Torment (33 page)

“Here’s to friendship, love and romance,” Danny said, raising his beer bottle.

All of us tapped our bottles and glasses together.

“And hopefully a nice uninterrupted night,” he said afterwards.

“Here’s hoping!” Eligos said, lying on his side with his head resting in his hand.

“It’s beautiful up here,” Hecate smiled, looking out towards the lights of the town.

“I know, I used to come up here all the time,” Danny told us.

“What changed?”

“This stuff started happening; I guess I’ve just not had chance since. But let’s not talk about that; let’s completely forget about everything for tonight.”

“I agree,” Eligos said.

“OK, well, I’m the stranger here, so I think you should all tell me something about yourselves. Well, not Eligos obviously.”

“I’ve got a better idea. How do you fancy going back to your childhood days?” Danny said, looking at Hecate and Eligos in turn. “Play the truth game. We can all ask questions and whoever has to answer has to tell the absolute truth.”

“Oh God, I used to play this with Lily and some guys back home when I was drunk,” I said, smirking.

We all decided to see what sort of questions we would come up with. Plus it was some light-hearted fun. Something we didn't get very much of now.

“OK, I’ll go first,” Danny said. “Keira, what was the most embarrassing thing you did as a child.”

“Oh no, I’m not answering that.”

“Oh come on. You can’t chicken out already,” Hecate said.

“OK, OK, I was eight. My mom was out and I always used to like dressing up in her clothes. So I ran into her room and put all her underwear on. I padded her bra out with my dad’s socks, pulled one of her skirts on and ran downstairs in them. Notice I didn't say I pulled a top on. Anyway, I ran into the living room to find my dad in there with loads of his friends having a few beers. All of them thought it was really cute, but I just wanted the world to swallow me up. I was so embarrassed I just burst into tears.”

The three of them were laughing at me now.

“Oh shut up, leave me alone,” I giggled.

“You should dress up like that again,” Eligos laughed. “Let us all see what you look like.”

“That’s not funny!” I said, giving him a playful shove.

“OK, OK, let’s not embarrass her too much. She’s tough remember; she could take us all on and win,” Danny smirked. “Right, Eligos. What is the worst thing that could possibly happen to you?”

“Oh hang on,” Hecate protested, “Keira has to get embarrassed but Eligos gets an easy question.”

“Yeah, I do,” Eligos grinned. “The worse thing would be if I lost Keira.”

“Awwww!” Hecate said.

I turned to look at him and smiled slightly, before leaning over and kissing him.

“That’s the truth. Nothing else would break, no sorry, destroy my heart,” he said when the kiss ended.

“Right, stop it now or I’ll end up in tears,” I said, getting rather emotional.

“Yeah, we want a happy night with no tears,” Danny said.

“Right, now I get to ask a question…” Hecate said. “Hmm, Danny, your turn…”

“Oh God, here we go,” he smiled.

“What is your dream in life…what do you want more than anything?”

“That’s an easy question actually. I want to be respected for who I am, and I want to be the best I can be. I want to be able to protect the people I love most and never see them hurt. I want to marry a woman who makes me go weak at the knees every time I look at her. I want her to love me as much as I will love her, and I will do everything, anything, to make her happy.”

“Danny, you big softie,” I smirked.

“Yeah well, that’s just how I am. I’m not cold-hearted or one for sleeping around. I just want to be with someone and keep them.”

“Got anyone in mind?” Eligos asked him, grinning.

“It’s my turn. Hecate, I’m picking on you since you haven’t answered anything yet.”

“Be kind.”

“Ohhh, I got a horrible question…why should I be nice?”

“Please!” she begged.

“Fine, what do you look for in a guy?” I asked.

Hecate answered without embarrassment. “I like them to be loving and caring, to take an interest in some of the things I’m interested in. I don't expect them to like everything I do, but a few common interests would be nice. He would have to be tall and dark haired, since I’m not attracted to blonds. He would have to have nice teeth and smell gorgeous. He would know his own mind and have his own opinions, but not force them on others. I don't care about his skin color or eye color or anything like that. I just want him to be nice to look at in my eyes. I don't care what anyone else thinks of him, I want him to love and respect me as much as I would him.”

“I think everyone wants that,” Eligos said.

“So you don't think I’m asking too much?”

“Not at all,” I told her. “You could have said: rich, with fast cars, blue eyes, small nose, big lips, small ears and so on…but you didn't; you just want a man with a heart. That isn’t a lot to ask for.”

“I don't want him to only see me as someone to warm his bed, and I don't want a selfish lover,” she added.

“Every girl would agree with you. I wouldn't want to be a bed warmer or be treated like a piece of meat either.”

“You will never be seen as that,” Eligos said, stroking my back slightly.

“Hey, guys, she’s setting,” Danny said, pointing out towards the sun.

All of us went silent. Hecate moved closer to Danny and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and laid his head against hers. Eligos sat behind me and pulled me backwards so I was sitting between his legs. He wrapped his arms around me and put his head next to mine. I put my arms over his and squeezed slightly. We stayed silent as we watched the sun disappear beyond the horizon.

It was a beautiful moment. All of us were happy and comfortable around each other. We spoke freely together and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. Who would have thought, after the way me and Danny started out, that we would be sitting together, close friends, with our lovers beside us, watching the sunset…?

Chapter Forty-Three

All You Have To Do…Is Try!

I was lying on one of the sunbeds in my side garden with Lily lying on the one next to me. I was telling her how nice it was up on the hill the night before, watching the sunset and feeling love and friendship all around us, as though it was in the air itself, surrounding us. She thought it was beautiful and asked if she and Jake would be able to go with myself and Eligos one night. I knew she would love it and so I told her I would go whenever she wanted, knowing that Eligos wouldn't say no to going there again.

“Are you sure he won’t mind, Keira?” Lily said to me.

“Listen, he loved it, he loves all the romance. He’s never experienced it before. It’s all new to him. When we got home and we’d gotten in bed, he pulled me into his arms and said he wished that we could do something that romantic every night.”

“Bless him! I actually feel really sorry for him you know. I know he’d go mad if he heard me say that, but I do. To go four and a half millennia without love, or even just a companion, I couldn’t do it.”

“You would if you had to,” I told her.

“Yeah, but he
didn't
have to. He could have gotten himself a girlfriend. He was on his own all that time by choice. He said it himself; he wasn’t interested in anyone. How could that be, really? He must have met billions upon billions of people over that amount of time. How could nobody have caught his attention?” she asked, bewildered.

“I don't know, but that's how it was. Lilith confirmed it. Not that I needed her too; he’s never lied to me about anything. He doesn’t have to and he knows that.”

“Oh no I didn't think he was lying, Keira. Please don't think that. I just can’t imagine it, that's all. But at least he found you; you two were destined to be together.”

“I told him I thought I was born to love him, that I was made especially for him. Whether he’d have wanted me or not, I would have always wanted him.”

“I know you would have.”

“And what are you two lovely ladies up to?” Tyler asked, as he walked over and sat on the chair in front of us.

“Not much,” Lily said. “Just chatting away and enjoying the sunshine.”

“Where’s Jake and Eligos?”

“Jake’s gone to see his mom.”

“And Eligos has gone to see some of the members of his army, his captains I think,” I told him.

“What’s he gone to see them about?”

“He just wanted to check everyone was OK and see that they were still training hard.”

“Fair enough,” he said, like he wasn’t really interested. “So have you got anything planned for today?”

“I’m going out with Marley. I need to talk to her in private about a few things,” I told him.

“Right, OK. Well, God knows what I’m gonna do today,” he sighed.

“You’ll find something,” I said, getting up off the sunbed. “I’m gonna see if Marley’s finished her breakfast and if she’s ready. I’ll see you guys later.”

I walked into the house and crashed straight into Marley.

“I was just going to shout for you; I’m ready when you are,” she said, smiling.

I got my car keys off the key holder in the kitchen and we left. I took her to the quiet little café me and Lucian went in a while ago. The one I never knew existed tucked away down a little backstreet. There were only three other people in there. I bought us a latte each and we sat in the corner next to the window.

“Is everything OK?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just need to talk to you about something. It’s something Lilith mentioned to me not so long ago and it made me think of you.”

“What is it?”

“Well, as you know, nobody up to now has been able to find out who’s killing all these people and giving the orders to attack us. Countless people have been questioned – Lords, Ladies, even goddesses have used spells, very powerful ones may I add, to try and find the demon responsible,” I explained. “I asked Lilith if there was anything I could do to try and help and she said…Not unless you know an extremely powerful psychic.”

“I’m not extremely powerful, Keira.”

“But you could be. You’ve never really tried; you’ve never had too. What if you could see them, Marley? If you knew who it was we could stop them before anyone else died.”

“I can’t control it like that. I have visions, and they just come when they want to. I’ve never just made them happen you know; they just do.”

“Would you try?”

“I don't know…What if I fail.”

“Marley, you probably will a few times before you see anything that could help. Don't worry about that. If you can’t do it you can’t; it’s as simple as that. None of us would hold anything against you. You’d have tried and that would always be appreciated. We all need to stop lazing around and
do
something, but without a lead, something to start us off, what
can
we do?” I said.

“Who would help?” she asked, looking deep in thought.

“Most likely Hecate and myself. Possibly Eligos and Unsere.”

“Who is Unsere?”

“A friend, she is a goddess. She should be able to help us, and she’s really nice. I think you will like her.”

“Is she as nice as Hecate?”

“She is. I’ve known Unsere longer than Hecate. I met her when I first went to Hell. If there is anything she can do to help, she’ll do it,” I told her.

“What will I have to do?”

“I’m not sure yet. I read a few books in the Palace library while I was away a few weeks ago. It said that with practice and concentration, a physic should be able to see whatever they wanted to see. As long as they opened their minds.”

“My mind is always open. I’ve never been any different – that’s why I have visions.”

“So will you try for us?” I asked. “Please.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise you a result, Keira. I wish I could.”

“Don't worry! I told you, just trying is appreciated.”

“When are we going to start then?”

“As soon as possible.”

“OK,” she said, taking deep breath.

We both went quiet for a while and drank our lattes. I could tell she was worried. She wanted to help as much as she could, but she was frightened, and I understood that. She was so young and this was all so new to her. She had lost half of her family, and seen things she should never have had to see. She knew what was coming could possibly mean that some of us, all of us, could end up dying, and yet she remained by our side and had vowed to stay with us till the end. No matter what the outcome. She was braver than she thought, stronger than she knew. Maybe, just maybe, if she pulled this off, she would realize what power she had inside her.

“As a matter of fact I had a vision last night,” she said, not looking at me.

“About what.”

“I’m not sure. I saw two figures, but I couldn’t make out who they were. One was on the floor, in what looked like a pool of blood. He was half lying in the middle of some big drawing, like a circle with patterns inside…”

“He?” I interrupted.

“I think it was male. I sensed both the figures were male. I could be wrong though.”

“OK, carry on,” I said softly.

“Well, the other figure seemed to be throwing energy at the one on the floor. Then the one who was standing had a dagger of some kind in his hand. He walked over to the one on the floor and went to stab him I think,” she trailed off.

“And then?”

“And then the vision ended.”

“Do you know where they were?”

“No, it was quite dark, no sunlight. The room looked like it was made from stone. It was old, no furniture, just some rock slabs dotted about. I saw candles on the floor and flames without candles to support them around the back of the room. But that's about it.”

“I don't know what that means. Do you?”

“No idea, but I didn't feel scared. Just angry, upset, it was…strange.”

“I don't know what to do with that information, but I’ll remember it. I suggest you do too, just in case.”

“I never forget my visions. Not any of them, I could tell you every vision I’ve ever had,” she told me.