Vala Eminence (13 page)

Zes howled. “Youch! What was that?”

“I don't know.”

“I can't believe I trusted you. Clearly, you're a black magic user, and those are always bad news. Forget it, I don't want your help. This is getting too scary, and there's too much I don't understand.”

Denver closed his eyes. “Lucien just wants to use you for your magic and he's doing it through that brand. Whatever I did broke it, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's starting to lash out in an effort to survive. Like it's alive, or something.”

“It's just a brand.”

“That you got from demons and has magic in it. Don't kid yourself by trying to pretend it doesn't mean anything.”

Zes shook his head. “How do you know he wants to use me for my magic anyway? It's not like it's anything all that special. He only marked me because—”

“Of Cheyenne. He marked you so she could control you to do what she wanted, and ultimately to use you for his big grand scheme. Wake up! The guy is evil. Would he seriously keep you around just because?”

Closing his eyes, fists clenched, Zes went into the dark tunnel. “Guy, come on, we need to go.” After a moment, he tried again. “Guy, I can't chase after you right now. It's dark in here. Please, come.”

A distant bark was the reply and Denver was pretty sure he also heard the splash of water as well. Groaning, he pulled out his lighter and moved ahead of Zes. “I'll get him, stay here.”

Zes's gaze was already fixed on the bits of the mural now visible in the darkness. He stepped forward, eyes wide and transfixed on what was around him. With one hand he reached out to touch the tile of the tunnel.

“What is this place?” he asked. “I thought it was just a creepy cave, but this is… art?”

“I'm not sure what this place is, exactly, but I think it has something to do with me. And Cheyenne.”

“You're keeping things from me.” Zes grabbed Denver by the arm, forcing him to stop.

Rolling his eyes, hoping Zes could see it; Denver wrenched himself free of the grasp. “A lot of people do. I'm not an evil super villain for it. There's a reason I haven't said everything and that's because I'm still trying to find answers. A lot is happening at the same time and a lot of it I don't get.”

“Clearly,” Zes said and his gaze went back to wandering over the mural. “And in the process of finding your answers, you've dragged me further into the mess. Tell me everything you know.”

With a sigh, Denver shifted the flame of his lighter so Zes could see more of the picture. “You've heard the story of Hades and Persephone, right?”

Zes nodded. “They had some kind of weird romance. He was obsessed with her, she didn't want to be with him, and he kidnapped her and gave her paradise. Eventually she fell in love with him anyway, and that's why the underworld has Heaven in it.”

“Going old school with the ancient myths, but how about the real version with the Divine?” Denver raised an eyebrow. How much did Zes even know about what was going on in the first place? Did Cheyenne tell him anything?

With a slight shrug, Zes averted his gaze to the ground. “Something about him having a thing for her, but she wasn't interested. That's about it.”

“Right, she wasn't interested in him because he wasn't that great looking of a guy. Girl must have been shallow or something.”

“Most teenagers are,” Zes said quietly.

Denver waved a hand dismissively. “Point is, she didn't want to be with him because of appearances, and went with another guy even though she had feelings for Hades. She ended up marrying someone else, and back then marriage was serious business. The love between her and Hades was so strong they—”

“Sealed their spirits away to be united again,” Zes barely whispered.

“So you do know. More denial? That's not healthy, man.”

He closed his eyes. “I live in denial because it's easier sometimes to pretend some things don't exist. Some days, I just want to live a life where things are going my way. That's not too much to ask for since I know I'm not the only one who does this. People live in denial all the time.”

“I don't.”

“You do, it's just a different kind.”

“Enlighten me.”

Zes stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “You seem to think you can turn a new leaf and be worthy of Cheyenne. Denial. You're never going to change. You live in a world where you think you're the man, but you're nothing but pathetic.”

“Takes one to know one,” Denver snapped.

“Exactly.”

There were a lot of things Denver could have said in response. His initial desire was to cuss Zes out and leave him down there in the cave to go find his brother's precious dog on his own. Instead, he clenched his jaw and continued to move through the tunnel. He took a moment to refresh his lighter, determined to prove Zes wrong.
I am worthy of her. I am.

“They sealed their spirits to be united again,” Denver echoed Zes's words. “After that, they've been trying to find one another ever since. The blood covenant they made sealed away their power as well. Magic is just as hereditary as the color of your eyes. If part of it is locked up you're missing out until it gets free again. You know Cheyenne is Persephone the First reincarnated.”

“And Lucien is Hades.”

“No.”

“No?”

“That's just the lie he's telling everyone who will listen.”

Zes brought his fingers to his teeth and whistled. The shrill sound hurt Denver's ears and echoed throughout. Paws plodding on the ground could be heard, and something wet and furry walked past him. A rather wet, black lab took his place next to Zes.

His gaze cold, Zes never stopped looking at Denver. “Whatever is going on, it doesn't involve me, not anymore. Cheyenne chose you to be her knight in shining armor. Maybe you helping me was your way of atoning or something, but I don't need your pity or her guilty conscience. I shouldn't have listened to you.”

Crap, this is not the response I was hoping for.
“So you just want to be his pawn and her possession?”

“I don't belong to anyone,” Zes said stiffly. He took the leash once more and started walking toward the entrance of the tunnel.

Muttering a number of curses under his breath, Denver ran a hand through his hair.
I can't give up.

Denver spent at least an hour in the tunnel, letting the darkness cover him. Everything about his plan needed to be reevaluated. Saving Zes wouldn't be possible if the guy didn't want to be saved, and if he couldn't be saved then Lucien could still use him.
At least I can say I tried to make things better, and I did help. He admitted it. He's just too much of a chicken to trust me.
Shaking his head and sighing heavily, Denver slowly got up from the floor. “Like he ever had a reason to trust me.”

He'd never been nice to Zes — ever. He wasn't sure he wanted to be nice either, but how could he put blame on Zes?
It's a good thing I have a backup plan for getting rid of Lucien and freeing Cheyenne from his spell. I don't need Zes. He was just my charity case.

Once he was back up the stairs, and the gazebo was returned to normal, he took a moment to stand in its center to absorb the quiet. The echoes of stone scraping against stone faded. All that remained was his breathing and the winter wind blowing against the windows. Outside, there was a small rim of light on the horizon as the sun finished setting. Ceete was out there, waiting for him at the edge of the forest.

He took in a slow breath and then walked outside. “No longer hiding?”

“There is no need,” she said.

“So remember what I said about Johnathan Orinda? I'm changing my mind, let's crash his party.”

A grin spread across her face from ear to ear, and something about how unnatural it looked on her face reminded him that she was a demon and not a normal teenage girl.

****

It didn't take much to get the hotel clerk to tell Denver where Mr. Orinda was staying — only twenty dollars. Denver went to the room and knocked, Ceete staying obnoxiously close to his side. When Mr. Orinda answered the door, Denver was surprised to find the man alone. Not even the smell of an affair lingered in the air.
Perhaps Ceete's assumptions had been wrong.

“Whatever you're doing here, get lost,” Mr. Orinda snapped. He tried to shut the door in Denver's face, but Ceete caught it.

Carefully, Denver pushed the door open wider so he could enter. “Hey now, don't be that way. At least hear me out.”

“I don't know if I have much of a choice.”

“There's always a choice,” Denver said. He sat down on the bed and bounced on it a little. “In the past I've come asking for favors for Lucien.”

“Orders.”

“Same difference. Anyway, I'm not here because he needs you.”

Johnathan Orinda let out a sigh of relief and poured himself a glass of water from the faucet. He took a long drink from his glass before facing Denver again. “That's good, because I finished owing him favors a while ago. My debt has been paid for the things he's done for me. I assumed that since you're his lackey and favorite messenger, that you were here on his business.”

“Ex-favorite. I'm sure he's replaced me with someone else by now.” He pointed to Ceete. “This is my associate. If you try to get mean with me, she'll break your fingers.”

Ceete bared her teeth, revealing a sharp set of fangs. The way her eyes lit up suggested she got an awful lot of delight over Denver's threat. Something told him she'd love to have the opportunity to hurt John.

Mr. Orinda swallowed. “Noted. Hurry up and tell me what you want so I can get to bed. I'm pretty tired.”

Smirking, Denver nodded. John's straight-and-to-the-point attitude was one of the things Denver liked best. He'd never gotten personal with the guy, but he imagined they could possibly make good acquaintances. If Denver could have friends, he'd want John to be one of them. But he wouldn't have that kind of a relationship with anyone. Friends seemed like too much work and he doubted anyone could have the kind of patience he needed — sans Cheyenne, of course.

“I need you to teach me how to use my magic in a fight. My current tutor isn't too keen on teaching me aggressive spells. The school has told me you're an approved teacher of this sort of thing,” Denver explained.

John raised one of his eyebrows. “That's all you want?”

“What did you think I was after? Your soul or your first born?”

Shrugging, John sat down in a nearby chair. “Aggressive magic is easy to conjure, it's using the off switch that can be tricky. Dark magic is powerful and consuming. You can go overboard in the blink of an eye. Step too far over the line between good and evil and you're like a demon. Don't step over it far enough and you won't win in a fight against one. Which I'm guessing is what you want to do, right? Destroy Lucien, I mean.”

“It might have crossed my mind.”

“I hate to break it to you, but there isn't a whole lot I can actually teach you. Spells of this nature are intuitive. The only thing you have to decide is how far you want to take it. It's not like your cool trick you can do with the rocks. There's no incantation you can recite that will release the power within you. Haven't you done anything with your dark magic before?”

The question was so simple, and yet Denver had never asked himself before. Why hadn't he tried to use his magic earlier on?
Fear. I was too afraid of Lucien.

He shook his head. “Only in small ways. I know how to focus so I can see spiritual energy, and I sucked away some darkness out of this dude I know. Nothing fancy.”

“Good enough for a beginner. Whenever you go to fight him, tell me so I can come along. Lucien has ruined my life. I want revenge.”

“He seems to be good at that. Ruining lives, I mean.” Denver could empathize. He only knew of a few tasks Lucien had sent Johnathan on. Most of them were delivery-like errands. Owing a debt to Lucien was not a good place to be. For a long time, Denver was told he had to repay a debt for something he couldn't even remember doing. In actuality, it was the demon's way of messing with his head.

John cocked his head to the side. “One word of advice, kiddo.”

Standing, Denver glanced over at him, curiously. “Hmm?”

“You're not going to be able to take him on if you don't have all of your power.”

“Duh.”

Nodding, John smiled. “Just wanted to make sure you understand that it will take whatever is necessary to win.”

Denver made his way to the door. “Oh believe me, I do.”

He walked out the door, Ceete not far behind him.

“Waste of my time,” he grumbled. “That's all he has to tell me? My magic is intuitive? At least I know I have someone else to help back me up when I go down into the underworld to fight.”

“Hmm, yes,” Ceete said. “You may practice your magic with me.”

He faced her, curious at her response. “I'm glad you wanna help. Now tell me what you really think. Usually you have more of an opinion, Ceete. What's up in that head of yours?”

“I'm trying to decide if he is worthy of your trust. He is a human who was desperate and stupid enough to ask for help from a demon. Few people find their souls worth selling.” She gazed at him, her lips pursed a little and her shoulders squaring back, as if she were daring him to argue with her.

Challenging her was not something he wanted to do. Instead he put both of his hands behind his head as he walked down the hallway of the hotel. “I never thought he was a honest man. Hello, he gets back in town after a long business trip, and he doesn't spend his first night back with his wife? Lying to your soulmate is a dead giveaway you're pretty scuzzy. However, I am not one to deny anyone the opportunity for revenge, especially if it's revenge on a common enemy. There's a phrase that goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“And there is truth to that statement, my lord. But please keep a close eye on him.”

“I will. I don't trust him anymore than I trust you,” he said with a pointed nod.

The devilish grin returned to her face. “You're learning.”