Successors (18 page)

Her long silky orangey-red hair constantly fell over her left eye, even after she drew it behind her ear. She wore a black dress with a high leg slit. “Can I help you?” she asked casually as though he had entered her office in need of services. She didn’t lift her head to look at him, even though from his point of view all she was doing was looking at her own feet.

“I’m Ethan,” he said.

“I know; the replacement. What do you require from me?”

He wasn’t certain what she meant by him being the replacement, but no doubt she had heard he was in training to be a guard. “Did you know I was coming?” he asked, curious as to the extent of her psychic strength.

“No, but the only time anyone comes to see me is if they need something.”

“Does that bother you?” He had noted a slight bitterness in her voice.

She looked up at him, brow rutted in surprise. “That is an odd question. It shows concern for me. Are you sure you should be offering that much concern to a convict?”

He paced before her cell as if he was strolling in the park and not in the belly of a concrete prison. “From what I’ve read on you, or your kind, you don’t really have an angry or vindictive nature. You are here because of a specific circumstance.”

“Very good. I suppose you want to know what that specific circumstance is.”

“Not especially,” he said. He had his own agenda today.

“You’re brave then, or just stupid. I guess time will tell.” She stood and linked her arms in the barred door. “To answer your question: no, it doesn’t bother me when people ask me for favors. It makes me feel useful. Not to mention, I usually acquire lovely things when I am helpful to men.” She motioned to the items in her cell.

He frowned at the furniture. “Why would Danato approve this?”

“I have my uses… and so does he.”

Ethan decided not to let her ambiguity sidetrack him. “I understand that you do love spells.”

“I have on an occasion awoken the heart, but I do all manner of
spells
. Love is just my specialty.”

“Can you make someone fall in love with someone else, even if they don’t currently love them?”

She paused. “Yes, that is possible. The outcome is a little shaky though.” Mezula rocked her hand.

“How so? Can it hurt her?”

She smiled. “The initial part of the love is fake. Implanted. It’s like an arranged marriage; it binds you to each other, but eventually if things go well, you will fall in love naturally.”

He thought about how vehement Cori was about not thinking of him that way. He wondered if she could learn to love him. “And if she doesn’t fall in love… naturally?”

“Then it’s just like dating. You are together for a while, and things don’t click so you break up. It wears off and what’s left is what’s left.”

He shook his head. That didn’t sound like an appealing spell to him; too many variables to go wrong. “Maybe we could just keep her from being with someone else.”

“The woman you have in mind, she is in love with someone else?” Mezula asked.

“I don’t know. She is seeing someone else. I just think in the end she shouldn’t be seeing him, even if she isn’t seeing me either.” He knew that sounded barbaric:
If I can’t have her, no one can.
But he was genuinely concerned that Vince was only going to break Cori’s heart. She had already been at the hands of evil men once in her life. She didn’t need to be emotionally raped as well.

“I can’t break love. I can block it if the love of another is stronger. But be warned, it’s only temporary. Unless something changes in her perception, she will grow her love back. Many a husband and wife have tried to save their marriages via that particular cure. Unfortunately, they all come to realize that love is fragile. Once it’s been broken, or depleted, there is no going back, no matter what the other person feels for them.”

“So, if she is truly in love with him, it won’t work?” he asked.

“Not for long, anyway.” She shook her head sympathetically. “If your love is strong enough, it may work for long enough for you to properly woo her.” Ethan didn’t know how strong his love was. Cori was no one to him a few months ago, but now she was his connection to the outside world.

Danato did an admirable job trying to make them feel at home here, but it was really Cori that made him feel grounded. He couldn’t imagine how hard it would have been, without someone to confide in—someone at least familiar with basic pop culture and movie references.

He knew she didn’t see him as a man yet, but he hoped that someday she would. He just wanted that day to be sooner rather than later.

“Bring her to me.” Mezula seemed to sense the debate he was having. “I’ll read her and find out if it’s worth trying any spells on her.”

“I don’t… yes, I’ll get her here.” He sprinted away without another word.

“It doesn’t have to be now,” Mezula hollered after him, but he didn’t answer.

Ethan found Cori in her
now
second-favorite spot in the prison. She was doing a new dance routine with her doppelgangers. She made no effort to hide her show from him when she saw him coming.

“Check this out, Ethan. I finally found a move the transmorphs can’t do.” She rolled her body like a wave from top to bottom. The transmorphs moved stiffly, unable to copy her. She laughed at their attempts.

“Yes, they are surprisingly inflexible,” he said, slightly out of breath. “Their muscle tissues are devoted to changing size and texture on command. They have no room for other manipulations of that muscle. It’s just too much for them.”

“Really?” Cori tried out a couple of other moves that proved difficult as well. “Ha!”

“Cori, I need you upstairs,” Ethan interrupted.

“I’m cleaning,” she said as she arched herself backwards.

“Clearly, but this will only take a second. Come on.” He touched her arm gently to urge her with him without inciting her annoyance.

She repositioned and glanced down at his hand, then shrugged. “Okay.”

He was impressed by how easy it was to get her into the elevator, but when he stepped onto the seducers floor, she was reluctant to follow him. He waited for her.

“Danato hasn’t cleared me for this floor,” she protested, peeking around the corners of the elevator. “I just stick to the lowers. I only—”

“Come on, you’re with me.” He reached out his hand for her to take. “I’ll tell you exactly where to walk and what to do.”

“I’ve heard that before,” she grumbled, but stepped out. She didn’t take his hand, but as they walked she stayed right behind him.

When they reached Mezula’s cell she was still standing with her arms looped in the bars. “Hi,” she said, blasé, indifferent to any oddity of the situation.

Cori looked at him, concerned. He nodded to Mezula. “This is Mezula. Mezula, Cori.” The two women nodded to each other civilly.

“Why am I here?” Cori asked.

“I just need to get a quick reading from you, love.” Mezula reached out her hand. “No trouble.”

“I’ve already had my reading done this year,” Cori said, backing away.

“Cleos?” she asked with a smirk. “I'd be careful around him. Pretty little thing like you, he might eat you up.” 

“I thought he wasn't a vampire?” Cori asked.

Mezula bit her lip, hiding the depth of her smile. “Oh, he's a vampire alright, just not the kind that sucks blood.”

“And what about you?” Cori stiffened and raised her chin. “What's your monster name?”

Mezula tipped her head and leaned against the bars. “Do I really look like a monster to you?”

Cori looked her over and shrugged. “You kind of look like a pro—”

“Okay!” Ethan gave Cori a hard sideways hug. “Don't mind her Mezula. She isn't very good at making friends with women.”

Cori tried to shrug him off, but his grip was too tight.

“Too bad.” Mezula retreated from the bars. “I'm very good a making friends with women.” She perked her brow at Cori stilled in his grip. She looked at him concerned at the direction of the conversation.

“She isn’t dangerous, Cori. I just want you to let her read you.”

“Just read me right.” Cori murmured between gritted teeth, trying not to let Mezula hear.

“Yes.” Ethan released her, letting his hand drag down her back as far as he could while seeming incidental.

“Why?” Cori asked, searching his eyes.

He struggled to answer under her scrutiny, but Mezula jumped in to save him. “It’s part of the job description to be cooped up in this hell hole for years; it’s my duty to evaluate the mental competence of every one of Danato's employees. Given the nature of your enlistment, there is concern that you won't be capable of meeting the demands of the job.”

Cori scoffed. “And if I can't meet the demands of the job. Do I get to go home?”

“Yes,” Mezula answered.

Ethan stared at Mezula, shocked at the lies she was spewing out like second nature. She seemed to know exactly what to say to get Cori's attention. 

Cori looked back at him. “Is this for real?”

He didn't want to lie to Cori, but what was one lie compared to a spell bound manipulation. Calling Mezula's bluff would only shade light on his own scheming.

“Yeah, I thought if there was a chance you could go home...”

Cori's eyes brightened then dimmed. “You would do that for me? I mean, if it meant being left here... alone?”

Ethan felt his heart sink. He was in deeper than he wanted to be. She was giving him the credit of an altruistic hero, when in reality he was the villain cackling against the background of a lightening storm. “I don't want you to leave, but I do want you to be happy.”

“Damn it, Ethan, why do you have to be so freaking sweet?” Cori reached around him and hugged him. It was a moment he could have lived in for days, unfortunately it was all a lie.

“I'm not that sweet.” He glanced at Mezula. “Not really.”

“What do I have to do?” Cori drew away from him and looked to Mezula for the answer. 

Mezula came back to the bars and reached her hand through the bars. Cori took her outstretched hand.

“You should now something,” Mezula spoke soft and sweet. “Cleos has a soft touch. He's in and out out your mind before you ever knew he was there. A very dangerous trait for mind readers if you ask me. But don't worry, I won't be sneaking around in your mind like a cat burglar. You'll remember having me inside of you.” Cori frowned and Mezula winked at her. “So, just try to relax… and scream as loud as you want.”

Cori’s eyes widened. “
What
?”

Mezula's eyes flared with sinister intent. Cori’s head wrenched back, her eyes clenched shut, and she screamed. She thrashed as if she was being shocked by electricity.

Ethan jumped forward to pry the women apart, but an energy field had shelled them both and he wasn’t able to grab onto either of their hands without slipping off. He was about to run for help when the connection broke. Cori catapulted back to the floor. Mezula stumbled away from the bars toward her bed.

“What the hell did you do to her?” Ethan yelled, rushing to Cori’s side where she was unconscious in a folded heap.

“Exactly what I said; come back tomorrow for your answers. I must sleep,” Mezula said with drooping eyelids.

“What about her?” he asked.

“She’ll wake up soon enough. She’s young, she’ll recover.” Mezula slipped into her bed and fell asleep.

Ethan picked Cori up with strength he wasn’t aware he had and took her back to the house, being careful not to be seen by Danato or Belus.

33

Several cold washcloths later, Cori woke in her bed as Ethan frantically tried to revive her. “Thank God.” He wiped his hands down his face.

“What happened?” Her throat cracked.

“You passed out,” he admitted the half-truth.

“That bitch knocked me out.”

He frowned and knelt beside her bed. “I’m so sorry, Cori, I had no idea it would be so painful. I just assumed…”

Cori sat up on her elbows, examining him. “What? That you could trust a convict? Did you even read her file?”

“I read about her type. I heard about her from the other guards. I know Danato uses her for—”

“You just met her today, didn't you?” He stared back at her. His mouth slowly dropped open, but nothing came out. “Was she really evaluating my competency?” Cori’s eyes flickered over him as if she couldn’t identify who she was looking at. “What was she going to tell you?”

“It's complicated. I just wanted to know...” Ethan cleared his throat unable to admit the lunacy level his crush had taken him. Danato was right, he needed to get a grip on   his emotions. Unfortunately, Ethan was a little too late on that epiphany to maintain his dignity.

“Know what? If I could handle electric shock therapy?”

“I'm so sorry. I didn't think it would be like that.”

“How could you be so careless? With your head in those books all day, you should have known the risks. I thought we had each other's backs.”