Embrace the Desire (28 page)

Looking down at his hands, which now were framed with long black fingernails, he knew what lay underneath the skin of his knuckles. He flexed his hands, growling in absolute enthrallment, and looked down into his father's yellow eyes. A grunt of self-satisfaction rasped from his mouth, hell, he had grown some seven inches or better. Yeah, he was so his father's son and then some.

• • •

Varick turned to Payne as a blinding pain took him to his knees. A Destroyer's face appeared before his eyes and he watched helplessly as his soul was sucked from his body by a giant horned vampire. Rage and sadness enveloped him as he saw the life leave the Destroyer's eyes. How could this be happening? How could a vampire that strong be so close and Varick not notice?

Pulling himself to his feet, Varick trembled as Payne threw back his head letting the powers take over. So, it had come down to this? He silently prayed that Payne would not go over to the other side. Shaking himself, he stumbled to Angelica who was trying, without much luck, to unwrap a light pole from her legs.

He would have to let Payne deal with Damon, not that he wanted to, but everything in him screamed it had to be done, that this was the crossroads where Payne was meant to be. He had to be the one to make this choice.

Angelica kicked at the wooden pole and frowned as pain shot up her legs. Tons of splinters bit into her flesh as she jerked trying to free herself from its clutches. She watched breathlessly as Varick snapped the pole in pieces as if it were a toothpick.

Pulling her to her feet, Varick turned to Chanta. She was lifeless, bones apparently broken and blood everywhere. Rushing to her, he carefully lifted her head.

Sadness enveloped him, rage festered in his heart. This was his fault, she wouldn't have been hurt if he had control of his powers.

Looking to the Heavens, he swore to their father, “If anything happens to her, I will find you and I will rip out your heart.”

Chanta groaned, her body jerking as it began healing. Varick held his breath as she twisted in his arms.

He smoothed her blood soaked hair from her face. “Chanta?” Varick's voice cracked. Tears of blood fell from his white eyes. “Sister mine?”

Chanta's blurry vision tried to clear. She could hear Varick's voice over the thunderous noise in her brain, could make out his outline silhouetted by unearthly blue and green light, and sense his destructive emotions. Slowly, she tried to sit up, her bones and flesh mending. The relief that washed over Varick's face almost stunned her. Not many people had honestly cared about her and it made her heart bloom.

Darkness closed in, her mother's voice bouncing around her head like acid on metal. Unable to make out what she was saying, Chanta refused to give in to the inky dark depths that were trying to pull her under. Reaching out, she grabbed Varick's shirt and turned her head trying to find Payne. He had to be okay.

“It's time.” Lysander's voice grabbed her attention as he appeared behind Varick. Angelica was crouched next to Varick, the Angel's appearance going unnoticed.

Lysander was poised with sword in hand, pointed the thing straight at Chanta's head. “This death will not be wasted. Your mother wants to take the throne, wants your father dead.”

Before Chanta could scream or even move, Gyth appeared, his long white hair fanning out as red streaks ran down its length. Death was in his eyes as he tackled Lysander and the sword went flying across the parking lot.

Gyth moved so fast, she couldn't keep up. Their bodies became blurs as they rolled around, fists thundering into one another's faces. One second Lysander was on his feet, the next he was flung against Tortured Soul's wall with Gyth all up in his grill.

Varick pulled her to her feet just as Lysander fell to his knees before Gyth. Pointing to the display, Chanta heard herself say. “Someone help him.”

Varick turned, his eyes widening as Gyth bent down and retrieved Lysander's sword. Chanta stepped forward, intent on stopping her father until Lysander spoke. Gold blood dripped from the Angel's mouth and nose, his eyes glowing with an illuminating light.

“There will be consequences for killing an Angel.” Lysander bowed his head, his eyes peering at Chanta. “But I release you from blame or guilt, I knew my death was but a moment away when I materialized on this earth.”

Lysander spoke again, softly and Chanta's heart chilled in her chest. “Your mother erased yours and Payne's destinies from Jaiden's books. She wanted you to die, knew it would cause Varick to destroy Gyth so that she could take your father's throne and condemn all humanity. All because your father refused to have her as his queen.”

Chanta screamed as Gyth raised Lysander's sword and brought it down, slicing the angel through his neck. She turned to her father as Lysander's head rolled toward her. “Why did you kill him?” Her voice rumbled inside her head as she rushed forward and beat her fists into Gyth's chest. “He didn't deserve to die.”

“He tried to kill you.” Gyth turned on his heel, his body dematerializing. “And your mother will pay the price also.”

Varick grabbed Chanta's arms and turned her around to face him. “I would have done the same.”

“No.” Chanta pulled away as she heard a growl erupt from Payne's throat. “This isn't happening.” She grabbed her head as a dull roar echoed around her brain, Payne's emotions ripping through her. “Make them stop, Varick.”

“He needs to do this, Chanta. He has to. This is where his destiny has been leading him his entire life.”

“You don't understand.” She grabbed her chest, felt Payne's misery and rage. “He's standing on the edge of good and evil.”

He shook his head. “We all know this is what Payne needs. He has to face his father.”

“We?” She looked around, countless Destroyers emerged from the buildings, the dark streets, and some appeared out of thin air.

“Yes, we all have been waiting for Payne to face Damon.” Varick pointed to Payne. “Let him make his own destiny.”

Payne and Damon were fighting, each holding their own. The air was cold, the temperature dropping the longer she stood there with the Destroyers and Varick all lining up behind her. The rumble inside her head grew louder, like a train in the distance getting closer with each passing second.

With each impact of fists, Chanta's heart thundered louder and louder. She watched, not because she wanted to, but because she couldn't tear her eyes away from Payne. Somehow, he had become more than just important to her, he had stolen her heart, her very soul. And as she watched the man she loved fight with such vengeance and menace, his agony became hers.

Payne landed on his back, his roar filled with anger, menace, and vengeance. Damon towered over him, laughing as Bastilla came out of the shadows at a sprinters pace. In her hand, Chanta saw the dagger, saw the evil twist of her full lips as Bastilla came right straight at her.

Chanta felt Payne look at her, felt his sudden fear, something she knew Payne had never experienced. Chanta understood in that moment what Bastilla had wanted from Payne, not his love, but his power. She had used Payne all those years ago and was trying to do it again.

And then the air stilled. The roar in Chanta's mind overtook her thoughts and actions. There was only one thing she knew she had to do, protect Payne.

Bastilla launched herself at Chanta, the knife coming up and slicing downwards. Chanta stood still, her eyes narrowing as time seemed to slow. She watched as if she alone held the remote, Bastilla's face twisted in rage, her eyes so full of hate. From the corner of her eye, she saw Varick step forward, but with a slight push of her hand, Chanta sent him sprawling backwards.

She felt her powers rise, they pulled together in the center of her chest as her wings split out from her back. Tiny black flames danced along her skin as her body lifted into the air.

Looking down at Payne, Chanta smiled as she raised her hands and lightning streaked across the sky, came together and blasted the ground in front of Bastilla. Bastilla's body flew backwards landing with a thump against a parked bus. On her hands and knees, she screamed in anger.

“You're no match for me.” Bastilla stood, her eyes glowing green as she reached to the sky and started chanting.

Chanta gritted her teeth as Bastilla lunged forward again, this time with clawed hands held out and glittering sharp teeth emerging from her lips. With a bitter laugh, Chanta crouched and leapt forward meeting her head on.

Between blows and curses, Chanta calmly said, “All you need is a pointed hat and a broom.”

“And all you need to do is die.” Bastilla punched Chanta in the stomach. “And when you die, Payne will once more be mine.”

Doubled over, Chanta saw red. Literally. Her vision hazed over. When she spoke, Chanta didn't recognize her own voice. It was warped and twisted.

“FYI, I'm a demi-goddess, you two-bit worthless bitch. And not just any demi-goddess.” Chanta raised up and grabbed Bastilla by the throat. “And Payne is mine.”

With all she had, Chanta flung Bastilla backwards. Charon stepped out of the shadows and swung his scythe as Bastilla landed in front of him on her stomach. Chanta didn't turn away as his scythe cut deep and to the bone.

Bastilla's screams caught Damon's attention and he turned with a grin. Charon nodded at him as he vanished. Chanta didn't think, she ran toward Payne.

• • •

Damon's snakes poured from his body and attacked Chanta taking her to the ground. Payne breathed in deep as Chanta blasted the snakes away and was on her feet in the blink of an eye. Varick was grabbing her and pulling her away as Payne turned his attention back to his father.

Payne rolled to his left as Damon manifested a pair of swords and swung down at him. With a vicious kick, he knocked Damon backwards, the swords clattering to the asphalt. In a blur of black leather, Damon charged at him. They battered and rammed each other, banging into parked cars, shattering windshields, and knocking down light poles.

On one knee, Payne struggled to stand when something hot pierced his stomach. Looking down, he saw blood and lots of it as well as a dagger protruding from his stomach. Damon was laughing as he circled him.

“Son of mine.” Damon stopped in front of him as a wall of blue fire encircled them both blocking out the Destroyers. Blocking out Chanta. “Join me. Come to the Underworld and rule at my side.”

Payne shook his head as he stood and pulled the dagger out. “Why don't you go back down there and rot for two thousand more years?”

Damon threw his head back and laughed. “Come with me. Accept that power inside of you, feel the desire that courses through your soul to be my true son. Rule the Underworld with me as you were meant to.”

“Why would I rule with you when I could rule alone?” Payne snarled, his thoughts bending and twisting. “There's only one thing I have desired most of my life.”

“Tell me what it is and we can make it happen. Together, we can rule this pathetic world.” He paced back and forth. “We can conquer Gyth and take the Heavens to its knees.”

“Your death. I have wanted it for so long, it's all I have ever known.” Payne saw Chanta through the flames, the worry and the fear written on her face as she tried to see him. “But no longer do I desire it. I no longer wish for those things.”

Damon stilled. “I can give you anything you desire or wish for.” He stepped toe to toe with Payne. “Look deeper into that black mass of a heart. We both know what you truly want. Power, more and more power to conquer your fears, to get everything you ever wanted.”

Payne stepped back, his powers and the Underworld pulling at him from every emotion he had ever felt. He could rule, he could destroy both his father and Gyth. He could stop the insanity by losing his own. And lose Chanta in the process.

Payne shook his head in an attempt to clear the thought his god powers were conjuring up. “No, father. There is one thing that I want, that I desire, that I need that you can never give me.”

Blue flames raced up Payne's arms as he lunged at Damon. Burying the dagger to the hilt in Damon's chest, Payne watched his father's surprised expression. The flames on his arms covered Damon and swirled around them both.

Jerking backwards, Damon jerked the dagger out. “There is nothing I can't give you.”

With a mighty roar, Payne slammed his fist into Damon's wound. “You can never love me. Now, go back to hell and stay there.”

Damon fell forward and grabbed Payne's arms, disbelief filling his eyes as blood spurted from his mouth. “Then why not kill me, son of mine?”

“Because you're my father.” Payne pulled out of Damon's grasp. “And because I'm nothing like you.”

The flames burned brighter and swirled out of control as Damon vanished with a roar. As the circle of blue flames died, Payne's eyes sought out Chanta, found her, and devoured her. Without doubt, she was the only thing that had kept him from destroying his father, kept him from becoming his father.

Charon stood before the Tree of Life, his thoughts scattered and confused. The instant he had crossed the threshold of disobeying Isten's orders, he had become a traitor . . . to his own grandfather, his own blood. And now, there was no turning back. Not that he wanted to.

No, he didn't want to turn back to that pantheon and watch as the universe imploded around him. No, he didn't want to be on the losing side of any battle that may loom in the future. And most of all, he didn't want to be subservient to a god that was imprisoned on an Isle dependent on others. He wanted emotions, free will, and the ability to refuse any bargain. What Charon wanted was his freedom.

In human form, with his black robes covering his entire body, the only thing that stood out were his eyes, which he knew were glowing with his reaper powers. Odd that the red tint to his vision plagued him now, after all the countless centuries he had been looking through these eyes.