Meridian. Part 29

"Oh, finally. Aren't you going to offer me a beverage?"

"No."

"Manners get you everywhere."

"You are a lunatic," I muttered. I opened tins and cupboards searching for a first-aid kit, 167 anything with aspirin or Tylenol. Something to bring down Tens's fever.

ani *"Au contraire. I am one of the sanest men I know."

"What do you want?"

"A trade."

"You have nothing I want."

"Are you sure?" He tossed a photograph to me of my parents and Sammy. There were palm trees in the background and they lounged by a pool. I'd never seen this photograph.

168ani *

Chapter 33.

Lux tenebras semper vincit.

Light always conquers the darkness.

-Luca Lenci "My family is fine." My pulse fluttered in my throat. I hoped he couldn't see it.

Tens thrashed around and threw off the washcloth. I gave up on finding medicine and poured cool water over his head and torso. I didn't know what else to do. When I tried to get him to swallow some water, he choked on it.

Perimo sat and tsked at me. "Tick tock. Tick tock."'

"Ok shut up."

"You should be nicer to me."

"Or what? You'll kill me?" At this point I was tired of playing games.

"I don't have to do that. Why don't we play twenty questions, Bible version? I spout off a verse and you tell me what book of the Bible it's in."

"No." What did he mean, he didn't have to kill me?

"I'm just trying to keep you company in the final hours. I can just sit here." He pouted, leaning against the wall.

I started to pack snow around Tens's head and arms, but by the time I worked my way around him, it had melted.

"If there's anything you want to tell him before you two go to my side of the stadium for eternity, I would get cracking. Confess those enormous teenage emotions. Man, I'm glad I'm not a teen anymore. Shakespeare made it all romantic, but the stench. You don't know how nice you've had it. I promise your bodies will be found and the note you wrote confessing to all the terrible things that have been happening around here will get to the authorities. Your parents will never have to know what a h.e.l.lion they raised. Cross my heart."

Don't do it. Don't do it "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't Granny tell you? Shame on her. He dies, you do. And he's dying. Right soon, as they say in these parts." He cackled.

"That's not true."

169a "It's not? Really? Because last time I checked, I'd been at this a lot longer than you. He's ni dying."

*"You're lying."

"Okay, okay, you caught me. It's not a snakebite, nope -it's poison. Got him at the train accident. Slow acting, but kills one hundred percent within ninety-six hours. Tick tock."

"You're lying."

"And you're getting on my nerves. What part of this don't you understand?"

My mind spun, trying to figure out if there was any truth in what he said or if it was all a lie.

But why?

"He's had muscle aches, right? A headache? Dark circles under his eyes."

"I was with him at the train."

"Not the whole time."

"So what do you want?"

"Now you ask? First you refuse me hospitality? Call me names? Accuse me of lying? And just now get to the good part? I have so much to teach you."

"What do you want?"

"Who."

My heart sped up again. "Who?"

"You."

"See, you are lying." I leapt to my feet. "I knew it." I wouldn't die just because Tens did.

"How many times do we have to go over this? I am not lying. I am offering you a trade.

You, alive, become my apprentice, and I'll let you take your boy toy to your side and let your parents live. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up Sammy, though, he's so cute. Loves his fudge ripple, doesn't he?"

"Or?"

"You die. Tens dies, and your whole family dies."

That didn't sound like much of a trade.

"If Tens here dies, you're going too. The fam is bonus for having to put up with your granny for the last few years. b.i.t.c.h refused to see the light"

When Charles died, Auntie didn't die. Maybe Perimo was lying. Of course he was lying.

170a "You become a Nocti and learn from the best. My team is the best there is. We are ni everywhere and anyone."

*"How?" I wasn't seriously contemplating the offer, but I needed time.

"You have to kill yourself -sort of. You pull the trigger, I blow you back into your body, and then you get to spend forever with Tens. I'll save him, too."

"And my parents?" If he handed me the gun, then I would have control.

"If you insist. Have I told you that Celia was accommodating? She was really quite easy to convince to step in the trap. Then to suck her away from the tea party she was having in your head. Delightful."

My stomach churned. "How do I know you have my parents?"

He pulled out a phone.

"No reception in here." I told him.

"Satellite. We have the good toys on our side. Money. Power. Beauty. Eternal life." He dialed a number and held the phone out to me.

I took it and listened to it ring. My breath hitched when I heard. "Mer-D?"

"Sammy?"

Then Mom's voice came on the line. "Meridian? Our caller ID says this is Meridian. Who is this?"

"Mom, it's me," I cried as Perimo yanked the phone out of my hands.

"See? Not lying."

I sank down next to Tens. His pulse was rapid and erratic. The hair on the back of my neck rose and I felt a soul push against me.

"Oh, he's dying. Look at that." Perimo tapped his fingers on the cave wall.

This wasn't a feeling that could be faked. I knew this was real. Tears blurred my vision as I waited for Tens to open his eyes and rea.s.sure me. If he was going to die, I'd just have to live enough for both of us.

"Okay, I'll do it. Give me the gun."

171ani *

Chapter 34.

"I'm impressed. I thought it was going to take you actually feeling the pull of death to see my point."

"I'll do it." I watched Tens's breathing slow and grow more shallow. "You win."

Perimo handed over the gun. "Put it in your mouth. That temple position doesn't work so well."

"Let me say goodbye first." I leaned down and kissed Tens's lips. "I love you. So much."

I took a steadying breath, raised the gun, and pulled the trigger. Red bloomed from Perimo's stomach and he crumpled, then slowly stood back up, glaring.

"Oh, that was sneaky. Didn't see that coming. Were you listening to nothing I said? I am done being nice to you. Your brother dies now, no matter what!" Rage pulsed from his words.

My eyes widened as I watched him shake the blood off his shirt.

"Did you not hear the eternal life part? You think you're the first Fenestra to try to kill me?"

"But -'

"But?" he mimicked.

I'd let down my family. Tens, everyone. So much for my big plan. "Then I'll die with him."

"He doesn't have to die, you moron. Do you need me to speak more slowly?"

"I don't want to be a -"

"Why not? We're fun. You think Destroyers are less than Creators? Without us there would be nothing to create from, or on, or with. We are an integral part of making this world work.

You should be grateful to get the invitation."

"You tried to kill Auntie. You terrorized a whole town. Where's the justice?"

"Justice? You are young, aren't you? The world is full of a.s.sholes. Meridian. It's a choice between being vanilla or chocolate, you can't be both."

Tens jerked me into my head. Suddenly, we stood together at the window. "What's going on?" he asked.

"You're dying."

172a "No, I'm not."

ni *"I think you are."

"I'm not leaving you, Supergirl. I won't go. I'll wait like Charles." Tens crossed his arms and planted his feet I panicked. "Don't! You have to go. You have to. I need to know you're safe. No matter what. Please."

I blinked and scrutinized Perimo. "You let me take Tens across. Then I'll do as you say for my family's safety."