Chapter 1 - Michael
1901 Words
“What do you mean he doesn’t remember?”
“It’s exactly what I said. He doesn’t remember anything after the night he performed the hand-binding.”
“The hand-binding to the demon you killed.”
I rub my hand across my face. It’s a good thing that I’m not human, I can just imagine the feeling of day old stubble. I feel worn and haggard. After Jaed woke up and said he couldn’t remember, I figured I needed help. So I confided in Zean. I’m beginning to worry that it was the wrong thing to do.
“Yes, Zean. Like I said. If you don’t believe me, read his mind.”
“I did.”
He sat down heavily on the sofa across from me and mimics my pose.
“All I can see is you.”
“What?”
He says it again like I’m slow.
“All. I. See. Is. You. He has this amped up image of you, all shiny, glowing, and god-like. That’s all I see. That’s all HE sees for the duration of his time.”
What does that mean?
“Tell me Michael, what happened? What does he have to do with all of this?”
I tell him of the plan to rescue him so he wouldn’t be able to betray Kadis and Jane.
“When Zarelmun finally reached his cell, he thought he was dead. That’s how bad it was. Then something happened, I’m not sure what. But one of the guards sounded the alarm and Zarelmun was forced to move him quickly. Too quickly for my liking, we most likely caused more damage. But with the guards closing in on them, Zarelmun practically threw him into my arms before closing the portal. The plan was to portal Jaed to me, and then use a separate portal for himself to a different spot. We were supposed to meet up after.”
I rub my face again.
“That never happened. Lurenri got caught, Kadis was trapped in Gnefenda with the cuffs on, and Zarelmun never showed. I found out later Zarelmun went solo to try and find out what happened to Lurenri.”
I look out the window at Jaed, who is sitting on a bench in the Gardens. He has his eyes closed and his face turned to the warmth of the sun. A slight smile is on his face. He looks so peaceful. Very unlike the old Jaed I knew.
“Michael?”
I mentally shake myself. At the sound of my name, I realize that I had gotten lost in my thoughts. I look sideways at Zean and see him staring at me. Is he reading my mind?
“What do you think happened to his memory?”
“I can’t access memories unless a person is actively thinking about them, you know that.”
“I know, but you’ve read enough minds to have some sort of theory.”
He sits back and gives me a weird look. I turn my thoughts to the topic at hand and wait.
“Fine. I think he has been poked and prodded mentally and that the trauma of having memories ripped from you, along with the physical torture…..”
He trails off, leaving the sentence unfinished. But I get the meaning loud and clear, Jaed's psyche is damaged.
“Will he ever recover?”
“Hard to say, he can remember tomorrow, or a week from now, or years from now. Or he may never remember at all.”
I look back out and see that Jaed is now laying down on the bench, arms folded behind his head, watching the sky. His prone form striking a very statuesque pose. I could almost believe he belonged here.
“He doesn’t look very evil, does he?”
It’s hard to keep thoughts hidden from Zean. The only person I knew that could stump him was Jane.
“No, he doesn’t, but I know better.”
“What about Jane?”
I pull my eyes off of Jaed and look back at Zean still sitting on the couch. I can hear the strain in his voice and I realize he’s been waiting for the right time to ask me about her for a while. I turn back to watching Jaed. I think about the time I tried to ‘wile’ her away from Kadis. At the beginning of all of this I tried to woo her, but I only did it to try and get her away from him. Maybe that’s why I failed.
“Jane is like a sister to me. She always has been.”
At my answer, I can hear him let go the breath he’s been holding.
“I’m not the one you’re competing with.”
I bring a picture of Kadis to the forefront of my mind. Not the Kadis he knows, but the Kadis that Jane does. It might be cruel to Zean, but he has to know. A breath catches in his chest and I turn back to the window.
“Now you know what you are up against. It’s up to you if you think you are strong enough to knock him off that pedestal.”
“Even after all he has done?”
I think about it for a moment, before driving the nail home.
“Yes, even after that, she still loves him.”
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After finally getting Zean to promise not to blow the whistle on me just yet, I head out to talk to Jaed. I find him in the same spot, only now he has fallen asleep. I notice that the stress has fallen away from his face in his sleep and now I’m reluctant to wake him. I indulge myself and get a good look in. I trace the leanness of his body with my eyes. He really does look like he fits in here. His boyish good looks are more suited to daemon than demon.
“Like what you see?”
My eyes snap to his face and I see his green eyes dancing with mirth. I can feel my cheeks grow hot with embarrassment.
“Do you want me to pretend to be asleep again so you can continue to look? I don’t mind.”
With that he closes his eyes and stretches seductively on the bench, as if he’s trying to get comfortable. He settles back down and I see him peak through his lashes at me. His lips curl into a smile. I struggle to keep my expression neutral. I cannot let him distract me.
“Enough, Jaed.”
He sighs and sits up.
“As you wish.”
“We need to talk, but first I need to get you out of here before you are taken into custody. Do you trust me?”
He breaks into a grin and answers without hesitation.
“Yes.”
This could be a problem.
“I also need you to promise me that you will not run or harm anyone,”
“Sure Michael, I promise. If…”
I knew it. Demons always have to add a condition to the rules.
“If, what?”
“If… I get to stay with you. Then I promise to be good.”
Definitely going to be a problem.
But what choice do I have?
“Fine. As much as I can, I will stay with you.”
He jumps up and hugs me in excitement. Stunned at his reaction, I catch him in my arms to keep him from knocking us both over. The sound of a clearing throat catches me off guard and I hastily push Jaed to arms length. I turn to see Zean standing a few feet away, trying poorly to hide a smirk. I can feel heat rising to my face again.
Dammit! What is going on with me. I’m acting like a human teenager.
Zean’s smirk is the last straw and I roughly detach Jaed from me. I ignore his protests.
“What is it Zean?”
He straightens his face into a more professional expression at the curtness of my question.
“The safehouse is ready.” He hands over a set of keys and when I go to grab them he clasps my hands. “No one but you and I know about it.”
He nods his head and opens a portal to the safehouse. I don’t look back as I walk into the portal. I continue to walk a few feet into the apartment’s living room. I wait until the light of the portal disappears before I brace myself and turn around. Jaed is looking at me earnestly, his green eyes glinting in the dark. I run my hands through my hair and make my way to the kitchen and flip the lights on. I can feel his eyes follow me. This is going to be harder than I thought.
“Zean set you up with everything you need. Food, clothes, toiletries. Just ask if he missed anything.”
‘I thought you were staying here too. You promised.”
“Yeah, I am. But I need to go get my things and check on some stuff.” I grab a phone from my pocket and hold it out to him. “I added my and Zean’s numbers into it already.”
He takes it and pockets it without even looking at it.
“How long will you be gone?”
I avoid his gaze and make like I’m checking messages on my own device.
“A few hours.” I finally take the chance and look at him. “Please Jaed, don’t go anywhere or talk to anyone until I get back.”
He rearranges his expression to one of innocence. l can’t help it and a smile starts to form on my lips before I can control it. He grins widely at me.
“I promised Michael. I won’t.”
I have to leave now, before I do something really stupid. I nod at him and then portal out. As soon as it closes I lean against the wall. What the hell is wrong with me?
He’s an Archon, i***t! He’s using his aura on you.
I slam my fist into the wall.
Of course! That’s why I’ve been losing control!
I message my Zean to keep an eye on Jaed while I'm gone. He can't lie to me and he did promise, but demons are tricky beings and can twist words to suit their needs. Best keep him under surveillance at all times. Maybe staying there with him would be the best way to do that. But first, I need to get my stuff. I grab a pack and toss stuff into it as I make a few calls. One of the scouts found a vague lead at a small shop just on the edge of Rome. I’ll make my way there before I go back and deal with Jaed. I head down the stairs and pull out a heavily dusted chest. I toss every charm of protection I have into my pack, except one. I put a small stud earring on my ear. A charm to stop the effects of an Archon’s aura from affecting me. Being a retired demon hunter comes with perks.
Now to find Jane without any silly distractions getting in the way.
- Writer
