Chapter 8

Two Weeks Later; October 31, 2001

A corridor made of rocks lay before her, she knew she couldn't turn back the only place to move was forward. Slowly she puts one foot in front of the other, she knows that something is going to happen, but what she has no idea. The knot in her gut tells her nothing will ever be the same again.

She raises her hand touching the cool rock hallway, the jagged edges cutting into her skin, but that she didn't pay much attention too, it was her hand and arm. A red glow flowed through her veins, and her arm was draped in black velvet. Raking her gaze over her changed clothing, she was enveloped in a black velvet cape; she could feel the hood behind her head. Underneath she was clothed in a long silk red dress that brushed against her ankles, with matching red strappy heels.

Ahead of her she sees flames leaping from end to end at the opening she was stepping towards, but oddly enough she wasn't frightened of what lay ahead, just nervous. Cautiously she enters the large cave, surrounding her were various men, women and creatures bowing before her, some smirking kindly as she eased past them.

The crowd parts while she walks forward taking in her surroundings, torches are lit everywhere bathing the cave room in light, but casting many shadows where anything could hide. In front of her there was a huge flat rock platform, a large book is open on a pedestal, and standing on both sides were her father and Cole. Cole held out his hand to her smiling lovingly, wanting, needing to touch him she places her hand in his, she quickly glances at her father, he does not look happy.

"We can begin the wedding ceremony." A loud booming voice fills the cave and a flash of lightning blinds as a figure appears in front of the open book out of nowhere. "Balthazar say your vows." The troll like creature tells Cole.

Gripping her hand Cole stares deep into her eyes stroking his thumb back and forth against her palm. "Lakarisha, my goddess, my love, my equal, you have risked banishment loving me, death in bringing our child into this underworld, and the abandonment of everyone you hold dear all because you loved me and our child. Nothing I can ever do will be enough to repay your sacrifices, but that won't stop me from trying. I, Balthazar, pledge my life, loyalty, and love to you and you alone." Cole takes the athame slicing his palm, blood drips out and into a golden chalice.

"Now, Lakarisha, your vows." The troll nods to her before giving a worried glance toward her father. "Balthazar, my love, my mate, my equal," she hears her voice speak the words they have a calming influence on her entire being.

"Everything has been against our union, family above all else. I went through life feeling like a part of me was missing, then I met you and I wasn't alone anymore. You've protected me, loved me, let me be the mother of your child, nothing will ever be enough to repay what you have given me, but I look forward to trying. I, Lakarisha, pledge my life, loyalty, and love to you and you alone." She takes the athame from Cole, slicing her palm staring into his eyes as her blood leaks out and into the chalice mixing with Cole's.

Abruptly the cave begins to shake, Cole; the crowd and her are rocked from their places. "Liz?" More shaking occurs, "Liz?"

Liz's eyes snapped open all she sees is a face above her she doesn't see whose face it is, nor does she care. Fire flashes in her eyes as she sits up, she grabs the person around the neck lifting them up and slamming them down on the bed growling at them. "You made him go away, you took him away from me." Claws lengthen, fire's start in various places around the room.

"Liz…" the person manages to squeeze out as they pull at her strong grip. They could see the moment she came to her sense, the fires dissipated, and the claws that threatened to tear their throat out retracted.

"Oh God, Kyle, I'm so sorry." She rips her hand away staring down at her friend in shock. "Are you alright?" Liz slaps her hand over her mouth horrified that she almost killed him.

Coughing painfully Kyle rubs his bruised neck. "What the hell was that? Why did you try to kill me? And why were you screaming 'You took him away'? Who did I take away?" He slowly sits up continually stoking his throat massaging away the ache.

"I don't know what's happening to me." Liz's voice whimpers; tears flood her eyes and fall. Kyle although upset about being manhandled by his friend was concerned, his heart went out to her and her dilemma, he knows what it's like to not understand what's going on. Hell he felt that way for months when he was kept in the dark about the Pod Squad, but he has a feeling that this was something larger.

Cautiously Kyle wraps his arm around Liz's waist as she leans against her headboard. "What's been happening?" Ever since Liz returned from San Francisco she was different, not bad different, but different none-the-less. She managed to keep whatever was going on with her fairly hidden; sometimes there would be moments where Liz would faze in and out. That was worrisome but nothing that screamed 'something's not right with me'.

"It started after I came back from San Francisco." Liz plays with her quilt, "The first incident was at school, I set the blackboard in Spanish on fire with my mind."

"That was you? It was all over the school that the board had exploded into a wall of fire, no one knew why which made it stranger. Tess did something similar to that with the skins but it was mind warp, are you getting alien powers?" Curious as to what's happening to his friend.

"It's not alien, it doesn't feel alien." She admits to him. "Whatever is happening to me it feels natural, like it's supposed to happen."

"How can it feel that way?"

"I don't know, but it does. Nothing is making sense…wait; I'll start from the beginning. First the fireball for a blackboard, then the massive weather change and lightning that almost killed all us, a week ago the dreams started, followed by my shower becoming ice, and now violent reactions when people wake me from my dreams." Liz sighs banging her head on her wall.

Deciding to start at what mostly affected him Kyle asked about her dreams. "What is happening in the dreams? You yelled that I took someone way, who was it?"

"Cole." She whispers. It's been four weeks and she's managed to keep her weeklong fling with Cole Turner a secret from everyone except Maria. Everyday after her phone conversations with Cole, Liz told Maria everything he said to which her best friend melted at all the sweet things Cole had to say.

Kyle tried to prompt Liz to continue with his hands, but when that got no response he asked. "And Cole would be…?"

Nervously she shoots her gaze to his face, she doesn't know how much to tell him and how much to keep to herself. Cole told her not to tell anybody but she told Maria, what harm would it cause letting Kyle in on the secret, no, she couldn't Kyle wouldn't understand this, but maybe he didn't need to understand, maybe he could just listen. "He's a man I met in San Francisco. A man that I slept with, while in San Francisco." She admits to him.

"I knew you had sex." He grins that he was right on the money, even though this was a serious situation he had to find the humor in what Liz was telling him.

Liz breathes in deeply, "We've been talking on the phone since a day after I came back from my vacation…."

"Lizzie?" Jeff Parker's voice sounds from the living room.

"Shit, Kyle umm, can we continue this later? Dad's not a huge fan of Cole and if he hears us talking about him he's going to go ballistic so if you still want to know everything I'll come by your house sometime tomorrow." Liz tells him.

"Liz, it's your birthday remember, Maria, Michael, and myself were taking you out for breakfast and lunch while your parents get your party ready in the Crashdown." He reminds her, although with everything that has been happening to Liz and in her life he wasn't surprised she forgot it was her birthday for a while.

Shutting her eyes she runs her hands through her hair, "My birthday, right. Ok, let me shower and get dressed and I'll tell you all today everything that I know that's going on."

Nodding her friend rises from her bed, but before he leaves he turns back to her, "You should have let us know something was going on with you Liz. We could have helped you deal with it so you wouldn't have to go through it alone." He puts his hand on the doorknob, "No matter what Liz, we're all here for you."

"I know. Thank you. And I'm sorry again about the trying to strangle you thing." She stares up at him embarrassed by her actions.

"Don't worry about it; it's nothing that Maria hasn't done to me at one time or another. Of course she didn't have the major grip you have going on, but nothing I haven't experienced." Kyle opens the door leaving his friends room walking out to the living room to wait for the rest of their small group to arrive.

Jeff notices Kyle exit Liz's room, "Did Liz hear me call her?"

"Yea, she was just waking up and I kind of startled her."

Jeff nods and makes his way to the kitchen. Tonight was the night Liz was going to find out who she was, and what powers she possesses. He was fairly certain that her powers have already started manifesting; normally their powers came apparent about a month before their 18th birthday. Liz has done a really good job at keeping it under wraps, or it could be she was one of the few demons in their Clan that didn't get many powers.

If that was the case it would be her mother's fault, she's human and that would be the cause of the dampening of his daughter's powers. If his daughter was weak it would make the other demons of his Clan question his strength which in turn would cause the demons to fight him for power, something he didn't want or need.

"Dad?" Liz pokes her head out of her bedroom door. "I'm going to take a shower, what was it you wanted?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were up and that you were getting ready." He tells her. Liz nods closing the door to her bedroom getting ready for her birthday with her friends.

TBC

Next Chapter: Still Liz's b-day, Cole calls Liz, Liz tells her friends what's been going on with her, more power flare ups, and the baby makes its presence known.