Blood of the Pure (Gaea) (8 page)

Yes, that was something quite clear to me. The origin of that huge mess had been nothing else but my egoistical wish.

“You mean that ... if I won’t accept ...”

“If you refuse to accept, I’ll claim my rights over what’s mine,” he confirmed calmly as a shiver ran down my spine. “Your eternity will belong to me. And you’ll cease to exist in all times, all spaces and every dimension.”

I felt myself falling and only woke up from my numbness when I hit the ground. Controlling my heavy breath, I clenched my hands together to make sure I remained conscious.

“And ... if I accept?”

“If you accept I’ll simply do my part. You’ll get the love you so much desire in exchange for one night, your first night!” he clarified, lowering his voice. My stomach cramped once again.

“And then?”

“Then I’ll disappear and you’ll go on with your pathetic life.”

“You’ll disappear?” I asked, my mind half blocked by fear.

“Yes. As if I’d never existed. You’ll even forget all about me. You’ll never see me again. The choice is yours.” I felt defeated, trying to fight a war that had already been lost. I couldn’t breathe and wanted to scream, but knew my voice would never obey me. And, even if it did, what good would it do? He’d told me the choice was mine, but in truth there wasn’t much to choose from.

“Oh, that’s him, isn’t it? Your Human.” His voice brought me back from the desperate swirl of my thoughts and I saw him look out the window.

It was only then that I noticed his dark wings had disappeared, but told myself this wasn’t the time or the place to worry about that. I jumped up, forgetting my aching legs or how much they trembled, and followed his gaze from a distance. From where I stood I could see Michael and his friends talking outside, like every other day. His eyes glistened slightly and the smile that tugged at his perfect lips left me with a terrifying certainty.

“Interesting,” he hissed and, right before my disbelieving eyes, he disappeared within a small rain of black glitter, as if his presence in that room had been no more than an illusion.

My heart raced and my sweaty hands opened the door so hard it slammed against the wall. I ran desperately through the corridor and down the stairs, the sound of my steps echoing in my ears, and pushed open the heavy glass door that lead outside. The cold wind that greeted me made me stop, and it was only then that I noticed how my chest burnt and how my breath left my lips in heavy white clouds. With urgency burning through my chest I looked for Michael, passing over all those unknown faces, until I found him.

And there, the creature was, too, just a few steps away from Michael’s group, standing with his back against a tree, watching them just like I did. I simply stood there, not knowing what to do. I recalled that Steph hadn’t been able to see him, but, even so, seeing him so close to Michael left me terrified. That same dark smile touched his lips, confirming my fear, and his purple eyes glowed with a crimson light. I watched as he raised his head to look at the treetop and, panicking, watched as a thick heavy-looking branch start shaking, almost like someone was jumping on it. And I knew immediately what he was up to.

I ran again, not even thinking about what I was about to do, and bumped with all my might against Michael, pushing him out from harm’s way just in time; the heavy branch falling with a loud thump right where he’d stood a second ago.

For a moment everything was quite and all I could hear was my own breath. But then worried voices started filling the air.

“Michael! You OK?”

“How in hell did this thing fall?” asked another boy, kicking the branch that was so heavy it didn’t even budge.

“Hey, Michael! You’re bleeding!”

I looked at him in alarm and noticed the thin thread of blood trickling down one of his cheeks. He swiftly cleaned it away making it easier to see the small cut on his skin.

“It’s nothing,” he answered and looked back at me, smiling gently. “Hmm, thanks. You’ve probably saved my life.”

A wave of warm blood ran through my body. I hadn’t thought of doing something as heroic as that. In fact, I really hadn’t thought of anything at all.

“Ah ... it was nothing,” I murmured. “I was just walking by when I noticed ... I acted without thinking,” I confessed, feeling too embarrassed for being the center of attention.

“Michael! You better go and disinfect that,” one of his friends advised. “You say it’s nothing, but it won’t stop bleeding. Stop acting the hero and come with me to the infirmary!” he practically commanded, holding him by an arm and helping him up to his feet, dragging him towards the north building. Michael laughed, filling me with that warm happiness that made my heart soar, and followed his friend obediently.

“See you later,” he told me at the last moment, peering over his shoulder to wave at me, and I raised a hand, trying to respond but too entranced to do it properly.

“Were you hurt?” asked a boy, who had been present during my shameful moment the day before.

I blinked returning from my dream world. “Um, no, thank you,” I answered in an almost inaudible voice, standing up.

He smiled politely. “Good. Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Ok,” I answered once again, not knowing what else to say as he, too, walked away.

The sound of a low laughter quickly erased all the feelings of warmth from my body. However, my anger spoke louder, overthrowing my fear, and I clenched my fists turning to face him.

“What in hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, probably too loudly, since everyone that looked at me would see me arguing with a tree, and his laughter was replaced by an amused smile.

“Really, really interesting.”

“Didn’t you say we had a Contract? You tried to kill him!” I accused him, furiously. That he would kill me, I could accept. But someone else getting hurt because of me was simply inadmissible.

“Oh well, so much drama,” he complained with a tedious sigh. “Let’s be real, shall we? If I wanted him dead he’d be dead,” he claimed with complete conviction. “I only wanted to see what kind of Human he is. On the other hand, as you so well put it, there is no Contract until you’ve accepted its terms.” He released the full intensity of his presence over me and, once more, I felt like I was being crushed to death. “But really. A Human like that ... you have quite the bad taste in men. Can’t see why any woman would want a man like that. However, it makes everything all that easier. Too easy, even.”

I lowered my gaze, truthfully depressed, the memory of what had happened the day before still very much alive in my head, and sighed. “What’s the use? No one can do anything about it.”

“If it’s him that you want, it’s him you shall have,” he asserted with that sarcastic smile.

“And what can something like you do? Will you make him see things that aren’t really there every time he looks at me? Or will you make him think that he wants me, even when he doesn’t? In the end, he will never love me. It’ll all be a big illusion,” I contested, speaking from the pain that still lived in my heart and heard him take a deep breath.

“It is true that any of those options would be faster and much more effective in solving your little problem,” he agreed in an almost condescending voice. “But, unfortunately, at the time, I don’t have what is needed to make any of those things possible.” I raised my head to look at him, trying to understand what he meant, and was inevitably caught in his violet gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“Both options you’ve mentioned imply the manipulation of one’s being. Be it your being or his being. And it’s not that I’m not able to do it,” he noted with a certain pride.

“Then?”

He smiled, balancing his body forward and pulled away from the tree. My whole body shook uncontrollably and I gave three steps back, even though he hadn’t taken a single one towards me.

“Something like that won’t even be necessary. All that is needed are a few pushes.”

“Why? You can claim my Soul if, like you said, I belong to you. Why?”

“That’s none of your concern,” he replied coldly. “Worry only about deciding.” His cruel tone of voice made an invisible knot squeeze my throat.

“Deciding? What’s there to decide?” I asked. He smiled cynically and I frowned calling upon the small remains of courage I still had. “If that’s how it’s going to be, then there are some terms I want to add!” I stated and he tilted his head, his dark hair sliding over his white shoulders like liquid. I was sure he was going to refuse, or that he’d get angry with my audacity, but a slight expression of curiosity took over his face. “And these are non-negotiable!” I added, my heart beating like crazy.

“I’m listening.”

I swallowed hard, fearing I was interpreting his disposition wrongly, but either way it was already too late.

“I want you to guarantee me that you won’t harm any of the people around me!” I demanded and waited fearfully for his reaction.

He stood silent, for a moment, his expression undisturbed, looking like a statue once again until he finally stood straight.

“Is that it?” he asked, as if he’d been expecting more, and I felt lost. Was that it? His question made me desperately look for more conditions I might add, but I couldn’t remember anything else, although I knew there was bound to be other ways to help me control that creature. “If that’s all, I’m fine with it,” he added with a sigh, looking completely indifferent, and his soft voice broke my thoughts, robbing me of any possible argument.

“That’s it ... then,” I whispered with the feeling I’d just condemned myself to hell, too tired to even be afraid any longer, and he smiled.

“Not yet,” he retorted and I watched terrified as he lifted an arm, his index finger pointing towards me. For a moment I thought he was going to shoot some kind of magic lightning to strike me down and reduce me to ashes. “That mark on your wrist is proof that I’m obliged to fulfill this Contract.” He informed me calmly and the burn on my wrist stung as if the simple mention of its existence was enough to make it hurt, and he looked amused. “Come here,” he commanded, beckoning me with his long and white finger. Still I found myself unable to obey.

I thought now that I’d made a decision, there was nothing to be done about it. For the time being, I really had no other choice. Maybe afterwards, maybe I could find a way to Seal him in that book again, or even destroy him forever. I was going to keep those thoughts as my last source of hope. Because there and then, that was the only way to go.

I had to make use of all my will power to overcome the fear and dragged my feet across the ground, my knees shaking with each and every pace, as I forced myself to obey his command. I stopped right in front of him, noticing for the first time how tall he was, probably even taller than Michael. His white hands moved, making me hold my breath as I recalled the pain of his touch from last night.

However, he didn’t touch me. Instead he pulled at the dark satin wrapping his body and uncovered his chest, his skin as white as his hands, his muscles finely outlined.

“Kiss me,” he said with his intoxicating voice as he rested a finger over the place where his heart should be. “Only then will you be certain that I’ll fulfill what has been agreed.” I didn’t understand. I didn’t want to understand. The only thing I wanted was for everything to be over, as soon as possible.

I leaned forward, my tense body trembling, and he pulled his hand away. I allowed my lips to touch his skin, cold and soft like silk, and sweetly scented, and kissed it briefly. When I stepped back I noticed a mark similar to mine had remained. The red of the burn against the fairness of his skin almost shocking, and yet he hadn’t even winced when I vividly recalled having screamed in pain.

He covered himself once again and his movements made me step back even further.

“Now our Contract as been established,” he confirmed, although I couldn’t feel anything different; I was still me and the same from just moments ago. “I must go now. We’ll meet later.” And before I could say anything else, he disappeared leaving that sparkly dark dust in his place.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

That day, after dinner and a few moments of mother-daughter quality time, I said my good-night and went up to my room. I hesitated for a moment outside my door. But when I finally opened it, I found there had been no reason for my nervousness.

He wasn’t there and everything else was in its rightful place. For a moment I’d considered the possibility that the effects of his Magic might have worn off during the day and that, when I returned home, I’d find everything in pieces again.

My gaze fell upon the heavy book as anger took over me, but I immediately censured my childishness. That pile of paper wasn’t to blame for my idiotic decision. And a bright idea crossed my mind, which made me grab the book and open it on the first page.

I’d start there, I thought. If a spell from that book had set him free, then maybe the book would contain the Magic formula that would imprison him once again!

I read the book all through the night and Saturday morning. Needless to say I stood up all night and only put it down to have some breakfast. I went back to my readings until lunchtime and, in the afternoon, Rachel and I went to the supermarket.

I went back to its yellowish pages after dinner and it was past five in the morning when I finally finished it, completely frustrated for not having found a single thing that might help me. The book told nothing about how to Seal evoked creatures. In fact, if I’d understood correctly, the book’s author seemed to find the idea of anything materializing itself during a ritual utterly impossible, since the recipes on its pages worked solely with energetic and spiritual entities. As it was, there was no need to include spells to expel or cast away such entities back to their original dimensions.