The still silence of the hallway was as creepy as the portraits lining it's walls. Epic battles and archaic legends spread out on miles of tapestry, lit by red flamed sconces to give them a bloody overcast. I folded my arms over my chest as I wandered a little chilled. Who was this guys decorator? Vlad the Impaler?
Finally I arrived at the end of the hall.
A large floor to cieling door rose up in scarlet splendor.I stood in front of it for a moment or two, considering the fact that in a super villains lair, any door could lead to a dungeon or a doomsday device.
Not that I had much of a choice because suddenly a mocking voice sounded close to my ear.
"Well, are you going in or not?" My body went on pins and needles as the adrenaline shot through me, and before I could stop myself my foot swept out in a low kick. Reflexively Chase grabbed my leg and pulled me swiftly up into his arms. For a heart beat I just sat there astonished at his reflexes.
My mind flashed back to that moment in my room when I saw him in just a towel. Now that I knew what he looked like under that armored chest plate, I couldnt help but wonder how those muscles would feel under my bare hands. Suddenly I was slammed with the reality of the situation. Was I really fantasizing about the bad guy?
"Chase." I demanded through gritted teeth. "Put me down now." He shrugged but easily obliged. Placing me onto the floor as swiftly as he had picked me up.
I huffed and, forgetting my earlier dilemma, pushed open the heavy oak door.
The dining hall inside was enormous and as intricately designed as the rest of the den. A long cherry wood table, set up to look like a cross between the last supper and one of Marie Antoinette's dinner parties, sat in the midst of it all.
My mouth watered, but like they say "All good things must come to an end." and this was no exception.
"Well well well." A smug feminine voice mused "Now how did you manage this?"
Chase and I turned to see Wuya poised and smirking at the door we had just come through. Chase ignored her question and opted for his usual icy glare.
"Oh come now Chase," The witch yawned, taking a few slinking steps foward "I invented the evil eye. Tell me how you caught her?"
I bristled at the word caught.
She paused suddenly in her catlike pacing to concot a theroy, her expression turned disdainfull "Please tell me he didn't win you in a challenge like some cheap carnival prize."
If blood could boil based on anger alone my temperature would have been off the charts. "Listen witch." I spat out the word as if it were dirty. "How I got here is my business, not yours. If I wanted someone to hang around bugging me I'd invite Spicer in here." She said nothing but gawked at me like a tourist.
I turned smugly to saunter back towards the food when suddenly Chase's hand caught my right arm. I turned back. "What?" I growled. Suddenly I saw a dim light reflecting off of his face. I looked down at my arm to see the source.
The black lotus was pulsing, a soft purple light shining through it's every line and leaving a ghost of it's image on my sleeve. Carefully I lifted the material until only my bare skin and the mark showed. Chase reached out to touch it. As soon as his hand got close enough I could feel the mark responding, feeding on the dark energy emenating from him. Tiny threads of shadow were flowing from his palm to the lotus, brightening the violet glow.
"Stop!" I demanded. I could feel the cold chill of Heylin breathing into my viens.
"I'm not doing this." Chase swore through gritted teeth "It's absorbing my magick." My heart was racing.
"Wuya,"Chase hissed "seal that damned thing."
The witch boredly glided over "So much for entertainment."she sighed.
Suddenly one of her long red nails pricked me. "Ouch!" I protested weakly. The energy pouring into me from chase was more than a bit intoxicating. Quickly her finger smeared the blood in a diamond over the lotus. it began to burn as if she'd thrown scalding water on my arm. I could feel the frosty tendrils of pure evil recoiling from my blood,being drawn back into the flower like water or sunlight.
Chase stepped back and watched me curiously. "Are you going to faint?" he asked, as if I were that simple to a final retaliation I glared at him before wobbling and falling to the ground. While I waited for unconciousness to take me in her cold embrace, I heard him mutter "It would seem we have quite the new apprentice."
A/N: Sorry, gotta end it here. Be back soon! message me with any questions or ideas!
