Chapter Ten: The Siren's Call (Part Two)

James grinned as he flipped a pancake in the pan he was holding, shining those pearly-white teeth at Brooke as she stared at him from the dining table. He hadn't said a word to her about what he needed to talk to her about and it was making her more curious than ever. He was holding himself so proudly as he cooked that she thought maybe he'd immediately forgotten what he needed to say, but as he stacked the pancakes on a plate and brought them over, his eyes darkened. His demons were coming to play again.

He sat down and shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. Brooke reached across and held his hand.

"James, please talk to me. It's not a good idea to hold everything in."

He gave her a soft smile and reached across to a cabinet sitting beside the table. On it was a beautiful frame holding a photograph, taken several years ago, of James and a woman. In the picture, James was standing behind the woman, making a heart on her stomach with his fingers. Her hands were below his, holding a rectangular card saying 'Player 3: Loading' in pink writing. James placed it in front of Brooke and pointed to the woman.

"This is Maya, Lucy's mother. We took this the day we announced she was pregnant with Lulu. I'd been in the human world for five years when we took this."

Brooke looked at the picture then back to him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"What happened to her?"

"Lady Iremia gave me orders to infiltrate the human world and find out if any of her enemies were here. I came to Los Angeles because it was the closest city to the portal I stepped out of." He grinned. "I came out at the bus station, funnily enough. Maya had just come in from New York City. I saw her and immediately knew I'd never be the same." He leaned on his hand, looking at the grinning face of Maya. He smiled softly, tracing his finger over her features. "That was about ten years ago."

"You left Lady Iremia's service two years ago, what happened in the eight years before that?" Brooke asked, keeping her voice gentle. He was finally being open and she didn't want to ruin that by prying too hard. If she did, he might close up and never open up to her again.

"The eight years before that were filled with me working, falling in love with Maya and creating Lucy. Everything was going so well..."

James' face became stricken as if someone had played a movie of some terrible memory. He pulled his hand away from hers and stood, leaning against the wall beside the cabinet. Brooke watched him, hoping he wasn't going to lash out.

"I was considering giving up my demonic nature when I heard the She-Bitch's voice again. She sent me out hunting witches. Can you believe that? In the city protected by the Calaway witches, I was sent out hunting them!" he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.

"April is a witch?" Brooke asked after a moment, watching James. He nodded once then looked back down at the picture.

"Maya was her student. April came to think of her as a little sister."

Brooke blinked, looking down at the picture. The woman was beautiful with long dark hair, olive skin and a set of dark brown eyes. She was wearing a light blue dress which clung snugly to her baby bump. Brooke could tell by how James was holding her in the picture that he loved her with his whole heart.

"What... what happened to her?"

James took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall.

"I was down at the Pier when I heard Iremia's voice in my head again, asking for the demon. She gave him new orders. I'd learned long ago that I have zero control over him, and any mention of his name causes the demon to come to the surface." He stared at her. "Please don't judge me for the things he's done. I couldn't bear it if you left me now."

Brooke smiled.

"I'll never leave."

James nodded and rested his head against the wall as if willing himself to speak about the horrible truth inside his heart.

"His orders were to kill a witch in Santa Monica. Maya."

Brooke felt her heart drop. Her mother had ordered the death of an innocent woman, causing the man before her to slip into oblivion. He was struggling to keep himself afloat in the sea of misery he called home.

James looked at her as she contemplated this news. When Brooke didn't immediately react, he took another breath and sat down next to her.

"By the time it was over and I came back, he had murdered Maya in our bedroom and left her bloody. I had blood on my hands, her blood. I held her so close, begging the gods to bring her back but it was useless. She was gone, taken from me by the She-Bitch."

James dropped his head onto the table, hiding his grief-stricken face from her. His fingers curled into a fist close to the photograph. He was reaching into the past for Maya, willing her to come back again, to fill up the hole in his heart.

Brooke reached out and held his fist, grazing her thumb against his whitening knuckles. Without moving, James let out a sob.

"Lucy c-came... Sam brought Lucy home and she came in. She saw what I'd done and freaked out. My heart broke when she screamed at me. She called me a monster and ran out of the house." James peaked up over his forearm at Brooke, wincing slightly as the memory flashed in front of his eyes. "I chased after her to explain, to try and help my little girl, but she ran into the street and was hit by a car. I lost everything that day."

Brooke swallowed back the lump in her throat, holding tightly to his hand. She couldn't muster the courage to say anything, but she wouldn't leave him when he was like this. He needed her, now more than ever, to be his crutch. To hold him up as his grief forced him down. He held her fingers just as tight, seemingly finding courage in her where he couldn't find it in himself.

"At their funeral, I renounced my position as Horseman of War and told Iremia to go fuck herself. I refuse to ever work for her again."

Brooke stood, momentarily releasing his hand as she came around the table to his side, curling her arms around him. At her touch, he broke. The floodgates opened and he wept, wept for the loss of his partner and everything they'd created. He reached for the photograph, pulling it closer to him.

She reached down to help him, her skin grazing against the wooden bracelet around his wrist. Upon contact, images flashed in her mind.

Her mother chained to a slab, beaten, bloody and semi-conscious. Her clothes were tattered and ripped, revealing more of her porcelain skin than she would have liked. Standing at the head of the slab was a dark shadow, nothing but a sickening yellow grin visible. Brooke immediately pulled away, the motion so abrupt that she stepped into the bench.

James looked up at her, tears still streaking down his face. He blinked at her.

"Brooke?"

The images faded from Brooke's mind and she looked down at the birthmark on her hand. It was dark, almost black. Her brother was calling to her. The ring around her finger stifled the connection to her twin, but they were always connected. She could feel his worry growing, knowing that he'd seen what she had.

"It's nothing," Brooke breathed, holding onto the bench. James gave her a skeptical look. She shook her head. "It's nothing, really, just overloaded with emotion. I'm okay."

She reached out again, taking his offered hand. Warmth ran between them. James smiled.

"Thank you, Brooke, for understanding and not leaving."

She stepped closer to him and kissed him again, softly this time, hoping to show him how much she cared.

"I will never leave you."

~X~

The sun was rising over the Los Angeles horizon when Mark finally went to sleep. He'd been out all night and day, searching for his missing daughter. He'd had no contact from Lasombra about the case and his efforts to contact Serenity had gone unanswered again. Once again when he'd tried to flame out to see her, Hades had sent him back with the same old warning.

Even Persephone was out of contact, which was unlike her, so he'd stalked through LA on a mad quest to find someone, anyone that felt out of place. Brookai could be anywhere and look like anyone, so his efforts had been in vain. He'd tried searching for someone who looked at least similar to Blakius but had come up empty. He was so unique looking that no one else looked like him. He knew his son was worried about his sister but there was no point searching for her if he had no idea what she even looked like. So he chose to rest and try again the next day. He wouldn't stop until she was home with her mother.

As his dream materialized around him, he blinked. Everything was so vivid, he was unsure whether he was dreaming or something else had happened. When an icy chill bit at his exposed skin, burning as ice usually did, he realized it wasn't a dream. He was in Frontinus Mordent, Blakius' domain in the lower levels of the Underworld. He blinked. What the hell was he doing here?

He felt something soft against his jeans and he looked down.

What looked to be a cat was nuzzling his leg. It was the same ice blue as everything else around him, with dark blue spots lining its back. It had big ears, covered in fluff, and partially webbed paws. The tip of its long tail touched his hand, covering two of his fingers in thick ice. It mewled and darted away, running up the snowy slope in front of him and sitting. After a minute, it turned its head and meowed, the sound like cat claws on a chalkboard. Mark winced and peered passed it.

In front of the cat through a thick layer of icy fog was a castle. Its pale blue exterior almost blended into the snowy mountains beside it. Several of the spires were covered in snow. Surrounding the castle was a large wall, made of several different shades of blue blocks. A large gate materialized through the fog, open and inviting.

The cat meowed again and Mark assumed the little thing was trying to lead him to the castle. He took a few hesitant steps, flexing his fingers to crack the ice, and the cat moved, heading towards to castle. He followed not far behind it.

Upon reaching the gates, the cat darted through them and inside, diving nose first into the snow by the fountain. It exploded into a white puff. Mark blinked and raised an eyebrow. What a strange creature. Tearing his gaze from the fountain, he took in his surroundings.

Lining both of the outside walls he could see were beautiful balconies, carved from ice and made to look like icicles. The intricacies in the door frame became clear; beautiful snowflakes and delicately carved letters reading 'Cum Nix Cadit, Natura Acquiescit.' Mark's rudimentary understanding of Latin translated it for him.

"When snow falls, nature listens," he read, stepping onto the wall of the fountain. It cracked like ice under his weight. The window above the door was stained glass, fashioned in such a way that it looked like a glass collage of Blakius himself, holding a very large war-ax and scythe. The pointed crown on his head was made of chunks of thick ice, giving a more lifelike illusion. The castle itself looked more like a cathedral than any castle he had ever seen. Even the Amethyst Palace in the lowest level of Caina looked more like a castle, despite its beautiful spires of crystal. He shook his head; why were Serenity and her children so grandiose?

The doors to the castle were ajar and he could hear voices. One male, which he assumed was Blakius, and one female. He hoped it was Brookai, but doubt crept into his mind. He slowly made his way to the doors.

"It's useless to argue, Anastasia; I do not want nor need a queen."

Mark stopped at the doors, poking his head in.

Blakius was standing in the throne room with a woman. She was slim, average height and brunette. In one hand she held a staff, the other was to her face, her fingers digging into the corners of her eyes. Her clothing left very little to the imagination. She wore a spiked, bejeweled, golden bra and pantie set, pale purple material hanging from her waistband. She wore thigh high boots in a matching design to her outfit.

"Whether you want or need one is irrelevant, my lord. Your mother demands that you take a queen or lose your crown," she said, sweeping her hand to the side. Blakius turned to face her, the vein in his temple throbbing.

"She can demand all she wants. I. Will. Not. Take. A. Queen."

Anastasia's eyebrow quirked.

"Put this conversation on hold, my lord, as it is no longer private."

Mark blinked as the doors swung open on their own and he fell forwards, landing chin first into the icy floor below. He moaned as he felt warm, sticky blood welling in his beard. He crawled to his knees and looked up, only to smirk as Anastasia stood between himself and Blakius, her staff pointed accusingly at him. Blakius shared his smirk.

"Anastasia, please put your weapon down."

Instead, Anastasia stepped closer to Mark, the tip of her staff shifting from a rounded bauble into an ornate spike. Mark raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't threaten me, girly," he said, standing to his full height. The tip of her spear followed him. She growled. He raised his hand and ignited it into flames, taking note that they were blue but burned cold. He pushed the tip of the spear aside.

"Anastasia, put your weapon down. Guardian Markus is always welcome here," Blakius said, resting a hand on her shoulder. She blinked as Mark raised a smug eyebrow, smirking still.

"You're a Guardian?"

Mark's casual human attire shifted and faded until he was standing before the Crown Prince of Caina in his full Guardian robes, complete with fur cloak to keep him from freezing to death.

Anastasia stepped back, her staff shifting back to its original look. She tilted her head before bowing it lowly.

"My apologies, sir." She stood straight again, gesturing to her bosom. "I am Anastasia, Prince Blakius' high priestess, and royal adviser."

"And attempted bride," Blakius added with an eye roll. He sat down in one of the chairs lining the walkway, one leg over the side. He very much behaved like his mother. Mark smirked.

"A pleasure. Could you give his royal highness and I a moment, Anastasia? I have some business I need to speak with him privately about."

Anastasia bowed her head again and disappeared in a flurry of snow. It twirled in the air for several seconds before wafting to the floor.

Mark looked over at his son who was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I hate that I have to keep her around," he commented, looking up at Mark.

"Who is she?"

"Like she said, my adviser. She also wants to be queen as her royal title was stripped from her when I took power."

Mark sat down in a seat across from Blakius and leaned forward.

"Took power or was given power?"

The blonde smirked and leaned his head back, allowing his hair to fall behind him. A thin pink scar lined the side of his face, leading down into what appeared to be a birthmark. It was so dark it almost looked like a tattoo. Upon closer inspection, it was shaped like a snowflake.

"It does not really matter. It was not my choice. What my mother says is law. It is the very reason I am stuck in this icy prison rather than in my room at the Palace," the Prince stated, turning to look at his father. "The Palace is on lock-down until Princess Brookai is returned."

Mark rested his head in his hand, looking at Blakius but not really. His mind was abuzz with failure. He'd figured with his virtually limitless powers, he would have been able to find Brookai without any trouble, but as soon as he'd returned to Los Angeles, all he'd sensed were the demons, mortals, witches and guardian angels who inhabited the city. There was no feeling of Godliness anywhere.

That was the most frustrating part. He'd extended his reach to be able to sense any Gods among the mortal plane and had come up blank, save for Aphrodite's presence on her isle in Greece. The only new face he'd met was Brooke and she looked nothing like Blakius, Serenity or Mark. The closest resemblance he could think of was Glory, Serenity's human form, but even then that was a stretch.

Mark brought his attention back to his son.

"Did you say on lock-down?"

Blakius nodded.

"Hades locked the gates up tight after my mother's last tantrum. No one can enter or leave the palace. Not through the main gates anyway. There are still ways to get in, of course."

"How?"

"The easiest way is the Trial of Champions, but two people have to take that."

Mark leaned back in the seat and sighed.

"I haven't been able to find your sister, I'm barred from entering the palace and there's no way for me to get in. This is just a fucking brilliant day."

Blakius looked over at his father.

"Brookai would not use her given name if that helps at all." Mark sat up like a bolt of lightning had hit him. Blakius smiled. "We were given two names at birth. A divine name and a human name. She would be using her human name."

"Do you know it by chance?"

"I do. My names are Blakius Hades Calaway and Blake Madiun Static. Hers are Brookai Persephone Calaway and Brooke Paris Static."

Mark's jaw dropped open as the names rolled from Blakius' mouth.

Brooke was Brookai's human form. She was hiding in plain sight. Something was suppressing her ability to be found which had been infuriating. She was working for her sister and with her brother.

That brought up the next problem.

How on Earth would he be able to explain this situation to her, or April for that matter? April had the temper of a scorned God when she was pissed off and this situation would definitely be a trigger for her.

Blakius' voice broke through his reverie.

"I take it you've found her human form, then?"

"I have but she's going to be difficult to get to. I'm not sure how to go about it," Mark answered, looking over at his son. "Any way I can get to the Palace without going through a trial to do it?"

Blakius shook his head.

"The Trial of Champions, the Gods, and Demons are the only ways to get into the palace without going through the gate. As stated previously, the Trial of Champions is the easiest but it requires two people."

Mark waved his hand dismissively, standing.

"I can easily find someone to run it with me. I need to get to the palace so I don't have a choice."

Blakius nodded, waving his hand.

The doors to the castle that had slammed shut behind before now swung open, revealing a giant stone portal. It was shaped like a slightly lop-sided V, a straight line of brick boxing it in. It hummed as the runes around it began to glow blue. The center sparked to life, igniting with a blaze of blue fire. It crackled for a moment then calmed down.

"That will return you to the place you were as you fell asleep, and you won't feel a thing," Blakius explained, grinning. He now stood beside Mark, matching his height almost perfectly.

"Any after effects I should know about? Sudden sleep paralysis, nausea... death?" Mark grinned as he stepped closer to the portal. It continued to hum.

"No. You will be perfectly fine."

Mark turned back to face his son.

"Thanks, Blake."

Blakius grinned.

"Just bring my sister home, then we will be even. Good luck on the trial, father."

Mark smirked and stepped into the portal, feeling his consciousness return to his body. For a moment he jerked, feeling... something... he couldn't tell what it was so he fell into a blissful sleep, the echoes of two whispered words on the edges of his mind, too silent to comprehend.

Help me...