Page 27 of Contract Marked (Interdimensional Beings #1)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Erin

A s I originally thought, Megan’s whereabouts were in Cal’s realm. We descended into the basement, past an ordinary wood door into a reinforced room with walls that glowed in blue symbols I couldn’t read.

A floating sphere with its own orbit of floating gems and gold rods hovered in the center. The orb’s heart looked like a window into space, seemingly endless with millions of stars.

“Is this room protected by the Council like the arena?” I asked.

Unsurprisingly, Cal didn’t respond, but I had my suspicions. Not that it mattered now that I didn’t have the coin.

“Step back,” he demanded, placing his hand into the sea of stars within the orb. He closed his eyes, and I felt something brush my skin like a sizzle of electricity.

A steel cell popped into view in front of us. My stomach twisted when I saw the metal door and the small barred window showing a painfully small room with a single cot, toilet, sink, and—someone who wasn’t Megan. In fact, they didn’t even look human.

“Wrong Megan,” he hummed and plunged his hand back into the orb.

My relief was short-lived when another steel cell replaced the previous one, except this one didn’t have any windows.

Cal stepped aside. “Cell three-hundred and thirty-two billion, five-hundred and forty-six million, two-thousand and twenty-three.”

I gaped at him. “Cell three hundred and … you can’t be serious.”

“I am. Do you want to see her or not?”

He was such an ass. “Why are the Council’s prisoners located in your basement anyway? Are you their guard dog or something?” I half-joked.

He just stared at me, and I swallowed back my nervous laugh. Shit, I think he was.

I hesitated with my hand on the doorknob. What was I going to do if Megan had been trapped in a room like I’d just witnessed for these past couple of months? What if she was skin and bones, or worse, had completely lost her mind?

I shook away those thoughts and opened the door.

The last thing I was expecting was the sun, as it nearly blinded me. The door shut behind me, vanishing into thin air as if it never existed, replaced with rolling hills and fields of flowers. It looked identical to what I envisioned in the dressing room, though that felt like ages ago. It was one of our fondest memories when we backpacked and found this very same field of flowers, like something out of a story.

“Erin!”

I turned, and I swore time slowed. It was Megan, her curls wild, her tall, slim form in the prettiest sun dress I’ve ever seen with real flowers sewn into the very fabric, flowing behind her frame. If this was my reality, I didn’t need to dream.

Megan barreled into me, knocking us to the ground, her arms squeezed around my chest.

“Erin! Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here!” Her soft brown eyes were wide with tears. “Are you here to see me?”

“No, I’m here to see the boogeyman. Of course, I’m here to see you!”

She wiped at my face, and I realized I was crying too. We both laughed and hugged each other again. It was worth it. It was worth it to see her safe and still smiling.

A masculine figure walked a few paces away behind Megan. His shoulder-length hair was a stark white, his skin as fair as snow, and with eyes made of ice. He was breathtaking and far from human.

I stilled, and Megan followed my gaze. “Oh, Erin, this is my … friend, Llewyn. Llewyn, this is the one I’ve been talking about.”

Llewyn bowed his head. His smile seemed genuine, and as much as I wanted to believe he didn’t mean any harm, I’d been fooled before.

“Nice to meet you.” I smiled but stood in front of Megan. She noticed and put her hands on her hips.

“Oh, stand down; I’ve known Llewyn since I was a kid.” At my shocked expression, she averted her gaze, color darkening her cheeks. “We … have a lot to catch up on.”

Within the field of flowers was a white iron table in the shape of a sunflower with two plates of what looked to be Cajun shrimp on top of cheesy grits—one of Megan’s favorite meals. Megan offered me some or anything else of my choosing. I assumed similar to the silver slate in my guest room at Dez’s, Megan could change her setting, food, and clothing to whatever suited her needs at the tip of her fingers.

From the brief bit of conversation that ensued, I learned that Llewyn and Megan have been staying here together since Megan left. I was surprised Cal would let anyone else here, but Llewyn said this was a special exception. Interesting. I wanted to ask him more about it—and how he knew my friend—but Megan interrupted by handing me a mug of hot coffee and a mushroom and gouda burger, one of my favorite meals. I couldn’t complain.

“I’m happy to see you’re okay,” I said between mouthfuls. “When you didn’t come back, I came to see you as soon as I could.” I also wanted to yell at her for making one of the most idiotic, stupidest decisions of her life, but figured that could wait until later when we didn’t have company. I didn’t want to be rude and was just happy to see Megan, but I had been expecting it to be just the two of us.

Megan finished her shrimp and grits, pushing her plate back like she always did at home after we finished eating. “Did you make a contract too?”

I wanted to tell her everything, but not with Llewyn’s eyes intently focused on me.

“I may have.” I edged around the topic. “Not any more recklessly than you did.”

“I was waiting for you to scold me. Yes, Mom, I should have handled that better.” Her tone had been teasing, but her smile thinned. As if she was thinking about the real mother she left behind. “Does everyone think I’ve gone missing?”

I shrugged. “I followed you not too long after. I made a contract with Dez and …”

Her face brightened. “The blondie who’s a hottie.” Her eyes shot to Llewyn, who arched a brow. “I mean, yes, Dez,” she corrected, cheeks pink. “We chatted a lot about you during my time with him. He’s a very good listener, my most rapt audience, especially on the stories of our college days when you got drunk and would fight off guys trying to hit on me. I told him how you always tried to be the responsible one while I dragged you into trouble. But when you left the house, you were so much fun and always did everything you could to protect your friends. Like the time you kicked that guy in the groin when—”

“Megan, please,” I said, my cheeks matching hers. My eyes quickly flicked to Llewyn and back. I didn’t want this stranger to know my life story—unless Megan had already told him everything.

Megan waved her hand. “Sorry, sorry, I know you hate it when I talk about you like a proud parent. Anyways, Dez comes off as a grump, but he’s a really nice guy.”

I wonder if she’d still say that after taking a peek at the nightmares he’s been sending my way this whole week. “I … would disagree.”

“What was your contract? Let me guess, a trip to see me in exchange for a kiss?” She propped her chin on her hands.

If only it were that simple. “Megan … I’m here to rescue you. I’m here to bring you home.”

She blinked, sitting up straight. “You … you what?”

“Dez told me I messed up your contract by ripping out those pages. That you were stuck here forever because of me. I asked him to get me a meeting with the Council as soon as possible, to plead your case and bring you back home.”

Her jaw slackened. “He told you that?”

“Well, not verbatim, but it was implied.”

“Tell me you’re joking?” She exchanged a look with Llewyn that I didn’t understand, and it pissed me off. I was here to rescue her, risked my life to rescue her, and she’d rather trust this being over me, her best friend that she’d lived with, gone to class with, ate with, and partied with for half her life? Who knew her quirks, her ups and downs, her deepest, darkest secrets and regrets? Just who the hell was this being to her anyways?

I set down my burger. “No, I’m not joking. Why would I joke about this? You didn’t come back. I had no choice but to make a deal with Dez to get you out of here.”

Llewyn had remained quiet this whole time, but his eyes were sharp with a level of understanding I wish he’d shared with the class.

“Erin, I …” Megan shook her head. “I don’t know how to say this, but Dez misled you. My contract with him ended months ago.”

I must’ve not heard her right. “What?”

She looked down at her folded hands. “I chose to stay after those twenty-four hours. I thought he’d have told you by now, and you’re here to visit and … say goodbye.”

“No, no, that can’t be right. Then why are you locked up?” This couldn’t be happening.

Megan opened her mouth when Llewyn placed his hand on top of hers. “Megan is free to come and go as she wishes. It is I who has to stay here. My sentence is eternal imprisonment.”

Are you here to see me?

Megan had asked me that because this wasn’t her cell. It was Llewyn’s. Llewyn hadn’t been staying with Megan. Megan had been staying with him.

Dez lied to me. Both Cal and Dez had lied to me this whole time .

The world tilted. I felt like I was going crazy, rethinking every conversation I ever had about Megan with Dez and Cal. Had I not read between the lines? Listened for the deliberate omissions in every conversation? The twisting of words?

Llewyn was the first to break the silence, his voice soft, like a parent talking to a distressed child. “What were the exact terms of your contract? Perhaps there is something there you’re overlooking.”

When I met his pale blue eyes, I suddenly felt very young—young and naive. I was way out of my element, thinking I could outmaneuver these beings in their own realm, with their own rules I still didn’t fully understand.

Then it clicked.

“I never agreed to plead Megan’s trial specifically, though that was insinuated. I just asked for a meeting with the Council.”

A meeting. Not a hearing, not a request to go to trial for Megan’s case. Just a meeting.

My brows pinched together, a ball of dread forming in the pit of my stomach.

No, it can’t be true.

My hand flew to my mouth. I felt like I was going to vomit.

Llewyn continued to stare at me as if he could read my thoughts, but that wasn’t possible, right?

“What?” Megan looked between me and her friend. “What is it?”

“I’ve already met with the Council. Technically, Dez had already arranged that meeting I’d asked for, even if it was in a way I wasn’t expecting.” And I’d been drugged, but being under the influence was only grounds for breaking the contract during initial negotiations, not after—if I’m to believe that book. “He fulfilled his end of the contract, and in return, he told me his price, and I stupidly refused.” He said I had until the end of that night, but I thought I was safe, that he hadn’t fulfilled his end of the contract yet.

“Why would you do that?”

I flung up my hands. “Well, geez, Megan, I didn’t willingly want to be Dez’s slave for the rest of my life! I did all of this to save you, but you didn’t even need saving.” Megan looked taken aback. We’d only ever gotten into two serious fights before. One regarding her Mom overstepping Megan’s personal boundaries out of being over-protective, and another when Megan tried to set me up with someone without my permission.

I sighed. “I didn’t mean to yell, I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault, I just … Dez outsmarted me. He must’ve realized it that night or planned it before when he saw his opening. Either way, I need to figure a way out of this.” Dez still had to call in a favor to get me an appointment with the Council. He wouldn’t have predicted the incident at the arena, that the Council would want to see me before, he just used that as an opportunity to fuck me over.

But I still had an appointment, a meeting, which meant I could still try and plead my case. Except it wouldn’t be for Megan’s contract but my own.

“I’m sure there’s just some misunderstanding. Dez didn’t seem the type; sure, he comes off that way, but he said he actually found humans interesting and that they had valuable perspectives.”

We must’ve interacted with two different beings.

Megan read my expression and crossed her arms. “I know what you’re thinking. ‘Megan, stop trying to see the good in people when there’s none.’ Not true. Why would Dez try to trick you? Unless …” She bit her nails, a horrible habit she had since we were back in college.

Fortunately, I finished my burger before I lost my appetite, but it churned in my stomach uncomfortably. Stress was not good for my digestion. “Unless what? Stop biting your nails; you’re going to ruin them.”

She yanked her hand away as if realizing just that. “Dez and I … we talked about you. A lot.”

I crossed my arms. “I’m well aware. And by the way, can you please stop doing that? I know you mean well, but you’re giving away information to these …” My gaze cut to Llewyn. “Just … not everyone is nice, and they can use that against me.” And they have.

“Damn it, I missed you, Erin. Okay? I was wrong to be so … so hasty.”

“You regret staying?”

Her head whipped to Llewyn. “No! No, of course not, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss you and Mom. Dez … I think Dez went back to make a contract with you, to bring you to see me.”

“He said it was because my blood was used in the ritual, too. That’s why he had to come back.”

She shrugged. “Whether or not that’s true, I’m sure he used that as an excuse to hide the real reason. He has a bad habit of saying things he doesn’t mean.”

“What, you two are now just the best of friends?” My hands were clenched, not because I was upset with Megan. This is how she was, why people flocked to her. She was like a pure light that warmed your soul and made you want to believe that the world was on your side versus against you. I was pissed at Dez for playing her as thoroughly as he had played me. I just wished she saw that, too.

“He knew how much I missed you,” Megan continued, “and … and I may have hinted to him that no matter the situation, you always did everything you could to protect your friends. That’s probably why he pretended I was in danger.”

I gaped at her. “You. Did. What?”

She held up her hands. “Don’t get mad! I didn’t think he’d actually pull a stunt like that, but … I guess he took my words to heart.”

Scratch the whole not being upset with Megan. I was going to throttle her. “If any of that were true, he would’ve brought me straight to you as soon as we landed.”

I recognized the look on her face, the romance in her tinting the world rose-colored so she could avoid addressing the red flags. “Maybe he found you absolutely irresistible and didn’t want to let you go?”

Or I had pissed him off, forcing him to call in his favor with Cal, which I’m sure he hadn’t been expecting to lose. Dez wasn’t a nice guy. He was petty, dramatic, and powerful—a horrible combination.

“Megan, he tried to kill me!”

That wiped the romantic look right off her face. “What?”

I couldn’t help it; I just … snapped. “Why are you always like this? Acting recklessly, not thinking of the consequences, and wreaking havoc while leaving me to clean up the mess. I sold my soul, Megan, all because I thought you were in danger, only to find out you had already pawned it off to the enemy. My life is now forfeit to a monster who is turning my life into a living hell!” Tears streaked down my cheeks as my words made my situation feel so much more real. I was currently doomed and my so-called best friend was living in fantasy land.

Llewyn’s hand was cool as he placed it over mine and Megan’s, connecting the three of us. I wanted to jerk my hand away. I wanted to curse all these damned otherworldly beings, but the anger, the fear, the despair dampened. It was still there, but it was as if it had been placed in a box and set on the shelf, away from me.

“You’re hurting, and you’re scared, Erin, and you have every right to be. Megan, regret and guilt have been eating away at you since you arrived, no matter how much you’ve tried to hide it, but that’s okay, and I don’t blame you.”

If the circumstances were different, I’d have appreciated what Llewyn was doing, but I wanted to hold on to my anger. I didn’t want to be vulnerable right now, not when it felt like I would break, but the fiery hot rage was just beyond my grasp.

“Erin,” Llewyn continued, “you’ve always admired your friend for grabbing life by the horns, not afraid to take the leap. Deep down, you appreciated her for bringing you out of your shell, and because of it, you’ve experienced so much that life has to offer that you would have missed. Megan, you’ve always admired Erin for her ability to stay grounded and focused. To be unwavering in her beliefs and fiercely loyal to her friends. While you flew, she held your string to make sure you never got carried away. You both love each other very much.”

“Stop it,” I said. “I don’t even know you.” I yanked my hand back, expecting him to grip it tighter like Cal or Dez would, but he let go.

“But I know you, Erin Williams.”

Probably because of Megan and her big mouth.

Llewyn shook his head, and I froze. Could he read my thoughts or did he just assume what I was thinking?

Megan’s shoulders shook, and a sob wracked her body seconds later. As much as I wanted to hate her in this moment, Megan’s tears always shattered all of my defenses. My chair flung back as I pulled her into a hug, and Megan’s arms locked around me.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m so, so sorry, Erin. You’re right, I was being selfish. I didn’t realize how much I would miss you, miss our time together on Earth. I never thought he’d try to hurt you, please believe me.”

I held her tight. “Why did you leave, Megan? Why would you leave and not even say goodbye? I thought we were friends?”

“I didn’t know the ritual would actually work, but when it did, I thought it was the only chance to see Llewyn again …” She pulled back to stare into my eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Erin, but I knew you wouldn’t understand why I wanted to come back here. To this place, since I was a child.”

Her words brought up a memory with Dez. He’d mentioned Megan’s lack of surprise when they landed together as if she had been in this world before.

Before I could reply, Llewyn raised his hands, and the world shifted. He and Megan disappeared, and I could no longer see or feel my body as the rolling hills and fields of flowers melted away into a child’s bedroom.

The mattress lay on the floor with a red Mickey Mouse blanket covering it, and crayon-drawn pictures were taped to the barren white walls. A child with mousy brown curls and a smattering of freckles lay on the stained carpet, feet in the air, holding a red crayon, working on her next masterpiece. I guessed it was a younger Megan, but she looked nothing like herself.

The smell of ramen noodles and spoiled milk permeated the air, and muffled voices echoed behind the shut door, but the child didn’t seem to care. A plume of dark smoke crawled under the door gap, creeping over the child, and I shouted at her to turn around, but she didn’t hear me. The smoke solidified into Llewyn, his hair shorter but his face exactly the same. He sat beside her, his pale eyes peering down at the child.

“What are you drawing?” His voice was gentle.

“I’m drawing Mommy and the new house she promised we’ll be in soon.” The child looked up, and her mouth opened. “You’re so pretty.”

He smiled. “Thank you. So are you.”

The child scowled. “No, I’m not. I look nothing like the girls on TV.”

He tilted his head. “Why do you want to look like the girls on TV?”

“Because then nice things will happen to me. People will give me nice clothes and money. Enough money to buy the pretty house Mommy wants.”

The man sat cross-legged on the floor. “I don’t know much about this world, but maybe you can tell me stories. In exchange, I can make you look like the girls on TV.”

Her eyes widened. “You can do that?”

She told him stories of her friends at school and the new hamster they got in class, how she sprained her ankle on the monkey bars, and how doctors were actually evil people in disguise. Ramen was supposedly the best meal anyone could have, and she swore her dog, Sandy, could understand her but refused to talk back.

The door opened to a shadowed figure as if they just stood outside the boundaries of the vision. It sounded like a woman’s voice, one that was familiar, but it wasn’t Megan’s mom. “Snooping into human affairs again, I see, Llewyn.”

Llewyn looked at the clouded woman in the doorframe, his eyes softening and a smile blooming across his face. He cared for this woman a lot. “I couldn’t resist. Your world is quite fascinating.”

“My business here is over. It’s time to go home.”

“Do you have to leave?” The kid held his hand and squeezed tight as if that would convince him to stay.

Llewyn glanced at the shadowy woman. I imagined her smiling as she said, “Yes, you can tag along again the next time I visit.”

His smile was breathtaking.

The world shifted again and I felt as if I was flowing through time, scenes unfolding in and out of order. Megan as an average child to Megan as a teenager with a beauty that pulled you in. Megan working as a store clerk to Megan posing for photoshoots. Megan on the cover of magazines to Megan and her mom with a ‘sold’ sign in front of the house she still owns today. Megan in her bedroom packing for college to Megan diving into a spring, the sky painted purple with stars that reminded me of my time on Dez’s sailboat looking at his night sky.

In every scene, Llewyn was there, either by her side or in the crowd, like a proud father watching over his daughter.

Eventually, the scenes unfolded to Megan and me in college, at house parties, backpacking, and discussing each other’s ‘big girl’ job interviews. Not one of them showed Llewyn as if he had vanished from her life well before this point.

Memories faded to Megan in bed, scrolling through old photos, her eyes red from crying. To her ever-growing collection of books and everything occult. Then, finally, the scene of me and Megan on my apartment floor right before everything changed. I wanted to reach out, scream at us to stop, to just let things be as they were, but my past self didn’t listen. She continued to damn herself, damn us , to a future I could only blame myself for.

The view snapped back to a field of flowers with the sun shining in my face and the grass brushing my arms where Megan had fallen asleep.

I couldn’t move, my mind whirling. Processing.

“How …” was all I could get out.

Llewyn landed a comforting pat on my shoulder. “Go get some rest. You’ve dealt with a lot today. I’ll explain everything on your next visit.”

I remember nodding and leaving Megan in Llewyn’s arms as I exited the cell. The rest of the evening was a blur, as if I was still in that pocket of time, watching life unfold around me like a helpless bystander. The only thing that felt real was the pinching pain at my hip as Cal’s contract mark faded to nothing.