Page 75 of Revelations

With that he released his hold on her upper arms and rubbed his large, manicured hands up and down as if trying to ease away the imprinted red marks.

“So, what do we do now? Just stand around and wait for nothing to happen?” She desperately wanted to check on Thomas and she didn’ttrust Olivier’s goons not tohurt him. “You do realize that, by keeping me here, I can’t work on your little project. It was my understanding there was a bit of a rush on that.”

Olivier’s smirk sent shivers of unease through to her core. “Should not take too long, my dear. As soon as my colleague lets it slip that I have absconded with you and the professor, either Kael shows, or he does not. Why not just relax? Care for a cup of tea?”

Oh, this was just fantastic. Olivier morphed from menacing villain to polite host in a blink. A tea party with a fallen angel?

“I’ll take something a bit stronger, if you have it. But…you do realize that, unless you’ve gifted your little soldier boy with Star Trek beaming capability, even if he wanted to ride to my rescue, Kael wouldn’t get here for weeks or more. You did say we were in Tibet, right?” As an afterthought, she added, “If you happen to be handing out supernatural powers like that, I certainly know what’s being added to my Christmas list.”

A low rumble emanated from Olivier’s throat. “Do not fret, dear. Kael is very resourceful. If he wants to get somewhere fast, he makes it happen. Of course, if he does show, I will just have to flay the traitor’s skin from his body, inch by inch, while you watch.” A sudden smile lit up his face. “Now…let me get you that drink.”

He simply snapped his fingers and one of the monsters from earlier reappeared with its head bowed in supplication. “Fetch our guest a drink.” Glancing back at her, he asked, “I believe you prefer a ‘Godfather’—equal parts scotch and amaretto, yes?”

Confounded as to how he knew what her favorite drink was, she simply nodded. With another snap of his fingers, the creature retreated from the cavernous room. They stood in silence as Olivier stared into the distance as if he could see beyond the rock surrounding them. A few minutes later, the ghastly creature returned with two tumblers of amber liquid.

Sniffing the beverage, Greylyn did not detect any nefarious odors indicative of poison. Besides, poisoning her would be against Olivier’s best interests, would it not? Satisfied that he wasn’t trying to kill her, and not really caring anymore if he did, she sipped the glorious warming drink.

After draining the glass, she dared to ask, “So, how long do we wait?”

Not long.

A shockwave rocked her body. The glass dropped from her hand. It shattered, but the sound was drowned out by a roar of wind coming from the cave entrance, followed by feet slamming into the rocky ground. Moments later, a tall shadow emerged and stalked toward them.

“Guess my invitation to this little soirée got lost in the mail.”

Oh, no! Kael, what have you done?

Chapter 19 – Hell Hath No Fury

Greylyn shut her eyes from the knowing, menacing grin that crossed Olivier’s face. Why should she care if Olivier now doubted his once-trusted minion? Butwhy was there a knot in her stomach as she waited to see what either would say or do?

“Kael, my dear boy. So good to see you.”

The fallen archangel’s tone was congenial, but Greylyn heard the taint behind the words. By the expression on Kael’s face, he heard it, too. She hoped that he realized he had just walked right into a gigantic trap.

Stepping around her to put himself between her and Olivier, Kael stood with one hand behind his back and the other planted on his hip. He was so close, tension radiated off him; every muscle was taut. His fingers behind his back twitched.

Kael finally spoke up. “Like I said, someone must have lost my invitation. I didn’t realize you were hosting a happy hour for guardians.” Looking around he added, “So, where are the rest? Am I too late for the main event?”

A roar of laughter erupted from the oversized archangel, shaking the walls. “But, you are the main event. The lady and I have been expecting you.”

Snapping his fingers, the ghoulish servant returned. After ordering a round of Godfathers for all of them, Olivier instructed that the professor also be brought in.

While he was otherwise busy giving instructions, Kael chanced a curious glance behind him. The worry in his eyes mirrored her own. He understood that Olivier mistrusted him now but had come anyway. Why?

She mouthed, “What are you doing?”

Did he not understand the consequences?

Uncomfortable silence fell after the servant slithered out to fulfill his orders. Olivier’s neon green eyes roved over first Kael and then Greylyn and then back to Kael. Patiently, like a predator observing his prey, he waited for one of them to make a wrong move.

The servant returned with their beverages. No one had spoken.

With drinks now in hand, Olivier raised his tumbler. “A toast!” he proclaimed.

“What shall we toast to?” Kael tipped the glass up in the scant lighting, obviously skeptical.

“Why, to the two of you, of course.”

---