Chameleon (22 page)

“I love you
too, Drama Queen!” Fin yelled and then after a few second she called out, “But come back!”

I’ll try.

But deep inside my heart I knew the chances were slim. I didn’t have many options, none that would result in both Wiz and I being alive.

Someone will die tonight.

Chapter 23

It had taken me forty minutes to get to Yemaya District and another forty to climb up the twelfth level condominium
with brick climbers after running so fast. Panting, I scaled on the roof. Wiz sat on the ledge across from where I was with his back to me and his face turned up to the caged ceiling. I hopped onto the roof with a thump. He remained in his spot as if he hadn’t heard me.

“Part of me knew you would still figure out a way to come here.” Wiz kept his back to me. “The other part hoped you would stay locked in that room.”

I walked over to him, wiping sweat off of my forehead and fanning myself with my other hand. Up here, the city’s noise sounded distant and far away. It was only Wiz, me, and the moon as it hung above our heads and bathed us in light.

“Why did you come, Cameo?” He didn’t look my way when I sat next to him. His hands rested in his lap and formed into tight fists. “I should have let you
be preoccupied with Zero.”

“His name is Eight.” I scooted his way until our legs were pressed against each other.

“I let my jealous get in the way.” He inhaled my scent and exhaled. “I can’t even think straight with you next to me and your minty fragrance is tying around my senses like a rope.”

“Is that what I smell like t
o you? Mint.”

“What is your plan? We
only have less than thirty minutes before he comes for you.” Wiz directed his attention to me. “This won’t be a happy ending either way.”

“Then you leave and I’ll stay—”

“No. You deserve to live. I’m not a good person. Do you know why I started Haven?”

“To feed on everyone’s power.” I displayed a gri
m expression. “If you didn’t, you would die.”

He rubbed his face with both of his hands. “Leave, Cameo.”

“Why did you always pass out?”

He blew out air. “When I do huge spells, my magic takes my energy as the price.”

“Why did the stones push up against your skin like that?”

He laughed. “Shouldn’t we be talking about what you’re going to do?”

“Please tell me why.” I laid my hand on his lap. It warmed and tensed under my skin.

“The stones push away from me when I drank magic from them. Every morning I took power form the kids in sips and then stored as much as
I could in the stones. I wrapped an enchanted shifter skin around my body to keep the stones touching me like the Bearded Dragon taught me. When I pass out, my body drinks from the energy and magic in the stones.”

“Which is why they always push your fake skin up and look like worms?”

He winked. “I told you they weren’t worms.”

“You sure did.” I gazed at the city below us and swung my tired and swollen feet.

The habitat’s silhouette looked like a vast sea of tiny lights that spread far out and wide. From here, I could see the different colors of the districts—the blood red building of Shango to the ocean blue condominiums of Yemaya.

All my life I focused on survival—not making mom too mad, hiding behind trees and bushes from bullies,
avoiding powerful supernaturals around the city. I always looked over my shoulders, scared mom would find me and hurt me somehow, whether through her words or with those harsh hands that never touched me with any love or compassion.

And then Wiz pulled me out of that water drenched dumpster. He taught me how to use my power to get money, how to survive, and save money. He showed me ways to live and take joy in life.
He bought me my first comic book and snuck me in my first movie. He sang to me when I was sick and kissed my cheeks when he thought I was asleep.

He loved me like no one else. He taught me love.

“Please go.” Wiz got up, stood on the ledge, and jumped down to the roof. “What are you doing?”

“I’m here to save you.” I forced a smile, moved where he stood, and got in front of him.

His eyes brightened with rage as he bared his silver fingers.
“So you’re going to just give the Bearded Dragon you’re body?”

“That’s the plan.
”

“He’s insane. You’ll just give him more life to terrorize the habitat.”

“Then kill him, once he takes over my body.”

“I don’t
have any more power. I pushed it into the stones, hoping that one day Rich or Tina could figure out a way to use it. And I can’t kill something that is part of you.”

“Okay. Then we think of something else.”

He stepped toward me with a snarl. “Let’s say I do make it and go back to Haven. I’ll just rob more kids of their magic. Is that what you want? To save one guy for the sake of hundreds of kids.”

“I don’t want you to die.”

“I’ve lived longer than you, Cameo, but most important. I don’t want you to die either. You don’t deserve to be used by that monster. You should have a regular life.”

“Not without you.”

He seized me and pulled me into his hard body. “We’ll have our day, my only love. We’ll dance in the sky like the times I entered your mind when you dreamed. Do you remember?”

“Yes.” I leaned my head on his shoulder.

“It’s one of the abilities. I drained from B.D. when I was a kid.” He tightened his grin. He trembled under me. “I love flying with you. We’ll fly again one day.”

“What does that mean?” I leaned back from him.
“When will we fly again?”

“When you’ve loved, married, had children, and lived a long prosperous life, you’ll die the right way, from old age and fulfilled living.” He released me. “And I’ll be waiting for you when your spirit flows into the fairy realm and you f
orm back into whatever image you choose.”

“How do you know this?”

“You’re half fairy. All fairies when they die on earth return back to the fairy realm.”

A door slammed.

“Shit.” Wiz yanked me behind him.

The Bearded Dragon stepped out onto the roof. Those red scales stuck out from his jaw and chin.
Shadow stones, maybe?
He had no power anymore, so he used the flakes of the stones. He remained more than ten feet away from us as we stood near the ledge, but still I didn’t feel safe.

“All this time and my shadow was your little girlfriend.” He clapped. “
You’re a genius Theo. What better way to keep her near and safe, but to have her fall in love with you.”

“Why does he call you, Theo?”
I whispered.

“My last name is
Theosiphix.” He pushed me back. “I’ll dive into him and you—”

“
No. I’m staying.” I rushed back to Wiz’s side.

More men
stomped out onto the roof wearing jackets with flames on the sleeves and holding guns.

“You’re early,” Wiz said to
B.D. through clenched teeth.

“I didn’t think you would come.” He gestured f
or the men to back up. “I’m actually shocked you’re here with her. It seemed like all those times this week when you were trying to kill me that those were signs of you breaking the promise.”

He chuckled
some more. The scales fluttered on his chin.

“Well I’ve accepted defeat.” Wiz’s chest rose and fell at an erratic pace as if he was pumped up on adrenaline. “I need time to say goodbye to her.”

“Take a few moments.” The Bearded Dragon waved him away. “But midnight hits in five minutes and then she’s mine.”

Wiz seized my arm and tugged me to the side.

“I’m not going,” I said with determination.

“Go.”

“No.”

“I’m not worth your life, Cameo.”

“Yes. You actually are.”

A silent second passed and then he closed his eyes.

“I killed your mother.” Wiz’s face held no humor. “Rich told me she beat you in the alley with the top of a garbage can. I went down to her apartment, choked her, told her why I was killing her, and hung her up so someone would find me.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Why did you kill her?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes
.” Tears fell from my eyes.

“So she wouldn’t hurt you anymore.”

I wiped my new tears away. “Then I forgive you.”

“Damn it, Cameo.” H
e pushed me away.

“She would’ve come back again and again. . .she never stopped. . .I would’ve had to kill her—”

“You don’t know that.”

I gazed off over the ledge.
“I know her better than you.”

“Three more minutes, Wiz!”
B.D. called out.

“I’m almost done!” Wiz yelled back.

There was no way out of this. Wiz possessed no power. B.D. and all of his guys stood out on the roof. I was weak. A rush of wind massaged my skin, reminding me of the sensation of when Wiz and I would fly in our dreams.
I wish we could just live in our dreams.

And then an idea pulsed in my brain.
I grinned. “Are you sure if we die that we’ll see each other in the fairy realm?”

“I don’t like this
question.” Wiz looked off to where I was staring. “Don’t you even think about it.”

“Come on!
There’s nothing else left to do but dream.” I ran off, my feet slamming the graveled roof. I shrieked with Joy, waving my hands around, clucking like an ignorant love lathered fool, and grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s fly for real! Together!”

“Cameo, No!” Wiz screamed.

I never stopped. Guns blasted past me as I hit the ledge and bounced off into nowhere but space. A bullet bit my calf. My heart banged erratically in my ears. Hands seized my waist as I dropped. I hurried to look and see Wiz holding me as we fell.

We plummeted to our deaths.

Our hair rose high above our heads. I didn’t stress or worry. It was too fast. And Wiz was there. He hugged me to him. My tattered dress vibrated with the currents of wind as we fell twelve stories down and smashed into the pavement. Pain devoured me first and then nothing else but silence and darkness.

Epilogue

C
louds of mist swarmed around. I stepped on a wet ground that sank under the pads of my feet. Music lingered far off. It almost sounded like an echo of some song. I clenched and unclenched my hands as I moved further.

“Wiz!” I yelled.

No sound returned. The only thing that gave my mind and soul hope was the lavender sky that hovered over my head. No bars or ceiling, just lots of sky with violet dots that sparkled and reminded me of stars.

Either this is another dream or the fairy realm.

“Wiz!” I yelled.

Warm hands covered my mouth, smelling of citrus.

Wiz.

“Quiet, my love.” He pulled me into him. My bare body pressed against his
and I felt something hard against the curve of my behind. I giggled under his hand, delirious with joy.

It worked. It actually worked. We’re in the fairy realm together.

“Will you be silent?” He kissed my shoulder and put some space between us. I nodded. When he let me go, I turned around. We were both naked as I thought. He let his gaze travel across my body. I didn’t cringe, hide myself, or turn away.

He loves me just the way I am, scales or not.

“They’re petals.” He tugged me into him. “And I can hear your thoughts for some reason.”

“Oh.” I gritted my teeth.

“And yes. I love you.” He blurred to me and held me to him. “You should’ve seized the opportunity to leave me when you could. Now there’s no escape.”

His hands glided along my body, teasing and taunting my flesh. Heat uncoiled inside my chest.
My scales, or petals, burst out of my flesh.

“Let’s fly like I said we would.” Wings expanded
behind him, translucent and shades of orange with sprinkled yellow spots. His eyes were different too. They gleamed both with an amber glow.

“Will I have wings?” I tried to shift my form but the only t
hing that happened is my scales flicked back and forth.

“I’m not sure.” He leaned his head to the side. “Why? Do you need to fly anywhere without me.”

“You never know.”

“Never.” He picked me up and carried me
while we rose from the damp ground, naked and in each other’s arms. The mist separated. His wings furiously flapped. Land appeared under my feet—lush green grass, silver jagged cliffs that jutted out of a turquoise river, silver pebbles that ran far off into a land that looked all black and full of shade and shadows.

I straddled him with my legs as we rose higher. My arms rested on his shoulders. My white bushy hair danced on the wind. My scales glittered and now I finally saw what everyone meant, why they called me Ice Princess.
It wasn’t scales on my skin, but tiny little flakes of snow or glittery white rose petals or tiny glistening diamonds. Whatever one could imagine in the end they were beauty, and they were me. And I was slowly starting to realize that being just me, wasn’t that bad after all.

W
iz caressed me with his lips and pulled me in closer to him. His eyes hooded with hunger.

“I had planned on flying you all over the realm.”
His hands slipped down the outline of my body.

I shivered in pleasure. “And now?”

“I’ll find a waterfall, hopefully with a secret caved entrance. I read that the realm is full of them.”

“And then what will we do?” I moaned as he nibbled my ear.

“I’ll spend a century, searing my mark into this soft glimmering flesh.” He tickled the curve of my neck with his tongue.

I giggled. “And then?”

His body stiffened. “And then I guess, we should visit the king and queen to tell them their children are alive and well.”

I bit my bottom lip. All joy in the moment drained away from my face.
“I vote no for that plan. They may not be happy that you are here.”

“I don’t think I have the power to drain them anymore, but good point.”
He laughed. “So then we’ll make love for centuries?”

“Yes.” I laid my head on his shoulder. “That’s much better. I’ve always wanted to know how it felt.”

He groaned. “Say no more. I’m searching now. I’ve always desired to show you how. . .it felt. We’ll save the visit to the castle for another century or maybe when Rich and Tina arrive.”

A little sadness hit me at the mention of Rich.
What will happen to Haven, Fin, and Sasha?

“They
’ll be okay.” Wiz kissed my forehead.

“I forgot you can read my mind.
” I closed my eyes. Sparks fluttered across my skin as Wiz increased his speed.

“And I will love you until you’ve
forgotten about that caged city and all the horrors and dread that came with it.” Wiz raised us higher. “We’ll have children if we can, and they’ll have children, and we’ll watch them love and find joy in this realm. I’ll never let you go, Cameo.”

“And neither will I.”