by T. R. Hamby
Lord of Legions
Roone
What to do.
Roone sat thinking, while Roman slept quietly in his arms. Father had given him and Nora a child--a new life, both literally and figuratively. There was just one price--the killing of Michael’s son, Gabriel.
It would require planning. He would have to call Nora, tell her the news. She would surely come, once she heard that she now had a son. She wouldn’t abandon their child, no matter how strong Melkira’s hold was on her.
But then what? Roone laid the baby on the bed and paced, taking steadying breaths. If Nora came to him, Michael and Melkira, at the least, would come with her. They would try to stop her, or else intimidate them. One wrong move, and it would be a fight.
He would have to kill them both. The very thought sent a shiver down his spine. He knew Father wouldn’t argue; if he was already angry with Michael, angry enough to want Gabriel dead, why not Melkira too? Roone would use his Talent on them, and he would slit the throats of all three.
It would be quick. And Nora would forgive him in time.
Roman began to stir, and Roone gladly held him again, rocked him. Little Roman opened his eyes, blinked, and looked up at him. Roone chuckled. He felt such a surge of love, a love he had never felt before. It was so strong it hurt, and he held Roman close to him.
He would wait to tell Nora. She had left him--his heart ached at the memory--early in the morning. She would be tired. He would give her time to rest, call her tomorrow morning. She would be happy, ecstatic.
She would be with him soon.
Andreas
It was just a day in the clinic today, and the work was steady. Andreas was cheerful, as he usually was, and his worried patients were soothed. This was one of his favorite things about being a physician: making his patients comfortable, even happy. The other was getting to operate.
His mother called him as soon as he left the practice. “Are you coming home for Christmas, or do I have to send a search party out for you?” she asked as soon as he answered.
“Well hello to you too, Mamma,” he replied, grinning. “Of course I’m coming for Christmas.”
“Good, because your sister is having a baby, you know.”
“I see. Is that why she’s all round in the middle?”
“Don’t be smart,” she said, though her voice was amused. “You know she’s due by then. We need a doctor nearby just in case.”
“And here I thought it was my charm and good looks that was wanted. Funny that you’re calling now,” he continued, stepping into the jewelry shop on the corner, “I’m looking at your present.”
Her voice was stern. “I told you I don’t need any presents.”
The clerk knew him, and went to get the necklace he had purchased last month.
“You say that every year,” he said, leaning on the counter. “And you always love my presents.”
“Well, we hope you like our present,” she replied gently. “It’s not much, but we put a lot of thought into it.”
Andreas smiled. “I’m sure I’ll love it, Mamma.”
“We miss you, you know.”
“I miss you too. Very much.”
They talked for a while longer, then ended the call. Andreas was careful with the necklace, packed up in a velvet box, as he took a cab home. He leaned back in the seat, texted a few friends. No one wanted to get together. A night in it would be.
He was dropped off at his building, and went up to his apartment. He went inside, dropped the keys in the dish on the counter. He carefully set the velvet box beside it, closed the door, and flipped on the lights.
He turned and froze.
There was a woman sitting at the island counter. She was awkward looking, with wispy hair. But it was her eyes that alarmed him--they were scarlet, almost bloody.
Several thoughts went through his mind. Perhaps this was an old patient, who had come to him for help. Or an intruder, come to rob him.
Either way he fumbled in the drawer beside him, searching for his gun.
“I took it,” she whispered in English.
Her voice was almost raspy, hoarse. “We don’t need any loud noises.”
He felt a surge of anger. “Who the fuck are you?”
“A friend, maybe,” she said, slipping out of her seat.
She blinked those bloody eyes at him, and Andreas was repulsed.
“You have friends,” she said slowly. “Friends I’m trying to find.”
Andreas stared at her for a long moment. And then it hit him--the Kings.
He backed away. “You’re one of them.”
“I was,” she whispered hoarsely. “Now I’m something else. This is what they did to me. I would like to return the favor. Just tell me where they are.”
His heart pounded, and fear made his insides freeze.
Oh, god. No no no….
He took a shaky breath, frozen where he stood. “I don’t know where they are.”
“Really. I found the villa they were staying at in Abisko. Your villa. Are they still at the park? I’m guessing not, and I’m thinking you know where they are now.”
Andreas didn’t, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t believe him. A cold sweat broke out on his face, and he made a run for it, whirling around and grasping at the door.
A powerful hand grabbed his throat, and he was thrown to the floor, smacking his head on the tile.
He lay there, the wind knocked out of him, his head pounding. The woman grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to the living area. She hauled him effortlessly onto the recliner, and he grunted, pained.
She withdrew a knife, and Andreas stared at it, petrified.
“This won’t take long,” she said firmly. “I have things to do. Tell me, and I’ll spare the important parts.”
“I don’t know where they are,” he said desperately. “We haven’t been in contact since Abisko.”
“What? A debonair bachelor like you doesn’t keep in contact with such a handsome family?”
“They told me what they were; I didn’t want to be involved. Please….”
She held his arm down and dragged the Blade across his forearm. He jerked, grunting as blood blossomed on his skin.
“You take pain well,” she said, impressed.
“Please….I don’t know anything….”
She considered him, her scarlet eyes curious. “You have human lives in your hands every day,” she said. “And you don’t ever think of just….letting the knife slip?”
Andreas stared at her, chilled to the bone. “No. I’m not a monster.”
Her lip curled. “All humans are monsters.”
And she buried the knife in his chest.
Nora
She was at the cottage in Mount Brandon. Everything was fuzzy, slow. Roone was standing just past the garden, smiling, ecstatic.
Fear flooded through her, and her heart pounded in her chest.
Shit. How did she get back here?
He was waiting patiently, holding out a hand. Nora shook her head, and tears began to slip down her cheeks. She couldn’t do it….she couldn’t….
Then Mel appeared, holding a Blade. He charged Roone, whose green eyes widened with horror….
Nora screamed, went after them, but it was too late. Mel was stabbing him, over and over again in the gut, while Roone doubled over and howled--
“Nora,” Mel’s voice said, and she jumped, jerking awake.
It took her a moment to get her bearings. She was in a hotel room, lying in bed and under the covers. Mel was beside her, looking down on her with a sort of resigned look on his face.
Nora let out a breath. Thank god. Roone wasn’t dead. And she wasn’t with him anymore--she was with Mel. She was safe.
He kissed he
r brow, brushing at her curls. “You’re safe,” he murmured soothingly. “It’s over.”
She took steadying breaths; her heart was still pounding. These dreams were so vivid, following her into wakefulness like a curse.
But Mel was there. Mel was there.
She sat up and looked around. She was in Mel’s hotel room--not Mount Brandon. It was afternoon, and sunlight was still streaming through the curtains. Mel was beside her, wearing a T-shirt and sweats. His hair was tousled, and his necklace gleamed on his chest. She had been sleeping most of the day, and he had stayed beside her, waking her from her nightmares and holding her when she cried.
Nora turned to him, and her heart raced. He was here--they were together. Everything was okay.
They looked at each other, and were suddenly frantic, kissing roughly. Nora climbed into Mel’s lap, raking her fingers through his hair, and he moaned. He slipped his hands beneath her shirt, cupping her breasts, and Nora pulled it off.
Her heart was racing, and Mel’s hands on her were so amazing….like nothing had happened at all….
But he slowed, hesitating, and then pulled away. His blue eyes were striking in the light.
He looked sheepish. “We should wait.”
They were both breathing heavily, staring at each other.
Nora felt herself deflate. He was right. It was too soon. Rushing things could make it worse, and she was still in a sensitive state.
She nodded, and he helped her slip her shirt back on. She did stay in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her nose, and she giggled.
“God, I’m happy to hear that again,” he whispered. “I was so….”
But he trailed off, sheepish again. Nora guessed that he didn’t want to burden her with his own trauma, and her heart ached. She could hardly imagine what Mel had been through, almost losing her. If their roles had been switched, Nora would have been a basketcase.
She slipped her arms around his neck. “You can tell me, love.”
“You’ve been through enough.”
“I’m your partner,” she replied firmly. “I want to be there for you.”
Mel studied her for a long moment. He looked almost staggered, and he let out a little chuckle.
“You are so strong,” he whispered. “I forget sometimes; I don’t know how. You’re so fucking strong.”
Nora felt herself flush. She wasn’t sure how true that statement was. But she did, for whatever reason, feel strong now. She had escaped Roone; she had managed to get herself back into Mel’s arms. She was home, with her family. And right now she was okay.
They talked for a while, lying beside each other on the bed. Mel went first, unloading everything that had happened to him in the past couple days, while Nora listened. Then it was her turn. She was relieved to talk things over again, to process it all, get it off her chest.
But Mel had a hard time listening. The temperature dropped to freezing as his anger grew, and Nora felt her heart ache.
“I thought you were going to listen, Mel,” she said, almost pleading.
He softened a little, looking guilty. “I’m sorry. I’m just--when we find him, Nora--after Sydney is safe--we’ll kill him.”
“No!” Nora cried, bolting upright.
Her heart pounded, and she began to shake. Her nightmare flashed through her mind again, of an ignorant Roone waiting for her, and of a vengeful Mel stabbing him to death.
Mel sat up too, looking concerned. “What? What do you mean?”
“Mel, you can’t kill him,” she said pleadingly. “Please. He’s sick. He doesn’t deserve to die.”
Mel looked completely flabbergasted. “Nora….I don’t--he hurt you. Literally. You said yourself it’s the worst pain you’ve ever experienced. He traumatized you; you’ve been having nightmares all day--”
“I know--”
“I don’t understand.”
Nora took a shaky breath, ran her hands through her hair. How could she convince Mel, whose love and partner had just been so greatly abused, not to kill her abuser?
She waited for her heart to slow. Once her mind wasn’t whirling, she looked at him and said, “I know what he did was wrong. Very wrong. And he knows it too.”
“So he’s--”
“Let me finish,” she said patiently.
She took another deep breath. “Mel, for whatever reason….he’s sick. He’s just sick. He admitted he’s been obsessed with other women for centuries, followed them around. But I was different--he loves me, Mel. He actually loves me. He thinks we’re soulmates. He thinks our being together was ordained by God.
“And I think I know why--I think, if our theory’s right, that he’s attracted to the qualities I might have that other Angels are drawn to. Qualities that make you able to love me--qualities that Gilla and Barry might have too. They made him fall in love with me, and he was already sick to begin with. They made him delusional.”
Mel was quiet, staring mutinously at the blanket. His anger hadn’t faded, and this made her heart race again.
“He thought he had to rescue me from you,” she went on desperately. “He considered what he did a necessary evil. He didn’t want to hurt me.”
“Then he shouldn’t have done it,” he hissed bitterly.
“Mel….”
He heaved a sigh, ran his hands through his hair.
He looked at her, and his face was so pained that tears stung her eyes. “He touched you,” he breathed. “You fought him. You were saying ‘no.’ You cried; you tried to escape. You were in distress, and he still….did what he did.”
His voice broke a little, and he looked away, his jaw working.
Nora felt dizzy. She hadn’t quite thought of it that way.
She tried to rally. “I know….but he’s….he didn’t understand….”
Mel sighed and brushed at his eyes. He didn’t seem convinced, and Nora still saw revenge in his blue eyes.
Her breathing quickened, and her chest hurt. Mel quickly got up and got her a Xanax. She took it, tears leaking from her eyes.
She thought of that day at the cafe, lying on the couch with Roone hovering over her, and felt sick. All the times she had let him touch her….
Mel held her, and she buried her head in his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, which was slow for an Angel’s, slow enough to count.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, squeezing her. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
Nora shrugged. She supposed it needed to be said. She couldn’t excuse what Roone had done to her. Even if he had been delusional….
“Let’s talk about it later,” Mel said gently. “Take some time to breathe. You don’t have to process it all at once, love.”
Nora nodded. His anger was fading, and the room was warm again.
She was happy, at least--relieved--that she didn’t have flashbacks of Roone whenever Mel held her. Mel’s touch hadn’t been spoiled for her, and she was so grateful.
But despite everything, she knew she couldn’t let Roone die. He was still sick. He hadn’t realized it was wrong when he had hurt her. He needed treatment, not death.
Nora had to protect him.
Suddenly there was a Presence, and a gentle knock at the door.
“Just me,” Barry’s voice called. “We got takeaway.”
Nora’s stomach instantly growled; she was starving. Mel laughed, and she chuckled, a little cheered.
“They’ve been talking a lot today,” he said as they got out of bed. “I missed a few things. Let’s see what they’ve come up with.”
He took her hand. Nora clung to him, afraid that Roone would appear in the hall, rushing them. Mel put an arm around her, and they safely made it a few doors down to Michael and Gilla’s room.
Nora smelled soy sauce and egg rolls. Everyone was there; Michael and Gilla were sitting cross-legged on the bed, and Barry and Gabriel were in the recliners. The only one of them not eating was Barry, who was describing a particularly large rabbit he had caught
earlier in the day.
He quieted when he saw Nora, and everyone smiled at her gently.
Nora managed a smile in return. “I’m not going to explode, you know,” she said.
“It’s okay if you do,” Michael replied.
“Let’s not talk about it.”
“Come sit by me,” Barry said, hopping from the recliner to the sofa. “There’s egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken….fortune cookies, of course….”
Nora wondered wryly what her fortune cookie would read, and decided against breaking one open. She sat beside Barry, who bumped her shoulder, and she smiled at him. She appreciated his love--all their love--more than anything.
They let her eat first, which didn’t take long; Nora practically inhaled her food. When she finished she looked around at them all.
“Okay,” she said firmly. “Let’s go.”
Everyone chuckled--but then the air grew serious.
“We’ve been talking,” Michael said, “and we have two main priorities: find Sydney, and keep Gabriel safe.”
Gabriel shifted guiltily, but remained quiet.
Nora nodded. “Okay.”
“We have nothing on Sydney,” Michael continued bitterly.
“But we can better find him if we get Serene and Agatha on our side,” Gabriel said. “More manpower.”
“We would have to convince them,” Mel said. “And even then we have no leads, no nothing.”
“I think we should start with Serene and Agatha first,” Gilla said quietly. “Focus on getting them on our side. Maybe Mel can talk to Agatha, and Gabriel can talk to Serene--”
“Gabriel isn’t talking to anyone,” Michael said firmly.
Gabriel gave him a look. “I can’t sit here and do nothing, Mica,” he said. “Besides, she won’t kill me. I know she won’t.”
“We can talk to her together,” Gilla suggested. “She can’t kill me.”
“I don’t understand,” Gabriel murmured, almost speaking to himself. “If Father wants me dead, why doesn’t he just….kill me?”
There was a pause. Michael looked pained, and leaned over, running his hands through his hair. Nora felt an ache, and a stab of frustration. This situation was impossible.
