Stay With Me

43

Vanessa bit the inside of her lip, her stomach tightening. His eyes narrowed slightly, almost as if trying to pinpoint exactly who she was. Even as her gaze shifted back to her brother she could still feel the cold stare on the back of her head. Even if he had recognized her they hadn't known each other long aside from a few encounters. Maybe he would just brush it off and go back to what he was doing. She instantly regretted turning her head back in his direction, noticing that he was making his way over to her.

Shit.

"Excuse me," she said, pushing her chair away from the table. "I need to use the restroom."

She had only taken ten steps inside the building when a hand gently grabbed the back of her arm.

"Excuse me."

Her heart stopped for a fraction of a second, her throat suddenly feeling like it was slowly closing.

Turning, she met his gaze. "Y...Yes?" she managed.

Varg smiled, his eyes almost sparkling. "I apologize for grabbing you, but you look very familiar."

Vanessa tried to keep her tone neutral. "I don't think I know you."

His eyes narrowed again, this time more intense. "You look like someone I met a long time ago. Tell me, what's your name?"

"I don't exactly like to give that information to strangers."

"I see. My name is Varg Vikernes, pleased to make your acquaintance. Now we aren't strangers. Please, I just want to know your name."

"Marie Stevens."

The lie came quickly. Unless Dead had ever spoken her full name to any of them, he wouldn't know it was her middle name. She watched as he seemed to search his memory, trying to place the name. Finally, he let her go.

"I apologize," he said at last. "You look like another Stevens. Perhaps you are related to her?"

He remembers my name...shit!

"Oh? May I ask her name?"

The corner of his lip twitched. "Vanessa."

"Doesn't ring a bell."

The words came out quicker than she had meant, and he had noticed it.

"I think you are exactly who I think you are."

Stepping away from him, Vanessa shook her head. "You need to leave me alone."

"I'm not doing anything wrong, just trying to have a simple conversation with you, little miss time traveler. You know, I could very easily call him for you. I could tell him exactly where we are and how to get here."

Her breath caught in her throat. "You...you could do that?"

"I could. But why should I after you just lied to my face?"

He turned to walk away but she quickly pulled him back.

"Please," she begged, holding tightly to his arm. "I'm sorry I lied, just please help me talk to him. I'll do anything, just please help me."

"Here's the thing, Vanessa. I don't appreciate being lied to and I really don't like one sided deals. So, what are you going to do for me?"

"What do you want?"

"Let's be honest. There really isn't anything you could offer me."

"Then why even mention it if you aren't willing to even consider helping me?"

"From what I understand, you ruined my chances of having anything to do with Mayhem's success, and that just doesn't sit very well with me. I've tried making it on my own with my own music but it doesn't even come close to what it could have been."

"You killed him," Vanessa stated sharply. "If ruining your chances of being famous meant saving someone, I think that's a no brainer. All you are is a murderer."

"Ah, but I'm not. I'm many things but I haven't actually killed anyone. You yourself just said you stopped it from even happening. Now that doesn't mean that someone at some point won't try and kill that fucker themselves, he has plenty of enemies at this point. As for Dead, well, let us just say that he's seen better days. He's kept on a rather short leash so to speak."

"What are you talking about?"

Varg smirked. "I won't call her his girlfriend, although that's what she likes to tell people, but she has been rather vocal about him finding you. She doesn't like it, never has. Can't really say I blame her."

"Wait a second. Girlfriend?"

Varg rolled his eyes. "Did you not hear anything I said? She likes to think she's his girlfriend. Honestly the woman is nothing more than a desperate whore looking for someone to take care of her. The point is, because of her, it's going to be extremely hard for you to get anywhere near him."

"Why was she never mentioned in any of the articles I read?"

Varg shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. My best guess is that whatever is written with her in it is just gossip. No one really knows what to think since Dead denies it while she insists it's true. I'm sure you understand."

"Why don't they stop her from coming around then?"

"Well, I asked that myself once. From what Necro told me Dead mostly just feels lonely and keeps her around so he has someone close by. There's no actual feelings involved on his side, that much we know for sure. I wouldn't hold it against the man if I were you. He's been through hell."

"Just help me talk to him. Please."

Varg was silent a moment, his eyes moving from her to the floor as if deep in thought.

"No."

Vanessa felt her mouth drop. "Why not? Why even bring it up if you weren't going to help me?"

He shrugged slightly. "The way I see it, you need to do it yourself. I really don't care one way or another if you talk to him again or not but it's not my problem to fix. Honestly, I don't see why you didn't tell him any of your information in case something happened. Wouldn't that have been the smart thing to do? Or were you too busy worrying about spreading your legs for him?"

"It wasn't like that!" she snapped back.

"No? I find that hard to believe. You knew nothing about him yet still went to try and save him. If I had to guess you just thought he was a pretty face with a sad story and you would be the hero in the end. Instead of just being a friend you went for an intimate relationship with someone so weak minded they should have been in a hospital. Maybe death was truly what he wanted yet he couldn't even have that. You took away something he thought he had control over and hurt him further. You have no idea what has happened to him since you left and the sad part is that he only held on for you. You were incredibly selfish. Did you actually think about his family in this or was it just for you to feel like you did something important?"

"I...I just...their stories were so...I just wanted to give them a better ending."

Her mouth felt dry, almost unable to form the words she wanted to bite back with.

"Did you know that because of you there's a temporary ban on time travel? From what I heard, anyone who had gone back was forced back to the present because they didn't want more missing people. Euronymous was furious when the news broke."

Her heart pounded against her chest. "He couldn't go back for Vera."

"Exactly. So, needless to say, he isn't exactly your biggest fan at the moment."

"I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Actions have consequences. You may not have meant it to happen, but here we are."

"Varg, please," she continued to beg. "I'll do anything just please, help me talk to him."

Varg shook his head, brushing past her. "Good luck."