Page 5 of Contract Marked (Interdimensional Beings #1)

Chapter Five

Erin

I don’t know what I expected when I stepped across the salt threshold, Dez’s hand cool and firm in my sweaty grip, but I was surprised to find it painless and … weightless.

It felt similar to when I got off the couch too fast, and the world spun. I was light-headed and needed to sit back down, but Dez’s hand kept me upright as my apartment faded, the black and white furniture and walls growing brighter as if the colors were trying to take over my view before blurring out of focus. The tips of my fingers and toes tingled, but it wasn’t unpleasant. The colors then returned, this time in hues of reds and golds. As if looking through a focusing lens, the colors snapped into place, hanging in the leaves from trees twice as high as my twelve-foot apartment building, spanning the golden field around us.

If I weren’t still shaking with adrenaline and fear, I would’ve found the landscape similar to where I’d open that bookstore, maybe purchase a cottage complete with a quirky orange cat and smoke billowing out from the chimney. It was beautiful. It was frightening. It was so, so far from home.

Dez abruptly released me, and I stumbled to catch my footing. I was thankful I wore sneakers and jeans, as the temperature was a lot cooler than my Georgia apartment in the summer, the ground covered in dying grass and colorful leaves. Again, I didn’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t to be deposited in the middle of a forest in autumn.

“Hurry up! These woods aren’t kind to strangers like you once nightfall hits. And no, I’ll not be saving you if you get yourself in trouble.” Dez walked ahead without looking back.

I sucked in a shaky breath. Ignoring the bizarreness of it all, I forced myself to just accept that this is how things were now and followed in Dez’s footsteps. Yellow stalks brushed just under his knees, curling ever so slightly as if the land itself was welcoming him home. Meanwhile, they slapped at my faded jeans, tripping me—more than once—as I tried to catch up with an ever-fading Dez. I didn’t waste my breath asking him to slow down, knowing he’d walk faster, so I focused on taking big steps, silently cursing the animated moving grass.

The sun beamed between the tall stretches of trees, catching the falling smattering of leaves in the setting light, looking straight out of a painting or someone’s Instagram reel as soon as October hits. I lived in Georgia where the leaves would start to turn late October, but nowhere near as vibrant as these trees. Too bad it required selling my soul to some shadow demon to see. Did demons even live in beautiful autumn forests?

A house grew closer in the distance, and it was only when we were still about a hundred paces away or so when I realized it was less of a house and more of an estate. The length of it stretched longer than my entire apartment complex, with architecture that made it look like it belonged on top of a private hill in LA and not a romantic autumn forest. To be honest, the modern mansion, with its sleek geometric edges and white finishes, was gorgeous but seemed terribly out of place.

“Welcome home, Master.”

I squinted ahead, searching for the source of the voice but found nothing except a solid stone wall and a sheet of thick glass that acted as the entrance to the estate. When I stomped closer, my panting embarrassingly loud in the quiet woods, I noticed the face within the slabs of stone. I jolted back, eyes wide.

“Yes, yes, allow us through. It’s been a long day.” Dez pointedly glared at me, but I was still focused on the animated stone face.

“As you wish,” it said before blending back into stone. Instead of opening, the glass evaporated, and Dez hurriedly motioned for me to follow. A gray paved path stretched at least a quarter of a mile out, and I chided myself for skipping out on the gym with Megan the past few weeks when the path yanked forward, causing me to lose my footing. I caught Dez’s mirthful smile and was tempted to toss him an inappropriate gesture when the paved path stopped moving, dropping us off in front of a flight of pristine white stairs leading up to the mansion’s front double-door entrance.

“I feel like Alice in Wonderland,” I muttered to myself.

At the entrance, a floating glass staircase yawned upward multiple floors alongside the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a vast lake behind the estate. The style was clean and almost futuristic, but it definitely didn’t look to be put together by any human, at least not on Earth, where gravity would’ve had the levitating staircase falling with an ear-shattering explosion. The marble floors and half-glass, half-gray walls that enclosed the foyer entrance branched out into multiple rooms. It seemed like such a large place for one person.

I spoke too soon when one—two—no, three people came bursting into the foyer from multiple directions. Two women and one man, all human, or at least looked the part. Dez looked deceptively human until he didn’t.

“Master!”

“You’re back!”

“We missed you!”

The three of them beamed bright smiles. The one with voluminous blonde hair even leaped forward and hugged Dez. The other two, a taller man with tanned skin and chestnut hair, and a pale woman with short black hair pinned back by two ornate flowers, flashed an alarmed glance at the blonde-haired woman, but Dez just smiled and patted her back.

“I was only gone a short while.” Dez stepped out of the woman’s embrace, who continued to gaze up at him adoringly.

“The sun has risen and set over the course of several days here,” said the man.

Dez waved his hand dismissively. “Ah yes, time is a bit different in The Lower Realms, isn’t it?”

My brows crammed together, my stomach doing flips. My gut feeling when I corrected Megan on the twenty-four hours was correct. Did that mean, time moved faster here than on Earth? If I was lucky, I could meet with this Council, save Megan, and get back before anyone would notice us missing.

I would have to be one super lucky girl.

“Who is this?” The blonde woman examined me with a guarded look I couldn’t read.

Dez’s smile vanished. “Don’t concern yourself with her. She’s only a temporary guest for now.” He looked at the short-haired woman. “Saya, see to it she’s put in one of the spare bedrooms.”

I crossed my arms. “Where is my friend? I want to see Megan.”

He pinched his nose. “She’s currently in the Council’s prison. I don’t have clearance to bring you there.”

“Is she safe? When will I see the Council?”

“I see you lack patience as much as you do manners,” he practically growled. “She’s safe, and I’ll get you a meeting with them, but it won’t happen overnight.”

“But you said—”

Before I could finish, Dez, the tanned man, and the blonde-haired woman disappeared in thin air, leaving Saya and me standing awkwardly in the foyer entrance.

As if aware of the sudden awkward silence, Saya’s cheeks darkened before she finally said, “This way, please.”

Without giving me a backward glance, she continued down the hall, thankfully, away from the glass stairs. I pedaled after her, taking in the tidy and geometric interior. Chic black and white furniture (looking a lot more expensive than my thrifted black couch), wide framed splash art, and vases with faux flowers oozed between the spaces of floor-to-ceiling windows and gray walls. A sleek black fireplace poured down into the center of the main living space, providing a little warmth with the overall place still on the cooler side, causing my bare arms to prickle. If I’d known I’d be landing in some freezing mansion in the middle of autumn, I might’ve grabbed a jacket.

We passed a music room complete with a grand piano, a kitchen, another living room, a game room, what looked to be the entrance to a spa, and a few other rooms I couldn’t place before Saya opened a door at the end of another hallway. As expected, the theme of black and white continued into a guest bedroom with pressed white blankets, marble floors, and bare gray walls. A private bathroom was also attached, complete with a jacuzzi tub and a twin set of sinks. If I ignored everything up until coming here, I could pretend this was a luxury hotel room overlooking some random lake in Autumn.

“If you touch this, the room will sense what you need and make adjustments accordingly. With certain restrictions.” Saya gestured to a silver slate on the wall with a familiar symbol engraved across it, the same as the one on the silver coin. She must’ve read my confusion because she continued, “All you have to do is touch it, and it’ll connect to … you. Dez made these to help us manipulate this realm since we don’t know how to do it ourselves. This acts as a conduit to help us manifest our wants into reality.”

I shook my head. Again, any and all logic of the situation was escaping me, leaving me to fumble and grasp at straws. “What?” I said stupidly before I rephrased, “I mean, who are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” It sounded like she didn’t have the same powers as Dez, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was human.

Saya blushed again. “Um, I don’t remember my real name, but Dez and the others call me Saya. I’m assuming you came from Earth? Or what Dez calls the Lower Realms?”

I nodded.

“Then we’re the same. Well, I’m sure the time and place are a bit different, but with Dez and his powers here, language is no obstacle, making it easier to communicate with one another.”

I rubbed my forehead. “That’s … convenient, I guess.”

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it.

“Is Dez … nice to you?” I had a million questions, so I don’t know why this was the first one that came out.

She bit her lip, eyes cast to the ground. “If you stay long enough, you’ll come to your own conclusions, but he’s not nearly as bad as some of the others. I’ll let you get some rest for now.”

I thanked her as she shut the door on her way out, her words not easing my fears in the slightest. Not as bad as the others? What did that mean? Either way, I didn’t plan on staying long enough to find out.

I didn’t know how time moved in this place, but I had watched the sunset twice with no sight of Dez or the others. The first night, I waited until I had grown cold and hungry enough before touching the silver slate by the door. A jolt went through me, and a familiar tingling sensation spread to the tips of my toes and fingers like when I teleported here with Dez. In a blink, a fireplace emerged out of the wall with flames licking away at real logs. Next to it, a table seated for one appeared with pork tenderloin, butternut squash soup, and sauteed kale—the last truly fancy meal I had with Megan at a waterfront restaurant we had gone to for her birthday last year. I hated to admit it, but the food had been divine, even better than the beautiful restaurant we had sat at that cost me a good chunk of my paycheck.

The time in between fits of short rests (it was hard to completely relax in a shadow demon’s lair, no matter how nice), I roamed the mansion looking for Dez, Saya, or honestly anyone so I could get some answers. Either Dez had warped himself and the others to another dimension without me, or the mansion had a mind of its own and was twisting rooms and hallways around to purposely isolate me. Honestly, both seemed plausible in this strange world.

I made my rounds around the modern mansion in the same jeans and white T-shirt I arrived in. I hadn’t received new clothes, but the engraved symbol on the silver slate in my room had cleaned these for me when I touched it. The bloody handprint that had been on my shirt was washed completely clean without a stain in sight.

I skirted past one of the multiple living rooms, paused, then backtracked.

A man sat on a white lounge chair facing the window, a glass of amber liquid on ice clinking as he brought it to a pair of full lips. The sun angled in a way that cast his face and figure in shadows. His dark hair was pulled back into a high bun, showcasing a strong jawline, his silhouette revealing firm muscle as he set the glass back down on the table beside him, one of his legs crossed over the other. Unlike Dez’s fondness for suits, he wore jeans and a black T-shirt, and I would be lying if that combination alone didn’t get my heart pounding just a tad faster.

I reasoned with myself that this could be another Dez, another powerful otherworldly being, and proceeded with caution. “Excuse me, have you seen Dez?”

The man didn’t even glance in my direction, but his lips tightened ever so slightly. He had heard me.

“Hello?” I tried again.

Silence.

I knew I shouldn’t engage; it was clear he didn’t want to be bothered, but worse than that, he seemed dangerous. Where Dez came across as deceptively charming, this man oozed an aura that warned others to stay the hell away. Well, except me. But it had been some time without contact from anyone, and it was driving me crazy, not knowing what was going on and if Megan was okay. If I’d be able to meet with the Council and how I would escape this place if I couldn’t.

Ignoring the ringing in my ears, I stepped into the man’s line of sight. He turned toward me, and oh boy, did my whole body warm, my breath lodging in my throat like some awestruck teen. His eyes were the color of metal, a steely gray that pierced right through me, ebbing away some of the warmth I initially felt. This man definitely wasn’t human. His beauty and unnatural stillness spoke that of a predator, and while my brain screamed to get away, my body had something else in mind.

“I don’t speak with playthings,” was all he said, his voice deep with a faint accent I couldn’t place. I wonder if Dez’s powers were at work for us to communicate or if this stranger knew and spoke fluent English.

“Playthings?” I managed to get out. Get a hold of yourself; you need answers, not fawning over some mystical being that looks like he’d rather kill you than help you. “I am not a plaything.” My face grew heated.

His gaze flicked away as if to dismiss me.

“Do you know where Dez is?” When he didn’t respond, I tried again. “I need to speak with the Council regarding my friend’s contract.”

His eyes shot back to mine, making my heart skip. “Ah, so you’re the reason I’m here.”

I remembered Dez’s words. “He said he had to call in some favors. Is that why you’re here? Will you get me a meeting with the Council?”

He shrugged. Good lord, this being was infuriating, maybe even more so than Dez.

Without thinking, I cocked my hip and crossed my arms. “Look, it’s clear you got all the time in the world, but I don’t. If you don’t want to talk, fine. Just tell me where I can find Dez.”

“I don’t think you’d want to speak to him right now.” His smile was slow with a cruel twist, and I stepped back. “He wasn’t pleased to waste his favor on something like this. Was very vocal about it.”

“I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.” But the idea of an angry Dez, one whom I still owed something per our contract, made me break out in a cold sweat. “He’s just being dramatic.”

He chuckled, and the sound made the heat return to my cheeks. “I dare you to say that to his face. He was waiting to call in this favor for something truly awful. Dezmandaro despises me and for the first time in our existence, he had the upper hand. Until you made him waste that opportunity.”

I didn’t like the sound of that one bit. “Then why did Dez call it in? I mean, not that I’m complaining since it’s helping me, but surely, he can figure out some other way.” Were these favors as binding as contracts? Once given, did they have to be fulfilled?

He remained silent, and it made me shift the weight between my feet.

I was about to just call it, turn on my heel, and leave when he said, “Since you saved me from a worse fate, I’ll humor you.” The strange being leaned forward in his chair, his strong forearms settling on his knees, drink still in hand. “I’m assuming something in the contract stated an expedited meeting with the Council, which is no easy feat, but technically possible for Dezmandaro given his … status and social circles. If he doesn’t fulfill his end of the bargain within his means, he will be beholden to you. And Dez would sooner kill himself than have a Lower Realms’ being hold his leash.”

So, it went both ways. If I don’t hold up my end of the bargain, I’ll be stuck as his servant (or something to that nature I’m assuming), but if he fails, he would be mine. Not that I wanted that outcome. I just wanted this whole thing done with and far, far behind me. “That still doesn’t explain why he had to call in this favor instead of asking the Council himself?”

“There was a scandal. One the Council wasn’t too happy with. Dez was wise not to bring this to the Council himself but instead go through me.”

That piqued my interest. “Scandal?”

He didn’t respond.

I pursed my lips. “Fine, but how do you have the ability to persuade the Council?”

No reply.

This damnable being could try the patience of a saint. “At least tell me your name?”

He sat back in his seat, taking a sip of his drink as if I was no longer there. I got the hint: he was done giving out free information.

A pop rang behind me and I turned to a narrowed-eyed, snarling Dez.

“ You. ” His eyes flicked to the being behind me, and his expression quickly shuddered. A polite smile erased any signs of outrage except the tightness in his jaw. “Ah, my two favorite beings in the same room. How delightful .” He clicked his tongue. “My dear, you should refrain from snooping into other beings’ business. Be gone.”

He flicked his hand, and my stomach flipped as my surroundings morphed to my temporary guest room—which was now missing a door.