Chapter 32

The phone rand with a hypnotic yet anxiety inducing melody as Mariana held the earpiece to the side of her head. The ringing stopped as the opposite end was answered. No voice came, a sign that she had dialed correctly.

"Master," the demon spoke with a smile, proud of the knowledge she had gained. "It worked. Mr. Trent will be in Silivri by tomorrow night."

The silence continued, until broken by the slight grimace of a laugh; the master was pleased.

The line went dead.

(-)

The night and following day waned slowly as Lara fought to act normal around Kurtis. They had ridden the entire night from the Vivec Inn, before stopping at a different, more discreet hotel that morning, then resting for several hours before returning to the taken motorcycle and continuing their pursuit toward Silivri, toward the Vial. The past 24 hours had been the worst of Lara Croft's life. She had been forced to constantly create excuses for Kurtis's physical advances toward her, without sounding or appearing suspicious. Not to mention hiding her extreme hate for him. She tried to keep from looking at him, tried to keep from looking at his features, the features she had fallen in love with, the features of evil. Kurtis's sudden cheerfulness hurt Lara, even though her feelings for him were dissipated. He thought that his wishes had come true, Lara was still alive and the Vial was only hours away. Her revenge was only hours away too.

She was ready.

Kurtis's happiness had blinded him from Lara's awkward behavior, making him blame it solemnly on her tiredness and shock of surviving Mariana's onslaught. Everything was perfect now. Lara had fallen for him, and the Vial was in his grasp.

He was ready.

The hours passed quickly, made into minutes by anxiety and hopefulness, until a rugged sign advertising the town of Silivri appeared before them. Lara sighed deeply, preparing herself for the upcoming event, preparing herself for a confrontation with Kurtis.

The night was silent as the bike sped through the small town that surrounded them. Quickly making their route toward the ruins on the town's opposite side even more unbearable.

Lara felt her heart slow as the structure grew closer, eventually so close that the town melted away, wilderness consuming them. The large stone carvings grew large in front of them, the motorcycle's engine quickly slowing, coming to a halt as Kurtis let away from the throttle.

The bike stopped directly in front of the ancient structure, the immense pillars that surrounded the monument towering above them, creating a path toward the nearby mountainside, toward the door that Kurtis would open, toward the Vial.

Kurtis wasted no time as he quickly left the motorcycle, then helped Lara to meet him as they walked toward the great structure before them, passing by the towering columns, admiring their design.

He gripped Lara's hand tightly as he turned to her, bringing back memories of Samandira, their kiss, and of Lara's realization that she had loved him. She shivered as a chill ran throughout her body.

Kurtis shook his head as if in regret as he stared forward, a sudden thought occurring. His eyes grew wide, filled with joy. "It's over." he sullenly stated with bright features as he turned to her.

Lara returned Kurtis's happiness and she gripped the pistol at her side, knowing that this would be his last moment of the cheerful emotion.

"It is." she spoke softly as she turned toward him. His face one of slight fear of the future, but happiness of the present.

He was smiling, that heavenly smile that she would always love despite his betrayal, despite his evil ways; she'd miss it, miss it all, everything from the way he kissed her to the way he kept his facial hair, coarse and rough to the touch. Lara forced her eyes away from him and lowered her hand from his, not wanting to cry, not wanting to sadden herself even more than she currently was. She slightly backed away from him as he studied the mountainside. He was so happy, happy because he wasn't expecting anything, wasn't expecting Mariana to appear right behind him, her demons by her side, ready to kill.

Lara gasped out of instinct as she saw the head wraith standing next to her. She was expecting Mariana to rush toward her and attack, though in truth there was nothing to be worried about. Lara stared at the demon, stared as Mariana instructed her to level her pistol. She did.

Kurtis's blood ran cold as a noise sounded behind him, the sound of a bullet entering an empty chamber, a gun being cocked, ready to kill. Someone was behind him, threatening his life, threatening Lara's life. He gripped the circular blade at his waist and quickly turned, anger within him for whoever-

He stopped, jaw opened as he stared, stared at a sight so confusing that his mind went blank, so frightening that he couldn't breathe; a gun barrel was pointed at his head, the 9mm being held by the woman he loved, the woman he would have given his life for, slight tears developing in her eyes. What was going on? Was she insane?

"Lara?" Kurtis spoke as he stared at her, not understanding. "What the hell are you-"

Kurtis's words ended as another vision came into focus, the vision of his enemies, of Mariana and her demons appearing before him, taking position behind Lara, leveling their guns just as she had done. The latter sight didn't matter, the demons would kill, that was to be expected, but why was Lara-

"Hello Kurtis." Mariana broke his thoughts once again as she stepped beside Lara's form, her sarcasm streaming as it always did. "Nice to see you again."

The words were insignificant, unimportant, a figment of imagination if nothing more; he didn't even hear them. They were nothing compared to what he saw.

He stared at Lara, his eyes never wavering from her own, reading her emotions of anger, guilt, and sadness. "Lara?"

Mariana smiled as she watched his features of confusion. "What's wrong Kurtis?" the demon spoke with a teasing voice. "You seem upset."

The cruel words never met Kurtis's ears, his mind was occupied. "Lara, what are you doing?" he repeated.

Lara didn't want to be subtle, she wanted to be fierce, wanted to give him what he deserved. "Me!" she shouted the words, changing her emotions from guilt to vicious rage. "What about you?"

"What are you talking about!" Kurtis's confusion spawned his anger. "I haven't done anything!"

"Stop lying to me!" Lara returned, just as the tears did. "I can't take it anymore!"

Kurtis was hesitant and quickly backed away as Lara gripped the pistol tighter within her hands. He had to stay calm, had to figure out what was provoking this absurd behavior. "What is it?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain sullen. "What did I do?"

Lara stared at him, her mind confused. "How can you do this to me?" she asked, her timidness lowering her voice. "Betray my trust and love and then lie about it to my face?"

Kurtis gasped with realization. He had figured it out, figured out why Lara was acting this way, acting so strange ever since he had met her at the Vivec Inn. He understood everything. Kurtis looked to Mariana, a smirk across the demon's face. He turned back to Lara, a questioning demand toward Mariana. "What did she tell you?"

"Everything!" Lara replied, her voice angered once again.

"God Dammit, Everything about what!"

Lara was scared by his behavior. She didn't understand how he could pretend to be unknowing, pretend to have never betrayed her, never lied to her. She shook her head as she stared. "About you! About your trying to knock me up with your demon child, about using me to get the Vial, and about pretending to be on the good side so I would fall in love with you!" She broke out in tears at the last statement.

Kurtis was silent as he stared at her, an unbelieving and shocked presence entering his thoughts at Lara's words and action. "You actually believed what Mariana said? You believed her over me!" he paused as he shook his head. "Lara I love-"

"Don't!" she raised the pistol higher. "Just shut the fuck up!"

The pistol fired.