Page 8 of Beyond Your Darkness, I'm Your Light

“I don’t know why I put up with you and all of your shit.” I say, pointing my finger in his face.

“I don’t either. Oh wait, yeah, I do know. Who else would bring you all the juicy gossip I do?”

“Juicy gossip? Are we kids? No, we aren’t. I don’t have time for these games. Have you brought me the information I seek?” I growl.

“Jeez, you really need to take a chill pill. One would think after the orgasm you gave yourself, you’d be in better spirits.” He huffs. “Yes, I brought you the information you seek. Yet I don’t know why you wanted this.”

“It’s none of your business why I wanted it. Just know that if you wouldn’t have brought it to me, you would cease to exist.” I grumble. He needs to understand that I tolerate him because I choose to, not because I have to.

“I understand perfectly well, sir.” He reads my thoughts. “If you don’t need anything else, I’ll take my leave.” Rather than wait for my reply, he vanishes. Leaving me standing there, not feeling one bit upset that he’s gone.

“I work alone.” Having friends is not something I want or need. I was raised not to feed into childish notions such as that. It’s a good thing The Messengers found me when they did, or I would have ended up dead like my parents. I’m not saying their teachings were wrong. They did their best, but being so foolish cost them their lives, and that’s not a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Now, to work through the information Nigel found. The Messengers are up to something, but I can’t quite figure out what it could be. The info inside will hopefully shed some light on that for me. Opening the manilla folder, I find list after list with name after name on it.

“I wonder what all this is.” There are over a hundred names here without any indication as to who these people are. I’m not going to get anywhere with just these useless names unless I bring in someone I trust more than Nigel. Kayla. I know I said I didn’t need anyone, but every villain needs a sidekick, and mine is definitely not Nigel. Fishing my phone from my pocket, I dial her number.

“Hey, ugly, what do you want?”

“Ugly? I’m far from ugly, and if you weren’t like a sister to me, I would have either fucked or killed you by now.”

“As if I’d let you get close enough to try and stick your pickled dick into my hot and tight core.” She laughs.

“You’re an evil bitch, and when you say shit like that I want to kill myself for having to listen to it.” I growl which causes her to laugh even harder.

“Oh, man, I wish I could see your face right now.” She snorts.

“Pull yourself together!” I yell, and that halts her laughing spell. “That’s better, I need you to check something out for me.”

“And what might that be?” Kayla whispers.

“Someone was able to appear in my dream before I received their name, and I don’t exactly know what that means. Plus, I had Nigel do a little digging and he found over a hundred names from people with ties to The Messengers. I need to know what that’s about.”

"Wait, what do you mean they were able to appear in your dreams? The names can wait." She barks.“I mean, it seemed like a dream but felt more real than anything before. I do have the ability to make others think it’s merely a dream, but with her, I wasn’t in control. ”“Okay, tell me more.” She says, popping her damn gum in my ear.

“You do know I kill people for a living, right?” I growl, not giving her the chance to answer. “Treat me with some fucking respect or I’ll break your fucking kneecaps and leave you to rot where you fall.”

“Look, you don’t scare me, okay? I know what you are and what you’re capable of, but don’t forget I can handle my own. I’d go down with a fight. ” She says with more steel in her voice. Then adds in a whining tone, “Don’t be a dick, start talking.”

Over the next thirty minutes, I replay what happened between me and the woman back to her and find that she’s completely speechless.

“So, I think if I keep making her believe it’s just a dream, I’ll get more unguarded responses from her and be able to learn more about her to which she must be the next name on my list. She’ll be under the illusion it’s not real and carry that feeling with her while she’s awake. What could go wrong, it’s just business, right? .” I say. When I hear nothing but silence, and it makes my blood boil. “Fucking, say something!” I scream.

“First of all, don’t yell at me, and second of all, you’re fucked.” And she starts laughing all over again.

“What the fuck do you find so funny about this? She is more than likely my next target, but I don’t know what the fuck she looks like. You’re just as useless as Nigel.” I screech into severing our call.

How dare she laugh at me, and then have the nerve to say I’m fucked without an explanation? Granted, I did hang up on her before she could answer me. Screw it, I’ll find that little temptress on my own or so help me God, the next person to look at me wrong will fucking die.

An hour later, I pull up to Baird’s Tavern. Not to have myself a drink, but to reach the portal located by the woods near the back exit of the tavern. Humans can’t see it or pass through it by accident; you have to use a certain incantation for it to let you through.

Strolling through the tavern, I nod my head to the owner as I make my way to the back. Looking around, I notice all the patrons getting their fill of the liquid amber that goes down smooth with a little kick to it. These people don’t even know the war and carnage this world would suffer if it weren’t for The Messengers of Chaos preventing such things from happening.

Watching them laugh and carry on like they don’t have a care in the world is enough to make me want to torch the place. But Everett, the owner who is also a Shapeshifter, would carve my balls off and hang them above the mantle like one of his masterpieces. The thought has me wanting to do so, just for the thrill.

I see the exit is near and step across the threshold. Walking towards the wooded area, I tread over to the portal and recite the words needed to pass. “Fammi entrare se ne hai il coraggio.” There is the sound of swirling and swishing water and I have no idea where it comes from. It fascinates me each time I recite the words, and I’ve even heard that depending on what you say it can take you to different parts of the world. One day, I shall do just that.

Once I cross over to the other side, I’m greeted by two muscular Gargoyles who look as if they just got out of a cage fight.

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