Chapter Seven: Abandoned

Mercy has entered the painting, while she searches for the lost souls, something is searching for her. Will Mercy be able to defeat the monster? or will she fail like many before her?

Mercy felt her form and spirit flying through space, time, and the unreal.

As soon as she said those words, her feet left the stone floor of the hidden room and she wandered as if warping into the unknown. With eyes closed tightly, fearing only pain if she opened them, Mercy tumbled and fell into three feet of fallen snow.

While it was chill and cool to the touch, it did not cause the new captive to freeze. Face down, her wild hair catching the tiny snowflakes, Mercy picked up her head and gazed around her.

She had entered Snow.

 

The winter storm swept up her long hair in the wild winds, and yet the snowflakes fell gently to the ground. As she slowly stood up and began to wander, Mercy felt the flakes and falling snow pass through her, as if she were a shadow, caught in limbo.

She studied her surroundings closely. In the distance before her, she could just barely see a tall, tower. Although it was heavily covered in painted ice, Mercy could make out the four legs that merged in the middle and rose into the mist, higher than she could imagine, even though she had been up there before.

Those who have never seen Paris could just as easily identify the symbol.

 

In the background, the snowy space between Mercy and the Eiffel Tower, were three shadows huddled closely to each other. Initially, the aura surrounding the dark shadows frightened her; they were dark, mystical, and unwelcome.

Then, a dawn of recognition, a surge of abandoned hope urged Mercy to move toward them. The thought that they were forgotten, and left in such inhospitable surroundings sent chills down Mercy’s spine. How could he do this to them? To invite them to their wildest dreams then throw them out like trash.

The close she moved towards them, the slower she became. It was as if something or someone was trying to prevent her from seeing the outer world beings.

“Hello?” Mercy suddenly called out to the shadows, her voice echoed as if she was deep in a canyon. “Claire? Peter? Marie?”

A small boy’s scared voice answered, “Auntie Claire, who was that?”

“I’m not sure, darling.” Although the gentle voice answered to reassure him, there was the unmistakable hint of fear.

“Claire!” Mercy called again as she tried to reach the shadows, “Claire is that you?”

“Who is that?” Claire’s shadow approached Mercy gradually. “Who are you? Shade, is that you?”

“Shade?” Mercy asked, thoroughly confused as she stopped in her tracks.

The shadow’s arm outstretched, it was smoky grey and undefined as it reached for Mercy. The moment she grasped the shadow’s chilled fingers, Claire was instantly visible.

“Claire… De Lille.” Mercy said grateful to find her alive.

The woman was beautiful and haunting. Her once gorgeous dark blonde hair was now stringy and unkempt; the bright golden yellow eyes were more stunning and full of determination when they fell on the woman. “Who are you?” she asked. “Are you another victim?”

“My name is Mercy La Volpe. I… am a friend of your husband.” She tried to smile but failed.

“Cyril? You know Cyril?” the woman clutched Mercy’s hands in desperation, “Please, tell me how he is? Is he alright? Has anything happened? Has he done anything reckless? I hope he hasn’t, not for me. He’s so level headed but if something happens to me, he’ll lash out, abandoning reason for madness.”

Smiling warmly, Mercy relieved her, “Cyril is fine; he’s not done anything like that.” She added as an afterthought, “He misses you, so much, and longs to see you again. We are going to get you, Marie and Peter home.”

The woman wrapped her arms around Mercy and wept into the curve of her warm neck. “Mercy, I was so foolish, Cyril told me not to stare at the painting, but I could not help it, it was too striking to look away! Now I’ll never see my darling again… I feel as if I have abandoned him.”

Mercy hugged her tightly and stroked her hair, “It’s alright. I’m here to free you, and Peter, and Marie.”

“Can you?” Claire pulled back to stare into Mercy’s gaze. She tightly clutched the sides of her shoulders and gripped the fabric, “Can you defeat Shade? Can you truly free us?”

“Yes. I just need to know where to find him.”

Claire shook her head sadly, as tears welled in her bright eyes, “He finds you. He always finds you, wherever you are.”

“Okay,” Mercy nodded, “Claire, I need you to hold on to Peter and Marie’s hand and whatever you do, do not let go. Stay hidden, in the shadows.”

Mercy kissed Claire’s forehead as if they were long lost sisters. “Don’t give up hope, Cyril is waiting for you. He cannot wait to hold in his arms again. Think about him.”

With the thought of seeing her husband again, Claire was filled with new hope as she rushed back to Peter and Marie; the moment she and Mercy parted, Claire became a mere grey shadow again.

To ensure the trio’s safety, Mercy walked further from the image of the Eiffel Tower, her hand eased over the hilt of her dagger and held it by her thigh, ready for anything.

“Shade!” she yelled at the top of her lungs into the winter night and offered herself as bait, “I know you are there! You have a new victim to claim! I am waiting for you! SHADE!”

The wind surrounding her stopped immediately. Everything froze as if it was stuck in time, in a simple, untampered, painting.

“Mercy La Volpe.” A slow, seductive, baritone voice called gently to her, “I was wondering when I would get a chance to have you. I have seen you many times in that disgusting world you call home. Let me show you a real, untainted world.”

Chilled hands curved their long, deadly fingers around her arms and slowly, soothingly caressed her. Goosebumps ran down her shivering flesh as the tight grip on her dagger faltered, and loosened. But she did not let go.

The Shade spoke again, this time, near her jawline and slender neck, “I can read your inner most thoughts, my dear. Your husband rejects your love, you are hunted by the enemies, my friends, and you dread death’s clutches, even though they are slowly gripping tighter around your dying grandfather.”

His poisonous lips soothingly pressed against her neck, the chill made her stiffen and arch her self, but the exhilaration drove away the fear and loathing.

“Let me ease your suffering my dear Mercy, let me show you true love. Just give me your eternal soul.”

Mercy’s blood rushed, she was foolish to try to destroy him, foolish that a small piece of her wanted to taste his promise, “You’ll save my grandfather?” she asked almost mechanically.

“Oh, yes my dear.” He moved closer to her, pressing his strong jawline against hers; Liam had the same jaw, she noticed. “I promise to douse Death’s fiery grip on him. He would live on, and you…” his voice became hoarse with self-wanting. You would live with me forever. Become my wife. Confess to me.”

Caught in his web, Mercy’s eyes fluttered and grew heavier, “How would I do that?” her words were slurred.

Shade held her chin and turned her to face him, he had no discernible features; in fact, the only thing she could make out was the shadow of a nose and sneering lips that moved closer to hers.

“In order to seal the deal, you must kiss me, willingly.”

His falsely loving arms wrapped around her waist and leaned close to her. Mercy was lost in this tempting desire and urgent lust; just as she was with Liam.

 

Shade was close and then closer. Just as she was about to lose all sagacity to the demon and become his slave-bride, Liam’s gaze, scent, and touch reawakened her senses; revitalized her spellbound mind.

Liam, her ex-husband, for whom she still felt admiration, called to her. Whispering her name like a poem in her ear, Mercy felt her heart beating again. With a tinge of guilt, she realized that he was her salvation. He was her only link to reality, the world she belonged in, and the only thought that could save her from this imprisonment.

Determined, Mercy leaned close but did not touch Shade as she wanted to turn the tables and trick him, and he could not move any closer unless she did so. Her hand clutched the weapon, shaking furiously.

Just as Shade became a little more defined, he closed his eyes and waited for his prey’s contract; Mercy raised the purified blade and stabbed his heart with seven inches of pure, sharpened silver.

 

 Nothing compared to the shriek of agony and repulsion that emanated from the evil curse. He tried to push the woman away, his long fingers clawing at her skin and leaving deep red scars. However, she noticed nothing as she wrapped her fingers wrapped around his spectral neck and squeezed. Knowing that strangling a specter would not kill him, she repeatedly pierced him, each thrust of the dagger becoming more violent. Angry tears burst from her as she noticed the winds around her were slowing down; she cared little for the painting; all that ran through her mind was trying to kill the spawn, yet, during the process, she felt something within her die as well.

 

While the evil creature was not a real being, something like pale grey smoke emitted from every puncture as blood would from a mortal, except, the blood floated like warm smoke and Mercy’s chest and arms.

Gore or not, Mercy mercilessly stabbed him for stealing souls,  she impaled him again and again for causing her anguish, for reminding her of the man she still loved yet loathed. For every pain Mercy had suffered in life, she transformed it into fury and released it into the demon with every prick of the silver blade.

 

Still shrieking like a banshee, his haunting figure froze like an ice sculpture, then cracked like stone and dissolved into ashes. Some dissipated into the air; others stained the pure white paint. The landscape then quickly froze, as if time itself had stopped. Snowflakes hung in the air, the wind was deadly silent, almost non-existent; Mercy too felt herself freeze and become a mere shadow.

Her last thought was of Liam, what would he think if he saw where she breathed her last?

 

Reviews

[Brad P]

Awesome! Fantastic imagery... I felt the snow falling on and around me, felt her fear. I saw what she saw, felt what she felt.

[Hope_Lescase]

Thank you so much!!!! :D