Torment (8 page)

Jake and Lily came back just after six and found us both still watching films. I told her not to cook and that we were ordering out for dinner; they had had a really busy day so she was more than happy to stay away from the kitchen. Lucian and Danny arrived just before we were about to order and decided they wanted a pizza too, even though they hadn't long since eaten with their parents. We all spent the rest of the night watching horror films, getting drunk and eating more than we needed to. At 11p.m. the guys headed home. They were drunk, but the power in them would keep them safe and they could collect their cars tomorrow. When they had gone I took Lily into the living room and told her what had happened with me and Tyler.

“Why can’t you two be together? Tell me the truth, Keira. It’s Eligos, isn’t it?”

“Partly.”

“I knew it!” she said, not realizing I’d not told her the other part of the reason. “Have you called out to him?”

“Yes, every night since the fight.”

“And he hasn’t come?” she frowned.

“No, I haven’t heard anything from him at all.”

“Maybe he’s still upset with you.”

“Or maybe it’s like I said to you, he’s not helping me anymore.”

“What are you going to do?”

“What
can
I do?” I asked sadly. “I don't know how else to contact him. Besides, I think he’s made it pretty clear that he doesn’t want to speak to me.”

“Then forget him and be with Tyler; he would treat you like a queen and you know it.”

“I know, but I can’t.”

Chapter Eleven

The Man

Just over two weeks had now passed. Tyler had been OK with me and hadn't made another move on me. Lucian had been trying to get close but luckily I didn’t have to fend him off; every time he went to make a move or say something to me, Tyler interrupted. He said there was no way Lucian was having me if he couldn’t. After about the ninth attempt Lucian finally seemed to give up and just concentrated on having a giggle with me. I still hadn't heard from Eligos and about a week ago I stopped calling out to him. I missed him a lot and thinking about him upset me a great deal.

We had just celebrated Jake’s twenty-fourth birthday. We’d all gone out to Heaven and Hell on the Saturday and had a fantastic night. He had loads of presents and went mad at us all for spending our money on him. On the Sunday, Lily cooked a big meal and all the guys’ parents came around, so we had a really nice weekend.

I woke up this morning to the sun shining through my windows. It was a Tuesday, so Lily and Jake were at the shop, and I had told the rest of the guys last night that I wanted some time to myself. I went into town and bought a few tops and a new pair of light-blue jeans, then I went to the hairdressers for a trim before driving back home. I had the windows down and was enjoying the warm breeze when I saw him. He was standing in the field next to the road staring at me. I slammed my breaks on and screeched to a stop. It was the man from the church again. I got out of the car and stood as still as a statue, staring back at him. This time he had something in his hand, but I couldn’t quite make out what it was at this distance. He started walking towards me. I made my way towards him very slowly, but after I’d taken a few steps forward he faded away. I looked around me but there was no sign of him. I thought he was taunting me until I felt a searing pain in my back.

I hit the ground instantly, crying out in pain. I managed to roll over on to my side, now I could see what he had in his hand, and what had just hit me. It was a mace, and a large one at that. The spiked ball was bigger than my head. I didn’t have time to heal myself. He stood over me and went to strike me again, but something hit him and sent him crashing into the side of my car. As soon as he tried to stand he was bombarded by energy balls, then a lightning bolt struck him, before a blaze of fire soared a few feet above me, scolding him, burning through his flesh. He screamed out in pain. I couldn’t see who was attacking him; I couldn’t move to look around.

The man managed to escape the blaze and started walking forward, swinging his mace out to the side of him. He looked down at me and went to strike me again, but a blade engulfed in flames blocked it; the chain that the ball was attached to wrapped itself around the blade a couple of times. The man looked horrified. At first I thought it was because something had stopped him. When I saw another blade appear, I realized it was because he knew he was about to die. The blade sliced through his torso like he was made of jelly. Before his body hit the ground he had dissolved into the air. The mace fell to the ground beside me and the fiery blade seemed to evaporate. I started to feel a tingling sensation in my spine and then pins and needles. I could move again. I turned around to see Eligos standing in front of me. His red eyes changed back to the sapphire blue as he held his hand out towards me to help me up.

I stood in front of him staring at him for a minute, before I jumped up and wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and hugged him. He took hold of my arms and pulled them from around his neck, then pushed me away from him.

“I’m only here because your new protector hasn’t been chosen yet, and Lilith was worried about you,” he told me. “When one has been chosen he or she will come and introduce themselves.”

“What?” I said gasped.

“You heard me. Goodbye, Keira,” he said, backing away from me and half disappearing.

“No, wait” I pleaded.

He didn’t pay any attention to me and disappeared completely.

“I don't want anyone else,” I shouted. “I only want you.”

The ground started shaking as I got more and more upset and annoyed.

“Send who you want!” I almost screamed. “I’ll send them back to you in pieces.”

I felt my eyes turn and the vines appeared on my skin. The sky turned black and deafening thunder roared through the air. I turned to face my car and bombarded it with energy balls. I made lightning strike it over and over again. I threw my hands out in front of me and sent flames at it. Then someone grabbed me from behind and turned me away from the car; their strong arms were over mine, restraining me.

“Calm down!” Eligos ordered. “Calm down…now!”

“Get off me!”

“Calm down and I’ll let go of you”

“If you don't get off me I’ll blast you off.”

“If you do that I will make sure I never see you again,” he told me. “And since this is all about me leaving, I’m guessing you don't want that, so what’s it going to be, Keira? It’s your call.”

He was right; I didn’t want him to leave. I stopped the thunder and lightning and made the clouds disappear. My eyes and skin returned to normal.

“That’s better,” he said as he let go of me.

I turned around to face him.

“You have quite a temper and it doesn’t take much to trigger it at the moment,” he told me.

“Why are you quitting on me?” I asked.

“I’m not,” he said, turning to look at my car. He walked over to it, holding his hand out towards it. The car was fixed within a split second. He leaned against the door and looked over at me. “Believe me I wanted to, but I can’t.”

“Why, is there nobody to take your place?” I asked coldly.

“There are plenty of others who would take on a job like this.”

“Then why aren’t you leaving me?”

“A moment ago you said you didn’t want me to leave you; now it sounds like you do.”

“I don't want you to, but one minute you say someone is replacing you and the next you’re saying you can’t quit on me,” I said plainly. “So I want to know why.”

“Because I don't trust anyone else with you that’s why,” he almost shouted at me. “If any of them let any harm come to you I would hunt them down and kill them.”

I walked over and stood about a foot in front of him. He constantly fixed me with his eyes.

“I called out to you for more than a week, not once did you answer me,” I said. “Why?”

“Because I was trying my best to stay away from you.”

“Why though, did I piss you that much?”

“Yes you did, but that’s not the reason.”

“Why then?”

“Because I was getting too close to you,” he said, moving away from me. “I can’t allow myself to do that.”

“I don't mind,” I said, walking after him.

“You would, believe me you would.”

“No I wouldn’t! I hate it when you leave me, and I miss you like crazy…”

“Keira, don't! I’m doing my best to fight this. Don't make it any harder for me.”

“Is this why you used to just turn up, because you wanted to be near me?”

“Yes,” he said, looking at me again. “But I can’t…”

“You can.”

“I need to go.”

“Take me with you, Eligos…just for a little while, please.”

“No, your friends will worry about you.”

“So I’ll call them and tell them I’m with you.”

“No, not now.”

He stared at me for a moment before disappearing.

Chapter Twelve

Surprise

When I got home I jumped in the shower and then flopped down on the sofa in the living room. I didn’t move until I heard Lily and Jake come in from work. I said hi and then went outside and sat on my swing, staring at my grave that still hadn't been moved. My mind was completely clear now.

“I’m sick of seeing that miserable face,” Eligos said as he appeared next to me. “It doesn’t suit you.”

“So make me smile then.”

“Get your car keys,” he told me, standing up.

“Why?”

“More bloody questions! For once just do as you’re told!”

He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the house. We walked in and I got my keys out of the kitchen.

“Hey,” Lily said, rather shocked when she saw him.

“Hi, Lily, how are you today?” he asked her.

“I’m great, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it. Now I hope you don't mind but I’m stealing your friend for an hour or so.”

“Oh, OK, well at least I know she’ll be safe, or at least she will be if you don't end up fighting again.”

“We won’t fight and I won’t keep her too long,” he told her.

We walked through the hall, out the front door and towards the car.

He wouldn’t tell me where we were going; he just told me to head into the countryside. He wound the window down and sat back with his eyes closed, letting the breeze blow on his face and through his hair. I had to fight with myself to keep my eyes on the road. He was so amazingly gorgeous; I could happily sit there and stare at him all day, every day.

“We’ve been driving over half an hour – where are we going?” I asked.

“You can stop anywhere you like, it doesn’t really matter; I was just enjoying the breeze too much to stop you driving.”

I slammed my foot on the break and we screeched to a stop.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“Oh look at
you
asking questions,” I said nastily, getting out of the car.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“You’re what’s wrong…You infuriate me!”

“OK,” he said carelessly.

He got out of the car and leaned against the bonnet.

“You know sometimes I wonder why I speak to you; I wonder why I don't just let you quit,” I said coldly.

“Because you know you can tell me anything; you can talk to me about things your friends don't understand. Oh and because I know that some part of you, no matter how small, actually likes me. Why else would you have gotten so pissed when I said I was quitting?”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. He held it in the palm of his hand and then a few seconds later, it burst into flames. I watched as he let the ashes fall to the ground. Then he spoke.

“See how pissed she is,” he said, looking up at the sky “I need you, mate; besides, you owe me.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“An angel.”

“Oh now I’ve heard it all.”

“She doesn’t believe me. I don't like being made out to be a liar,” he added, this time looking at me.

“You’re not amusing,” I told him, heading back to the car. “Just go home.”

“
Keira
?” I heard a man say.

I stopped dead in my tracks; my whole body started shaking badly. I turned around slowly, frightened in case this was some sick joke. But when I saw him I knew it wasn’t.

“Dad!” I choked.

“Hello, princess,” he smiled, holding his arms open.

I ran over to him and threw my arms around him. He picked me up and spun me around a few times before putting me back on the ground.

“How did you get here?” I asked.

“It seems someone owed your friend over there a favor,” he said, looking at Eligos.

“How long are you here for?”

“Not long, sweetheart; we’re not supposed to do this; you’re not supposed to be able to see me.”

“Oh,” I sobbed as a tear ran down my face.

“You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman. I always knew you would.”

“Well, I had a good-looking dad,” I told him.

We both laughed for a moment.

“I know what you did for your friend, and I know what’s inside you.”

“Oh.”

“I’m proud of you,” he smiled. “You’re an amazing young woman.”

“Thank you.”

“Don't ever change; follow your heart like you always have; it won’t lead you astray.”

“Dad, I know who did this to you.”

“I thought you might,” he said seriously.

“I swear I’ll get her.”

“She’s very dangerous, Keira; please don't do anything stupid.”

“I won’t, I promise. God, it’s so good to see you,” I said, hugging him again.

“I wish I didn’t have to leave you again,” he sighed, kissing my forehead. “But my time’s up.”

He cupped my face and wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

“I love you, darling,” he said as he started to fade away. “I’ll always be watching over you.”

“I love you, Dad.”

I watched as he faded away completely with a smile on my face.

“Do I
still
infuriate you?” Eligos asked sarcastically.

I turned round to see him smiling at me.

“I can’t believe you did that,” I said.