Dark Destiny (34 page)

“My first night in Elton was a nightmare. I’d been walking forever and when I finally came into the city, I thought it was deserted. I thought, maybe, I had come to the wrong place. I had heard stories about it—Elton I mean—how it was up and coming, that there was plenty of work, but seeing it for the first time, it wasn’t what I expected. It was sad. That’s when I saw them.”

“Saw what?”

“Two witches coming out from the tree line. Called themselves Daughters of the Dream. Later, I found out they came by once every couple of months taking what they wished,
who
they wished.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Things of that nature are not really uncommon.”

“True. But it seemed that the town had had enough. Imogen had moved to the city just a few months before, but she decided to call her brother for help, Dalton.”

“That witch hunter was her
brother
?”

Cole nodded. “I saw Dalton fight off and kill both witches. It was amazing. He fought with more courage than I thought possible. Dalton saved a lot of people that night. If he hadn’t been there, things would have turned out badly. If it came down to a choice between him and me, I’d pick him every time. He’s a hero. I’m a nobody.”

“A nobody,” Sebastian repeated. “You honestly believe that?”

“Compared to Dalton? Yes. I can only imagine the good he has done. The lives he has saved.”

Silence lingered in the air. Finally, Sebastian broke it. “It seems the answer to my problem was in front of me this whole time. Little did I know that it would be in the form of an idiot.”

Cole cast his gaze down, staring at his boots. “I am an idiot.”

“True.” Sebastian sat up and sighed. “But you’re also a good person, Cole. Probably one of the most righteous humans I’ve ever met. I see that you have a good heart. I hear it in your words. Jumping in front that human to save him, maybe at the cost of your own life?”

“It’s what anybody would have done.”

“Nobody does that.” He paused. “A lot of humans speak the words, but when the times comes, they don’t mean them. That’s why you’re different.”

Sebastian propped his head up on his elbow, which was buried in the hay. He eyed Cole seriously. “Would you be interested in a job?”

Cole sat up. “A what?”

Sebastian put his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Let me show you something.”

And the next thing Cole knew, they were back in Elton.

Stumbling forward, Cole was almost in a daze. He placed his hands on his head to try and stop the spinning. Things were blurry, taking seconds too long to come into focus. Every torch had a faint bright halo around it. He felt drunk, yet sober at the same time. Finally, his feet became steady. In front of him, Sebastian strolled casually down a dimly lit but bustling street, hands behind his back, head held high as though he were royalty.

“I think I’m going to throw up,” he muttered.

Sebastian let out a frustrated huff. “It’ll pass. Get over it.”

A few city guards stood tall against a horse trough, looming over the passersby. Others walked along chatting. A few pub regulars stumbled about drunk; others were still inside spending their money and celebrating. It was late and the road was busy.

Nobody paid Cole or Sebastian any mind. A party of four or five carousers would have walked straight into Cole if he hadn’t managed to jump out of the way in time.

“Hey, watch it!” Cole yelped, but they ignored him. “Can they not see me?” Cole spat.

“No,” Sebastian said, striding down the street.

Cole jerked his head away from the receding group of carousers toward Sebastian. “No?”

“No, they can’t.”

“Huh,” Cole said, more to himself than Sebastian. He breathed in deep for a moment before straightening up and saying, “All right. So, what are we doing here?”

Perhaps the boy had not heard the question, for Sebastian kept walking in silence with a tight jaw and a subtle shake of his head. Finally he came to a stop and gazed up at the stars. “It seems I’ve been ordered to rest.”

“Rest?”

Swallowing his revulsion, Sebastian nodded.

“I don’t understand.”

Sebastian frowned. “I am to live as a human for a while to gain some sort of
humanity
.”

Cole felt the bitterness in Sebastian’s words. The air around them grew warmer and Cole wiped sweat off his brow.

Seeming to have noticed the heated air, Sebastian took a deep breath to calm himself. He fixed his eyes on Cole. “You are to take my place.”

“Take
your
place?”

“Yes.”

Cole practically ran to keep up with Sebastian’s strides. “As
Death
?”

“Yes.”

“But I—I’m—I’m
—
”

“A wormy little human? Trust me, I’m quite aware.” Sebastian chuckled. “But, I think I can do something about that.”

“Like what?”

“I’m going to kill you.”

“You’re going to what?”

Sebastian sighed. “Well, it’s not really killing. It’s just, well,
changing
you.”

He picked up a rock and started casually tossing it up in the air as he walked. “I mean, really, it’s not like you have anything to live for. The girl you love doesn’t love you, you’re sleeping in a hay wagon for cripes’ sake. I’m offering you something great.”

He stopped and faced Cole. “A chance to
be
something great.”

Cole pressed his lips together, considering Sebastian’s words. “For how long?”

“I don’t know. It could be for a year. Maybe a hundred. Maybe more. As a consolation, if you do this for me, I shall do you a favor.”

Cautiously, Cole asked, “What type of favor?”

They stopped walking when Cole realized they were at the
One Legged Dog
. Outside, a few of Taniel’s men worked to repair the hole in the wall.

“Look,” Sebastian said, gesturing above the hole to a window overlooking the street. A silhouette of a fine figured woman could be seen beyond a flickering candle in the window.

“That is Imogen O’Sullivan,” Sebastian said. “She is the reason I’ve
come
to Elton.”

She is the reason I have come to Elton.
The boy’s words repeated in his mind.
Come to Elton. Death has come to Elton. Death has come for Imogen.

Deep in his chest, Cole felt his heart drop.

“No,” he said, his voice shaking.

“Inside her brain, there is a small bleed, one that will take her life tonight as she sleeps.”

“Imogen is going to
die
?” Cole’s voice faltered.

Sebastian took hold of Cole’s shoulder and gently turned him around to face him. “As a gift to you for doing this for me, I will help her.”

Their eyes locked. “Not only that, I will remove her from my Book. By doing this, she will live forever, if you so request it to be.”

Cole swallowed. “Wait. So, you—you’re giving me Imogen as a gift?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Sebastian said sternly. “I am giving you a possible companion. Earning her love is on you.”

His expression softened. “If you cannot, you can simply put her back in the Book, and she can live out the rest of her natural life without the risk of the bleed.”

“If it saves her life, I’ll do anything you ask.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “You understand what this means?”

Cole took a deep breath. “Yes. I will be your tool.”

“My instrument of death,” Sebastian said solemnly.

“It matters not. Her life?” Cole pointed to the window. “Is all that matters. Save her and I will be anything you wish me to be.”

“Excellent!” Sebastian exclaimed. “Now, let’s handle this little pact situation.”

Sebastian scanned the area, but paused when he saw Dalton stumbling out of the tavern, a bottle of ale in his hand. A heavy smell of liquor gushed at Cole’s nostrils as he winced. Dalton stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Sebastian and Cole. His mouth gaped open, drool falling from his lips.

“Ah, Dalton,” Sebastian said. “Perfect timing.”

He snapped his fingers.

Dalton collapsed on the street like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Is—is he dead?”

“Quite. The pact will jump once more and kill another human, but who cares, right?”

“So,” said Sebastian as he turned to Cole and loudly clapped once. “You reeeeeaaady?”

With his heels pushed together, he bowed slightly, showing that awful smile that could melt an iceberg.

Cole took a deep breath, then slowly nodded.

Sebastian gestured for Cole to come closer. He did so. “Oh, I almost forgot, one last thing,” the boy said. “While you have a piece of my power, you cannot have any children.”

Cole shrugged. “Um, that’s fine. Who wants kids anyway?”

“Good boy. I knew we could work things out.” Sebastian placed his hands on Cole’s shoulders and drew him in. He kissed him hard on the cheek. Somehow Cole couldn’t help feeling that Sebastian’s actions did not spring from affection, but from something much darker. Sebastian released him and stepped back.

“Tha—That’s it?” Cole asked. “I don’t feel any different.”

“Uh, no,” Sebastian said, backing up a few feet.

Without warning, Sebastian arched his arms back as if holding something high and swung them forward. He snatched his scythe as it materialized in mid-air and pierced Cole through the chest. With a deafening crunch, the blade stabbed into Cole’s torso and came out through his back. Blood ran down Cole’s chest and back, dripping to the ground.

Cole grunted and fell to his knees. Sebastian bent down and leaned in close to him. “I wasn’t joking. If I find out you have any kids, I will hunt you and your whole family down and murder them before your eyes. Then, I will let you live forever with the sounds of their screams echoing through eternity in your ears. Are we clear?”

Cole swallowed once and then nodded.

The scythe faded into a black smoky shadow that slithered towards Cole, devouring his blood that lay in a sticky pool on the ground and reaching with inky tendrils for Cole’s body. The shadow encircled his legs and traveled up his bleeding body, encompassing him in darkness. The shadow seeped in through his eyes, ears, his very pores, becoming part of him. Dark clouds with crackling lightning appeared in his eyes.

Cole opened his mouth wide, gulping for air. Then the pain was gone. He gazed at his chest. There was no wound. Looking up, he hoped for more answers, but Sebastian was gone.

“She will live now,” Sebastian’s booming voice echoed around. “Now, get to work.”

On the ground in front of him lay an old, tattered, leather-bound book, about the size of a small bible. Cole bent down and took the book in his hands. Though it appeared completely unremarkable, Cole could sense a pulse coming from the pages, almost like a heartbeat of a great beast.

He stood, his boots squelching on the muddy road, and glanced around. The street was deserted. He ran his palm over the book’s cover, absorbing its energy. A strange feeling came over him, a feeling he’d rarely felt in his life.

Power
.

Movement flickered in the window above
The Three Legged Dog
. She was there. Waiting. He put the book in his pocket, cast one more glance about the deserted streets, and strode toward the tavern, toward Imogen, his destination.

His home.

III

Ascension

Nine months ago

The cherry-finished oak door before her, which was divided into four large sections of stained glass separated by wood, reminded her of dried kitten blood.

Amber tucked a strand of violet hair behind her ear. The rest of her shoulder-length, mostly pitch-black hair flowed about as if blown by the wind, though no breeze blew. She’d chosen the violet highlights since they matched her eyes perfectly. She didn’t care that they weren’t her natural eye color. Humans she had spoken to often assumed she wore colored contacts. They were so one-dimensional, unable to comprehend anything beyond what they could see and touch, anything beyond the mundane. Her eye color was achieved by magical means, as was the color of her hair.

Her violet eyes pierced the blood red door as she rubbed her chin and considered her plan.

“Bah, who needs a plan anyway?” she said aloud after only a moment of contemplation.

She brought her fist to the door, ready to knock, but paused to admire her shiny violet nails. She smiled, pleased with how neat they looked. Normally, she would have had her nails covered with a black gloss, but she’d been feeling good this morning, almost festive, more like herself, so she treated herself to a professional manicure. She knocked lightly on the door and extended her fingers for a closer inspection.

What the—?

Something was off. She squinted and brought her nails closer to her eyes. What the hell? Did that stupid lady at the nail salon think she wouldn’t notice a slightly different color on her pinky? As she resolved to punish the stupid old lady later, to give her a slow, painful death, she glanced up as a shadow moved behind the stained glass. The clicking of the locks followed. The door opened, revealing an older human male dressed in perfectly-creased navy-blue pants and a cream-colored button-down with a periwinkle blue tie that was half-knotted. He wore gunmetal-gray small-framed glasses with thin lenses. Amber assumed this was Sheryl’s dad.