Conquest Of The Fallen: Dark Dominions

Chapter 121: Clarity

[? In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins.]

"ON THE HOUSE!" The bartender smiled and put up the two shots before Rafel. It slid on the gray porcelain and Rafel grabbed it with the offered napkin. "Thank you." He said. And the bartender smiled more—even though he was a boy.

"Your Eminence..." Rosa's quiet voice hit Rafel just as he turned to move out. He halted. She only used his formal title as Apollyon when she wanted to get a deep message across. Rafel turned to meet her gray eyes; her regarded her intellect and always listened to her. Rosa softly touched his arm. "...I know how much you want this, my liege, but play it cool alright; you don't want to spook her."

Rafel nodded and Rosa smiled amicably.

"Take a deep breath."

He did, filling his lungs with frosty air and the fragrance of champagne. He closed his eyes a bit to calm his nerves. It suddenly felt like he was going off to battle an Orc chieftain, [Rank A] with runes for brutality and sadism, not a gorgeous girl in black gang-style clothing.

He let his eyes fall back open and released his long breath.

"You're ready." Rosa smiled at him. "Go get her!"

Rafel swept around with the shots in hand. He started the walk, inwardly promising the Fates a bull sacrifice if Cora didn't abruptly slap him. She had just handed the flyer over to the ripped boy, slash, werewolf collecting the invites. She listened to the blues music and conversed with a group of vampires with blood-red lipstick—even the boys.

'Well, I suppose it could just be blood.'

He quietly approached. Seeing the tall, wickedly beautiful redhead halt on their group, amber iris leveling and not looking away; the vampires scattered, muttering quick excuses. Cora turned with hands in her pockets. Her blue eyes faded into purple under the streaming lights.

"Hi! I'm not here to hit on you or anything," Rafel started. "Here!" He passed over one shot.

Cora didn't immediately collect it. "I don't mean to be curt, but you pretty much just scared away my friends. Why should I drink with you?"

"I know you can get yours and all, but please, indulge me." Rafel kept his hand out. He was not backing down.

Cora pulled her hand out and collected the shot, downing it in one gulp. She regretted it one second later. "Oh fuck. That shit burns." She coughed and grabbed her belly. "You shoulda warned me!" She jabbed at Rafel's chest. He didn't twitch, and when he down his shot, he only smiled.

"Yes, it burns, much more than normal liquor is supposed to. The boys must've spiked it in lamp oil or something."

"Try Minotaur piss!" Cora gulped hard, but she began laughing, and Rafel joined her.

She straightened after a beat.

"What do you want, Israfel? Here to tell me more about the life we'd had together before, cause I still don't remember. Or, do you just want another blowjob?"

Rafel stared at her lips.

"Ohh..." Cora scoffed. "Really? You want me to suck your cock again? That's what you're thinking right now?" She moved closer until she was toe to toe with him, and even though she had to look straight up to meet his eyes, she did. "Let me be clear, the locker room was ONE TIME! One time.

I ain't about to gobble your nosh just because you're pretty."

Her undercity accent and fearlessness; it was his Cora alright.

Rafel flirted with a smile. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Really? That's your take in all of what I just said?" Cora dared him with her cerulean gaze.

"Nón, mon coeur." Rafel took her shot cup and tossed both hers and his in a wide arc into a bin. He was getting good at hitting the mark. When Cora smiled softly at his expert toss, he said, "I have you to thank for that. Walk with me?"

Cora took his hand. "Only because my girlfriend's not here yet."

'Girlfriend? That again?' Rafel didn't give a shit. He was going to commit the worst [Netori] if it gave him a chance. He stepped out the red carpet, moving around a couple of gyrating bodies, with Cora in tow. He had to admit, he was loving a female's hand in his. He was never one for romantic gestures, but this felt.

. .nice.

"Alright, we're outside." Cora pulled her hand away. "What do you want?"

Rafel moved close enough to her that she could spot the rise and fall of his chest in breathing. He moved close enough that they smelled each other's perfumes; he, like a great mountain forest in winter; her, like first rains and sandalwood. He had never rehearsed the words he was about to speak, but he trusted she would see the truth in his eyes.

"Corazón, I know you feel that moment in the Assembly Hall was the first time we met. . .but it wasn't. I'm not trying to stir any drama here but I need you. You were. .

.taken from me by a demon, mi Corazón; ripped from my arms before, before I even had a chance. I couldn't save you—"

"Isra—"

"Let me finish. . .please. I couldn't protect you. But now, by some miracle, you are before me again, alive," he touched her cheek and pulled back blue strands from her eyes, "I have a second chance at redemption. You don't remember this Cora—and truthfully, you may never, but I loved you.

You were more than my chamberlain. You were a close friend, a most gifted witch.

I just desire to be close to you. . .to forget that awful night and what that bastard did to you."

"What did he do to me?" Cora asked softly.

Her lips hovered so close to his. She whispered. "Tell me, Israfel."

"He killed you."

It dropped like a bucket of cold water between them. Cora put a hand up to her chest, as if to feel if the organ beating within was just a hoax. For several minutes, Rafel and Cora stared into each other's eyes. She didn't remember, but it was clarity.

"I believe you," she said finally. "Where can we talk?"

Rafel ignored the pounding noise of the rager in the mansion behind. Your adventure continues at m v|l-e'-NovelBin.net

"I know a place."

This time, it was Cora who moved to take his hand. She knew, in staring into his eyes that he wasn't lying. Someone had killed her. What was she, really? All these questions made Cora squeeze on Rafel's fingers; the only man who seemed to have all the answers. As he led her off toward Salem Hall, she followed obediently.

Out a window in the Sigma party House, Mikhail, Percival, and Rosamunde gathered around the curtains, staring out. Cora had her head on Rafel's shoulder as they walked under the streetlights. In the villa's innards, Mikhail grinned at the girls.

"—And the operation is a go. Time to roll out, bitches."