Oblivion: Prey to Lust

CHAPTER THREE:

The second I woke up, I hoped to not receive the same sight as I had yesterday. Though not a bad sight, just awkward.
“How’d you sleep?” I rubbed my eyes and smiled. I couldn’t help it today. It was going to be a good day.
“Damn good, after months of being gone.”
“Why’d you leave?” He asked while ruffling his hair.
“Bad things happen to me in cities.”
“Like?” I hoped my silence would be answer enough to the one hanging above our heads…apparently not.
“Things similar to Jagger.” I grim look consumed his face. “At a lower magnitude, no one bothers me after I use an illusion to ‘set their house ablaze.’ Though it’s still very annoying and unwelcome.”
“I don’t think they’ll bother you while I’m around.”
“Do you seriously own a pair of those britches?” he looked mildly confused before he realized what I was saying and scowled, though it was very ineffectual while he was softly stroking my hair. I just laughed and hugged him.
“You’re a little big in you britches too, you know.” He was pouting.
“You must have a massive ego for it to bruise that easy.” I swear his lip stuck out. “Now you look like a two-year-old.”
“If that gets me into your pants, sure.”
“Pervert.” I shoved at him half-heartedly. He drug me closer. I swear I giggled.
“You like it.”
“You have a one track mind.” He grinned at me. I rolled my eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “Men…” He nipped at my neck. I let my breath out in a contented sigh. His arms were locked around me, I was at his mercy. Or so he thought, I bit hi arm roughly.
“Ow!” he let me go and was on top of me in an instant, pinning me to the bed. “Now that wasn’t nice. And it was in the wrong place too.”
“I’ll bite you again!” I warned.
“Please and thank you.”
“Sicko.”
“Awww, c’mon you like it too.” He nipped my ear as he whispered this. I shivered involuntarily. “You are practically begging to be ravished. Of your own free will of course.” I smiled softly. He was trying to say we would only go as far as I wanted to, and that he would go out of his way to make me feel comfortable, it made me warm and cold inside. Am I that fragile? “Only you can answer that.” I almost didn’t hear him. I pulled at my arms, he let them go, but didn’t move from his position above me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a sound kiss on the lips. I released his lips, yet he obviously wasn’t finished with mine.
He worried at my lips with his teeth; I smiled. He pulled a way reluctantly. “Like I said, one track mind.”
“Hey, can’t blame a guy for hoping.” I just snorted. I grabbed at his hair and let the silken strands slip through my fingers. He grabbed a strand of my hair and curled it around his finger. “Your hair is such a pretty shade. I’ve never seen another shade except…” His pupils dilated, “In blood.” His nostrils flared. “I smell blood.” Sure enough the warp panel flashed and a woman appeared with blood soaking her clothes.
I jumped up from my position and ran over to the woman. “Julie? What happened?”
“This isn’t my blood. Andrew summoned a Xivilai and it turned out bad. The Xivilai is still here demanding payment. None of us are experienced enough to send it back.”
“I’ll send him back.”
“That’s the thing, it’s a female Xivilai. We don’t know how to deal with her.” I tapped my arm.
“Well, shit. Damon?” He was at my side. Julienne jumped, I was sure she hadn’t noticed him, unobservant twit. That could get her killed one-day. Damon inclined his head in agreement. “Open the trunk over there and get me the bound staff, wrapped in cloth.” The staff was in my hand momentarily. I felt the worn binding and smiled. Hopefully this would work. “Lead the way.” She strode over to the panel. I followed closely as well as Damon.
“Aren’t you going to dismiss him?” I looked at her confused and my face stayed that way as we warped between floors.
“What do you mean?”
“You summoned him right? Aren’t you going to send him on his way.” I thought it was funny how she talked like they didn’t have ears.
“No I did not summon him. He is here on his own free will. He’s not a summon.” Her mouth dropped in open shock.
“You mean he’s-” we warped down to the lobby. “A-“
“Prince Damon Darkye. Heir to the throne of Madness and Destruction; at your service madam.”
“Ah! Damon, It is me, Blanca!” Her French accent was heavy. “This fool, who ‘as no ideea what ‘e eezz doing summoned me. ‘E eezz not expereenced eenough to summon me. I ‘ave been greatly inconvenienced.”
“Andrew I told you to stick to minor antronachs and scamps. You can handle them. No offence intended to the people of Oblivion.” She nodded gracefully.
“Now she knows what she eezz doing.” I bowed she smiled broadly.
“I apologize Madam Xivilai Blanca.” She smiled and strode over to Damon and stage-whispered.
“She is cute, and so polite to her elders. She is good for you, no? Treat her well, I have a feeling she can put you in your place.”
“You have no idea.” He winked at me; I scowled.
“Eh? Men, one track mind, like I always say.”
“I second that.” She turned and smiled.
“Maybe this hasn’t been such a waste of time. Come visit me sometime, you never see me anymore.”
“I will, I will.” He kissed her on both cheeks. She faded away in a spill of glitter.
“Who exactly was that Damon?”
“Technically, my mother.” I looked a question at him. “My birth mother died as soon as I was born. So Blanca took me as her own. She was the woman in my father’s life as I was growing up, she acted as the mother I never had.” He smiled bitterly.
What? I asked him silently. He shook his head as if to say later.
“Andrew, just- augh! Hold still! Quit moving you little shit!” I turned. Blood was pouring out of the boy’s hand in a sudden burst. I felt Damon jerk beside me.
Do you need to leave? He just looked at me pained. Wait up stairs. “Damon, make me a few healing potions, there is a chest in my room.” He set off on his mission.
Andrew squealed. Stupid apprentices. I turned to see him jerk out of Julienne’s grip. Apparently his thumb had almost been completely detached.
“Why the hard way?” She just looked at me. I tapped my bound staff, all turned their eyes away except for Andrew and myself. My staff was known as Bound Hades. It was something you could never un-see. I spent endless agonizing hours becoming immune to my own power. I woke up every night far two years screaming of the horrors I had seen in his face. It was believed that I had somehow soul trapped the god into my staff. What scared people the most is now I didn’t even flinch when I saw the face. It was years of resolve and strong willpower that kept my mind from cracking.
I rubbed the bound staff in my hands, it warmed under my touch like something alive. I whispered to it, it was alive. There were 666 horrors in the staff, I have seen them all and will do it again, without being affected. Some say I’m twisted, a murderer, the devil himself; I’m none of these, just Hades’ version of Hermes.
“One please, just enough to stun for a few hours.”
‘Breathe, no breathe?’
“Breathe. I will let you stretch later.” And evil demonic chuckle resounded from the staff. Everyone in the room flinched who was turned away.
“Did that staff just talk? Why do you keep it bound?” I smiled.
“Would you like to see my staff?” He nodded, eyes locked on the staff. I tugged on the ties, nothing happened at first and Andrew’s face screwed up in confusion. I leaned on the staff, so that’s the way it’s going to be?
“That’s not anything special, I mean what kind is it?” I grinned.
“His name is Hades.”
“Like the god of hell?”
“I prefer Lord of the Underworld.” His voice was deep, spiced with a slight French accent. I had made a deal with Hades himself, He had something of mine, I had something of his. He yet had to redeem his favor. I tapped my chin; I wonder what it could be.
‘In due time, in due time Messenger.’ I smirked. Andrew was busy having a conversation with the face in my staff. The boy must have asked a particularly humorous question, for Hades roared with laughter.
“Now, would you like to see something? It’s a bit of a talent.” The apprentice nodded eagerly like a ten-year-old. “Alright, now look at me closely.”
“Don’t give him a heart-attack Hades.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Then his face twisted and morphed; I just smiled as Andrew screamed in horror. Then the screaming and sobbing subsided enough to where he was paralyzed with fear. Damon must have heard the screaming for he appeared in the room. I quickly wrapped up Hades and bound him to my back, he was muttering to himself the entire time.
“What happened?” Damon was looking me over for injury. I had half a mind to sock him in the jaw.
“I scared a child.” His face twisted up in puzzlement, then spotted the still form of Andrew. He then looked around the establishment, inspecting for dammage I presume.
“How did you manage that without destroying the place?” A few wizards looked up at his question. They didn’t know I was that strong. I tapped Hades who grumbled.
“Hades here helped me with that.” He stared at the staff.
“May I see it?”
“Him, may you see him.” I handed Hades over gingerly. He ghosted over my mind as he left my hand.
Can I scare him?
Only if he fully unwraps you.
“Don’t undo the wrap, seriously, don’t.” I was more afraid of the innocents in the room than him. I had only seconds. “Run!” I yelled to my underlings in the room. They didn’t hesitate, they ran as the wrap hit the floor.
‘Ah, it has been a while since I have strained.’ He took a breath and the room was engulfed in darkness.
I was protected by my own willpower and Hades’ fondness for me. I walked in a moving shaft of light down the dark corridor. Damon was the victim here, stupid man.
I heard that. I just glared randomly into the darkness. His reply was very faint, which worried me slightly.
Hades stalked out of the darkness; I almost had mistaken him for one of my very few friends. Who appeared to be Frost walked towards me, gossamer and pearl wings trailed soundlessly behind the deeply tanned body. Which contrasted harshly with his white hair that seemed to be spun of diamonds. The only thing that was not correct about his appearance were his eyes, black where white should be, white where color should appear.
“Hades.” I greeted softly; you couldn’t speak above a whisper here.
“Cat, how nice of you to let me stretch.” He popped a few joints. “This one is a fighter. It may take a while for me to break him.” He cracked his knuckles.
“I don’t want you to break him, Hades.” He stopped mid-motion. He frowned.
“If I am not mistaken, I do believe you are fond of this demon.” I closed my eyes for a moment. When I reopened them, he was there towering over me. He tipped my chin up softly. “Why don’t you just come to me, I won’t ever hurt you, I am incapable of hurting you, Cat. I love you, I will be the only one who ever does.” My heart gave a pathetic thump. He smiled, his disguise fading away like a wereanimal phases, beautiful and terrifying all at once. I was dumbstruck. There I was at the back of my mind, begging for my body to move. He smiled softly, his wavy black hair cascading over his shoulders while his crown of thorns and fire never shifted. The only thing he wore were black leather pants. That reminded me of Damon immediately, he never wore anything else. I fought his glamour, if I hadn’t met Damon, I might be sitting on a throne right now. In the darkest reaches of Oblivion I would rule. It was tempting, I didn’t have to hide who I was. I could be free, without ridicule. Then my mind wandered back to Damon. Would he be hurt if I said yes?
Hades’ lips descended on mine, he softly whispered against them, not yet touching. “Just say yes, Cat. Don’t make me wait.”
“No,” I whispered. He drew back slowly.
“Fine, you will be mine yet Cat. No pathetic Demon will stand in my way of you. Next in line for the throne, or no.” He drew back farther.
I reached to my left into the darkness and hauled Damon into the light; he gasped a breath. He had been suffocating him in darkness. His staff solidified in my hand. I smacked it on the hard floor, the sound booming in the room. Sounds of cracking, then shattering as the room disintegrated. We were back in my lobby.
“Who was that?” He asked hoarsely as I wrapped a silent staff back into his prison.
“Hades, Lord of the Underworld.” He just looked at me in shock.
“That staff is what caused this I presume.” I nodded nonchalantly. “It should be destroyed.” I just shook my head.
“I went through a lot to get this staff. I have a deal with the owner of the soul fragment inside this nightmare.” His eyes widened.
“That was a fragment of his soul.” I nodded again and caressed the staff fondly. “It makes you realize how powerless we are in this world.” I inclined my head. I held all of the power that the daedra and humans had left to them. It was in the innocently bound staff, resting comfortingly in my hands. The power to destroy the world was entrusted to me. I held the fate of sanity in my hands. I clasped it tightly; it stirred under my hands.
“We are going to see He who is Carved of Ice.”