomach wanted to reject the nasty, earthy tasting crap. But I continued lapping the puddles until my tongue absorbed enough moisture to return to a more normal size. I had to hold still a moment while the liquid traveled to my empty stomach and concentrate on not bringing it back up. The stuff didn’t taste any worse than how bad my body reeked. Three days locked in the same room with three people. I guess it was good none of us ate. The smell would’ve been worse.
Finally, a croak that sounded more like a sick animal than Zander’s name slipped from my lips. I waited for him to respond, knowing he wouldn’t, and said his name again with a little more force.
“Lena?” Finally, Zander opened his eyes.
“You okay?” What I really wanted to know was when he planned to help us out of the situation.
Zander crawled from the bed and grabbed my hand. “Think so, a little weak, though.” When he stood and glanced out the window, his hold tightened around my fingers. “Oh, God. Look.” He lifted me and pointed to a scene right out of a slasher film. A pool of blood, rich and bright, contrasted with the sleek ice, mimicking the same vivid colors of Arcus’s forest.
“They’re here,” I said after my stomach settled enough to get excited.
Zander continued to stare out the window, his jaw tight. “Looks like the Calvary made it after all.”
It took a minute to realize Zander didn’t share my enthusiasm, his attention on the dead Protector. “I’m sorry…about your Protector.” I gave his arm an awkward rub, my fingers too numb to work right. But I wasn’t sorry. The bastard deserved it.
“I’m not sorry. Not for what you think, anyway.” His attention left the window and his eyes found mine. “Casimir has Mateusz’s energy now, and coupled with Kendal’s, even if we do get out of here…”
His words slammed into my brain. “He’ll come after us again. Others, too.” I shook my head. “We’ll have to kill him.”
He gripped my shoulders, giving the door wild looks. “We can’t do that. No one can do that.”
The urgency in his dark eyes created panic. “I…Why?”
“Because–” He pressed a finger to my lips as the sound of footsteps clicked right outside the door. Zander pulled me close, and I leaned into his side, praying my legs would hold up. Both of us were too weak to do anything else.
The heavy door pushed open as if it were weightless. “Did you catch the show?” An actual spark of life flitted through Casimir’s eyes.
My chin lifted with courage that didn’t exist.
“No? Too bad. A brilliant display of subtle animalism…” He sucked in his breath, “…so magnificent, feral.”
Zander’s arm held me closer, his fingers digging into my side.
“Have you enjoyed the reunion?” He gestured toward my father. “Not a kind man, but tenacious when it comes to torture.”
Never in my life had I wanted to kill somebody. The urge to gut the Warden sent a strange, pleasurable shock through my body.
Casimir went to the lump on the floor. “Ah, look, he’s still alive. I hope you weren’t worried.” He brushed hair from Dad’s forehead with the gentleness a father would show his son. “Such a simple being, capable of so much terror.”
Ignoring Zander’s digging fingers, I kept my attention on the Warden’s smiling profile. “You can keep him.”
He chuckled and gave my dad’s hair one last pat before standing. “Yes, I think I will…useless, but an intriguing pet. I think I will keep all of you. One happy family, yes?”
Fueled with hate, I lunged, fists swinging, landing on the Warden’s face. He didn’t move to protect himself. Not that he needed to. My hit had as much impact as a newborn’s fist.
An inhale inflated the Warden’s chest before he grabbed my wrists and bent them behind me. He twisted my body so th
at my back slammed into him. “Let’s stop playing for a while.” His voice remained calm and unattached. “We’ve guests who demand our company.”
I thrashed around like a mindless idiot until he gave a slight jerk, jarring my brain.
The room swirled.
My eyes closed.
“Please!” Zander’s cry reached my ears through the haze of pain. My head lolled, and I felt myself slipping. “Lena!”
“She’s fine, boy. No need for all the melodramatics.”
Casimir switched his hold from my wrists to wrap an arm around my shoulders. He then reached down and heaved my father over his shoulder. Once he situated us, he turned to the open door. “You can follow us, Guide, or you can stay here. It matters little to me.”
∞ ∞ ∞
When we hit the landing, the décor changed. The wet, musty stone and decaying straw bed had nothing on the cozy sitting room that looked more like a library. Bookshelves even lined every wall. A worn leather chaise sat on a plush rug in front of a deep fireplace, along with a matching sofa big enough for five people.
The warmth of the fire melted my body. Coupled with the throbbing in my head, I had to fight against the need to close my eyes and give in to my body’s demand to shut down.
He threw me on the couch, directing Zander to sit on the cushion next to me. “Chin up. They’ll be here soon.” Casimir then dumped my father in front of the fireplace. “Don’t want him ruining the furniture.”
The Warden moved to stand by me with his hands folded in front of him and eyes pointed to the door.
I slid away from him and closer to Zander, who pulled me tight to his side. Waiting there confused me. Casimir remained calm, like he had no fear confronting Tarek and Wilma. Maybe he even anticipated it.
Minutes ticked by, the grandfather clock sitting in the corner between the walls of books clicked with every pass of the second hand. The ticking grated my nerves, as each second seemed to take its time to pass on to the next.
A moan broke my concentration on the door and the mocking sound of the clock. Dad was awake and gagging, a noise way worse than the ticking. His scrawny body rocked as yellow stomach acid leaked from his open mouth. I refused to feel sorry for him, no matter how pathetic he looked. If he’d die, it’d make things easier on all of us.
Zander didn’t have the same idea. He leaned me against the arm of the couch and went to my father’s side. He rubbed Dad’s back until the heaving subsided and soft crying replaced it.
I guess Zander had an affection for monsters.
Casimir clicked his tongue, and Zander’s hand began to shake. “Now, now, we can’t have the pets mussing up the carpet.”
The Warden unfolded his hands and sauntered over to the fireplace to fling Zander across the room like a bag of trash. The bookshelf he crashed against had books falling on him like rain. He only cried out once then clenched his jaw when he struggled to stand, a fresh line of blood trickling down his temple. He managed to crawl back to the couch, though he wheezed as if a truck was parked on his chest.
While Zander struggled to me, Casimir smeared my father’s face in the small puddle on the black rug. “This will not do, pet.”
My father whimpered; a sound my mom made when he’d humiliated her using similar tactics.
I hated that sound.
“You’re sick.” The words came out before I could bite them back.
Casimir centered his colorless eyes on mine, amusement making them bright, ghostly. “What a peculiar dimension, this Earth. So primitive, the humans like savages. Yet, the compassion one shows for her abuser–such an interesting dichotomy.”
“I don’t have,” I swallowed, my eyelids heavy, “compassion.” At least, I didn’t think I did.
He dropped Dad’s head with a thump and went to stand behind the couch. “We must continue discussing this remarkable twist, but at another time.” He folded his hands after straightening his shirt. “Our guests have arrived.”
My eyes stayed on the door, not hearing anything. But after a few minutes, a distinct sound of boots pounding on stone drew closer. My heart skipped. I used the strength I had left to sit up straight. The first thud against the door sent dust puffing from the hinges. The second rattled the metal lock.
Silence filled the room, causing my anxiety to reach maximum level. “Wilma! He’s–”
Casimir squeezed my shoulder hard enough to have the bone crunch under his hand.
Agony ripped through my body, forcing a scream to escape, the pain more effective than any beating my father had ever given. As soon as it tore from my lips, the door whipped open. The hinges loosened, allowing the door to flop and fall. Wilma dropped her hand and stepped inside, Tarek followed. And…Christ…the guy who shot Tarek at my place came in right behind him.
“Tarek…” My heart ached, especially when his eyes darted my way before settling behind the couch.
“Well, Warden, now what?” Wilma pegged him with the glare that usually made people duck and cover.
“So rude, Protector.” Casimir tapped a finger on the back of the couch. “All I ask for is an honest, rational conversation.”
Wilma snorted, but she didn’t move farther into the room. “Pretty elaborate way of setting up a meeting.”
The aristocratic chuckle coming from behind the couch set my teeth on edge. As though he sensed my rising anger, Tarek shifted his eyes to me and gave a subtle shake of his head.
“Yes, well, please forgive me, but it’s quite difficult to get a conference with you. I had to resort to creativity. But honestly, there was no need to bring friends.”
“A conference?” Wilma mocked his snooty tone. “We’ve talked more than I care to remember over the centuries.” She narrowed her eyes. “This new…development is beneath you, Casimir.”
No more laughs or witty quips. Nope. He decided to rip me up by the back of my shirt and yank me from the couch. I gasped, feet dangling. Tarek stepped forward as Zander wrapped his arms around my legs and pulled.
Casimir easily brushed Zander away, taking his free hand and flinging him again, but the big, redheaded Protector lunged forward to break his fall. Casimir then pointed me toward Tarek. “Call off your hound, Wilma, or I’ll kill her.”
For the first time since coming through the door, Tarek’s eyes betrayed him. “Okay, okay, just…don’t.”
Wilma charged forward. “You have me here, you got what you wanted. Let her go.”
“You say this is beneath me?” He shook me until my teeth rattled. “I’ve been stuck in this dimension for centuries.” Casimir’s voice raised an octave. “No, not this time. I won’t be told no by you or my sister.”
Wilma’s calm tone contrasted with the anger growing in his. “All right, let’s get to it.”
She waved her hand toward us. I closed my eyes and tensed, waiting for Casimir to fly against the wall or fall in pain. Nothing happened. I opened one eye to see Wilma wave her hand again.
Half-crazed laughter followed. “Your parlor tricks won’t work. You should know that by now.”
Wilma gave a smile of her own.
Uh-oh. She was really pissed.
Finally.
“I haven’t forgotten, Warden.”
She flashed her hand so fast I barely saw it come up from her side. My body pulled toward her, arching where Casimir held me.
He tried to adjust his hold to include skin or hair, but my short strands and skinny body prevented him from finding a firm grip. In seconds, Wilma had my shirt ripping off and my body flying into Tarek’s waiting arms. He folded me into his chest while he shrugged off his shirt with one hand. Once he wrapped it around my shoulders, he shoved me behind him. All I could do was hold onto his waist to keep standing.
Wilma then waved the couch against the wall–and Casimir went with it.
Shelves fell and broke apart from the impact, and the Warden’s howl shook the wooden rafters on the deep ceiling.
“You can’t win. Stupid to even try,” Wil
ma said. Her hold didn’t let up, but sweat beads dotted her forehead.
He struggled against the couch, his tone almost whimpering. “You don’t understand. You couldn’t. Being here…for centuries. Alone.”
Wilma’s hand began to shake and her face paled as the sweat ran faster. “You made that choice when you killed Arcus’s last Warden.”
No…
So, that’s what Tarek and Zander tried to tell me. If Tarek or Wilma killed him, they’d be stuck here.
Forever.
I buried my face in his back, holding him tighter. No way would I let them do it. I’d die first.
Casimir pushed again. This time, there was a distinct sound of wood scraping against stone. An encore of the asshole’s calm routine showed he knew the hold was weakening, too.
We needed to leave.
Now.
“You’re right. I did choose, and now I’ve chosen to extend my hospitality.” He grimaced, adjusting his legs. “The good energy I’ve accumulated thanks to some brave Guides has made the water drinkable, some of the animals fit to eat, and the climate less temperamental. People can survive here.”
Wilma’s hand shook. “Impossible.”
He gestured to my father, who lay on the rug, wide-eyed and completely silent. “He’s been here for days and lives. Just think of how a stronger specimen, from a more advanced dimension, could thrive.”
“You’re insane.” Tarek’s low voice rippled with hate.
“Insane? No. Think of it. Energies from Exemplar can come here to die, start new cycles, and still be together. I can make it happen!”
“At what cost?” Tarek’s body tensed when the couch moved another inch.
“There is no cost. Guides live for the wellbeing of other energies–Protectors sacrifice everything to protect Guides. I’d say you’ve all paid the price already. All I ask in return is a little help.” His temper wiggled its way back to the surface. “This dimension deserves to evolve. Exemplar is not full of gods. What gives them the right to manipulate the entire human race?”
“And what gives you the right?”
The Warden looked stunned. Guess he didn’t think about that. “I–don’t we all deserve to evolve?”
