by Jana LaPelle
I’m brought up short when several of Mammon’s sentries engage me on either side. I turn to his captain and say, “Listen, just give me five minutes and I will be back here paying my respects to the prince. I just need to get my date.”
“Your date? You really must keep your women on a tighter leash.” The arrogant bastard says, drawing out his s’s.
“My female is none of your concern, demon!” I spit out.
“Duke, you must learn your place in The Underworld!”
I struggle in their grasp and spit out, “I know my place. Do you? We are nowhere near The Underworld. We’re in The Mortal Realm the last I checked, and here I follow their protocols. Even here you have no right to treat me in such a foul manner. Remove your hand from my arm before I remove it for you.” I growl.
“Here in this House, you have no rights! Your insolence has been duly noted, Duke Daxell of the Houses of Envy and Lust. Now bow to your prince.” The sound of his s’s grating on my very last throbbing nerve. I hesitate before dropping to my knee and bowing before Mammon, or Maximus as he wants to be called here in The Mortal Realm. Covertly, I look around trying to catch sight of LJ. In frustration, I see that my sight has been obscured by a rather large number of individuals as they clamor to pay homage to their fallen prince. No wonder he is gaining in power, they love him here. Worship him. Things in The Mortal Realm are getting out of control and Luc is going to have a tough time reeling Mammon in. Not caring if I’m breaking protocol or not, I stand and look around for LJ and she seems to have disappeared. She is nowhere to be found in the crowd behind me. What the hell. She was just right there.
My demon can barely be contained, my shift is almost seamless. He roars for all to hear and tears through the crowd. She’s gone. She’s not here. We stand heaving, our rage on full display for everyone to witness. The female that Mammon entertained before us has left his side. I advance upon the lord of this castle and demand, “Where is she, Mammon? What have you done with her? She is mine!” My demon roars.
“Who do you speak of? I saw no one by your side.”
“I speak of my true mate, my kindred match.”
“Well, well, if you have found your match here in The Mortal Realm then you are a very lucky young demon. Congratulations are in order!”
“Mammon, she has gone missing while I was forced to pay my respects to you. I need to find her!” We growl.
“Who are we looking for, young Daxell?” Mammon asks.
If I didn’t know better, I would think that his mocking smile belied the truth and he has already discovered who LJ is. With those simple words, he has forced me into a corner, very clever of him. In my anger and desperation, I now realize my mistake, I can only hope that he is not interested in collecting her for his own, now that he has a mistress of the night, and reluctantly announce, “Lillie Joanna Faerondarl, goddess and daughter to Ashlinn and Alaric, god and goddess of life.” There is a collective gasp from around the room as I reveal to everyone here exactly who I seek, who has vanished just moments before.
“I see. Well, young Daxell, it would appear that your young goddess, or shall we say your femme fatale has made off with my most prized possession! The female has bewitched you in order to get to Vengeance, Morríganna’s most sacred of possessions, and therefore I cry foul. She has stolen a most revered item from my clutches and thus must be brought to justice!” Mammon’s voice booms throughout the room, his eyes narrow on me demanding that I heel to him and his false accusation.
Our rage boils over, and my demon snarls, “How dare you! She has gone missing under your watch! She is a victim here, not to be accused! She is an innocent and you know more than you let on. You and that harlot that you are parading before us tonight! Where is she?!” I demand as my fathers and mother attempt to soothe my angst.
“How the hell should I know, my dear nephew. How dare you disrespect my lover. Nyx comes and goes as she pleases, she is under my protection. She is my mistress and therefore you will grant her the respect that she deserves! If you don’t mind your manners you will find yourself locked away in my dungeons. As it is, your chosen mate has left you high and dry and has made off with my property. She will be found, she will be tried, and she will be found guilty! I will not be made a mockery of by a lowly goddess from The Otherworld.” His tone is cruel and insulting.
Pulling out of my fathers’ grasp my demon and I go toe to toe with Mammon, “You will not touch one hair on her head. You have no rights to her!”
His laughter bellows throughout the floor, “But of course I do. She belongs to me by forfeit. She is the firstborn daughter of Alaric, Guardian to his kindred mate Ashlinn, and for a time he belonged to me. He too was taken from me and I have Lucifer to blame for that, but no more. I will have my due and his daughter will do nicely when I add her to my collection.” His eyes glint maliciously as his handsome face sets in all hard lines, before he turns to his whore, “Nyx, go, see if you can determine if she had help and reinforce the wards on this place. Report back to me as soon as you can. Don’t dally overly long. I will miss you, my dear.” Her malicious face lifts to his to receive a doting kiss.
It is all I can do to back away. All I want to do is punch and thrash my way out of this room. I bite out, “You will never have LJ as any part of your demented collections. You know as well as I do that she is not remotely capable of this.” My demon and I push past Mammon. Making my way to an open balcony, I spread my wings and jump into the dark night. It’s cold this high up and I soar into the sky on an updraft. This can’t be happening. Where is she? What has happened to her? Circling the monstrosity in the sky, I look to see if there are any departing aircraft and there are none. My anger is off the hook and so I soar into the night, my wings beating effortlessly. Higher and higher, my wings take me. How could I have let her out of my sight? How could I have let my frustration with her bullheadedness get the better of me? We need to find her!
The skyscraper gets narrower the higher it climbs into the oblivion of the night sky, it's then that I see a brilliant flash of red light several stories above where the party is taking place. I race to the window to see if I can see into the building. Hovering, just outside, I see a large room that looks to be deserted. The lights are dimmed and no one seems to be inside. So where did the light come from? Could it be that it had something to do with LJ?
Landing on the balcony outside of my rooms, I open the doors and I’m greeted by Cara. She’s whining and upset, then Poppy races into the room and asks, “What are we going to do? Lillie’s been taken!”
We can’t help but roar our anger.
“All right Daxell, don’t you get angry with me for stating the obvious. Something is going on here and his royal fallen highness has something to do with it, you mark my words. Lillie JoBug would never, ever leave Cara behind like this, I don’t care what the lying bastard says. What are we going to do? We need to find her. What’s your plan?”
And with those words, the anger deflates out of me and my demon recedes, not knowing what to do next. I sag and sit on the bed with Cara by my side, and sigh, “I have no idea. I don’t even know where to start. We have not completed our bond. We haven’t had time.”
Poppy sits beside me, her shoulders slumped as her wings fly out of her back in a rush, and she says, “Then follow your heart, Daxell. If you love her, and I know you do, then it will lead you to her.”
“How? She’s gone and I have no clue as to where she’s been taken. We haven’t had that much time to connect. The time that we did have, I spent trying to push her away. Trying to convince her that, I was bad news for her.”
“Well, I call bull shit.” Poppy stands up, her hands on her hips. “You’re letting your head get in the way of the natural connection that the two of you have. You’re overthinking what you are to one another. Put everything else aside and just think of her, like a divining rod. Where does it point?”
Doing as I’m told, I let my demon form recede and try to get rid of a
ll the doubts, all the why’s as to why she should not be with me, and push them aside. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on LJ’s scent, her feel, her presence. It’s not here, not in this realm. I’m not sure how I know that, but I do. I’ve never been allowed access into Faerie, but that’s where my heart is telling me that she is, I’m being led to The Otherworld. Not The Underworld, and I’m surprised by that. I look back up at Poppy and say, “I think she’s in The Otherworld.”
“Can you home in on her exact location?”
“I’ve never been to The Otherworld. So I have no idea.” Cara whines, drawing my attention and I absently pat her head before exclaiming, “But you can help, can’t you girl? You are tied to her as well. All we need to do is get to Faerie and then we can see if you can find her. How are we going to get there quickly?”
“Easy, I can trace us there. I’m a keeper, my mother is Ashlinn’s right hand when it comes to Keeper business, so naturally, I followed suit. The only problem is that we will need The Horde King’s permission for you to cross into The Otherworld.”
“All right, then let’s change and we’ll head to Tarron’s place before heading to The Otherworld. We’ll need to let everyone know what has happened.”
“I don’t envy you that conversation, you may be royalty in The Underworld but that won’t matter when you are delivering news that the darling of The Otherworld was kidnapped right from under your nose.” Poppy stands and walks toward the door, turning, she smiles sadly, “We’ll get her back, and I’ll be right there by your side to make sure that it happens. Don’t worry, Lillie JoBug can handle herself. Better than you know.”
23
Down the Rabbit Hole
(Lillie Joanna)
The first thing I notice is that it’s really warm. My head is pounding and I groan as I roll over and push myself up, blinking rapidly as I try to process exactly what has happened. The last thing I remember is trying to get to Daxell. How could I have been so stupid? He told me to stick by his side, and now, I have no idea as to where the hell I am. Blinking, I try to erase the fog that seems to cling to my brain. My mouth and throat are dry as if I’ve been out for a while. Staggering to my feet, I totter on my heels and lean against the smooth stone wall. Warmth radiates from the black glass-like stone. Well, it’s mostly black, but there are veins of crimson in the sleek stone walls.
It takes a few more moments for my sluggish brain to begin working. Whatever they drugged me with is finally beginning to exit my system. Concentrating on my surroundings I realize what the room seems to be made from. It’s obsidian. The entire room is carved from obsidian. I’ve never seen anything like it. From the lighting, I can tell that I’m no longer in The Mortal Realm. Glowballs are dimly lit in several corners of the room. Somehow or another, I’ve been transported to Faerie. I’m home, in The Otherworld, but how did I get here and where exactly is here? As I take stock of myself, I realize that I feel oddly weighed down. I can’t seem to access my majic. It’s then that I remember the bracelet that was placed on my wrist and I hold my hands up and examine the simple silver cuff that doesn’t seem to have an opening or a clasp of any kind. I try to slide it over my hand but it is too small. I stare at the offending object, trying to remember something from my past. Something that … Oh my god, it can’t be. My gifts have been bound, just like my father’s all those years ago. The pendant that lies nestled between my breasts is almost uncomfortably warm and I realize that it is trying to counteract some of the properties of the iron forged in angel fire that currently resides on my wrist. Almost as if it is acting as a protective hedge, but can’t quite overcome the nullifying properties of the bracelet I’m now wearing. I have to get to Mama. She can help.
“Well, well. You woke much earlier than you should have.” I’m startled out of my contemplation when a familiar-looking female marches into the room. How do I know her? She’s hauntingly beautiful in a sinister sort of way. She continues, “I take it your brain hasn’t quite come online yet. I get that, the injection that you were given should not have worn off quite yet, but here we are. You know, I tried to remove the bloodstone pendant and the matching earrings, but they seem to … be rather attached to you. I got a rather nasty majical jolt, which is problematic.”
“Why?” I ask stupidly, still trying to process everything.
She laughs, “My gods, you are so young and so green. Why your parents sent you on this mission, I have no idea. You’ll be lucky if you make it through the night.”
Whipping my head around, I glare at my would-be captor, “Who the hell are you? And why am I here?”
“You haven’t figured it out yet? My, my, you’re not very bright, are you?” She snickers, ever so softly.
“Why don’t you clue me in. Oh, and don’t leave out why you have bound my abilities. The use of iron forged in angel fire has been outlawed, so why the hell am I wearing this bracelet?” I demand.
“You are funny. I like your fire … cousin.” She cocks her head and watches me. The action reminds me of a bird of prey.
That remark raises all sorts of red flags, “Explain.”
“Walk with me,” she demands and turns to sashay out of the chamber, not turning to see if I follow, knowing that I will, that I have no choice if I want answers. The hall beyond is dimly lit and she makes her way to a beautifully carved staircase.
I run my hand along the smooth banister and say, “The craftsmanship is magnificent.”
“It is,” she says and continues her slow, yet deliberate climb upward. “I inherited this place. It’s not as busy as it once was, but it remains hidden from prying eyes from the realms at large by the most intricate of wards. No one has found it in over twenty years. It has become a mystery and yet the realm has all but forgotten that it was once highly sought after.”
Twenty years? “Wait. Who are you?”
“Nyx. My name is Nyx and I’ve been residing here and in The Mortal Realm for some time. Biding my time. Building support to bring my mother back from The Underworld. So the question is, who is the leader of the New Raven Order? That’s what you set out to find out, isn’t it? Well, my dear, you have found her. Or rather, I have captured you before you could put an end to my plans. Plans that I have been working on for a very long time.”
My mind is reeling, I say, “I’m sorry? Who is your mother?”
“Why? Morríganna. Cousin.” She smiles at me rather smugly as she leads me out onto an enormous balcony that oversees a hidden valley below. The mountain seems to be shrouded in mist and dark clouds. Squinting into the sky above and behind me, I realize that this massive fortress has been carved into a volcanic mountainside. Smelling the slight sulfur scent of the fumes that are being issued from the mouth of the volcano high above us.
It’s that moment that I connect the dots and I blurt out, “I had no idea that Morríganna had a daughter.” Why did no one seem to know this?
“I guess that I should feel blessed that she wanted to keep my very existence a secret for all these years, but in retrospect, I have felt nothing but contempt for the goddess that bore me.” Nyx sneers as she gestures before us. “There are many that are still loyal to my mother. They have no idea as to the contempt that I feel for her. They have no idea that I’m her daughter. I can count on one hand those that now know my mother’s dirty little secret, and yet I continue to cultivate her followers.”
“So. why tell me? Why bring me here at all?” None of this makes sense, “and who is your father?”
“My father? That one should be easy enough for you to guess at, go on, take a shot in the dark.” Again she turns to me, watching me closely as if trying to figure me out before turning to walk into the sitting room behind us. I turn once more to look back out over the land below us. It’s safe to say that this place is nestled away from most of the mountain range. Distance creates a barrier from the rest of the realm. Looking up, the sun peeks through the clouds and for a moment the light shines down on the gleaming surface of this castle carved into
this volcanic mountain. The black surface shines brightly with veins of red here and there and without a shadow of a doubt, I know that the dwarves were the master crafters here. It’s beautiful in an ominous sort of way. As the sun is once again hidden from view, I follow my captor inside. She’s seated in a chair that looks remarkably like a thrown and it’s then that I recognize her as the female by Mammon’s side last night, but that’s not what is important. I need information right now if I’m going to get out of here and get to Glenndale Loch so Mama can remove this cuff. I take a seat to her right and say, “The only lover that your mother seemed to pine for, from what I know of her histories, is that of Cú Chulainn.” I watch as her face becomes pinched at my words.
“And the prize goes to the dimwitted goddess in the room.” She sneers.
“What’s your problem with me and my station? I can’t help that I was born a goddess.” I glare at the bitch that has bound my abilities, my temper flaring.
“I’ve watched from afar as everyone in this realm has fallen at you and your sibling's feet just because the three of you were the firstborn goddesses and god in all the realms. No one even knew of my existence, no one cared that I was born of a goddess and a demigod’s union. Well, soon, everyone will know who I am, and everyone will bow down to me!”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?” I mutter.
She’s in front of me in a flash, her hand wraps around my chin lifting me from my seat with a strength I did not know she possessed. In mere seconds, I find myself dangling from her outstretched arm and I’m helpless but to wrap my hands around her own as I struggle in her stranglehold. “You, my dear, are your father’s daughter. I’m taking a page out of Lucifer’s very own playbook. I’m sending you straight to hell. Everything is going according to plan and you have just become my pawn.” She drops me from her grasp and I gasp for air as I lay sprawled in a crumpled heap on the warm black surface of the floor.
