Rabid For Her Revenge
FIFTEEN

Sitting around on my ass was not something I could do for long. I was grateful when the nine days I needed to wait for had finally passed. I couldn’t handle the anxiety for even one more day. Having nothing to do but lay around and wait for the fateful moment to come was stressing me out more than the apprehension I felt for this seriously risky and reckless plan of mine.

Even I was concerned with my own insanity at this point. I really must have lost my mind in order to come up with such a foolish idea.

It wasn’t like I could just walk in and out of any territory I pleased now that I was infamous. My face had been showed to every One and Two during my trial for Myrin’s death.

Even if I had dyed my hair brown and chopped these atrocious bangs to hide my silver eyes, I doubted my disguise was foolproof.

There was nothing else to be done though. If I didn’t go through with this plan I stood to gain as much as I stood to lose. If I didn’t succeed, I risked losing a very powerful weapon that could be used against Sarakiel and I later. I risked losing the opportunity to effectively strike during the mayhem I could create. I risked being swallowed by the shadow Myrin had cast that followed me everywhere.

Yes, it was essential that I did this. Even if there was the possibility that I could lose my life during this mission.

And then there was also the possibility that even if I survived, Sarakiel would kill me when I returned for disappearing without a word. He was supposed to be in charge of my every action after all, and if I were to do something severely out of line to the wrong person, he would be held accountable for my actions.

However, I really had no plans to die despite my imminent death seeming to be the conclusion to most of the roads fate might lead me down.

Not that the thought of death really bothered me all that much. I wasn’t supposed to live this long anyway. It was all borrowed time, time Sarakiel had bought me.

But hopefully that time was not expired yet.

I stepped onto the platform hearing the mechanical sound of the train doors sliding shut behind me. I looked up at the screens plastered all over the station.

Welcome to High Lake territory of the Western Province

The words on the digital screen laughed at me. Welcoming me back to my own personal hell.

And like any gates of hell, the gates to Myrin’s estate were not locked, but left wide open and inviting for any damned soul that dared to waltz in.

The reason for this was the very reason I had chosen such a day to carry out my plan.

Today was the day Myrin’s Two, Samson, would ascend to One of High Lake territory. All manner of people were attending today’s grand celebration, Ones and their consorts, Zeta agents, and any citizen of the territory, all were welcome as it was an open invitation.

As for why they did not bother sending invitations and using them as entry cards, it was simply our society’s deeply rooted arrogance. It was rare for any such event as this to be heavily guarded even with all of the important people that attended. There had been many times I had walked into such festivities during my time as a vagrant.

The reason for this was because we were falsely presumed to be in a time of peace and with so many strong individuals walking around, who would dare to create trouble? I also had another advantage is such a situation.

I was a female.

And no one would ever think that such a weak and timid little thing could be so dangerous.

So, all it took from me was a lie that I was part of the kitchen staff and I was led right into the demon’s layer, down into the bowels where people scurried about, carrying in and out trays of food and platters with beverages.

It was almost laughable how easy it was.

I just had to keep my head bowed, say I had to change into uniform and off I went, tramping through Myrin’s prison that had kept me captive for months.

The place reeked. The very scent of the walls and floors triggering gooseflesh to cover my skin. It made my stomach churn with every breath of foul air I inhaled.

Trying my best to ignore the way my nose burned and the nausea that arose, I tried to pick up one scent. One scent that would be the strongest in a room every fiber of my being told me never to return to.

I closed my eyes, searching for the scent.

The rusted iron tang hit my nose, the stench of blood suddenly overwhelming every other odor.

I followed it, the scent growing thicker and heavier with every step closer I drew to the torture room.

I passed through the first door, my eyes following the stone walls of the cells, lingering on one in particular. I halted, a ghostly image of Myrin grinning back at me through the open door of the cell. Behind him I could see myself, hanging suspended from the ceiling. My fingers were raw and bloody, streams of red crawling from my mouth and dripping down my chin.

I blinked, swallowing thickly, before turning away, glad to see the mirage fade out of the corner of my eyes.

Each step I took felt heavier than the last as I trudged my way to the final door.

And then I was before it.

The huge iron door loomed before me, taunting me to pull it open.

I reached out a trembling hand, swallowing back the bile I felt rising in my throat.

My hand froze before it could touch the cold surface.

I grabbed my own wrist, halting myself from opening this door or horrors that I did not want to remember.

“Stop it, Daylin,” I scolded myself in a tiny whisper. “You have to do this.”

But still, I could not touch that door, even when I let my wrist go.

When my arm would reach no further, I forced my feet to move until my hand laid flat on the surface. Touching it had my skin erupting with a burning sensation as if I had been lit on fire. I wanted to jolt away but my hand was glued in place, not allowing me to leave now that I had come this far.

Exhaling a shaky breath, I heaved my weight into it and forced the door open inch by inch.

The room was exactly as I remembered it.

Even in the dark I could make out the shapes of the torture instruments lining the walls and the blades glinting on the workbenches.

And that monstrous table.

That fucking table.

I felt my breathing quicken, my throat constricting with every inhale making it harder and harder to breathe.

I stumbled back, tripping over my feet and out of the door.

I caught myself against the wall, drawing in heavy and ragged breaths. “Damnit,” I gasped, wheezing for air. “Don’t lose your nerve. Not now.”

Lifting my head, I stared back into the torture room. “He’s dead,” I reminded myself. “He’s dead. You killed him.” I managed to breathe a little easier and straighten slightly. “He’s dead because you killed him.” My hand dragged along the wall to the door, my fingers clutching around the edge of it. “Dead.” I whispered again, braving a step forward. “Myrin Redith is dead.”

I grew in confidence every time I repeated to myself my tormenter was dead. Then my hand was reaching up for that lone light.

With a pull the light clicked on and I watched with horror as Myrin stepped out of the shadows from the back corner, grinning wickedly at me.

“Welcome back, Beastie.”

“No,” I gasped waving a hand in front of me to ward him off, but he kept walking closer. “You are not real!” I shouted, falling back onto the rough ground, my wrist jarring as I landed on it at a bad angle. “I killed you!”

“Did you?” he asked, cocking his head. “Is that what you’ve been dreaming about so deeply? You have been asleep for some time now. The serum brought on a bout of violent illness. The worst one you’ve experienced.”

“No,” I hissed, refusing to believe him. There was no way I had just dreamt these last few months. It had been too real to have been just a dream.

This, this had to be the dream.

It simply had to be. I had escaped him and started to heal. I had been gaining weight and muscle, I had been growing stronger. I could fight him off if I had to.

No, no. I didn’t need to fight him off because he wasn’t real.

Yet as he kept walking closer to me, I could smell his scent growing stronger and his face was much too defined for it to be a figment of my imagination. I couldn’t recall his features this clearly, nor remember the sound of his voice this accurately.

“Ahh, I see it’s finally sinking in now that you are coming out of whatever dream you were in,” the monster purred, crouching down before me. His green eyes were filled with malice, his mouth twisted up in delight. “Alright, Beastie, back up on the table. I let you free just for a bit.”

He reached out and grabbed my arm, his touch evoking a scream of absolute agony out of my mouth. Like acid had been poured on my arm I felt his touch eating away at my skin, muscle and bone.

With my free hand I flailed out and slapped and hit at him.

I was stronger than this!

“Stop that,” Myrin hissed, grabbing hold of my wrist and squeezing it painfully. “What can you do to me? You’re all skin and bones.”

“No, I’m not!” I screeched trying to wriggle out of his hold. I looked at my arms for proof of the lean muscles I had regained and watched in horror as my arms withered before my eyes into the bony sticks they had been. “No,” I denied. “No!”

My wail echoed through the torture room, bouncing off the walls and reverberating.

Myrin slapped a hand over my mouth. “Enough!” he roared, compressing my jaw until there was a crack.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

This couldn’t be happening to me.

There was no way I was back here in this hell.

I just needed, something, anything that could prove it.

Sarakiel had promised me my revenge. He had offered me a deal. He had treated me as an equal, given me hope for a world in which I wouldn’t be oppressed. Sarakiel was stronger than Myrin, he was someone who could defeat him.

I was someone who could defeat him.

I had defeated him.

I had watched his blood color the floor.

That was the truth.

My eyes flashed open, and I glared back at Myrin. “Get your hand off of me. I’ve already killed you once and I will do it again.”

Shock flickered through his disgusting green eyes.

“You may have given me numerous scars,” I snarled at him, “but Sarakiel gave me the only one that matters.” My hand covered the ridges from the scar Sarakiel’s claiming bite had left. “Proof that I escaped you and proof that I will achieve my complete revenge.”

With a roar I lunged at him, my teeth snapping at empty air where his image had disappeared.

I was left seething, holding on tightly to my anger at having fallen into an illusion that could have trapped me here and killed me. If I had believed it for a second longer, I would have bitten off my own tongue and killed myself.

My stomach heaved and I twisted to the side, vomiting on the stone floor. My retching continued until my stomach was emptied.

That was it.

I had just lived through it.

My worst fear.

That Myrin was still alive and escaping had all just been a dream.

A dark laugh bubbled out through my lips. “Thank Daedra,” I mumbled, my chuckles turning into full blown laughter.

I got to my feet, swaying slightly.

“You just couldn’t let me take the shit I am owed from you without putting me through hell one more time, could you?” I muttered into the empty room, going over to the control panel that collapsed the table. I stopped the transition halfway through when the table was split in half, the two ends folding against each other. A tiny hole was visible now in between the two hinges with the table cut in half.

From the bucket sitting on one of the workbenches I pulled out the only nail with a square head rather than a rounded one.

Placing it in the tiny hole I twisted it twice to the left and once to the right and then waited for the click. After six seconds had passed and I heard the pop of the lock being released I pushed the nail up, the metal panel sliding back under the other half of the table. A little cubby revealed itself with a small leatherbound notebook peeking out at me.

I grabbed the spine and brought it out, flipping through it to see it was indeed what I believed it to be.

I had watched Myrin open this cubby hidden away in the table he tortured me on many times. I had never really known what he kept in it for sure, but there was really only one thing it could be to have been hidden so carefully.

Tucking the booklet away in the hidden inner pocket of my coat I then reached my hand deeper into the space and pulled out two bandoliers, usually seen slung across the shoulder of the Zeta agents carrying their tranquilizer darts. However, these were much smaller, only holding ten plastic viles each. They were filled with a metallic silvery liquid. The very same color my blood now ran as.

Pulling off my boots, I strapped a bandolier to each of my calves and slipped the boots back on over my feet. I had chosen these boots because they had plenty of space and wouldn’t bulge suspiciously.

Fashion did have its uses after all.

After setting things right in the torture chamber I left without a backwards glance and proceeded to the main hall.

I stopped in my tracks as I beheld the marble flooring and engraved columns, the ornate furniture holding costly antiques, the heavy mahogany drapes with their golden tassels pulled back allowing light to flood in, everything exactly the same as that day.

Except there was no pool of crimson blood marring the floor.

Not even a faint stain remained.

I relived the moment I killed Myrin right here on this floor in my head. Slitting his throat, watching him struggle for air, seeing the life drain from his eyes and then ripping out his heart.

I was so absorbed in the memory that I did not notice the person who had approached me until they had grabbed my shoulder.

I whirled around, yanking out of their hold.

A young male stood there in a suit that was a little too big for him and smelled of another person. Probably from a friend or brother, which meant he was too poor to buy a brand new one. He wasn’t someone of ranking then, but most likely hired to help with the event today. “The party is outside. Only staff is allowed inside the mansion.”

“Oh,” I said, making sure my eyes were hidden beneath my bangs. “I’ll be going then.” I sidestepped around him to leave.

“Excuse me,” the male said, blocking my path. “But I’m going to have to search you.”

“Why?” I demanded feeling the notebook burning a hole through my clothes and the bandoliers on my calves tightening as if in anticipation of being discovered.

“This house is full of priceless things,” the male reasoned, “we can’t allow a thief to just walk off.”

“I didn’t steal anything,” I protested but made my voice sound small and wronged, befitting of a typical female who might replace herself in such a situation.

“That may be,” he said, doing his best to be polite but firm, “but since you were found in here without permission, I am going to have to search you. If you didn’t steal anything, then you have nothing to fear.”

“I don’t want to be touched by someone I don’t even know!” It was a lame excuse, but it was probably the only one that could get me out of this situation. “My consort would be terribly upset with me and he’ll scold me for being a muddleheaded dunce for getting him into trouble again. I can’t help it that I am directionally challenged!” I tried to garner the male’s pity for a weak and helpless female, but I could tell it wasn’t working.

“Miss,” he said sternly, “please raise your arms.”

Damnit, was I going to have to kill this kid? Why did this brat have to be so persistent?

“That’s quite enough,” a fluid voice said from behind me.

The boy looked up and took a step back from me, lowering his raised hands that were ready to pat me down. “Mr. Gadreel, sir,” he bowed his head, “she was found wandering where she shouldn’t be.”

I didn’t dare to turn around because the presence of the man behind me felt akin to that of Myrin. I could feel the violence that often accompanied this man but more than that, the person behind me was someone who was swathed in sinister lies. He was dangerous, as a brilliant liar himself he would surely be able to see through a less talented liar.

“Ah I see,” the male hummed, “allow me to apologize for my sister.”

I stiffened, wondering if I was about to escape a bad situation only to land in a heinous one.

“Y-your sister, sir?” the male stuttered, fearful he had greatly offended the other male.

I felt two others approaching us. “Elisen, what is all of this about?” It was the voice belonging to the man of the hour that spoke. There really was no worse person who could have showed up. Well perhaps Grace, Myrin’s consort would be the exception.

“Have the car brought around, Bauer.” Elisen told the other male who had come with the newly anointed One. “Samson, congrats on the promotion. Sorry, but I must be going. Something has come up that needs my immediate attention.”

I didn’t need him to say it outright to understand that I was the something needing immediate attention.

“Oh, of course. I won’t keep you.”

I felt Elisen close in on me, stepping up right behind me, his hand landing on my shoulder. My skin burned at the contact but there was no way I was going to risk making a scene.

Elisen started walking, jostling me forward, his hand steering me towards the door, “come on little dunce,” he cooed.

Samson stayed in step with Elisen, escorting him from the house, my position in front of Elisen preventing Samson from getting a clear look at me. With Elisen so close to me, his own scent was masking mine.

“I um…wasn’t aware you had a sister,” Samson said as the three of us waited for Bauer to arrive with the car.

“Hmm?” Elisen question disinterestedly. “Oh yes, she’s like a sister you could say. A sister of a friend of mine. The three of us always played together as children.” The lies rolled easily off of his tongue.

“Oh, I see.” Samson responded.

The awkward tension grew as the silence stretched. It was the most nerve-wracking minute and a half of my life waiting for Bauer to bring the car.

Elisen pulled open the backdoor for me, pushing me inside before getting in himself and closing the door, rolling down the window to give Samson his farewells. “Good luck. You’ll replace being a One is quite different from life as a Two.”

With that he rolled up the window and the car pulled away, rolling down the paved road out to the main gates.

The male next to me exhaled a tired sigh and nestled into his seat. He then closed his eyes and began to doze, seemingly unconcerned he had invited a stranger with him into the car and left himself completely unguarded and in a vulnerable state.

I couldn’t tell if he was arrogant or just an idiot for leaving himself so open. Or perhaps this was a test, one I could not afford to fail.

I let him nap, not wanting to start anything I had no business in finishing.

This male was stronger than me and if we fought, I would be the one to suffer. It was better to wait and see what his intentions were and then go from there.

I wasn’t sure who would win if it were a fight between him and Sarakiel though. This male was older than my consort by at least ten years, but their builds were quite similar.

I didn’t dare to close my eyes and contented myself with looking out the window.

When the male beside me finally stirred, he yawned, his closed lids cracking open. He then turned to me, his deep-set dull blue eyes piercing through my curtain of hair. “Are you comfortable?” Elisen asked me. “Is it too hot or too cold back here?”

I had my claws out and ready, “Where are you taking me?”

“The train station, of course.” He pointed out the window, “look, here we are.”

The fact that he had brought me here and not to the plane I was sure he had arrived on only put me more on edge. What motive did he have for helping me, for going out of his way to assist someone he didn’t even know? “Who the fuck are you anyway?”

“Someone who is quite interested in you, Daylin Farringhow.”

I moved for the kill, but he caught my wrist millimeters from where I had my claws poised at this throat. “I am not fool enough to believe that your curiosity is the only reason you have for helping me.” He knew who I was which meant he had to have a damn good reason for not turning me in on the spot.

He chuckled and let my hand go, looking down at me with mirth in his eyes. I hated how he smiled genuinely at me like I was a little kitten that amused him with clumsy attempts to claw him and spitting hisses that were anything but threatening. “You’re here which means Sarakiel sent you. If he did that it’s because he has a plan and at this point, I stand only to gain from whatever plot that stiff intrigant is designing.”

The door clicked open, Bauer standing on the other side. Elisen turned his back to me as he got out before offering me a hand.

I ignored it and got out myself. The male shrugged good naturedly, not offended by my snub and started walking through the station. I stayed a little bit behind him, something telling me not to show my back to this man as he so blatantly did to me.

I had no idea who this male was and his relationship with Sarakiel, but as far as I could tell he was being honest with me. “Of course,” I said, “the ever-trustworthy reason of mutual benefit. There’s simply nothing like an act of self-interest done under the disguise of goodwill to curry a favor you are unworthy of.”

“Now, now. I really am a true philanthropist. Which, I am sure you would discover yourself if you were willing to turn your back on Heelark and follow me instead.”

We took a left as directed by the signs that led to the stops for the northern territories, Sarakiel’s included.

“You had your chance at my trial. I don’t give second chances.”

Elisen gave me a wounded look. “Well, that is hardly fair. Sarakiel had his chance before me. Besides, you could hardly be considered the same person you are now as you were then. I was quite convinced you had resigned yourself to your slow death. Your soul was shattered then and there was nothing I could do with a broken piece of trash. I don’t repair things and improve upon them, Daylin. I simply use things to their greatest potential. The least amount of input for the greatest amount of gain. I’m a businessman, I make all of my decisions based on amount of profit. You were a liability then and now you could be an asset.”

We came to stop at the platform where my train would be arriving. “I don’t give my services for nothing in return. Your greed is what sets you and Sarakiel apart. He is willing to make sacrifices and let go of the less important things so he can gain what he really wants. You are a hoarder, you want everything. Even the trinkets that are meaningless because you can’t stand to see them in another’s hands.”

Elisen considered my words for a moment before clicking his tongue in disagreement. “The fact that Sarakiel must make sacrifices when I do not is indeed what sets us apart, but you’ve got it all backwards. That very fact is what should make Sarakiel less desirable because it proves he is weaker than I.”

The viles of mercury burned against my legs. Myrin had made me into a weapon dangerous enough to kill him. He’d been too impatient in his attempts to break me and had only harmed himself instead. “Greed proved to be Myrin’s fatal weakness, so you’ll have to forgive me if I disagree with you.”

The sound of the train coming could be heard as the rails rattled with its approach.

“I could simply take you back with me.” Elisen mused, only half-joking.

My heart skipped a beat, but I feigned nonchalance at his comment, not wanting him to see how terrified that sentence made me. I spoke plainly and clearly as if I were perfectly at ease with him standing beside me. “You would replace such a chore to be fruitless. I work better when I do so willingly, and not at all when I am forced.” And because I really didn’t want him to make good on his words, I added a little bit threateningly, “Myrin can attest to my claim.”

Elisen countered me easily, “then perhaps I will simply expose you. If I can’t have a weapon, it’s better that no one does.”

“I can’t stop you,” I responded evenly, eyeing him sidelong, “but as you’ve admitted yourself, you stand to win if I succeed here today.” I turned my eyes back to the rails. “Shoot yourself in the foot if you want to. It won’t bother me much.”

There was a beat of silence as Elisen debated what course of action would indeed benefit him most. In the end he made the decision to let me go. “Ugh, I can see how you rubbed Myrin the wrong way.” I resisted the urge to let out a breath of relief that he was convinced letting me go today was in his best interests. “You have this way of slapping people in the face with their own words and desires. It really is infuriating that I can’t win. It makes me want to keep trying.”

“Yes, I think Myrin would agree with you on that.” I said as the train came to a stop. “He grew so agitated by his endless losses that he couldn’t resist charging into his next attempt to conquer me and caused his own defeat.”

The doors of the train opened, and the passengers exited, others climbing aboard. I gave Elisen a wide birth, making sure my back was never completely turned to him as I waited for the traffic to disperse.

“Heelark has endless patience,” the male replied, “he’s the only male that could possibly put up with your strong headedness.”

“Sarakiel knows how to get what he wants from me,” I snapped. “The rest of you are too concerned with your numbers of wins and losses and how they impact your ego. I guess you could say that you all care far too much about what other people think of you.”

“And I think you’ll replace in the future how much public opinion matters in the end,” Elisen retorted.

I stepped back off the platform and up onto the train to face him fully, just a step behind the open doors. “There’s no need to be concerned with other’s opinions if you are able to make it so that they would never dare speak of them.”

The answering grin from him agreed with my claim. “Well, I can’t argue with that.” He took a step back from the colored edge of the platform. “I’ll be seeing you Daylin.”

I said nothing in response, keeping my eyes locked on him until the doors slid closed.

Elisen lifted a hand in farewell as the train started moving. Only after I could no longer even see him standing on the platform did I turn my back on those doors and replace myself a seat.

I couldn’t help but feel uneasy that my entire being had told me not to turn my back on such a male until I was a safe distance from him.

This Elisen character would definitely have to be reported to Sarakiel. This was not the last time I would see him, but I could only hope we wouldn’t meet anytime soon because I knew that the next time we came face to face, our meeting wouldn’t be nearly as civil as this encounter had been.