II - Arriving Dark Part 2
1456 Words
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Carlisle's voice boomed inside the room. His eyes were huge and his mouth was gaped open. Out of all of us, he looked the most surprised. His reaction was understandable though, it wasn't everyday you get to hear that the Gate of Hell was cracking open.
However, I wasn't as shocked as he was. Sure, what Michael had said was nerve-wracking, but I wasn't too deeply involved in the Soul Dealer world for me to fully understand the gravity of the matter. An envelope of silence draped on us all as no one dared to speak, not even Michael. Clearing my throat, I turned to face him. "Are you sure that that's what's really happening?"
Michael made a face. "It's either that or the demon I ran into was just a man who's too invested in costumes. Halloween's just right around the corner, you know," he said. "Of course I'm sure, K. There's no other explanation why there was a demon in Central Park."
"What are you doing in Central Park in the first place?" Out of all the things he said, that was what I picked to question him with. It made sense to me, though. If he just stayed in bed with me, he wouldn't have gone home bathing in demon blood.
Michael averted his eyes. For a bizarre moment, I thought he looked unsure of himself. "I... I was having a nightmare," he told us. "I woke up and thought I'd ask you to go with me, but you were fast asleep so I went alone for a walk. Soon enough, I found myself in Central Park. I roamed around for a bit and when I got bored, I decided to go home," he continued. "That was when I caught the unmistakeable scent of Hell's spawns. I followed its trail and then my suspicions were proven right. A lesser Nahash demon was slithering through the woods."
"Tell me you killed it, Mike," remarked Carlisle, his blue eyes burning with hatred. Not the ordinary kind of hatred, but the kind that spoke of Heavenly wrath. "Tell me you killed it and sent it back to whatever circle of Hell it crawled out of."
Before Michael could answer, Jason interjected. "What's a lesser Nahash demon?"
Michael eyed him. "It's a snake-like demon. It's like the common serpent, but bigger. Way bigger. Plus, it has glass teeth."
A shudder passed through me. "So, did you kill it?"
"Yes, but it wasn't easy," he admitted. "The slimy bastard hid in the woods of Central Park when it caught sight of my Angelic sword as the Heavenly fire scared it away." Michael paused to take a breath and swept his fingers through his hair. After Jay's healing spell, all the blood that covered Michael's body disappeared, including the ichor that made his hair stick to his forehead. In fact, even the bloodstains on my hands and jeans vanished. There was no trace left to tell the demon attack ever happened. "Eventually, I caught up to the Nahash. I buried the sword in its neck just before it decided to puke its blood all over me."
"Wow," Jason could not keep his awe. "That is so cool, dude."
"Nothing about that is cool, hybrid," remarked Carlisle. "This is a serious matter. If what Michael killed really was a demon, then there must be something wrong with the Sixth Gate."
"It's a demon," Michael insisted. "I'm sure of it. Nothing smells as foul."
Jason kept his focus locked on Michael. "Well, since we're on the topic of serious matters, perhaps you should know your girlfriend was attacked by a creepy robed woman when she was out looking for your ass."
At that, Michael stiffened, suddenly alert like a hunting wolf on the prowl. "Is that true?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"To be fair, I thought you were dead," I retorted, feeling a shiver crawl down my legs and arms after the word 'dead' left my lips. I shook my head. "I had no time to worry about myself."
Michael looked away, but before he did, I saw an emotion flash across his face. I just wasn't sure what it was. "I'm sorry, Kaylene," he muttered, weak. "I should have been there to protect you." His hands clenched into fists at his sides.
My heart sank as it wasn't in my intention to make Angel boy feel guilty. "No, Michael, it's alright. I'm safe. I'm not hurt. That's what matters, doesn't it? We are all safe."
"For now." Carlisle sounded grim. He scratched his head and sighed deeply, his face unpaintable. "Everything's going crazy after the Battle at Westworth manor. I'm willing to wager my bottom dollar that that slimy turncoat is behind all this. It's also safe to assume that this attack on you Kaylene was because of him."
Jason and I exchanged glances. "You think so?"
"I know so," replied Goldilocks. "Apart from the Soul Dealers and the Council, no one in the Other Worlds knows about you being an Original Blood. I'm sure it's Lucius's fault. I would like to think he died during the fight in Cyprus, but something tells me he's still alive."
A nameless horror dawned on me at the mention of Lucius's name. I had not told anyone about the threatening note I'd received that night on the roof of the Sanctum, except for Jay. I had not told Michael about it as I knew it would just drive him crazy. I could only imagine the horror of having your dead ex-lover stab you through the heart because she was under the control of a rogue mage. I wasn't taking my chances.
"We should not jump to conclusions, Carl," declared Michael, pulling me out of my reverie. "We did that with Vladimir already, and look where that took us. We are not doing that same mistake again."
Could this day get any worse? I wondered as another name sent chills crawling all over my skin. After the Battle of Westworth, I had forgotten about the bastard wolf. While I was busy living my life with Michael in his apartment, the now-regular Vladimir was rotting away in his cell in the underground prisons of the New York Sanctum. If it was any consolation to him, the Soul Ministry has yet to decide his fate, so his life was still his. He still has time. So have you, K. You still have time to fulfill your oath to him.
"Kaylene," a voice called out. It was Michael's. "Are you alright?" he asked just as I looked up at him.
"I'm sorry. I was lost in my thoughts," I said and realized that I had been spiraling with anxiety for more times than I'd like in the past few days. "What were you saying?"
Michael sighed audibly. "Carlisle was just saying that it's time to tell the Soul Minister."
"Tell him what?"
"To make you and Jason official Soul Dealers. By doing so, you will have the protection of the Soul Ministry."
"I don't think now's a great time given that there are new problems facing the Other Worlds. Besides, he's still bent on his vengeance against the Courts of Lethduim and Annwn."
At that, Michael stood up and got off the bed, not without difficulty, and walked to the kitchen. I would have stopped him but he moved too fast for someone who just recovered from a demon attack. The sound of water running from the faucet filled the room as he took a glass of water for himself. After a few moments, he reemerged into the room, a half empty glass in hand. "Well, we have to do something."
Carlisle cleared his throat. "I agree with Mike," he remarked. "We have to tell uncle Samuel before anything goes out of hand."
My eyes darted to Jason. "What do you think, Jay?"
He shrugged. "Up to you, Kay," Jason declared. "Though it would be cool to finally have a place to stay. Once we're officially in The Ministry, we'd have our own rooms in the New York Sanctum. I don't think I could keep crashing at Karmi's or Aeriella's place forever."
I sighed as it was a concept too big to think about. There was nothing left that I could do, so I did what I was best at. Acting without thinking. "Okay, fine. Let's do it."
"Great," said Carlisle, though there was no joy in his voice. "It's settled then. We're going to Tel Aviv."
"When?" I asked as I stood up.
Carlisle spun on his heels just as he fished the Halo out of his pocket. "Now," he said, raising the golden disc above his head.
- Writer
