Cupidity - chapter fifteen

[emungere.livejournal.com]

Previous chapters here. Thank you so much for all the feedback so far! And please pardon the, ahem, cliffhanger.


Several hours later, Angel was still walking. It was a beautiful day, and not taking the bus had seemed like a wonderful idea. He had olives and cheese and bread and pears in his bag, and the pears were obviously increasing in weight as he walked. His shoulder ached, and so did his feet. He'd hitched a lift for a few miles and was out in farmland now, so there wasn't even a cafe to rest at.

He sat on the ground instead and ate a pear. He could see mountains rising out of a bluish haze in the distance and guessed that way was probably France. France sounded like a good idea, and maybe England after that. He could go anywhere, really. Anywhere at all. And when his five grand ran out, well, he'd always gotten by somehow. They must play poker, even in France.

The sun settled down over his shoulders a hour later and beat on his back. He took his shirt off and tied it around his waist and kept walking. Despite the sore feet and shoulders and probable sun burn, he felt good. He felt like he was finally doing something instead of just existing, finally going somewhere, even if he didn't know where.

A car rumbled up the road behind him, one of maybe five in the last hour. He ignored it, not looking for another ride just yet. It stopped beside him anyway. It was sleek and black, with dark tinted windows. He knew immediately who was inside.

Robin stepped out of the driver's side door. "Hello, Angel," he said.

Angel nearly ran. He did back up a few steps, feet slipping on the gravel shoulder of the road. "What the hell, man. Are you fucking stalking me? How did you..." Jenny couldn't have told Robin where he'd gone, even if she'd wanted to. No one could have. He hadn't known himself.

"I'm not," Robin said. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes looked like they'd been slept in. He made no move to come closer. "I only-- I'd like a chance to explain. There are things you should know. Things you need to know, whether you're willing to stay with me or not."

"I left. You said--anytime. I could go anytime. And I did. What else is there to explain? Is this about the diamonds? I don't have them. I didn't think you'd care."

"But you still have the necklace," Robin said softly. He touched his own neck, and Angel mirrored the gesture almost unconsciously. The tag seemed warmer than his skin.

"Does it really say... Is it really a curse?"

Robin's eyes got suddenly sharper. "Who told you that?"

"Doesn't matter! Can you just answer a fucking question for once?"

Robin was quiet for a long time. He paced the length of the car slowly and eventually sat on his heels, hands dangling loosely between his knees like dead things. "Yes. It is a curse on those who would harm you."

"You really believe in that crap?"

"I don't have to believe it. I know it's real."

Angel lifted his palms to the sky. "Why," he said, "am I surrounded by nutjobs?"

When he looked down again, Robin was still hunkered down to the earth, head bowed. Angel didn't know what he'd expected; laughter, or at least a smile, or maybe Robin taking advantage of his inattention to grab him and throw him in the car. Angel scuffed his toe in the gravel.

"Fine. What do you want to explain then?"

Robin looked up at him, face solemn and lit with gold from the sinking sun. "I'm not entirely human," he said, and at that second, Angel could believe it.

The second passed, though, and Angel shook himself. "What are you talking about? I don't believe in aliens either, and you're not wrinkly enough to be ET."

Robin smiled a wan smile. "Do you believe in fairies?"

"If you tell me to clap my hands, I'm leaving."

"Would you go for a walk with me? I want to show you something. It's not far."

"There's nothing out here but hay and cows. I've seen those."

"This way," Robin said, and headed off the road, down into the field.

Angel hesitated a second and ran after him. He was sure one of the two of them was crazy. He wished he were sure about which one.

Robin took his hand when he caught up to him, squeezed it gently, and pulled him sharply sideways. The sunlight flickered and changed to green and gold, and they weren't in a field anymore. Angel didn't even think they were in Spain.

In fact, he thought as he looked around, he knew exactly where they were; the dark and twisted trees, the clinging vines, the one shrill and lonesome cricket. He shuddered.

"Oh, god. I don't want to be here. What did you do? Robin, fuck. Take us back."

Robin gave him another sharp look. "Have you been here before?"

"I've had dreams. Nightmares. They weren't real. I'm asleep, right? Or you knocked me out, drugged me, something."

Robin didn't answer, but pulled him forward into a small clearing. The grass was even here, in this one small circle, as if mown. Daffodils and snowdrops grew around the edge. In the middle was a small gravestone. A little clump of marigolds grew in front of it with the earth tucked carefully up around them. He couldn't read the inscription from where he was, and he moved closer.

Terrence Goodfellow
Feb 2, 1951 - Dec 21, 1977
The scepter, learning, physic must
All follow this, and come to dust.

"My father," Robin said quietly. "Born on Candlemas, died at the dark of the year. I never knew him."

"Fuck. Sorry."

Robin picked several snowdrops and laid them at the weathered foot of the gravestone. "There's really no need to be. It was better that he died."

The trees around shivered their leaves, as if agreeing.

"How can you say that?"

"Because of my mother." Robin looked up at him and smiled gently. "My father was human. My mother most definitely isn't."

"You mean she's a-- " He had to stop and shake his head. "A fairy?"

Robin nodded. "In a sense."

"So. You're not...that Robin Goodfellow. Right?"

"Do I look like a merry wanderer of the night to you?"

He didn't look merry at all. "Well. No. So it was just your mom's idea of a bad joke?"

"Essentially. Alberich may have had some hand in it. He was closer to my namesake than she was."

His face looked too sharply drawn. Branches creaked, even though there was no wind. Angel looked around, instincts screaming at him to run, now, and don't look back.

"Robin, where is this?"

"It's wherever you find it," said a voice behind him. "I'm surprised at you, Robin, bringing your kebse here."

Angel spun round and backed up to Robin's side in about a second flat. Robin put a hand on his arm and pulled him closer.

“Hello, Rose," Robin said. "I'm surprised to see you bothering with this corner of the woods."

Angel wondered how he managed to make simple words quite so threatening. Rose stepped closer, her high heels sinking into the earth. They left small black puncture marks behind her. She was dressed in a dark suit and a white shirt, just like she was in some office somewhere, instead of here. Wherever here was. Fucking fairyland.

“Does this mean she’s not human too?” he said, his voice all quavery.

“I’m afraid so.”

“You could’ve said before."

“I didn’t think you’d believe me.”

“Robin, let’s get the fuck out of here. This is seriously not good. It’s bad. I want to go.”

Robin tightened his hand on Angel’s arm. “If you run now, I'm afraid the queen will find you,” he said, very quietly.

Angel didn’t need to ask who the queen was. He could close his eyes and see her again, her creepy dark eyes and her smile and her blood-slick hands.

“Her catching me would be bad, right?”

Rose laughed, a tinkling cut-glass sound. “You don’t know, do you? Hasn’t Robin explained anything to you at all? Perhaps he really didn't want you to run away.” She put her head on one side. “She feeds off young men like you.”

“Feeds?” Angel’s stomach clenched. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Be quiet,” Robin said to Rose.

“You can’t tell me what to do, darling, even if you are her favorite.” Rose watched them, her eyes cold. The green-yellow light seemed to get heavier around them. “The mad old bitch doesn’t actually eat her young men. Well, not often. Or even kill them. You have better uses. And of course she’d give you gold. All the gold you could ever want, for your short life.”

“In return for what?” Angel said.

"Your power," she said.

"I-- I don't have any."

Rose shook her head. When she smiled, her teeth looked sharper and yellower. "You do. You all do, with your delicious lusts and wishes. Perhaps this place wouldn't even exist without them."

"We're leaving," Robin said. "Now."

"Wait," Rose said, and she caught Robin by the arm. The sleeve of his suit tore from the touch of her nails. "I'll kill him if you don't do as I want, little brother."

The hate in her voice bit at Angel's skin like the cold. They both froze, as poised and as still as statues. Angel backed away. If he ran now, he'd surely find a way out before she found him.

“Is that what you think I am to you?” Robin said. He shook her hand off. "Have you studied human reproduction at all, Rose? Oh, wait. We tried it once, didn't we?"

"I'll give him to her," Rose snarled. "You know it's true. You think your sweet little charm can protect him?"

"You won't," Robin said.

“I will.” She leaned closer to Robin, her lips near his. “And I’ll make you watch as she sucks his bones dry. But do what I want, and you can keep your toy.”

“What do you want?” Robin said.

“Kill her,” Rose said. “End this.” She looked around them at the forest and the sky, eyes wild. "All of this."

It was only a whisper, but the words filled the clearing like a rushing wind, winding up to be caught in the arms of the trees, and echoing there. The air was too thick and it tasted of iron.

“I can’t,” Robin said. His voice was shaking, but he bared his teeth. He didn’t look human again, just for one shuddering moment.

“Robin,” Angel moaned. His t-shirt was sticking to his back with cold sweat. Somewhere, something in the woods gave a long keening cry. “Please.”

“Your choice,” Rose hissed, and she moved impossibly fast over the short distance separating her from Angel. Her nails scored through his t-shirt and across his chest and up, until she wound her fingers in Angel’s chain and yanked it hard. It snapped easily, and she held it in her fist, panting like a dog. Blood bloomed in the white of one eye, and she groaned.

“No,” Robin said. “No...”

Angel stared down. His chest was bloody. It should hurt, he thought. He ran his fingers through it, smelling the bitter iron scent. Bright red smeared everywhere.

“Too late, my darling, she’s coming,” Rose said, but she was staring at the small silver tag.

The trees shook all around them. From far away came an immense sound, a thud and the whine of green branches being snapped right off the trunk.

“Run,” Robin said. “Run, now. Please. Angel.”

Angel wanted to, more than anything, but something was keeping him fixed in place, with his eyes turned toward the edge of the clearing. He didn't want to see what was coming, but he felt like he had to.

"Angel," Robin said again, and Angel turned to him, saw the desperation on his face, saw Rose's taloned hand on his wrist. "Go. Just go."

Angel turned and ran. It was just like his dream except that he could move freely, except for the almost-sunlight, except for Robin's voice rising behind him in words he couldn't understand. He sounded like he was begging. Angel forced himself faster and tried to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach.

He should've stayed, he thought. But Robin knew these people, had known them his whole life. They wouldn't hurt him. Eat him. Angel still felt like a coward. He still didn't turn back.

There was pursuit now. He could feel in the stirring of the air, like a gathering storm. Rather than the clinging vines of his dream, the trees seemed to shrink back like they were afraid. There was no path, no guide, and every few steps he stumbled over some rock or tree root. His palms were bleeding, and he wondered if she could smell it.

The arch of branches overhead seemed to reach upwards as he passed, gnarled and strangely muscled arms parting and laying him open to the sky. It started to rain, big, fat drops like tears. They made the leaves under his feet slippery, and he fell, picked himself up again, and ran on.

The trees ended up ahead, and he knew what he was going to see once he stepped out of them. He slowed to a walk at the edge of the cliff and turned. There was nowhere left to run.

Of course there is, you moron! his brain scream at him. Left and right! Valid options! But he knew they weren't. There was something inevitable about ending up here, and anyway, she'd catch him. Left or right, she'd catch him. He touched his chest where Robin's necklace wasn't anymore. He felt cold. It was a long way down.

Eos stepped gently from between the trees. The ragged hem of her dress brushed her feet. Dirt streaked her face, and she had flowers in her hair. They looked almost as if they were growing there. She smiled at him, and it was a beautiful smile.

"Welcome, Messiah Angel." She stretched out one hand. "Come over here, my brightness. Come to me. I've been so patient, don't you think?"

Angel found himself nodding and stepping forward.

"The hunt is everything, but it must end eventually. You'll be so much happier, and you know I can give you anything you desire. Truly anything. That was a foolish promise my Robin made you. He doesn't understand humans like I do, and he is so limited. So mortal."

Hearing Robin's name shook him a little. Angel looked down in surprise and saw his own hand reaching out, fingertips inches from hers. He gulped and backed up, big, stumbling steps that he couldn't stop until he was on the very edge of the cliff, rock crumbling under his heels.

She frowned, and thunder rumbled overhead. The trees shook, and leaves rained down. A few stuck in her dark hair like a golden crown. "This is over now," she said. She sounded almost confused. "You must come to me. Why do you wait?"

"Because he's not yours, mother." Robin slid from the shadows and wrapped his arms around Eos from behind. Angel couldn't tell if it was meant as embrace or restraint. His lips brushed her neck, and she smiled.

"Don't be foolish, my little bird. They're all mine."

Robin shook his head. He looked at Angel. "Jump," he said. "Trust me. Jump."

Angel hesitated long enough to see Eos's eyes narrow with anger as she started for him, faster than wind. He took that last step backwards and let himself fall. The mist rushed up to meet him, and everything went gray. He heard her shrill scream of rage as he fell away, fainter and fainter, and it stuck in his head like shards of glass.