hee hee

[maderr]

I don't know if I'm giving away too much now or not. I don't think so. All players are present and accounted for now.

Impossible Wish
Chapter Five

Groggily Sheridan lifted his head, searching for noise that had woken him. Sitting up slowly, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Blearily he scanned the room, but nothing appeared out of place.

With a sigh, Sheridan pushed himself up off the couch and crossed the sitting room, entering the hallway. Blearily he stared at the phone, frowning as he noticed the lack of flashing buttons. "I guess he forgot to call me back." Moving on, Sheridan made for his bedroom. A glance at the clock in the hallway showed it was well past nine o'clock. "Doubt I'm going to bed anytime soon, I can't believe I fell asleep again…"

A muffled thump from the bedroom stopped Sheridan in his tracks. No one should be in his apartment - he kept the door locked whenever he was inside. His father wouldn't come by and not wake him…Indecision kept him there, until a shadow fell across the space of the open doorway. Cold with fear, Sheridan backed away.

A man appeared in the doorway, and Sheridan was struck by his stunning red eyes right before he turned in fear and ran for the front door.

He didn't get far. Something grabbed him from behind as he reached the living room, yanking him hard and slamming him against. Disoriented and in pain, Sheridan shook his head to clear it and looked up at the intruder.

His eyes were the color of cherries, or pieces of hard candy. Black, black hair trailed over his shoulders and down his back. His skin was white - not pale, or the colorless tone of albinos. Stark white. Sheridan thought wildly of Snow-white, suppressing the laughter that he knew was not a good idea at the moment. "You're dead human. Tell me why you summoned me and perhaps I'll make it relatively painless." The man's voice was cold, like ice.

Sheridan shook in confusion, wincing where the man's hands tightened on his shoulders, holding him pinned up against the wall. "S, summon? I didn't--"

"Don't lie to me! I was brought here, and here you are. Why did you summon me? How did you summon me?" His voice only grew colder, his grip only more painful.

Sheridan cried out, struggling futilely at the man's arms. "You're hurting me. I didn't do it, let me go."

With a snort of disgust, the man suddenly dropped him. "I am beginning to believe you. No one so sniveling would have the nerve to call me forth. However," he glared at Sheridan, who was slowly climbing to his feet, "someone called me, and I want to know why."

The gold-haired man shook his head, rubbing his shoulders. "I don't know. Who are you?"

The man with red eyes was silent, burning gaze boring into Sheridan for what seemed forever to the frightened young man. "You truly did not summon me?"

Sheridan shook his head, "No, I don't even know what you're talking about."

Sighing the man shook his head. "This problem grows stranger…my name is Nomolos."

"Nomolos? But isn't that…aren't you…"

Red eyes narrowed, "How do you know my name?"

Sheridan burst nervously, "You're the demon - the one with the Carnelian. The one Neil is looking for."

Barely had he finished and Sheridan found himself yanked forward, the demon with shadow dark hair hissing at him. "So you did have something to do with my summoning. And here I was ready to believe you." Right hand gripping Sheridan close, Nomolos lifted his left hand, where the end of his hands suddenly ended in claws.

Gold eyes widened in fear, "NO! NO! I don't know anything - just the old story. I was asleep, I haven't--" Panicked tears streamed down his face and once again he found himself roughly dropped to the floor.

"You put up a good act, but I am not yet convinced that you are not party to my being called here. Lucky for you, I have no taste for killing the blameless. Who are you, human?"

Again picking himself up off the floor, Sheridan looked up tiredly at the frowning demon. "Sheridan. Sheridan Arden."

"Arden? That name is familiar to me…"

"Umm…well, if you're really the Nomolos you must know Neil's family really well. The Arden's have always served the DeMarius line. Maybe that's why you know the name?"

Nomolos looked thoughtful, "Perhaps. I will remember eventually. In the meantime, Sheridan Arden, you will explain some things to me."

"O, Okay…"

~*~*~*~

Darrell frowned as he reread the paper set in front of him…then groaned in frustration when he finished, realizing he hadn't comprehended a single word on the page. Irritably he shoved the paper away, reaching out for a different stack of files. He had no better success, and finally tossed that aside as well

A deep voice chuckled on his right, and Darrell turned his head. Luc shook his head and approached the desk, "Darrell, you may as well give it up for now. It's obvious you're not able to concentrate - you haven't been since we returned."

"Give up? That's not an option, there's too much to get done. There's the new line going out in two weeks, the whole commercial fiasco, not to mention--"

"I know, I know. But you're not going to be able to focus on your work until you call and check on him. You know it. Besides that it's nearly ten at night, you should really stop."

"Forget it. There's too much to do. So far as Neil's concerned, I don't feel like getting into yet another shouting match. I have enough on my mind right now without adding an argument to the list. Given how he just vanished in the night after the funeral, I'm betting he's still furious about the stipulations of the will. Hell, I'm still angry." His expression turned sour.

"I know. I tried a thousand time to talk your grandfather out of it. But he was vehement about the Carnelian finally being located. He believed that enough time was wasted, and felt Neil would have the best chance of locating it."

"That makes no sense. He and my brother hated one another more than anyone else. Why would he think Neil would be the one most likely to find it?" Standing, Darrell stretched, rolling his shoulders to ease some of the tension that knotted them.

"I could not begin to tell you, other than something about the blood or Ornias being especially strong in your brother." Luc laughed, "Perhaps that's why he's so temperamental."

Darrell smiled briefly, "That would certainly explain it. Perhaps I should try calling, even if it does only result in my head being chewed off." He turned to his phone, which let out a low ring just as he reached for it. He lifted it, "Yes?"

"I figured you would still be at work." The deep voice on the other end was full of laughter.

"Xavier!" Darrell's eyes lit up, "Why are you calling so late?"

"When else can I ever catch you? You do enough work for ten people. I needed to speak with you, but I wanted to wait until I could get you uninterrupted."

"Well, you're timing is impeccable, as it always is." Darrell leaned back in his seat, significantly more relaxed as he talked on the phone. Behind him, Luc frowned.

~*~*~*~

Sheridan's head jerked up at the sound of the phone. Rising from the couch, he moved into the hall to grab it. "It's after ten. Who could possibly be calling? Lifting the phone, he eyed the name flashing on the caller id beside the phone. "Oh…"

Hitting the receive button, Sheridan lifted the phone to his head. "Hey, dad."

"Sheridan. Did you manage to reach Neil yet?"

"No, sir. I've called him three time today but he never answered or called back."

"Call him again. I want this matter resolved as quickly as possible, and it will be easier for him if he has assistance."

"But it's ten at night - he definitely won't pick up the phone now, you know how--"

"Then call first thing in the morning." On the other end of the phone, Luc's voice was impatient.

"Yes, sir."

"That will suffice then. Just remember - I want that stone found quickly. This matter need not drag on forever." Luc sounded as if he was about to hang up.

Sheridan spoke up, voice hesitant, "Ah, Dad…"

"What is it?"

I…I was wondering…if we were still going up to the lake?"

"…Probably not. This whole matter with the Carnelian makes it difficult, and the business is demanding a great deal more time than usual with the new line. Not to mention the possible merger. It will have to be postponed."

"Sure, okay…Good night, dad."

"Good night." A dial tone sounded in Sheridan's ear, and he stiffly replaced the phone on the charger.

"Who is your father?" A voice like ice spoke up from the doorway, though it lacked the anger from earlier that day.

Sheridan looked blindly at the dark haired demon a moment, "Lucas Arden. A personal assistant, right hand man type to Darrell.

"Darrell is the current head of the DeMarius line?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Nomolos said nothing, merely returning to the living room. Sheridan trailed slowly after him, curling back into his place on the couch.

Nomolos spoke up after a few more minutes of silence, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. "You are saying that this Neil DeMarius is currently searching for the Carnelian? But he believes the entire thing to be nothing more than a story?"

"Yeah - everyone does. I did, until you showed up." Sheridan shrugged, staring down at his jeans.

"So why is your father so intent upon it? He sounded quite serious on the phone."

"I don't know, dad's always like that. Like I said before, no one actually thinks there's some magic stone that will grant the DeMarius line demonic powers or anything, but my dad thinks there's something to the story. Like a rare jewel or something. He's mostly just edgy about the merger I think."

"Merger?" Nomolos asked.

"Yeah, DeMarius Chocolates may be bought out by Lord Enterprises. My dad doesn't like the idea, but it's entirely up to Darrell and he seems to be wavering. He and Xavier Lord are always discussing it, Dad comes home furious about it all the time. He'll probably be home in another hour or so, actually. You can see him shout about it then."

"No, I won't."

"Oh yeah - you're not here. Umm…where exactly are you going to go?"

"I will probably go visit the DeMarius's. No one has been able to summon me in over 300 years, and that incident cost me my favorite slave."

Sheridan tilted his head, curiosity winning out over the remaining traces of his fear. "Is it hard to summon you or something?"

Nomolos looked at him, expression stern. "Of course it is. If I was so trivial a demon as to be easily called forth, I would not have been able to take the Carnelian and keep it for 500 years."

"I'm still having a hard time believing all of this is real."

Red eyes stared intently into golden eyes, "I am confused as to why you're so complacent, Sheridan Arden."

"Just Sheridan is fine."

"…Sheridan, then. By all rights you should be trying to tell someone I am here. Taking the Carnelian from me would solve a lot of the problems."

"Well, I get the feeling we couldn't get that stone away from you if we tried. But also - I just don't care. I hate family histories, lineages, stuff like that. It's all I heard growing up. DeMarius this, Arden that. I wish I'd never heard of either one, or that stupid Carnelian." Sheridan's face flushed at h sudden outburst.

"Interesting." Nomolos shifted in his seat so that he fully faced the golden-haired boy. "I sense there are reasons I was brought to this room. Do you really hate the Carnelian that much?"

Confusion on his face, Sheridan replied, "Yes. I do."

Nomolos' voice was the friendliest the other man had heard yet. "Well then, Sheridan. I believe we can help one another."

"How is that?" Sheridan's confusion only increased.

"500 years ago, I took the Cornelian from Ornias. As a precaution, I broke the stone into pieces and hid them amongst the jewels worn by my slaves. 300 years ago someone attempted to summon me, but one of my slaves took my place in the spell. Unfortunately he carried on the pieces of the Cornelian with him. I did not think much about it at the time, as from time to time idiot humans try to summon and control me. But this latest summoning only convinces me that for some reason the DeMarius line still wants the stone - I should not have allowed that idiot woman to live."

"Okay…"

Nomolos' expression grew fierce, his voice hardening as he continued to speak, "I have kept the stone because originally it added to my own strength. One shard lost in a failed summoning did not overly concern me. But this second summoning is enough to convince me that keeping it was a foolish idea. The very last thing I need is for Ornias to rise up again through his descendents. On your side, the fervor for the stone will die with its destruction. Believe me, Ornias' descendents will know it's been destroyed, even if they do not currently believe it even exists."

"So my dad and everyone will shut up about it?" Hope lit up sun-gold eyes.

Candy red eyes stared back, and Nomolos smiled. "Yes."

Sheridan offered the demon a small smile of his own, "Then I think, Nomolos, that we can help each other."

"Excellent."



Now to get ready for work, blargh.

Comments

Re: Brandy Song

[maderr.livejournal.com]

yep, that would be the one. thank you Allie.