"Christina." The dark, condescending tone that I'm all too familiar fills my ears.
What the hell is that demon doing here? I soap up and wash off as quickly as possible. I don't want that jackass to appear in here. I get out of the shower and put my clean jeans and t-shirt on before yanking the door open. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Just be glad I appeared on this side of the door." He smirks. Damien is laying on my couch, his shoes on the leather.
He is trying to get on my nerves, and it's working. "I don't have time for your sorry-ass games."
"You used to be a lot more reserved." He looks up and taps his finger to his lips. "I think I miss it. It was more fun to control you. Now, I have to deal with a nagging, angry woman."
"Look, I have a lot of important stuff to do. Just do us all a favor and go." This was supposed to be my time to think and try to put myself back together.
"I would, but let's be real. You look like shit." He sits and puts his feet on the ground. "And I'm tired of you trying to ruin my plans."
This isn't going to happen. I don't have to stand here and listen. I head back to the bathroom, grab a brush, and run it through my hair.
"Hey, don't you want to know what my plans are?" His voice grows louder with a trace of frustration. "You aren't being any fun here."
Yes, that's what I'm worried about, giving him his desired reaction. I get that he's a demon, but does he have to be such a freaking narcissistic? My power pulses inside me, and a flame erupts in my hand, burning the brush. "Crap." I drop it, and the smell of burnt plastic fills the air.
Damien appears in the doorway and shakes his head. "I'm all for being passionate, but this is way too much." He picks up the brush and turns on the faucet, running it under water. "This is what I meant about you messing up my plans. Every time you have your little 'melt downs'," he says while fingering air quotes, "it's felt on all the freaking realms." He throws the brush, and it lands in the small trash can beside the shower. "This isn't going to work for me. In order to reign over all the realms, they have to be intact."
He's more delusional than I thought. "That is never going to happen." Does he think I'm going to hand the artifacts over to him? Even if I could, I wouldn't. The air whips around the room even though the air conditioning isn't on.
"Oh, sweet naive Christina." He backs away and heads back into the living room, letting his shadows separate and follow him. "You see, I've had something in my back pocket for so long."
No, I can't handle any more shit today. I'm done. "Damien, just go away. I'm not falling for any of your tricks."
"This isn't a trick." He pulls out a necklace and holds it up. It contains a square stone, and it's almost as if the stone is swirling. "See, I have Beth's soul right in here. She's trapped, neither going to the light nor dark. Stuck in a room with windows, but all she can see is her reflection."
"You asshole." Even though everyone told me he kept her, for some reason, it's different when he's swinging her right in my face. Once again, I'm just a pawn in a chess match that I hadn't realized I was part of. However, I'm going to win it. I'm going to find the Water Artifact and kick everyone's ass who's ever betrayed me. Without saying a word, I stare straight into his fire-crackled blue eyes and vanish.
When I appear back in Luke's office, Luke and Dax are there, and I see Charlie on the cot in the corner of the office.
"Where is everyone?" For some reason, I expected everyone to still be here. This throws me off-kilter.
"I've called the other council members; they will be here soon along with our army." Luke is taking inventory of his weapons again and picking out a few.
A dark, black smoky circle appears, and within seconds, Damien appears. "That wasn't nice." He tsks at me.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Dax grabs a sword and points it at him.
"I think he's here to help Christina get the Water Artifact." Luke tilts his head and narrows his eyes. "Am I right?"
"I guess you could consider us allies for the time being." Damien nods, an evil smile spreading across his face.
"Right now we'll take all the help we can get." Luke reaches out and motions for Dax to lower the sword.
Are they being serious right now? “Where's Brad?" At least he'll be on my side.
"He said he’ll be here shortly." Dax's eyes never leave Damien. "I guess they went to get reinforcements as well."
"All the realms felt when Charlie died and you could have taken us out. We need to save our world." Luke turns his back to us and then sits down at his normal seat.
Oh, dear God. "Okay, fine. We all want me to get the artifact." But as soon as I do, we all know Damien is going back to his own side. My focus drifts to Charlie before I yank it away. I can't stand to see him so vulnerable.
"Chris," Luke says, as he searches for something on my face, "why haven't you brought Charlie back?"
It's one thing to tell him, but I'd rather show him. "Dax, can you take us back to the water world for a moment?" I picture where the ogres are staying there and hold my hand out to him.
"Of course." Dax steps closer to me and takes my hand. "Anyone who wants
