Demon's Dream (3 page)

Shara remained stoic as she watched Clarissa. She was well aware of how her words affected the young and beautiful wolf. She had not been pleased one iota that Azamel had brought back this woman after their defeat of Xon. Mel claimed he wanted to train her and help prepare her for future antagonists but Shara knew it was only the excuse he gave to himself to justify actually
feeling
something for Clarissa.

In the multitude of eons Shara had been with Mel, never once had she noticed him behave as he had when Clarissa was around. He cared for her and it showed. It would be his undoing and Shara would do everything in her power to prevent his demise. Besides, if the truth be known, Shara worshipped Mel. A part of her wanted him for herself, desired the closeness built over the ages.

Although centuries of service to him never once made him look at her as anything other than his assistant and some days not even that, Shara still held hope he would one day realize he cared for her. To be honest, she wasn’t even aware he could show affection for anything or about anyone. She had rarely seen any display of emotion from him outside of anger or irritation. At times, she wondered if he even had a heart that could be touched.

When the Gods arrived earlier that morning, Coyote took Shara aside. She was ready to believe all the tales he wove. Although she couldn’t remember distinctly their discussion, her mind entwined her own hopes and thoughts within the whispered notions that Coyote planted within her.

“Help him see that he is endangering himself and your position with him if he continues to disregard his responsibilities,” Coyote susurrated softly.

“How?”

“By reminding them both of what you know to be true in your heart.”

Shara had listened to Coyote’s words, her judgment grasping to straws of hope. Her musings were halted as Clarissa turned back to her.

“Thank you for the information.”

Shara nodded briefly before turning and leaving the room. Only when she was alone in the corridor did she allow herself a little smirk.

Chapter Three

Mani stood in the shadows watching. He had entered Azamel’s reception chambers with the Gods. Undetected in his ghostly form, Mani was able to move past the receiving area by adhering closely to Shara, all unaware he was there. Once he found his goal, the Guardian of the stone, he remained near her. Admittedly, Clarissa wasn’t what he expected for the protector to one of the most powerful artifacts in the world. Young, spirited and alluring, anyone in her presence immediately denoted a strong charisma surrounded her, even if they were unsure why.

He had expected something completely different. Legends abounded about the gems’ Guardians. The fiercest of their line, women were reputed to be the ones appointed to safeguard the precious artifact. Hidden secretly for so long, many believed the gem was strictly a folk lore told to children to help them sleep at night. Only the eldest of the Gods were aware of the truth of those tales. Only one had known the family entrusted to keep its secrets, Nanaboojoo.

Keeping her under surveillance, Mani couldn’t help but understand how she pierced Mel’s reserve and touched his heart. There was something about her which drew one to her- that wanted to protect and keep her safe. She appeared so helpless, so gentle. A man couldn’t help but wish to aid her in every way possible.

He clandestinely followed her everywhere throughout the complex, keeping close to her as he bid his time. Soon, she would retire and he would then make his move, begrudgingly completing his assignment. He tried to sense the gem of power. If he were able to just retrieve it, he would have no need to hurt the wolf but he couldn’t feel it in this form. He would complete his assignment and retreat, leaving Jes to deal with the rest of whatever plan the God devised and had put into motion.

Mel purposefully avoided Clarissa all day. He had some decisions to make and dealing with her was the last thing he needed to break his concentration. He sat in his study, shuffling reports from one side of his desk then back again. He knew Clarissa couldn’t stay with him but he had never wanted anything quite as much as her beside him before now. He had to finish training her. He had to know she would be able to look after herself once she was returned to the upper realm.

It still astounded him that he could care so much for anyone. In the thousands of years of his existence, he had closed his heart off to all good emotions. He had been burned one too many times to know better. He had been betrayed too often to expose himself to such pain. Worse, doubts he planted within his own mind played out over and over again, growing exponentially.

Growling in frustration, he pushed the papers off his desk with a sweep of his arm. Staring at them for a few minutes, he was about to flash them back to his desk in a neat orderly pile when a knock and a slight opening of his door broke his concentration. Snapping his fingers, the reports returned to his workspace just moments before Clarissa peeked her head inside the room and asked if she might enter.

Standing, Azamel waved her in. He steepled his fingers in front of him, his forefingers rested lightly upon his lips. His eyes followed her as she moved closer to his desk. Had he been paying any attention, he would have felt the strange presence that accompanied her. However, he was too focused on what he needed to do to contemplate anything other than his current situation. “I’m sorry to disturb you. Shara told me you did not wish to be interrupted at all today but you missed dinner. It’s nearing bed time and I was concerned you wouldn’t get any rest tonight.”

His eyes narrowed as he moved to rest his folded hands across his stomach.

“I have survived centuries without mothering. I highly doubt I need it now.”

She stopped, stunned.

“I’m sorry if I was a bit worried. I guess I should have known better. I just wanted to be sure you were going to be okay.”

She had
thought
over the past week that they had moved past this cold reserve but it appeared she was incorrect in her assumptions.

“There is no reason for you to worry over me like some mother hen. I have lived an eternity and managed just fine thus far. You need not concern yourself with regards to my wellbeing.”

Clarissa’s eyes narrowed, her nostrils flared and her lip curled in anger.

“Well excuse me if I wanted to make sure my lover was faring well. I would have thought I was entitled to some concern about you considering the time we spent together over the past month and more so during the past week but I surmise from your response that I am gravely mistaken.”

She leaned closer to him over the desk, her hands gripping the edge tightly.

“Why did you even bother to bring me back here? Was I just an amusement for you, a release for your sexual urges?”

Her eyes widened as the words of Shara rang in her head and realization crashed in around her.

“It was to keep the Gem of Avarice around. Gods, I was such a fool! You put me through hell with your training exercises. You made me relive over and over again the death of my family.”

Clarissa pushed herself away from the desk.

“Why must you play games with me instead of coming at me outright for the stone? At least then I would know how to defend myself.”

She held up her hand as she saw he was about to speak.

“Please, don’t bother telling me otherwise. It’s obvious that has been your intention from the start. You wanted to put me off my guard in such a way that I would be unaware of your preoccupation to obtain the artifact for which I am responsible.”

Mel’s eyes narrowed as she continued to rant. “I warned you from the very beginning it wouldn’t be easy. No one will be able to use the pain of your family’s deaths against you because you’re becoming immune to its effects. As for wanting the stone, I’m tired of having this conversation with you over and over again. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t interest me but I also am fully aware of the potential damage it can cause if utilized by another. I have sworn to help you protect it. I don’t know what more you fucking want me to do. If you don’t believe me then why did you agree to return here with me?”

“I came because I believed you when you said you loved me. I should have realized it was just the heat of the moment. Maybe I don’t want to be immune to the deaths of my family.
Maybe
I want that additional push from the pain it afforded me. I came back with you because I knew I needed to learn,” she lowered her voice to a whispered, “and because I wanted to be with you.”

Mel froze, his heart leapt to his throat. He kept his features stoic, not wanting to let her become aware of her words affecting him in any way. How desperately he wanted to jump over the desk and push her back onto it, kissing her senselessly, enjoying all the pleasures her body could afford him. Instead, he was being forced to give her up. In response, he looked away from her.

“I’ll finish your training before you return home,” he said emotionlessly.

Stunned, Clarissa took a stumbled step back as if he had slapped her in the face. ‘
He could get rid of me so easily? He is that bored with me already?’
She lifted her slightly trembling chin proudly. She would be damned if she gave him an inkling of how much he had just hurt her. She spoke softly and calmly, “Finish showing me the techniques I need to utilize my powers to the fullest extent and I’ll leave soon so as not to infringe upon your generosity or time any longer than necessary.”

Clarissa spun to leave the room but then stopped with her back still to him.

“Understand, you won’t make me so weak that I’ll leave the stone in your hands, nor will I stay in this hell any longer than needed to complete my education.”

Azamel snorted. “There are hells that are a lot worse than this realm which I govern. I told you before I don’t want the stone, so fucking drop it already,
Sweetheart
.”

She turned back to face him.

“Why don’t you just grow up and pull that stick out of your ass! You’re so pompous it’s ridiculous. Everyone wants the stone, even you as you have repeatedly admitted. I truly didn’t take you for a liar until now.”

Without another word she was out of the study and back in her assigned quarters, her fists clenching and unclenching with her ire.

As Clarissa prepared for bed, her conversation with Azamel kept recurring in her mind. Shara’s words also repeated themselves over and over and she wondered if the servant wasn’t correct in her warning. She replayed every moment since Mel carried her back from the South American jungle where Xon met his demise at the executioner’s hand.

After weeks of training, they reappeared to lure Xon to the jungle where they first met. Clarissa well remembered seeing Azamel for the first time as he stretched out against a tree. She followed Azamel with her eyes as he set up the parameters. He was unwilling to deal with Xon’s henchmen so the border Mel established would keep them out.

They had not touched, kissed or made love after the one night weeks earlier, after she had healed him. Mel had been keeping track of Xon’s actions and knew the demon was extremely anxious to get the stone together. So much so that he would easily make mistakes and that was what Mel relied on. The border set, the trap laid, Mel returned to Clarissa’s side. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. As ready as I’m going to be.”

“I’ll be near. Stay focused. Stay alive.” He started to move to her and steal a kiss and then thought better of it at the last moment. He faded out, leaving her alone in the lea.

Clarissa sat and waited for Xon to show. Although she told Azamel she was ready, being a guinea pig did not sit real well with her. She had the dagger in hand. She needed to have it here so the portion of the gem Xon had managed to obtain would resonate with its power and indicate her location. Since she no longer had the protection of the Nether Realm that Mel’s abode resided in, she would be easier to find. She rested against the tree in a similar pose that Mel had taken when she came across him all those weeks prior.

Minutes had ticked by. Hours passed and still Xon did not show. She remembered how anxious and stiff she had gotten as well as how sore her ass was as a result of sitting for so long in one position. She stood and stretched as she easily slipped into movements she practiced over and over again with Mel during their time together. She pivoted when she found her arm grabbed and pinned behind her. Reacting on instinct, she spun, stuck her foot behind his and reversed the hold. Twisting again slightly she flipped her attacker over her shoulder to land at her feet.

Xon sputtered as he sent an energy bolt towards her from his prone position. Clarissa dove, landing near the tree that supported her back only a few moments ago. She quickly rose to her feet, her mouth slightly agape at the monstrous demon that stood where she was just minutes before.

Xon was huge, eight and a half feet tall and pure muscle, with puckish green skin, a sharp barbed tail and brown pointed horns. He sensed her gaze and his bright yellow eyes turned towards her. She swallowed at the imposing figure he made.

Guardian and demon stared at each other briefly. Xon then spoke, his voice resonated throughout the woods, “You can beg, you can plead, you can say please as much as you want. You’re not getting it back, Guardian.”

She looked at him, trying to find her voice, before her fury boiled over at the damage he had done thus far. Her friends and her place of employment had all been damaged or threatened because of Xon’s greed. She stood before him with resolve, strength and stubbornness. “I’ll do none of the above. You stole my property and you will give it back, dead or alive. The choice is yours.”