Torment (42 page)

“Just fifteen minutes; that’s all I’m asking for.”

“If you piss me off once, you’ve had it,” I told him.

“OK.”

We went into a café and he bought us both a latte. We sat on one of the sofas near the window.

“I spoke to Eligos on the phone before,” he told me. “He said you were with Lilith.”

“I was. Why did you speak to him?”

“To apologize. I said I wanted to do it face to face, but I didn't think you would want me at the house.”

“You’re right about that.”

“He said I had to talk to you first, before he said anything else.”

“OK.”

“I was jealous,” he said, putting his drink on the small coffee table in front of us. “I felt like I was losing you completely; we never spent time together. At one time, we were together all the time. I know that changes when someone gets into a relationship, but we
never
did anything together after you got together with him. I blamed him. I thought he wanted to take you away from us all. But I was wrong. Then when I found out about Danny, I thought he wanted to take my best mate away from me too. Again, I was wrong. All I’ve done these last few days is think about what you said to me in my basement, and you were right. He’s only ever tried to help us; we all owe him a lot. Including me.”

“Yep.”

“I want to make it up to him,
and
to you, if you will both let me.”

“Trouble is Tyler. I don't believe a word you say now, and I most certainly don't trust you.”

“I can understand that,” he said sadly. “And I want to prove to you both that you can trust me, that I’m not lying to you.”

“You know were getting married, don't you?” I told him, showing him my ring.

“Yes, Lucian told me. Congratulations.”

He said it so sincerely that I was actually quite shocked.

“I mean it, Keira. I’m happy for you.”

“You told him you were killing him so I could live my life normally with a normal-looking guy. You said you were doing it for me. You had no right to say that to him. I love him.”

“I know, I know,” he said, lowering his head. “I’m sorry, Keira. I don't know what came over me.”

“I can’t forgive you that easily, Tyler.”

“Please, let me try and make it up to you,” he almost begged. “Please, I don't want to lose you.”

“I used to trust you more than anyone; now I don't at all. I don't like the thought of you being near Eligos.”

“I will never try and do anything to hurt any of us ever again, I swear. I swear on everyone’s life that I know and love, I swear.”

“If he wants to forgive you, that's up to him, but I don't know if he will; you’ve scarred him for life.”

“I’ll find a way to fix it, to get rid of them.”

“There is no way,” I told him. “Lilith told me.”

“There has to be, and if there is I will find it.”

“Whatever, I suggest you talk to him; he’s at my house with the others. Do not take him away from my house. If I get back and he isn’t there, I will hunt you down and tear you apart, do you understand me?”

“I understand.”

“Then go! Leave me alone!” I said, turning away from him.

“Thank you.”

He finished his drink and left me alone in the café. I sat there for a few minutes, finishing my drink. Part of me just wanted to hug Tyler, but only a very small part. Most of me just wanted to kill him. I didn't want to go home yet either. If Eligos turned on him, I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to have to pull them apart. Danny was there, the others were there; they could deal with Tyler for a change. I looked at my watch. I’d been out for just over half an hour. I left the café and slowly made my way back to the car.

When I was driving home I passed the spot where I had first met Marley. I remembered seeing how frightened she was. I shook my head quickly, trying to get rid of the images. I put my music on and carried on driving, singing my head off, and probably completely out of tune. I wasn’t too far from home when something in the distance caught my eye. It looked like a white building. I’d driven home this way dozens of times and I knew I’d never seen it before. Curiosity got the better of me, and instead of turning off to head to my house, I drove in the direction of the building. As I got closer it became clearer and clearer. I pulled up across the road from it. It was a small church, beautifully built with the most beautiful stained-glass windows I had ever seen. I got out of the car and walked up to it. The walls seemed to be made of white and grey marble. I tried to look through the windows, but they were so thick I couldn’t see inside. I walked around to the other side and found the doors. They were white with perfectly decorated golden handles.

“Where did you come from?” I asked out loud, as though the building itself could answer me.

I pushed the door and it opened silently.

“Hello?” I shouted as I popped my head around the door. “Hello, is anybody in here?”

Nobody answered me. I walked inside and the door closed behind me, once again in silence. The church was amazing. There were two rows of pews, probably with just enough room to seat around fifty people. There were unlit candles in holders all around the walls, and small statues of angels praying. I turned to look at the altar; it, too, looked to be made of marble, the same color as the outside walls. It had a chalice on it, golden like the door handles, with some kind of gemstone decorating it. Above the altar was a crucifix; it reminded me of the one in the church where we fought Argyle, only this one was smaller. The whole of the church, inside and out, was spotlessly clean.

I walked halfway across the back of the church until I reached the aisle between the rows of pews. I looked around me again, just to make sure nobody was watching me. Then I slowly made my way down the aisle towards the altar. I was only a few feet away from it when all the candles seemed to light themselves one at a time in a clockwise direction. I turned around quickly; nobody was there. All the hairs on the back on my neck stood on end.

I turned to face the altar again and noticed what could only be described as a glowing white fog starting to form. I started to take a few steps back but the fog followed me. I turned quickly to run away, but the fog surrounded me. I felt myself rise up from the floor and I turned in mid-air so I was facing the altar again. I screamed and cried for Eligos, for Danny and Hecate as the fog started to seep into my skin. There was no pain, but I felt myself getting warmer and warmer. I screamed again and again then everything seemed to go hazy. I tried to scream again, but I had no voice; I couldn’t make a sound. I could feel myself going dizzy; I knew I was about to pass out.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Blue Eyes – Lily’s Story

I had just put the chicken in the oven when there was a knock at the door. I knew I couldn’t leave it to one of the others to answer it; they were all far too busy playing together while I was slaving away. I walked down the hall, pulling my pinafore off before opening the door.

“Oh,” I said, looking at Tyler. “It’s you.”

“Keira, told me to come and speak to Eligos,” he told me.

“Really and when exactly did she say that?”

“About ten minutes ago. I bumped into her in town; she’s been shopping.”

“Why would she say that?” I asked him, not letting him inside.

“After I practically begged her, she came for a coffee with me. I explained a few things and she told me to come here. She doesn’t trust me and Eligos being alone together; she said everyone was here and I should talk to him here.”

“Hmmm, OK, they’re in the back. Don't try anything funny, Tyler,” I warned.

“I won’t. I promise you, Lily.”

I moved aside to let him in, then closed the door and walked outside with him.

As soon as Eligos saw him his eyes turned red. Lucian and Danny quickly stood in front of him. Everyone went silent.

“Keira, told me to come and talk to you,” Tyler told him. “She said to do it here.”

“Did she?” Eligos said between gritted teeth.

“If you want to kill me then just do it. It’s not like I don't deserve it.”

This seemed to soften Eligos a little and his eyes returned to normal.

“Can we talk alone?” Tyler asked him.

“Why not?” he said, motioning for Tyler to walk to the other side of the garden.

I watched as they both made their way towards Keira’s swing, then both of them sat down. Sadly as much as I tried, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I just know Tyler was doing most of the talking. Jake walked over to me, constantly looking over at them both.

“What’s going on?” he asked me.

“I don't know.”

“Did Keira really send him here?”

“I think so. He saw her in town. She’ll be back soon anyway, so if he’s lied he’s in deep shit.”

“Hmmm.”

“Anyway, just keep an eye on them. I’ve got things to do.”

“I will,” he said before kissing me on the cheek and then making his way over to the others.

I walked back into the kitchen and carried on making what I could without the things Keira was getting for me. I was cooking us a three-course meal. I wanted to make us something exotic, but Keira and Marley were such fussy eaters that I had to keep it quite simple. I’d decided on a simple prawn cocktail for starters, followed by chicken in a white-wine sauce, with fresh strawberries and cream for dessert. I had a few bottles of wine chilling in the fridge. I could have done with drinking a bottle myself now.

I did what I could then went to sit outside with the others until Keira got back. Eligos and Tyler were still talking. Danny was fighting with Lucian while Hecate was teaching Marley and Beth a few spells. Both of them had the look of sheer concentration on their faces. Jake was slumped on the grass watching Danny and Lucian. I sat down next to him.

“Hey, gorgeous, how’s it going in there?” he asked me.

“Not too bad. I just need Keira to hurry up now. I can’t do anything else until she brings me my stuff.”

“She shouldn’t be long now. How long has she been gone?”

“About forty-five minutes.”

“Oh she won’t be long.”

“I hate waiting around. I might go and set the table actually.”

“Lily, just chill out for a bit, OK. You’ve been in there most of the day.”

“I know but…”

“I said chill,” he said, pushing me so I was lying back on the grass. “Learn to relax more often.”

He lay on his side next to me, and we both watched Danny and Lucian.

I only moved when I felt myself getting sleepy.

“I need to get up before I fall asleep,” I told Jake.

“Tired?”

“A little.”

“Early night for you tonight, I think.”

“Most likely.”

As I stood up, I saw Eligos and Tyler walking over to us. I didn't say anything. I just watched as they both joined Danny and Lucian.

“I think it’s best if you fight Tyler,” Eligos said to Danny. “Either that or one of you guys,” he said looking at Jake and Lucian in turn. “It’s not safe otherwise.”

“I’ll do it,” Jake said, looking at Lucian. “You look like you could do with a rest.”

“You two fight then. Danny, you observe,” he said before walking into the house.

I walked in a few minutes later and back into the kitchen. Eligos was standing at the window, watching them fight.

“Hey,” I said as I walked in the room.

“Hey, Lily.”

“Are you two OK now?”

“I don't know.”

“What was he saying, if you don't mind me asking?”

He turned to face me and stood leaning back again the counter, folding his arms across his chest.

“He admitted he was jealous of a few things, and that he was wrong about a lot of things. He apologized profusely for what happened the other day. That was it really.”

“So what happens now?” I asked.

“We see how things go. He knows I don't trust him. He knows if he tries anything ever again, he’s dead, be it by my hands or not.”

“Yeah, Keira told him she didn't trust him too.”

“I know she did. She said she didn't believe he was sorry either.”

“He told you that.”

“He told me about the conversation they had in the café in town,” he said. “But I’m gonna check with her anyway, just to see.”

“Yeah I would too.”

“Where is she? She should have been back by now.”

“Yeah I know. I bet she’s chatting away to someone or gone clothes shopping while she’s there.”

“I doubt it; not if she knew you were waiting for her.”

“True, I can’t ring her either. Her phone’s over there charging.”

“How long has she been gone?”

“An hour and a half.”

“Hmmm,” he said, closing his eyes for a moment. “I can’t reach her.”

“What?” I asked puzzled.

“I was trying to contact her, call out to her. I can’t track her.”

“Should we be worried?”

“She’s a full-blown demon now, and a ridiculously powerful one at that. She should be OK.”

I watched him as he said his last sentence. His voice sounded certain, but his face and eyes told a different story; he was starting to worry about her.

We waited and waited, but Keira never came back. Eligos went to Hell to see if Lilith had called her there, but Lilith hadn't seen her since she’d had the meeting with her. He didn't want to worry her so he didn't tell her Keira was missing. Instead he just came back to the house.

“Where the hell is she?” he asked, annoyed.

“She was just finishing her latte in the café when I left her; she didn't say she was going anywhere,” Tyler told us all.

“Hecate, can you sense her?” Danny asked.

“She’s alive, but I couldn’t tell you where. Something's different. I don't know what it is. I can’t tell you where she is; I just know she isn’t dead.”

“Why is that?” Jake asked.

“I don't know. I don't understand it,” Hecate replied, shaking her head.

“How long has she been gone now?” Lucian asked.

“Over three hours.”

“Not again!” Eligos said, walking out of the room. “Not again.”

I heard the front door open then saw him out of the window. He was standing on the porch, leaning on the rail, looking out towards the approach to the house.