Текст книги "Immortal"

Автор книги: Tina Bright

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"I'll bring bandages!" Jackson said and rushed to the bedroom.

"No, it's all right!" I shouted, but nobody was listening.

As soon as I pulled my hand out of the water, I saw that there was no trace of a cut on it. In fact, that's what I expected, and that's why I convinced Jackson that everything was fine. But now I had to explain this miraculous healing, given the fact that the cut was bleeding just a few seconds ago, and now there's no trace of the incident.

I could not think of anything else but cutting my hand once again right before Jackson took the antiseptic to disinfect the wound. But the new cut healed right in front of my eyes, my hands were shaking, and my disturbed boyfriend was even more worried and did not notice anything until the bandage was applied.

By that time, Rosy was lying in a subconscious state because she could not stand the sight and smell of blood. It seemed to me completely illogical that she went to the medical faculty having such a phobia. Mickey vigorously fanned her friend with the booklet. The scene was worthy of the London Theatre stage. I just rolled my eyes and went to the bedroom. I had plans for today and needed to get ready.

"And who's interviewing on Saturdays?" Jackson murmured since he would love to spend the day otherwise rather than to drive across half of the city for a five-minute interview at the local supermarket.

"I didn't have a chance to choose, because my classes start on Monday, and yesterday I had the interview in the INC company. I had no choice but agree for an interview on Saturday," I shrugged and hugged Jackson.

After a small incident in the morning, my friends vanished hastily, and we were left alone. The silence of the bedroom and Jackson's soothing embrace were just what I needed. It seemed so right to stand like this as if everything that had happened this moment was a bad dream, and I went back to my normal routine, to my boring human life without the Murky Shadows, Nefarious, and other creatures. I was sure that I would always enjoy this, and the dear smell of Jackson would always make me want him, and his hands would calm and excite me at the same time. This was constant for my life, and no immortality would change that.

"I love you!" I whispered in his ear. "I will always love you no matter what happens."

"Babe, I love you too!" he soothingly was caressing my back. I suppose he thought that my words were caused by the nerves before the interview and the start of the classes. But this was not the case. I was really scared, but not of the trifles that he thought about.

«Can I call You Darsy?»

"Sure, that's my name!" I laughed nervously. There was no pint in worrying about this meeting until I saw my boss-to-be. It was an African-American fellow of almost 6 feet and 7 inches high and of about 440 pounds. He grinned from ear to ear, and his entire appearance made me feel creepy.

"Darsy, I get that you need a job to cover your tuition. But why should we hire somebody with zero experience for the money-related position?"

"I graduated high school with A in math," I blurted out. Given the circumstances, it was quite a silly thing to say. "In fact, it means that I'm a fast learner and take responsibility for everything that's important to me. And this job is important to me!"

"The next year you'll be able to apply for a position in a law firm. You should wait and try in a year. Since we can't afford to hire a person for a year, and then to look for a replacement," that bullshit was meant for silly schoolgirls, and I was the one for him.

"Listen, Mr…" I paused, remembering the name of that man. I would not remember it even if I wanted to because I was impressed by his appearance.

"Robert Litt," the manager reminded me.

"Mr. Litt, I get that you have candidates lining up for this position at the beginning of the semester, and you have no reason to hire an inexperienced freshman. But I can guarantee that You won't find a more hardworking and reliable employee than me. Why is that? It's because I have no other options, and I'm very interested in this position. It'll give me a chance to pay my bills. That's why I'll value this job more than those who are hired for the practice or spending this money on entertainment and parties."

For a moment, it seemed that Mr. Litt believed my words. He began to ask questions typical for the interested employer during the interview. Our conversation lasted about another half an hour, and we seemed to come to a positive conclusion. Mr. Litt shook my hand and told me that he needed to meet with a couple more candidates, after which he would make a decision.

"We'll contact you anyway."

"Thank you a lot! I'll wait for your call."

Coming out into the street, I quickly got into the car – Jackson looked worried.

"What took you so long? Did they interview you for the position of the director?"

"No. They take hiring personnel seriously. The last employee was fired because of the tidy sum of money missing from the cash desk. They don't want to make the same mistake, and given the fact that I have no experience and just graduated from school, their considerations have grounds."

"If you say so… What're your chances?"

"Better than in the INC company, but I'll keep searching for other options, just in case."

"Your mother called. She worries. You couldn't call them last night though you'd promised…"

"My God, Mary!" I bit my lip in annoyance. Most likely, the baby girl was upset when I did not call and made a hell of a scene for our Mom.

I quickly dialed the number and, after some beeps, I heard my Mom's voice.

"Darsy, thank God it's you! We were worried. Jackson said you got lost. He was looking for you, but I suggested him to wait for you at home. Do you remember when you were little and ran away from me in the store, and then you came home by yourself?"

"You said back then that I have a kind of a built-in compass!"

"Exactly!" we laughed. Back then, my Mom punished me severely, because she was really scared.

"Is Mary mad at me?"

"At first, she was a bit sulky, but we talked this out and she realized that you can't always call her for a bedtime story because there are things that don't depend on you. Tell me, how are you?" I did not know what my Mom meant by that, but I replied,

"I'm okay. I got scared when I couldn't find my way back home. And I left my cellphone in my handbag in Jackson's car. But in the morning, I found my way, or I was rather suggested one. Boston is not as dangerous at night as the news shows," I reassured my mother. "I've just had an interview and I think I'll get the answer soon. I'm sorry I won't make it this weekend, so much is going on. It turns out that independent life is much more difficult than it seems."

"You'll make it, child! You're the most independent girl in the world. If you need a piece of advice or to lecture Jackson, I'm always at your service!"

Then I talked to my father for a while. I could not wait to hear how he was feeling, but he, as always, was overly optimistic. Such behavior was a disguise and I could not tell how he truly felt. We said good-bye until tonight. I did not want to let Mary down again.

"What're the plans for the rest of the day?" I asked Jackson.

"I have a great idea," he smiled.

The Boston Public Garden was crowded on Saturday afternoon. But it only made it look more charming than in quiet hours when only ducks inhabited it. Couples were sitting under the trees, enjoying the company of each other and the sounds of the Garden, embracing the last summer heat. Mothers with children were playing away from kissing couples. There were even older couples who had nowhere to rush.

We settled right on the bank of the pond under a huge willow tree. Jackson made snacks for a picnic, took a blanket where we sat down. He was joking a lot with his mouth full like he had not eaten in years, and I laughed at his look and his voice.

"Darsy? Did you get a tattoo?" Jackson suddenly asked.

"WHAT? What are you talking about?"

He gave me a cellphone so I could use it as a mirror and showed me a little spot behind my ear that I did not remember. It was noticeable only at close distance as it was hidden behind my hair. I tried to erase it but failed.

"I must have accidentally drawn it with a pen."

"That's some permanent pen…" Jackson frowned. He was extremely conservative and did not approve tattoos.

"I would remember if I got a tattoo. Let's play?"

Frisbee was our favorite game since junior school. That's how we actually met – a frisbee hit me on the head during my first lunch in the schoolyard. And it was Jackson who threw it. Since then, we mastered the art of this game and could participate in the Olympic games, if it was an Olympic sport.

As soon as we started playing, I was distracted by a familiar silhouette a hundred meters from us, and a frisbee hit me on the forehead, just like in our first meeting.

"Darsy, are you okay?" Jackson was worried.

"Yes. I'll be right back. I'll just go refresh myself…"

I clenched my fists in annoyance. It was my first normal day this week, and Eugene decided to ruin it with his presence.

"What're you doing here?" I hissed.

"Keeping an eye on you," Eugene answered calmly. He lazily leaned against the tree and looked around.

"It doesn't look like that. We've agreed to go hunting at night. There's plenty of time, and I'd like some privacy with my boyfriend with no supervision."

"I don't bother you. I keep a respectable distance not to make you nervous. I'm not going anywhere. I'm on a mission."

"I don't give a damn about your mission! Get lost! Don't you need to take a nap or something?"

"I don't waste time on sleeping."

I was getting furious. Eugene was not willing to compromise.

"We've agreed to meet in the evening and go hunting or whatever it's called. Right? How about midnight? If I got it right it's the time when the evil spirits get down to business…"

"Ironically, Nefarious, Murky Shadows, Demons and demigods are always among the people, regardless of the time of a day. And you can be attacked at any suitable moment. And this hasn't happened yet simply because they're afraid to be erased since you stay in public places all the time. So, whatever you say, I'm staying. If it makes you feel any better, I'm watching the perimeter but not you. Just relax."

"It's hard when I know there's a babysitter nearby," I muttered.

"I don't like this as well. But my duty is to protect you now, and only the Commander assigning this mission can call me off," Eugene pulled a face, making it clear that the debate was over. This fellow has not even looked at me for the entire conversation. This was rather annoying because it seemed like I was nothing. "By the way, it's too late to meet at midnight, so we'll meet as soon as it gets dark.* You still have to train."

"I can't make it earlier. I got things to do. No later than 11 p.m. I can't just disappear in the middle of the night with no explanation. People will start asking questions."

"Okay. Let it be at 11 p.m. and not a minute later. If I don't find you outside, I'll come and get you out of bed, even if you're naked."

"Dare to try, and I'll kill you."

I did not see his expression, but I heard him mumbling, which I understood nothing. I was in a bad mood for the rest of the day. I needed to deal fast with this debt that was imposed against my will and get back to normal life without Guardians, who watched my every step, and hovering around supernatural creature. I could only hope that the memories of the past and subsequent days would be erased after all these events.

I was no longer willing to go on playing frisbee, and I sadly threw pebbles into the pond, mumbling something to myself.

"Darsy, are you okay? Did anyone was rude to you?" my boyfriend was worried.

"No. Everything is fine! I'm just getting more nervous…"

There was nothing else to say. Jackson silently hugged me, and so we stayed until the gorgeous sunset. The sky was colored in red and purple, and the last rays reflected from the glass surface of skyscrapers, creating a colorful rainbow. You could even feel its smell in the air if this natural phenomenon had any smell.

"It's time to go home!" I said sadly when the sun was all the way down the horizon and colored the sky in dull grey.

I still felt like being tailed. It was like paranoia that had grounds. I could only hope that the watcher would not follow us to the apartment.

I called my Mom and waited for her to answer. My little sister picked up the phone. She was not offended, though she often liked to be a little weepy. Mother did a great job and persuaded Mary to get used to things the way they were and would be from now on.

After the bedtime story, I started to get nervous. Jackson often stayed up late working on the project. And I really needed him to go to bed earlier today. I did not have to puzzle over a certain plan for it because I had one option that worked perfectly. Ten minutes later, Jackson was already snoring and should have been sleeping until the morning. Usually, he was sound asleep after sex, and it was impossible to wake him up even with a shovel. So, not caring about noisy, I quickly got dressed and went downstairs, and only then I realized that Eugene and I did not discuss the meeting place.

Looking around and seeing absolutely nothing in the pitch darkness, I went to the only lighted street, so he could find me.

"And I was about to pick you up!" Eugene appeared from nowhere. He just emerged from the air.

"What? How did you?"

"Haven't I mentioned that I can become invisible if needed? It's the main gift of the Guardians. That's how we can guard the reliquiae and creatures while remaining unnoticed."

"So, in the park, you just wanted to piss me off?"

"You're smart!"

"For a principled and inhumane Guardian, you possess too many of our habits. Are you sure you're not a hybrid?"

I squinted and tried to calm down. Eugene certainly sought emotion from me but his motives remained unclear.

"Wait! This means you can spy upon me even in the shower???" I was horrified.

"I can but won't. I've already explained to you that I'm attracted to people neither in physical nor in any other sense, so to say. Besides, Tol explained to me that people extremely value their personal lives. Though I don't get it, I promised to respect this."

"You sound like you don't have any private life," I snorted.

"It's not like in your world. We can train now and then go hunting, or vice versa."

"Let's do the opposite way. I don't want to be exhausted before fighting a demon. How are we going to do this? How do we find someone we need to kill?"

"I believe it'll be even easier than you think. All supernatural creatures feel you, or rather the Force inside you, and want to obtain it, so they'll come after you. We can simply walk into a dark alley or a closed space and… By the way, the prohibition on leaving the underworld was set by a reason. The thing is that Charon is the only one able to take the Force of others. Everyone knows this but the soul or Charon himself can only pass through the gates. Even Hades has no right to cross the River. Charon was safe there until his first escape. He was aware of all the risks because his absence doesn't let souls find peace and ruins the Balance, and he also endangers the whole world, wandering without protection, where every Nefarious can take away his Force. It's not an easy task but the human form makes him vulnerable. If the Force is captured by someone with evil intent we are doomed."

"I can't get one thing. Charon is immortal, as well as some demons, but, nevertheless, they can be killed. Isn't that absurd?"

"Gods, as well as Charon, can't live on the Earth in their normal form. Therefore, they're forced to transform into a human, which makes them vulnerable. Demons are another kind of creatures. Demons originally didn't exist. When Hades was kicked out of Olympus he got furious with supreme Gods and dreamed of revenge, though he was weak and alone for that. Then he used the only option he had – souls that couldn't be transferred. These souls can't be exiled to Tartarus and brought to the Island of the Dead for one reason or another. They'll dwell in the river and suffer forever. And suffering demonizes them. And Hades used these souls. He gave them form, bestowed the abilities and released to the Earth. That's how demons appeared. All the other creatures have formed from demons mating humans, demigods, nymphs, Guardians, and others. Demons were becoming more and more powerful over time, and Gods made them immortal for special services. The weapon of Hades was often directed against him. These creatures were too greedy, so they failed to serve one master. Since they got a second chance, they craved to get it all. Not many manage to harm or kill the immortal. But Gods created a weapon for that. Every powerful demon must be afraid of death. Otherwise, it can get out of control and cause troubles. There are three ways to do this: The Sword of the Guardian," he grabbed the handle, focusing my attention on it, "erasing for mistakes, which will lead to unwanted attention to our world, and your Force. You can absorb immortality and then kill the vulnerable demon."

"Now I have a clearer picture. Can I get a couple of textbooks from your library to progress faster with my training?"

"No. It's forbidden to take the books outside the library. You can only study there."

"So, I can read the books only there but we can fight with swords here, right? And what if someone sees your magic sword?"

"You ask too many questions," Eugene shook his head. He was very restrained in answering a million of my questions earlier but now he looked me straight in the eye, probably, for the first time since we met, and I noticed his anxiety and fatigue. He liked all this no more than I did, and he was definitely hiding part of the story.

I could hardly imagine the consequences of the ruined Balance but some of the pictures in their textbooks describing the similar scenarios left no doubts about their large-scale and catastrophic nature. While this was not obvious in the human world, Eugene's look gave out that their world had been already under changes. He would be much more willing to help his comrades now, instead of babysitting a freshman who was unfortunate enough to be in the backyard of the night club when Charon was there in search of someone to pass on his curse. Could one blame him for waiting to get rid of this? I could not. Every meeting with the soul was unbearable: the feeling of the death pain and mental anguish were realistic as if mine. Having lived their feelings for a day, I could not wait to get rid of this punishment. It is possible to fight one's own demons but withstanding this for others, feeling physical pain for several hundred years without days off and holidays was incredibly hard. It was a change that I was already experiencing, and I could not even imagine how a person could change in a few hundred years…

We walked in silence, and I did not know the final destination. Eugene silently handed me a training sword. I liked its characteristics – the blade appeared only right before the fight, resting all the rest time; a magnificent handle which seemed some unnecessary accessory or case for glasses.

"We've been walking for an hour. What if today is not the day?"

"Every day is the day. Delays cost lives and destruction."

"What do you want us to do? You're the Guardian. There must be a way to track demons."

"Yes, you're right, but they'll sense us then."

"So, what's the problem? Is that bad? We're looking for them," it did not make any sense: Eugene had the opportunity to find a demon but we were idly wandering the streets of Boston instead.

"The thing is that it works like a locator in both directions. All creatures feel when I use the power of search. Once they know our location, we'll be in danger. We'll face tens of demons at a time. Do you get now why I'm not looking for such adventures? Maybe later."

Meanwhile, we reached an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The area was not illuminated by a single lantern and one could see the road only due to the full moon shining brightly in the night sky. There was not a single cloud in the sky, so we could view all the constellations. They seemed particularly bright and beautiful today, and the cool night air gently embraced the skin, fresh from walking long. Why hadn't I walked so late when almost the entire city fell asleep and I could get to such creepy but romantic places? It was a pity that the magic of the moment was overshadowed by a wrong company. More than anything, I would like to have Jackson by my side, hugging me from behind, looking up together at the night stars admiring their beauty.

The silence was broken by the explosion in a few meters away from us. I screamed and tried to find the culprit.

"Darsy, stand behind me." Eugene whispered. He took out his sword and stared off into the distance.

I strained my eyes trying to see anything in the darkness, a few moments later a bright spot, resembling a human, emerged on a black background.

"What happened? Who's this?"

"Stop asking questions and better hide somewhere nearby, so I could find you if the demon's not alone."

"Look, this's my hunt, and I need to pay my debt to restore the Balance, not hide behind your back. Or are you always going to mentor me whenever something else shows up at hunting? I'm not crazy about the idea. I'm scared to death, but the sooner we're done with this, the better," as I quickly chattered, the bright spot was approaching. One more step and we would be able to see our opponent. Apparently, we were in plain sight because the fireball exploded pretty close this time, and we had to hide behind the barrel so the next time it would not hit the bull's-eye.

"You don't get it! You need to have more skills to fight him. He's too strong for you. I expected to meet the Nefarious or Murky Shadows, but not the demigod. He's the son of Typhon."

"Oh… Wait… Isn't he supposed to have three heads and a lizard body or something?"

"Cerberus is a demigod. He can take several different forms, including the one you've mentioned."

"Is he immortal?"

"No, but he's very powerful. If you fight him you'll die, so we'd better get out of here."

"No. He started first. He tracked me down, so he won't stop until he kills me. I don't want him attacking me in a broad daylight, or while I'm taking shower or sleeping!"

I have never been particularly brave. On the contrary, I was a terrible coward and almost always avoided making important decisions that could lead to any changes. I often had panic attacks, insomnia, emotional breakdowns, so I always preferred to stay in the comfort zone. I had neither phobias nor passion for adventures. And now I had to fight the son of God, representing the fiery forces of the earth. Apparently, like father, like son. He skillfully threw fireballs, but I could throw something as well…

Leaving my hiding place, I shouted,

"What's taking you so long?" I winced. They say an angry opponent is not an opponent –he often makes mistakes. I was shaking all over, so this would hardly help me.

I heard a creepy laugh. It reminded a volcano erupting lava to the rhythm of laughter. The monster had come very close. He looked like the lava of different solidification degree in the human form of black and fiery colors. The liquid was dripping from him and instantly solidifying.

"I don't want to rush. Everyone's been waiting a long time for this, and I plan to enjoy the murder."

"How do you plan to get the Force? What if it vanishes into thin air when I die?"

"The Force will move to the one next to you after your death. That's how it works, the same way you absorb the abilities of those you kill."

"So, death is the only way to get rid of it, right?"

"Yes.

I needed all this talking to make the monster approach me, so I would grab him by the hands. And as soon as he got close enough, I tried to implement my plan, but instead of the predicted result I just burned myself. The pain was unbearably stinging even when I took my hands off the laughing creature. I was unconsciously screaming, and my hands were shaking from the insane burning sensation.

I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. Eugene was pulling out his sword trying to protect me. I burst into tears. Why on Earth did I think I would handle this? Who said I was fit for this mission? Why do I have to pay someone else's debt? Why do I have to suffer because of someone else's mistake?

"I'm Cerberus! Did you really think you could fool me so easily? I'm not some ordinary demon! These tricks don't work on me! So just relax, and we'll get it over with!"

I looked at Eugene and shook my head to keep him out of it. I guess I made the dumbest decision in the world at that moment – to get rid of the Force at all costs, to win or to die trying.

I figured out how to use the Force inside me – I simply needed to release the inner demon as the Guardian had advised. At that moment, I realized what could help me do this – pain or fear were the best things that made me fight.

The Cerberus's body was gradually getting covered by black smoke, coming from me, making a translucent cocoon. I was squeezing the black cloud until it extinguished the lava of Cerberus and he turned into a pile of ashes. He stared at me in surprise, as if this state was unusual to him.

"Second attempt?" I uttered.

I grabbed him by the hands and felt his power flowing into me, feeding my inner demon who enjoyed this.

Suddenly, euphoria gave way to pain. But I crashed into the wall. It was hard to determine what caused the pain the most. As a child, I broke my arm, and I still remembered those feelings. They were similar, though now my entire body was in pain. I could feel the blood running down my cheek from the cut above my ear, my head was spinning, my ears were ringing, and everything was fuzzy. Bones were healing fast, wounds skinned over instantly, and by the time Cerberus got close to me, I already stood, swaying in uncertainty.

Soon I found out that my hand hadn't healed properly, and I was in terrible pain. It could be a dislocation that will ache until reduced. I had poor knowledge in medicine, but fighting the demigod with one hand was mission impossible.

I walked up to the wall and this reminded me of a scene from some action movie that Jackson liked to watch. Movie heroes usually reduced the dislocations with no effort. As a rule, they needed a wall for that, and I happened to have one. I hesitated for a few moments. My brain told me that it would be incredibly painful, much more than it was now. But when bones and joints are no more dislocated the pain would soon vanish.

I kept telling myself. With that in mind, I hit my shoulder against the wall at a run. With my luck, the bones were not reduced. The realization that I needed to repeat the intention again with a double effort paralyzed me. But I had no time for doubts. Cerberus almost recovered, and would soon try killing me.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes tight and headed straight to the wall. There was a loud crack from the blow, and my hand was pierced with terrible pain. But the necessary result was finally achieved. The pain was gone in a moment, and I could easily move my hand.

"Good girl, Darsy!" I complimented myself. And I thanked the previously killed Murky Shadow for such a great ability to regenerate.

Meanwhile, the smoldering demigod almost approached me.

He flared up again and got angry. Cerberus threw his fireballs at me, and I tried to run away. If it were not for my new ability, due to which I easily climbed onto the roof then I would have definitely turned into a crispy chicken. The fragile edge of the roof disappeared under my feet, and I flew down. Cerberus did not waste time, and threw another fireball at me. I tried to shun the blow, but was not fast enough, so the fireball burned my side in flight. I landed on asphalt. My clothes were burning, though I felt nothing of that. I was enveloped in fog, and was about to fall into darkness. However, if I allow myself to surrender it, then death would be inevitable. I used my last ounce of strength to open my eyes right when the new fireball was flying in my direction.

I put my hand out and formed a thick cloud that stopped the fireball. The cloud was so dense that I felt it with my hand. I could touch it as if it was in my hands, but not at a distance of several meters. The feelings were incredible. I pushed it forward with my hand. The fireball with the cloud hit the lava monster. And if the fireball did not hurt him, then the impact of my protection black matter caused him significant discomfort, if not pain.

I hardly rose to my feet, and began to throw more and more black clouds, and Cerberus backed down. My powers were on the wane, and I felt weaker and weaker with every new attack, barely standing. Having assessed the situation, it became clear that my actions caused inconveniences, but did not enough harm to destroy the opponent.

I wanted to pull out the sword attached to my belt, but it was not there. Most likely, I dropped it at the beginning of the fight. It was hard to find the sword in the dark, but I had no other option. I fell to my knees and began fumbling on the asphalt in an effort to find the sword, while Cerberus helplessly shook his head.

"Darsy!" Eugene called me.

I turned in the opposite direction and caught the flying object. This was the sword I was looking for in the wrong place.

Buildings began to explode. There was no doubt that firemen and policemen, who could get caught in the crossfire, would soon arrive. I could not let this happen. I headed straight for Cerberus. He got really angry. He stopped throwing fireballs. His look alone exploded hangars, and the ground melted and parted under his feet.* He embodied horror! But as scared as I was, I knew what to do.

Cerberus was getting closer. I stood still, praying to all the gods and mentally saying goodbye to my family. I could feel the monster's heat ten meters away. My clothes started to burn five meters away, and a second later, he grabbed me by the shoulders. I screamed in pain, but it was exactly the distance I wanted.