Chapter 4

4

ROMAN

A lthough my headache bordered on a migraine, I pushed through it, hurrying over a bridge spanning a deep gorge in the ice. I'm talking scarily deep. Possibly bottomless.

On the other side was an open wooden door. Two Victorian-style lampposts flanked it, a couple of abandoned swords on the frozen ground.

Not a good sign.

Beyond the door was an elevator, its metal door half open.

"No guards," Xavier said.

Butterfly laughed softly. "Cowards. They should never abandon their post."

What a prick. I'd love to kick him straight in his exposed family jewels.

Annoyingly, he might be able to fix this, especially as the time jar seemed to be unaffected. It could well be the key to ending this craziness.

Fuck. Unease sat in my belly like a lead balloon. What were we going to do if there wasn't any fixing this? Both this realm and Earth had been through great change before, but this really took the biscuit. This was next-level messy.

"Get inside," Xavier said curtly.

Right. Good idea. I hurried inside, remembering to take a breath to steady my nerves.

Man, were my nerves being put through the wringer. The unease wouldn't let up, getting me ready for the next wave of bullshit.

Damn.

Spittle Guy's death played across my mind. Dead by my wish. Was that really what I did? Think my desire and then have someone else pay the price? Had I been looking at him when I'd said it? What about that demon queen whose head did an impression of a water balloon meeting a needle?

Oh, God. Treading carefully might be a good idea until I got to grips with this. As for Margarite's display…what the hell had that been about?

Questions for later. Safety first. Especially for my bestie. I mean, I was shivering. Cold as fuck. But at least I had some clothes on. His lips were turning blue, Xavier's heat not enough to sustain him.

If he died, I'd never forgive myself.

Xavier yanked a lever, causing the elevator's door to slam shut. He then pushed a series of gold buttons beside the lever. The elevator shook then began its ascent.

I stroked Darcy's honey-blond curls, running the back of my hand across his fair, sun-kissed face. "Everything will be okay, buddy. I promise."

He smiled at me, his chin resting on Xavier's shoulder. "My kingdom for a hot bath."

"There's one in your future for sure."

Xavier's white demon eyes snared me in their exquisite trap. I actually gasped, fully understanding that we were back together again. No long quest to find each other. Just one death of a prick who deserved it, then bingo. Here we were.

His glossy, bee-stung lips parted, warm breath drifting out of them. "Roman." God, he looked so tired, so ready to tell the world to fuck itself with the bristly end of a toilet brush.

Amen to that!

I took him by the hand, tracing my thumb across his knuckles. "I'll forever be bitter that your skin is softer than mine."

That got his mouth curving upward in a smile. He even chuckled.

I brought his hand to my lips, planting a kiss on it.

Darcy possessed enough energy to roll his brown eyes at us.

Yeah, he'd definitely be alright.

"Where are we going?" I asked, releasing Xavier's hand.

He took a few moments to answer, the elevator shuddering on its way up. "Level 668. It's an uncomplicated area. From there I can get us to Level 88 by using a bypass."

Whoa. That skipped a lot of levels. "What's there?"

"A safe place while we figure out our next move."

"I like the sound of that," Darcy said.

I trusted Xavier completely. I wouldn't have the first clue where to go in this place, and would probably stumble into some nasty situation in no time.

Would we be going back to Earth? Things weren't exactly rainbows and sunshine, my name mud. But shouldn't we warn Piper about these demon monarchs? We didn't have any means to communicate with Earth right now. And trying to find Queen Piper amid the chaos of magic dying wouldn't be a stroll in the park.

I stopped thinking for the sake of my poor skull.

"Two levels I have never frequented," Butterfly said in response to Xavier.

The sound of his voice made my fillings throb.

"There should also be some robes for us in 668," Xavier added, ignoring the fluttery fucker.

"Keep up that sweet talk," Darcy responded.

Butterfly cleared his throat. "Tell us what you know, Roman. I cannot sense things as clearly as I would like."

He possessed the ability to sense things, including his own death back in the day.

I sniffed, my nose a little itchy. "You can still sense things?"

"In broken waves, yes. It is not a full magical ability, like Xavier's heat. But it is strengthened by magic, so is now rendered unreliable."

Despite wanting to find the nearest pointy thing and drive it into his throat, I explained what brought me back here, laying out all the gory details as I understood them.

"How fascinating," he answered.

Saying those things out loud made this more real. Going forward, keeping a leash on my thoughts would be the best course of action. No wishing, no wanting. Everyone inside this elevator needed to stay alive.

Temptation stirred within me, soft whispers pushing me to ask for anything and I shall receive.

Go kiss a pylon!

But you can have anything …

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"I don't…" I tried to speak, a spike of panic tightening my chest. "I can't…"

"Breathe, Roman," Darcy said gently. "Just breathe."

I took my bestie's advice and closed my eyes, drawing in long breaths, trying to empty my mind while driving a stake through temptation's heart.

Keeping a lid on this wouldn't last. I had to come up with a better plan or get a handle on this power.

Xavier stared at me, his gaze piercing my soul.

Man, I just wanted to hold him in some cozy nook. Shut the door on everything and be in his arms. Rewind to the sweet moment of our first date in the conservatory, bathing in those happy vibes.

I missed them so damn much.

Margarite spoke up, making me blink out of my dreaminess. "I can do your bidding for you. Once a day. I'm counting down the minutes until I can help you again."

Whoa. Just whoa. "How are you even alive?"

"Because you killed me. In my death you gave me life in servitude. Strange turn of events, isn't it?"

Once again, my temples throbbed. "How is that possible?"

She pointed at my chest. "That thing inside you."

God, I really craved a cup of chamomile tea and a nap.

Butterfly clapped his hands together. "Whatever Una did, she made the device better."

I wouldn't say that.

Xavier stared at me, his nostrils flaring. He exuded a tense, frosty energy. A taut rubber band ready to snap and take some eyes out in the process.

"How fascinating," the fluttery demon added.

If he said that again, I'd double-knot his tongue.

Shadows danced across Xavier's features, making my scalp prickle. "Stop talking." His tone dripped with warning.

"I—"

"I swear on my life, if you don't shut up, I'll pull out your tongue and ram it down your throat."

Butterfly shut his mouth.

"You did this," Xavier continued as the elevator shuddered, moving up at a diagonal angle now. "All of this is because of you."

Butterfly narrowed his white eyes into angry slits, but stayed silent.

Xavier shook his head. "There's nothing fascinating about any of this. This realm and Earth are both in unnecessary peril. You should have stayed dead. You should have accepted your fate."

Butterfly still didn't speak as the elevator slowed down.

"And you have to fix this," Xavier carried on. "You can't leave things as they are."

Butterfly lifted a hand into the air. "May I speak?"

Xavier shrugged.

"I understand," the demon said. "I am sorry for this. I did not truly understand the consequences of my actions. I am selfish. I am willing to make things better." He dipped his head. "Even if it means my death."

I didn't trust him. He'd been so set on undoing magic to spark a war. Why the sudden change? I mean, he might be having a genuine epiphany. But pardon me if I couldn't get there with him. He didn't seem like the kind of man to turn over a new leaf just like that.

Butterfly straightened his spine. "We should go to my lair. We will be safe there. My magic will keep us safe. Oh. Not anymore." He crossed his arms. "A terrible idea."

His lair had been hidden, shrouded in magic and mystery. Without the veil hiding it, it would be open season for other demons to come knocking. Especially those who fell behind the awakened monarchs.

"I'm not into being a sitting duck," I muttered.

But Earth wasn't exactly safe, either. Nowhere was.

Damn it. There were too many rocks and hard places.

"What is the plan?" Darcy spoke for all of us.

The elevator came to a stop, the door grinding open.

"I don't know," Xavier answered, leading us out. "Let me think for a moment."

Hide? Run? Try finding some back door into another world and cower in a far corner?

No. We had to fight. We couldn't give up.

We entered a large room of blue-and-white tiles, the middle cluster on the floor forming a seven-pointed star. A tall white wardrobe stood in the far-left corner, with no other furniture in the room.

"What is this place?" I asked, gawking up at the high ceiling.

"Warm," Darcy answered, icicles in his hair.

"A place for reflection," Xavier said. He lowered Darcy to the floor. "Let me get those robes." He strode over to the wardrobe, showing off his perfect backside. I enjoyed brief seconds of his peach, but my lust was on hold right now. Still, I appreciated the chance to catch a glimpse of it.

Later. Touching it can be a reward for making things right.

I crouched beside Darcy, who sat with his legs curled under him. I gave his cold body a big hug, holding him tightly, trying to steady the threat of shaky tears.

"I'm so glad you're safe," I said.

He hugged me back. "I miss our flat."

It most likely burned down in the riots stirred up by Margarite's hate.

I rubbed his bare back. "We'll have it again. Lazy Sundays with too many snacks, watching Hugh Jackman and Angelina Jolie movies."

"Sounds like heaven."

A harsh truth hit me. If things did get fixed using the jar of time, would he be a rat again? Doomed with the appropriate lifespan? Gone in a year or so?

Oh, man. That seriously made my heart fracture.

"Hopefully we'll be doing those things as human besties," I said.

"Maybe," he answered.

"Because as cute as you are with whiskers, I'd like to keep you like this."

"A beautiful specimen," Butterfly whispered, looming over us.

He'd made googly eyes at Darcy before.

Our hug broke, my bestie frowning at the demon. "Uh-huh."

Butterfly tilted his head, his hair a rippling purple curtain despite the lack of breeze in here. He smiled, raking his gaze across my naked friend.

I covered his body with mine, glowering up at the prick. "No."

He didn't answer, taking a step back when Xavier returned with three white robes.

"When I first lost Ismael, I used to come here to think." He handed Butterfly one of the two large robes. "The idea of this place is to reconnect with your heart. To heal, to meditate and embrace the future after a great loss. You strip off all your clothes, put on a robe, then reflect in silence." He gave Darcy the smaller robe.

Whoa. Talk about soft—like silky wool but much, much smoother. "Did it work for you?" I helped Darcy into the robe.

My bestie sighed with relief, turning into happy jelly. "Instant warmth."

"Absolutely is," Butterfly agreed, tying the belt on his.

Darcy ignored him, blowing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

Xavier slipped into his robe, covering the perfect, muscled planes of his body.

"Sometimes," he answered my question, not elaborating further.

Talking about this was good, helping me silence any wishes.

Xavier raked a hand through his hair, glancing over to the wardrobe. I noticed a patch of tiles close to it were bluer than the rest of the room.

"We go through there," he said, pointing at the patch in question.

He seemed distant, as if he was…afraid of me. The way he looked at me changed the air in the room, bringing a painful tightness to my chest.

Oh, God. I couldn't have him thinking of me as some sort of monster.

Aren't you?

Gingerly, I approached him. "Xavier…"

He stiffened, his jaw tense.

"How are you holding up?" I tried.

"Still counting, Shadow," Margarite interjected. "Soon I will do whatever you like again." She sounded more robotic each time she opened her mouth. "I look forward to serving you."

I gaped at her, unsure of what to say. She really was dead, this woman before me a million miles away from the real her.

"Let's keep moving," Xavier said. So cold, so weary.

I can't find you to lose you…

I shook off the wobble of pain. This wasn't the time for any of this.

Please don't hate me…

Why would he hate me, though? I was overthinking this.

Shut it down. Be the one they call The Shadow.

But that version of me was kind of dead. Another Roman wanted his turn in the spotlight now. To taste pleasure and romance and be something completely new, facing the world with the silky demon before me.

Later…

Xavier gestured for Darcy to climb on his back.

My friend didn't need convincing with the offer of more warmth.

I bottled my feelings, following Xavier across the room. Butterfly hurried behind me, Margarite keeping pace with me. A real fever dream, my favorite and least favorite people all in one place at the same time.

Life really could be twisted sometimes.

Xavier touched the blue patch of tiles. They slid away, revealing a grubby white metal door. Eight buttons sat at its center, each one numbered. Xavier pressed them quickly, out of sequence. Seconds later, the white door dropped away, a blue door replacing it with a fresh set of buttons.

Erm, okay.

Xavier punched in a different sequence. Machinery whirred to life, humming behind the door.

"What just happened here?" I asked.

"Some of us know the right buttons to press," Xavier answered, not looking back.

Yeah. He really did know what buttons to press, especially mine.

I hated that he didn't look back.

"Level 88 next," Xavier added.

"I look forward to studying and thinking in safety," Butterfly said. "If it is as safe as you say."

Xavier didn't answer him.

Why did this sound too easy? The unease in my belly intensified, sprouting barbs to remind me that when things seemed too easy, they usually were.

A heavy boom from behind us confirmed it.

Ugh.

I spun, watching the white door of the previous elevator rattle. The tiles around it cracked and bulged.

"What was that?" Darcy squeaked.

A second boom made the door shake harder.

Xavier growled at the blue door. "Hurry up!"

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Tiles split or popped off the wall around the elevator, shattering on the ground. A series of cracks spidering across the walls spread quickly, tremors reaching the soles of my feet.

Oh, shit. This wasn't good, my nerves in a blender.

A guttural roar sounded from behind the white door. Something was breaking its way through the elevator shaft.

Where the hell was our exit out of here?

Butterfly moved forward, slowly approaching the booms. "I sense… I sense darkness."

I swallowed, my mouth rapidly losing its moisture. "What do you mean?"

"A demon of darkness. A demon who swallows light." He cocked his head, taking a few steps forward. "Changed by the change… The hammer… The hammer will… The hammer will make you lost. Once…"

"Once?"

He didn't answer.

Oh. Shit.

I prepared to flee, flipping every switch to battle mode.

"Where are you?" Xavier barked. He still had his back to me, facing the blue door. "Come on!"

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

We had no weapons, only our fists.

"I am terribly sorry, Shadow," Margarite said. "The clock is ticking but not fast enough for me to help you." She tutted. "But all strength to you. Win for me to live. Win for me to aid you tomorrow."

What lovely, unhelpful words. "It's okay. We should be out of here soon."

You could make a wish…

Xavier appeared beside me, giving that idea a slap. "The elevator isn't here yet." He took my hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

The booming increased, the thing coming through close to arriving now.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said, squeezing his hand back, looking up at him. "Let's hope hard for that ding. Presuming it gives off a ding."

He smiled and it almost took my legs out from under me.

You're not scared to touch me.

You don't hate me for having this thing inside me.

Again, why the fuck would he? I seriously needed to drop this thinking, especially with a scary sounding arsehole hammering the hell out of the wall.

After one final squeeze of his hand, the white door crashed open, spinning away from the wall and clattering across the ground. Rocky debris followed it, big chucks shattering the tiles. We all jumped back, Margarite repeating her spiel from the sidelines.

"Christ!" Darcy yelled. "I think I'm about to pee myself." He slid off Xavier's back, shuffling closer to the blue door.

The ground shook under heavy footsteps. Every muscle in my body tensed, my survival instincts kicking in with a flood of adrenaline.

A figure ducked through the new hole, a tall humanoid wrapped in shadows. All bulging muscles, its head hidden by a hood of thicker shadow. It stomped closer, brandishing a huge hammer, the weapon like something Thor would swing around.

I remembered to breathe, Darcy not the only one close to pissing his pants.

The demon stopped, white eyes flaring as it drank us in. "Scum!" Its voice thundered around the room, pounding my eardrums. "Look at what you've done!"

I covered my ears, the guy's volume way too loud.

"I'm scrawny. Reduced by the golden dust. I can't feed on the shadows as I should. Everything about me is diminished." He snorted like a boar. "But I can break every single bone in this room. And I'll start with the sparkly one."

He charged at me like a hundred rhinos at once.