Dark Sonata Page 25

  It was so true. She felt like she’d die if she didn’t get to see him again, there was no question about it. No argument. Michael sat down on the edge of the desk in his study and eyed her with interest. He exhaled and glanced out the window, seeming to be lost in thought. “Victoria, I must explain something to you.” He looked back at her. “If you are willing to do this I must prepare you for reality.”

  Tori frowned. “I know what I must do.”

  “Do you now?” he asked and gave her a look one would a small child. “Because I really don’t think you do. What plan do you have? To confess your love for Ezra and everything will be perfect? Once he sees you everything will right itself?”

  She stared at him. When he put it that way it sounded silly. “Well, not quite like that. I think I can do more good than the first time around.”

  Michael chuckled and looked out the window again, as if seeking divine help.

  “What’s funny?” she was getting annoyed with him. “Tell me what to do then if you know so much.”

  He glanced at her and his expression became very serious. “I will tell you how it will be and you can tell me if this is what you want.” He shifted on the desk. “This is not a fairytale where you go back in time and find happily-ever-after. This is reality, where good and evil thrive. Happy endings are few and far between, and that is the actuality. The second time around will be a battle, something you might not be mentally ready for.” He continued, “You going back will change everything!”

  She jumped at his sudden outburst.

  “You need to realize that this could turn out worse than the first time. If I change a sneeze in the past it can alter the future dramatically. And know this, I will only allow you to do this once. You have one shot at this Victoria, for I am jeopardizing everything to allow you to do this,” he said sternly. “When you jump through time everyone will feel it, including Ezra. They will know someone powerful broke the barrier of time. That alone will cause a dramatic shift in history for you will not be an innocent lady, unknowing of who you are. You will come into the picture as the Destroyer. Your knowledge alone will change the outcome of Ezra’s life, for he cannot bargain his soul.”

  “What do you mean he cannot bargain his soul?” she asked, her heart suddenly pounding.

  “It only worked before because you were an innocent held captive. This is not the case anymore. If you help him in the same way you will be committing treason to our kind and be denied.”

  Tori thought quickly. “I can fake being an innocent again, being held against my will. No one will guess it.”

  “No you can’t.”

  Tori stared at him, waiting for him to expound.

  “I will know, and me being a Liorian of the highest I cannot allow you this or I will be committing treason as well,” he spoke with authority.

  Tori closed her eyes, now understanding that this would not be as easy as she once thought. She could be making the biggest mistake of her life, trying to change the course of history. But, to her, as long as Ezra was still alive nothing seemed to matter, even if it turned out to be a nightmare. “How will you know I will not be an innocent girl?”

  Michael’s gaze seemed to intensify. “I will know.”

  Tori wondered how powerful Michael really was. “You will know I jumped through time, and why I did it?”

  “Yes.”

  She nodded, somehow believing that. How Michael would have that knowledge was beyond her. “I still want to do it,” she said softly.

  “Even if Ezra tries to kill you?”

  Tori closed her eyes. “Yes.”

  “You two will not have the chance to bond like you did before, he will not love you like you do him,” he reminded. “He will think you the enemy and may even turn to the dark side seeing how all of his hope is gone. Knowing that he cannot bargain you might make him resort into making amends to his Demon father.”

  Tori’s eyes widened. “Can you see what happens?”

  “I see what needs to be seen,” he said carefully.

  She walked up to him, really looking at him this time. “Oh my God.”

  He tilted his head at her in question.

  “I have to go back. There would be no way you would allow it if it was not foreseen by you,” she whispered. “Everything that has happened, all of this,” she waved her arm around, “was so that I would go back in time.”

  That was Michael’s mission from day one.

  Michael was counting on her love for Ezra, hoping it would be strong enough to make her want to go back for the right reasons. “Why not just tell me to go back? Why go through all of this? You didn’t even have to kill Ezra! I would have understood.”

  He shook his head and leaned forward. “No,” he said. “Like a said, a single sneeze can change the course history. Everything that has happened needed to happen.”

  She sighed, feeling like she was in a bad dream. “OK. What kind of hell on Earth am I in for?”

  His laugh was breathy. “You’ll be fine. I will be right there with you.”

  “I won’t be alone?”

  “Never.”

  Tori closed her eyes and nodded. She prayed that Michael was just trying to toughen her up, not prepare her for mental destruction. “Send me then.”

  Michael stood and cracked his fingers. “What shall you wear, my lady? I believe your attire now will not do.”

  Tori smiled at his perfect English accent and reddened, realizing in her fit of anger she only put on her undergarments. What shall she wear? “Will I be arriving at the night of the ball?”

  “Before everything.”

  Tori looked at him and raised a brow. “You can make me any dress I want?”

  He looked offended. “You better hope I am capable of performing such a small task as that.”

  Tori smiled and thought. “Red lace,” she murmured, “I want a ball gown made of red lace and silk,” she ordered firmly. By God if she was going back in time she better bring her A-game. “He loves lace,” she offered and blushed a bit. “I am sure everyone knows that little fact.”

  Michael smiled and winked, seeming much younger than he appeared moments before. “Who doesn’t?”

  She grinned at him, never seeing this side of him. “I want it very alluring, if you catch my meaning.”

  “I only assumed,” he said and raised his hand high. “Now you’re supposed to spin while I wave my wand in the air.”

  She raised a brow and couldn’t help the giggle. “Really?”

  “Yes really.” He motioned for her to spin. “Where do you think Cinderella got her dress.”

  She laughed and started to spin.

  “Wait,” he ordered with a frown.

  “What?”

  “I,” he paused and tapped his chin. “I don’t think I know what the under garments look like.”

  Tori tried not to smile at the bizarre statement. This made her wonder if Michael had ever been with ladies before if he has no recollection of what they wore under their clothes.

  He exhaled and glanced at her. “You will have to help me out, what do they look like?” He was definitely a little embarrassed.

  She had to ask, her curiosity was too overpowering. “You have never been with a woman before, have you?”

  His eyes widened and for one split second she regretted asking the question. Damn her mouth. What she was not expecting was his loud barking laughter. He actually wiped his eye, as if this notion brought him to tears.

  Tori felt herself smile, still stunned to see this side of him. “I guess I can safely assume that you cover up your inexperience with awkward laughter,” she teased with a pitying look and a long sigh.

  “I appreciate your concern,” he said with a sparkle in his eye, “But that is not the problem.”

  “It might be … a little bit of a problem,” she said with a nod.

  “The only problem is my wounded pride, my Lady.” He stood and walked over to her. “Not that it’s of any concern to you at all
but I am familiar with the female gender, despite what you think. Thank you for your deepest concerns. Liorian women wear much different garments than in Old England. Demon women walk around with their bodies half exposed so I just get confused. Do not forget it’s been quite a while since 1841. I just can’t get a clear picture at all.”

  “Fine,” she laughed. “I’m sure it does not matter what I wear for undergarments, I could just wear nothing for all I care.”

  She blushed.

  He raised a brow. “I see, well, I am your dressmaker and your gown will look dreadful with you hanging out everywhere.”

  Tori mouth dropped open then saw the teasing light in his eye. Michael? Teasing her? “You’re not a very nice Fairy Godmother.”

  “You’ll understand if I care not,” he said in perfect English.

  She laughed, never thinking that she would be jesting back and forth with Michael the Archangel. “I understand.”

  “Now, I am just going to make guess at it.”

  “Oh dear,” she said with a scowl.

  “In all honestly I do not think it will matter what I put on you now that I think about it,” he confessed with a knowing look.

  She blushed again and looked away. “Alright, do I spin now?” she asked, a little nervous.

  He frowned like she was daft. “Only if you want a new dress.”

  “And undergarments.”

  “Yes and them too.”

  She started to spin and felt her body tingle. Tori opened her eyes then gasped and tried to cover herself, for she stood in a very transparent red corset and a modern black thong. “Michael!”

  He laughed like he thought this was hilarious, he held his stomach, overtaken with mirth. “Good? Yes? I really hope this will work because … ”

  “Yes!” She turned around wondering if he lost his mind.

  “Now before you draw the wrong conclusions, I only did this in high hopes that Ezra will one day read your new story,” he admitted with a smile only a cunning fox would wear.

  She tried to cover herself as best as she could. “What are you talking about?”

  Michael walked up to her and shrugged his shoulders. “If Ezra learns to love you again one day he will want to read your new story, which will have me dressing you,” he continued, “Ezra has been a pain in my ass for the past hundred years. This is pay back, my dear.” He said very loudly, “And you look quite ravishing!”

  He winked at her and put his hand to his mouth to shh her.

  She whispered, “You think this will make him jealous or angry that you saw me in my undergarments?”

  He contained his laughter and leaned down kissing her on the lips, his mouth barely moving over hers. It was rather a chaste kiss but it still shocked her. Tori placed a hand on her lips and just stared at him.

  “That will make him livid which will bring me great pleasure. Trust me, the man deserves it.” He waved his hand. “Now spin.”

  She did, still a little confused, a grin pulling at the corner of her mouth.

  In one second she was in her daring undergarments and the next she stood in a striking gown made of liquid fire. The red was so vibrant it didn’t seem like a fabric found on Earth. Tori gasped as she looked down at herself. “Mercy, the Fairy Godmother has a dark side,” she whispered. The ruby silk spilled out over the hoop skirt and was fringed with a crimson lace that would send a nun into a fit of prayers. The tight bust was square cut giving her generous cleavage, amplifying the creaminess of her skin. The back was low cut and daring, ending right above her lower back. Scandalous indeed. She’d bet a couple of Ladies would faint at the sight. Red silk. Game changer.

  “I would prefer, the God Father.” Michael walked up to her and held out a choker, a black choker with a brilliant pale opal in the center. “After you jump, you will need to put this on. Your mother gave you this choker as a stop to your powers. When wearing this you will not be able to access anything to do with the Destroyer. And, a demon who is infected with your blood can put this on and the venom will be no more,” he continued, “This is the only cure to your poison, that is why this is so important. And even this is not one-hundred percent. It might just slow down the process or cure, it depends on the level of poison injected. And before you ask, no Ezra is too far gone for this to work on him.”

  Tori grabbed the choker and nodded. “I see. Very interesting. I was wondering where this went. No wonder they were trying to get this into Ezra’s dad’s hands—it would potentially cure him.”

  “Yes. It helps you contain and control your power. So, if Ezra happens to spill blood in your presence you will not kill him if you wear this,” he offered with a grin.

  “Thank you, would hate for him to get a bloody nose and have me transform.” She shivered at the thought. Her mother really had thought of everything. Tori was extremely thankful for that.

  Michael handed her a cloak and a thick book. The book was off-black with gold-lined pages. “Take these.”

  She thanked him. “What is this book for?”

  Michael helped her conceal it in her cloak. “This is where you will write your story. Your memories will come automatically.” He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. “This is the most important part. I hope instinct will take over to guide you. Without your story you will be lost without hope, a mindless soul.”

  Tori walked over to the mirror and gazed at her own reflection. “Are you certain I will know what to do?” she asked, doubting everything. Her nerves were taking flight. “What if I am unable to write the story like I had before? Can you see into the future and at least tell me that much.”

  He sighed. “I do not know what will happen until you jump I’m afraid, and even then I am forbidden to tell you anything. I can only guide you in the right direction if I can.”

  She bit her lip. “So you have no idea if this is a disaster?”

  “Let your emotions guide you,” he said as he walked to stand behind her. “Are you ready? You can still back out.”

  Tori thought of Ezra and nodded. “I’m ready.” Her heart was pounding in her chest, praying that Michael has told her the truth.

  Michael put his hand on her shoulder, making her whole body start to tingle. He leaned into her ear and whispered, “God’s speed.”

  Blackness overtook her.

  Chapter seventeen

  Basingstoke, England, 1841

  The scent of rain and the deep rumble of thunder brought her out of her stunned trance. The cool breeze kissed her face announcing that she was alive. Victoria slowly raised her head, hand trembling on the last page of the story. Chapter seventeen was all that had been written, seeing no golden words being engraved of anything after.

  God, she was in the present.

  Victoria looked around as the wind buffeted her, the air smelling strongly of rain. The land was dark and forbidding, the estate seemed to be engulfed in something quite evil. She held out her hand and felt the cold dead air. The deep vibrations were evident, as if the evil didn’t mind being found out this time around. Her jumping through time must have awoken something wicked. Something powerful for it felt like the ground rumbled beneath her feet. The distant mansion emitted a ghostly glow due to the lanterns lighting its massive perimeter. This place pulled at her memory cords, it was just how she envisioned it to look from the descriptions in her story. Powerful and dark. She could feel its dark energy as she could the biting wind. Victoria closed her eyes and inhaled the night air, needing to calm her now pounding heart. She was back to the very beginning of everything. Before all of the hurt—before all of the heartbreak.

  She did it.

  A laugh escaped from her lips, silently thanking Michael.

  She drew her brows together. Where was this Michael? Why was he not meeting her if he was all-knowing? She needed to see him now if this was going to work. God, she could not do this by herself. The thought scared her.

  Victoria glanced around. “Michael!” she screamed, hoping he would hear her. “Michael!�
� She took a staggering breath as she gazed up into the sky, “Michael you said you would be here when I landed!” She listened, looking around, feeling a dark awareness surround her. “Michael! Where are you?!”

  Well, if Michael did not hear her she bet something else did.

  With that thought she stopped her yelling.

  The necklace. She instantly felt her neck and was relieved to still feel Ezra’s necklace, the one his mother had given him. The one he had given to her before he died.

  Not anymore. He was alive and well now and she was going to find him. She was going to set things straight, to avoid disaster. All she needed was a good plan and something to fall back on. Victoria glanced up, feeling the raindrops start to pound down on her. It was time. It wouldn’t be long before the guests arrived like they had before when it started to rain in her story.

  She needed to find Michael because he did say that he would know and help her. He would know why she jumped and hopefully he could point her in the right direction. She just needed to get Ezra alone and have him read the story as she had. Then, God willing, he would look at her in a different light. Even if he didn’t love her as before maybe they could grow together. She could live with that.

  Victoria narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the manor. At this time her horse should be possessed along with the rabid dogs but she saw nothing to that nature. Already that had changed making her a little nervous.

  What if Ezra does not show?

  She started walking but that soon turned in to a sprint, the rain really coming down now making it hard to run in her hoopskirt.

  Victoria halted.

  “The choker,” she whispered. Victoria searched her cloak and finally found the rare necklace hidden in a side pocket. The center stone seemed to glow on its own. It reflected the eerie moon as each streak of lightning cut across the angry sky. Shivering, she put it on when a strong sensation instantly seized her and made her fingertips tingle.

  Victoria looked up when more lightning made contact with the ground. The reverberation was ear splitting, as if the sound was a beast of its own. She turned on her heel and made her way to the manor with haste. She needed to get to her room and map out a plan of action. A place where she could think clearly.