Paradise lost
ALEK
Walking into his favorite bar, Alek was sure Anansi was just as shocked at seeing him as he was coming back. He took a seat at the counter. “Give me something strong.”
“Coming right up,” Anansi said, with a curios tone. “I wasn’t thinking I would see you again in this era.”
“I wasn’t planning on being back this era.” Alek answered, digging his long nail into the wood. “I’ve learned a few things, and I needed a drink, but I didn’t feel like returning home.”
“So, Vampires suffer the same discomfort,” Anansi said, his third arm setting a crystal glass on the countertop. Using hismain hands to remove the cork from the bottle he’d retrieved from beneath the counter. The brown liquid filled the glass. Corking the bottle, he used his fourth arm to push the glass toward Alek. “Well hopefully it’s not something you can’t recover from.”
“It’s complicated,” Alek said taking the glass, and sipping from it. He cleared his throat, “I spent these last few months hunting down an enemy. The enjoyment of killing them far outweighed anything else I’ve done this life. Vanquishing the demons of my memories,” He glanced at a green and silver skinned Basilisk Demon at the end of the counter. “No offence.”
“None taken,” the Demon grumbled before he stood and walked away.
“Anyway,” Alek said turning his attention back to Anansi. “I’ve been doing this for a while, and I was pretty sure that these worms were not worthy of life. Then I met someone.”
Anansi grinned, his white teeth sharp. “You met a woman.”
“Yeah,” Alek chuckled, “A woman.”
Sighing, Anansi set the bottle on the back shelf. “It’s nothing like meeting a woman, that changes what a man thinks he knows.”
“Tell me about it. She’s full of so many twists and turns that I’m afraid one day I’ll be completely wrapped around her tiny finger.” He said wistfully, “I’ve known since the moment I saw her; she would be all mine. The smell, the look, everything about her was a match to me. And now I’ve learned she is a child of one of these creatures,” his lips screwed up, “a child of the very one I aimed to kill.”
Anansi released a sharp whistle, leaning forward he braced himself on the counter with two of his hands. While his third scratched at his jaw. “So, what do you do? Kill the parent and still claim the child? Kill them both? As a fellow monster I know there are plenty of ways to handle this.”
“That’s what bothers me, I actually contemplated it.” Alek dropped his head with a heavy groan. “For a second, I was so furious I wanted to wring her neck. The madness of flames, driving me. But when my hands landed on her neck, they lost strength.”
When her eyes had looked up at him revealing her fear and despair.
Once he’d seen that his own murderous thoughts had vanished into thin air. A part of him resented her for telling him the truth. Lanias had been a brilliant practitioner of deceit and manipulation. He’d been willing to allow her to continue her lies.
Instead, she’d seen him as someone worthy enough to reveal the truth.
Alek’s demons weren’t so easily dealt with. He tossed back the rest of his drink. “I think it’s time I returned.”
“Returned where,” Anansi inquired taking the glass and placing it into the sink behind the counter. “To the woman?”
Alek ignored what sounded like hope in Anansi’s voice.
“To where I met the demons who haunt my dreams,” Alek explained, as he stood and made his way out of the bar. Pushing the door open he came to a short stop at the sight of a masked man who stood on the other side of it. “Well fancy meeting you here, Leader.”
Raijin’s brow creased, and surprisingly he was wearing his well-known mask that covered the lower half of his face. “Tiller told me you frequented this bar, but I wasn’t sure I’d find you here.” He said taking a step back allowing Alek to step fully outside.
“Well, if it wasn’t for certain extenuating reasons. I wouldn’t have come today.” He explained, placing his hands in his pockets. “What can I do for you?”
“I wish to speak to you about the Surrem.”
Hearing this, Alek purposely kept his expression blank. “And why would I know anything about them? Did Tiller tell you to ask me about it?”
“And if he did?” Raijin demanded. “Would that determine whether you tell me more about them or not?”
Alek looked away from him. He wasn’t really in the mood to answer any questions. Plus, he’d been gearing up to leave. Returning his gaze to Raijin he asked, “How much time do you have?”
Raijin glanced down at the watch on his wrist, “A few hours.”
“Good,” Alek said as red mist streamed from his feet, rising to cover them all. “Then come on a little trip with me.”
