This time she was ready for the ceremony as she was not troubled and so, her sense of duty was very satisfied. Once the offering of water, copal scented pearls and flowers concluded, Spark walked to her small desk to continue study of the book. 

 Time went by quickly. Her eyes started to grow heavy and she tried to blink the weariness away to no avail. Her prior night's rest had been good, but three weeks of worry ness and short sleep were too much for just one night of peace.

 Some pixies entered into the room and worked on it to keep it clean. They stayed away of the stone Shrine repelled by the mystic aura it possessed. 

Spark looked at the tiny persons, amazed. A few months ago she had been completely ignorant of their existence.  The pixies worked hard cause their small size made their labor difficult, even now, when the room was ordered. She held a yawn and went back to read her herbal treaty. She could hear their chitchat as background sound and tried to read more while waited her angel return. She wanted to walk. Spark yawned and smiled as she imagined a nice sunset walk at the forest...

* * * * *  * * *

 Zhyan whistled happily as he walked to his room. He had found a rare flower and had taken it to Peachyra, asking the avatar if it was safe for humans. After the blonde girl had approved the plant, his plan was to give it to Spark. The small thing had a lovely flower, with shades of red blended with a bright yellow hue on its elongated petals, making them look very similar to a flame. He was sure his girl would be pleased with him cause he knew that Spark liked fire. Once in his room, he took off his weapons and armor, wearing only a shirt, plain suede trousers and his favorite pair of tall boots. 

Taking the plant with him he walked toward the Fire room, where Spark should be studying. He stopped at the closed door, knocked at it softly and entered. He wanted to really surprise her.

 She was seated at the desk in the room, her back facing him. Leaving the pot with the plant near the Shrine, he tiptoed to her, embracing tenderly the small body.

 �How is my evil aztec today?� He said and grinned, holding her frame close against him.

 She looked up tilting her head and her eyes gleamed. �I have been waiting for you.�

 Spark stood up and faced him. His hands touched her dark silky hair. His fingers wandered on the line of her jaw while he bent to kiss her lips lightly. Her hands rose to touch him pressing her fingers on his flesh, making him sigh.

 �You are tense.� she told him. �Lay on the bed, and I will take care of that.�

 Smiling, Zhyan removed his shirt and walked to the bed, being followed by her after she fetched two small flasks. Spark seated at his side and poured the flask content on her hands, one after another before rubbing them together and pressing them on his bare chest.

 Zhyan sighed, feeling great as her hands soothed his muscles. After a marvelous but short moment, Spark signaled him to roll and he complied making his back available for her. He turned his head to one side, sensing her movements as she poured more oil, rubbed and pushed his muscles. His wings were completely open and soon his eyes observed how the wall�s pattern swirled into fading shades of orange, red and gold, dancing and joining, slowly mixing into each other to conform one monotonous gray hue... and he closed his eyes

 * * *

Zhyan turned on the bed, blinking and rubbing his eyes. Spark�s hands had made him very relaxed and he swiftly had fallen asleep. He was ashamed. He wanted to spend the little free time he had with his girl and he was sleeping!  Where could she be? His eyes scanned  one half of the dark room, frowning at the extinguished torches and consumed candles.

 When his gaze moved to the other side of the room he saw her. She stood near the door, her hands folded at her back, looking back at him. Zhyan smiled when she approached slowly. Her devious walk made him sigh with expectation. Unable to take his eyes off of her, he watched as she was closer to the side of the bed. Her face lacked expression.

The archangel was going to make a comment when speechless terror stroke him. Spark's hand moved to reveal her blade plunging downward, to his chest! With adrenalin instantly rushing in his system, he saw the weapon coming down and jerked his body, pulling himself away in time so the blade missed his shoulder.

 �Spark!� He called at her from the other side of the bed �What are you doing?�

The aztec priestess did not respond, a twisted grin on her face. She merely started to move, walking around the bed to meet him. Her eyes followed his every move.

�Spark!� Zhyan was astonished. With a speed he had never witnessed in the girl, she brandished her blade, aiming at his heart! With his right hand, he grabbed her wrist and stopped its attack but she used all her weight and Zhyan, afraid to hurt her if he used too much force, allowed her to strike. He managed to turn the obsidian knife away from him and his chest was barely scratched.

  �Spark!� he called her again. �This is not exciting me!�

  The small woman attacked him again and he tried frantically to keep his body away of her sharp blade. The scratch on his chest had not bled much, but it stung. It stung too much for such a superficial cut, and his fingers probed it, wondering at the pain caused for such a little wound.

Her grin widened, she threw her right hand forward a fourth time, this occasion drawing more blood, but still inflicting no real damage. Zhyan watched the stained blade as it withdrew, unable to believe what was happening. His head whirled and he could not focus his sight. His breath turned shallow.

 ::What is this?::   His movements were getting slower, that was it. She was not faster, he was slower! �What the...�

 An evil laughter was heard, a laughter Zhyan had heard before. Behind Spark, a tall and ominous figure appeared and slowly approached the girl, though she did not seem to notice. 

The new comer was tall, with dark wings, similar to those on Zhyan's back. But where Zhyan's eyes and hair were lilac, this new angel had dark hair and deep green eyes. He was dressed in dark clothes and  armour. He walked confident on his strenght but his eyes had a strage glow. 

With a growl Zhyan tried to lunge at him, but his legs failed and he fell on one knee. He watched helplessly as Darrien Alkatarin, archangel of Darkness wrapped Spark with his left arm, and smiled at him. Zhyan�s sight was a blur when Darrien�s hand moved lazily  to grab her neck.

 ::He wants to strangle her!::  In panic, Zhyan did another effort to jump and stop his enemy. He managed a couple of steps before his legs failed him again.

 �Sspark...� he called, but she did not react. In fact, she had not moved since Darrien arrived.

 �Isn't she a very talented girl?� Said the Archangel of Darkness taking a lock of her hair to  sniff it. �I understand now what do you see in human females, Zhyan. They are so deliciously evil.� Darrien looked at Zhyan and rubbed her shoulder. �And now she does not talk much. I fixed that, just that tiny part. The rest of her...well, I appreciate it the way it is.�

 How did Zhyan loathe the grin on Darrien�s face! He wanted to strike at it until it disappeared. But his body did not respond as he needed.

 Darrien grasped Spark's neck while his other hand strayed around her waist pulling her body closer to him.

 She was under his influence, that had to be it! Zhyan cursed his forgetfulness. He should have casted a protection spell over her. Zhyan wanted to call her again, to wake her, but his mouth was numb and emitted just a harsh noise, like half a croak.

 It made Darrien laugh even louder.

 "Oh, toxins are great, won�t you agree?� still looking at his rival, Darrien buried his face in Spark�s neck, making her moan slightly.

 "Let her go..." Zhyan mumbled. His forehead was covered with pearls of sweat.

 Darrien lifted his eyebrows and licked Spark�s neck from the shoulder joint to her earlobe, smiling maniacally, never missing the expression of Zhyan�s pale face.

 Zhyan was shocked when he saw Spark raised her free hand to caress Darrien�s neck.

 "It is not me who has her." Darrien closed his eyes and sighed under her touch. "I merely helped this one. This was all her plan, her idea. She came to me."

 "LIAR!" Zhyan screamed, the effort making him loose his balance and he fell on his hands, shaked by heavy pants.

 Darrien pulled himself away from Spark and knelt near Zhyan, confident that he would be safe from any attack. He scrutinized his victim�s feverish eyes.

 "I really feel insulted." Darrien said slowly "Why should I be lying when the truth hurts you so much?�

 Darrien observed Zhyan�s face closely, and his serious expression turned into one of elated joy, as he witnessed the pain in those lilac eyes.

 �Ouch.� He laughed again. �Do not worry... after we finish with you, I will take good care of her.� Darrien said, licking his lips. �And I will enjoy it.�

 A rough whisper came out from Zhyan�s mouth making Darrien to rise his eyebrows once more.

 �It was not me, I tell you! I did not touch you!!� He said very amused. �It was she, with the massage!  She used an isolating substance on her hands before applying the oil to you!!! And now you will be... urk.�

 Zhyan`s breath became more difficult and his sight and hearing faded as his archenemy talked. His last conscious memory was the face of Darrien Alkatarin frozen in an incredulous grin, his stare unfocused. Darrien collapsed and Zhyan saw Spark over them both, her right hand holding a huge and empty syringe, her blade in her left hand. 

Then Zhyan collapsed as well.  

When he awoke he heard someone well known to him laughing. Spark's laughter filled the room. Zhyan tried to move but was unable. He opened slowly his eyes and for a moment he thought he was hallucinating due to the toxins applied to him.

 He was hanging from the ceiling. His wrist and hands were cuffed and he was dangling from a chain, nearly touching the ground. His legs were also tied together. The bare stone walls, dimly illuminated by torches, allowed him to recognise the Fortress` basement. At the center, his beloved aztec girl bent over the sacrificial stone.

 He knew what happened at the rituals her ancient people used to do, but he had thought they were not practiced any more. All the rituals he had seen her perform were simple ones regarding the rain cycles; rituals to welcome the seasons and the harvest time. She also had spoken of terrible ceremonies to keep the universe in balance, as her Gods were in need of great amounts of blood to maintain the world safe and the Sun moving in the sky.

 Now, tied on the round stone was the body of his hated enemy, Darrien Alkatarin. The upper part of his body was bare, his armor and shirt scattered at one corner. He was unconscious and over him, laughing, was Spark. Her hand strayed on the flesh of the Archangel of Darkness and she leaned to lick his skin. Zhyan stared at them, unable to believe his eyes.

 �Spark?� He said with trembling voice. �Are you okay?�

 The girl lifted her head and looked at him, smiling.

 �Zhyan, dear.� She purred, walking slowly to where he was. �You are awake! And so soon! I underestimated your strength.�

 He smiled too, watching her approach him and he shook weakly his binds. "What is this? Could you...?" His question was interrupted by an insistent tongue searching his.

Nightmares, 1           Nightmares 3