Wicked Destiny

Chapter 21





SLOANE





Sitting there at my table, I began to get impatient. I was finishing my new cup of juice and reading the paper. Why the paper? I honestly didn’t know. I never read the paper. I needed something to do. I looked down at the floor and saw Simon still there and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I thought he’d actually be fun for a little while. Looking at the clock, I figured Viktor would be back soon and I knew Declan would have something witty to say. OK, it’s time for Simon to wake up.

“Simon!” I snapped at him with no remorse at all. “Simon, get your old ass up now!” He started to move around and saw some signs of…life.

“What did you do to me?” He sounded groggy.

“Get off my floor, you are not a rug.” I got up to dispose of my glass, and considering it was afternoon now, I’d have a glass of wine. I poured myself a glass and Simon one too. “Don’t make me zap you, Simon. Get up and sit down, now. We need to talk.”

“Maybe you should have thought about that before you sucked me dry!” He took another tone as he saw my eyebrows rise. “That didn’t come out right. I apologize.”

“Ah, now we have manners?” I smiled as I took a sip.

I didn’t think Simon liked me very much anymore. I smiled and brought him his glass of wine while slipping the bottle under my arm. I sat the glass in front of him and the bottle in the middle. He downed the glass and reached for the bottle for a refill.

“I figured we’re even.” I looked at him from across the table. “You took advantage of me in a moment of weakness, so I just returned the favor. No hard feelings, I hope.”

Simon said nothing at all. I smiled inside because I knew I got to him. This was fun and it was going to be a blast. Then a sudden feeling washed over me. Something was close. I jumped up, not prepared for what was about to come through the door. As soon as the door opened, I backed myself up against the farthest wall. It was Viktor. He and Simon eyed me suspiciously. I tried to play it off, but the very presence of Viktor was overwhelming at the moment and I wasn’t sure what that meant. But I liked it.

“What is wrong with you?” Viktor asked.

“I don’t know. When you entered the building, I started feeling weird.” I tried to shake the feeling, but I felt scared.

“I talked with Declan.” Viktor started.

“And?”

“Well, he wasn’t happy about your message if that’s what you are asking.” I started walking along the wall in my loft, keeping my distance, but looking as if I was pondering over what Viktor was saying. Simon kept an eye on me too. I smiled so they would think that I was devising a devious plan. “Simon, you look better.” Viktor Smiled. “I warned you to stay away from her.” This time I gazed at Viktor, as he knew something I didn’t.

“What do you mean you told him to stay away?” I started walking toward Viktor now.

“I knew once he saw you that day he would try to steal you away so he could corrupt you with…this.” Viktor lifted his arm out. “It’s a high, I know, but you need to make sure this is what you want, Sloane. There is no going back.”

“I don’t think I have a choice in the matter. Everything has already been preplanned.” Was I second guessing myself? “I thought this is the team you played for, Viktor? I’m here now. I’m your secret weapon.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Then why are you trying to talk me out of it.” I could feel the fire burning in my eyes.

“Careful, Viktor. You might not want to upset her while we are on the bottom floor of this building,” Simon said, as he unfolded the newspaper again and acted as if he had no concern whatsoever.

I began to shake and the fire built brighter in my eyes. What was it about rage that was so intense? And why did it burn? I cursed under my breath. If I ever wanted to hold a poker-face, I was going to have to get my feelings under control, because my eyes would forever tell the truth.

“You are either having second thoughts about your loyalties or you doubt me. Either way, you can sit and watch from the sidelines or you can be there beside me.” I walked to Viktor with every hair on my body standing on edge. There was something terribly different, but whatever it was it was drawing me to him.

It was like power radiated off of him—something I craved. I had to be careful, though. Something different had changed in the time he’d left to see Declan. I touched his shoulder and sparks shot through me. I kept my hand there.

“Can I count on you to be by my side?” I asked as the electric current still stung. He needed to answer quickly, because I wasn’t sure I could keep my hand there any longer. He must have known because he smiled at me devilishly.

“I’ll always be there as long as you ask it of me.” He took my hand and kissed it and his eyes never left mine.

I turned to walk away and for a minute Viktor wouldn’t let go. There was a message he had in his eyes that I would ask him about later, but Simon was here. Even though he posed no threat at the moment, I refused to let him get me by surprise.

“Later,” was all I whispered, and he released my hand.

“Well, since I’m no longer running things, I am going to take my leave. Viktor knows how to get in touch with me and, then again, Sloane, so do you now if you just try hard enough.” I rolled my eyes at Simon and stared outside the window.

“Simon, I doubt I will need you for anything, but then again, stay close should I get hungry again.” His smile disappeared just as quickly as his presence did.

I stood there trying to figure out what I was going to do. I needed to gather more strength, which meant I would have to hang around more people like Simon. I wouldn’t take any from Viktor, because in the end, I was hoping Viktor and Declan would be the ones to save me from myself. And they’d need every bit of their powers to do so.

“Sloane, what’s going on?” Viktor stood next to me looking out the same window. He was careful not to touch me.

“How much can I really trust you, Viktor? And where is your true loyalty?” I turned to look at him.

“Look, Sloane, I know I screwed up—” I didn’t let him finish.

“I’m not talking about us.” I bowed my head because the pain was still fresh. “I mean to your boss.” Viktor looked confused.

“I’m his second. What else can I say?” He shrugged his shoulders. “We didn’t get our employment from being honest.” He smiled.

“So if I ask something of you and you disobeyed him, it wouldn’t be out of character?”

“There is always a power struggle down under, Sloane. Before you go up against him, I suggest you sleep on it.” He never looked at me.

“I have no desire to lead whatsoever, Viktor.” Now I had his attention. I looked down at my hands as I subconsciously fidgeted. Suddenly I couldn’t stand still.

“Then what the hell are you doing?”

“I’m ending this. Every damn bit of it. When I said I didn’t want this, I meant it.” He grabbed my hands to steady me. I looked into his eyes just so he could get a clearer understanding.

“Then why all the charades?” He was confused. “Let’s just leave.”

“I’m not running and living the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.” I pulled my hands free from his. “I’m going to make this right. So I need your help.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to take me to places where I can gather more strength.”

“Absolutely not!” He looked like a two year-old throwing a tantrum. “You want me to take you places where you can steal other minion’s darkness?”

“It would look and fit the part. Word will travel and the followers will come and bare witness.” I tried to explain.

“Witness to what, exactly, Sloane? If you think for one minute that you’ll be able to control it, you’re wrong. Gathering so much in a little time, only to turn your back on it, will guarantee your demise. It will destroy you in the end.” He was mad and scared, but for whom I couldn’t tell.

“You don’t think I know that? Right now I feel like a junkie. You have no idea how hard it is for me not to feed from you right now, because you just reek of it.” Here it came. “It feels so good when you let it in. It fills the void that’s within you and makes you think you’re whole again. I never knew there was so much missing in my life until the feeling hit me. It’s intoxicating and I crave it like my life depends on it.” I paced the floors now. “I don’t know if I can control it forever, but I’m only worried about getting that so-called unholy army together and destroying it. I only have to control it until then.”

“Explain what happens after you complete your task and you spiral out of control.” He was asking something he already knew the answer to.

“Do whatever it is you have to.” My voice was a whisper now. “You can’t tell Declan any of this because he would never go through with it.”

“What makes you so sure I will?”

“I don’t. I’m just wishing on a prayer,” I said.

“Well, get ready. We have work to do. Are you changing?”

“No, I figured the more dramatic the better.”

“It’s more than fire you’re playing with, Sloane. The fire is just an added bonus.” He ran his hand through his hair and then he looked up at me. “Well, let’s go.” He took my hand and just as I was about to grab for the door knob, we were gone.