The Amulet of Tenebrae

"She's resting now, but it will be a couple days before she can get up again." he said, "For a while I'll cook." he sighed, "I'm not the best but I'll keep us fed." Rassler came over, then let ME cook."

Carter shook his head, "NOOOOO last time you cooked for me I couldn't' eat it!" "I COOK WELL!" Defended Rassler, "If you called BURNT lamb food!" countered Carter.

Kendra stood by and watched the two of them bicker. "I can settle this. How about I cook for all of us? I don't mind...I use to cook for myself all the time when I was living at home." She said walking over to the refrigerator to see what was inside.

"You two are welcome to help if you want." She said while looking in the pantry next for dry ingredients.

They both looked at her and blinked, they glanced at each other and sighed, "If you wish Miss Kendra." said Carter. "I don't eat rabbit food." Rassler said, expecting as such format eh scrawny squirrel.

Kendra heard Rassler's remark and threw an onion at his head. "It's better than burnt lamb." She said teasing him back. "You will eat whatever I cook or go hungry." She gathered some meat from the fridge and laid it out on the counter while she chose some fresh vegetables from the baskets in the pantry.

"Carter, would you mind chopping those vegetables, please?" She asked. "I'll prepare the meat." She walked over to the counter and got some spices to give the meat a bit of taste.

"I DON'T eat vegetables." he said Then an Onion collided with the back of his head, "OW!! HEY!!!" he growled. The pantry and larder were Stocked FULL of the FINEST produce that most CHEFS would be envious of. The meat was good steak from a local farm Carter visited on a regular basis. "They are REALLY good steak." he smiled.

"Of course Miss kendra." he smiled heading over to assist her. "Rassler can only eat meat that's raw of blue cooked." said Carter.

Once the meat was properly spiced and tenderized, she placed it in the pan and let it start cooking. "I know, Carter. He told me what he can and can't eat. I'll make his steak last so it is still warm."

She took out another pan to steam the vegetables with. "If you wouldn't mind steaming the vegetable please, Carter." She said.

They got coking the meal, well they it meant Kendra and Carter, Rassler went down to the wine cellar to avoid more ONIONS being thrown at him Carter sighed, "He's pouting again."

"Let him pout. He'll get over it." She said flipping the steak in the pan. Kendra had grown accustomed to his hissy fits and found it best that he be alone to pout and vent his anger.

"I'll make some for Ruth too. Could you take it to her when she wakes up?" She asked Carter.

"He's always been a pouty mess." said Carter with a chuckle, "Mmm smells good." he said, "I would have thought you didn't like touching meat." he said ,eating her being a vegetarian.

"Of course." he smiled, "She'll feel bad for not doing her job, the poor thing."

Kendra chuckled, "You've known him much longer than I have so I'm not surprised. I just wish he would smile more. It takes a lot of energy to be angry all the time." She said. She chuckled again at his comment about her being a Vegetarian. "I am not a hardcore fanatic when it comes to being a vegetarian. I just don't like seeing animals being killed. If it is already dead, then it doesn't bother me. I cooled meat a lot of the time for my mother, so it's fine." She said growing quiet for a moment at the mention of her mother. She thought about what might happen if they didn't find the gate in time...what Vorkalth would do to her mother and possibly her...

"He's......had little to smile about over these years of service to the family. He's bitter and he's tired.....I would guess." he said, "I'm not him so I don't know how he truly feels. but I think with him also being a demon, smiling genuinely is....not in their nature." said Carter.

"Ahhhh that makes sense. Its not pleasant no, but it has to be done to get what you need from the animal." he said. Carter noticed her suddenly silence, "Are you Alright Miss Kendra?"

"You're right. My heart really does ache for him. He is so angry and bitter because he is trapped. And I am the one holding him captive..." She sighed.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. And please Carter, just call me Kendra. Miss. Kendra sounds too weird to me." She chuckled and took two of the steaks out of the pan and put Rasslers on.

"Its not you personally that's keeping his trapped, its the curse on your family that traps him. Ivan is the one that trapped him." he said, "Its NOT your fault." Carter said.

"I'm sorry, old habits die hard." he chuckled.

"I know...but I can't help but blame myself. That is why I don't want to use my power over him. It just seems so cruel." She said.

She chuckled at Carter. "Its ok. I know it is hard to change old habits. If calling me Miss. Kendra is easier for you then you can call me that if you want." The steaks were finally ready and the vegetables were almost done. Kendra startes to make a plate for Ruth. "I'll let Rassler know dinner is ready. I'm making this plate for Ruth. I hope she will feel like eating something."

"Its a necessary evil I'm afraid." said Carter, "He is a well versed and strong personality, but he's still a demon and they are unpredictable." he said.

"Thank you. It feels rude to me, to call someone I don't know well yet enough by their first name yet. Once I get to know you more I'll be able to drop it." he smiled.

"Just keep it brief with him, he's in a mood." he said to Kendra. Meanwhile, Rassler removed his vest and was sitting at the table in the cellar...he had gotten a couple bottle of the vintage red wine and had drunk one of the bottles already and was on the second.

"I know. Thanks for your concern Carter." Kendra prepared a plate for Rass of meat and fruit and opened the cellar door to take it down to him. Once at the bottom of the stairs, she found him sulking at the table with a few bottles of wine around him.

"I brought your dinner for you." She sat it down on the table beside him. "If there is anything else you need, just let me know." She turned to walk away from him, keeping her visit brief as she promised Carter she would.

It was barely lit in the cellar and he was ONLY to be able to seen. He continued to drink the wine as if it was orange juice, "......If you two are gonna talk abut me, do it when i'm OUTSIDE." he said, he heard EVERY bit of the conversation.

Kendra stopped and turned back to him and was about to say something but thought better of it and just walked back toward the stairs to go back to the kitchen. "Noted." She said as she walked up the stairs feeling conflicted. She just wasn't sure how to handle these constant mood swings of his. It was getting exhausting.

Later that night...

Kendra was sound asleep in her bed and was dreaming, but this dream was nothing she ever expected. In her minds eye, she saw a huge castle from centuries ago. It looked like an older version of the manor. In the center of the ballroom, she could see a fuzzy image of what looked like Rassler dancing with someone. Her point of view switched between seeing them together and the view through the woman's eyes. She could see Rass up close, a faint detection of a smile on his face...then everything goes black and she is jolted awake and sits up in bed as if waking up from a trance. She was breathing heavy and clenching the amulet in her fist which she didn't remember doing.

"What was that I just saw?" Her head was hurting slightly and it took her a few minutes to gather herself. She let go of the amulet and expected Rass to appear, but he never did. She looked at her phone and saw that it was barely seven in the morning. She slipped on her jeans and a tank top and went down stairs to make herself some tea to clear her mind.

Rassler rolled his eyes and took another swig of the wine. He looked at the plate of meat and fruit and picked at it through the night. Eventually he nodded off at the table, his kind didn't get drunk form the booze, but it made them sleepy as hell. He slept peacefully when he could hear the morning crow of the rooster outside, he sighed, "I'm gonna kill that bird."

He yawned and stood and saw he was in the cellar still, ".....fuck me...." he stood and grabbed his vest, but didn't bother putting it on and ruffled his hair. He walked up the stairs and closed the door tot he cellar behind him once he was out. He sighed and clicked his neck, ".............." he didn't feel like making breakfast yet so he headed on to the Ballroom again. He got inside and close the door but not enough to fully close it. He tossed his vest aside and went over to the CD player. He looked through the collection the box next to it and found something he wanted. He got the music playing and it was a music for a tango, he walked out to the centre of the room and got moving to the music.

Kendra put her tea bag into the mug full of hot water and let it steep a bit. She added a little bit of honey and blew on it to cool it down. She took a sip and smiled, her body filled with warmth from head to toe.

"Mmm, perfect." She was going to sit down at the table near the window and enjoy the view while she drank her tea, but she suddenly heard music. "What in the world?" She left her tea on the table and went to investigate. She followed the music out of the kitchen and into the long hallway with many doors. Her eyes went right to the familiar one that was not shut all the way. She crept up and looked in through the crack and saw Rassler in there alone again, but he wasn't training like he was the last time.

'He's...dancing." She thought to herself as she watched him. It was so similar to her dream. He moved in almost the exact same way. Recalling the dream and watching him dance like that gave her a sudden sense of deja vu and made her heart race. She clenched the amulet and forgot to breathe she was so entranced.

Rassler was too involved with his dance to notice Kendra once again was spying on him, he was picturing an imagery partner with him at the time, since he was NOT about to ask EITHER of the girls here to dance with him, heck he didn't know if they could dance period. after a few minutes though, he Then he felt like he was being watched and he looked to the door and paused, seeing Kendra.

He stopped and sighed, "REALLY? Can i not enjoy something in peace?" he went over to the player and paused the music.

Kendra got spooked when he spotted her and quickly moved away from the door and pressed her back against the wall beside the door. She could tell he was mad. The music stopped and she could hear his footsteps coming toward the door. Her heart was still racing. She wasn't sure if she should talk to Rassler about her dream or not. It was probably nothing, but she wasn't sure how he would react. She turned to look at the door waiting for Rassler to burst through them at any second.

He opened the door fully, "What now?!" he asked her, seeing she looked scared. He sighed, "What is it?" he asked in a tiny less grouchy tone.

The doors opened and of course, he was fuming as usual. But he calmed himself and spoke to her in a mildly irritated tone this time. She looked at him and stood up off the wall. "I was in the kitchen and heard music...I just followed it here and happened to find you. I didn't mean to disturb you." Seeing Rassler this close made her think of her dream again. It was still very fuzzy, but she knew it was Rassler that she saw.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something, but it can wait until later." She said not wanting to tell him about such a minuscule thing that might make him upset again.

"No, I'm not doing anything now." he sighed, "What is it?" he said, crossing his arms. "If the music was too loud then I'll turn it down."