The Beckoning of Beautiful Things (The Beckoning Series) (38 page)

Daniel?
Nothing. No response.

The electricity inside of her started to build. She pressed her lips together and balled up her hands into fists.
No, no, no, no, no. Don’t burst into light, Engles.

A branch cracked to her left. She whipped her head around and saw, or thought she saw, a dark, reddish shape slither from a crack about
three feet above the ground, seize someone, and drag him into the crack. The snap and crack of breaking bones issued from where the crack had been.

A horrified male scream sounded a few feet away. A flash of metal glinted, followed by gurgling bubbling noises, then silence. The hair on her neck stood straight out. Once more the absence of sound and complete darkness cradled her. She flattened against the door she’d emerged from.

She blinked several times, wanting to see something, anything. It was useless. All the light had been consumed.
This is Daniel’s doing. Well, hadn’t I been able to find my way while blindfolded?
She shook her hands out and stepped cautiously out into the dark.

Dead air loomed around her. The darkness swallowed up everything leaving a muzzled void. She took several more steps, placing each foot carefully. A ripping noise split the air, a flash of red slid from a jagged tear, a horrified male scream followed
, and then, quiet.

Every nerve stood on edge, every hair on her head sprang to attention. The wine, bourbon
, and rich food lurched inside her stomach like they were tossed in a stormy sea.
This is horrifying. This is the work of my dangerous lover. This is why I must…

A sickening thud broke the silence, as if someone had been struck with a club. A softer rip vibrated against her ears and hundreds of buzzing wings swirled from the void, filling the air
with deafening hums. The sound alone was enough to induce insanity, but when met with the screams of a man, Marissa nearly lost her composure. She plastered a hand against her mouth to keep from losing her undigested meal. Nothing in her life, absolutely nothing, had prepared her to deal with a scene like this. When the insect demons, or whatever the heck they were, were sucked into silence, the absence of noise, the absence of everything she knew as life – color, sound, smells, light - was just as disturbing.

She stood in the darkness, in the terrifying stillness, trying to find her bearings. She knew who was responsible for this. She knew what she had to do. She knew what it was going to look like when she was done. She just had no idea how she was going to do it.

“
Light Rebel.”

The whispers landed softly in her ear as she stepped through the night. They came from the back of the house, where the pool was. She stepped forward and paused, listening and waiting. As she waited, another crack split the air, another dark shape emerged, and another man disappeared noiselessly into darkness.
I’m surrounded by men – dead men if my dangerous lover has his way.

“
Light Rebel. Come.”

She tiptoed through her black surroundings, her mind sharp and clear. She stopped, sensing something. A hand shot out and grabbed her ankle. She shrieked. Another blade glinted, another swift slice slid through flesh
, and the man gurgled his last words as he seeped out into the dark.

Daniel, where are you?
Again, nothing.

Her hands found the corner of the house. She stepped around the corner, drawn by the whispers. The illuminated, bubbling water in the center of the pool appeared to be hovering in the air since nothing else was visible.

“Come,” the voice called.

She stepped out onto the tiles surrounding the pool and felt her way over to the pool’s edge, still surrounded by black.

“Come.”

The dark water splashed beside her and another reddish ghoul struck a man, just to her left. It opened a giant maw of a mouth and slurped. The man let out a low scream as he vanished into the briny void. Teeth crunching bones echoed into the night and then quietude ensued.

Gah! I didn’t even sense him!
The darkness folded all around her once more.

“Come,
Light Rebel.”

Marissa slipped into the cool water. It curled and undulated around her, creating innocuous babbling noises as she paddled over to the center pool on her sightless, sound-punctuated journey of doom. She hoisted herself up to stones, acutely aware of the water dripping from her arms and legs landing noisily on the stones beneath her feet. She stood before the lit pool and looked down. She still couldn’t see her own body. She waved a hand over the illumination. Nothing.
Did Daniel erase my light, too?

Her skin prickled as she stood. She sensed three large forms to her right and left. She opened her inner sight and made out two teeming shapes, like enormous wild animals, shifting back and forth liked caged beasts. Another bull-like creature stood further back. They paced behind curtains of darkness, waiting, watching, thirsty for blood.

Marissa brought her gaze down to the pool.

Josephina gazed up at her smiling.

This is just wrong. I can’t go through with this.

The face smiled. “Yes.”

Do it for the sisterhood of women everywhere.
Do it for every woman who has been forced to do something against their will.

Is that my thought? Or Josephina’s?
Marissa couldn’t tell. She thought of her sisters, whom she’d seen very little of lately. She thought of her aunt. She thought of their betrayal of her. “That’s not a very good reason,” she whispered back. “I’ll do it so you are free. I’ll do it because it’s the right thing to do.” Then she thought of Daniel, this dangerous man whom she loved. Even now, in this maelstrom of fear and silence and gruesome surroundings, even now her body yearned to conjoin with his. She wanted all of this to be done with. She wanted her lover inside of her throbbing core.
What am I thinking? I can’t go through with this.

A horrifying shriek sliced through the air like metal scraping against metal, followed by a ripping sound ten times louder than Marissa had ever heard. Marissa’s hands flew to her ears. She turned to see the two shapes launch into the air above the pool, like two huge lions warring over a female. They fell into the pool like a giant blur and then rocketed from the water onto solid ground where they proceeded to tear at one another.

The atmosphere exploded into growls and snarls and shrieks and screams, as demons and creatures of the night discharged through cracks in the sky like cannon fire. They bombarded the air, zinging in every direction, seizing the retreating forms of man upon man.

The two warring, muscled creatures were in it to the death. The ghastly looking beasts tore and lunged at one another, tearing at each other’s necks.
Tell me that’s not Daniel, tell me that’s not Daniel. Tell me that’s not…
His face flickered in and out of focus, appearing where the monster’s head affixed to the terrifying, powerful body. Daniel’s arms ended in claws as big as daggers. He tore and slashed at the other beast. He created chasms in the air out of which flew all the demons of the night. Horrible creatures emerged at Daniel’s beckoning. Wicked fanged things and small vipers and spiky faces of rage cascaded from the split between worlds created by Daniel. They looked about with soulless eyes, searching for food. They launched themselves at anything and everything, feasting, slurping, howling and horrid.

Repulsed and horrified, her body was numb with fear. She fought to keep from vomiting as she watched men die. Many of the men were consumed on the spot. Others disappeared behind eerie drapes of darkness, gripped tightly by the creature’s teeth. A few of the men hefted rifles, took aim
, and fired, but the shots just zinged right through their intended recipients.

El Demonio was focused on one thing – Daniel Navid.

A ghoul erupted near Daniel’s chest. It was bound in an instant by El Demonio’s invisible restraints.

“Is that all you’ve got, Night Numen?” the old sorcerer said, laughing. He pitched the ghoul over his head where it landed with a thump on the ground and evaporated. He swept his arm in the matador maneuver
, and Daniel was bound like a pig on a spit.

Daniel’s clawed fingers made a miniscule swipe in the air and a host of tiny, winged demons fluttered from the darkness. They were urine yellow and smelled like foul, decaying meat.

Marissa clutched her nose, as the weird little creatures swiftly chewed the unseen restraints, snacking on them like they were candy. When they were done, they flew off in a swarm looking for something else to eat.

Daniel sprang to his feet. “Is that all you’ve got, you old fool?” He flicked his fingers and two evil looking demons galloped out of the void. “Meet the
New Jersey Devils. They’re down here on vacation.” Their small, goat-like bodies had bat-wings that propelled them forward with lightning speed. They let out a unified, high-pitched scream, and launched themselves at El Demonio.

He sneered and brushed his hand through the air as if shooing a fly from his arm.

Marissa put her hands up in front of her face as a wave of heat cascaded toward her.

The
New Jersey Devils melted into a gooey mess, shrieking and screaming.

“Child’s play, Navid. When will you grow up and join the heavy hitters?”

“Oh, I command a mess of madness. If its dark, it’s mine to command,” Daniel challenged. “But frankly, I prefer to use my own hands.” He slashed at the sorcerer’s head with deadly accuracy, scoring the aging sorcerer’s cheek.

El Demonio roared. The tattoos burst from his skin like horrible wraiths. The panther lunged, its eyes dripping blood, tearing and shredding Daniel with its claws and teeth. The gargoyles sprang to life and jumped on Daniel’s back, hideous and foul.

Daniel staggered and backed away. His arms swung wildly at the phantom beasts. Blood streamed from his face and neck.

A light way up high in the sky caught her eye.
Chiara!
The bird beast lazily circled the gruesome scene below.

“Ms. Em!” a male called out. “Ms. Em, now’s the time to shine!”

Her head whipped back and forth, searching for Tom in the chaos. The massive, bull-like beast to her left impaled someone. The body hung limply from the bull’s horns. “Tom?” she yelled.

“Turn it on, honey! I’m busy over here.”

Marissa scrambled to her feet and exploded into light. The faces of horrified men were illuminated. The bodies of dying or dead men lay all around the pool. The pool shone, red and translucent with the blood of men’s bodies.

Marissa quickly imagined her light into two, long-bladed swords. She leapt easily from the center of the pool, over to where the two beast-like men fought.

Daniel fought for footing. He lunged forward, tearing the phantoms from his body, and flinging them into darkness. The hideous visage of El Demonio staggered back, trying to defend himself as best he could. He backed up into the stone fence. Daniel was going in for the kill. Marissa raised the two swords high.
Easy, Engles, you can do this.
She willed strength into her arms and swung, visualizing the men’s heads in her hands.

A beautiful female vocalization sang out in distress, distracting her, causing the swords to miss their mark and clang against the stones. She looked up, utterly blown away, to see the shimmering shape of her mother. “Mom?”

“You’ve got it wrong, mija! Turn around!”

Time just seemed to slow to a crawl as Marissa’s body did a 180. She was pretty sure the beasts behind her were destroying one another. They didn’t need her help after all. She was kind of sure that the beast-bull known as Tom had fallen to the ground, a dagger in his chest. She was fairly certain that the ghost of her mother stood behind her. What she wasn’t prepared for in the least was Josephina standing before her in flesh and blood, completely naked, grinning, wielding a deadly looking crystal sword, ready to extract her head from her very own body
, just like in the dream.

Instinct took over. Marissa ducked just in time, causing the blade to slash through her shoulder instead of slicing and dicing her cervical vertebrae. She grabbed Josephina’s arm and wrenched the sword from her hand.

Josephina lunged for her neck. Two incredibly strong hands clamped around her windpipe and squeezed so hard little stars filled her vision. The light streaming from her body sputtered and sparked. Marissa tugged helplessly against the vice-like grip. Just as she began to lose consciousness, she pictured the 950
pounds per inch torque power of Beelzebub’s talons filling her fingers. Power surged through her hands, and she easily pried Josephina’s fingers from her flesh, snapping one of the digits in two.

“You bitch!” Josephina screamed. “You filthy little bitch!” She crouched and charged, knocking Marissa to the ground. The two women grappled, rolling over and over until they fell in the pool. Josephina pushed Marissa’s head under the water. Marissa struggled and grabbed the other woman’s hair until she had
her
head under the water. The two of them broke free of one another and burst to the surface, gasping for breath.

Marissa climbed from the pool, seized Josephina’s hair
, and hauled her onto the tile. She cast aside the chunk of wet hair that came out in her hand.

Josephina scrambled to her feet, blood dripping from her scalp, lowered her body
, and charged once more, causing Marissa to lose her footing and stumble over a dead man’s body. She fell on her rump, bracing herself with her hands, scraping the skin of her palms on the textured surface as if she was using a lemon zester on her skin. “Oof.” She shook her stinging hands, rolled to her side, and started to stand when two sharp kicks rocketed into her abdomen.

Josephina fought viciously. She was
so
not the gentle creature portrayed by El Demonio and Daniel.

Marissa’s legs and arms curled around her tummy. She let out a low moan. Josephina stood over her once more, her retrieved sword lifted high.

“Why are you doing this? You don’t even know me,” Marissa said weakly. She coughed and struggled to catch her breath.

“Ask your mother. She’ll tell you everything. On the other side, that is.” A maniacal laugh left her mouth.

The man-beasts stopped their blood lust and stared at her, mouths open. “Josephina?” they chimed at the same time.

“What are you doing, beloved?” El Demonio asked.

“Just doing what I intended to do all along. Mess with your lives and take from you what you now deem most valuable - her.” She stabbed a finger at Marissa vehemently.

“Why?” asked Daniel. He appeared bewildered.

“You know what they say about a woman scorned,” she said as she twirled the sword in her hand. “You each captured my soul, determined to keep me from the other, determined to set me free. You idiots – all of you – you, Alex, you, Daniel, even your father - you spent so much time scheming over me, you failed to take my desires into account.”

“What were your desires, dearest?” El Demonio asked her gently.

A glistening tear emerged from Josephina’s eye and rolled down her cheek. “Certainly not to watch you each fall for her.” She pointed at Marissa once more.

Marissa felt a pinprick of sympathy. Right now
, El Demonio just looked like a sad old man, clinging to his past. She stared at all of them, aghast at what she’d readied herself to do. “I was ready to kill for you. I was determined to free you.”

“And that just shows what an idiot you are. You let sympathy guide you. You let emotion rule the day. You’re supposed to be a truth
teller, and you keep getting lost in doubt of your own abilities and tamping down what you know to be true.” She spat on the ground. “You’ve got to
own
yourself,
girlfriend
. You’re a disgrace to womankind.”

“I’m untrained. I was supposed to have been trained years ago. I don’t know how to use my abilities.”

“That’s your excuse?” Josephina laughed again, dropping the sword to her side. “You’re hysterical, you know that? I’m sorry I have to kill you. I would have liked to keep you around for some laughs.” She raised the sword high once more.

Think, Engles, think.
Her body ached where she’d been kicked. Her slashed shoulder was numb.
It’s kind of hard to think creatively right now,
she thought ruefully.
Maybe next time around I’ll get it right.

“I need to send you somewhere hot and dark so I can be free at last.” Josephina arched backward and prepared to drop the sword right through Marissa’s neck. “I promise to make good use of that body of yours. All it will need is a new head.”

A clatter of toenails met Marissa’s ears and a sparkling Doberman raced around the corner, his small wings fluttering madly. He ran a few steps, then launched into the air a few feet, dropped down, then repeated the same process.

The sight of him was just what she needed. “Sober!” Marissa cried.

The dog leapt at the very surprised Josephina, knocking her to the ground. Her head cracked against the ceramic tile, knocking her cold. Sober stood back and barked ferociously.

“Good boy, good dog!” Marissa called. She rolled to her side and staggered to her feet. “Your wings are training wings!” Marissa exclaimed. “That’s why they’re so small.” She trained her eyes at Josephina. “Your sword is cheap. It looks like plastic. I’ll use one of my own.” She visualized a gleaming blade in her hands, the same blade she knew to be hers to carve away chaos. It materialized, sparkling and glimmering in the light. She held it high.

“You’ll regret this,” Josephina said, blinking as she came to. “You’ll be sorry.”

“I’ll be sorry if I don’t get to the truth of this
, but I think you’re supposed to be dead already. I’m just completing the process and not sorry about that one bit.” She swiftly brought her gleaming blade down and plunged it into the woman’s heart.

As if Marissa had tossed a grenade, the body of Josephina exploded into fragments of bone and muscle, splattering Marissa with blood and gristle and crystal fragments. Then, she just disappeared into the ethers like a detonated bomb.

Sober yelped and scrambled to hide behind Marissa. He squashed his trembling body against her legs.

“Oh, my brave, brave dog.” Marissa’s head turned
, and she spied Daniel, the Daniel whom she recognized, sitting on the ground, leaning against the rock and metal fence, looking haggard and worn. His entire visage was covered in blood.

Tom lay several feet away, moaning, with a bloody smear in his shirt.

El Demonio lay on his back, his eyes staring into space, a crystal shard piercing his heart. Perhaps he had gone to the place where his beloved Josephina now rested. The two of them belonged together.

She stumbled over to Daniel and collapsed next to him. Sober lapped her face with his slobbery tongue. Marissa laughed and pushed him away, leaning against Daniel. “How did Sober get here?”

“You didn’t think I’d leave the Demon Slayer home, did you?” He gave her a wan, weak smile. “I hid him down the hill in a safe place. It figures he’d find a way to get free. He’s as willful as his human companion.”

Marissa ruffled the dog’s chest and shoulders. “My brave, brave dog. She would have killed me if you hadn’t pushed her down.” Sober wagged his head and looked just about as pleased as a dog could look. Marissa dropped her hands into her lap. “I was going to kill you.”

“I know.”

“You did?”

He tapped his temple with his index finger. “Mind reader.” His hand dropped to his lap as if the effort of holding it aloft was too great to bear.

“I thought we needed the diamonds to stay in touch.”

“Yeah, well…” He blew his breath out forcefully. “One of us does.”

She gave him a scorching gaze then softened. “Why weren’t you mad or scared of me?”

“I wasn’t mad because I thought I deserved to die. I’m a monster. I wasn’t scared because I’m a dangerous man. I prayed that I wouldn’t go berserk and harm you if you tried anything.” He sighed. “We probably need to see to Tom. He doesn’t look so good.”

“Know any Brazilian paramedics?”

“Not really, no. We’re pretty far out, and I doubt a cellphone works out here.”

“I was kidding.”

“I know.” He got to his feet wearily and leaned against the stone fence.

Marissa rose to standing. She turned to him and brushed a blood-soaked lock of hair from his face. “You’re pretty banged up, you know.”

“I know.” He gazed at her, his eyes pulsing with a dim blue glow. His face appeared sad and defeated.

“You looked pretty terrifying.”

He shrugged.

“So you really didn’t you care that I was going to kill you?”

“Didn’t you see what I did? All of that – the demons slinking out of darkness and slithering away, the bones being crunched to bits – that was all at my command.” He looked away. “I didn’t want you to see that.”

“Well, I did.” She grabbed his chin and turned him to face her. “I’m in love with you
, Daniel Navid. I could be completely crazy, and I think I probably am. But I’m also crazy in love with you.” She jabbed his chest with her finger.

“Ouch!” He winced and tenderly wrapped his fingers around hers. “Easy there, hot stuff.” He brought her fingertips to his lips and kissed them. “I love you too. But you’re a fool to be with me, Marissa. I’m dangerous, I’m deadly
, and I don’t even know what I’m capable of. That was my first time at being able to fully flex my power.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “About that. More questions – I have way more questions than I have answers. But for now, let’s get you cleaned up, get me cleaned up, and see if we can do something about Tom, too. Look over your head. There’s our ticket out of here.” She pointed to the brilliant bird soaring overhead.

Daniel nodded, still looking quite glum. “I don’t understand what happened with Josephina. I don’t get it.” He pushed himself away from the wall and began his unsteady meander over to Tom. “It seems that I’ve been deceived, too.”

“I don’t get it either. But I’m sure we’ll get a clue somewhere.” She put her arm around Daniel, offering assistance. “At least I hope we do.”

The two of them crouched before their friend.

Tom’s eyes were bloodshot. His breath came in ragged spurts. “Get Betty,” he whispered. “She’ll know what to do.”

“Get her how? We can’t just beam her over here.”

“I’m coming
, you old coot,” the elder’s voice rang out. Crazy Betty tromped around the side of the house, the pink daisies of her handbag winking like a beacon.

“Betty! How did you get here?”

“By airplane, how do you think? Then, I took me a transportation van out of Sao Paulo. It was a long trip, I tell you. And I had to work today, in case you forgot.” She paused to catch her breath. “That gate was kind of tricky.” She pointed her wrinkled hand toward the massive entry gate. “I managed to pry open a couple of the bars.” She lumbered up and hugged Marissa. “I’m glad to see that you’re safe, child. Lord have mercy, but I was worried. My Buddy, he told me you’d be safe, but I was worried. My little champion put his angelic paw on my face and he looked me in the eyes and he said…” She coughed and wheezed. “Yes, yes, Buddy, I hear you.” She reached inside her huge handbag and pulled out a tissue. She blew her nose with a noisy honk, wadded up the tissue, and dropped it back into her purse. “He told me to get on a plane. He said, ‘Mama’…” She fixed her eyes on Marissa. “That’s what he always called me – he called me Mama. Anyways, he said ‘Mama, you get yourself on a plane as soon as you get off work. You head to Brazil. I’ll show you the way once you get there.’ And he did. I followed his little angel body all the way here. Didn’t I. Buddy?” She reached down and patted the air.

“The protection paw bought me some time. It helped me get free of El Demonio.”

“Didn’t I tell you? Oh, he’s my little champion. He’s everyone’s champion.”

Sober trotted over and sniffed her hand.

“Who’s this?” Crazy Betty patted Sober’s head.

“This is my dog, Sober Dober,” Marissa replied.

“Oh, a friend for Buddy. Buddy, do you like your new friend? That’s right, he looks to have special abilities, too. I thought you’d like him.” She nodded and stood up straight. “There you are, you old fool.” She trudged over to Tom. “I told you not to get involved.”

“I had to come, Betty, you know that. I skewered me a few of El D’s minions, don’t you know.” He chuckled then coughed violently.

“You just hold your storytelling until I have you all fixed up, you hear?” She glanced over at Marissa and Daniel. “Find a chair I can sit in. I won’t be able to get back up if I sit on the ground. Then, fetch me some water, some towels, rags, whatever you can find. We’ll take care of this wound in a jiffy. I don’t think the blade has pierced his lungs.” She glared at him. “You old coot, I’d of been mad if you’d left me. We was just starting to find our rhythms together.” She waved a hand at Marissa. “Hand me my purse, dear. The waterworks is starting. I almost lost my next husband to be.”

“I had no idea you were a part of all this, Betty,” Marissa said, as she hefted the heavy purse and handed it to the elderly woman.