Arianna Rose: The Gates of Hell (Part 5) (10 page)

Collin switched the television set off and walked over, stopping just in front of him.  Dark bags drooped beneath his coffee-colored eyes.  “Look, pal, you said you’d go when I was ready to go.  And now I’m ready to go.  No more booze.”

“Naw, c’mon, Collin!” he griped.  “My brother just got here, and as you can see, he’s uptight as hell and needs a drink in the worst
sorta way.”

“I’m tired, and I’d really like to get home,” Collin splayed his hands, palms facing up.

“Why?  It’s not like ya got anyone waiting for you, right?  I mean, no more Erin to rush home to.”  Dane heard the words leave his mouth, and even in his drunken stupor, a small voice cautioned that he was out of line.  The line was blurred, but it was there. 

Collin’s lips tightened and snarled over his upper teeth when he spoke, his upset evident.  “You need to leave,
now
.”

“You’re a real piece of work,” Jason mumbled to him.  Then to Collin, he said, “I’m sorry.  He’s never gotten like this before.  He’s usually a decent guy.”

“Hey, don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” he complained.  “Jason, don’t make excuses for me.  I’m not doin’ anything wrong.  And Collin, I want another bottle, and I’m not leavin’ ‘til I get it.”  He raised his hands, a dull tingle of power prickling at his fingertips.  He aimed them at the bartender and barked, “Now get it.”

Collin took several jerky steps, moving as if he were a marionette being manipulated. 

“Whoa!  Oh my God!  What’s happening to me?” he cried as his body moved without his consent, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the shelf and setting it down on the bar, Dane helming his every move like a puppeteer.  “Help me!  Someone help me!” Collin yelled.

“Ah hell no,” Dane slurred and forced the bartender against the far wall to his right.  “Now stay there,” he commanded and Collin was frozen in place against the wall as if caught in a spider’s web
, unable to free himself.  “And be quiet.”  To Jason, he smirked and said, “Guy’s giving me a damn headache.”

Jason looked horrified.  “What the hell’s gotten into you, man?  What are you doing showing your powers?”

“I just wanna drink is all,” he shook his head and said, wondering why on Earth his brother was so worked up. 

“You’re out of control!” Jason shouted inches from his face.  He laced his fingers behind his head, annoyed in a way Dane had never seen before.  “Let’s go.  Let’s get out of her
e now.”  He gripped Dane’s upper arm and tugged. 

“Get your hands off me, bro!” he whipped his head toward his brother and growled.  “Do not touch me.”

He knew his gaze was lethal, saw it in Jason’s face as he backed off.  “If you’re not going to listen to me, then I’m going to get help, find someone you’ll listen to.”

Dane’s mercurial mind whirled around the possible choices.  “Who
’re ya gonna get?  Mom? Dad?  Briathos?  Arianna?  Don’t bother.  I don’t wanna hear anything any of them have to say, especially Desmond, Arianna’s freakin’ keeper.  I just wanna be left alone.”

“Is that what this is all about?  Arianna?”

“You think you’re so smart don’t you,” Dane said, unable to formulate a better nasty comment. 

“Look, man, if that’s what this is about, you’ve got to just let it go.  You and her, it’s not going to happen.”

Dane shrugged, the sting of his brother’s words blunted by the alcohol swirling through his system.  “I don’t have feelings for her,” he said with less conviction than he’d intended.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about or where you get these wild ideas,” he continued in a feeble attempt to diffuse his brother’s accurate assumptions.  “Now get out of here and let me enjoy my drink.”  Dane awkwardly handled his bottle of whiskey, sloshing it to his mouth and sucking down a messy drink.

“Okay, if that’s what you want,” Jason said with exasperation.  “But do me one favor, will ya?  Stop showing your powers to people and acting like this.”

Dane rolled his eyes, his thoughts rolling along with them.  “Just go!” he roared.

“Fine!” Jason shouted back.

“No, no don’t go!  Don’t leave me with him!” Collin cried as Jason turned and walked out the door.

“Pipe down, Collin.  He isn’t comin’ back,” he twirled the bottle in his hand, fascinated by the way the liquid looked like molten amber in the light.  “It’s just you and me now.”

He took another long drink, his thoughts returning to Arianna, only now, relaxation evaded him, and giddiness was long gone.  All that was left was an ache of loneliness that ate at his insides like a parasite determined to consume him.

Chapter 8

Ripped from deep sleep, Arianna was awakened by a knock at the door.  Time and experience had taught her that a knock on her door in the middle of the night was never good news.  She sat bolt upright and listened for the sound again, hoping it was just her imagination, but suspecting it had not been part of her dream. 

When Desmond roused beside her and pushed himself up, her suspicion was confirmed.

“What was that?” he asked groggily.

“The door,” Arianna answered and felt an icy wave wash over her.  She sprang from the bed,
Desmond a step behind her, rushing, but at the same time hesitant about making it across the small cottage to the front door.  She couldn’t handle hearing of another death among her people. 

But when she reached the door and opened it, Jason stood before her. “Everything’s okay.  No one is hurt,” he led off and she was grateful for him prefacing his call with that statement rather than the usual “something terrible has happened” she’d grown accustomed to.  She sighed and felt relief relax her somewhat. 

“Come in,” she waved him in.  “What’s going on?”

“Actually, I was hoping to talk to
you
for a moment,” he said, emphasizing that he wanted to talk to only Arianna.  He looked at Desmond apologetically.  “Sorry man, nothing personal,” he shrugged.

“Oh
, somehow I doubt that.  I’m guessing it’s very personal,” Desmond commented as he turned and started to walk away.  He stopped and kissed Arianna on the cheek.  “Hurry back to bed, my love,” he said then disappeared into the bedroom. 

Once Desmond was out of earshot,
Arianna looked quizzically at Jason.  “Okay, you woke me up and piqued my curiosity.  What the hell is going on?” she cut to the chase and asked. 

“It’s Dane,” he replied and Arianna felt the color drain from her face, a whirlwind of thoughts and questions spinning through her brain.  All of them marked by worry. 

“Is he all right?  Has he been hurt?  What happened?”

“No, no, nothing like that.  It’s just that he’s been out drinking since Ramiel’s ceremony broke up.”

Arianna glanced in the kitchen at the clock on the microwave.  “Jeez, he’s been gone this whole time?” she asked and realized she was the last person to see him.

“Yup, and he won’t stop.  You know how much one of us has to drink to get drunk,” he said and gestured exasperatedly. 

“No, actually, I don’t.  I’ve never been able to get drunk.  And it’s not for lack of trying,” she said and laughed self-depreciatingly. 

Jason looked at her with an expression that was equal parts puzzled and amused.  “Too bad for you,” he said and smiled weakly.  “But Dane, he can get drunk apparently.  He’s
been downing bottles of liquor and the owner wants to close up, but he won’t go.  He won’t listen to me.  I went out there and tried to get him to leave, but he’s being a total asshole.”

“Okay, so what are you going to do next?”

“The owner is threatening to call the cops, but I told him to hold off.  I thought maybe you could go talk some sense into him.”

“Me?” she asked incredulously, the spinning in her mind screeching to sudden halt.  “What makes you think he’ll listen to me?  You’re his brother
.”  Arianna was going to continue, but Jason silenced her with a knowing look. 

“If he’s going to listen to anyone, it’s going to be you,” he said levelly.  “Will you go?”

“Of course,” she answered without delay.  “Let me throw on some clothes and run a comb through my hair and we’ll leave.”

“Thanks, Arianna.  I hate to barge in here in the middle of the night and ask you to do this, but Dane’s in bad shape and he needs you.”

“No problem.  Help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen and I’ll be out in a second,” she swept her hand toward the kitchenette to her left as she hurried to her bedroom. 

When she crept inside, she realized Desmond was not asleep.   He sat on the edge of the bed, a sliver of moonlight cutting across the sculpted beauty of his body and highlighting the powerful cords of muscles.  The hard lines of his body moved and flexed when he sat up straight. 

“You’re going to him.”  His words were not a question but a statement tinged with resignation.  Smooth, hot and raw, his voice reminded her of whiskey.  He inhaled deeply before twisting to face her.  His eyes were midnight blue in the dark of the room.  “I’m coming with you,” he added.

Surprised, Arianna blurted, “No,” a bit too soon. Though she could not see him clearly, she felt Desmond’s gaze boring into her. 
She took a few steps toward him.  “It’s not that I don’t want you with me, it’s just that Dane is drunk and refusing to leave the bar he’s at.  The owner wants to close up for the night, but Dane won’t leave.  Jason tried to get him out of there but he didn’t have any luck.”

“And Jason thought you could talk him into leaving.”

“Yes, that’s right,” she answered.

Throaty laughter spilled from Desmond.

“What?  What’s so funny?” she asked and felt a small tendril of annoyance spark to life inside her.  She made her way closer to the bathroom and was almost standing right in front of him.

He held his hands up in front of his chest.  “I’m not saying a word.  I’m not going to have you pissed at me.”  He chuckled again.

“Ha-ha, laughing boy.  I’m just howling right along with you,” she narrowed her eyes then pointed to her clearly annoyed face.  “Can’t you tell I’m in hysterics?” she asked bitingly. 

“Oh come on,” Desmond said and refused to take the bait.  Instead, he grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her toward him.  As soon as she was near, he wrapped both arms around her waist and rested his head on her chest.  She raked her fingers through his wavy, golden hair, enjoying the scent of whatever shampoo he’d used.  It smelled of sage and mint.  It smelled of comfort and home. It smelled like Desmond.  He kissed the space between her breasts, nuzzling
his face between them.

“Hey, knock it off,” she said and lightly tapped the top of his head.  “Don’t think I’m not pissed that you laughed at me,”
she warned, but she doubted he’d heard her.  He was too busy sweeping the stubble of his chin from side to side. His movements, while tender, were also arousing.  And she didn’t have time for that.  She needed to leave and get Dane out of the bar before the owner called the police.  She placed a hand on either side of Desmond’s head.  “Cut it out,” she said.

“Cut what out?’ he asked in a rush of innocence. 

“You know what you were doing, and we don’t have time for that.  Maybe when I get back though,” she let her sentence hang.  Then she tipped his head back and kissed his lips.  “Bye,” she said before snatching a T-shirt and jeans from the dresser and dashing into the bathroom.

Inside, she dressed quickly then brushed her teeth
and her hair. 

“Arianna please, let me come with you.  A drunken warlock is not as easy to persuade as you t
hink,” Desmond called from the other side of the door. 

“I’ll be fine,” she said and yanked the door open.  “I’ll be back soon.”  She kissed him again then zipped past him. 

“Whatever you think is best,” he mumbled after she was already halfway to the kitchenette. 

“I’m ready,” she said to Jason as soon as she saw him in the doorway. 

“Is Desmond okay with this?” he asked warily.  “I don’t want any trouble.”

“No, he’s fine with it,” she exaggerated.  “Where are we headed?”

“Collin’s bar and grill.”

Arianna held out her hand and Jason took hold.  Light flooded her field of vision and before she knew it, she was standing on gravel in the parking lot, empty save for one car, of
a brick building. 

“This is it?” she asked of the quaint structure. 

“Yeah, why?”

“No reason, I suppose. 
I don’t know why, but I was picturing him holed up in some dive.”

Jason scrunched his features in confusion and shook his head slightly.  “It’s probably best if you go in alone.  If he sees me
, he’ll freak out again.”

“He freaked out before?” she asked, Desmond’s words about drunken warlocks rattling around in her brain. 

“Oh yeah, big time.  I think the bartender crapped himself, but that’s beside the point,” Jason said and cringed.  “I don’t want a repeat performance, so I’ll stay out here.”

“Crapped his pants!  Jeez!  Can I stay out here too?” she asked and wondered what exactly she’d gotten herself into.