Lapidary

I was so fucking late.

I ran into the club and began working as fast and hard as I could. It was my last night on the VIP tables, but there wasn’t anyone I recognized. Istrag glared at me from across the club, and I pretended not to see him. Would he confront me afterward? If he did, I wasn’t sure what I would say. There was no chance I would tell him the human rebels had kidnapped me because then I’d have to explain to him that they were looking for the White Crystal.

The night flew by, and I couldn’t help but eye the liquor bottles. I wanted them to numb my mind and take off the edge, but I resisted the urge. I only drank water, as allowed, throughout the night.

A man came to the VIP table. He was tall with black hair and was wearing ripped jeans. I would have thought he was human if it weren’t for his black eyes, giving him away as a powerful daimon.

I approached him. “Hi, I’m Natka – I will be your waitress this evening.”

He offered me a charming smile, but his deep eyes made me feel as if there was a lot more to him than being charming.

Before I could ask him what he would like to drink, he said, “Sit down with me, Natka.”

He spoke with authority that made me think he was used to giving orders. I shook my head. “I’ll get fired.”

He grinned. “You won’t. I’m Volgrun Sozgeman.”

He was the leader of The Risen, and I realized everyone was avoiding this table because they knew who he was and feared him. Devton was in his gang, so I doubted he would have a problem with me sitting with him. But I didn’t want to. There was something about this daimon that made me feel like I had worms in my stomach. I slowly sat down, across him, thinking of ways to escape.

“I have a feeling you’ve not come for small talk,” I said.

“Are you disappointed?”

His arrogance baffled me. “I didn’t expect much.”

He raised his eyebrows, and I bit my tongue. Being a smartass might just get him to rip off my head.

“Are you going to tell me why you are here, or are you going to disappoint me for real?” I asked.

He chuckled. “I heard you have a sharp tongue.”

“From who?”

Who had he been discussing me with? Devton? I didn’t think Devton was one to gossip, but then again, I don’t know him that well.

“That doesn’t matter. I know you’re searching for the White Crystal.”

I arched an eyebrow. “I assume you are as well.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

It was understandable why Artemis and the angels, whose powers were fading, would want the White Crystal so that they could go home. Humans, who feared magic, would want the world to return to the way it used to be; they could only achieve this with the power of the crystal. Then, there was Dev, who wanted the thing so he could resurrect his father.

“Why do you want it?”

“I want to go home.” He smiled. “Won’t you like that? If all the daimons and evil things returned to the Netherworld?”

I didn’t know if he was playing me, so I said nothing. I was craving a drink but tried not to think about it.

“I’ve come to you because word has it that the White Crystal was sent to Ryker. And you were the last person to talk to him before he died.”

I got to my feet, and he snaked out his hand. He had a powerful grip, and I cried out in pain.

He grinned, clearly enjoying my torment. “Sit down.”

I tried to resist but he continued squeezing until my bones screamed at me. I sat because I couldn’t take the pain anymore. He did not let me go but stopped squeezing.

“I can’t fucking help you,” I said.

“I think you know something that you’re not telling.” He no doubt thought that I knew where Ryker had hidden the crystal. “And there is one way to find out.”

I watched as he turned into black smoke and floated toward my nose, mouth, and ears. I cried out – he wanted to possess me. If a daimon possessed you, they had access to all your thoughts, feelings, and memories. The black smoke couldn’t enter me, however, because I had an archangel’s feather as protection. The moment Volgrun’s hand turned into smoke, I jumped up from the table and ran. I didn’t look back to see if he regained solid form. I just ran as fast as I could. Once I was out of the club, I pelted into a crowd, where I hoped I’d be hard to find.

I tried to slow my breathing and walk with groups of people, down the busy street. I turned into a building to my right, and only once I saw the slot machines did I realize it was a casino. I went upstairs, hoping that Volgrun wouldn’t find me. I stopped walking when I came to a bar, and then I went to it, like an athlete desperate for water.

But it was not water that I would be drinking.

I ordered my first drink from a female bartender with cat-like eyes and finished it in one gulp. Then I moved onto the next and then the next. My hands were shaking, and I leaned against the bar so that my knees didn’t give in.

A daimon had tried to possess me, and that daimon was Volgrun, the head of The Risen. Holy fuck. I made a mental note to thank Ace for taking me to get that feather – when and if I saw him again.

I had not had a drink in a while, and Ayana, it tasted good! I had another and another, savoring the burning taste. I had never drunk in excess with Ryker; he used to have a way of bringing out my best behavior. But Ryker was gone, and I was left alone to suffer. I deserved to suffer because he had jumped off a building without telling me that there was something wrong. Or someone had pushed him because he had the crystal, and he hadn’t even told me about it. Was I such an unworthy girlfriend that he couldn’t even talk to me about anything? I reached for my glass while ignoring the bartender’s lingering gaze.

“What? Have you never seen a girl drink before?”

She said nothing, and I was instantly irritated by all magical beings for thinking that they were better than me. I put my handbag onto the counter and searched for change but was too drunk to find it. I flipped the bag upside down, spilling the coins, my medication, and my phone onto the counter. Some of the coins fell onto the floor, but I feared if I bent to pick them up, I’d fall over.

I’m fucking fine.

I counted the coins and shoved them toward the bartender. She counted them, her eyes narrowing into slits, as I returned my belongings to my handbag.

“You’re one silver short,” she said.

“Fuck off.” I turned to go but stumbled and used the bar to catch myself.

“Ma’am, I can’t let you leave without paying,” she said.

Someone reached past me and handed the bartender a silver coin. I turned to see who it was and looked into Devton’s familiar eyes. I might have felt shame, had I not been so drunk.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped.

“I own the place,” he responded.

“That’s nice.” I made to leave.

He did not try to stop me but followed me as I headed toward the stairs. I eyed the descent, and my world shook. Devton extended a helping hand, but I refused to take it.

“I’m fucking fine,” I said.

I grabbed the railing and made my way down the steps. I took them one at a time, and just when I thought I was going to make it, I fell over the last one. I caught myself, and when I realized I had not fallen on my face and made a complete fool of myself, I threw my hands in the air and turned to face Devton.

“Whooo!” I said and stumbled backwards – down the next flight of stairs. My world spun, but not nearly as badly as my head. It took me a while to realize that I had come to a stop and that Devton was holding my arm.

I laughed. “I’m fucking fine!”

I pulled my arm free and somehow managed to regain my feet. I thought he was talking about taking me home, but I didn’t feel like listening. So, I headed toward the doors, away from the bright lights and the noise.

“Natka,” he called after me.

I went down the street, passionately, but I was not sure where I was going. I moved away from the crowds toward the sea sand where I twirled like a ballerina – a clumsy one. I almost fell, and when I didn’t, I laughed victoriously. I stopped suddenly, seeing the ring on my finger as if for the first time. Ryker had gone down on one knee and pulled it out of his jacket pocket. That moment had possessed more magic than the whole world.

And then I began to cry really, really loudly. Arms were slung around me, and I sank to the sand, with Devton holding me.

“I miss him so much,” I wailed. “I can’t believe he jumped. I must be such a monster!”

Devton forced me to look at him. “You’re not a monster.”

I shook my head. “You don’t know anything about me.”

He cupped my cheek. “Nat, I’ve seen many monsters in my life. You’re not one of them.”

I trembled, thinking of Volgrun. “Volgrun is a monster – he tried to…tried to…”

“What did he try?”

“Possess me,” I whispered. “And he is your friend.”

I looked at my scars, and Devton took my hands in his. His eyes lingered on the bruise where Volgrun had grabbed me.

“He isn’t my friend,” Devton mumbled.

My face was slick with tears, and I was so drunk I couldn’t control my words. “I wish I just fucking died. I wish I died before Ryker – so that I never had to live a day without him. You told me you helped me because you saw my will to live, but just look at what I did to myself!” I shove my scars into his face. “And I fucking failed. I failed with my family. I failed with Ryker. I failed with committing suicide.”

Devton pulled me into his arms, and I let my tears wet his shirt.

“The world is a dark place,” I told him.

He pushed hair behind my ears. “The world is much lighter with you in it.”

He held me long enough for me to pass out from the alcohol.