Monster's Ball :Shadow In Time (12 page)

Looking at him in silence, Rena thought that if any other man had said that (before tonight), she would have laughed in his face and told him he needed to work on his pick-up lines. But after the things she had witnessed and experienced this evening, she couldn't deny the fact that nothing was impossible, even falling in love with a man who was a ghost. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, every fiber of her being reveled in the fact she had sparked his desire to such a level he wanted to begin a new life with her. Reaching up and gently burying her hands in his thick hair, she replied in a silky voice, “I hope one day we get to meet the Fate's and thank them. I love you too, Gavin St Cloud, with all my heart.”

Kissing the top of her head again, a beautiful smile brightened his face, then he chuckled as an expectant look came on her face as she looked around the room.

Gazing around the room like a child in a candy store, Rena didn't quite know what to expect. Harps? An angelic choir appearing and singing perhaps? With all she'd witnessed so far, she expected... well, something. Clearing her throat nervously, she looked back at him, licked her lips and asked in a quavering voice, “Well, isn't something supposed to happen?”

Hearing that, Gavin's head fell back and a foreign sound erupted from him, the sound of his own laughter. “The pomp and circumstances will come after Thoth does the resurrection spell.” he sputtered as his laughter subsided into a series of chuckles. “That means I'll be immortal, and I'll be free of this place. Then we can go anywhere you wish.” The next part he was somewhat hesitant to mention, but he knew he had to tell her. “After the spells is done, the next time we make love and speak the words that will bind us, you will become an immortal too. We should dress and wait for Thoth.” he finished, then started to rise.

Grabbing him by one arm, her eyes grew wider than ever. “Immortal? Wow.” she breathed, biting her lower lip, thinking about how drastically this love would change her.
But it will be a good change
....she amended silently. Not stopping to ponder the ramifications of such an act, she blurted, “Alright, let’s get dressed and wait for him.”

Grabbing her outstretched hand, Gavin pulled her to her feet. Kissing her once more, they both dressed as quickly as they could. Helping her adjust the shoulder straps on her dress, he couldn't stop thinking how wonderful it felt to be with her, feeling the warmth of her chocolate skin, and how she made him feel, a deep, soul stirring love
. I will love her until the end of time
....he vowed to himself. Stepping in front of her, he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close, planting a tantalizing kiss in the hollow of her neck.

Feeling his stiffness pressing against her, Rena felt herself growing wet again. Moaning and rubbing his arms with both hands, she whispered, “Gavin, we can't, at least not right now. You said Thoth was coming.”

On the verge of trying to talk her into some quick, pre-resurrection spell sex, a sudden, almost palpable heaviness in the air silenced him before he had a chance to speak. Somehow sensing it wasn't his friend's arrival, a sudden dread filled his entire being, knowing that whatever, or whoever it was, wasn't going to be pleasant. Grabbing her by both wrists, he thrust Rena behind him roughly, for her own protection.

“Gavin, what the...” she yelped, shocked by his sudden attitude change. “Gavin, let me go, you're hurting my wrists! What the hell is wrong with you?” Trying to pull free from his grip, her stomach dropped, thinking he was going to tell her to leave. She had heard about guys transforming from Prince Charming to a frog after sex, and prayed this wouldn't be the case.

“Stay behind me! Don't move.” he practically growled at her.

Feeling his grip on her wrists tighten even more, she started to ask him what was wrong, but was too alarmed at the way his intense gaze was sweeping the room, as if expecting the unexpected. Feeling the temperature in the room suddenly plummet, her eyes grew as wide as saucers when she saw her own breath in the air.

Releasing her wrists, Gavin took a step back, spreading both arms wide, centering himself in front of her protectively.

What sounded like a loud clap of thunder suddenly echoed throughout the room, making Rena scream. Practically leaping forward and wrapping both arms around Gavin's waist, she pressed her face against his back fearfully.

“Love, no matter what happens, stay behind me. And when I tell you to, I want you to make a run for it and find Thoth as quickly as you can.” Gavin said, bracing himself for a fight with what or who he did not yet know.

“Gavin, who is it, or WHAT is it?” Rena quailed.

Finally putting two-and-two together, a look of grim determination settled across his face. “Mariotte Whitman, show your black-hearted soul, I know it's you!” his voice thundered with self-righteous wrath.

Opening her mouth to speak, Rena was on the verge of telling him there was no way she was leaving him alone with whatever or whoever was coming, but she gagged instead as an awful stench filled the room
. Death, that's what it is! It smells like road kill in the summer!
She thought.

“YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE HERE!” an unearthly mixture of inhuman voices cried, seeming to come from every direction.

Cursing in Gaelic, Gavin shouted, “Go hifreann leat!” (“To hell with you!”)

Confused, Rena didn't know what he was saying, but her entire body began shaking with fear as a horrifying figure she guessed had once been a woman appeared before them in a cloud of yellow smoke.

Peering at them through a curtain of oily black hair that was tangled and knotted with dead leaves and twigs, the apparition giggled with sadistic glee, sounding as mad as a hatter.

Wanting to scream, Rena felt faint, but her horrified eyes refused to look away. Suddenly needing to go to the bathroom very badly, what frightened her the most was the fact the woman...or thing...or hag...had no eyes. Where the woman's eyes should have been was nothing but two dark pools of blackness. As the thing raised a twisted, knotted, disfigured hand and pointed a bony finger at them, Rena thought,
She's nothing but skin and bone! And what's with the way her head is twisted at such an
odd angle? Looks like her neck's broken. Or WAS broken!
Still gagging on the overpowering stench that permeated the room, she closed her eyes for a moment, hoping against hope that it was all a bad dream.

“Begone, demon from Hell!” Gavin commanded in a weak, hoarse voice that only served to terrify his new lover more than ever.

“You escaped me once, Gavin St Cloud, but not this time!” Mariotte screeched as she wagged her outstretched finger admonishingly, spittle and foam flying from her mouth like a rabid dog. “ I have consorted with the lowest of demons for one hundred and fifty nine years, just so I could come back for you.” she giggled insanely. Turning her terrible, empty gaze on Rena, she was still speaking to Gavin as she hissed, “Like I killed your bitch more than a century and a half ago, I'll kill this one too. You'll love no one but me!”

Hearing the threat, rage suddenly gripped his entire being, replacing every shred of fear that had been there before. His large frame seeming to expand with each breath, he thundered, “You evil hag, you will not harm her. I'll die, I'll welcome death for the dead before I let you. You can try to kill me, but believe this, I will gladly give up my life, my very soul, in order to save her!”

Cackling gleefully, the witch mocked, “Your soul to save her. Now, where have I heard that before?”

Ignoring the taunt, Gavin added, “And as I leave this realm, I promise you, you murdering bitch, I'll grab you around that scrawny neck of yours and pull you down to Hell with me! I'll gladly go there if it means I'll get to rip you limb from limb each and every day, for all of eternity! ”

“How touching. You're still quite the charmer, but you still belong to me. You always will!” the insane apparition tittered, then seemed to solidify before their very eyes. Lowering her head briefly, the hideous old woman's mouth worked for a moment, flashing them what was supposed to be a smile. Baring her sharp teeth, they suddenly began clicking, sounding like a thousand piranhas ripping at human flesh. “Very well, Gavin St. Cloud, your life and soul for hers!” she laughed.

“THOTH!!!!” Gavin cried desperately.

“The wizard CANNOT and WILL NOT save you this time!” the hag screamed, thrusting both hands forward dramatically as two beams of black light shot from them, enveloping Gavin, pulling his life force apart.

Levitating a full three feet off the floor, Gavin's entire body began to twitch and jerk violently, spasming as if electrical currents were being shot through him. Screaming as a soul-searing wave of agony washed over and through him, it took every resource at his command to keep from begging for mercy.

Babbling for leniency on his behalf, Rena reacted without hesitation. In an act of bravery fueled by blind love, she bolted forward and into the path of the dark beams of destruction. Knowing she was sacrificing her own soul for his, she didn't care, then screamed louder than ever as the soul-searing agony her lover had been experiencing moments earlier ripped through her. “STOP...don't hurt him!” she begged.

Falling to the floor as weak as a newborn, Gavin's body crumpled as if boneless. Barely able to lift his head, his vision blurred with tears of impotent rage and fear at seeing his helpless lover in the clutches of the once-human devil. “Oh God no......RENA!!!!” he blubbered, clawing at the floor weakly. “THOTH!!!” he screamed desperately for the second time.

“SILENCE!!! My consorts have blinded the wizard for the moment, and no one can stop me short of Hades himself!” the witch screeched.

Feeling her life fading away, and her very soul being ripped to shreds, Rena's eyes misted as she heard the love, terror, and desperation in Gavin's sobs, more convinced than ever that she was, or could have been, his soul mate. “Gavin, I love y....” she cried hoarsely, her voice transforming into a scream of pure agony as a searing, unearthly wave of fire swept through her entire body.
I must be in Hell!
She thought numbly as her vision dimmed, and she slowly slipped into the merciful silence and darkness of nothing.

                                            
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                                                                                  Chapter 11

Hearing the sound of water splashing on rocks, Rena opened her eyes and silently took inventory of any possible injuries. “I don't hurt anymore.” she mumbled to herself as she gingerly probed the area of her chest where the witch's life-draining beams of negative energy had struck. “At least there’s no more pain, so I guess I can deal with being in Hell.” She mumbled. Closing her eyes again, a sweet, comfortable drowsiness quickly began taking hold. “You don't belong here, you gave your life for Gavin, just as I did. But you are his true mate.” a soft voice suddenly whispered in her ear.

With a startled yelp, Rena sat up and took in her surroundings. All around her it was nearly as dark as a moonless night, but oddly enough, the only light she could see was emanating from a black woman who stood nearby, dressed in what looked like a simple black robe. The woman's hair hung loosely around her face, in a thick black cloud. Blinking her eyes, she noticed the light around the woman seemed to be coming from her body.

Bending over and extending one hand, the stranger made a simple gesture, then grasped Rena's right hand, helping her to her feet.

Unable to explain how she knew, Rena blurted, “You're Knorr, aren't you? Why am I here?”

Reaching out, Knorr touched her on the cheek with the tips of her fingers, creating an almost instant calm in the girl.

“Yes, I'm Knorr, and you're Rena, my great, great niece. I had a friend bring you here.” she replied, dropping both hands by her sides. “I wanted to make sure the two people I love have a chance at happiness. I've watched you grow into a wonderful young woman, and I know you can make Gavin happy.” the woman finished in a voice that was filled with love.

Tears gathering in Rena's eyes, she replied, “Thank you. Is he alive?” Suddenly remembering the hag that had attacked them, she began to panic. “We have to get to him! Some witch woman attacked us. She was killing him!”

Wrapping both arms around her to comfort her, Knorr cooed, “Be calm, we are going to him.” Then, tilting her head up slightly, she closed her eyes and cried in a strong voice, “Lord Hades, come hither, I pray of you!”

                                                      
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“Form a protective circle around you and Gavin, quickly!” Thoth called to Lilith.

Obeying without hesitation, Lilith began chanting incantations as she pulled Gavin close in a protective embrace.

“You dare to thwart me again, Thoth!? And how came you to be here? My consorts wove a cloaking spell!” Mariotte spat.

Laughing mirthlessly, Thoth mocked, “And how dare YOU challenge ME again, witch! You have far underestimated me yet again, Mariotte. The lowliest of my acolytes possess equal powers to those you command, and those of your demonic minions, as well. But enough of that. You have been a thorn in my side far too long. Know then, the price for daring such!” he thundered.