CHAPTER 9

 

 

SABNOCK RETURNED to the hotel room to tend to the physical needs of her lover. Not knowing if Constance had made any arrangements for her remains, she searched the documents and manuscripts for any clues that could help her. Every now and then she would look longingly at the woman lying on the bed.

"I could have saved you," she murmured. "We could have had a life if you had let me. Where are you now? Why can't I find you?"

They were questions with no answers. If Dis couldn't help her, she wasn't sure what she would do, but she would never give up her search. She had promised Constance they would be together and Sabnock kept her promises, even if it took an eternity.

Picking up the manuscripts, she glanced through them, stopping every now and then to read something that had caught her eye. When she came across the time period they had met, she saw her name and was curious how the historian would describe their moments together. It was like living every minute over again. The detailed conversations were almost word for word. Her skills at remembering were extraordinary and her ability to describe events precisely. That, itself, impressed the demoness, but what brought hot tears to her eyes was the description of their lovemaking. Every word, every phrase was woven together like threads in a tapestry. When the picture was complete, anyone reading the story would feel the heat and the passion of their love.

The demoness ran her fingertips gently over the words as if by touching them she would relive the moments. Slowly closing the manuscript, she placed it on the table, walked over to the body and lay down next to it. Gathering it in her arms, she held it close and rocked it gently. This would be the last time she would hold her lover like this; perhaps the last time they would even be together.

"What am I to do with you, my love? I can't just leave you here, but I don't know what you want of me."

Burying her face in the gray hair, she let the tears flow, knowing no one was there to see her, to witness her weakness, not that she cared. Even a demon could cry.

*  *  *

Saira could feel the powerful tug pulling her to the Underworld. Apparently Dis needed something, which surprised her. When she arrived, she noticed him pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace.

"Good evening," she said quietly as she shimmered into existence.

"Don't you ever knock?" he growled, irritated that she could come and go without him sensing her.

"And what would you have me knock on? Besides, you obviously wanted to see me or I wouldn't be here."

"Yes, sit," he ordered, motioning to a chair. "I have a dilemma."

"It must be a great one if you're summoning me to help you."

"Believe me, it's not something I wanted."

"I see. So, what can I do for you?"

"I need you to find someone for me."

Saira frowned.

"Find someone? I'm a traveler, not a detective."

"Well, it's your traveler skills that will help find her."

"Her?"

"Yes. A soul. It seems it has been misplaced."

"Misplaced? How can a soul be misplaced and what does that have to do with me?"

"Perhaps it's more accurate to say lost, and one of my demons is on the warpath. If it doesn't show up soon, I'm afraid she'll do something stupid and then I'll be forced to do something I might regret."

"Well, this definitely sounds serious. We can't have the Underlord developing a conscience, now, can we?"

Giving her a wry look, Dis rolled his eyes.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"I don't even know what you want. How do I know if I am?"

"Fair enough! I need you to follow my demon's timeline. It will lead you to this mortal she's become enamored with. Perhaps once you meet her, you can find where her soul went. It never made it to Soulkeeper."

"What about your Twin's realm?"

"He doesn't have it. She'd never fit in with his collection of namby pambies. She should have come here."

"And there's no place else she could have gone?"

"There are other places but it would take too long to check them out and some are unreachable, even for me. I want to know where this soul is and I don't have time to look. Sabnock is impatient when she's on a mission. Now, will you help or not?"

"I can try. It sounds interesting enough. Where do I meet this Sabnock?"

"She just left. Can't you find her timeline using me?"

Saira was stunned. For Dis to offer her one of his strands was an indication of how important this was. It left his entire history open for examination if she chose.

"Of course. I just didn't think you'd want me going that route."

"It's not my preference, but it's the only choice at the moment. I warn you, however, take only that which is Sabnock's. I won't tolerate your intrusion elsewhere."

Nodding, Saira focused on the strands emanating from the Underlord. Ignoring those that had nothing to do with Sabnock, she finally located the most recent and followed it to the present, where she found the demoness lying in bed, cradling the cooling body of a mortal.

Embarrassed at having arrived at such an intimate moment, she felt like a voyeur and then chuckled. That was exactly what she was. Wanting to give them privacy, she decided to leave, but was stopped when another woman appeared.

*  *  *

"She will be misssed," a soft voice whispered near the bed. Looking up, Sabnock saw a blonde woman with brown, golden-speckled eyes standing a few feet away. Unblinking elliptical pupils reminded the demoness of a snake.

"Who are you?" she demanded, surprised that she hadn't heard the door open.

"A friend. Consstance wass loved by more than you. One of her kind comess to take her body to itss final ressting place."

"You still haven't said who you are and I won't let just anyone take her."

"Forgive me. I am Sssarpe. Consstance and I met only a short while ago but I resspected her. Jusst as she was your lover, one of her kind iss mine. We will make sure she iss given the honorss she has earned."

A knock on the door interrupted them. Before Sabnock could stand, a dark-skinned woman with pale blue eyes walked in. Walking over to Sarpe, she gave her a quick kiss and then turned to look at the soldier next to Constance.

"I'm Ekimmu," she said, holding out her hand. Sabnock reluctantly shook it, not sure what was going on. "We're sorry to intrude like this, but we must get her body out of here before the hotel people find her."

"You're a Gebian," the demoness said.

"She must have trusted you a lot to tell you about us. Constance wouldn't have disclosed our existence otherwise."

"We were lovers... a long time ago."

Surprised, Ekimmu glanced at Sarpe. When the serpent spirit nodded, confirming the truth, the Gebian gave the demoness a warm smile.

"I'm glad. It's comforting to know she had someone. Now forgive me, but I don't know your name."

"Sabnock. Lynara Sabnock."

"You belong to Disss," Sarpe accused, moving to stand between Ekimmu and the demoness.

"Belonged! I no longer command his Legions," Sabnock declared, rising to her feet. It was obvious the woman with the strange eyes had taken a dislike to her once she had learned her name.

"Sarpe, love," Ekimmu interrupted. "This isn't the time. Besides, that is none of our business. If Constance loved her, that's all that matters."

Realizing Ekimmu was right, Sarpe backed away.

"You're right, of coursse. I apologize," she said, turning her cold, serpentine eyes on the demoness.

Nodding, Sabnock agreed with the Gebian. If they were her lover's friends, that was all that mattered.

"Where will you take her?"

"Yemaya Lysanne, another friend, has offered her a place amongst her people in the mountains. It is private land and well protected. She will be honored and at peace."

"Lysanne?"

Sabnock had heard rumors of the Illusionist's performances but didn't realize she lived in this part of the world.

"Yes, she and Dakota were very fond of her too."

"Dakota Devereaux?"

"You know her?"

"No, but Constance wanted me to give her those manuscripts. I promised I would make sure she got them."

"Ah, the history of my people. If you trust me, I will take them to her."

"It would probably be best."

Stepping close to Sarpe, she looked deeply into her eyes, curious about her strange looks. When their gazes locked, the demoness' suspicions were confirmed. Although human in appearance, the woman wasn't; nor was she Gebian or demon.

"What are you?"

Sarpe was amused.

"I'd have thought you would have guesssed by now," she mused. "Neither human nor demon, what iss left?"

"I don't like games," Sabnock growled.

Shaking her head, Ekimmu decided there was too much immortal testosterone going on.

"Sarpe, be nice."

The spirit made a wry face but relented.

"Ass you wish. I'm a sspirit. My kin are sserpentss," she admitted.

"And Constance knew this?"

"Of course," Ekimmu said.

"I know so little about her. Two weeks was all we had."

"Apparently it was enough to fall in love. What else is there to know?"

"Everything, but I'm too late. I've lost her forever."

"Can you not join her in your realm?" Sarpe asked.

"I tried. I promised her we would be together, but she's not there."

"She didn't come to the ssspirit world. What about the Twin'sss?"

"Dis said she wasn't there."

"And you believe him?" Sarpe asked.

"He would never lie to me about this."

"Then she must have gone to the Great Beyond," the spirit said. "It is where some souls go, although why, we don't know."

"Then I'll go there and get her back," Sabnock vowed.

"First, I suggest we take care of her mortal remains. We need to get her out of here."

"Tell me where to take her and I'll have her there in seconds."

Ekimmu gave her directions. Taking Constance in her arms, she cradled the body as if it were a child and then disappeared.

"You had better let Yemaya and Dakota know she's on her way," Sarpe said.

Ekimmu made a quick call to the Illusionist and her partner. Yemaya promised she would take care of things discreetly.

"You want to ride with me or pull the disappearing act?" Ekimmu asked.

"I'll keep you company, of coursse."

Gathering up the rest of Constance's belongings and making sure there was no evidence of her having stayed there, the two departed. The hotel clerk would figure the old woman had checked out early.

 

By finding Sabnock, Saira had hoped to locate her lover's strand and follow it to its final destination. Unfortunately, the link between the demoness and her lover had somehow been severed, making it impossible to trace. The only way to re-establish it was for the traveler to journey backward in time and locate the moment they had first met. Then she could follow it forward and reconnect the damaged strands. For the first time, Saira understood her importance. Intunecat was partially right. She was a weaver, mending the damaged strands that held the web of time together.

Saira followed the thread through hundreds of lives, searching for a clue to Constance's disappearance. For the most part, the demoness' lives or identities were short, lasting only a few years, but occasionally she managed to live them longer. Only a few times did she manage to make it beyond a decade, only to discover humans grew suspicious about her when she showed no signs of aging. Saira was beginning to understand Sabnock better. The demoness chose the most dangerous occupations, assuring her of a short existence. The traveler grabbed one of the longer threads, curious as to why those lives were different.