“Are you sure you don’t want my help?” Ossie asked with concern. He stood against the door, not allowing me to open it.
“Vic said only I could go in there.” I pointed at the door near the bathroom and my room with the ancient metal and a slot that opened, and one could see only darkness inside. “If you enter, you’d never be able to find your way back again… only I can retrieve the pearl.”
“You know who’s inside?”
I shook my head. A wave of dread flooded my system. Going inside that room was like stepping on sinking stones in a crocodile river. One false move and I’d lose a limb.
“You can’t go in there alone,” he said. I appreciated Ossie’s concern for my safety and was grateful that the other secret tomb pushed me in their direction. I didn’t know what I’d do without either brother, but this was something only I could do.
“I’ll be all right.” I tried sounding convincing, but failed miserably.
“Just let her go,” Os said behind me. He draped his arm over Julia’s shoulders and kissed her temple. “If Victor says it’s fine, then it’s fine.”
“Have you heard any stories about the occupant?” Ossie asked, sounding angry. I shook my head. “The stories going around the Underworld claim that once he starts hurting his victims, he doesn’t know how to stop. He will find a way to hurt you.”
I touched Ossie’s chest and gently pushed him out of the way. He was huge and still in his scary demon form. I doubted my little nudge really made him move out of the way, but he did so willingly, anyway.
“I don’t like this,” Ossie grumbled.
“I know,” I whispered. “Me either, but I must do this.” I glanced up at him with pleading eyes; I had to do this alone.
I slid the slot open, and darkness greeted me. I waited a few seconds, but no demon with yellow eyes greeted me. No monster grunted beyond the door, nor did any creature slam up against the metal and scrape its nails down it.
I sucked in a deep breath of air and turned the handle; it squeaked beneath my touch but I didn’t stop and turned it all the way until the lock clicked open. Moaning sounded on the other side of the door and Ossie’s larger hand with black talons enveloped mine.
“I’ll be okay,” I said, patting his hand and smiling up at him. “I need to do this,” I removed his hand from mine, “I have weapons and if all else fails, I’ll push his soul out of his body.”
“Shout if you need us.” He nodded once. “I’ll be right here.”
“Thanks Ossie, you’ll hear my screams,” I said, trying for humor and once again I failed; nobody smiled—I needed to work on my funny bones, or maybe the creature would suck on them in about ten minutes’ time.
I opened the door, expecting a monster to jump onto me and rip out my throat. Instead, warm air greeted me and thick darkness.
“Hello,” I said, my voice breaking. “I mean you no harm.” I stepped inside the dark, cavernous room and gently closed the door.
Shuffling sounded behind me, and I pulled out a flashlight I had forgotten in my old room. When I left the Underworld last year, I didn’t pack a bag; I just left, leaving items in my old room here. I was thankful for it, otherwise I wouldn’t have a light to help me see inside this room.
I shone the light, turning around in a circle, but there was nothing much to see; everything was black and seemed to go on forever. The floor was dark, too, with a fine mist enveloping me.
I took another step forward. Victor had said the pearl would reveal itself when I entered, but there was nothing but darkness.
“Can you tell me where the pearl is?” I said, knowing someone or something was near, although I couldn’t see them.
“Which one?” He whispered behind my right ear, sending a cascade of gooseflesh down the righthand side of my neck and back. It felt like a sharp blade cutting through my skin and I shuddered.
“Ah, uh, the one from the ocean… I mean, it’s the one that belongs to the Queen of the Seven Seas.”
A warm wind blew strands of my long hair, and I felt the weight of something going down my ponytail. “So pretty,” he said, grabbing hold of my hair and yanking my head backward.
I winced, feeling the pain shoot down my neck. Praying silently to myself, I hoped he didn’t like hair; I wanted it longer.
Another gentle wind blew against my naked neck, making all the hairs on my body stand at attention. The sensation was different here as I fought not to cringe and fighting the urge not to grab my knife and killing the monster behind me.
It would be easier for me to kill him, but I didn’t know what the repercussions would be for Victor and thought it best not to do anything unless provoked—but if he continued pulling my hair I’d classify that as being provoked and would kill him.
“Let’s make a deal,” he said, now standing in front of me. His rancid breath assaulted my olfactory senses, and I covered my nose and mouth with one hand while raising the other hand holding the flashlight. The beam of light struck his dirty feet first and as I made my way up his soiled pants and shirt, I struggled to move farther up.
My hand shook, pointing the light at his chest; the torn shirt at the top, revealing his naked chest and tattoos of flames and naked women; they were in various stages of rape and torture. Tears welled in my eyes as bile rose up my throat. I didn’t want to touch this man; I’d already seen a vision when I touched Os’s hand and if the same thing happened now, touching this demon, I was sure my mind would crash in on itself.
“What’s wrong?” he said, pulling me back to my strange reality. “Don’t you like my tattoos?” He touched his chest with both dirty hands and started rubbing his pert nipples. He made a strange flicking sound with his tongue, and I dared not see his face.
The light shook in my hand and his breathing became ragged until he finally grabbed his crotch and rubbed himself there. He panted as he rubbed and continued making sucking sounds.
I gagged when he blew out a breath; it smelled as if he’d eaten a rotten corpse. Then when the sounds of him rubbing himself and sucking on his lips, I wanted to run away and get Ossie’s help, but I had to see this through. I gritted my teeth and waited patiently for him to finish.
When he finally finished, he wiped his soiled hands on his pant leg. His breathing quietened. “Thank you,” he whispered sinisterly. “That was amazing. I haven’t had company in so long I don’t even know how long I’ve been here.” He chuckled. “Oh yes, there’s a reason you’re here, isn’t there. I guess… before I forget, you want the pearl. You can have it if you give me what I want.”
I thought I had just given him what he wanted, but I wouldn’t argue with him; he’d been alone for so long he was a little greedy. I squeezed my eyes tight, imagining what he wanted and closed my top tighter around my body.
He laughed loud and heartily. “No, not that, my dear. I’ve already sorted myself out with the essence of your perfume alone. What I want the most is something that will remain here with me. Something that will last for all eternity. I have had nothing pretty for so long, and since I can never have you… I think I’ll have your hair instead.”
No, no, no… not my hair. My shaky hand moved up toward his face, and I wished I hadn’t. He smiled in the light, his teeth were sharp and pointy, his smile was broad and hungry. His skin was pale and scarred; like someone took a blade and scraped his skin over and over as it healed, and his bald head was dirty. But it was his eyes, or the lack thereof, that caught me off guard; the sockets were empty, and pus filled.
“I want your hair, and only then will I hand over the pearl,” he said. His smile stretching from ear to ear. “If I can’t wear it, I’ll sleep with it.” He leaned forward and breathed in, making my skin crawl. “You smell lovely, my dear. So delicious.” His toothy grin left me on edge.
I grabbed my ponytail with my free hand and brought it over my shoulder. I loved my hair and had been growing it since I was a little girl, and enjoyed Mason brushing it for me before bedtime. He helped me with the knots and always bought the best shampoo to keep it soft. He said it was something that made me stand out from the other girls. My hair.
“Your hair will grow back,” he said matter-of-factly. “Me, on the other hand, will never have hair.” He rubbed his bald head, scratching at a scab, and pus oozed out, which he wiped away with the palm of his hand.
I exhaled a shaky breath, combing my fingers through my soft locks. It was only hair, and he was right, it would grow back. But… it was mine, and I had fond memories of Mason and me. Having long hair reminded me of him. If it was gone, I didn’t know if those memories would remain.
I scowled as anger filled my veins at the thought of having to give up something that was mine. This was my hair, and it wasn’t the only thing I was giving up. My life could be in danger, too. The moment I gave this demon my hair, he could easily kill me.
I quickly squashed the selfish thoughts; there were people counting on me, and there were demons outside who would help me the moment I screamed. I wasn’t alone in this, and I’d always remember Mason. I would forever have him in my heart.
It was only hair…
Sticking the flashlight into my satchel with the beam of light illuminating above me so that I could still see the scary demon, and reached for my weapon. I grabbed my ponytail by the elastic and raised my sharp knife.
“Yes, dear, that’s it. Cut it… cut it off. Cut it and give it to me.” His tone was sinister, almost animated.
I lowered my hand. “Show me the pearl or I’m not doing it. I need to know that you have it. I’m not giving you my hair for nothing.”
He grunted his frustration. “Blasted girl. Must you ruin all my fun.” He turned around and stomped into the thick darkness. Even with the light, I couldn’t see where he went.
My shoulders sagged as the tension between my shoulder blades dissolved, but tensed again when I felt him behind me again. I hated how he did that and silently cursed myself for not sensing his whereabouts.
I squeezed the hilt in my hand, ready to strike him in the gut, when his hand came in front of me holding a smooth, rounded object, lustrous and finely colored a gentle white. The large pearl glowed from within and silk moved beneath the surface. It sparkled in the dim light and continued moving. The pearl was alive, and I got the distinct impression it sensed me near it. The closer the man brought it to my face, the brighter it glowed.
“It likes you,” he said behind me, his rancid breath blowing through my hair. I shuddered. “It never glows this brightly for anyone. Not even the Queen.”
I opened my mouth to ask how he knew when he grabbed my ponytail.
“Now give me what’s mine.”
The next few seconds happened quickly and slowly and all at once; he dropped the pearl and grabbed my ponytail. I dropped the knife and reached for the pearl with both hands. The pearl landed in my hands safely, it was hard to the touch, and the sound of my hair being cut pierced my ears so loudly I felt it in my soul.
I fell forward but stepped just in time, avoiding a crash to the floor, and loose hair fell into my face. I swallowed my screams as tears filled my eyes as I cradled the pearl to my chest, feeling its heat beat against me. Spinning around, I pulled the flashlight out of my satchel and shined it on the demon.
He stood hunched over, holding my hair in his right hand, and a sharp talon extended in his left hand. His left hand morphed back into a hand, and I swallowed hard.
He brought the tuft of hair close to his nose and sniffed, the elastic keeping it together. Then he pressed it against his cheek. Purring sounded and his smile widened. “Beautiful, beautiful hair… thank you, my dear. Now leave!” He yelled the last two words and without taking a step, I picked up my knife, levitated toward the open door, and it slammed behind me.