by Michael Dean
There was no way I was going to walk up to the Lewis home and knock on the door. I know that Richard was out for blood and he’s highly suspicious of me right now anyway, whereas Anne seems to have a better grasp on this situation and is a little more trusting. I’d need to have Scruffy get word to just her, then meet me somewhere outside. Hopefully she would agree to meet me without any human authorities in tow. I mean, this isn’t something I have to do. I’m just doing it as a courtesy to her mother. She needs to know that her daughter is alive.
I waited until the early afternoon and took off for Scruffy’s house. Naturally I didn’t fly. When I got there I saw Sandra’s car in front of the house. I hoped that Scruffy was just using it and that she wasn’t there. Scruffy knew too much about me now, I didn’t want another human getting involved because knowledge about me was getting out of hand.
When I knocked on the door, Scruffy’s father answered and was elated to see me. “Leo, great to see you!”
I returned the sentiments with a handshake and was immediately escorted inside to the living room. Scruff’s mother walked in, gave me a hug, and asked if I was hungry. I forgot how warm and caring his parents were. I came to realize that I did miss them.
“Mark,” his mother yelled, “Leo is here! That bedroom door better be open, you two!”
Now I knew that Sandra was here and it frustrated me a little bit. It was going to be hard to talk with Scruffy about setting up a meeting between me and Shade’s mom.
“It is! Tell him to cruise on in here,” Scruff replied.
“Go ahead, son.” His mother pointed.
“Thanks, Mrs. Spears.” I smiled and headed to his room.
I walked in and Scruffy greeted me with a bro-shake and Sandra walked up and gave me a very long, tight hug.
“I’m so happy you’re okay, Leo…Mark told me everything.” She let me go and looked at me with sincerity.
I looked past her at my friend, annoyed. “Really, man? Everything?”
“Sorry, bro. I couldn’t help it. I don’t keep things from my girl.”
“You struggle to keep things from anyone. C’mon, man.” I rubbed my hand against my face in frustration. I should have known Scruffy couldn’t keep a secret for very long and in this case he made it less than twenty-four hours.
“Don’t worry Leo, your secret is safe with me…us.” Sandra tried to comfort me.
“Is it, guys? Is there anyone else that I should be aware of that knows about what’s going on with me and Shade?”
“No one else.” Scruffy spoke with certainty.
“Absolutely…no one. I promise you, Leo, I won’t let it get past us.” Sandra gave Scruffy an evil eye.
“I hope so. If you two only knew how much danger your lives are in now, you’d wish you didn’t know. Just look at what happened to Shade.”
“So what has happened to Shade…exactly? You said you would clarify things. My price for saving your life.” Scruffy grinned as he and Sandra sat down together on the bed.
I gritted my teeth together, trying to decide how to start. It didn’t matter anymore at this point how much more they knew. The two of them were already armed with more information that took them past the line of being naïve, so I walked over to Scruffy’s door and quietly closed it. At this point, the more they knew about the world around them, the better off in preparation they were for defending themselves should trouble arise.
I started off telling them why I was in Mountainside to begin with. Beginning with Darryl, the why and the how, even going into what happened that night at the party and after I shooed them off of Miller’s Hill. I spared no details and left nothing out, well, within reason. Some things they didn’t need to know. For the most part though, I told them everything up to this point as I knew it and as it happened. They just sat on the bed, slack-jawed, unable to speak.
“Just to point out, Scruffy, the girl angel, her name is Elysia…name doesn’t begin with an A, bud.”
“I knew it was something like that. Elysia, huh? She is very…Elysian.” Sandra shoved her elbow into Scruffy’s side.
“She is. Hence the name…I guess.” I smiled at Sandra’s playful jealousy.
“So what’s your next move, Leo?” Sandra questioned.
“I have to kill Shimmer…or be killed. Either way, Shade’s fate lies in my hands.”
“You’re going back to Romania?” Scruffy inquired.
“That’s where he’s at, that’s where Shade is…so yes.”
“Do you need us to go with you?” Scruffy swallowed hard. Although appreciative, I chuckled at his polite, but probably not genuine offer.
“No, man. I just need you both to stay here, stay safe, and keep quiet. There’s something you can do for me today, though.”
“What’s up?”
“I need you to get word to Anne Lewis, Shade’s mother.”
“About what?” Scruff tilted his head.
“I need to let her know that Shade is safe. That’s all.”
“Why don’t you just go over there?”
“Because dummy, Mr. Lewis thinks that Leo has something to do with Shade’s disappearance. I’ve been talking to Anne off and on lately, he wants Leo to talk to the authorities. He can’t go there.” Sandra answered him for me.
“I see. So what am I supposed to tell her if I can get her alone?”
“Tell her to meet me by herself at the fountain in the Gardens of Zeus tomorrow afternoon if she can. Around one o’clock.”
“What if she can’t make it? What if I can’t catch her alone to tell her?”
“She will…and so will you.”
“You want me to go over to their house today?”
“Yes, as quickly as you can. Sandra can go with you if you like. Someone has to have common sense on this task.” I winked at a chuckling Sandra.
“Easy now.” Scruffy smiled.
“We’ll head over there right now, Leo,” Sandra added, jumping off the bed and pulling Scruffy up with her.
“Will you be coming back before you leave, bro?”
“Unfortunately, no. I must get back to Transylvania and face off with Shimmer.”
As they were gathering their things to leave, Scruffy stopped doing what he was doing and placed his hands on his hips, lowering his head. “I just realized, with all the craziness going on right now, I may never see you again after today.”
Scruffy’s words stopped Sandra in her tracks right as she was opening the bedroom door, “Oh my God…you’re right. We may never get to see you…or Shade ever again.”
“This is very true, but that’s the hand I’ve…we’ve been dealt. This is why the knowledge you have now is so very dangerous. It’s paramount that you keep what you know secret or you both may turn up dead.”
Without saying a word, I could tell they understood the real gravity of the situation. I felt like they, especially Scruffy, would keep our little secret. Scruffy nodded and walked up to me with his hand extended. We clasped them together and hugged, patting each other on the back.
“If you don’t come back, just know that you will be missed, bro.” He spoke softly next to my ear.
“Thank you for being my friend, Scruffy…and at times…my only one.” I leaned back as we still kept our hands interlocked.
“It’s been my pleasure. Come back, homey…come back.”
I just smirked and nodded, releasing our hands.
“We love you, Leo…both you and Shade. Go get her and come back to us safe.” Sandra stepped between Scruff and me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
I just rubbed her back as she hugged me. I could hear her sniffling, and when she pulled away from me, she wiped tears from her eyes.
“Well, this is it.” I pointed for them to lead me out of the bedroom. “Go see Anne and tell her I’ll be waiting for her tomorrow.”
Scruffy patted me on the shoulder in agreement and we walked out of his room. We bid his parents farewell and headed out the door. They gave me a ride bac
k to my home. It was a quiet ride, only a few words were spoken. When they dropped me off at my spot, we had another moment of well wishes and I hugged them both again and watched them leave. I never took my eyes off Sandra’s car until I could no longer see it. If I had a heart, it would have sank as I watched them drive away.
There was nothing to do now but wait until tomorrow to see if Anne would meet up with me. All night it felt like it used to. No Shadow, no Shade, no visitors, just me. I was alone again and I hated it.
When morning came, I decided to take off to the Gardens of Zeus. I needed a change of scenery. My spot was too lonely. Being at the Gardens was magnificent for more than one reason. There was life and beauty all around in that area and this spot would forever remind me of that wonderful first date with Shade. When I saw the fountain just past the arch in the middle of the Garden, I sat down on the cement bench and waited.
At one o’clock, almost to the second, I heard a very familiar voice call out to me, “Leo?” I turned around to verify that it was indeed Anne.
“Hey Anne,” I stood up and pointed at the bench for her to sit down. “Please join me for a sec.”
Anne looked reluctant to sit, but did as I requested and I followed behind her. She placed her purse in her lap and closed her arms around it nervously.
“What’s the meaning of this? Mark and Sandra told me you wanted to meet me here. They told me that it had to do with Shade.” She looked distressed, as if she was about to hear bad news. I quickly comforted her.
“Shade…is fine. She’s being held against her will…but she’s fine.”
Anne let out a sigh of relief. “You know where she is?” She teared up a little.
“I do.”
“Well, then, c’mon. We have to tell the police, Leo. Speak with Sheriff Sam Taylor. What in the world are you waiting for? Why haven’t you called the police before coming to me?” She jumped up. I reached up and politely grabbed her by the wrist.
“Anne…wait. You can’t do that.” I let go of her wrist.
“What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?”
“Calling the authorities will only seal her fate. You can’t do that.” Anne sat back down in shock.
“So I’m supposed to simply take your word for it…and do nothing? How do I know for certain it isn’t you holding her?”
“I asked you once to trust me and you said you would. Now I’m begging you once more to believe in me. I, of course, do not have her. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt your daughter and I think I may have a way to free her from her captors.”
“Yeah, and what happens if you fail?”
“I think we both know what will happen if I fail.”
I could tell by the look on her face that she was tormented. I reached over and grabbed one of her hands.
“Why can’t you tell me where she is at least?”
“Look, I know how much you love her. If there was another way, I’d take it, but there isn’t. I can’t tell you where she is because it could mess things up for me in trying to rescue her. I’m asking you to trust me…once more. If I don’t bring her back to you in a week, you can call all the authorities on me that you want. Hell, you can do it when I deliver her to you. Just let me do my thing.”
“Can you guarantee that?” She looked optimistic.
“Nothing is guaranteed. All I can do is try.”
She looked at the fountain, deep in thought. Her face was distressed, but then her eyes turned back to me. “I swear to you, Leo, if I find out that you are responsible in any way for this happening to my daughter…or to any of the youth of this town, I swear…you will pay dearly.” She spoke with a stern, yet trembling voice.
I didn’t say anything because I was the reason for this happening, for the most part. The only thing I could do was flash an insincere smile at her.
Anne gathered her purse and slid the straps over her shoulders. “Well, I guess I should get back. Richard is on edge anytime I go anywhere with all that’s happened around here.”
“Of course.”
She stood up and smiled and walked a few paces before turning back around.
“You know, as I’ve told you before, I sense something within you Leo, something unlike any other human being I’ve ever met. I’m not sure what it is. I know it’s both very dark, and then somehow, very bright. It’s because of that light within you that I keep giving you the benefit of the doubt. Remember that, because my patience is running out. I’ll give you the time you need. Bring back my daughter, Leo.”
I nodded in agreement. Anne turned around and walked a little further, only to look back at me once more. “Leo…someday…explain all this to me.”
I smiled at her again. “Anne…it seems like all I do anymore is explain…but I promise someday, if I can, I will.”
With a half smirk she walked out of the Gardens and out of sight. I sat there the entire rest of the day. I never left until very late when one of the park rangers asked me to go. Tonight was a great night for a flight and that’s what I did. Except this excursion was different, I flew to the moon above the earth. I sat there in the extreme silence that being in space brings and stared down at the planet, watching the sun lighting up half of it. It was flabbergasting to think that here I was, able to do so many things that no human could, but the one thing they all had that I never could have was life. Even if I did beat Shimmer and Christian, sure I’d be free from Hell, but I’d still be a demon. Nothing could ever change that. What was I really gaining from doing this? Well, at least Shade would be safe, but still, all this quest had brought me was pain and hardship.
I stayed on the moon through two more sun rotations around the earth. I knew I was a day away from All Hallows Eve. I figured I would stay here until it was time to head to Shimmer’s coliseum, known as the Cavity at the top of Devil’s Tooth Mountain in Romania. I didn’t have a reason to go back home anymore.
Chapter 7
ELYSIA
While sitting in the dead silence, wallowing in self pity as only a demon can, I was surprised when I saw a figure of light walking out from the dark side of the moon. Again, the light that preceeded this being was so abundant that I had to put my arm over my face in order to shield my sight. Just like before, the closer the being got, the dimmer the light went before finally going out. I knew it was another angel, and when the figure closed in on me, I saw it was Argento’s hand Elysia; the beautiful angel that had yet to speak.
I stood up from my crouch and waited to see what she wanted. When she got within a foot or two of me, she raised her gaze and pulled back her hood. She was smiling. It made me feel instantly comfortable. A gift an angel possesses that can even appease demons, apparently. Argento was nowhere in sight.
“Hello, Leo.” She nodded. Not only was Elysia’s face familiar to me, but so was her soft voice, at least to some degree. I still couldn’t place where I knew her from. One thing was for certain, my familiarity with her was unmistakable.
“Hello, Elysia. Argento didn’t accompany you?”
“No, but he sent me to you with counsel.”
Something else about her voice that I must point out is the fact that it is mesmerizing, hypnotic, if you will. Every time she opened her mouth, each word was spoken with such grace that it drew me in, soothing me. She had my full attention. I don’t think I could have turned away from her words if I tried, it was so alluring.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s about your oncoming fight with Shimmer.”
“What about it?”
“A distinct advantage…also an unknown advantage that he may have over you.”
“I don’t follow.”
“When you scuffled with Sierra and Molina, you discovered something…didn’t you?”
I thought back to the battle in the ballroom with his twin brides and remembered that when I attempted to kill Molina, something stopped me from punching through to her heart. I had forgotten all about that.
“Ye
s, something blocked my punch, something hard…on her body. I couldn’t penetrate it, at least, not with a single blow, anyway.”
“That’s right, and unless you know what it is and find a quicker way to penetrate it, it may be the perfect circumstance that Shimmer needs in order to kill you.”
“What is it?”
Elysia walked a few paces away from me and stared at earth off in the distance. I walked beside her and gazed with her.
“Before I explain that part, there’s something you need to hear first.”
“Okay?”
“In the fifteenth earth century, just before Shimmer took the twins Sierra and Molina as his brides, although he was already a vampire, he was in love with a human girl. Oddly enough for Shimmer, she was the only one that had his heart and he wanted her for his own. He wanted her to remain human, not a vampire…her name was Temperance. She was daughter to one of the richest, most powerful families in all of Europe…the Greylock family. Her beauty exceeded any wealth her family possessed. Every man for miles around did their best to court her. Shimmer was no different. He even took great care to appear as human as possible in order to win her…”
“I mean, Shimmer’s love life is great and all, but what does this have to do with me?”
“Patience, Leo, the answers are coming. Knowing the history of your enemies leads to knowledge; and knowledge leads to power. Having power over Shimmer will give you advantage.”
“Whatever it takes, I guess.”
“Shimmer tried every ounce of persuasion he had to earn her love, and as we all know, vampires are the most seductive of all beings, but it was to no avail. Temperance had fallen in love with a young, handsome, very wealthy man by the name of Geoffrey Lonecrow, whose family tree branched from royalty. Shimmer was crushed. One rainy evening she officially rejected his advances in front of her family home by telling him she was to be wed to Geoffrey and that she never wanted to see him again. This sent Shimmer into personal turmoil, and as we all know, Shimmer doesn’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
