“What are you talking about ?” Falada asked, astonished. “First of all, you are not a whore, you are an accomplished woman. Second, why are you trying to smear Crystal ? She’s your friend, too, if I remember correctly. She’s your protégée. And what’s more, she is innocence itself.”
Embittered, Glory crossed her arms on her chest.
“Oh yes, darling. You know what, I give you permission. Go sleep with your Juliet, make your teenage dream come true. But be careful, Romeo, you could well pay for it with your life. You have a rival who doesn’t joke around.”
“What are you talking about, dammit ?! What rival ? Cornelia, maybe ? Because apart from her, I don’t see who,” the irritated Paladin exclaimed. He knew that he was losing his composure, but he couldn’t help it. He was beside himself hearing Glow insinuate that the young woman wasn’t as angelic as she seemed. Too bad if she took it wrong. He could accept anything from his partner. Anything, but not this, seeing her attack Crystal.
Glory challenged him :
“That’s right, my love. You don’t see anything. You’re blind.”
“Keep it up and we’re going to have a fight,” Falada warned her. “You think I want to see you spit on an innocent young woman, out of jealousy ? Don’t disappoint me, Glow, you’re better than this. You’ve always been above this. And I have, too. Since when are we that kind of couple ? Since when don’t you trust me ?”
Without any hesitation, the Paladine stood up.
“Since you turned into a complete asshole. I’m out of here. You’ll be groveling soon enough.”
14
Dance with the Lion
New York, Park Avenue apartment
Cornelia pushed open the door to Crystal’s room with her knee and dragged in an enormous suitcase behind her. In turn the young woman entered the room and listlessly tossed her jacket onto the bed.
“Thanks a million, Corn. Really I could have carried it, but Falada always takes care of my luggage... and then, well....”
“Then you’ll have to find someone else to pamper you to avoid a post-Glory-and-the-other-two-faced-bastard-come-out-of-the-closet depression.”
Crystal turned her head.
“When you put it that way, at least I feel like I’ve got a friend to detest them with me.”
“Clearly. Mimi and I detest them deep down with you. We even have a death plan : you and she will stuff yourselves with chocolate while casting spells so that they break out in pimples. And we’ll pull out Glory’s hair during training and then steal Falada’s old vinyl records and have a bonfire with them. Vengeance is a dish best served cold.”
“That sounds terrifying,” Crystal snorted. “Thanks for being here, Cornelia. Really,” she added seriously.
“Whenever you want, princess,” her friend answered with an affectionate wink. “Anyway, I’m going to join the others in the living room. Later.”
Crystal closed the door and locked it, a half-smile on her lips. Alone in her room, she cast a hesitant glance at her suitcases. She definitely couldn’t be bothered to unpack them. The return trip had been trying. Since Beatrice couldn’t manage to dematerialize, they had had to take an airplane. Lovely atmosphere. The All Powerful’s illness made them all gloomy, and what’s more, Glory and Falada didn’t seem to be speaking to each other anymore. Given that she also refused to talk to them, the last few hours hadn’t exactly been full of joy and good humor. In her heart she knew she should be delighted with the tension that reigned between Dollface and the Paladin. But she wasn’t. She no longer had any hope that he would one day love her. And then, in the end, this changed nothing. It wasn’t as if she were happy to see their gang breaking up. In fact, it was even more depressing. The only good news was that they had brought back the chest they found in the tombs. A way to save her father, who knew ?
Exhausted, she massaged her shoulders and turned to the bathroom to relax under a hot shower. Damn it, I didn’t even have time to buy myself a new dryer, I hope Miranda....
Crystal stopped a cry on her lips. There was a silhouette in front of her.
“Dimitri !”
In the dimness of the bathroom, he tilted his head, and she could see him in the light. The malevolent beauty of his features momentarily overshadowed the All Powerful’s agony. Was I able to forget for even a minute ?
“Oh yes, baby, I’m here.”
The young woman couldn’t stop herself from smiling at him. A magnificent, child-like smile. The most beautiful, the most marvelous smile he had ever seen. And all of hell knew the degree to which he loved her smile. For a single smile from this woman....
She threw her arms around his neck and he caught her by the waist. And he kissed her. Passionately. Deeply. I don’t know what this is and I don’t want to know. I just want to experience it, I just want to feel.
With her Prince holding her, Crystal felt happiness flood through her. Your lips against my lips. I don’t want to resist anymore, I don’t even want to try.
He lifted her up and she clung to him. She bit him in order not to cry out his name. Dimitri growled and pulled away from her mouth to murmur against her jaw :
“By all the Gods, I missed you so much I was going crazy. I thought only of you. Every instant, I thought only of your skin,” he whispered, devouring her face with kisses. “Your skin, your scent, your taste. And your breath when I possess you,” he whispered, laying her down on the bed.
She let herself go. She fell. She forgot everything. Her father, her life and her friends.... Her friends, the Paladines. Crystal abruptly opened her eyes, which she had kept closed until then.
“No ! The girls are in the living room ! They’ll hear us.”
“I couldn’t care less,” growled the Prince, nipping at her earlobe. “Or rather, good riddance. If they surprise us, I’ll kill them and then you’ll finally be mine. Right, my beauty ? All mine, nothing but mine,” he purred, pressing his body against hers.
Matching deeds to his words, he ran his hand under the young woman’s skirt. In spite of herself, Crystal fell back again. His fingers. Oh my God, when he touches me, I.... She balked. Dimitri had slipped his hand into her panties and was caressing her. I’m going to die of this.
“You see, my angel, you’re completely wet. I’m going to take you on this bed and make you come in your good little girl sheets, right under the noses of your Paladines. I’m going to fuck you until....”
She stopped his hand and sat up.
“No ! I’m sorry ; I stopped thinking there for a minute when I saw you. But I’m thinking now,” she rebelled. “So get out of this apartment. You’re killing my father, you piece of garbage.”
“Your father,” he said doubtfully. “Is he really the one who’s the problem ? Or is it your secret lover ?”
“There’s no lover,” Crystal claimed. The Prince’s attitude sent cold shivers down her back. She did not dare to imagine what he would do to Falada if he understood that she loved him. “I only said there was another man to mess up your life,” she shouted, getting up. “And so that you’d leave me alone ! You should be satisfied, after all. You got to screw me, and you’re killing my father.”
Dimitri lowered his head. Of course, it was true. And yet, he no longer wanted to hurt her. Since he had made love to her, his deep killer nature had been at war with these new feelings. His heart told him to protect her, to spare her. But he couldn’t.
“You know what I am. You’ve known it since the beginning, kitten. I cannot break down what I have built. I cannot stop everything for you.”
On her feet, Crystal raised her chin.
“In that case, don’t stop anything and leave.”
“Never,” he proclaimed, moving close to her. “You are mine. I’m not going to leave. I thought that fucking you one time would be enough, but it’s not. I want you again and again. I want you, little girl, and you’re not going to escape me.”
She recoiled, but the Prince grabbed her.
“Let me go !�
��
“No, come on. Come, I want you.”
“Dimitri, stop !”
Ignoring her, he drew her against him, and then.... Someone knocked several times on the door of the bedroom.
They froze.
“Is everything all right ?” cried Glory through the door.
Crystal glared at her lover.
“See, it’s all your fault, we made too much noise,” she reproached him as quietly as possible.
“So be it, I’m going. But come join me at home afterwards.”
“Not a chance !”
“Crys !!!” Dollface beat on the door.
Dimitri stood facing his mistress.
“Think carefully, kitten. Paladines are going to die tonight,” he crooned. “Who’ll be first ? Miranda ? Cornelia ? Falada ?” the Prince taunted her while Glory tried to open the door.
“All right, all right,” the young woman capitulated while pushing the Prince into the bathroom. “And don’t dematerialize right away, she’ll see you.”
Just then, Glory forced open the door, Beatrice on her heels.
“Are you okay ? We heard you shout.”
Crystal opened her mouth and closed it again, trying not to look at the bathroom where she had hidden Dimitri.
Oh man, oh man, I need a brilliant idea, please !
“I...uh... actually, I just wanted to see if you would react quickly. I shouted to test you,” she improvised.
“Is that a joke ?” Glory asked, offended.
“Not really,” Crystal complained. “Some creep could have been raping me for the past half hour – no, not raping me, killing me. I meant to say killing. Security is really rotten here, you really are out of it.”
Dollface threw back her hair in contempt.
“Brilliant, Crys – I’m out of here,” she barked, turning around and walking away. Like a little dog, Beatrice followed her lead down the hall.
The young woman took a deep breath before following them.
“Yes, good idea, get out of here,” she yelled, intended for the Prince stashed in the bathroom.
Glory had already left, but the new Paladine turned around.
“Why are you shouting ? We’re not deaf.”
“No one asked you anything,” Crystal sent her packing. She put the palm of her hand on the doorknob to carefully close the door of her room again, still staring at Beatrice, and suddenly... the lights in the hallway flickered and everything went dark. She felt herself falling over backward and felt nausea rising up in her throat. A flash. (Beyond sight.) Crystal reeled. (All Powerful.) She spit blood. Her head. My head, my head, my head (is going to explode). What’s happening ? Fuck, I’m going to puke. Open your eyes, you can see. (Beyond the illusion.) She opened her eyes and she saw. The new Paladine : white, deformed, looking like a corpse. Beatrice’s whole body stained with blood. (Death, sweaty and stinking.) Beatrice is going to die. Look, it’s a, it’s a (corpse).
Crystal fainted.
When she regained consciousness, she was stretched out on one of the couches in the white living room, with Falada and the Paladines leaning over her. From very far away, she heard them.
“She’s coming to.”
“I told you it was nothing. The books would have said something about it.”
“Nothing ? You’re a moron with your little books ! She passed out on the floor, dammit !”
“What happened, Beatrice ?”
“I... I don’t know, she was following me then she got really pale, and all of a sudden, bam, she hit the ground.”
“It’s probably low blood sugar. She hasn’t eaten anything all day. I offered her a tartlet on that last flight, but she refused it. And it was a cherry tartlet.”
“You’re the one who’s a tartlet ! The Damned do not faint from low blood sugar. It’s not in any of the books....”
Crystal let out a pained sigh and blinked several time.
“I’m fine, but shut up, please. You’re giving me a headache.”
“What happened ?” Glory asked.
The young woman pushed herself up cautiously, sitting upright on the couch.
“Nothing,” she lied.
“Are you sure, little flower ?” Falada asked worriedly, sitting down beside her.
For an instant she felt at home again. Because he was there. Yes, there was something about him that reminded her of home. Something that made her want to sink into an easy chair and eat popcorn. It was bizarre, because she had never liked popcorn, but that was what the Paladin reminded her of. Something that made her want his eyes to shine and his heart to beat faster. Then she remembered that Falada loved Glory. She remembered that she was alone.
“I’m suffocating. I need to get out of here.”
“No, we should figure out what happened,” Helen reasoned. “You cannot allow yourself to go out and risk fainting in front of the Order of Hell or the Dark Clan.”
Cornelia fiddled with her new nose piercing, preoccupied.
“Yeah… what is the Clan up to nowadays ? We haven’t run across them lately. Are they on strike or what ?”
“That’s off topic,” decided Glory. “Crys, I think you should stay here.”
“Sorry, but I really need air,” Crystal cut her off and left.
New York, Prince Dimitri’s mansion
In his private apartments, the Prince coldly listened to the recriminations of the mysterious woman in the mirror.
“I don’t understand what you’re doing ! We should be hurrying ! The All Powerful is at death’s door. Nothing will save him now. There is no antidote to the poison I’m killing him with. He’s going to die. It’s time to finish off the girl. Thanks to me, now you can get into the apartment with limited risks.”
“Crystal is rarely alone,” objected Dimitri, his face revealing no emotion.
“Are you kidding me ? Go into her room at night and gut her or disembowel her, or do whatever you want, so long as she dies. It’s not complicated !”
At this suggestion, a gleam of amusement rose up in the Prince’s eyes. He mentally reviewed the scene when he had entered the young woman’s bedroom. You couldn’t exactly say that his priority had been murder.
“Why that expression ? Are you hiding something from me ?” the woman asked suspiciously.
“Of course not,” he shot back, clenching his jaw. “I’m hiding plenty of things from you ! And do you know why ? Because I don’t answer to you. I do as I please and how I please. If you don’t like it, I’ll do without you.”
The woman in the mirror hissed through her teeth.
“Is that a threat ?”
“It’s a warning. Be satisfied with playing your role and don’t worry about the girl. That’s my problem,” he warned her. And he scared her. The scars on his soul, blackened by the death and suffering he had sown, could be read on his features.
On the other side of the mirror, in the room where the woman was actually located, she bristled.
“How dare you ? You forget who I am. You forget that I am – ”
Dimitri’s attention was attracted by rustling at the door.
“Go,” he commanded. “Someone is here.”
With a final enraged gesture by the woman, the mirror grew dim and took on its normal appearance as the door opened. The butler – Frankenstein – entered contritely. A feminine hand pushed him back into the hall.
On the edge of hysteria, Crystal closed the door, and before the Prince could utter a word, she threw herself at him.
“You have to help me, I have a huge problem. I’m starting to have visions. I saw one of my Paladines as a corpse. I think I foresaw her death.”
“Which one ?” Dimitri asked coldly.
“Beatrice. You probably don’t know her, she’s hyper clueless and she just showed up. It doesn’t matter ; I don’t know what to do with this kind of morbid premonition. I need you.”
With a mischievous grin, the Prince sat down nonchalantly on the coach.
“Explain it to m
e, kitten. How much do you need me ?”
“You’re disgusting !” she shot back at him, tapping her foot. “I didn’t come for that. It’s ridiculous, how egotistical and insensitive you can be.”
“That’s the idea, when one is demonic....”
“You’re trying to destroy my very existence, so the least you could do is make an effort when it’s a matter of saving a poor girl who doesn’t know what do to with being a Paladine,” Crystal said stubbornly, frozen inside.
“Too bad for her. I, on the other hand, know what I could do with you,” he cut in, showing his teeth in a predatory expression. No use dithering, he was going to screw her, and that was that.
She looked into his eyes. She saw inside him much too clearly. Much too clearly. A pervert, thirsty for blood and flesh. A demon, ready to devour her with a snap of his fangs.
“No”, she said, uncertain. But the timber of her voice betrayed her. Her whole body betrayed her.
Dimitri calmly stood up. Each of his steps weighed on the atmosphere like strikes on a drum, matching the muffled and primitive rhythm of Crystal’s heart.
He walked around her and put his hands on her shoulders. Delicately, he slid down the right strap of her cream-colored top.
“You’re trembling, my pet,” he noted.
Immobile, she let him drop a furtive kiss at the base of her throat. On the vein, where he was supposed to slit her throat. The heady scent of the Prince – sulfur and opium – made the young woman’s nostrils twitch and dried up her palate.
He waited, patient and sure of himself. In sex as in death, he knew what he was doing. And he wanted her to come this evening. He knew that she must no longer just surrender, but rather must give herself. And he was right – she turned and in slow motion, almost fearfully, put the palm of her hand on his torso. He tilted his head to the side – such a familiar gesture. Clumsily she unbuttoned his black shirt. With the tips of her fingernails, Crystal stroked the Prince’s chest, and then his stomach. Hesitant, her breathing too rapid, she stopped at the belt on his pants.
Crystal and the Damned - Possession Page 15
