04 Shadow Blood - Witch Fairy (4 page)

“I believe you misinterpreted my demand as a request, Adriel.  Do not make that mistake again.”  Her canine teeth are so big, she can’t close her mouth all the way.  Which means spittle is flying out of it as she speaks.  Which makes her even eerier.  I think a few more steps backwards are called for here.  Maybe ten.

Adriel drops to her knees, prostrating herself before the beast that was Rashnu.  I’m wondering if I should be doing that.  Maybe I will, just in case.  Can’t hurt, right?  Hopefully.

As soon as I start to lower my legs, the empty sockets that used to have blue eyes in them shift all of their attention to me.  “The granddaughter of Lailah bows to no one.”  All righty.  I’m going to stand back up then. 

“I apologize, Rashnu.  I did not mean to anger you.”  Sure, bring out the demon boss and suddenly Adriel’s all sweetness and subservience.  I’m sure that’ll last about a second if she does have to escort me.

“Um, Rashnu,” I say, trying not to let my paralyzing fear enter my voice.  “Do you think one of you could just draw me a map or something?  I’d hate to take Adriel away from her job.”

I knew she wouldn’t be able to keep up the pretense of being nice.  She swings her head in my direction and her next words come out of her mouth as if each one is causing a wart to form on her tongue.  “It would be my pleasure to escort you.  It is too dangerous for you to travel alone.”

“That’s okay; I’ll have Kallen with me.”

“You plan to bring the Fairy with you?” she scoffs.  “He is not of Angel blood.  His body would disintegrate as soon as his flesh crossed the gateway.”

Wow, wish I would have had that information twenty minutes ago.  I almost got Kallen killed.  “Oh, I guess I didn’t know that.”

“Your ignorance knows no limits, apparently.”

Is that my hand in a fist again?  Why, yes.  Yes it is.  I take several steps towards her and something on my face must give away my intent, because she stands up and gives me an ‘I dare you’ look.

“Then it is fortunate that you will be accompanying Xandra on her journey.  That will give you time to fill in the gaps of her knowledge.”

Gaps?  Apparently, Rashnu doesn’t know much about me.  I don’t have gaps in my knowledge.  I have giant, cavernous holes that rival the size of the Grand Canyon. I wish I only had gaps.

Swinging her head back to Rashnu, she says in what she probably thinks is a sweet and respectful voice, but it isn’t, “Of course, it would be my pleasure to educate someone so new to our ways.  Perhaps I could supply her with a hierarchy chart and descriptions of the various Angels of importance.”

Since Rashnu didn’t hear the conversation when I, sarcastically, said those words, it apparently doesn’t occur to her that Adriel is being sarcastic.  “That would be an excellent idea,” Rashnu drawls.  “You will begin gathering that information when you have safely returned her and the souls of the innocents to the Fairy realm.”  Okay, maybe she did know that Adriel was being sarcastic because she seems to take great pleasure in the horrified look on the other Angel’s face. 

With a satisfied look on her now grotesque facade, Rashnu begins her transformation back to the beautiful Angel she was a few minutes ago.  Turning to me, she says, “Adriel is correct.  You may not bring a Fairy into the Shadow world.  You will need to travel with Adriel only.”

Great, alone time with the Angel of Death who hates me in a realm full of evil.  What could possibly go wrong, right?  Have I mentioned how this isn’t my life? If someone would have told me a few months ago that I would be arguing with Angels, let alone the Angel of Death, I would have laughed until I cried.  Now, I think only the crying part is appropriate.  I’m sure before our journey is done, one of us will be. I’m going to try to make sure it’s her.

“Okay,” is the only thing I can say to Rashnu.  I’m certainly not going to argue with her, even if she now looks like she embodies goodness and love instead of looking like she eats lesser demons for breakfast.  “I really, really don’t want to be impatient, but I’m afraid that every minute that I spend here is time that could have been used to find them.  Can I please go now?”

Rashnu nods.  “I wish you success in your endeavor.”

And just like that, I’m back in the Fairy realm and its time.

Chapter 4

“What the hell?” Kallen asks as he jumps back, making room for my wings in the small circle.  For him, it’s like they just appeared out of nowhere, for no reason.  No one else can see, thank goodness, because they can’t see through each other’s circles.  The only one I care about really is Dagda.  Everyone else has seen them.  I’m just not ready to share the knowledge of my Angel blood with him yet.

Gently removing his hand from my shoulder, I say, “I met an Angel of Death.  Kallen, she has to be my guide in the Shadow realm.  And she’s just thrilled about it,” I grumble.  Yeah, I’m a bit grumpy now.

Kallen looks confused.  “Why would an Angel of Death be our guide?”

I sigh.  “Not our guide.  My guide. You can’t go.”

Now, I’m not the only one who’s grumpy.  Thunder clouds are gathering in Kallen’s eyes.  “Xandra, we talked about this.”

“Yes, we did.  But when we talked about it, we didn’t know that your body would disintegrate as soon as you enter the realm because you don’t have Angel blood.”

Kallen narrows his eyes at me.  “Is this true or are you simply saying this so I do not go with you?”

Well, I’m not just grumpy with Adriel now.  Putting my hands on my hips, I say, “Are you seriously accusing me of lying to you?  Why would I want to go into the Shadow realm without you?  Do you really think going in there with the
Angel of Death
is going to be a thrill a minute?”  Flinging an arm in the direction of where the gateway will soon be, I add, “She already hates me and she’s only going because her boss made her.”

Adriel’s voice comes out of nowhere.  “It is true, I do not like her.”  She sounds amused.  At my expense.  Why is it that everyone I meet likes to laugh at me?  Maybe I should be a clown instead of a Witch Fairy.  It’s obvious Adriel is enjoying hearing us argue.  “Are you this pleasant with everyone?” her voice asks me.

“
No
, I’m much nicer when I’m not around
you
.”

“Xandra,” Kallen says bringing my attention back to him.  “Who are you talking to?”

Oh, great.  I’m the only one who can hear her.  No wonder Kallen’s looking at me like I’m a crazy person. At least he didn’t hear her comment about not liking me.  That, apparently, was for my enjoyment only.  “Adriel.  She’s being bitchy.”  Is it wrong to call an Angel bitchy?

He’s still looking at me like I’m at least a little bit crazy.  I probably am.  “Are you absolutely certain I would not survive intact?”

“Yes.  If only Adriel had told me that, I wouldn’t believe it.  But her boss, the same one that told her she had to go with me, confirmed it.  She didn’t strike me as the kind of person who would make idle threats.”  She wouldn’t need to considering how creepy she is in full ‘Angel of Judgment’ mode.

“She is not a
person
, she is an
Angel
.”  Adriel huffs.  Kallen can’t hear her, so I don’t know why she’s bothering trying to speak to him.  I wonder if he can’t hear her because we’re in his circle, or because only I can hear the Angels.  So many mysteries in my life.

I shake my head.  I’m beginning to think I’m the only supernatural being who hasn’t gone to the ‘learn how to be bitchy’ class?  Okay, maybe I’m not that innocent.  But still, I think I’m in the minor leagues compared to the others I’ve met.  Yes, I like to mix my metaphors.  I roll my eyes and mutter, “How about we stop talking and get going.  I think the Shadow realm will be more pleasant than talking to you all day.” 

“The feeling is mutual.” 

“Xandra,” Kallen says, gently pulling my shoulders so that I’m facing him again.  “Are you sure you can trust her?”  At least he doesn’t comment on me talking to someone he can’t see again.

I snort.  “No.”  Then, with a smirk in the direction of Adriel’s voice, I add, “But, I am sure she’s not willing to upset her boss by not doing what she’s supposed to.”

Kallen cups my cheeks in his hands, looking for the truth of that statement in my eyes.  When he’s satisfied it’s there, he sighs and nods.  “Okay, then.”  With a smile, he leans down to put his lips gently on mine in a sweet, lingering kiss.

“You claimed to be in a hurry,” Adriel says in a voice laced with disgust.

I hate to admit it, but she’s right.  I step back from Kallen.  “I have to go.”

I know he wants to pull me back in his arms, but he doesn’t.  “I love you,” he says.

“I love you, too.”

“Oh, please.  You lower beings are so pathetic with all the groping of each other.”

“You’re just jealous.”  I cock my head as a new thought hits me.  “You’ve lived for thousands of years without ever being kissed?  I think that’s pretty pathetic.”  I don’t know if Angels kiss or not, but regardless, it seems like it would be hard for an Angel of Death to get a date.

Instead of responding, she growls, “You better get the Fairy out of the way.  I would hate to have him get singed.”  Yeah, I don’t think she’d hate it at all.  I gently step back from Kallen and put my hands in front of me to keep him from following me.

I hear Adriel clap her hands and a door appears in front of us.  This is not a normal door, though.  It’s pure white, for one thing.  I would have expected black.  In pretty, baby blue script, the words abyssus abyssum invocat is written above the baby blue door knocker.  My beliefs regarding Angels and Hell are constantly getting screwed up.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

I expect to hear Adriel’s voice, but Kallen answers me first.  “It is Latin for Hell calls Hell; one misstep leads to another.”  Cheery.  They should make postcards.

“You may want to have him cover his eyes,” Adriel says.  I pass that along to Kallen.  And then, Adriel somehow raps on the door with the knocker.  I kind of expect a demon to answer, but thankfully, it just swings open. 

I’m about to say something when a blinding light penetrates every iota of my being.  I feel like I’m being x-rayed by a thousand machines all at once.  Good lord, If this is normal, I would have at least expected a lead vest like they give you at the doctor’s office.  I wonder if I’ll be able to have children after all this.

A rough, all be it small, hand pulls me forward.  I stumble as I make my way through the door way.  My eyes don’t hurt, but they simply cannot adjust to the light, so I have to keep them closed.  And then, with a rushing wind, the door slams closed and the light pulls back.  I can feel the darkness surround me, holding me in its grasp.  I finally open my eyes.

“Was that really necessary?” I ask.

Adriel sighs and shakes her head.  “Is ignorance really blissful?” she asks.

“Look, I get that you don’t like me, but could you take ten or fifteen minutes off from being such a pain?  I’d like to find my family now.”

With a huffing sigh, she says, “The light scares the Shadows away from the opening so that none may escape when we bring more darkness here.”

A thought strikes me.  “How full is it here?”

Her brows wrinkle.  “What?”

Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes.  “How much darkness is here?  There have been some pretty evil souls floating around since the beginning of time.  It doesn’t seem like just one realm could contain all that darkness.  Is this realm all filled?  Will you have to look for another soon?”

Adriel puts both of her hands on her head as if she has the worst headache in the world.  Well, this world, anyway.  “Darkness does not occupy space like you or I do.  That would be like asking how many ghosts does it take to fill a realm.  Ghosts can occupy space, but not as solid matter.  Therefore, they can occupy the same space with a human or another ghost without the need to shift matter to make more room.  A billion ghosts could exist in the same spot for an eternity.  The same is true for darkness.”

Okay, I’m going to need to look that up in my metaphysics book back home.  “A soul doesn’t occupy any space at all?  Not even the size of the nucleus of an atom?”

I think the back of her head is getting ready to blow off.  I am so not cleaning up Angel of Death brains if it does.  I’ll leave it for the Shadows. 

“Can we just get on with this?” she snarls.

“Fine, lead the way.  Where do we look first?”

“Adriel,” a deep sing-song voice says.  “Have you come to set us free?”  I look all around us but I don’t see anyone – or anything.  Not even a Shadow.

“Ignore them,” Adriel says as she starts walking forward.  We’re in what looks like a long, dark hallway.  The only light is radiating from my and Adriel’s wings.  Good to know they can serve as flashlights in a pinch.

“Adriel,” that same voice sings.  “Who’s your pretty little friend, Adriel?  Is she your new pet?  It’s been so long since we’ve seen anyone but you.  We love fresh blood.”

“Too bad I don’t plan on sharing any of mine,” I mumble.

There’s a deep, rumbling laugh that echoes around the walls.  “We heard that, Angel.”  A Shadow moves quickly along the far wall.  I just barely have time to glimpse it and then it’s gone.  “But you have such interesting scents radiating from you.  Not all Angel, are you?  How can that be?”

“Not your business,” I mumble.

Adriel gives me a dirty look. “I said, ignore them.  Talking to them shows weakness.”

I’m not quite sure how it shows weakness, but I still probably shouldn’t be talking to them.  “Where are we going?”

“Must you ask so many questions?”

“What’s the matter, Adriel,” the voice coos.  “Not happy with your friend?  You could always leave her here for us to play with.” 

I refuse to respond to that.  But I do give a quick glance to Adriel to see if she’s considering it or not.  I don’t think she is.  At least, that’s what I choose to believe.

Rounding a corner, I see other Shadows scurrying down the walls trying to outrun the light from our wings.  We’re in a hallway exactly like the one we just left.  “Are we in a building?”

I hate her eye roll.  It makes me want to poke her in both eyes.  I guess that’s probably how people feel when I do it to them.  Maybe I should work on that.

“No, we are not.  This realm is different from other realms.  It is a realm created specifically for its purpose.  These hallways are a labyrinth to help keep the Shadows from escaping.  When darkness is brought here, it is dropped in the center of the labyrinth and it takes millennia for it to find its way to the outer corridors as some of these have.”  She sweeps her arms in the direction of the Shadows scurrying along the walls.

“Adriel, you are so beautiful.  I love to look at you as you stroll through our humble abode.  Your wings are particularly luminescent today; a ray of sunshine to lift our spirits.”  I suspect from the way the Shadows are disappearing, they don’t really appreciate the light coming from our wings.