Convergence

The Back Rooms

We went into the back room. Everything looked like a cheesy haunted house or a really bad horror movie setting. The hallway walls were black but illuminated by a red light. There was even a fog-like substance rolling around the floor and around our feet. I would've laughed if I wasn't so afraid of what may happen. Without realizing it, I grabbed Azazel's arm and held on for dear life.

"Never fear, my love," he said. "I won't let anyone or anything hurt you."

"As if you could help it." A voice seemed to come from all around us. Wind came from nowhere pushing me away and the gray fog circled around us obstructing my view.

"As if I would allow it." The voice was getting closer.

I reached out to Azazel, but couldn't pinpoint his location, or anything else for that matter. I lost sight of the walls and even those creatures claiming to be Rick. I felt all alone.

"As if he could ever keep me from doing anything." The voice was right next to me whispering in my ear.

I yelped and turned to the voice, but no one was there. I called out for Azazel, but there was no answer. Out of panic, my feet started to carry me faster and faster down corridor after corridor. With my arms outstretched, I would hit a wall and then change directions until hitting another wall. It wasn't a rational thing to do, but it was sheer fight or flight response that was clearly all flight.

I reached a dead end. There was no place else to run except back the way I came, and a cloud of smoke was heading directly towards me. I screamed Azazel's name as it slowly approached. I didn't know what to do, then Squeak jumped out. She landed directly between the smoke and myself as a large tiger.

The voice chuckled. "As if you were strong enough to oppose me."

She disappeared as quickly as she had appeared and I was again alone.

"What do you want from me?" I shouted.

A form walked out of the smoke and I saw the face of someone insanely familiar. The would be love of my life...James.

"James? What are you doing here?"

"C'mon, Kari. Surely you aren't that naïve." He started walking towards me. "I'm sure your protector tried to warn you more than once."

"I think he was going to try, but in the end, it was your own minions who told me."

He smiled his oh so familiar smile. "It's not like I didn't put out the magic for you to track. It was why you were so attracted to me...are attracted to me." He circled behind me running his hand over my hair. "Power is attracted to power."

"And now I'm here, but you haven't won yet."

He chuckled and put his arms around me. "No, not yet. But I have many secrets to tell you."

I tried to remain calm, but my muscles gave me away. I was shaking all over.

"Where is Rick?"

"The protector? Not very good at his job, is he? Just as bad as his own father, the man who raised you."

"So I heard."

He released me and came around to face me. "Rick's mother died to protect yours, his father died to protect you from Azazel when he discovered that little secret only recently, and now Rick will die to protect you from me. Such senseless tragedies have happened all for the sake of Azazel's heir."

"His what now?"

"But I've got a secret for you. I am his true heir, not you. I was his son long before he even considered making a child with that witch."