Wicked Destiny (17 page)

Chapter 19

I woke up in a bed of black satin sheets wearing nothing. The satin felt cool against my skin. I rubbed my legs around and felt how comfortable it was. I refused to get up, but realization hit me. Where was I again and who was I with? I jumped up, stumbling over what seemed like clothes, shoes and whatever else. What the hell is going on? I was in what looked like a hotel room somewhere. I heard talking coming from the other side of the door.

“Of course she’s here. She’s sleeping.”
That’s Simon,
I thought.

“H
ow do we know she’s the one?” said another creepy voice.

Laughing at the creepy person
, Simon snapped, “Do you dare question me?” I could see a shadow moving as if trying to get out of the line of fire, and then the sound of choking as if they couldn’t breathe. “I know because I have looked into her soul, which I now own. She surrendered to
me!
She is
mine!
”

I
stood at the door that was cracked open, trying to peer out. 

“But sh
e’s not meant for you. It’s not your army she’s to lead.” The other figure was gasping as Simon had him—or
it
—by the throat.  “He will come for her. She is the key.”

“Yes
, she is. And I hold her next to me.”

Crack!

Simon
snapped its neck and dropped whatever he was talking to.

I started to panic and backed away from the door
, but fell backwards over a small chair. I heard Simon coming. I reached up and grabbed the cover from the bed to wrap around me. He stood in the doorway in his black trousers and white dress shirt that was left unbuttoned. Something in me called to him the more I tried to fight it. I backed myself into the furthest corner of the room. He walked over and bent down to look at me as I tried my best to cover my naked body. I didn’t want to meet his gaze for some reason. I remembered looking into his eyes; those eyes that he always hid behind sunglasses. They were totally white and completely soulless.

“No need to be so modest
, my pet. I think we’ve been more than acquainted.” He was trying to tip my chin up to meet his gaze. “Ah, resisting are we? I can fix that.” Simon then grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up to set me against the wall. He held me there by my throat and whispered in my ear. “Stop fighting, Sloane. As you can see, I’m here to keep you safe.” He kissed my cheek. “Sloane, we can have everything. Power… People will lie at our feet.”

“I told you before
, I don’t want this and never did,” I said as I still kept my eyes shut.

“Pretty soon it will be
the only thing you will crave.” He forced my face to straighten. “Now look at me, Sloane. I need to see those beautiful eyes of yours.” He rubbed his stubby cheek against mine. “If you open your eyes, I promise to make it all go away.”

Although I knew it was against my better judgment
, I just couldn’t fight anymore. So I opened my eyes and looked him square in his soulless eyes. The last thing I remembered was Simon’s mouth and eyes opening wide and something black and misty flowing out from them and into me. I tried to fight against it. He must have sensed it too.

“Stop fighting me
, Sloane.” Those were the last words I heard before I passed out again and Simon carried me to the bed.

I can
hear someone calling my name. “Sloane!” They are telling me to wake up, but all I want to do is sleep. I have no strength left to even open my eyes, but somehow I manage it. I’m lying in Declan’s arms. He is shaking me, begging and pleading for me to open my eyes. And how can I deny him?

“Dec…
lan? Is it really you?” I mumble.

“Sloane?
Jesus, Sloane, look at me. I need you to tell me where you are.” He looks awful, like he has been up for days.

“It’s a hotel somewhere.
Declan, I’m scared. I think…I think I’m losing myself.” Declan caresses my face. “He feeds me darkness. I try to fight it,
but it makes the pain go away
.”

“Listen
, Sloane. I don’t know how much time we have, so here goes. Viktor is trying to find you as we speak. We will find you.” I touch his face, scared it’s the last time I will ever see or touch him again. He leans into my touch and uses his hand to cover mine on his cheek. “Sloane, I don’t care if I have to go to Hell itself to find you. I will find you and bring you home. I should have never left.”

“Shhh, you have to leave now,”
I whisper.

“I’m not leaving you,”
Declan says again.

“I h
ave to stop dreaming about you. It’s unhealthy.” I laugh at myself, considering my situation of being healthy. “This isn’t real and I need to let you go.”

“That’s where you are wrong
, Sloane.” A tear drips from my eye. “It’s always been real. These dreams you pull me into are real.”

“It can’t be,”
I say, still lying there in his arms.

“Listen to me
, Sloane. I need you to find more information on where Simon has you. Then when you go to sleep, I want you to meet me here.” He’s talking so fast, it seems. 

I reach up to touch his face again and I notice my nails change from the French manic
ure to straight midnight black. I try to sit up on my own, but Declan helps me forward. He doesn’t notice my nails, though I know something was wrong. My nightgown, from the hem, starts to change to black. I see the fear in Declan’s eyes.

“Fight
, Sloane.”

“
I don’t want to fight anymore. I just don’t want to exist. Take pity on me, finish what you were supposed to, or run before I hurt you.” I start to cry, but instead of clear tears, my tears are black. “It’s starting,” I say, and just like that, out of nowhere, I’m yanked from Declan’s arms.

I c
an see Declan standing there on the bank looking up at me with fear in his eyes as I levitate. I look down at myself and see where the silk nightgown changed to a medieval corset dress that is strapless and black as night. I can hear a part of me screaming to get out, but there was another part of me that is relieved. As if she were a caged animal finally set free. The darkness caresses me, and man does it feel good.

I f
eel as if the weight of the world has just been lifted off my shoulders and I can finally breathe again. I look up at the moon and it’s full and bright. I glance at my reflection in the lake, and there I am all in black. I am made for Darkness. This suits me.

“Sloane
, you have to fight,” Declan calls out to me.

“You know
what, Declan? I fought for many years and look what it’s gotten me. A boyfriend that abandoned me, another cheating boyfriend, an ungrateful friend and lousy employees. Tell me, Declan, what is worth fighting for? Before you answer me, refrain from saying love or I will zap your ass good.”

“Be
cause you know this isn’t right,” Declan says.

“And tell me, wha
t is right and what is wrong?”

Simon
walks toward us now.

In
a small part of my mind I’m screaming for Declan to run, but I know he won’t. He watches Simon as he walks up to the bank as if joining casual conversation.

“
Simon, you know I will find you. And when I do, I will finish you for good,” Declan says as he stares at me.

“I suppose you will try.
I doubt you will succeed, though.” Simon
reached
the bank and looks straight at Declan. “Declan, look at her. She is more alive than she has ever been. I have released her from the bonds she’s kept hidden. Funny thing is, she never knew they were there. It was quite easy, actually. She just needed a little…push, if you know what I mean. Then again, I think you do.” Simon wears a devilish grin on his face and Declan takes a swing at him. Although, Simon is way too fast.

As they start to fight
, I can start to feel the dream coming apart. I am no longer levitating, but I stand there by the two males fighting over me and I became protective. But not over Declan. It’s Simon I need to protect. Declan starts to get the best of Simon and I decide I’m not having that. Declan has Simon by the shirt collar as he beats him with his fist. Just as Declan comes down with his final blow that would finish Simon, I step in and catch his fist. I can feel the fire in my eyes building as I think about him ever hurting Simon.

“Sloane! Wait!”A
nd without even a blink of an eye, I throw him clear across the lake.

I turn to
Simon, who still wears a smile on his face. I am bending down to help him to his feet when I’m knocked off my feet. Declan has me pinned to the ground and I can hear Simon struggling to get up.

“I’d really hate to hurt you
, because I know there is a part of me that would regret it for only a moment,” I say.

As we struggle there on the ground for what seem
s hours, I grow tired again. How can you be tired within a dream? I haven’t a clue, but it must be from all the fighting within the dream and the inner fight I was having with myself. I was exhausted. Before everything fades away, Declan wrestles me to where he sits straddling me with my arms pinned above my head. He leans over to whisper in my ear.

“Remember this
, please. If anything, just please remember this. I love you.”

And then slowly, I wake up.

Chapter 20

When I woke up, I was lying on my bed dressed in the same dress that I was wearing in my dream. There was something a little off about me; I was no longer scared. Scared of who was in the next room or what I was capable of. I walked into the bathroom and I caught sight of my reflection. My skin seemed a little paler and my make-up was a little more…dark, I would say.

I walked out of the bedroom
to face whatever waited for me. I was no longer the pathetic Sloane who cared. I was the badass Sloane that was meant to rule the world, and little did Simon know that his welcome was just about to be worn out as well. I could hear him talking to someone and that someone was Viktor. Fury spiked and I could feel it radiating off of me.

“My
, my, now that is a vision.” Simon was sitting at my kitchen table with Viktor. They both were looking at me. “Have you ever seen her more ravishing, Viktor?”

“No
, I haven’t.” Viktor looked conflicted.

I walked over to the table where the two guys were sitting and
, with a wave of my hand, everything turned black with shades of red mixed in. I sat down directly in front of Viktor, which was right next to Simon. I could feel rage slowly pushing itself over the edge. The urge to let it go was overwhelming, but I wanted to see where this meeting was going first.

“How is Sophia? Is she well?”
I snapped at Viktor.

Viktor looked as if he was about to sprint for
the door as I stared him down. He didn’t know that he was the last man to break my heart. My heart was now iced over and I cared for nothing. I couldn’t help but tease him. I sensed the fear in him and it was just delightful.

“Come
now, Viktor. How about we have one final roll around?” I laughed out loud as he squirmed, looking at Simon.  

“Are you purposely trying my patien
ce with you, Sloane? You know you are mine and no one else’s,” said Simon, as he folded his newspaper and then began pulling my seat towards him. I shot him a glare he overlooked. He was underestimating me already.

“You really should learn to be more respectful
, Simon. Before you get hurt,” I said in a low, playful voice.

“Oh
, please, do show me how you can hurt me, but please be careful you don’t hurt yourself.” Simon was being a smartass and it really pissed me off. He needed a quick lesson.

I sat there as if I
was taking etiquette classes. My arms folded perfectly in my lap and a sly grin rested on my face. I was about to blow their minds. With just a mental note, I was able to hold Viktor in place where he sat. I’d hate for him to miss the show. 

“Sloane
, you are certainly bad.” Simon wore the biggest grin as he watched Viktor struggling to move but wasn’t able to. I turned around to face Simon head on. “What a devilish streak you have, Sloane.”

“You have no idea.”
I smiled back at Simon and I turned to wink at Viktor. He looked confused.

“You can have whatever you want,” is what Simon told me. “The world is ours for the taking.”  He got up to stand behind me and kissed me on the cheek. I smiled.

“I’m glad you sa
y so, because I plan on it.” Simon started caressing my face and suddenly froze. He was also frozen in place. I got up to whisper into Simon’s ear.

“Come now
, you had to have seen this coming. Did you really think you were in control?” If looks could kill, Simon would’ve struck me down then. “I have other plans in mind and you seem to be in my way.” I clasped my lips one last time to Simon’s and took whatever it was I needed to complete my transition from him.

I didn’t ki
ll Simon, but I did weaken him. He had his uses, but Viktor was still here watching me with wild eyes. I sat back down at the table while Simon’s body lay at my feet. I grabbed the glass of orange juice and took a sip, and then I buttered a piece of toast. 

“
Wow, that really takes a lot out of you.” I looked at Viktor. “Rest assured, Viktor. I have other plans for you. I need you to deliver a message to Declan for me.” I released the hold on Viktor.

“Why
Declan?” he asked.

“No questions.
If you don’t want to end up like Simon, I suggest you complete the task handed to you.”  I smiled as I took another sip of OJ.

Declan

I
slung myself out of bed as if I was still fighting. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to get a grip on things. I felt a presence there and got up to look around outside and saw Viktor running to the cabin. I slung the door open for whatever news Viktor brought.

“Tell me you saw her,”
I demanded.

“We have a problem,”
he said, and Viktor walked past me and began to pace the floors. “She sent me with a message to give you.”

“Spit it out then
, damn it!”  I yelled. 

I
wore a smile. Just knowing Sloane was OK was enough for me. She had to have remembered the dream. She had to know that it would always be her in my heart. Telling her I loved her was a weight off my shoulders. I should have never left in the first place.

“She told m
e to tell you she was coming.” Confusion set on my face. Viktor didn’t want to say the rest, but he did anyway. It’d be a blow that would kill us both. “And you should have killed her when you had the chance.”

The smile
that I once wore was gone. I shook my head as if to erase what Viktor said. He was lying. He had to be, because Sloane would never give in. Her heart was way too big.

“You li
e!” I screamed.

“I wish I was
, but after what I saw her do to Simon…” Viktor ran his hands through his hair too. “Declan, she’s gone.”

“
No!
” I got right into Viktor’s face. “This is what you wanted all along. You wanted her to be like you and the rest of you unheavenly creatures.” I started pacing around the cabin, desperately trying to get a grip.
 

“No,
well maybe at first, but I knew that wasn’t her. Declan, I was sent to bring her back and hand her over. I couldn’t do it any more than you couldn’t kill her. So before you go on one of your tirades, you and I are the same.”

“We are nothing alike,”
I spat through my clinched teeth.

“Oh
, really? How do you think your father is going to feel when he finds out you are choosing love over his say? I didn’t choose love then, but I chose free will. Don’t think he
doesn’t already know, because he does. Now, before you start again, I suggest we come up with a plan, and fast. She’s literally sucking Simon dry.” Viktor began to explain that Sloane was sucking the darkness from within Simon and horror flashed across my face. “Yeah, I know. Just think if you saw it firsthand. I thought I was next.”

“She’s gathering her strength.
She’s going to continue with the prophecy.” I closed my eyes and sent a silent prayer that I’d be able to save her from herself.

“Look
, I can’t pretend that I don’t know there’s something between the two of you. Even when we were together, I saw the way she looked at you when you entered the room. There has to be a connection between the two of you still, especially now with this message just for you.” Viktor was trying to shed light, but I wasn’t sure if it was enough.

“And if this conne
ction is lost, what do we do?” I asked.

“You have to make that choice.
I can always take her back and watch her, but can you live with the fact she’s trapped in Hell, just waiting for the opportunity to strike again?” Viktor asked.

“It would buy me some time until I figured out a plan
,” I said.

“You’re reaching.
You know what will happen the moment she crosses over. She’ll get worse and become someone that neither one of us will recognize,” Viktor explained. “You know what being a Daughter of Lilith entails.”

Rage blazed in
my eyes. I knew what Viktor was getting at. She already knew how to walk in dreams. This was just the beginning. I knew that time was running out and something had to be done, fast. But what would happen if word traveled to above about my lack of duties? What if I’d be forced to choose?
 

“I’d be damned if I
let that happen. I’ve allowed too much as it is.” I turned to look out the window across the lake where she used to sleep. “I don’t care what happens to me, I have to get her back—back to the person she used to be.”

“What’s your plan?”
Viktor asked.

“I have to talk to Gabby.”
I bowed my head and wondered what she would say.

“I don’t think getting your girlfriend
involved is the best solution. I would deal with one female at a time.” Viktor was shaking his head. “Trust me on this. You don’t want to have a cat fight right now.”

“Gabby is my cover. That is it.
I thought if Sloane saw I moved on she would forget everything and do the same.”

“But what does Gabby have
that can stop Sloane from fulfilling the prophecy?” Viktor seemed confused.

“Gabby is
the Gabriel. She has certain instruments that can be welded to destroy the darkness.”

“What do you
think she’ll say when you tell her what you need her help for?”
Viktor asked.

“I don’t know.
I guess I’ll just have to find out.” I left to get dressed.

“What do I do in the mean
time?” 

“Stick to her like glue.
Whatever you do, keep her away from the one true being that may consume her.” We both knew who that was. It was Viktor’s direct boss. “This might get you bumped down a couple notches in rank, though.”

“Damn it
, Declan. Make it fast. You know how he likes to make an entrance.”

Viktor was out the door
and headed back to the loft where Sloane awaited. I sat there, trying my best to figure out what I was really going to do.