Then a brilliant idea occurred to me. A woman of rare and otherworldly beauty had caught the attention of the king. She was called the silver-haired oracle. It was said her beauty could rival that of any other being. Of course I did not believe it, but any being who inspired such beliefs would have to be dealt with as soon as possible. There is talk about her powers and good deeds. I had not met this creature and yet she infuriated me.
The king had expressed interest in inviting her to the castle. I would put an end to her before allowing her a visit with the king. Of course, I would like to take a look at her before slaying her. I decided to resolve both issues at once. I shall send Prometheus on a journey to bring the silver-haired oracle to me, promising great wealth upon his return. I would also vow to take good care of the princess and speak to the king on his behalf, so when he returned, the king would better welcome him.
As soon as Prometheus left on his quest I paid the king a visit.
“Your Highness.” I bowed in his presence. “May I have a word with you?”
He stared, mesmerized by Artemisia’s enhanced beauty. “Of course. It has been long since we conversed.” He gestured for me to come closer.
He led me to the royal chambers, and I knew what he had in mind. “I am afraid I am the bearer of bad news, Your Highness.” I lowered my head.
He lifted my chin. “Surely that can wait. Let me gaze into your brown eyes. They sparkle like the reflection of the sun on deep pools of restless gold. It has been too long since we shared our affection.” He removed my garments as he spoke. Soon, they were on the floor around my ankles, and I stood before him in the flesh. His regard lasted several seconds, long enough for him to take in Artemisia’s curvaceous body and radiant burnt-sienna skin.
I sashayed toward him, wearing my mane of dark, tight curls like a queen’s crown, and showed him much pleasure. All things considered, it seemed reasonable, since after this act he would have to make the hardest decision of his life. When it was done, we dressed and relaxed in beautiful cushioned seats that were low to the ground and faced each other. The king reclined on the comfortable cushions, appearing satisfied.
“What is this information you bring?” He frowned, watching as I feigned an agonizing countenance. “Go on—speak.”
“Your Majesty, I hate having to give you this terrible news—even more so after the wonderful moment we shared—but I feel it is imperative you know what is happening with your daughter before it causes any more damage to your kingdom.” I pressed my fingers to my lip.
“Of what do you speak? What has my daughter done that has put my kingdom at risk? Answer me with haste!” The king straightened his spine, leaning forward.
“Your daughter, Princess Aini, has been fraternizing with a stranger—a crossbreed—produced by the breeding of man and demon.” The king gasped, his eyes fixed on me.
I continued. “I warned her the moment I noticed her attraction to him, but she would not listen. It was as if she were possessed by a demon herself. They are inseparable, spending days and nights together. They perform all manner of depravity in the rose gardens. Many servants have seen them. I have seen them. I tried to stop the corrupt acts, but he is little more than an animal, and I barely escaped with my life.” I managed to shed tears—crocodile tears.
The king’s mouth slackened. He looked wrecked beyond repair, his face contorting in agony as he turned away and covered it with his hands.
“My poor king.” I went to him and put my arms around his shoulders. “I know how difficult it must be for you; after all, she is your daughter. But I am afraid she is not the sweet, innocent girl you thought you knew. I am certain she will pretend to be innocent once she has been accused and stands in your presence, but you must think of your other daughters and your kingdom. You must be strong and remember who she is now—no better than a perverse demon.”
He hunched, looking at me with eyes withered from falling tears. “I cannot condemn my own daughter. I love her. She is my child.” He shook with sobs.
“Enough!” I said, scowling I shoved his shoulders, and he looked at me. “You must be strong. You are not a mere man; you are a king. Kings do what ordinary men cannot. Princess Aini is no longer your daughter. She is an evil, depraved demon who wants nothing more than to destroy you and your kingdom.” I wiped away the moisture from his eyes and kissed his face and lips. And then I said in my most alluring voice, “You know what must be done.”
Straightening his back, as if doing so would make him stronger, he took a deep breath and wiped his face. “Guards!” he yelled, lifting his chin while waiting for the guards to storm through the wooden double doors of his bedchamber. “Bring my daughter Aini and her lover to me and make haste!” As soon as he spoke his last word, the soldiers rushed out the doors.
We rose to our feet. Standing beside him, I saw the look of resolve on his face. As long as I was by his side, his fortitude would not weaken.
By the time the guards brought in his daughter, his heart was a rock.
Aini struggled against the guards’ grip. “Let go of me!” she screamed. “I have done nothing wrong!” She glanced at her father and continued to plead. “Father, what is happening? Command they release me at once, I implore you. I have done no wrong.”
“You have been seen consorting with a stranger. Do you deny this?”
“No, Father,” she said, looking to the ground.
The king blanched. “So what is said about you is true?”
She flashed an innocent smile. “Father, I love him. He is like no other man I have ever known.”
The king turned crimson with fury. “He is like no other man because he is not a man—he is a demon!”
Princess Aini gasped, her eyes wide. “No, Father, that is not true. Prometheus is good.”
“You were promised to another,” he said, darkness crossing his eyes. “And yet you gave yourself without restraint to a depraved fiend with no thought of your sisters, my kingdom, or me. Above all, you have committed treason!” The muscles in his face tightened. “You know the punishment for treason is death.”
“No, Father!” She flung herself toward him, but his guards held her back. “Father, please.” Her voice was barely audible, as if her fear was strangling her words. “I am innocent. I have done no wrong.”
The king jutted his chin, the veins on his neck throbbing. “You have done this to yourself, Aini. We will find your demon lover, and he too will suffer the consequences of his actions.” He dismissed her with a commanding gesture. “Take her to the desert, where she will pay for her transgressions.”
Aini’s legs tottered and the guards held her up. “No, no, Father! No!” she screamed again and again as the soldiers took her away.
The king forced his fluttering eyelids shut. When he opened them again, he stared at me.
“As difficult as this was, you did the right thing for the kingdom.” I pulled him to me and held him tight as he sobbed. “Get it out now, if you must. Later, it is your duty to be present for Aini’s punishment, and you cannot display weakness.”
Several hours later, the king and I stood in the desert a few kilometers outside the city gates, before a deep pit dug by the soldiers. Aini’s hands and feet were bound. She hung her head; however, the bruises on her face and her bloodied lip were apparent. No doubt the soldiers had their way with her. A princess was a grand prize for them. I am certain they took turns ravaging her. She may have been pure at one time, but chaste she was no more.
The king did not look at his daughter. Instead, he gestured at me to speak.
“For the crimes of treason and fraternizing with a demon, you shall be stripped of all titles and dishonored.” I spoke in Artemisia’s fruity voice, as a burst of giggles stirred in my belly. “Your name shall be stricken from all documents and never spoken again. It shall be as if you never existed, and no one shall mourn you.”
I gave the signal to the soldiers to disrobe her, and two guards ripped off her garments and held he
r at the edge of the pit. Her body was bruised and bloodied—indeed, the guards had defiled her. I lowered my head and sneered before gesturing to the guards to push her in the hole. I got closer to get a better view.
She screamed as she fell and crashed hard on the rocky ground below. Her breaths came in gasps as she scrambled to her feet. She spun around clawing at the air. Then she moved about the hole like there was a hurricane inside her. She looked up, eyes wide and wild. A giggle slipped from my lips, as I watched her try to climb out of the twelve-foot hole.
Since I did not want to miss anything, I kept my eyes on her as I gave the order. “Cover the hole!”
There was a distance in Aini’s eyes as she stepped backward and stumbled over a jagged stone jutting out of the sand. She fell back on her bottom as the sand began to pour. She glanced up at me with a look I had seen before, but not on her or any other person. It was the look I had seen in a horse’s eyes when coming across a deep puddle. It did not belong on her face, but it thrilled me. Our eyes met, I tilted my head to one side, flashing an I-am-glad-I-am-not-you smile. She cringed, turned away and stared toward the heavens. To her, the sunset sky must have looked like a carnivorous flower.
When the sand began to rise, she got to her feet and reached toward the sky. She grasped at the air as if at any moment a rope would appear to pull her to safety. She rocked back and forth on her heels, shuddered and sobbed and screamed. At first her screams rang loud, emphatic. Then they were whiny, vexing screeches.
“Pour the sand faster!” I yelled. I had never watched anyone drown in the desert before. It was quite an invigorating experience. I looked forward to having a big meal followed by taking a few servants into my bed after it was finished.
Once Aini’s castigation was carried out in the desert, we returned to the palace. The king sat brooding on his throne. I had pleasured him earlier and he seemed fine, but now he looked gloomy again. I was bored.
A while after arriving at the palace, there was a loud clatter. I squinted to get a better look. Something crashed through the throne room’s ceiling, landing before us with a great thump, cracking the palace floors. Artemisia’s heart pounded. My senses became more obscured and reduced whenever her emotions took over.
There was a voice. It sounded miles away. Artemisia’s body trembled and she rambled on. I could not understand a word she said. My pain doubled. I did not know how much longer I could bear to occupy her mind. What was happening?
I lost total control of Artemisia. Her mind reeled. I no longer saw or heard anything around me. I tried to abandon her body. I was trapped in a black flesh-tube. It seemed someone kept shaking this tube, making me thrash about. There was nothing to hold on to. There was no direction. I was lost.
The pain grew intense. I wailed as I continued to struggle to flee Artemisia’s body. I had to find a way out. The thrashing, the pain—the thought of being trapped in her body forever anguished me. I could not comprehend what was happening.
I screamed and, suddenly, sand filled my mouth. It was difficult to move. Sand pressed against me from all sides. What is this? Then I realized I was buried in the desert, and sand was forcing itself into my nostrils, ears, and eyes. I shifted into my serpent form. I was confused as to which direction would lead me above ground. I used my wings and tail to figure out which way to go and then attempted to excavate my way out of the hole. My strength had depleted while trapped in what I now know was a demented Artemisia. It took everything I had to escape her buried cadaver.
The sun’s rays never felt so good on my skin. I shook my head, coughed, and spit, trying to rid myself of the sand inside me. My senses were feeble after being in Artemisia’s hollowed brain. Afterward, an obscured sound startled me. Was there someone there? I tensed and whirled around. Perhaps it was the same being from the throne room. I was in no condition to protect myself against this creature. I needed to recuperate. I had to get away, go somewhere safe. Once I had regained my strength, I would find Prometheus and approach him at last. I flew high above the clouds and then away, as fast as my wings could take me, and did not stop until I was at my home on the cliffs.
Chapter 20
DESTINY
The sky filled with blended tones of blushing pinks, lilacs, and ginger, and then the glorious sun breached the horizon and the sky exploded with golden hues. A new day was born, and I was given another chance to fulfill my destiny. I flew over the great dunes of the desert toward Lilith’s house on the cliffs bordering the Nile River.
By the time I reached the cliffs, a full moon shone bright in the black sky. I stood before the great house, staring at the door, wondering if Lilith was home.
“Dracúl?” a small voice said. I whipped my head around.
“It is I. Gadreel.” She materialized before my eyes. “I had possessed the tiny bat hanging on the limb of that tree.” She pointed to a young, bare tree a few feet from the house.
“What are you doing here?” I frowned, not giving her the greeting she deserved.
“I was waiting for the right opportunity to seize Lilith,” she said, glaring at me. “What are you doing here?”
I threw my head back and laughed. “You were going to seize Lilith? You alone? You who quaked at the very mention of her name?” I waved a dismissive hand and faced the door again, stroking my chin, going over my plans in my mind.
She walked around and stood before me. “I am as powerful as you are, and at least I am willing to try. Where have you been all this time? I thought you were—”
“Dead?” I snickered. “I cannot die.”
“We are not invincible. We can die,” she said. Her eyes shifted to the side, becoming glazed with a shimmering layer of tears.
“I do not wish to hurt you, but I see you as yet another distraction to keep me from doing what I must,” I said.
She gave me a look of contempt as she crossed her arms.
My sigh was resigned and weary. “Apologies. I should have been kinder to you, for it has been long since we last saw each other, and I have missed you. You are the only true friend I have ever known.”
She tilted her head to one side while she listened to my apology. Her smile told me she forgave me long before her words did. I took her in my arms and embraced her. To feel the warmth of another was wonderful. It had been too long.
“Lilith killed Princess Aini.” My voice broke as I relived the horrific experience. “It does not seem right that she is gone yet I am still here. How can that be? You asked where I was. I was walking in a daze in the desert—half-dead, half-alive.”
Gadreel inhaled a sharp breath, wrapped her arms around me, and wept. “I am sorry, Dracúl. I—”
“Do not speak my name.” I pulled away from her and looked around. “My plan will only work if she does not know who I am.”
“Shall I call you Prometheus?” she asked, sniffling.
“Yes. It is the name I have been using for a while now.”
She pressed a hand over my heart. “I am truly sorry. You have lost much.”
I put my hand over hers. “I have lost everything. I will make sure no one else suffers what I have, at least not by her hand. Are you certain she is in the house?”
She withdrew her hand as she held unto mine and lifted it to her lips. “Yes, I was here when she arrived. I shall help you.”
“No. This burden is mine alone,” I said.
Gadreel frowned. “Why? Have I not suffered at her hands as well?”
I wiped the tears from her reddened face. “I should have heeded your advice. You told me long ago not to pursue my quest for vengeance. You were right. I can see that now.”
“No! I was wrong. Lilith deserves to die for all the pain she has caused.”
I gazed at her, my arms spread wide. “Lilith must die. You are right once more. It is my destiny to rid the world of this demon-witch. But I will not do it for revenge. I will do it to save the countless lives she has not yet perverted, enslaved, tortured, or killed. I will do it for the good
of mankind and for the survival of this planet—it is what Princess Aini would have wanted. And if I die in the process, the world would be rid of two demons. So be it.”
Gadreel held on to my arm. “You are not like your mother. You have done much good in this world.”
“I have also done much evil.” I looked away, staring at the ground.
I threaded a hand through my hair. “If I cannot be good always, does that not mean I am evil? How could I be anything else? You have only to look at my parents.” I spat the words out through gritted teeth.
“I do not believe this is so. You have a good heart and you always…” Her soft words faded in the wind.
I gave her an incredulous look. “Please, possess another bat. Protect yourself. At dawn I will enter the house.”
The moon threw its shadow to the earth. Gadreel and I spent the night occupying bats. We hung from the bare branches of a nearby tree.
At the first sign of light, I left the bat. I spoke to Gadreel, who still hung on the tree in the bat she possessed. “It is time. I will enter the house if I have to break the door into a million splinters. My plan does not encompass you and will not work if you enter the house with me.”
Gadreel abandoned the bat. “I understand. Please be cautious. Do not forget how powerful she is and how easily she can destroy you. You must contain your anger lest it give you away. I shall linger out here and wait for you to come out victorious.”
“No!” I said, shaking my head for emphasis. “I do not want you here. It may take a day, week, or months to finish this. I cannot be certain. Your safety matters to me, and this place is not safe for you. I do not want to fret about your well-being when I should be focusing on Lilith.”
She stared at me, rocking on her heels for a while. Then she crossed her arms as if finally making up her mind. “Very well, I shall leave.”
“You may return in a month’s time. If I have not yet accomplished the task intended by then, I never will. Be sure to be in the guise of an animal when you return. I urge you to be cautious.”
Son of the Serpent Page 27
