The Mephisto Mark: The Redemption of Phoenix

  “If you’re thinking of—”

  “A movie. Let’s go to the TV room and watch a movie.” He shot me a meaningful look. “Unless you were thinking of something else?”

  I smiled, which was what he intended. “Later. For now, a movie sounds good.”

  Everyone else had the same idea, so there was a crowd sprawled across the sofas and chairs to watch The Bourne Identity, evidently a family favorite. I was sucked in fairly quickly, taking my thoughts away from the sadness my sister was about to endure, but not entirely. It was there in my subconscious, humming along, waiting.

  When the movie was over, everyone took a bathroom break and we reconvened to watch the next Bourne movie. Mathilda brought popcorn and sodas, and all the while, I wondered what was taking so long. Shouldn’t Jordan be here by now? Maybe she’d arrived and Kyros was telling her.

  The second movie was done and we were halfway through the third when there was a loud crash right above us. Zee immediately paused the movie and we all exchanged looks. Another crash, followed by glass breaking, then an anguished scream that went on and on, making the hair at the nape of my neck stand on end, bringing instant tears to my eyes.

  It wasn’t female. It wasn’t Jordan. It was Kyros.

  One heartbeat later, we all popped upstairs to the hall outside his room and everyone looked at Phoenix, as if by silent consent, he would be the one to go inside.

  We crowded around the door when he opened it and collectively gasped. Key had broken everything inside and thrown most of the furniture out the windows, smashing them completely. He was leaning out, into the heavy snowfall, screaming in agony. Phoenix went into the melee and retrieved Key’s cell phone from the littered floor. Bending his head, he read the small screen, then looked at us from over his shoulder, horror on his face.

  Turning back to his brother, all he said was, “Kyros.”

  He wheeled around and saw Phoenix standing in the midst of the wreckage, Key’s phone in his hand.

  Phoenix said solemnly, “Now you know.”

  Falling to his knees, Key buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

  ***

  We waited in the hall an eternity before Phoenix finally came out. He looked around at all of us before he focused on Jax. “She wrote an email but didn’t send it. M did. Eryx visited her and convinced her she could help him, that if she kissed him, there was a chance he could change, that she could share some of her light and the war for Hell would be over. She said he looked different, and she had to take a chance for Key, because he loved Eryx so much, but it backfired and she lost Anabo and Mephisto.”

  Jax swallowed so hard, I heard it. “She’s immortal, so if she’s not Anabo or Mephisto, she’s . . .”

  Phoenix took a deep breath and let it out slowly, leaning against the wall to stare up at the ceiling. “She’s like Eryx.”

  I wrapped my arms around myself and moved back, away from the group, shaking so hard, I don’t know how my teeth weren’t chattering. Lucifer’s omen repeated in my head. “The Mephisto will suffer a great loss by straying from the path.” I never dreamed it would be my sister. All I’d done hadn’t been enough. Not in the end. She would suffer a million times worse with Eryx than she would have with Emilian. She was lost. To her, there was now no God, no Lucifer, nothing but Eryx. What would happen to her? Was her soul still her own, or did it now belong to Eryx?

  “She knew what was happening to her when she wrote the email,” Phoenix said, “and I suppose by the time she was done, she’d already changed enough that she lost the motivation to send it, which is why M added his own note and sent it. Key says he’s going after her, that he’ll take her back to God and hope it works.”

  They deflated and stared at the floor. Zee said, “To do that, he’ll have to die.”

  Dead silence.

  “We’ll all go after her,” Ty said, and the others spoke at once, agreeing they would all go, then throwing out ideas about how to do it.

  I moved next to Sasha and said, “I want to go, too.” They stopped talking and turned to face me.

  “We get why you’d want to, Mariah,” Sasha said, looking as though her heart would break, “but you’re not immortal. You’re not yet able to do what we do.”

  I looked to Phoenix, thinking he’d tell them, but he was still staring at the ceiling.

  “Even if you were immortal,” Jax said, “you haven’t had any training. You’d be a liability, and going to Erinýes is way different than anywhere else. He has the castle and grounds on lockdown, so we can transport in, but not out. We have to leave his property, which is acres and acres in the Carpathian mountains.”

  “But she’s my sister. I want . . . I have to see her before she’s taken. Before she’s . . . gone.” I willed Phoenix to look at me, to acknowledge me, to stand up for me.

  He never said a word, his focus on the ceiling, his thoughts all for a master plan, his mind working in overdrive. And no doubt he was devastated to lose Kyros. I would lose my sister; he would lose his brother. All because of Eryx.

  I said to the rest of them, “I understand.” Turning, I walked away, toward the stairs, up to the third floor, then further, up to the attic floor. I heard them agree to reconvene in the war room, then there was only silence.

  And me.

  I went outside to the tiny terrace to stand in the snowfall. Nothing in my life had ever hurt this badly. I couldn’t get her sweet little face out of my head, standing there on the steps of the orphanage, her lip trembling while she held her rabbit and watched me leave.

  I couldn’t stand this. I cried until I had the hiccups, and when I went back inside, there were all those shelves, so organized and tidy with all those boxes of God knew what – clutter from the past, things that no longer mattered.

  Standing behind the last shelf, the one closest to the door onto the terrace, I reached out and pushed a box so that it slid through to the other side and fell to the floor. I pushed another and another, until I’d shoved all the boxes on that shelf to the floor. Things broke, papers scattered, boxes ripped, and the more I destroyed, the more I wanted to destroy. Fury took hold and I became vicious, shoving them harder and faster, repeating her name every time one hit the floor. “Viorica . . . Viorica . . . Viorica . . .”

  It was almost morning and I was nowhere close to sleepy. I paced the attic, scowling at the remaining shelves. In a rush, I ran at them and pushed with all my might, gratified when they dominoed and fell in a spectacular crash.

  I was raging and frustrated, grief ripping my heart to shreds. Had my whole damned life been a waste? Had all those years of misery been for nothing? I’d saved her from abuse and sexual assault, but she’d lost her soul, lost God, lost love.

  She was all I had. She was everything to me. Without her, I didn’t know who I was. Nothing mattered. Nothing made sense. She’d been my anchor all of my life, what kept me sane, what gave me a purpose.

  I stood in the middle of the massive mess I’d made, breathing hard, and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go with them, couldn’t be any help to Kyros, wouldn’t be there when he took her away. I’d never see her again and I’d never get past it. Never.

  My mind tried to nudge me toward thoughts of Phoenix, of his complete and total lack of compassion, of notice, of anything. It was as if I didn’t exist. The rational, logical side of me understood. He was thinking of Key, trying to dream up something that could save Jordan without his brother having to die. But the lonely, hopeful dreamer side of me was bleeding.

  I forced it from my mind. I wouldn’t think about it. I wasn’t surprised. I’d always known he’d hurt me, and I was an idiot because I’d let it happen.

  It didn’t matter. All that made any difference was Viorica. I had to see her.

  I closed my eyes, imagined I was in my room, and seconds later, I was. Olga meowed.

  I’d take myself to Eryx’s castle. I’d been there, and I was certain all I had to do to be there again was imagine it. I wouldn’t have
the ability to leave by transporting, but I’d worry about that after I’d seen Viorica. I would see her one last time.

  With a plan and a purpose, I showered and dressed in jeans, a pale pink sweater, Ugg boots and my ski jacket. I twisted a scarf around my neck, pulled my hair into a ponytail, petted Olga goodbye, then headed downstairs. Through the windows of the dining room, I saw that dawn was breaking. It was almost seven in Colorado, close to three in Romania. In the kitchen, I asked Hans, “Do you have some energy bars? I’m going for a hike.”

  He smiled and went into the walk-in pantry at the other end of the kitchen, reappearing moments later with a box of the bars. I stuffed four of them in my pockets, said thanks, goodbye, and left.

  In the mudroom, I closed my eyes and imagined I was in Eryx’s library.

  When I opened my eyes, I was in Eryx’s library, but things were very different than they’d been last night. Loud hip-hop music came from somewhere just outside the room and I heard laughter. I moved toward the doorway and saw people in the hallway, all with shaded eyes. Skia. Of course everyone in Eryx’s castle would be Skia. I was surprised to see so many. Were these people always here, or had they come just for the occasion of my sister joining their ranks? Eryx must be elated. He’d said Jordan would be with him, and now she was. The smell of alcohol was strong, along with the sickly sweet scent of weed.

  I darted in and out of doorways, hiding, making my way through the first floor until I came to a bedroom wing. I was just reaching for the door of the first room when the door at the end of the hall opened and Eryx was there, still dressed in his tuxedo from last night’s dance. He smiled at me. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “You’ve been marked.”

  “How stupid of me to forget.” I wondered if Phoenix would mentally search for me and know I was here? I doubted it, but it didn’t matter. I was here to see my sister. I had to focus.

  He waved me toward him. “Come and join us. We’re having a bite to eat and some champagne.”

  I walked to the end of that long hall, growing more anxious with every step I took. When I was there, he stepped back and waved me inside what appeared to be his bedroom. It was huge, twice the size of the Mephisto’s suites, and those were ginormous. I swept my gaze around the room, searching for Viorica.

  She sat at a small table in front of a fireplace so big, a horse could have fit inside. She smiled at me. “Eryx said you’d be here. Come sit down and eat some of this paté. It’s fabulous.”

  Her beautiful bluebell eyes were now as black as Eryx’s, and just as dead. She wore a skimpy black dress that hugged her curves and showed most of her cleavage, her hair was up, and she wore a pair of dangling diamond earrings. She was sexy, elegant, beautiful – and lost.

  I sat and made certain I had no expression on my face.

  “Are you staying?” she asked.

  “For a while.”

  “Nonsense,” Eryx said, almost jovial as he took his seat. “You need to stay indefinitely. Jordan will like that, won’t you?”

  She shrugged. “Sure, if she wants.” She smiled at him. “But she’s been marked, so your brothers are sure to come after her.”

  He gave me a level look. “Somehow I don’t think so. What do you think, Mariah? Will they plan a rescue mission for you?”

  “No.”

  He almost looked like he pitied me, and I was wondering why, and how he knew the Mephisto would have forgotten about me when Viorica said, “It’s really nice that you’re here, Mariah. Eryx has a marvelous library, and I know how much you enjoy reading. His nearest neighbor is Castle Dracula. How awesome is that? He says he’ll take me to visit. You can go, too.”

  “Sure,” I agreed, although I knew it would never happen. Sometime soon, the Mephisto would arrive to rescue her, and this charade would be over.

  We ate paté and drank champagne and pretended it was all very normal. Eryx had an impressive stereo system, not as elaborate as Zee’s, but exceptional, and he put on classical music.

  “I have a room prepared for you,” he said, smiling at me. “One of my assistants purchased all you’ll need, but if anything’s missing, you have only to ask. I want you to be comfortable here, Mariah.”

  I thought of Olga. I didn’t really need anything except Olga. But I wasn’t staying, and neither was Viorica, so my need for my cat was irrelevant.

  He talked about Erinýes, told us the history and some of his plans for improvements and modernization. He talked and we listened. Or, at least, I listened. Viorica was busy eating, staring off into space, twiddling with one of her earrings. Eryx appeared not to notice her lack of attention. He mostly spoke to me, but he’d give her an indulgent smile every so often. She was like a pet, a toy, an object of his desire, and there was no doubt he desired her. The sexual tension was enormous. Once he’d gotten what he wanted from her, how long would he remain interested? The strength he’d found so attractive was nowhere to be seen. My sister had lost her spark, her energy, her glow. She was self-absorbed. I thought Eryx was still riding the high of his conquest and hadn’t yet noticed that she’d changed. He’d killed what it was about her that he’d wanted so desperately. Would he appreciate the irony once he figured it out?

  When I couldn’t stand seeing the travesty of her sweet short life ending for one more second, I stood abruptly and said, “I’m very tired. Will you excuse me and show me to my room now?”

  “Of course.” He stood and waited for me to say goodbye to my sister. I bent low and kissed her cheek, then began to back away from her.

  She looked at me and her lip trembled. “Where are you going? Don’t leave yet. Don’t leave me here.”

  “It’s just for a little while. I’ll see you later.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.” I lied, just as I had all those years ago. It was next to impossible to remain expressionless, but I managed somehow, and turned away before I lost it.

  Eryx led me down the hall to one of the bedrooms and opened the door. It was large, decorated very prettily in yellow and blue, with a lovely painting of daffodils above the fireplace and a small, feminine desk beneath the window. He went to the closet. “My assistant got your sizes from the clothes you wore last night, but some may not fit. Just let me know and we’ll make sure you have what you need. If you require something to eat or drink, or need help of some kind, the bell pull is right there by the bed. My housekeeper will answer your ring.” He moved to the door. “We will see you for dinner.” He smiled. “I’m very glad you’re here, Mariah.”

  I nodded and gave him a fake smile.

  He was closing the door when he stopped and looked at me soberly. “By the way, in the event the Mephisto do show up to take you back, it’s up to you to decide whether you go or stay, but they can’t have Jordan. She’s lost to them now, and if you love her, you’ll keep them from taking her. Otherwise, they’ll send her to Hell on Earth.”

  The door closed softly and I stood staring at it, my mind racing for logic, for truth. Key planned to take her back to God. Could he? I thought of her dead black eyes and honestly didn’t know. I didn’t know what to do. If I told Eryx they were coming, he’d be ready. He’d protect Viorica. No matter what she was or how lost, I couldn’t bear for her to be in Hell on Earth. I’d go there myself before I’d allow her to be there.

  I sat on the chair next to the fireplace and listened to the steady thump of bass from the party, the sound of laughter and revelry. I made myself focus, made my mind avoid everything but the facts, without emotion.

  All those people out there had shadows across their eyes. They’d given their souls to Eryx. They were like robots. Viorica had no shadow. She must still have her soul, and even though it was marred by Eryx’s influence, she didn’t belong to him in the same way as the lost souls and Skia.

  He was deviously clever, and any kindness he exhibited was solely to suit his purposes, never actual consideration. He was being eff
usively nice to me. Why? He wanted me to stand between Jordan and the Mephisto. He was playing on my love and devotion to her. If I told him the Mephisto were coming for her, I’d be giving him exactly what he wanted.

  If I did nothing and Kyros took her to holy ground, she would lose immortality and die. Would she be in Heaven? Whether she was or she wasn’t, at least that course of action offered hope, and staying here forever meant no hope, no life of her own, no happiness.

  I continued to plan what I would do next. The party became louder and more boisterous. I debated leaving and went to the window to investigate how difficult it would be to go out that way. The forest was many meters away, and I risked being seen if I chose that direction. Trees stood closer to the castle further to the east, so I’d have to find an exit in that direction. That meant I’d have to go back through the Skia party, and I might not be so lucky this time. Instinct told me they’d know what I was – hadn’t Zee said the Skia knew the Mephisto? Chances were good that Eryx had briefed all of them on what might happen today. If they saw me, what would they do to me?

  I seriously doubted they’d offer me a cocktail, or wave me on my way to the other end of this castle so I could leave.

  There was a knock and I steeled myself for who might answer when I called, “Come in.”

  I was surprised it was my sister.

  She shot a furtive glance over her shoulder before she slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. “We don’t have much time,” she whispered in a stage voice. “You’ve got to help me, Mariah. Please. I know you’re upset by what’s happened, and believe me, I never dreamed I’d wind up here, like this, but what’s done is done. The thing is, I’m afraid he’s going to kill me. He’s going to make me have sex with him, and then he’s going to kill me.”

  Her fear was palpable. “He can’t kill you.”

  “He can do lots of things the Mephisto can’t. He has so much power, so much more than they do, because of all the souls he carries within. He’s almost as powerful as Lucifer. Yes, he can take me out, and I know how he thinks. He’ll give me the ultimatum of giving him my soul to become Skia, or he’ll kill me. I can’t lose my soul, Mariah, and I don’t want to die. If I die, where will I go?” Huge tears formed in her black eyes. “I’m so afraid! I need time. I need to think and make a plan. I need to get away from him. Please, will you help me?”