The Four Horsemen(37)
She shakes her head, “I didn’t know. I’m sorry I judged you.”
I kiss her cheek, “You didn’t. The memories are not mine and the transgression wasn’t done to me.”
She laughs, “You still talk like them sometimes.”
I laugh, “It’s like a habit. It’s for the best though, I sound like an idiot when I talk like me. Rayne, the hippie’s kid.”
She wraps an arm around my neck, “Come on, I like it when you act like a sunflower.”
I laugh, “It’s flower child.”
Michelle is sulking on the couch. I stand with my back to the fire and toast my buns. She gives me a look, “Why does she get to be a fairy princess?”
I laugh and look at Stella who rolls her eyes.
Wyatt comes in and sits down on the couch. He pats the seat next to him. I shake my head.
Michelle scowls, “I’m serious, it’s so not fair. I didn’t know I could trade my soul for stuff like that.”
I laugh harder, “Stop being a baby. Mona fell in love with him and he fell in love with her. They never planned it or used magic or schemed.”
Wyatt points at her, “Your problem is that you think you’re entitled to things you don’t work for.”
Michelle gets up and runs from the room. I sigh but it’s Stella who goes after her.
Wyatt walks to me, wrapping himself around me. I take a deep breath of him and savor it.
“You’re weak, you need to eat.”
I nod, “I know. I just don’t want it to get to you.”
He pulls back, “Rayne, if you don’t eat, you won’t be strong enough to fight the antichrist. That’s the important thing, saving the world.”
“I know.”
Maria comes into the room with a tray of drinks. I take one, “Thank you.”
She shakes her head, “I only wish it were your real food.”
I give her a look, “Want me to cleanse you of your evil?”
She nods and hands Wyatt the tray. Gently, I take her face in my hands and press my lips against hers. Nothing but love and kindness and goodness comes out. It has no flavor. I would starve if I had to eat off of her. I push her back, “You are sin free, Maria.”
She shakes her head, “No. I think bad thoughts about Constantine regularly.”
He walks into the living room as she says it. He scowls, “Why is it always the one you love the most, who betrays you the worst.”
Maria gasps, “You no meant to hear that.”
He laughs, “I deserve every bad thought you have, fair Maria.”
She is flushed and upset when she snatches the tray and leaves the room.
I smile at him, “I bet that stung.”
He shakes his head, “My heart hasn’t been the kind that damages easily for centuries.” He sits, always looking regal. “How are the fae?”
“Good. The king and queen are likely to be seated at their throne now, the vile thing Gill called a mother is in exile. The nixie and earth witches were hanging out beyond the gate like old cronies.”
His eyes narrow, “The vile thing he called mother is likely to be joining forces behind your back.”
Wyatt nods, “I agree. She has probably gone to the antichrist.”
He winces, “The nixie and the earth witches, friends again in celebration, huh?”
“Yup.”
He shakes his head, “That’s not good. That’s what caused the last witch wars, sides being taken.”
I give him a look, “What?”
He nods and Wyatt looks like he is deep in thought, “Maybe the air and fire witches won’t know.”
Constantine starts to laugh, it’s his bitter laugh. Wyatt joins him. I missed the joke apparently, ‘cause I am confused.
“The world is ruined and a huge chunk of the population is dead. The rest are displaced and dying. Who cares what the witches do? What power do they have now?”
Wyatt slaps his hand across my lips. It hurts the way he presses his hand. Constantine looks around the room.
I am super lost.
Constantine gives Wyatt a nod after a minute. Wyatt looks at me, “The air witches have been watching us. They think you are loyal to them, the angel faction.”
I scowl, but before I can say anything, Wyatt puts his fingers to my lips, “Let’s not have thoughts or feelings about anything that doesn’t involve us.”
“Will the angels come back?” I ask through his fingers.
He nods, “Michael will lead an army of angels with the savior against the antichrist who will also have his followers.”
“Michael?”
He sighs, “I liked it better when you at least had some of the memories of the other girls—Michael the archangel.”
I give Constantine a look, “So he will fight with us?”
Constantine’s eyes sparkle, “If we fight for the right side. Otherwise, we could end up with a three-way war. Or a witch war that will weaken us.”
“Who will be on the antichrist’s side?”
Constantine’s eyes sparkle even more, like he is laughing inwardly. “Lucifer, of course. He and the other fallen.”
I scowl, “But Lucifer is dead.”
Wyatt gives me a look, “The angel Lucifer is dead, now Lucifer the devil will rise. He will build an army and fight alongside his antichrist, and try to kill you.”
“WHAT? WHY DOESN’T ANYONE TELL ME THIS SHIT?”
“Everyone knows that Lucifer the devil breeds the antichrist.”
Constantine points at Wyatt, “Everyone! It’s common knowledge. Think of all the Hollywood productions.”
I scowl, “I thought when we killed him, he died.”
Wyatt gives me a comical look, “He’s an angel. He may choose his form when he dies.”
Something about that makes sense. I remember a conversation somewhere, somehow about that. I lift a hand to my face, “He may choose to be a devil? So killing him was really actually freeing him to try to kill me again?”
Wyatt nods and looks at Constantine who smiles, “Yes. However, if you had not killed him, you would be dead by your birthday. Now you may live as long as you wish. If you kill the antichrist, if he kills you, obviously you won’t live.”
He and Wyatt chuckle.
I swallow hard, look at them both, and turn and walk from the room.
“Screw that!” I storm to the bedroom and touch the star.
The lady is there, not Willow or Fitz. I sigh and sit on the hillside. She comes and sits next to me, “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head, “Nothing. Just having one of those days, weeks, years, lives. You know?”
She laughs, “I do not. I have had a wonderful life.” I glance at her funky style, “How come you have modern clothes now?”
She smiles, “I went out into the world and saw what is there. I am able to make myself appear how I wish.”
I sigh, “You are able to choose your form.”
She nods happily.
I reach up for the star to Fitz’s painting, “Tell Willow I said hi, if you see her.” I touch the painting and end up back in my room, alone.
The Dead
I wake with a jolt, sitting up and looking around the dark room. My eyes do their thing. I can feel something calling me. I slip from the bed and tiptoe down the long corridor in the castle.
I see light under a door. I open it, peeking inside. Liana, Ezara, Maggie and Ellie are there. They hold their fingers to their lips, “Come and see, sister.”
Ellie takes my hand, pulling me down the stairs to a room I didn’t know existed.
I can hear voices and smell evil when I get to the bottom of the stairs. We walk along a dark hallway, all of us hidden by the shadows except for our glowing silver eyes. We pass a mirror and I stop, looking at the five of us. We are like a horror movie. Ellie pulls me to a huge wooden door. Ezara turns the long handle and pushes the door open. No one turns to face us. They don’t see us, I am with the dead. It makes me invisible.
She looks back at us, “Look.”
I see hundreds of people milling about the basement. It looks like a huge tavern from a movie. It looks that way until I look harder. Then I see it.
The evil is coming off of the bleeding people lying on the bar. The men and women who are standing and talking all have black eyes and fangs. Some bend over, sipping from the dying people on the bar.
A woman laughs as dark-red blood drips from her fangs onto her pale skin. She points at the man next to her and shouts something. I can’t understand it, it’s not in English.
A man looks at me, but through me. I feel a shiver as suddenly the back of Constantine’s head is right in front of my face. He turns and looks behind him skeptically. The people stop moving and speaking when they see he is there. They drop to their knees, in respect of him as their leader, their maker. He holds his hands out and speaks in a language I do not know.
Ellie whispers the words in my ear as he says them, “Our time is coming brothers and sisters. We will have our rightful seat at the hand of the ruler; we just have to wait a bit longer. When he calls for us, we will go to him and this will end. We will no longer be ashamed of who or what we are. We will no longer conform to their ways, to HIS ways!”
The crowd cheers for him.
He looks back and shivers again. Several of the most beautiful people I have ever seen are pushed through the doorway and through me. They are men and women, all stunning and completely naked.
Constantine waves a hand, “Have your fun and your fill.” He turns and walks from the room, again through me. He pauses and looks on at the five of us huddled there, as if he sees us but I can tell he doesn’t. He waves a hand in the air, frowning.