Vanquished

by Vivi Anna

  “What the fuck are you laughing at?” Damian demanded.

  Kat opened her arms, titled her face to the sky and spun around. “This. This is fucking unbelievable!”

  “You’re fucking unbelievable.” Damian pushed her hard. She stumbled backwards and had to put out a hand to balance herself.

  Hades made a move toward him. Kat grabbed him before he could punch Damian in the face.

  “No. Let him be. You got something you want to say, Damian?” She walked up to stand right in front of him, almost touching. The tension rolled off him in waves. His teeth clenched and she imagined his muscles straining underneath his clothing.

  They needed to have it out. Kat knew it, and she was sure Damian knew it, too. They had changed. Their dynamics had changed. It was time to set it straight.

  “Here you are having a good time, when Darquiel is hurt. Her leg is broken and you’re out here dancing around like a fool.”

  “She’ll live. Won’t you?” Kat glanced over her shoulder at Darquiel. Hades had her up and sitting in the rear of the cart.

  She nodded.

  “You see.”

  Damian tightened his mouth. “You can’t be telling everyone what to do anymore. Things have changed. You’re not the boss.”

  “Someone’s got to keep everyone alive. Someone’s got to lead. You gonna be leader, Damian? Who’s gonna follow you? I’m certainly not, and I don’t think Hades will either. Maybe Darquiel?” Kat suggested. “Yeah, how ‘bout you go on your merry little way with your blood-sucking girlfriend and go into Van City and see how long you last. Not long, I guarantee you. You want to die, go right ahead, but don’t take me with you. No matter what’s happened I still want to live.” She leaned in closer to him, so only he could hear her next words. “No matter what runs in your veins, I would hope you still want to live. Because the Damian I knew and…” she paused, and then continued, “the Damian I knew would still want to live, to fight.”

  Damian smiled. “And what Kat? And loved? Is that what you were going to say? The Damian I knew and loved,” he smirked. “I didn’t think you knew the meaning of the word.”

  “I don’t. But you think this Darquiel does?”

  Damian retreated and glanced over at the cart. “Yes.”

  “You’re her food, dumb ass. And now her pet.”

  He turned and glared at her with such venom, she had to take a distancing step back. “And that’s what makes you so angry…that I’m not your pet anymore, and Hades will never heel to you.”

  He pushed passed her and slid into the back seat of the cart next to Darquiel. He touched her briefly on the leg and left his bound hands there.

  Kat wiped away the water that ran down her face. She stood there a moment more and let the hail pelt her cheeks and on the head. He had been right in some regard. She was angry that he had left her, that he had not the strength or fortitude to fight the hold that Darquiel had forced on him. And about Hades. He had been right about him. The man would never bow down to her.

  She turned back to the cart where they waited. Hades sat in the driver’s seat and watched her, with no judgment in his eyes. No he may never bow down to her, but he would walk with her, at her side. Never in front, never behind. It was definitely something to think about.

  “Let’s get moving. We’re wasting time.” She slid into the seat and stared straight ahead.

  Hades started the cart and they moved forward toward the buildings. As they neared, the hail stopped, as if the doors to the heavens slammed shut.

  Kat leaned out of the cart and looked up at the swirling sky. “Now what?”

  The sky was calm, but for the sickly green clouds still churned menacingly above. Whatever it was, it was definitely not over.

  “I don’t like the feel of this,” Hades commented as he steered toward the outcropping. “It’s too calm. Something’s brewing in those clouds and it isn’t rain.”

  As they neared the destroyed buildings, Kat wasn’t so sure that the crumbling concrete could protect them from anything. Miraculously, the doorway stood straight, with one wall still intact. There was a thick overhang of concrete that provided a small roof, but it didn’t appear sturdy. Kat wasn’t sure if they should trust it. They might be safer out in the open, depending on what came out of those dark clouds.

  “Holy fuck!”

  Kat swiveled toward Damian’s voice. She squinted into the horizon, where he pointed. Her eyes must be playing tricks on her. What she saw, could not be possible. She glanced over at Hades. His eyes were wide with shock, his lips pursed in worry.

  “I have no clue what that is,” Kat confessed.

  “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”

  Kat turned to regard Darquiel. Her eyes were wide, tears leaked from the sides.

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  “It’s from a story my dad read to me. It means we’re all going to die,” Darquiel muttered.

  Kat turned to the front to gaze out at the wonder. The cloud layers looked like they had a hole in them, and leaked out in one spot. The green swirling mass formed a funnel shape in front of the cart gradually its tip reached the ground.

  Then it began to move.

  The Earth shook beneath the vehicle. And it sounded like a roaring animal was charging toward them. The sound grew louder and louder. In the distance, Kat watched in horror as dirt, debris and left over concrete swirled into the sky by the ever-increasing winds.

  The funnel cloud moved across the ground in a quick and unpredictable path, laying devastation in its wake.

  “Out of the cart!” Kat yelled over the increasing roar. “Run to the buildings!” She jumped out of the moving vehicle.

  Hades stopped the cart and slipped out the side not far after her. He ran around the rear of the vehicle and unstrapped two packs from their supplies. He slung them over his shoulders and ran after Kat toward the outcropping.

  “Wait!”

  Kat and Hades both turned. Damian was helping Darquiel out of the back, her leg bloodied and cradled against her other, clearly unable to walk on it.

  “Carry her,” Kat yelled back.

  “I can’t. I’m not strong enough.”

  Kat could here the dejection in his voice. He had been strong once. Many times, he had lifted her up and carried her. Usually to the bed, or a wall where they could fuck. But she had felt the power in his arms and in his legs. He must feel broken, like a neglected child’s toy, by the weakening of his strength and his will.

  She glanced at Hades. He shook his head, but handed her the packs and ran back to the cart. He took Darquiel from Damian and like a sack of potatoes, hefted her over his shoulder with little effort.

  He glared at Damian. “You better run like a mother-fucker. Because no one’s going to stop to pick you up.”

  Damian nodded, but even from where Kat stood, she could feel the rage pour off him. He was like a pot of water heating on the stove with the lid on. Soon the boiling point would be reached, and the lid would pop off. She hoped that they did not all get scalded.

  “Hurry! It’s coming!” Kat looked behind her as the green swirling mass edged closer. Rocks and debris pelted her in the body and face as the winds ripped around them. Soon the winds would be too powerful and would carry them off into the churning destruction. They needed to hold onto something, or crawl underneath the ground.

  They all ran as fast as they could against the pulling and pushing of the winds. The funnel was almost upon them. Kat could actually see large slabs of concrete twirling around in the clouds. They weren’t going to make the buildings.

  “We’re not going to make it!” Hades yelled over the roaring din.

  Kat searched for something, anything that might save them. She spotted a deep crevice in the ground that looked like the splitting of the Earth’s fragile skin.

  “Into the ditch!” She pointed to the dugout.

  They ran to it feeling the incessant pull of the winds. Kat’s cloak caught in a squall and flipped
up around her. She could feel her feet lift.

  Damian grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

  “Down! Down!” Hades screamed.

  They all jumped into the ditch. Hades landed first, Darquiel half crushed beneath him. Kat went down, with Damian on top of her, pressing her into the mud. She turned her head, but still managed to swallow a mouthful of filthy rainwater. Afraid she might choke, she spat it out.

  “No matter what happens, don’t move. Don’t get up,” Damian whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.

  Hearing the meaning behind his words, she wanted to turn and look at him. She wished things had turned out differently. His true self still lingered inside. She saw glimpses of it and heard it now in his voice.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all that’s happened. And all that’s going to happen.”

  She heard the quiet desperation in his voice. Kat wanted to tell him it was okay. But it wasn’t and never would be.

  “I’m sorry, too,” she said around the lump forming in her throat.

  “We had a good run though, didn’t we?”

  “Don’t talk like it’s over, Damian. I told you I would never give up, not until the last breath escapes my lips.”

  “I know. That’s what I always loved about you, Hell Kat.”

  The sound of the roaring winds engulfed them, as if a hundred motorcycle engines revved at once. Kat squeezed her eyes shut against the sound, trying futilely to block it from her ears. She could smell the rain, the dirt, and the wet rocks as they swirled dangerously above them. The eye of the storm was upon them.

  Glancing up, Kat grabbed onto a knotted root of a once grand tree poking out of the ditch. She gripped it, hoping somehow the branch would be strong enough to keep her from flying off into the ripping brutal winds.

  “Hang on!” she yelled.

  The ground seemed to shake around them as the screaming winds whipped over the ditch, raining dirt, rocks and debris on top of them. She felt Damian move on top of her. To her horror, she felt his hands slip from around her body and his form lift from hers.

  Still grasping the root in her hands, she cried out and tired to turn. She managed to turn over just as Damian was flipped into the air. Sitting up, she reached out with her hand. She caught his fingers and pulled back. While she held him suspended in the air, the winds viciously yanked on his legs.

  Kat could feel her grip slipping. Her arm began to shake with strain. She didn’t think she could hang on and still hold the tree root. Glancing behind her, she screamed for Hades. But her voice sounded muffled in the howling wind.

  “Let go and save yourself!” Damian yelled. She could barely hear his words but knew what he said by the pain etched on his face and swimming in his wide eyes.

  “No!” Her hand slipped, and she barely had him by two fingers.

  “Let me go!”

  Kat clenched her teeth and pulled with everything she had, but it was not enough. Damian’s fingers slid from hers and he sailed into the swirling winds. She watched in horror as he spun high into the air and disappeared into the dark swirling mass.

  Kat squeezed her eyes shut and laid back into the ditch, clutching the tree root tightly in her trembling hands.

  A warm palm cradled her cheek, and she knew that Hades had managed to turn and crawl to where she rested. Hot bitter tears leaked out from the sides of her eyes and ran down her temples to drip into the cold squelching mud. It brought her no relief to the icy shivers that racked her body.

  She had lost Damian.

  And just as fast as it came, the funnel moved on, turning erratically and back toward the city. The winds calmed, and the roaring sound dissipated. Kat opened her eyes but did not move, or relinquish the tight hold on the root.

  Hades’ face came into her view. “Are you hurt?”

  She didn’t answer. She felt numb.

  “Are you hurt, Kat?”

  Unable to form the words, she shook her head.

  Hades pushed up and peeked out of the ditch. “The storm’s gone. The clouds are breaking up.” He glanced down at her again. “The cart’s missing. Maybe we’ll find it tossed by the wind.”

  “Yeah, and maybe we’ll find Damian’s torn body too. Wouldn’t that be great?”

  Hades put an arm around Kat and helped her sit up. He stood and pulled her to her feet. Turning to Darquiel, he helped her up too. She stood wobbling on her bad leg.

  “You might as well leave me. I will die without Damian.”

  Kat swung around fists clenched, teeth grit and stared at her. “Good. I hope it’s long and painful.”

  “You don’t know the half of it,” Darquiel smirked. “But you will.”

  Kat launched at her. She wrapped her hands around her throat and brought them down into the mud. She straddled Darquiel as she choked her.

  “It’s your fault this happened. If Damian had still been human, he would have had the strength to fight. He would have held on to me.”

  Darquiel brought her hands up and raked her nails across Kat’s face. Three deep scratches lined each cheek. Kat let go of her throat, brought her hand back and punched Darquiel in the face. Repeatedly, she struck Darquiel until her face was a mess of blood.

  Hades grabbed her fist as she raised it for her next punch. “Enough.” He yanked her off Darquiel.

  Kat turned away from the girl. Rage encompassed her whole body. She could think of nothing but killing Darquiel. She thought that feeling the life leave her soulless body would replace the deep ache of Damian’s loss.

  “Damian is gone because of your selfish wishes,” Darquiel accused.

  Kat turned around and glared at Darquiel as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

  “You brought us here to this wasteland. It was your selfish quests that made him weak.” Blood bubbled at Darquiel’s mouth. “He was broken long before I met him.”

  Kat scrambled out of the ditch and walked quickly across the drying dirt to get away. If she could, she would run, but her legs ached. She had fallen on them awkwardly. She didn’t want Darquiel’s words to seep into her mind. She didn’t want to hear the accusations in her tone and know that all Darquiel said was true.

  “Kat!” Hades called.

  Kat didn’t peer back, but kept her head straight ahead and walked.

  “Kat!” His voice got closer. He grabbed her arm and stopped her strides. “What are you doing?”

  “Nothing. Leave me be.”

  He grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her. “You can’t run away.”

  “I’m not.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “He died because of me. Because I made him come here.”

  “He died because the wind whipped him away.” Hades motioned to the sky. “He died because this world is fucked up and unsafe.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. Hot gushing tears. Tears of rage and sorrow.

  Hades gathered her close in his arms, pressing her into the warmth and safety of his massive body. Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he murmured, “He died because there is no certainty of this life. We will go when we go. Nothing can change that. We can fight as long as we can, but in the end, we will all die. You couldn’t have changed that for him.”

  Kat closed her eyes against the assault of emotion that ravaged through her. She wrapped her arms around Hades and cried. She sobbed and wailed. Never before had she let go. All the anger, sorrow, and rage that she had ever felt poured out of her in hot stinging tears and grievous moans. She emptied all the pain, suffering, and wrongdoing she had ever committed, or suffered, onto Hades.

  She didn’t feel it when he picked her up and brought her down to the ground to cradle in his lap, and she didn’t hear the soft words of sympathy whispered into her ear. She only felt years of pent up frustration and anger leak from her soul. It poured down her face and dripped onto the barren land where it quickly evaporated as if it never existed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Kat did
n’t know how long she sat cradled in Hades arms, but by the looks of the clear blue sky, it had been a long while. There was not a single cloud left when she glanced up.

  She studied Hades and sighed with relief to see no sympathy in his face. That was the last thing she wanted, especially from him. She rubbed at her eyes, wiping away the last of the stored up tears. They felt puffy and raw. After that long of a crying jag, she could just imagine the state she was in.

  Kat dropped her gaze and untangled herself from his arms. She stood and surveyed the wasteland. Everything was seemingly still and quiet as if nothing had happened. As if no life-ripping storm had charged through.

  “Where’s the vamp?” she inquired.

  Hades stood and flexed his legs. She imagined they were very sore and cramped from sitting for so long.

  “She’s in the building. To get out of the sun.”

  Nodding, Kat glimpsed the sky. It was getting warm again. Sweat trickled down her neck and into her shirt.

  “We should to. There’s water in the packs I saved.” He raised the two bags he had taken from the cart.

  She nodded again. Relieved that the man was reliable and thinking ahead. She needed his level head to straighten out hers. She started to walk toward the crumbled out cropping.

  “Kat?”

  She turned back to him.

  His brow furrowed with worry. “I…”

  “Don’t.” She put her hand up to stop any more words. “It’s over. It never happened. And I never want to be reminded of it…ever.”

  “Hey, I was just going to ask if you could rub my ass, because it’s killing me.” He massaged his hands over his butt, and smiled.

  Kat chuckled. Damn if the man was good for her.

  “I’ll rub yours if you rub mine.” He moved up next to her.

  “Maybe later.”

  Smiling, he traced a finger over her lips. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  She nodded and continued to walk toward the burned out building, Hades matching her stride for stride.