His brows creased, pinching tight in the center. “What has happened? Where have you been?”
The queen rose slowly, her silky hair falling in golden waves around her neck. “My minions have reported of an old enemy.” She walked away, her hips swaying softly from side to side. The queen oozed sex even when she wasn’t trying. “I heard you mention the Sssseraphim Project to the King.”
He nodded. “You’re not being honest with me. There’s something you’re not telling me, but yet you expect me to carry out a plan. A false plan. Why go through all the farce?” His lips were twitching from anger. This was bullshit. He wouldn’t take this from anyone else.
“No, Ssssolomon. The plan is real.” She came up to him. Her soft hands cupping his face as she looked into his eyes as if searching his soul. “You are too ssssmart. You know about Isaiah?”
He flinched from her touch, unsure of how he was suddenly feeling.
“The King wantssss the coal.” She studied his reaction, smiling when he looked at her.
“Why?” He locked onto her. He expected her to lie.
“Because he wantssss Heaven.” She was smiling. Her eyes brightening, as if telling the truth tickled her.
Glory, Solomon. Glory. His guardians sang in his mind.
“Is the coal his weapon? The weapon he lost?” He gripped her arm, pulling her into him.
“Hmm.” She waited a moment, as if debating with herself. “The coal is the power behind the weapon,” she teased as she drew closer to him, angling her head into his neck. Biting him playfully.
“Then what is the weapon?”
“I don’t reveal all my ssssecrets at once.” She was kissing his neck, distracting him.
“Where have you been?” He stiffened. The feel of her lips on his skin provoking many emotions.
“Were you worried?”
He looked into her eyes. Could he care about her? A demon? “No.” He shook it off. “I only want what you promised.”
“Hmm. You shall have it dear, Ssssolomon. Stay true to me. You will have as much power as you want.” She palmed the back of his skull, pulling him in a kiss. She was hungry in her taking, almost desperate, demanding more from him. She sucked on his very soul, her darkness touching upon the fringes of his essence, playing with his existence.
She drew back leaving some of her essence inside of him, charging him, infusing him with energy he’d been missing. She revitalized him, making him remember his vow of vengeance.
“I will help you, Ssssolomon. Whatever you wish is yours, so long as you stay true to me. Vow your soul to me.”
“Yes.” The simple word was a commitment. He was no longer just working with the Queen. He had pledged his life to her.
With a triumphant smile, she turned into her shadow form, her smoky, filmy undulations wrapping around him, and penetrating every opening in his body.
His eyes rolled back into his head; his body filled with pleasure unlike any he’d experienced before. His entire body shook, and every limb stiffened. Pain mixed with pleasure. His shaft pumped on its own. He couldn’t see the queen, but felt her. She was on him, inside him, around him. She was with him completely as if they’d become one.
The coiling was building and spinning, tight around his center as the queen tantalized every nerve ending in his body. He released hard, fast, and long. He emptied, but did not feel depleted.
She released him as her human form appeared utterly perfect, and naked in front of him. She drew him into her. Her gaped mouth meeting his fervently, consuming him in a dark kiss.
Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven…
He had doomed himself beyond redemption. Ashtaroth took away his pain. She gave him clarity, and he would use her gift to exact his last mission.
For his family. He would do the right thing.
Chapter Thirty Seven
January 31st, Bimini Island
Fawna gave her mom a quick hug before leaving and whispered for her to get some rest. She drove quickly back to the Sanctuary. Sabine and Dex, as strong as they were, were not exactly spring chickens anymore. If she could help her parents even a little bit, she would do it. And right now, Sabine needed her back at the Sanctuary.
The island roads were deserted even of animals during this time of night. Everyone was asleep and perhaps lost in their dreams and fantasies. The drive was quick and uneventful, giving her time to think about Toqeph and how she could talk to him. Would he help her? What if he couldn’t? She had thought she would have talked with Toqeph by now, but she hadn’t been able to ‘dream’ a meeting. She felt more frustrated than ever.
The small car rattled to a stop in front of the sanctuary. She cut off the engine with a quick turn of the key as she looked upon the beautiful building. It was really her second home, and now that she felt better about Mariana, she looked forward to spending more time at the place. She smiled to herself, happy that she could lend a hand. She could keep busy until she figured out how to communicate with Toqeph again.
The Sanctuary was dark save for Mariana’s personal space. Things were quiet, but an unease filled her the minute she stepped out of the car. She swallowed, her instinctive defenses making her stop. She forced herself to move, hand held to her pendant. Her brows pinched. The office door was ajar, letting the golden glow from within the office escape into the courtyard. “Mariana?” she whispered into the room without stepping in. She shivered, a sudden chill frosting her skin. Confused about the change in temperature, she rubbed her arms vigorously.
Hesitantly, she took cautious steps inside the office. She jerked when a shadow seemed to stretch towards her. “Get it together, Fawna,” she told herself. Her nerves were playing upon her imagination. The room was empty. The shadows danced because of the flicker of the candles from the corner altar. But just in case, she willed her light to spread out and scan the room. Something didn’t feel right. She stalked around the room, careful to keep her steps soft while she investigated. The room was empty. No intruders. Telling herself, she was just stressed, she set her things down near the couch.
Unsure, but determined to help out, she inched towards the bedroom. The door was wide open, but that was by Mariana’s instructions. Though the woman was unconscious, the Elder did not feel comfortable closing the door and giving the stranger privacy. The candle she had lit earlier that day was still burning. It was a candle made at the Sanctuary and blessed by the Others to invoke healing. It was one of many types created at the Sanctuary. Mariana always felt candle making was a way to express creativity. As a result, candles made by Sanctuary members had personalities of its own.
The one burning was a simple white pillar infused with healing oils, and had flecks of ‘gold’. But it wasn’t really gold. It was the dried minerals Fawna collected from the healing pools, and colored with yellow onion peels. Pleased with her work, she breathed deeply. Taking in the gentle fragrance burning from the candle, she told herself to relax and get to work. The candle burned slowly as she meant it to. Healing cannot be rushed, she thought to herself.
She stepped inside the woman’s room and let go of her worries. The candle’s flame bounced around as she neared causing shadows to dance against the woman’s pretty face. Fawna stared at the stranger, she looked peaceful. Her face was so still and perfect. She almost didn’t look real. Fawna concentrated to pick up on her life spark, praying the woman had improved. The woman’s life force was faint like a sigh in an orchestra of songs--barely perceptible.
She let out a breath, Mariana wasn’t in the room as she had hoped. “I’ll be right outside,” she whispered to the woman. She backed slowly toward the door, keeping an eye on the sleeping stranger.
“Elder Mariana?” she stepped out in the hallway. Mariana would surely hear her. “Mariana?” She raised her voice a bit. “Mariana!” She called out louder. “Elder Mariana, are you here? Sabine sent me with her herbs and dinner.” Walking back out to the office area, Fawna grabbe
d her bag from the couch. She walked to Mariana’s desk, taking care to listen for the Elder’s return. She unpacked Mariana’s dinner along with the herbs Sabine had sent. She laid everything out carefully, not wanting to confuse the herbs for dinner, and those needed for the stranger’s healing. She fidgeted, rearranging the supplies repeatedly. She couldn’t stop turning her head, looking around, and hoping the Elder would return any second.
Fawna finally sat on the couch, back stiff, head on a swivel. Unease growing like sludge in her gut. She bolted off of her seat. Eyes wide, heart pounding. She focused. She was sure she heard a noise. Real noise. Scuffling, scraping, soft and light, and then a heavy thud. “Dearest creators.” She ran. The sound came from the kitchen at the back of the Sanctuary. “Mariana! Can you hear me?”
“Fawna! Watch out!”
Fawna lurched to the ground as another loud thud shook the wall. She twisted quickly to catch sight of a blur zooming past her head. It was a bat! A large, menacing bat, with heavily veined, black stretchy skin for the wings.
She yipped in fright as she fell on all fours, hurrying to get to Mariana.
“Fawna, get behind me.” Mariana was on her knees. Black hair had come lose from her soft bun, and stuck up in a wild array around her head. She followed the bat, her sight set on the blasted creature as it flew about the kitchen knocking down pots, and large bouquets of herbs from the walls. Mariana inhaled loudly and deeply, her arms stretching wide to either side, blocking Fawna from the bat. “Get down, child. Cover your ears,” she directed as she hurled sonic balls of energy toward the creature.
The bat was fast, the wide span of its wings making the large kitchen look small as it dove and swooped avoiding Mariana’s attack. The sonic balls emitting from Mariana’s mouth burst against the walls, cracking the stucco, and causing large chunks of plaster crashing to the floor.
The resonance of sonic energy grew quick and fast, overwhelming Fawna’s sensitive senses. The deep droning, threatening to burst her ear drums, and her brain. She tried to stand to get away, but the frequency of the sonic orbs doubled her over, disturbing all her perception of time, space, and place.
Mariana yanked her down, and cradled her in her arms. The Elder was trembling. “Get out you beast!” She cried out as she threw another blast of magick at the bat.
Fawna could hear the whooshing of the bat’s wings as it flew out the window. The sonic resonance contained in the kitchen began to dissipate. Dazed, but able to finally straighten, Fawna lifted from Mariana’s protective arms and looked around. The kitchen was a war zone, particles covered every surface, broken dishes and pots littered the floor, the delicate bouquets of rare herbs, flowers, and greenery the Sanctuary collected were all blown to bits. How the hell did she not hear all this commotion?
Mariana did not fare better. The Elder was pale, dried blood, caked the sides of her face, and her eyes were sharp with latent magick.
“Oh god...” Fawna reached for her friend. “You’re hurt.” Fawna scrambled for the cell phone stuck in her back pocket. She dropped it on the floor, her hand shaking too much to hold on. “I’m going to call for help.” She crawled after the phone as it slid on the floor missing all the debris. She dove for it, attempting to stop it before it was lost under a heavy bureau. She hit the wood planks of the floor with a sharp thud, hitting a large piece of fallen stucco right over her breast bone. She rubbed the sore spot as she secured the phone with her hand. She dialed 9-1-9. “Come on answer.” She’d never had to call the number before. She hoped it actually worked. “Hi, hello! I have an emergency.” She couldn’t breathe. “Please get here quick.”
She crawled back to Mariana, and started to check her more closely. “Help is coming,” she assured. The Elder was unsteady, swaying where she knelt. Fawna eased her down on the floor, setting her head down on her lap.
“Demon. The bat was a familiar.” Mariana labored to speak. Her breathing was becoming ragged.
Fawna held on to the Elder as she dialed her father’s number, praying he was within reach of a signal. His voicemail answered, “Papa. Get to the Sanctuary. Please hurry.” She noticed her voice hitched. She didn’t want to start crying, but panic was quickly taking over. She’d never been in a similar situation before. Dex and Sabine had always taken care of everything. She clutched the phone tightly in her hand, “Papa. Please. Hurry. Emergency.”
Setting the phone down carefully next to her, she began to slip her sweater off of her shoulders to use it for Mariana.
Her friend was cold, her teeth chattering. She knew the Elder had to be kept warm until Dex or the emergency personnel could get to them. Fawna twisted with a jerk, her spine tightened, and a sudden chill crept through the kitchen.
“Demon.” Mariana mumbled. She was getting weaker.
“Demon?” She wrung her trunk side to side, scanning the area around her. Ice clouds began to form from her breath. The temperature was dropping. The Elder’s skin getting colder. “Mariana, please hang on.” She rubbed the elder’s arm, her sight sweeping the area around her. She could feel a light gurgle within her gut, warming her body, heating her limbs and chest like she’d never felt before. She held on to Mariana, sending some of the heat to her friend.
Her breathing quickened, matching the churning of her white light through the center of her heart. Her light was growing--edged with urgency to push out of her body. She felt like exploding, but knew she wouldn’t. Her heart beat faster, creating more heat, more light, accommodating what her light needed to grow. She gasped, her lungs demanding more air as charged blood raced throughout her body and out her hand. A concentration of white heat involuntarily flexed her fingers, tightening her hands into fists until she was shaking. She was not in control. Her light was surging.
The chill in the kitchen intensified, coalescing sharply into heavy frost as something began to materialize in front of her. The collected light in her fists shot toward the figure, exploding a large hole through the wall. “Whoa!” she shrieked. Light shot out of her hand? That’s never happened before. She held her breath, not moving, though her grip on Mariana’s arm tensed with every passing second. Minutes passed. Nothing happened. She swallowed and closed her eyes, finally taking a breath.
“Bat. Familiar.” Mariana tried to reach for her.
“It’s gone. It’ll be okay,” she lied. She had no idea if it would be okay. She was frightened. If it came back, she wouldn’t know how to protect Mariana. Tears slipped from her eyes, flowing hot down her cheeks. She felt completely inept at everything. At twenty-three, she was a woman-child, still dependent on others. She couldn’t sense the disturbance until it was too late. Hell, she couldn’t even sense a familiar, and that inadequacy bit her ass today.
She threw her head back praying, begging for the creator’s attention. You save Mariana and I swear on my life, I will do everything I can to be the tool that you need to save others. It was a vow. The time had come for her to stop fantasizing and grow up.
A shrill call came from the window, the croaking and squawking sounding urgent and frantic as another cold chill ran up her spine. “Shit,” she cursed. The demon was back. She was screwed.
A large, black bird swept past the window, its legs extended, talons curled with angry aggression. She recognized the bird, it was the woman’s familiar, the Raven. The bird let out a shrill call as it dove and spun past the window. She couldn’t see what it was after, but she could hear a guttural gurgle in the darkness, the sound making her stomach roll in disgust. The bird flew to the window, perching on the sill, extending out its wings, and blocking her view to the outside.
She curled over Mariana wanting to protect the Elder from whatever was outside. She closed her eyes, squeezing them tight as she prayed for help to come. “Hold on, Mariana. Hold on. Help will be here soon.” Her heart beat so hard, she could feel the muscle punch against her sternum.
Mariana groaned.
“Please stay still.” Worry for the Elder overwhelmed her. She didn’t know
how badly hurt Mariana was. She didn’t want to take a chance at moving her, possibly injuring her more.
Fawna looked to the Raven holding its protective position at the window. The bird looked even larger than normal. His wings were retracted, but the bird kept vigilant watch, shiny black head sweeping left to right methodically. She felt better knowing the woman’s familiar was with them, but they needed more help. Papa. Please check your phone, she repeated to herself. The Raven squawked catching her attention. He hopped two quarter turns on the sill until he was facing her. Intelligent black eyes pierced her heterochromic ones as loving warmth surrounded her.
“Thank you,” she acknowledged the familiar. He had saved them.
The Raven bobbed forward before hopping off of the windowsill, and flew to Mariana’s side. It nuzzled his head into her shoulder. He almost looked like he was trying to scratch his head, but Fawna could see the beautiful healing energy going from the Raven into Mariana.
Mariana’s pained groaning decreased, her brows relaxed, and the knot pinching them together melted away.
Fawna marveled at the Raven. His grace and kindness humbled her. “Why isn’t Mr. Snow’s rooster more like you?” she said aloud. Until recently, she’d only heard about familiars. And now, she’d come across three of them. This divine and honorable Raven who she owed with her life. Mr. Snow’s crazy rooster who enjoyed taunting her. And then a dark bat familiar, loyal to a demon.
Why couldn’t she pick up on their energies as something different from a normal animal? She held Mariana tighter as she sniffed back a sob. She had to figure this out or she may not get a second chance.
The bird took a wobbly step away from Mariana. It cocked its head to the side as if studying the Elder before flying into the hallway.
She was thankful for his help.
He made her feel safe.
Then she realized she was alone.
Midnight Rain Page 25
