Embrace the Desire (29 page)

Without warning, the hair on Charon's neck stood to attention, his senses suddenly on high alert. Then the smell of earth after a thunderstorm curled inside his nose, instantly relaxing his muscles. Like a cobra swaying to hypnotize its prey before it struck. Jaiden was here. Or more appropriately, Jaiden's apparition.

At one time, Jaiden had been the top of the food chain, his powers almost unstoppable, his presence leaving one awestruck for days. Perhaps, those powers were unstoppable, after all Jaiden was here in visual yet incorporeal form, his power growing with each passing visit.

“How many souls do you require?” Charon tried not to bite out the question.

Staring at the books he had collected, he held out his large hand. A small glass jar appeared in his palm, Bastilla's soul swirling inside its temporary prison.

Jaiden's form stepped between Charon and the Tree of Life. No longer was his hair flaming red, now it was the color of the deepest ocean, and his eerie eyes as green as emeralds. Those eyes, changing from green to purple watched as Charon lifted the lid of the jar.

“Enough to harness the energy I require.” Jaiden's eyebrow rose as Bastilla's soul darted across the Isle and screeched. He glanced at Charon as he took out Lysander's jar. “I sense your frustration. Explain.”

Jaiden's wraith, yes, his wraith Charon thought because his very presence screamed war, threatened the very air surrounding him. And there was only one option when in his presence, bow down to him because he was the higher power. But that was the way with Jaiden; he ordered and you simply obeyed.

Charon gritted his teeth, felt his fangs scraping against his lips. “I do not enjoy killing nor do I enjoy these bargains.” He paused as Bastilla's soul careened about the Isle realizing it was in yet another prison surrounded by the invisible waters of the River Styx. “I want freedom, free will, and to be able to make my own destiny.”

“Think of it in its simplest form according to your grandfather's, Isten's greater plans. Everything must remain balanced.” Jaiden's lips twisted into a cynical smile as he held out his hand and Bastilla's soul suddenly stopped in its tracks. “The souls I need you to collect have all been fated to be forever tormented, forever lost in the abyss of the Underworld. These bargains ensure that doesn't happen to them.”

Bastilla's soul swirled into a ball, slowly made its way to Jaiden's hand. Long black nails emerged from his fingertips. Jaiden grabbed her soul, those black claws digging into the soft mist until it solidified into his palm. His eerie eyes darkened, his black pupils eating up all the color and then the whites of his eyes until nothing remained except two black fathomless holes.

He spoke and a million voices echoed around the isle. “I am simply relieving these souls of a tormented future.”

“I know not what you are planning but in exchange for my free will, I will pledge my allegiance to you.”

Jaiden's smile lifted one corner of his mouth as he held out his free hand and pointed to Lysander's jar. “An angel's soul?”

Charon nodded as he lifted the lid and watched the soul float to Jaiden's free hand. “One witch and one angel just as the
Book of Creation
demanded.”

Jaiden's smile widened. “No, Charon, not as the book commanded, as I commanded.”

Charon bowed his head as Jaiden absorbed the souls. It wasn't something he wanted to witness. When he looked up again, Jaiden was standing by the books of knowledge, his black fingernails softly tapping on the
Book of Light's
cover.

“I will need all of my books.” Jaiden's voice had returned to normal, yet now it sounded more grounded. “First, find the remainder of them that are on earth.”

“It would be most helpful to know who has them or at least where they are located.”

Jaiden closed his eyes, his head tilting to the right. “Seek out the one called Alexander, a descendant of Amay. He will lead you to the next book and to the next soul I will require. ”

“The Destroyer?” Charon bowed his head as Jaiden nodded. “And if he stands in my way?”

Jaiden's eyes flashed. “Persuasion will go a long way and if he refuses, do whatever you need to do to retrieve the book and the soul of someone lost, but never forgotten.”

Charon bowed his head. “As you command.”

• • •

Payne materialized inside Isten's throne room to a thunderous roar. The walls shook, a fine shower of dust and small pieces of black marble cluttering the air. In front of the throne, Gyth stood with his hand firmly on Elena's shoulder, holding her in place on her knees before Isten. Varick stood to the right of Gyth, his head bowed, but with his fists clenched behind his back. Payne couldn't help but notice his knuckles were white and his jaw was jerking.

Isten stood as Payne cleared his throat to announce his presence. Isten's hand tightened around the hilt of the sword hanging at his side as he descended from the steps to stand before Elena.

“Where are Jaiden's bones?”

Elena laughed, her lip dripping with gold blood. Her wings fluttered, their soft glow shedding light on Isten's cold, dark throne room. Anyone would have taken the situation at hand differently than it actually was. She looked the saintly victim.

Without pause, Isten drew his sword, pointed it at her throat. “Speak the truth, Angel. Tell me where his bones are and tell me where that forsaken book is.”

“Which book are you referring to?” Elena spat out as Gyth shoved her down, pinning her shoulders to the floor.

“Tell him, Elena. You have done far too much damage as it is.” Gyth eased his hold. “Where are the books that were in your possession?”

Slowly, she sat up, her arms shaking. Isten walked in a circle around her as she tried to regain her composure pulling her wings closer to her body.

When she spoke, there was venom dripping from her words. “You shall all reap what has been sowed.”

Isten kicked her forward, stepped onto her spine, and grabbed both wings in one hand. With one swing of his sword, her wings were cut off at the shoulder blades. Elena screamed, the sound reverberating off of the walls. Her blood glittered as it spurted into the air, droplets splashing across Isten's armor. She scrambled and jerked, her body contorting with pain.

Gyth grabbed her, turned her onto her back as her blood pooled beneath her. Payne swallowed hard, regardless of what the Angel had done, this was torture and he knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of it.

“Where are those books?” Gyth's face was emotionless. “Where are they?”

“In hell.” She spit in Gyth's face. “Kill me now.”

“No.” Isten replaced his sword. “What say you, Gyth? What fate should she receive?”

Gyth jerked Elena up as Isten turned to Payne and motioned him forward. Gritting his teeth, Payne stepped forward trying to keep the pity he felt for Chanta's mother smothered in his chest. Regardless of the fact that Isten and Gyth were gods, the ruling powers that be, wrong was still wrong.

“Life renewed.” Gyth ushered her toward Isten. “As human. To live as one who she would have condemned.”

“No.” Elena twisted, tried to break free of Gyth's grasp. “I cannot live as those mongrels do.”

Isten grabbed her mop of sunny blonde curls and brought her to his chest. In a blur, Isten buried his fingers into her ribs. Instantly, she slumped into his arms, her scream fading as he took her powers. Payne watched as her dripping blood lost its glitter, turned orange, and then ran red.

Tightening his fists, Payne put a leash on his emotions. “Jaiden's bones and the books are in Charon's possession. He is your traitor.”

Isten released Elena, her body slumping to the floor as her tears streaked her face. “Charon? Are you sure of this?”

Payne nodded. “Elena made a bargain with him for those bones and one of his books.”

The other book, the one Elena had given Chanta was also in Charon's possession. Payne was all too well aware of that, he had been completely aware of the bargain Charon had made with Chanta, just unable to stop it or interfere.

Isten turned on his heel. “What did she receive in exchange?”

“That Damon would have no physical contact with her daughter.”

Payne flexed his jaw. Chanta was carrying Damon's child, Payne's brother, but no one needed to know that. Let them think the child belonged to him. He would be loved and treated well. He would have the life that Payne never had.

Isten laughed, a deep roar echoing off the marble walls. He stared at Elena, his tangible fury mocking his laughter.

“In hopes that Chanta would not give birth to a son fated to kill his grandmother.” Isten paused and met Gyth's topaz stare. “Funny thing about fates, they tend to work themselves out in the end no matter what you do to stop it.”

Gyth stiffened visibly. “If Charon made that bargain, he will ensure Damon never touches her.”

“We shall see.” Isten turned back to Elena briefly. “Get this wench off my marble, deposit her on earth, and find Charon.”

Gyth dematerialized with Elena as Isten spoke again. “Varick, you seem to owe Payne a wish.”

Varick nodded. “What is your heart's desire?”

Payne stood there, couldn't find the words. His heart's desire? There was only one thing he wished for at that moment, one little thing with white hair and big gray warrior eyes. Chanta was his only desire. And she was Varick's sister. He was sure that was going to go over real well.

Cold steel eyes met his. “Speak, Payne. You have kept your end of the bargain and we shall keep ours.”

Payne shook his head. “I want nothing from either of you.”

There was only one place he wanted to be, one thing he desired above all else, and one thing he wanted to embrace. His last sight was of Varick looking confused as Payne dematerialized and reappeared inside Chanta's small apartment.

• • •

As Chanta walked out of her tiny kitchen with her steaming mug of hot chocolate in her hand, his heart melted. Her blinding smile welcomed him as she quickly sat the mug on an end table and threw herself into his arms.

“There's something I need to tell you.” Chanta whispered.

“There's no need.” Payne wrapped his arms around her, embraced her. “I was aware of the entire conversation you and Charon had.”

Placing his hand on her belly, he bowed his head closing his eyes. “My brother will have a life I never had. He will know love, family, and friends.”

“Payne?” Chanta ran her fingers down his cheeks.

“You once asked me if there was anything you could do to make me want to stay.”

He knew she was nodding without looking, felt her body stiffen. But it was now or never, he had a confession to make.

She tried to step back, but he held her against his body, her tiny frame suddenly becoming his anchor. “There's something I need to tell you though.”

“What's that?”

“Can you handle the devil's son being in love with you?”

A small laugh escaped her. “Only if you can handle being in love with Gyth's daughter and at this point I don't think that's much better of an option.”

Releasing her waist, he took her face in his hands and kissed her lips. “Oh, I think I can see past my differences with your father.”

“Well, it's a good thing because I'm afraid I might actually, kind of, sort of have a thing for the devil's son.”

“Kind of, sort of?”

Chanta smiled. “Yeah, just a little bit of possessiveness has been showing through.”

He laughed, his smile threatening to overtake his face. “Yeah, I kind of heard you tell this poor woman that he belonged to you.”

“Heard that, did you?”

He nodded as he kissed her again. “I think we need to make this official or something.”

“I think that can wait.” She looked down the hall. “I have other plans for you right now.”

“What plans are those?”

“I want to make love to you.” Her eyes twinkled as the red streaks appeared in her hair. “And I want you to know exactly how you make me feel.”

As she took his hand and pulled him behind her, he had to fight back the tears. The world was always going to be threatened by some kind of impending doom, but as long as Chanta was by his side, he could face anything. He could even defy the odds and rewrite his own destiny.

“I love you, Payne.”

With a quick swoop, he lifted her from the floor and carried her over the threshold into her bedroom. “My little enchantress, you had me wrapped around your finger since the first time I met you and I was too blinded by vengeance to see it.”

She laughed as he eased her onto the bed. “Then perhaps, we should be thanking my father for sending you to Kentucky.”

“Indeed.” His god powers shifted inside of him, but there was no need or desire to hide them. For the first time in his life, he was content with who and what he was.

As he stretched out on top of Chanta, he smiled. “This is my destiny. In your arms, I have finally found what I have desired my entire life and never had.”

Chanta bit her lip. “What's that?”

She was smiling, her gray eyes shining. Payne's chest ached, his heart burning with passion. “Love.”

Varick rarely ever dreamed, but as the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon, images of people he had never known swam to his unconscious mind's eye. Their skin glowed iridescently, transparent right down to their souls. Smoky balls of shadow swirled inside the glow and clawed at their transparent prisons and screamed for release. Their sorrows and pains were magnified by the predominance of unrequited fury and unobtainable justice of their ills.

Dancing and swirling around those unfamiliar faces were black flames and daggers, the same daggers that graced his skin as trademarks of his immortal profession. He was a Destroyer, protector of the One Race and the humans, and bringer of death to the demon spawn of the Underworld. He was one of many but here, in this dream turned nightmare, he was bitterly and utterly alone.