A Book of Dust and Breath

Chapter Forty Three

Max stood in front of the fireplace. His bare toes sank into the soft, thick fur spread on the wooden floor. The heat of the blaze caressed his naked body.

Something is wrong.

There was something he was supposed to be doing, he was sure of it, but then, why would he be standing here in his own home naked and holding a bottle of three hundred dollar champagne?

He lifted the bottle to his lips and let the sweet icy liquid run down his throat. When he lowered it again, Lily stepped out of the shadows, bits of black lace binding her breasts, wrapped between her legs, trailing like a cape from her shoulders. A gem, set into her navel, sparkled in the firelight as she strode toward him in shoes with high pointed heels. The slim, firm muscles of her legs flexed and stretched with each movement. Her eyes twinkled in delight.

"I was hoping I'd find you like this." Her hands were warm against his chest. More than warm. Fiery. They left a burning trail behind them as they slid up to his shoulders and wrapped around his neck.

He blinked hard, fighting to maintain control. "I need to focus."

Her lips pressed against his neck. Her teeth tugged on his ear. "Yes," she whispered. "Focus on making love to me, Max. I want you so much."

Her body was pressed against his, tugging him toward the rug. He lay on his back, burning with need under her touch. Amazing how well she'd learned his body in a single year.

"Maximus!" Azrael stood over him, scowling. "How could you have done this?"

Lily put herself between them. "Go away. Leave him alone. Can't you see how happy he is with me? Whatever you need done, you can do yourself."

Azrael's eyes burned with anger. He turned and moved to the window where he pulled the heavy drapes back to show the world beyond, not the tranquil river tripping along its twisted path, but a city in flames. People running through the streets, crying, screaming for help. Others standing atop overturned cars, jeering from windows, chasing those who fled. The tormentors bore the yellow eyes of the shadow crawlers, but the bodies of humans. They'd been possessed.

A child, no more than two or three, with long brown hair tied up in pigtails emerged from a house and stepped in front of an ambulance, barreling down the street with sirens screaming. The driver braked too hard, forcing the truck to tip onto its side. The little girl giggled merrily, clapping her hands. The flashing lights danced in her yellow eyes.

"You have to fix this, Maximus," Azrael pleaded.

"You can't worry about all that. I need you here with me, and you need me, too," Lily said, curling up against his chest.

"I..." his throat was tight and sore. "I don't know what to do."

"Then we have already lost," his father said, a single tear spilling down his cheek.

Chains burst from the darkness and wrapped themselves around Max's wrists. He was falling, falling toward the sound of countless voices, screaming in agony, falling away from the protective love of his creator. "No!" He shouted. "Please! Don't do this!"

His body crashed against cold white marble. Light so powerful he had to curl his arms around his head to protect himself shone all around him.

"You would beg for mercy?" The voice was a whisper that permeated every particle of matter around him.

"Yes!" He sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"You are an abomination. Out of mercy, I gave you a chance and you have destroyed my creation. You will spend your eternity fixing it. There will be no rest for you, Maximus Metit. Not ever."

Max pulled his knees up against his bare chest, weeping.

This isn't right, Max.

The tiniest corner of his heart screamed within him to be heard.

This isn't what happens and you know it. This isn't right.

"I've failed. I'm so sorry," he sobbed. The whole world burned and it was up to him to do something about it, but what could he do? The love of Source pulled away and he was alone in space and time, sentenced to an infinite number of days facing insurmountable despair, never again knowing the joy of friendship or family.

To be sure his misery was complete, the wailing lament of his wife and son was allowed to reach his ears. Their cries would be his company until the end of the age and beyond.

He cowered away from the pain, pressing his face to the floor to escape. The cold stone was hard against his cheek.

Look around you, Max. This isn't right.

Floors were a construct of the created world.

Daring to peek up from his cowering, squinting against the light, he saw not the Infinite, but a small room.

He was dead, but he still existed within the scope of creation. Perfect Love was not withheld. He only needed to accept it.

With a great gust of wind he was swept forward from the room into a place so dim it seemed like near total darkness to his abused eyes.

Two strong hands reached down and lifted him to his feet.

"It's OK," a soft female voice assured him. "You're OK now. You made it through."

He blinked several times before being able to focus on the companion's dark kohl-lined eyes. The rest of her face was covered by her veils, but the gentle eyes spoke volumes. "You made it through. Take a minute. The others will be here in a moment."

On cue, the remaining companions stepped through the gate, graceful and seemingly unaffected by whatever they faced within it.

The five formed a semi-circle around him, eyes on the dim corridors that led away from the portal. "Can you go on? Are you ready?"

Max rubbed his face and pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Let's go."

Her eyes crinkled at the edges. "You really are brave, son of Azrael. Stupid, maybe, but brave."

He managed a tiny smile for her. "Thanks for the confidence."

"Sisters, we must act quickly. Each passing moment lends more power to our enemy. Find the woman and her son. Get them to safety." She nodded toward one of the other women. "You are to come with the reaper and me. We will face Corzor and Raboch. If the others can close the breech on the surface that should be a good start toward restoring the balance."

The four companions raced toward the corridor on their right.

The remaining two led Max down the central path that would take them to the alpha-demon.