Daemon glanced once more at the note. Then ignored it. His brother was coming home today, like it or not. The little girl had warned not to knock on the door; this would be something else he would ignore. He intended to give the door a token tap before entering. Just a gentle tap to tell the occupant that someone was about to intrude on their day. One tap on the door and a barely controlled grey burst of power burst through it. The once dark wood door now laid in a pile of white ash as the grey burst was absorbed into both Daemon's and Karla's ebon black shields.
A quick glance at Karla to make sure that the blast hadn't harmed her and Daemon stormed in the room, his temper now burning hot from frustration. "What in the name of hell do you think you were doing?" Daemon demanded not noticing the darkness of the room, or the cold golden eyes that were glaring back at him.
Karla lingered in the hallway for a moment. Lingered as she heard his deep, scratchy voice say, "who the hell are you to be questioning me?" she felt the air crackle in warning of a male storm ready to break.
Two angry warlord princes were not going to do any good. Not when they were pitted against each other. Karla stepped in the room. She no longer wore her 'healers garb' or rather her overhauls and a loose tunic, no she now wore her court dress. Her ice blue spider silk dress that Jaenelle had made for her last Winsol. She realized she needed to be a queen before she could be a healer. Before she could be the gifted black widow that she was.
"prince Sadi attend." he wasn't hers but she hoped he would back down for the moment. Or at least long enough to notice what she was trying to do.
Daemon turned slightly and noticed her change in garments. Understood that change. She was coven so he would obey for the moment. And only for the moment. In a deep crooning voice he said, "Lady."
Peyton glared at her before he brought his hand up to rub his temple. The noise of these two's voice was making the blood rush through his head. Rush so quickly it was becoming painful. Even to a guarding this was something he didn't want to endure. Trying to keep the pain from his voice he commanded, "Leave." as he started to pace in the darkness.
"Prince SaDiablo it is time that you return home." Karla spoke softly trying to understand the slight pull she was feeling. Trying to understand why he was still keeping to the shadows.
He stopped pacing for a moment and in disbelief said, "You know who I am?"
Daemon gave an arrogant smile, "no brother we both know who you are. Now are you going to this the easy why or am I going to have to drain your jewel in order to get you home."
Payton couldn't feel either of their jewels. Oh he could feel something but he couldn't be sure what he was feeling. Creating a small dim ball of witch light he now looked at the pair standing just a few feet away. The woman had what appeared to be shards of ice dancing on her head, but her glacier blue eyes and the way her shear dress fell around her…. Just looking at her he was becoming hungry….. And that was a problem wasn't it. That was a problem because she was a queen and he just spent too many years watching as a queen tare this realm apart. Watching as his mother corrupted the minds of every queen from this realm. And she couldn't be a queen of anywhere else now could she?
Not wanting to feel that pull, or to admit to himself that he wanted something he had spent years refusing….. He turned his gaze to the man…. Not a man he corrected a warlord prince and one who was standing a breath away from the killing field. Wanting to see his adversary better he floated the ball of witch light closer to him and then fought hard not to trip over his own feet, "Mother night." he gasped.
He knew this man. Had talked to him just days after his birthright ceremony. Then spoke briefly to him years later after he had made the offering to the dark. So why hadn't he seen what he did now. Why hadn't known who he had been speaking too? Why hadn't he seen his father's face in this young warlord prince before now?
"It's time to go home Peyton." Daemon spoke softly as he took a small step closer.
Not knowing how to explain why he didn't want to leave. Didn't want to say why he was needed here. Or better yet who needed him here Peyton choose another escape and finally said, "I can't, there are too many death webs…." he stopped when he realized his error. When he saw a wicked grin forming on the young queens face. When he saw the snakes tooth barely poking out from not just the queen's left ring finger but from his father's mirror's as well.
Daemon let out a half laugh, "the webs are old and run deep, but…." he paused and cursed to himself. Oh the webs were deep he just hadn't expected them to run clear to Peyton's inner web. And why did they run that deep?
Starting again he said, "didn't growing up with the dark Priest teach you anything about black widows? More importantly how to guard your inner web better?"
Risking that his now throbbing headache would become worse he made the ball of witch light brighter. Made it bright enough that he could see both the queen and his brother but more than that so they could see him.
Karla gasped at the very handsome man who looked middle age but still well in his prime. Gasped because from the way his black jacket and matching trousers flowed round his it was clear he was his father's son. Even the way he combed his slightly graying hair was the same as Saetan's. The only difference, was his face was more narrow and his eyes held a cold fury that almost mimicked Daemon's. Catching her breath she opened enough of her inner barriers to taste his power, to taste the air that was circling around him. She tasted power not just from the reservoir from his grey jewel but tasted strength that he hadn't yet tested. Knowledge he hadn't yet used, but knew how to. All too knowing he said while holing a wicked grin on her face, " You do know how to burn the webs out, don't you prince? In fact I think you could have long before now."
Caught. He swallowed hard. She had him pinned, he could feel that. Then there was his brother who was looking like he just been given permission to kill his prey. "Lady?" he hoped his voice didn't sound too weak, too nervous. Mother night he didn't want them to know about his daughter, or the reason he had choose to stay here. He didn't want them to use Revenar as a weapon against him.
A stray thought maybe he could take Aleanna with him. Maybe they could help his half brother and burn out the webs that wouldn't just kill but that would torture him till the final death would be only to show some kindness.
Daemon picked up the stray thought and cursed again. If his brother wouldn't leave because of the child he would make the child a barging chip. Or the bait. Either way Peyton would not dare to argue, but Karla might. Should he warn her? He looked into her glacier blue eyes. She knew. Her eyes told that she knew. She must have pick up that thought when he did. In a malicious croon he said, "you need not worry about the child …." he paused seeing anger build in his brother's eyes, "the warlord princes I brought with me ….. Well they know how to handle a young black widow….." no need to tell him that they would protect her and if need be kill anyone who tried to harm her.
Feeling the cold anger coming from his brother he continued, "And as for the eyrien ……. Well he's already been taken care of."
Just before he could respond to the threat. Just before he could unleash every drop of grey strength that he had been gathering for one single attack against this Black jeweled bastard the room started to spin. Then he was surrounded in a dark thick mist as his body fell to the floor with a thud.
"Daemon!" Karla shouted as she rushed over to where Peyton now laid. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she felt his heart still beating. But her eyes turned to cold icy shards ready to burst.
"Lady I threatened his daughter and his brother. What would you have me do?" he paused still not seeing any change in her eyes, "besides this way he'll have a good night's sleep before he sees his father."
Sleep? No he was in the abyss she was sure of that. But how? She turned back to him as too softly spoke, "you shouldn't be able to …."
Daemon grinned," sweetheart, I'm am my father's mirror but I am more so my mother's son…" he paused and closed his eyes," can you burn out the webs?"
With her nod Daemon slouched down on the floor. He needed to greet his brother and to clear up a few miss guided comments.
Peyton growled. He was standing on a smooth, circular stone floor. Dark swirling mist created the walls of the circle but this was still wrong. There were webs wrapped on his skin, webs that felt sticky to the touch but were unable to be removed. Frustrated by the webs he tried to use his grey power to remove them. The result was tingling on his skin but the webs were still there. Still clinging to him.
"You fight the webs here?" the deep voice sounded amused at his inability to rid himself of this situation.
Payton turned and faced the direction of that voice. Stood still and wide eyed at seeing the cold, dark fury that was too clear in those golden eyes. He remembered that cold look. Saetan had had it his eyes the day he had told him that he had asked Shira to marry him. Well not when he had told his father that, when he had told him why she wouldn't marry him. There was a warning his father's eyes that day, and it was the same warning in the eyes that now stared back at him.
"I'm fighting the webs because…."
"Because they no longer suit you." Daemon crooned as he drew closer. "if you would have fought them when they were being wrapped around you ……" he paused, " they wouldn't have become so strong. They feed on your grey power, making you never able to reach the fullness of that strength."
"How?" Peyton tried to follow the man who was circling with more feline grace then he had ever seen in his father. More than he had ever seen in another man. Mother night he moves like a damn cat he thought as he watched Daemon circle once more.
Daemon let out a small burst of red power. The some of the webs absorbed it others fell to the ground. "Damn. They must have been feeding on you for longer than I thought."
"Why are you trying to…."
"you except me to show up to the hall with your daughter and Revenar without you?" he saw the questions in those eyes. "I didn't lie when I said my friends know how to take care of a young black widow however how a Kaeleer male takes care of a young witch and a Terreillian male dose …. Well that vastly differs now doesn't it?"
"you were in Kaeleer?"
" Mmmm." another burst of power this time from the black. A few more webs fell. Others weakened.
Memories shifted. 50,000 years of memories slammed into him. Caused him to lose his balance. Hekatah's evil grin the day he had came to try to get her to stop the war. Her cold hearted laugh when she told him no. The throbbing in his head when she said he was her tool. The weapon to turn his father into her puppet. The devastation the day the war ended. His mother's fury as she stormed through the house till she found him exactly in the cold dark room that she had made for him. She wasn't alone that time. She had Revenar with her. Blood covered and barely alive, but he was with her. The memory of Revenar looking so bleakly at him. A cry for help though no words were spoken. A web being created, memories being lost.
Another burst of black power. More memories shifted. 20,000 years had passed. He was out on the land his mother had gifted to him. As long as he remained on that land Revenar was well kept. Or at least that was what he had been told and what the compulsion spell allowed him to believe. He began to work on a chair that his brother Memphis had stared. Never finished.
Frustrated Daemon sent a longer burst of black power. More webs fell still not all of them. He had felt Karla stop trying. She must have known she had been feeding the webs. Must have figured out he was destroying them from somewhere in the abyss.
Memories shifted. Came into focus. 30,000 years later. He felt his father's black power nearby. Couldn't reach him. He tried. Webs tightened around him with every bit or grey power he used. His mother laughed when she told him that his father had asked for a witch to carry his true heir. A son that would replace him. He screamed out in rage. Webs tighten again. He could only see things as she wanted him to see them. Truth was lies and lies were truth.
More memories. The day a green jeweled black widow had been brought to him. A restoration tonic had been given to him for months by then. Something else had been given to him something to make him want what he had refused to give to himself. Memories of her in his bed. Of her riding him till she was content.
Memories of her wickedly glee filled eyes the day she told him that she would give the dark priestess an heir that she could be proud of. Memories of the night the child was born. He had been allowed to be there. He had risen to the killing field and had killed the bitch as she gave the final push to deliver the child. Had killed the healer who had delivered her. Finally had taken the now crying baby to the one person he trusted. A sapphire jeweled black widow that he had met some years back. A black widow that had hid from the red jeweled queen. The one who had told him that his child would heal old wounds.
The dark mist lightened to red. He looked and for the first time saw his brother. Not just his father's mirror but his brother. The brother who had weakened himself to rescue him. "You can't keep me here puppy."
Daemon's lips curled into the slightest of grins, "no I can't. but you can't wake yet either."
His eyes sharpened, "and why is that?"
"Because there's a dark jeweled witch who will tear this realm apart if she brushes against any of the memories I just freed."
"They're just memories."
"By that, then she's just a witch."
Daemon rose from the abyss and opened his eyes to Karla who was studying him with too much of a healer's intent. In a rough, scratchy voice he said, " I'm fine."
"You are not fine, Daemon. Damn you. You nearly drained both of your jewels. And how do you expect me to explain that to your mother?"
"she will never ….." he turned his head slightly as her scent filled the room. Closed his eyes tightly as a child would think it would make him disappear from his parent's sight.
No words were spoken as her hand rested on his shoulder. For a moment the room was still and quite. "Wake now. My other boy needs you now."
His hand felt the red power still running through is pendant. A power he would need.
Chaosti reached the top of the stairs. Turned back and swore. He was Dea al Mon and a trained warrior but he was not going back through that door. And somewhere in this house, if that's what they want to call it, was a black jeweled warlord price who would make sure that he wouldn't have to go back down there.
Putting his thoughts aside he focused on the fact that there was still three light jeweled witches in that torture room, and two warlord princes that needs help. * Daemon, Lucivar needs help.*
He had only drained himself back to the red. But he still didn't want to do more than rest. But Lucivar would need help, if they intended to help Revenar. * I'm on my way.* well at least he wouldn't have to work too hard to drain his jewels enough for them to be broke. He looked around the room once more. He just didn't want this place to be his last lucid memory.