Chapter Thirty-Nine

There was no way to avoid the daylight forever. The sun came up and Vince, tired beyond anything he had ever known before, glanced over and saw that Karl had been asleep for some time. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw that Chris was asleep as well.

Maybe I should get one of them to drive soon, he thought and then he saw a gas station at the next exit. There he could allow himself a break and get some coffee in his system.

He yawned as he pulled the car into the station. When it stopped, Karl opened his eyes and looked around. “Are we there yet?”

“About half way. You’ve been out for a long time,” said Vince as he looked at Karl with a grin.

“You look like shit, Man,” said Karl and straightened his back.

“Yeah, what do you expect? I’ve been driving for twelve hours now.”

“Want me to drive a while?” Karl asked.

Vince yawned and stretched his back. “I’d like that. Let me get something to drink – maybe a quick piss, too.”

“Yeah, I think I should, too,” replied Karl as they both got out of the car and winced at the same time from their stiff backs. “Should we wake up Sleeping Beauty?”

Vince looked in and saw that Chris was in a peaceful slumber. “Let her sleep,” he replied and they entered the gas station.

* * *

As he watched them enter the station, Orion grinned and descended next to the car – he didn’t care if anyone saw it or not. He looked in and saw the sleeping young woman and formed a devilish smile.

He made himself transparent and willed himself through the back window and sat down next to Chris. He nudged her leg with his boot and she jerked awake.

Orion was prepared to hear Chris scream, but he was surprised when she did not. She merely stared at him in utter disgust.

“You don’t look too surprised to see me,” he commented behind sarcasm.

“Why should you surprise me?” Chris spat out. “What surprises me is that you come to torment me when I’m alone. You’re afraid to show yourself when we’re all together. You know we’re stronger than you.”

Orion reached up and grazed his index finger across her chin. “Don’t be so naïve. I could have easily crushed this car with you all in it. But I need Vincent; he knows where the Forbidden Realms is and I don’t.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“So, in your rage, you almost forfeited everything and tried to kill him last night.”

Orion nodded.

“You really need to keep that in check. See, I keep my fear in check – that’s why I’m not afraid of you.”

“I really don’t care if you are or not,” Orion said and shook his head. “You’re going to be dead in a matter of a couple of days anyway.”

Chris shook her head sympathetically. “You sad little man,” she said. “I am prepared to die. That doesn’t frighten me either because I know where I’m going when I die.” She looked him in the face. “Do you?”

Orion sat back in the seat and relaxed himself. In an earlier time, back when he had mortal dreams, he would have fallen in love with Chris. She knows how to get to the marrow without so much as flinching. She challenged him, also, in ways no one ever has. He tried to think back as far as he could.

“When I was a young child,” he began. “Before my training had been complete, I truly believed I would go to Heaven because my father told me that all we did, we did it for the Glory of Orion.”

And when he thought of this, a new scheme entered his wicked brain. “Glory,” he repeated. “For whose Glory do you sacrifice yourself to? God? Vincent? Mykella?”

“I sacrifice myself for the whole human race,” she said without a smile. She loved to say it. She loved to hear herself say it; but she would not let the beast know it.

“There are wars everywhere, Christene. Men killing babies. Diseases and hunger throughout the world. Is that worth saving? My kingdom will put an end to it all.”

“Interesting,” she replied and sat up. “So you’d put an end to war? Even you can’t do that! The prophecy tells of the Great War between you and Mykella.”

Orion flinched as if he had been struck. “Well, my sweet, you shall see – no wait, you won’t. You’ll be dead.” He smiled. “Tell Vincent I’m right above and I’m watching every move he makes.”

With his boot, he pushed the back of the passenger seat forward, reached for the door handle and opened the door. “Adieu, my Love. Until we meet again,” and then he exited the car and ascended into the sky once again.

Moments later, Vince and Karl returned to the car and Vince saw that Chris was awake. He placed several plastic bags filled with snacks onto the passenger floor and was about to say something cute to her, but then he saw her drained face. “What’s wrong?” he dared to ask.

“Orion paid me a visit while you guys were in the store,” she said.

Vince and Karl glanced around the area. Neither could find where the enemy was hiding and they looked back at Chris with confused expressions. And then she pointed skyward.

Horrified, Vince looked up and there, dangling on the flagpole was Orion; cloak blowing as fierce as the flag which hung beside him.

Orion looked down and gave them a small salute. Instead of returning the same gesture, Vince raised his fist and extended his middle finger and Orion burst into laughter.

“What did he want?” asked Vince as he got into the passenger seat. Karl agreed to drive the remainder of the trip if he could.

“Nothing, really. Just making sure I know what I want to do, I suppose.”

Vince nodded; he understood these games now. “He was trying to get you to leave us. Wasn’t he?”

They were back on the highway when she answered with an affirmative. Vince thanked her again and she smiled at him. Way back in her mind she was hoping that this might win his heart back to her. But, as Orion had said, they would probably be dead anyway. So what did it matter now?

And deep down, she believed the monster.

Well, she thought, they’re not gonna take me without a fight. I’ll show ‘em what Chris Fergenson is all about.