Ebony Lion

Chapter 7: The 9th circle

                      24 hours earlier
                               

Kris sat in a chair on the balcony of the Sky lounge bar in downtown Atlanta.  She looked down at the empty beer bottle and the three empty shot glasses on her table as she swirled her remaining shot of Absolute vodka in her hand.  Her phone lit up on the table next to the empty glasses.  Dawn calling again, and again she sent it to voicemail as she threw back the last shot.  It burned, but the burn was good.  Because with each burn the memory became a little more cloudy.  "Another please."  She said to her waiter as she held the empty glass in the air like a winner's trophy.  The waiter nodded and continued on his path back to the bar.  "Hey baby.  What's a pretty thang like you doing sitting all alone out here?"  Asked a man stepping out on the balcony, with a beer in one hand and something a little harder in the other.  Kris looked up at him and even in her foggy state she could tell they were not his first drinks of the night.  "Piss off."  She said said simply and turned her attention back to the lights of the Mercedes benz stadium in the distance.  "Hey baby don't be like that.  I was just trying to be friendly." He said as he sat the liquor glass down on the table in front of her.  "Here drink that, maybe it'll loosen you up a little."  Kris took the glass and downed it in three swallows.  "Thank you, now piss off."  She said adding the glass to her collection of empties on the table.  "See, that's what wrong with you bitches.  You act all stuck up, and then you wonder why you can't get no man." He said harshly.  "My advice to you would be to refrain from calling me anymore profanities and move along."  Kris said as she focused her full attention on the man for the first time.  He looked to be about six feet, skinny and bald.  "I ain't moving nowhere, you owe me ten dollars for my drink.. Bitch."  Kris grabbed his glass and smashed it into the side of his head before he could react at all.  He stumbled back holding his head, but Kris was not through.  She grabbed him by his tacky white tee shirt and pushed him back and over the balcony rail, but not completely.  His torso hung over the edge with his lower back on the rail.  The only thing keeping him from becoming a stain on the sidewalk was her grip on his shirt and his sagging pants.  "Hey!  Pull me up!  Somebody help, Please!" The man screamed.  "So now you have manners?  You know that's what's wrong with all you guys, you don't know how to treat a lady until she's hanging you over of a balcony ten stories in the air."  The crowd inside heard the commotion, and now all eyes were on Kris.  She pulled the man back over and tossed him to the ground.  Then she calmly walked towards the elevator.  On the way she saw her waiter who was staring wide eyed at her.  She reached into her pocket and pulled out two hundred dollar bills and gave them to him.  As she looked at the bills she noticed they were bloody.  "Balls, I must've cut my hand on the glass."  The waiter handed her a towel from his apron.  "Thanks love, keep the change... for the mess." she said as she wrapped it around her hand and left the building.  Downstairs as she waited for the valet to bring her car around, she noticed a man in an expensive looking black suit watching her.  He was standing about ten feet from the door next to an outdoor ash can, smoking a cigarette.  "Take a picture, it'll last longer." She said to the man.  The man twisted his cigarette in the sands of the can and took a few steps toward her.  "That was an impressive display of anger up there.  Are you that gentle with all your suitors?" He said with a smirk.  "Believe me buddy it can get much worse, and unless you want to see for yourself, mind your business."  "Fair enough." He said as he raised his hands in surrender.  "I really just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about your friend Shade.  Horrible bit of business that was."  "What?  How did you know about Shade?  Who the hell are you?"  Said Kris, her frustration mounting.  "Please forgive my rudeness.  I know how you are about that.  My name is Jason, and as for how I know about her... let's just say I have friends in high places."  "Listen guy, Jason or whatever.  The mysterious stranger in the night bit is not working for me.  So tell me what you want, now." Said Kris as she approached Jason with the intent on ruffing him up.  But Jason just smiled and his eyes began to glow bright green as Kris ran into a invisible wall about two feet from him.  "What the hell?" She said as she reached out.  She couldn't see or feel anything in front of her, but some force was keeping her away from him.  "My dear Kristina, I am an envoy of peace.  I simply wish for you to know the truth.  About the death of your friend, and about your employer."  "What are you talking about?" Kris said confused.  "Come with me and I will reveal what has been hidden from you."

       
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            After Shade's ceremony

As the crowd trickled out of the catacombs Dawn and Ebon made their way over to Kris.  "Kris, I've been trying to call you." Dawn said with a tear in her eye as she approached Kris.  "Yes I know, I've been busy." Kris said bluntly.  "Excuse me I need to talk to your father." Said Kris as she began to walk off, but Dawn grabbed her gently.  "Wait Kris is something wrong?"  "A lot is wrong and I'm going to find out why." Said Kris as she yanked her arm away from Dawn's grip.  "Master Dante." Kris called on her approach to Dante who was in a conversation with Taifu.  "Yes child, what is it?"  "What do you know about the ninth circle?"  Dante grew serious.  "Where did you hear that name?"  "Is it true master?  Have you been practicing the dark arts?  Is that the reason Shade is dead?" Said Kris, her fists balled and trembling with anger.  "This is not the time girl.  We will talk later." Said Dante as he turned.  "We will talk now!" Said Kris as she gabbed Dante roughly to turn him back to her.  Dante grabbed her hand and twisted it around and up bringing Kris to her knees.  "You forget yourself child, control yourself."  "Is this it master?  Is this not the place for tears?" She said as she looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.  "Father, what's going on?" Said Dawn as she and Ebon walked over.  "Dante." Taifu said simply placing a hand on his shoulder.  Dante released Kris from his hold.  "Are you alright Kris?"  Said Dawn as she bent down and put her arm around her.  "No!  He killed her.  He killed Shade!" Kris yelled, now weeping inconsolably.  Taifu walked over to Kris and touched her in the center of her forehead and she fell unconscious.  "Take girl back to rest." Said Taifu to Dawn and Ebon.  "What was she talking about father?  Why does she think you killed Shade?"  Dante hesitated, sadness in his eyes and answered.  "Because I did."