“Shadow. He carved it with his fingernails. He said it would protect me from other vampires feeding on me. It would mean I’m his property…by vampire law.”
“That explains the lack of information in my databanks. I believed vampires to be creatures from human mythology before you met Shadow.”
My finger trailed down my neck.
“Does the mark trouble you, Miss Mercedes? Do you believe it is a symbol of slavery?”
“I would understand if it is,” I said. “Shadow did everything he could to protect me. I know he wasn’t trying to take away my dignity.”
“I hear an inevitable ‘but’ in your tone, Mercedes.”
“I don’t know why, but…” I got up to look at the mark in one of my room mirrors. “I feel…some kind of bond with this mark.”
“Bond?”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Lulu. I can’t be more eloquent than that. It’s just a feeling that I have. All I know is that I need to know the meaning of it. I have to ask Shadow the next time I see him.”
“If he loves you, then he will tell you the truth.”
“I know,” I said. “I have every faith in him. I know he would never lie to me.”
“Except to protect you.”
Instead of replying to Lulu’s comment, I said, “I don’t know how long the royal family will keep me there. It could be days.”
“You have already taken significant steps to ensure your absence will cause no suspicions. If you are gone for more than one night, I will take care of the rest. Count on that.”
“I always will, Lulu.”
***
Shadow
“You have been unusually quiet ever since Mercedes’ visit, my friend,” I remarked to Blackhole as I prepared for my journey to the mortal world. “Is something troubling you?”
Blackhole made a growling noise that sounded relatively neutral, but my suspicions did not lessen. I reached out to touch him, but he shied away.
“What is wrong?” My voice grew sharper as an unnerving thought occurred to me. “Does it have to do with Mercedes?”
Blackhole seemed to hesitate, but eventually approached me. I laid my hand on his head.
I’m worried about your meeting.
I nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. You are not the only one.
You know she will have to do whatever they say.
Yes.
It could cost her something she treasures dearly.
I fought against a terrible tightness in my throat.
Yes.
But I have faith in her. As I said, she is a player of destiny.
I opened my eyes to examine my Evanescence friend.
“I take it you still cannot inform me what that means?”
No. I can only ask for your trust.
“And you shall have it,” I replied before standing up. “I must go now.”
I felt Blackhole’s eyes on me as I left my apartment. Ever since Xavier’s defeat, I had grown increasingly curious regarding the origins of the Evanescence. As an Untouchable, there was no way I could question the royal family and live to tell the tale. But perhaps if I gained the official rank of Kshatriya…
I made the routine journey to Mercedes’ dwelling. My heart swelled as it always did when I saw her waiting for me. In seconds, she was in my arms.
“It’s the royal family, isn’t it?”
“Inevitable as it was, I wish it were not so,” I whispered, holding her tightly. By the gods, I loved this woman. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her. “Mercedes…we still have an hour before the meeting. Do you wish…?”
She kissed me. “I course I do.”
I brought her to the majestic oak tree, which we both saw as a sacred symbol for our love. When I set Mercedes on her feet, she immediately kissed me again. I made it last as long as I dared before my courage left me. Mercedes deserved to know what the royal family could do to her, what Lord Chaos demanded of me. I knew I risked her hatred, but my self-respect and my love for her would demand nothing less.
“Mercedes,” I said slowly when the kiss ended. “There are some things you must know before we go to the royal family.”
She nodded. I could see both resolve and resignation in her eyes. She was bracing herself for everything and expecting nothing at the same time.
“The priests informed me that Lord Chaos wishes me to protect you with my life. Grateful as I am that those are his orders, I do not know if they will change in the future.” Now I was struggling to keep my voice calm. “You will be brought before the priests. I have little doubt that you will be involved in a religious ritual. You will not be harmed, but the priests wish to know if Lord Chaos is willing to speak to you directly.”
Mercedes paled slightly. “Speak to me directly…?”
“Mercedes.” I gripped her shoulders. “I know how unusual and frightening such a notion must be for you, but you must do everything the priests say. If you are accused of blasphemy, you will share the fate of Xavier. And I promise you, there is no worse fate.”
She broke my gaze. I could feel her trembling in my arms, and I cursed myself. I was letting my fear for her getting the better of me, and it was affecting her. Mercedes was the bravest individual I had ever met in my life, but what she was fated to face was utterly alien and indescribably terrifying. Strong as she was, she needed me to be strong for her as well. And right now I was failing her.
Before I could even think of how to rectify my error, Mercedes looked up and took my face in her hands.
“I’m scared,” she confessed. “I would be insane if I wasn’t, but I can’t let it get the better of me. And you can’t let it get the better of you.”
Shamed beyond comprehension, I pressed my forehead to hers, unable to speak.
I will never deserve you, angel of the light.
“Move away from her, human.”
In a flash, Mercedes was yanked behind me and I was baring my fangs at a tall, human male with blonde hair, green eyes, and a grim expression that quickly changed to surprise.
“Well, I stand corrected,” he said as his gaze flickered to my fangs. “Not human, after all.”
“I am seconds away from tearing your throat out,” I seethed. “You will tell me who you are.”
“Thomas?” Mercedes exclaimed. She was peering around my back at the intruder, her eyes wide with incredulity.
The grimness in the man’s face returned. “Hello, Mercedes.”
I did not ask if this man was a friend or relative of Mercedes. The wariness that bordered on fear in the eyes of my love was answer enough.
“Thomas I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but you need to get out of here. Now!”
“I would do as she says,” I whispered. “Leave now, and I will spare you.”
“Fascinating,” the man…Thomas said. “The Mirror has never shown me creatures like you in this world. I almost want to stay and ask questions, but now is not the time. Mercedes.” He held out a hand. “Come to me. If you want your lover to live.”
I laughed. Then I lunged, ignoring Mercedes’ shout. But before my fangs could make contact with the fool’s jugular, he grabbed me by the throat.
“Even more fascinating,” he said almost casually. “You possess the instincts of a beast, but are as capable of affection as any intelligent sentient creature. Now I am deeply curious as to why the Mirror hid your kind from my eyes.”
I could not remember being more incredulous than this. This was no human. His strength and speed could easily match the oldest vampire in existence!
“But as I said, I have more pressing matters to attend to right now. I will satiate my curiosity later.”
He threw me to the ground like a rag doll. I was dazed for only a moment. When I saw him walking toward the terrified form of Mercedes, I growled and tried to lunge again, but something grabbed my arms. No. Someone grabbed my arms. Two someones grabbed my arms.
Two Thomas’s grabbed my arms.
/>
“What--?”
I did not know what they were. The moonlight reflected off their blank eyes. I would not have been surprised if they were zombies, but I did not care. Mercedes was in danger.
“Capable of affection and honor,” the Thomas in front of me mused. “I admire you, but everything has consequences. Even just actions.”
One of the copies wrapped a hand around my throat. Before I could feel the terrible pressure…
“STOP! Please, don’t hurt him! I’ll go with you, just please leave him alone!”
Thomas’s golden brow rose at Mercedes. “Do you give your word?”
“Yes,” she said frantically. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just let him go.”
“No,” I croaked, terror coursing through me when Thomas smiled.
“Very well.”
“NO!”
I could only struggle helplessly as Mercedes cautiously moved toward the creature who called himself Thomas. In that moment, I was in Xavier’s cell all over again, paralyzed by garlic and terrible injuries, unable to help the woman I loved as she was dragged away to be devoured by infant Evanescence. Now she was to be taken away again, and I did not know where or for what purpose.
“Shadow, it’s okay,” Mercedes whispered. Her eyes were filled with tears and her voice was filled with love and comfort. “It will be all right. Remember what I told you before. It will be all right. I promise.”
“You have no business making promises you cannot keep,” Thomas said coldly.
Mercedes ignored him. Her eyes never left mine, willing me to believe, to never give up.
“Shadow, I love—”
A green flash blinded me. When my vision cleared, they were gone. Thomas and his copies. Mercedes.
Mercedes.
Again and again I howled her name, foolishly hoping that this would turn out to be a horrible nightmare. But I had been living a nightmare practically my entire life. Mercedes had ended that. Now, once again, she was gone.
Stolen from me.
I needed to vent my fury on something, anything, so I opted for the magnificent oak tree in front of me. I tore away at the ancient trunk with my fangs and claws until my gums and fingers bled. It was all for naught. My rage was not satiated. Eventually I fell to my knees in despair.
My angel. I’ve failed you. I’ve failed you. I’ve failed you.
Remember what I told you.
I gripped the bark, a snarl welling up in my throat.
It will be all right.
Slowly, I rose to my feet and stared at the damage I had done to the tree where Mercedes and I declared that we would fight against anything who tried to tear us apart.
Small scratches to this ancient, powerful tree. Nothing more.
Outside forces will try to tear us apart, and how we respond will define the strength of our love.
And who we really are.
How we respond…
Mercedes had been stolen from me by a powerful, unknown creature. I did not know where he took her, or what he would do to her. But I knew exactly how I would respond.
***
Mercedes
Constantly travelling through portals with Shadow enabled me to build up a natural resistance to the side effects. When I opened my eyes, neither dizziness nor nausea was present to hinder my anger. I pushed myself away from Thomas and backed away several steps.
“If you run, you will only earn my annoyance,” he informed me coolly. His back was to me and his hands were feeling the air for…something. “There is nowhere you can go where I will not find you. In fact…”
His two copies grabbed me in the same manner they had grabbed Shadow, though they were considerably more gentle. I relaxed in their grip. Angry as I was, my goal was to make sure that Shadow was safe and unharmed. If I broke my word to Thomas, I knew he would go back and kill my love without a second thought. There was nothing I could do to help myself without risking his life. For the time being, I merely watched Thomas as his hands continued to probe the air all the while keeping every single one of my senses on red alert for anything. Finally, he lowered his hands with a pleased look on his face. The two copies began to pull me forward. I didn’t resist.
“Time to return home,” Thomas said. The two copies released me, but Thomas took my arm. “No questions, human?”
In truth, it took a great effort not to ask the thousands of questions racing through my mind, but my anger and my determination to seize what control of my situation I had enabled me to keep quiet.
“No tears either,” he continued, scrutinizing me. “Save for when I threatened the one you love. What is he?”
I just glared at him. His lips pursed.
“You will answer me soon enough. And you will have your own questions answered as well. I now suggest you brace yourself.”
Out of his pocket, he retracted what looked to be a black crystal-like object. He held it up to the sky and murmured something in a language I didn’t recognize. Just as the crystal began to glow, Thomas made a slashing movement with it that was eerily similar to the way Shadow made portals with that Chaos wand of his. I wasn’t surprised when the fabric of reality in front of me shifted to form a black, gaping hole.
I did as Thomas suggested and braced myself. Unfortunately, nothing could calm my thundering heart.
I’m sorry, Shadow. I’m sorry everyone.
I closed my eyes and stepped through the portal.
Of all the things that could ever greet me after I was kidnapped and blackmailed by an extraordinarily powerful creature, and exiting a portal created by said extraordinarily powerful creature…I never expected it would be the sight and smell of gold and jewels.
The room…I couldn’t even begin to imagine its size. It could have easily contained an entire city, and a large one at that. Pillars the size of the Empire State Building held up a ceiling that seemed as far away as the sky itself. And practically every square inch of the polished floor of this room was a treasure horde that was as magnificent as it was gargantuan. Gold, silver, jewels of every color in existence, suits of armor, weapons, statues…
“What do you think?”
Thomas’s voice broke the spell. Embarrassed that I had been gaping, I schooled my features into a neutral expression.
“It’s beautiful,” I said coolly.
Eyes that could rival the priceless emeralds surrounding me narrowed. “That is all you have to say?”
I nodded curtly. “Yes.”
He looked even more displeased at my answer. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
“No,” I said. “But I have a very strong feeling that your name is not Thomas.”
“That would be correct.” He moved close to me, enough so that he was dangerously close to invading my personal space. “I am Tarasque, king of the dragons. And you are now a prisoner in my kingdom. But if you prove yourself to be respectful and obedient, you will be considered a guest. Is that clear?”
My throat had gone dry. I had only fully registered his first sentence.
“The dragons…” I whispered.
“This is not my true form. I can tell you are already deeply curious about my true physical appearance.” He smiled without humor. “Be careful what you wish for.”
His hand covered my mouth, and I knew no more.
***
Tarasque
Several hours later, I was surrounded by my advisors, and deeply relieved to be back in my normal form.
“Your Highness, what has become of the human girl?” Yuthora asked.
“She has needs no dragon could provide her, not even the king,” I replied. “Therefore, I decided to entrust her to those who would understand her needs. The ones who exchange magical knowledge with us.”
“The sirens? Forgive me, Your Highness, but there are still plenty of physiological differences between the sirens and the humans.”
“But there are enough similarities. My friends…” I pierced them all with my gaze. “When I took the
girl, she was with a creature. A creature that greatly resembled a human, but possessed speed and strength that far surpasses any human.” My voice grew grim. “The existence of such a species would not disturb me in the slightest, but I have watched the human world for thousands of years, and the Mirror never showed these creatures to me. It is true that the Mirror gives and withholds on its own accord, but I find it highly suspicious that it would show me one species and not another from the same world. When it chooses to withhold information, it is always when I am searching for treasure…or power.”
A grim silence settled over my council.
“Your Majesty, perhaps you should send a group of warriors to investigate this species,” Quillania suggested. “Perhaps they possess treasure that we can take.”
“Perhaps this Lord Necoc Yaotl hid them from you?” Loklair offered his input.
“That would not surprise me,” I said. “I will question the human girl about this species, and then I will send a few of my warriors to investigate. This mystery will be solved.”
When I returned to the treasure room, my vastly superior senses were able to locate the area where I had last left the girl. Her unconscious body was lying on a rug woven with gold and rubies. Her chest slowly rose and fell, indicating a deep slumber. Her face was peaceful, untroubled.
Before I could wrap the end of my tail around the tiny body, the Mirror’s blank surface suddenly filled with steel gray smoke.
Well done, King Tarasque.
I remained silent, fearful that my rage would overcome me.
Oh, come now, speak your mind.
Fire broiled in my belly in response to that cheerful, almost comforting tone. Control. I could not risk the sacred grounds. Could not risk this sadistic monster defiling the House of my Fathers…
You hate me. That is understandable. But you needed to know my power, as well as the consequences for your failure to act, and I am not referring to the safety of your sacred grounds.
Confusion coupled with my anger. “What are you talking about?”
Look closely at your Mirror, lord of the dragons. Look closely, and tell me what you see.
With several misgivings, I obeyed. The thick smoke swirled and writhed like dancers who were experiencing an indescribable agony.
“How could you possess such control over the Mirror?” I asked before I could stop myself. “It shifts at your will. You shattered it and then rebuilt it within seconds! What are you that the Mirror would bow to your will so?”