by S. C. Lewis
Angelo sighed, dropping to his seat, staring at the papers in front of him.
Seth sat up; he placed the papers in front of him as he took a sip of his coffee. Ramiel seemed to come alive at the same time. Sophia made a fruitless effort to look up; trapped between Ramiel and Seth, she looked helpless.
Her poor smile seemed to cry out for my help, but there was nothing I could do. I took a seat on the opposite side of the table, turned at attention towards my bosses.
“In address to Angelo’s request for local bands…Ramiel, may I take this?” Seth asked with a smirk.
“Be my guest.” Ramiel said, examining his cup.
“Thank you.” He took a breath and began. “In regard to your statement to celebrity bands, I have already taken the liberty of seriously considering this issue. I was asked by several celebrity bands to allow them to perform in our cathedral. I’ve always had an interest in establishing a contract with a few of them. The local bands we allow to play here from time to time have strengthened that interest. That is why I have assembled a few celebrity bands to play in future events already schedule for the coming up months.” He took a breath as those around the table seemed excited at the news of celebrities performing at our Cathedral. That was great news, I thought. But I should have known there was going to be a ‘but’ to follow.
“Unfortunately, I’m dismissing the idea for the continuing performance of our local bands, unless they want to perform for free; other than that, we will no longer have them play here. Unless they begin to show some definite promise, and only then we will establish a contract with them.”
He took a breath, narrowing his eyes at every single one of us. Our eyes met and he waited as if he thought I would object. When I didn’t say anything, he grinned in satisfaction.
“Now, are there any questions?” Seth asked, glancing around the room.
He had everything worked out. He was the chief businessman of the Cathedral, and he never missed a single profitable deal. He had given himself credit for everything. Angelo had lost his chance to impress him or Ramiel, but he had failed to realize that no one could impress Seth.
“Good, then. Now that is out of the way, let’s get down to the most important part of this meeting and my reasons for being here. There is an important item I want to discuss with all of you,” his voice rose slightly over the silence in the room. It was no longer soft, but was growing more demanding and aggressive. He rose and began to walk the room, coming around the table and each one of our chairs. It was somewhat creepy and uncomfortable when he stopped suddenly at one’s chair. The vamps felt a certain uneasiness when he did and froze on the spot, unsure of how to react.
“As you are aware, last night an intruder attacked my mother. This greatly concerns me, not only for her well-being, but it also brings to question the security of our beloved Cathedral. Because of this incident, I was forced to dismiss several members of our security staff for their lack of performance. Now, I hope that all of you are aware it is the responsibility of each one of you to make sure this place remains safe for all, but especially for Sophia, my mother.”
Sophia looked up; she seemed to awaken from her trance at the mention of her name. He made it completely around the table coming around to where Sophia was seated stopping at his chair where he had started.
“If that fails, I might be forced to dismiss some of you. And I don’t want to have to do that.” Seth chuckled at those last words.
There were murmurs of disbelief from the vamps around the table. Sophia seemed to want to speak, but instead lowered her head. Even Ramiel nodded. When the others glanced in his direction for aid, he looked away, agreeing with Seth. His actions didn’t surprise me in the least. He seemed withdrawn, and as cold and uncaring as a stone wall.
“It’s truly fortunate I was there, and fought the intruder away, rescuing Sophia,” Seth continued, this time taking his seat and putting his arm around Sophia. He sounded so cocky. She fell silently against him, trying desperately to return the embrace, but she couldn’t.
Seth kissed her forehead as she gazed up at him, almost intoxicated. He smiled wickedly, holding onto her, making no attempt himself to release her.
“I’m afraid her attacker’s still out there, somewhere. He didn’t fall from the window, as I had thought. Nevertheless, the proper officials have been notified. And for Sophia’s safety, I’ve taken it upon myself to repair the damage done to the window. That way she will be close by me, and I can keep an eye on her.”
Ramiel nodded, “I agree.”
Sophia sat up slowly; escaping Seth’s tight grasp. She seemed dazed, yet fighting to clear her head. “I think I should stay downstairs with the others,” she managed in reply. “It’s the way Nathan wanted things to be.”
“No, Sophia, I disagree,” Ramiel protested. “It’s best this way. Stay upstairs where Seth can watch over you.”
“Yes, Mother, it’s best that way,” Seth softly hissed.
“You’re my responsibility when Father isn’t here. I must insist on this.”
She glanced over at Seth, gagging in slow motion. Ramiel and Seth huddled over her in an embrace, like two vultures trying to devour her with their nurturing concerns.
“I think it should be Sophia’s decision,” I interjected, feeling the need and pressured by the others to speak for her. I found myself doubting there had ever been an intruder in Sophia’s room in the first place. I’m not sure why I felt that way. Or perhaps I did, glaring from across the table towards Seth and Ramiel.
Seth darted his eyes over at me so viciously that I wanted to take back my words. His expression said, this is none of your business. But it seemed my words had given Sophia a will to fight.
“I will return to my room when Nathan comes back,” she boldly and haughtily announced. “Until then, I’ll stay downstairs, with the others.”
She gazed bravely over at Seth. His eyes were drawn to hers for a long moment.
Then, he suddenly smiled and seemed to abandon the topic. “As you wish …Mother.” The words seemed forced from his lips.
Sophia fell back against her chair, exhausted and unable to escape Seth, who leaned against her and pressed his lips on her cheek. He was, however, aware of my eyes boring holes into him. He looked directly at me and curved his lips in an almost feral snarl.
“Very well now, let us continue.” Seth harrumphed as he rose again from his seat and strolled the room coming around to my side of the table
“I’ve heard only some of your requests,” he continued, while walking to the end of the table.
Angelo and Damon raised their hands before he could finish. Seth gazed at them, and then ignoring them, continued.
“Unfortunately, I’m not granting any favors. There will be no exceptions. You don’t like the dish of the day? Make or purchase your own. You’re not satisfied with the game room or your bedchambers? That’s too bad. Just leave. You are always free to go.”
Angelo and Damon slowly lowered their hands, feeling like fools. There were whispers from among those around the table.
“Look, no one’s forcing you to stay. My rules are simple, and the rewards are plentiful, but not free. Look at the documents carefully. Study them and remember them. These papers are for your information only. Although all the documents are important, it’s the third page that should concern all of you. On that page you will find your requests have been cut. As well as allowances, and expansion of the underground vaults. There will be none.”
The vamp’s voices rose slightly; confusion spread throughout the room.
Ramiel and Sophia seemed to be mobbed with questions. Ramiel raised his hand in attempt to stop the vamps from directing their concerns to him. He lowered his voice, pointing to Seth at the end of the table, who was standing impatiently with his arms crossed.
At once, Seth slammed his fist on the table, and startled all of us. The room once again fell silent and still. Sophia looked up, swallowing her shame, fighting an inner demon
inside her and trying to avoid my eyes. But when she failed to look away, she smiled innocently at me.
I felt such great, overpowering anger that I wanted to hurt Seth and hold Sophia. Protect her from him in any way. What was happening between them? What had I walked into during that moment I had stepped up? What I had I missed?
Yet everything seemed so clear. No matter how I wanted to deny it and avoid the signs. I understood why he had the pile of pictures of Sophia in his top drawer all along… Why he bought her those short and tight dresses… why he had bought the same fragrance his father wore. Sophia loved the perfume. And it was then that I knew.
It had always made sense. Why had he had taken her favorite perfume bottle? Had I forgotten or doubted what I had seen? Did I want to deny watching him sniffing Sophia’s panties, and then tucking them into his pocket? Why had I dismissed this horrible incident?
“Silence! You will direct your concerns to me, and only me!” Seth shouted over my thoughts. I blinked up suddenly to catch the fire in his eyes.
The scent of Ralph Lauren Romance cologne emanated from his body as he pushed back his long, black bangs. The hair fell back into place over his head. He dressed in expensive stuff: suits, shoes, cologne, anything designer. Though he wasn’t obsessed with his appearance, he was obsessed with Sophia.
Seth tossed the papers on the table; his eyes scanned the painted faces. He flashed them a smile, a grim and fearsome grimace. Then, it all came back seeing the rage pouring from his eyes and his expression.
He slammed me against the wall. His smile had refreshed the whole incident in my head suddenly. I felt his breathing had touched my painted face as he began to scream. I thought he was going to kill me, the way he was talking. His large black eyes, and his lips spread wide into a voracious death grin.
He took Sophia’s panties from his pocket and placed the fabric over my nose. Her scent collapsed my senses. The mixture of her perfume and the smooth fluids of her body spread over the lining of fabric, erupting from the red garments, and it intoxicated me. I fell on the wall, pressed by Seth’s huge form into place, the organ between my legs hardening at the simple swath of cloth he was holding in his hand.
I struggled, fighting my desires and the guilt building inside me. Ashamed that I had enjoyed it, which only made it worse that Seth knew it.
“I didn’t do anything. I was only…she asked me to come…I was help—" I stuttered. But he knew.
“Don’t deny it. Don’t deny what you plan to do to my mother. You were planning on fucking raping her? You make me sick.”
He carelessly placed the garment back in his pocket.
“Who do you think she will believe, you or her loving son? Especially with the proof I’ll provide her?” He chuckled and released me. I slipped to the ground in front of him and began to sob. Then, I heard his voice speak to me again.
“Now I want you to do something for me. A simple act, of an unholy importance.”
With a wrinkle on my nose, I jumped yards at the sound of his voice.
“Now, I’ve noticed a few of you have allowed yourselves to be photographed,” Seth went on to say. His gazed dropped over at Santiago and Valentino. The two vamps lowered their eyes, unable to meet Seth’s incapacitating frown. “From this point on, there will be a charge for any photographs or autographs, no excuses. Is that understood?”
The vamps nodded, without hesitation.
“Now, if there’s nothing else, this meeting is over.”
Immediately, the vamps jumped from their seats, exiting the room. I tried to remind them to meet for dinner downstairs, but they disappeared so fast I didn’t have a chance.
Seth gathered his paperwork at the end of the table, putting a few items into his briefcase. I rose as Ramiel dismissed himself from Sophia, then shook Seth’s hand and disappeared down the grand staircase behind the others. I wondered where he was headed, if he was on his way out and if we would see him again this evening or the following day?
Sophia rose from her seat slowly, like a wounded calf. She trembled making her way carefully around the table. She was making an attempt for the door, eyeing me as if to say, help me. I rushed to my feet, but was blocked by Seth’s towering form.
“Do me a favor, be a good lad, and take this to my bedroom,” he hissed, placing the brief case and stack of folders in my hands. I wondered why when his desk was at the far end of the office. Yet he wanted me to take these items to his bedroom. Surely an attempt to get me out of the room. I thought this would give Sophia a chance to escape, but she hesitated, and it soon became the worst mistake of her life. She stepped behind Seth, unable to move.
“Wouldn’t you rather like them on your desk.” I insisted. He gave me glare. The vision of him pushing me against the bedroom wall of Sophia’s room came into my mind again.
“What part of take these to my room did you not understand?” he rudely said again. I nodded and took the items.
I exchanged glances with Sophia as I walked out the door and up the stairs leading into the corridor of the second floor.
13
Sins of a Son
Seth
As soon as Eric was gone, she hurried towards the door around me. She looked panicked trying to hurry out.
I came to block her attempts to flee. She shoved back separating herself from me. Moving away into the room by my desk, I slowly shut the door, locking it.
I stepped over slowly.
“Why are you afraid of me?”
“I’m afraid of what’s going on with you. What’s gotten into you?” she yelled.
“The truth,” I said foolishly, stepping up to her. She seemed timid in my presence, in fear.
“The truth? The truth about what?”
“About us, Sophia.”
Her face denied it. “There is no us, Seth. I’m confused; I don’t understand where all this is coming from? I need to go…”
She moved passed me. I put a hand on her arm and stopped her. She glared back at me pulling at her arm so I would release her, but I didn’t.
“Let go.”
“You had the dream. You can’t deny it. You had the dream and you enjoyed it.”
She pulled at her arm. Her lip tightened as she bit down on it. I knew she had done everything I’d accused.
“You can’t deny something is happening here, something is happening between us.”
“You’re mad,” she firmly said, walking away.
I rushed over at her and stopped her pushing against her and forcing her upon the wall of the office.
“Listen to me. Tell me you don’t believe it. Tell me you didn’t dream those dreams.” But it was in her eyes, the truth. She had the dreams just as I had. She saw the visions.
“They’re only dreams,” she sadly announced. “Somehow, I had some influence on you in some strange and ugly way. Forgive me; now, let me go!”
“This isn’t your fault,” I said. “This is destiny. This is you and I, our real life. This- all around us- this is the fantasy. You’re not my mother and I’m not your son, that is the truth. I love you. And you, you must remember you love me.”
She screamed, “Stop!”
I neared to kiss her, but she turned her head away. I forced her lips to my mouth, lifting at her dress. She fought me as I dropped to my knees before her and begged her not to turn me away, pushing my hand up her dress.
“Why don’t you believe me?” I begged her.
I grabbed at her panties, pulling them down. She fought me with feeble struggles. I immediately reached up and placed my face between her legs. Her breathing became heavy and her struggles seemed to die for a mere moment, it gave way to my further attempts and I began to kiss her coffee-brown triangle. Her breath increased, as I drove my tongue inside her, slipping it deep into her pussy. Sophia gasped, and collapsed to the floor. My tongue continued its descent inside her as she moaned, crying out in organismic delight. Licking at her leg, I rose over her lurching upon her forcefully.
�
��I love you! I always have…you and I we were meant to be together. We are lost in this world, but we have found each other. I need you. Please, remember us just as I have. It’s not your fault you’ve forgotten, but don’t let it separate us any longer. Why do you think you never change? Think about it!” I whispered softly into her ear, squeezing her breasts so hard I came close to pushing inside her, but she groped away from me fleeing to the door. I rose immediately. and raced after her catching her by the entrance before she could escape me. I turned her to me.
“Sophia, please… I love you.”
She kneed me hard in the groin. I collapsed groaning in pain as she managed to unlock the door and escape.
For a few seconds I remained staring at the wood of the floor, bearing the pain. I heard her steps fleeing down the long staircase, down into the vaults where she had been staying with the vamp freaks. After a moment, I rose taking a breath and calmly adjusted the tie, then wiped her nectar from my lips. It aroused me further.
I slammed my fist against the wall. Wandering into the empty hallway, I caught sight of the door of the vault swinging shut. I stared into the corridor with longing, but resisted following her. Instead, I descended the stairs, glancing over at the vaults. She was still under the illusion of this world, it’s prisoner. Until she was free, she wouldn’t believe or accept me. But the desires to go after her were there, thinking about what Ramiel had told me.
I walked across the antechamber. One of the bouncers greeted me halfway down. I ordered the big man to hand me my coat. The large man obeyed immediately, handing me a long, black trench coat. It had been raining outside, and the freezing weather had caught Houston by surprise overnight. Though it was quite cold, the freezing weather only lingered for a week at the most.
