Seven: Mal

*"You may have offended Zeus and your mother, but you have done nothing but honor your commitment to me." Our eyes locked together and I felt my consciousness once again slip into the ocean where hers flowed, too, suspended together in the disillusionment of our realities which had, only moments ago, been altered permanently. Perhaps it was just the intimacy of the particular chaos of the day, but for just a moment we knew one another each in our entirety. *

I'd lain in bed all night, tossing the words of our conversation around in my brain as if rearranging the events of the rooftop could make it all make sense, but it never did. The version of Chimi I knew was sullen, vengeful, and cold. She thought she was better than everyone else and got intensely competitive over even the smallest things. But the silver-haired beauty up on the roof, once both of our mothers were gone and only the two of us remained to pick up the pieces of the disastrous tea, was another creature altogether. It was starting to make me question my own instincts. Could Alchimia be right? Did I really need to give up my position as Echelon's secret ruler?

Ultimately, the problem was that the girl knew nothing about us. How the city worked. What the people thought. She didn't know what clubs she could and couldn't go into, or even which kinds of Mystics were not allowed in Echelon. I doubted she even knew where the portal to the mortal realm was or who--what--guarded it. There was no standard currency in Echelon, but did she know how to trade in whispers and favors? I decided to put her to the test.

We had dinner together with Nero and a few other high members of her mother's court in the lobby that night while Liessa apparently attended to reversing whatever damage she'd done to Alchimia's quarters, then I escorted her there to rest for the night.

It was a delicate, tender moment as we looked at each other, both unsure of what would happen next. Both, weirdly, dependent upon the other to get where we wanted to be. "You have two guards who will be with you all night, because I do have to sleep, unlike your demon friend."

"Fen, she'd said fondly, bringing a fist to her chest. A pang of jealousy threatened to unravel me.

"Sure, if that's what he's called. I'll be here first thing in the morning, but as soon as you're ready, we'll go explore your town."

"Wonderful," she'd said, dreamily, before disappearing into her rooms. She was awake, dressed, and waiting for me when I made it back there in the morning.

We walked through the town together, and the lights and sounds of Main Street bathed Alchimia in a stubborn glow. Demons, dragons, fey, and beings of all kinds stopped to talk to her wherever we went. Enchantresses existed back when the Old Gods were around, but it was not common to see one in Echelon. They were numerous, but preferred quieter, more natural places, and--because of their inclination to be of benevolent service to their communities--were frequently permitted to reside on Earth and seldom felt comfortable in a place like this. I enjoyed watching Chimi investigate her new world. She was riveted, and I almost felt like she might just make it here, so we took a while to get to Club Gone.

If you blinked, you would miss it. The door to the club sat between two bars that shared a building and was entirely unmarked, but once inside we descended a long, dark, spiral staircase until we reached a massive underground club built around a series of glittering crystal caves. Surrounding a massive dance floor were hundreds of rooms, halls, and experiences to explore. I'd once known an incubus to get lost inside for nearly a hundred years.

The colorful light reflecting off the cave walls danced in Alchimia's bright eyes. I had not forgotten about what she'd threatened to take from me back in the lobby, and I was certain she hadn't either, but I was in no rush to destroy our momentary peace; Alchimia was in entirely new territory for the first time in her life. The more she saw of it, the lower her guard would be, and we might even be able to come to a verbal agreement.

She'd worn her hair straight, sleek and smooth, pulled back in a ponytail that shimmered like moonlight as it swung back and forth behind her. Her toned arms and long, lean legs were on full display in a strapless red dress with a dramatic neckline that revealed the bodies of her full breasts and plunged to her waist where it met in a sharp point. The plush velvet hem was only as long as it needed to be to cover the hills of her round hips, stopping just above miles of soft pink thighs that were driving me crazy. I'd never let someone's looks get the better of me like this before, but about 95% of my thoughts were honed in on imagining what it would be like to rip that tiny piece of cloth to pieces and see what lay underneath.

"I love it here," she breathed, her shoulders swaying back and forth in time with the music like she couldn't help herself. "Can we dance?"

There was no bone in my body that wanted to turn down her offer. There was a build-up of tension in lust in my body like I'd never felt before, and if it had been any other circumstance, I would have let the music and the atmosphere take over and lead us to what should have been the night's inevitable conclusion--a tired, spent Alchimia asleep in my bed back home.

"Let's get a drink first."

I threaded our fingers together and pulled her to my side, leading her (dumbfounded, shocked, dazed by my behavior) to the main bar where I got us a couple of drinks and some enchanted cigarettes. Alchimia drank and smoked and looked around as I dragged her upstairs to the top floor and into a room that was always on reserve for me. Inside, there were still people dancing, drinking, and having fun, but it was quieter. Milder. More palatable for the likes of Chimi, who was unaccustomed to this lifestyle. Funny she would soon be our ruler.

The walls of this particular cave were built out of sleek obsidian. I had my own small bar in the corner, attended by a staff member at all times, and an 'employee' stationed at the door, ensuring only those on the list were allowed inside. No one acknowledged us as we walked in, which was customary. It was the thing I liked most about my private room and the rule I enforced the best. I sat Alchimia down on a couch that was tucked away in the informally named 'VIP Section' and for a few minutes we sat together as if the fate of this place was not hanging over both our heads. We were turned toward one another, our knees meeting in the middle. Chimi sat with perfect posture, her incredible breasts on nearly full display. There had never been anyone in the world so stunning, and I was starting to lose hold of my resolve.

"I was hoping you brought me out to dance, not to show off," she said, her tone shockingly light and playful. She was teasing me.

"The main floor is no place for a princess to dance," I told her. I leaned in closer, peering into her eyes with a slight grin. "In any case, koritsi mia, you're from another world. You'd be overwhelmed out there. In here, you can trust everyone. They've already been vetted. They will neither speak to nor approach you unless you want them to. This is a playground just for us. Go, have fun. Nero!" My friend had arrived ahead of us and dutifully awaited my call from the corner of the room. "Alchimia wants to dance."

Chimi seemed to accept this counteroffer and followed Nero to the center of the room, where they entangled themselves with one another, the music a third partner guiding their steps. If it were anyone else in the world, I would have been jealous. Of her hand in his, of his fingertips grazing her hip as he gently persuaded her into a spin. Of their proximity, their bodies swapping heat from one to the other. I kept my mind occupied by noticing how quickly she was falling under the spell of the spirits, and by listening to the unraveling of her practiced socialite laughter so I'd know when to cut her off. And then, when I was absolutely certain that Nero had a firm grip on reality--not just her body--my eyes began to wander about the room, searching for someone who could help me relieve all of this built-up tension.