Hubble Bubble - 10. Chapter 10

The night is growing dark and cold. All through the gardens lights are coming on. Fairly lights twinkle in the trees and flaming torches flare all along the paths, burning with flames of gold, red, blue and green. Many of the party goers are, themselves glowing in pale, cold, moon bright shades.

Pushing through the throngs on the patio and lawn I break into a run, catching a glimpse of silver and gold disappearing along a path which borderd the lawn and then turns sharply to the left, back towards the walled garden. They are not hurrying, I realised. They seem to be lingering at all the points where they could have lost me. The Merlin wants me to follow them.

It is no stretch of the imagination to work out that I am being led, possibly... no probably into a trap, but I am helpless to do anything other than follow. Nick is in the hands of the enemy again and I am not going to let him be hurt any more. I am too hasty. It does not occur to me to summon help. It isn’t as though there is none to hand.

Taking the bend in the path at a run I see them, strolling just ahead. The Merlin has his arm around Nick’s waist and Nick’s head is still resting on his shoulder in a strangely intimate and disturbing way.

“Nick!”

The Merlin looks back over his shoulder and I know he is smiling, even though he is not quite close enough to see the expression. He is, however close enough to see him pause, lace his hand into Nick’s hair and bend his head to kiss him.

“Leave him alone you bastard!” The words are torn from my lips. The Merlin raises his head and seems to mock me with his stillness before he resumed his steady walk. In a moment they disappeared around another bend in the path.

When I reach the turn I don’t slow, especially as I can see Nick and the Merlin, barely fifty feet away, climbing the steps to a bandstand at the centre of a clearing. Stumbling I leap forwards... and find myself staring up at the stars, feeling dazed and confused.

Slowly I drag mymself to my feet. Something touches my lip and I taste blood. Raising a shaking hand i feel my nose gingerly and my fingers come away bloodied. Raising the same hand in front of my face, palm outwards I move it forwards until it mets with resistance. I raise my other hand and spread them. The resistance continues in every direction as far as I can reach. It was a force field and I'd run straight into it.

Getting to my feet, somewhat shakily I raise my head to the pavilion. The Merlin and Nick are dancing, ignoring me; so close I can see every feather, every sequin on the masks, now discarded at their feet. So close That I can see the triumphant, mocking expression in the cruel blue eyes.

“Nick! Nick, what are you doing? Do you know who that is? Get away from there. Get away from him.”

The Merlin laughs and I can hear each silvery note as clear as a bell. The force field does not dampen sound. It only prevents me from reaching them.

“Nick. Nick!!” The Merlin swings him round. His head is no longer lolling on the silver clad shoulder but upright and he is dancing, responding to some unheard melody, but his eyes are completely blank. He is unaware.

“Oh no. No. No. No.” I hammer on the force field with all mey strength, my voice rising to a scream of impotent rage and pain. I move to my left, running my hands along the invisible barrier but, whether it moved with me, or ran all the way around the clearing it is complete and impenetrable.

“Nick, oh Nick please, please snap out of it. Fight him Nick. Please. I can’t let him take you, I can’t. Hear me, please hear me.” I am sobbing but my words fade as I realise their futility. I am helpless, as helpless as my beloved in the arms of that monster.

As if realising that I have succumbed to helplessness The Merlin stopps dancing. Nick stands perfectly still facing me, his back rigid, his eyes staring into nothing. In tantalising slow motion The Merlin moves to stand in front of him and raises his arms to twine in the glorious waterfall of night black hair which seems to be lifting gently as if played with by a breeze.

Pressing his body against Nick’s The Merlin kissed him full on the lips. At first Nick stands immobile, his hands at his side, then The Merlin raises his head to whisper something in his ear and his hands come up, his arms encircling his tormentor in a stiff embrace.

“No. Stop. Please don’t... don’t do that to him.”

Even though I realise that this show is designed to torment me I can't help but be tormented by it. It's Nick for gods’ sake.

As if in response to my words The Merlin moves back and Nick’s arms fall to his sides. For a moment I almost believe that he is listening to my pleas but that is just foolishness. Slowly, teasingly, The Merlin steps slightly to the side so that I have a clear view when he begins to unbutton Nick’s coat, slowly, one button at a time.

I'm trembling so hard I think I am going to fall.. I sag against the force field, tears streaming down my face.

When all the buttons are freed The Merlin runs his hand over Nick’s hair and cheek and, in an obscenely intimate gesture, slips it inside the coat to caress his chest and upwards until the coat slips from his shoulder. He does the same with the other hand and the coat fallsl to the floor. All the while Nick stands immobile, staring straight ahead.

The light touch of a hand on on shoulder startles me and I spin around, my heart pounding, ready to fight. I almost collapse when I come face to face with Lucifer and Ariel.

“We were looking for you.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“It’s The Merlin. He has Nick under some kind of enchantment and he is putting on a show for me. There is a force field all the way around the clearing.”

Lucifer runs his hands over the invisible wall while Ariel remains immobile, staring at me.

“I’m sorry.” The words are almost inaudible. Ariel chewson his lip, tears glistening in his eyes. For some reason this irritated me. I don't have time for this. Nick is in danger. My lips part to render some admonition but then I notice simultaneously that Ariel is shivering and that he has an ugly purple bruise on his temple. Instantly my concern releases the frustration and I smile gently, reaching out to lay a hand on Ariel’s shoulder.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. This has all been my fault and I swear I will find a way to make it right. But right now I have to concentrate on Nick, he is in danger.”

Ariel’s eyes slide over my shoulder. “Is that The Merlin?”

“Yes.”

“He has a lot of courage to come here. Courage is admirable but there is nothing to admire in him.”

“No, nothing at all.”

Beside me Lucifer has begun to chant softly under his breath and my’s heart soars. This time I know what he's doing and I pray that it woll work.

Ariel puts a hand on my arm. I look at it and think how delicate it is, how beautiful the long tapered fingers are. It is the hand of an artist, a musician, a gentle soul. He looks up and our eyes met. Ariel looks tired, no not tired, exhausted and I am shocked by the emotional response this triggers. Even now, even at this time, with Nick so close and in so much danger, I can't tear my eyes away.

“Ariel....”

“Sssh. Don’t speak Sam. I know. You think I don’t, but I do. Perhaps I always have. I know more than you think. I know how it ends. Don’t worry. I’m okay. It was worth it. It’s all been worth it. Remember Sam.... to everything there is a season. A time to live and a time to die. A time for every purpose under heaven. I am elemental. I know. I have seen... and it’s alright.”

“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?”

“You will understand. I am saying... I am saying that it’s alright. I know what I’m doing Sam... fully, completely, openly...with love... for you.” The tears spill over and I am unaccountably afraid.

“Ariel...”

“Sssh. It’s alright Sam. It’s time now. This has always been how it ends. Don’t worry. I will save you... both.”

“Ariel...”

“Be ready Sam.”

Ariel takes away his hand and turs away. He lays the hand gently on the force field, which shimmers slightly but holds. I watch the ripples move out from the hand, one after another, slowly, deliberately.

“It won’t be long. Be ready.”

I raise my eyes and am shocked to see that The Merlin has rapidly stripped Nick who is now standing rigid, still and naked. Slowly, sensuously The Merlin is running his hands over Nick’s body and I hear Nick sigh. This ss the only response.

“What the hell is he doing?”

“Apart from torturing you?” The ever present sneer makes me want to punch Lucifer there and then.

“Aren’t you supposed to be chanting?”

“Not any more. Your pretty little friend is doing a much better job.”

“Fuck you.”

“It’s not me who is going to get fucked.”

“What?!!”

“It seems that The Merlin is looking for a different way to harness Nick’s energy this time.”

“What? No! No, he can’t.”

“I think he can.”

Again I pound helplessly against the force field. Although I know I can't make an impact I have to do something, anything. I can't just let this happen. I can'the watch and do nothing.

However, The Merlin is not having it all his own way. Whatever enchantment he has woven to control Nick is doing its job too well. Nick is entirely unaware what is going on and therefore unable to respond in the way intended, unable to respond at all. After a time of trying fruitlessly to elicit a reaction The Merlin steps back and raises his hands. A word rang out that has no meaning other than power.

At first nothing happens and then the air within the pavilion shimmers and someone, something steps through from somewhere. Oh fuck? I have seen that person before, if person it is. The long dark hair is a matted mane and the black eyes gleam with raw hunger, locking with mine as the luscious red lips draw back over the sharp teeth.

Without another word being spoken the vampire moves very close behind Nick and begins to whisper wordlessly as one hand snakes around his waist and the other strokes his silky black hair.

Abruptly the rigid tension goes out of Nick and he sags against the vampire, his head rolling back onto his shoulder. The vampire croons as if to a small child and strokes Nick’s cheek with abhorrent intimate tenderness. The tip of one clawed finger trails over his cheek and down over his jaw to his throat. Nick moans as the claw hooks his hair, drawing it back behind his shoulder.

“No.” It's a scream and I throw myself against the barrier. Lucifer catches me around the waist and draws me back.

“Stay back. You are making it harder for the boy.” He hisses.

I don't care. I can't care. I care for nothing other than the fact that The Merlin is stroking Nick in places that he should not be touching, and he is finally being rewarded with a response.

Even from a distance I can see that Nick is trembling, his breath quickening. The Merlin drops to his knees, pressing his face to Nick’s groin as his hands go around to grasp his buttocks and part them. Nick moans more as though with pain than pleasure.

I can't look away. I am forced by my own love, my own fear, to watch each moment in terrible wonderment. I have seen this before. I have been here before. That time I had been powerful. That time I had felt helpless but been able to help, even though that help had cost more than I could ever have imagined. It occurred to me that perhaps, this time, too there might be something I can do. After all I have power here... don’t I?

“Let me go.” I hiss to Lucifer who only tightens his grip. “Let me go you bastard, I can help.”

“What can you do?” The mocking scorn is the last straw. As I hae done once before I draw energy into mymself from my surroundings. This time I also draw from Lucifer who immediately releases me and steps back with a hiss.

As soon as I am free I move forward and rest my hands against the force field. Ariel glances at me and smiles. There is something in that smile that touches a well deep inside me. I move my hand to cover Ariel’s briefly and the words just slip from my lips.

“I love you.”

“I know you do Sam. I know you do. I love you too.”

Ariel turns his head and closes his eyes. Released, I feel almost as though I am waking from a dream. I move my hands so that both palms are resting on the invisible barrier and then I concentrate. Somehow I seem to know what to do. It wasn’t like anything I have done before. I can sense Ariel pouring energy into the field, sense it rippling out from my hands and I join my own energy with his.

The sensation of blending my energy with Ariel’s is intimate and strange. It was as if the essence of Sam and the essence of Ariel overlap and melt into each other. Ariel opens to me with a sigh and the pure elemental energy poured into me like a warm, soothing shower after a long day. I taste what it is to be Ariel and, as I taste it I feel a line being crossed. I could never, never send Ariel away now, no more than I could tear out my heart and leave it lying in the dust at the roadside.

For a moment I have a stab of fear. What will this mean for us, for Nick? A whisper touched my mind, a gentle sigh... “All is well. It is as it should be. There is nothing to fear. Trust me.” And I do.

At some point I stop being me and become something else, something more and something less. I am subsumed in the stream of energy and become part of it. Strangely I seem to be becoming part of the force field itself. I feel mymself spread over its surface, becoming acutely aware of the ebb and flow of energy that sustained it. In that moment I see flaws, cracks appearing in the fabric of its construction. Slowly, deliberately the gold/blue energy seeps into the cracks, parting them, widening them, penetrating them.

In the pavilion The Merlin takes Nick into his mouth and the vampire lowers his head to the exposed throat. Absorbed in my task though I am I can't help but see, can't not help but feel.

Nick cries out, his body flexing and I watch, impassive as a trickle of blood runs down over his collar bone. The Merlin moves faster and sparks began to dance before my eyes, whether in the force field or the space beyond I can't tell.

Jerking and twisting in the arms of his captor Nick whimpers and moans, his body beyond his control, responding to the fire in his blood and his loins. His breath is coming in gasps and his head strains back against the immovable shoulder, cording the muscles in his neck. The vampire continues to feed as Nick’s struggling turns to writhing as his hips move in time with The Merlin’s thrusts.

Even I can feel the power building now and I am terrified, more terrified than I have ever been. I have the overwhelming feeling that I am losing Nick all over again. They are taking him from me, right before my eyes, and there is nothing, nothing I can do to stop them. The voice in my mind whispers. “Soon... soon...”

And then, unexpectedly Ariel gives a little cry and we both fall forwards onto our knees... through the barrier, which is no longer there. After catching his breath for a moment Ariel gets to his feet and sprints for the pavilion, launching himself from the bottom of the steps straight at the vampire.

Finding myself suddenly free I follow, only a little behind. As I reached the bottom step I see the vampire release Nick who slides to the ground. With seemingly no effort at all he lifts Ariel clear of the floor by the throat and sends him crashing into one of the pillars which support the pavilion. There is a sickening thud and Ariel crumples and lies motionless.

In the same instant something sleek and black and huge launches itself from behind me and lands square in the vampire’s chest, knocking him over backwards and then I have no time to think because The Merlin isthere, looming in front of me and suddenly I am fighting for my life.

It isn’t just that The Merlin is stronger than I am, if it had been then I could have countered with the sheer force of the rage that is twisting me from within, a rage that I have never felt before, that is almost physical in its presence. The Merlin is more than just physical presence though, he is pure energy and, as much as I am learning to use my power here, in the world of magic where it is strong and pure, The Merlin has been using his for so much longer.

Initially my instinctive lunge takes The Merlin by surprise and I actually manage to get my fingers around the seemingly delicate throat and see the baby blue eyes go wide. However, as I start to squeeze I feel a strange sensation wash through me and I lose my strength, my arms falling away. Blinking I realise that I am somehow looking down onto a man who moments ago had been at the same level and am shocked to find that my feet are six inches off the ground.

I struggle but I am pinned, suspended in thin air, unable to move any part of me. I have to fight down initial panic trying to gather my energy as I had at the barrier.

“Nuh huh little man.” The Merlin scolds and the same strange feeling washes over me, scattering my thoughts and my control. Only the burning core of my anger keeps me from losing focus altogether. Not even The Merlin’s magic is strong enough to disperse that.

“Let me go you son of a bitch. I’ll kill you for what you’ve done.”

“Oh dear. Have I upset you? What can I have done? Surely not my little dance with the lovely Nicholas.” The Merlin grins, an evil, hungry look in his eyes. “He is lovely isn’t he?” he purrs. “I have so missed having him around. You have no idea how many hours I have spent gazing into that beautiful face, and I have found my way around the rest of his body too. He tasted so good.”

“Shut up.” I can barely speak, choking on my rage. “Don’t speak about him like that.”

The Merlin smiles and moved his face close to mine. If I could have I would have spat in his eye.

“Did you really think that, for all those months, I could have looked at something that beautiful and not touched? I have touched and I have tasted. I have kissed those cold lips and explored every inch of him. And I will do it again.”

“Never. I will see you in hell before you lay a finger on him again.”

This time The Merlin laughs out loud. “Do you really think there is anything you can do to stop me? That there is anything anyone can do to stop me?”

“Lucifer...”

“Lucifer? So you cry for help from a pussycat now? I’m afraid he has his paws full right now, and even if he does defeat my champion, he is no match for me. Or what about the pretty little water boy?” He pointedly looks around. “I don’t see him rushing to your assistance. No. It’s just you and me. Soon it will just be me.”

He holdsup his hand, the fingers splayed wide and begins to whisper. I can't hear any distinct words but the sound of the soft voice washes over me and I can feel the last of my strength leaving me. Fighting as hard as I can I lift myhead and stare The Merlin defiantly in the eye. Over his shoulder I can see the vampire and Lucifer still locked in battle, although Lucifer has his jaws closed on the vampire’s throat and the man is clearly weakening while the cat remains strong.

Nick is still lying where he had fallen although I am almost sure I can see him stir, and Ariel... With surprising control considering my present condition I stop myself from allowing my eyes to flick from The Merlin’s even as I sees movement out of the corner of my eye. Something is coming, moving closer, inch by painful inch, slowly, carefully.

Heartened by the knowledge that my friends are, at least alive and fighting, I draw mymself up. Using a different approach than I had before I let myself feel the full force of my anger, my hatred for this man, this monster. Instead of drawing energy from the outside I slowly feed the flames that sear me inside and allow them to grow, feeling the energy tingle deep within and begin to spread outwards until I feel my fingers and toes tingle with it.

“Oh, how clever of you,” The Merlin mocks. “It was months before I even began to think of doing that. If only you could have lived you would have made a wonderful magician. Sadly I think it is time to end this pitiful charade. You are no match for me, never could be. You are nothing more than an irritation and it is time for me to erase you, as I feel that time is becoming pressing and I need to get Nick out of here before there are any more interruptions.”

As he speaks he lays his hand, the one he had been holding raised in front of him, against my chest, over mys heart. Instantly the power I had been building flowed back from my extremities into my chest and my heart gives a painful thud as the energies seem to converge there. Oh my God it hurts. It feels as though my heart is on fire and is burning a hole in my chest. I can almost smell burning flesh and the pain.... ah gods the pain.

Slowly The Merlin draws in his fingers, digging into my flesh and as he closed his fist the pain grew worse until edges of my vision became cloudy and I start to fade. The that exists in my mind, the thing that threatens to drive me insane before I die is that ast thing I see on earth will be the evil grin on The Merlin’s face and that I will die knowing I have failed Nick... again.

Just as the pain grows to a point where I'm not able to bear it any longer and the darkness is closing in, bringing me to the point of passing out, I see a blur of silver and blue on the edge of my sight and suddenly the hand, the pain, and whatever has been holding me suspended and helpless are gone.

Crashing to the floor I can only lie here for a moment, gasping, the memory of pain too pressing, too present. My heart is pounding and my eyes are still dimmed. Shaking my head I drag myself to my feet and can barely believe what I see.

The Merlin w1s standing about four feet away encased in a blinding blue white light. Standing in front of him, with a hand clamped around his throat is Ariel. I try to move closer but I am rebuffed by waves of energy so intense they almost bring me to my knees again and I stare in wonder as he see for the first time the true power of a concentrated elemental force.

“Ariel...” I whisper.

A dark shape appears around the edge of the light. Lucifer, his jaws dripping blood and his coat matted with it, stalks on light feet, sniffing the air and searching for a way to get past the energy to reach The Merlin. Pad...pad...pad... he prowls the edges of the crackling sparking blue current.

I stare at the two immobile figures, locked in a deadly struggle that is apparent from the outside only by the expressions on their faces. I am awestruck by Ariel’s power but, at the same time mortally fearful for him. He seems impossibly slender in the flickering light, so small and fragile next to the larger, more powerful looking, frame of The Merlin.

It is clear from the way he is holding himself, the hand that is not gripping The Merlin’s throat pressed against his side, leaning slightly to favour it, that Ariel is hurt. His eyes are narrowed and intensely focused yet still there was room for pain. I remember the force with which he had been flung against the pillar and my heart pounds in my chest.

I am so focussed on the still, silent battle that I didn't notice that something was slowly approaching me until I felt the soft touch on my shoulder. I jump and turnready to fight then, with a sound that is half sob and half laugh I throw myself into the soft white arms.

“Nick. Oh Nick I was so scared. I thought I would be too late again. I am so weak, so stupid. I thought I was going to lose you again.”

Nick rests his cheek on my hair and whispers gently. “Never. I will never leave you, never. This I swear.”

Both of us are shaking but I allow myself to be lost for a moment in the security of my lover’s arms and, just for a moment there is calm, there is peace, everything is alright. But it can’t last, not now.

I is the hardest thing I have ever done, to pull myself out of Nick’s arms and turn back towards the battle. “Ariel.”

“I know.”

“What?”

“I can feel it Sam. I can feel his pain. He is weakening. He’s not going to win this. He’s hurt too badly.”

“What? I... How do you know?”

“I don’t know how I know, I just do.”

“What can we do? How can we help?”

“There is nothing we can do, not yet. The Merlin is weakening too. When he has done all he can Ariel will release him and then we strike.”

There is something in Nick’s voice that chills me to the bone, even as it excites me. i look up quickly; Nick’s eyes are glittering.

“I want to tear his heart out.”

Nick looks down at me and smiles a gentler smile. “I’m sure you do, but this is not your fight Sam. You’ve done enough.”

“Done enough? I haven’t done anything.”

“Sam, trust me, this is not your world, not your fight.”

“And it is yours? You’ve accepted it then?”

For a moment Nick looks confused, and then he shakes his head. “I have accepted nothing, but I do know this... he’s mine.”

“But you can’t. You can’t Nick. You’re not strong enough. I couldn’t even begin...”

“Have faith. I wasn’t entirely telling the truth just then. There is one thing I have accepted... just one thing. I have been watching Lucifer. If what they say is true and his father is my father then...” Nick’s voice had been turning inwards, thoughtful and pensive, his eyes drifting towards where Lucifer still prowled around and around. He shakes his head and looks directly at me, his face hardening. “Stay here Sam. Promise me you’ll stay here.”

“Nick I...” But I know that look. I know that whatever it is Nick is planning there is nothing I can do to turn him aside and I have to admit that given the circumstances no one has a better reason to hate The Merlin or a greater right to try. “Alright. Be careful. Please be careful. I love you.”

Nick smiles his dazzling smile and leans forward to kiss me soundly on the lips. When he raises his head his face is slightly worried. “I hope you will still be saying that after this Sam, because the phrase ‘I love you’ doesn’t even begin to describe the way I feel about you.”

“What do you mean?” But Nick is gone, striding away from me to crouch, staring inwards towards the energy field. The crackling blue light plays over his face and makes it look strange, unearthly.

Nick closes his eyes and goes very still. He seems to glow. I blink, then blink again, and then close my eyes and when I open them Nick has gone. I gasp aloud because; where once there had been one cat prowling around the circle, now there are two... one a sleek black panther and the other a sparkling white tiger. I sway, feeling weak. How many more shocks can I stand?

I don't have much time to think because barely have I processed the new information when the blue light that surrounds Ariel and The Merlin flares into eye burning intensity and then winks out. Released from his stasis The Merlin reaches for Ariel as the elemental, completely spent of power, begins to fall. His fingers never make contact because in the instant the force field vanishes the cats pounce.

Staggering with the impact The Merlin cries out and falls backwards, teeth and claws tearing at him. However, as he hits the ground he screams out one word, harsh and howling and, with a force that blasts both cats into the air to land yards away yelping, he vanishes.