Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians (36 page)

"Wow.
 
Sword fighting gets you thirsty, I guess."

"Berserking gets her thirsty, you mean," said Tim, coming back into the room.

I rolled my eyes, now finally able to talk but using my words sparingly.
 
I still didn't have my breath back, and we weren't out of this mess yet.
 
"Did you free anyone else?"

"Nope."

"I need the keys," I said, holding out my hand.

"For what?"
 
Spike handed them over.

"I have a friend I need to let out.
 
And I don't want you to be mad, but I owe him one."

Spike frowned.
 
"Why would I be mad?"

"Because.
 
It's Lars."

"Who's Lars?
 
An old boyfriend?"
 
He smiled like he'd just told a joke and was proud of himself.

"Not exactly.
 
But someone who's special to me in a weird way."

"In what way?"
 
His laughing tone disappeared, and his eyes narrowed.

"Come on.
 
I'll show you."
 
I walked out, making my way around our curious friends, returning to the cage that held the demon named Lars.

"You have returned," he said, moving closer to the bars to stand in front of me.

"Yep.
 
Just like I said."
 
I looked over at Spike as he walked up to stand next to me.

"What did you do with the guards?" asked the demon.

"She cut their testicles off!" screeched Tim.

I tried not to laugh at his outrage on behalf of the orcs or whatever it was that had him so overexcited about the whole thing.
 
"I took care of them.
 
So, do you want out or not?"

Spike cleared his throat.
 
I looked up at him to gauge his reaction.
 
I knew the exact moment recognition set in.
 
Spike's eyes narrowed and his lower jaw jutted out a little.

"So this is who Lars is," he said, his voice sounding dead.

"Yeah.
 
The demon who possessed you."

Spike's jaw muscle twitched for a few seconds before he said, "Why would you want to let out the guy who tried to take my place?"
 
He wasn't looking at me, and I didn't think he was looking at Lars either, really.
 
He was waiting for my answer, probably expecting the worst.

I put my hand on Spike's arm, pushing it back a little so he'd turn towards me.
 
He resisted at first, but then at least looked down at me.
 
I could see the hurt starting to grow, and I knew I needed to hurry up and extinguish that fire before it raged out of control.
 
"Spike, I'm setting him free because without him, I wouldn't have you.
 
Not like I do right now."

Spike's nostrils flared, but he said nothing.
 
I'd never seen him look so tough, so cold, and so badass as I did in that moment, and it made me fall for him even harder than I already had.

I pressed forward with my case for setting Lars free.
 
"Where would we be right now if he hadn't shared all your secrets with me?
 
Or at least the secrets that had to do with me and you?
 
Huh?"

Spike shrugged, the ice in his eyes melting just a fraction.

"I know where I'd be.
 
Probably pining after an angel who wanted nothing to do with me, and ignoring the gift I had sitting right under my nose."

Spike's lower jaw moved a little left and then right.
 
"Maybe you'd be happier that way.
 
With Chase."

"Pfft.
 
Please.
 
You and I and the rest of the world know that's not true.
 
Angels and fae aren't meant to be together.
 
Two different realms?
 
Come on!
 
It would never work."

"You were willing to do it anyway ... before."

"Yeah.
 
Maybe because I was lonely.
 
Maybe because I thought he was the only person alive who could love me for who I am, faults and all."

"He's not."

I squeezed Spike's arm and stomped my foot in frustration.
 
"I know!
 
I know that now."
 
My voice softened.
 
"But only because of Lars."

Spike looked from me over to the demon who just stood there, staring at us, saying nothing with no expression on his face.
 
His arms hung at his sides, not threatening but not begging either.

"So you want to set him free because he told you how I felt."

"Yeah.
 
Because he kind of allowed you to set
me
free."
 
The tears came to my eyes unbidden, and my throat closed up a little as I tried to keep myself from crying.
 
"I found out that when someone loves you, like really loves you, no matter what you do, no matter how many stupid mistakes you make or shitty things you say, it sets you free.
 
I feel like I can fly now.
 
Like nothing is holding me back anymore, Spike."

"Me loving you does that?" he asked, sounding as if he couldn't believe it.

"Yeah.
 
It does.
 
I know it sounds stupid, but it's true."

He reached up to brush away the stray hairs from around my face.
 
"It's not stupid.
 
It's who you are; and I like that person or that fae or whatever you are."

I smiled.
 
"I know that.
 
I feel it.
 
And I feel the same way about you."

He let out one little laugh and said, "Are we going to say the words now?"

I raised my eyebrows.
 
"The L-word?
 
Hell no.
 
Not in a dragon's pantry we're not."

He grabbed me in a hug.
 
"Oh, Jayne.
 
You're so damn cool.
 
I'm so glad that dick told you my secrets."

"Does this mean I can let him go?" I asked into Spike's shirt where he'd smooshed my mouth and nose.

"Yeah.
 
But I'm going to leave you to it, because I still feel like punching him in the face."

I shoved Spike away.
 
"Punching your fairy godfather in the face is a really bad idea," I said, smiling as I put the key in the lock.

Spike chuckled, walking back to the others to leave me alone with Lars.

The gate to Lars' cell swung open, and he stepped out, facing me.
 
I didn't think about it, I just did it.
 
I grabbed him into a hug, ignoring the sharp parts of his hide that jabbed into me and the smell of unwashed demon that reminded me of a pair of well-used gym socks.

At first he just stood there, but eventually he let out a long breath and lifted up an arm to pat me on the back.
 
"You honor me," he said simply.

I pulled away and looked up into his eyes.
 
They were so dark I felt like I was looking into a black hole out in space somewhere.
 
"No," I shook my head, "you honor me.
 
You did something bad, and you could have ruined not only Spike's life but mine too; but you didn't.
 
You saw a fork in the road, and you took the high road instead of the low road.
 
I owe you my love-life, and I'm starting to realize that without love, life isn't even worth living."

Lars reached up and patted my shoulder.
 
"You are very wise for someone so young.
 
I believe you are right.
 
This is a lesson it took me many lifetimes to finally learn, but I know that I am ready now.
 
When my time comes, I will make the right choices.
 
You have given me the strength to keep persevering."

"What are you going to do now?" I asked, sighing heavily at the idea of a lifetime of pain and punishment a fae or person has to go through to get to where Lars was - and he still wasn't free yet.

"I will take your advice and go to a different part of the realm.
 
Perhaps I can find some like-minded demons and make a life for myself that is devoid of much of the pain that I have experienced here."

"I hope so.
 
Listen, I have to go now.
 
Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes.
 
Would you like to know how to get where you need to be?" he asked.

I felt like whacking myself in the forehead.
 
"Uh, yeah.
 
That would be awesome.
 
First, I need to go get my friend Samantha.
 
She's a witch being held by a silver elf named Maléna.
 
And then I need to go talk to the dragon.
 
The Dark's mate."

"You wish to speak to Biad?"

"Yeah, that's her name."

Lars tilted his head to the side.
 
"Your goal is to be eaten in the Underworld?"

"No, I'm not going to be eaten. I'm just going to talk to her."

"She is not one for talking.
 
She is usually just one for eating.
 
Her appetite is legendary."

I frowned, not sure if I was happy about having that piece of intel.
 
I probably could have lived happier without it, ignorance being bliss and all.
 
"Whatever.
 
I'll do my best not to be her next snack.
 
Can you tell me where to find Samantha?"

"Yes.
 
If she is with the one you call Maléna and her consort Leck, you will most likely find them in the chamber below this one.
 
You must go through that small room in which you saw the orcs, turn right, follow the winding tunnel down, and then take the first tunnel branching off to the right.
 
It will open into a large room much like this one."

I held out my fist for a bump.
 
"Thanks, dude.
 
I owe you one."

He looked down at my hand, at a loss for what I wanted.
 
I gestured with my chin, urging him to do the same.
 
Once he was ready, I leaned in, touching my knuckles to his gently.
 
"Keep it real, Lars."

"Yes, I will keep it to reality.
 
And you do the same."

I laughed, spinning on my heel to join my friends, leaving him behind to figure out how he was leaving this place and when.
 
Spike and the rest of them were waiting for me at the orc guard station, discussing strategy.

"I found out where they're keeping Sam," I said, arriving on the scene.
 
"And Spike and I know where the dragons' landing pad is, so I think we're set."

"Where's Samantha?" asked Jared, a note of urgency in his voice.

"She's one level below us.
 
Come on ... Lars gave me directions."

We went into the guard room where we each stopped and gathered whatever weapons we thought we could use.
 
I grabbed my sword and Blackie, putting the dragon fang back in its sheath.
 
It was my last-ditch-effort weapon in this realm for sure, so there was no point in carrying it in my hand.
 
Jared, Niles, Finn, and Spike each grabbed an orc club.
 
The weapons were lumpy and nasty, just like their owners.
 
I deliberately ignored the testicles on the floor, but unfortunately, Tim didn't.

"Hey, guys!
 
Check out the nads on the ground over here!"

"You ready to go?"
 
I asked everyone with fake cheer, trying to urge them to the door.
 
It was a battle of wills between Tim and me.
 
Who could capture the attention of our friends?
 
Would the castration of orcs be revealed for all to see?

Whenever Tim sensed himself losing his audience, he'd do a flip or other midair acrobatic move to bring their attention back to the mayhem I'd left in my wake.
 
I finally had to drop my sword and start coughing and gasping to get them to leave the mess and come into the hallway with me.
 
I put my hand up once they were all there, holding off their concern.
 
"I'm fine now.
 
Let's go." I started down the tunnel, not even looking back.

Tim came flying up to sit on my shoulder.
 
"Nicely played, berserker.
 
You have more than one hidden talent, I see."

"Better watch yourself, pixieman, before I start slicing and dicing again."
 
I kept my laughter inside, but it was tough.
 
When he flew out in front of me with his hands cupped over his crotch, a snort escaped.

"You keep your hack-o-matic to yourself, there, young lady.
 
I'll have you know that I will protect my family jewels at all costs, including pixying your big white butt.
 
So think twice before you wreck yourself."

"I think I'm supposed to check myself before I wreck myself."

"Whatever.
 
Just keep my man-fruit out of your murderous equations."

"Ew, Tim.
 
That's just gross."

Jared came up beside me.
 
"Maybe you should keep it down a little, since I'm not sure we're in the clear yet."

I nodded, giving him an apologetic look.
 
I didn't even want to see what Niles was doing behind me - probably listing all the reasons I should be put down for my own good and the good of the team.

We followed the contours of the tunnel and found our way to the chamber below the dragon's pantry.
 
Its large wooden door was mostly closed, the crack big enough for my head to fit through, but that was it.
 
We approached cautiously, and I noticed right away there was a cool breeze coming in from the room to the space in the tunnel where we were gathered.
 
Voices were coming from inside, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.