Eye of Saturn (The Daughters of Saturn Book 1)

by Raso, Idalita Wright

  Rhythmic tribal drums beat faster.

  The Daughters of Saturn chanted. “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  Dusana read from the fourth scroll. “A snake, that’s not a snake. A wolf, that’s not a wolf. A bat, that’s not a bat. A man, that’s not a man.”

  The Daughters of Saturn chanted. “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  Asira read from the fifth scroll. “Father Saturn, turn Felipe into your evil tool. Shape-shift him into a ghoul. Send him hither in shapes to make all men shiver.”

  The Daughters of Saturn chanted. “Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI! Salzol ShBThAI!” (Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn! Hail Saturn!)

  Isis opened the sixth and final scroll. Dusana and Asira joined Isis in reciting from the scroll.

  “Venus rise! Mars rise! Jupiter rise! Spirits of the damned, filled with ire. Spirits from hell’s fire. Change Felipe into a vampire!”

  The music stopped. The ritual was complete, and the Daughters of Saturn sat, their heads downcast, holding each other’s hand in a circle. Black clouds sped across the night sky. Ghastly winds picked up. The clattering noise of thunder rumbled, bringing with it torrential rain, then sunlight, then clear skies, and back to night. A fearsome celestial apparition appeared long as half the sky.

  * * *

  Zaybeth opened her eyes to Halley’s Comet blazing through the sky. She struggled with her blankets until she was sitting upright, her heart beating fast in her chest. She ran to the window just in time to witness a golden comet with two long tails, like that of a dragon, streaking through the sky. One tail was pointing to the west, the other pointing east, resembling an undulated flame.

  Something wasn’t right.

  “Felipe,” Zaybeth gasped. She grabbed her rosary and got down on her knees and prayed.

  “...como nosotros perdonamos nuestros deudores y no nos dejes caer en al tentacion sino que líbranos del malo. Amén.”

  * * *

  Felipe prayed feverishly.

  “...como nosotros perdonamos nuestros deudores y no nos dejes caer en al tentacion sino que líbranos del malo. Amén.”

  A monstrous, hurricane-like storm erupted on the planet Saturn, shooting lightning bolts a thousand times more powerful than those found on Earth. Thick swirling ring clouds developed on the planet’s North Pole. From deep within the center of the swirling mass, a hexagon-shaped vortex opened, radiating bands of brilliant light that shone brighter than ten million suns—illuminating the cosmos. As the wall-cloud cleared, Saturn’s all-seeing Eye became visible. Suddenly, the Eye opened.

  Lilith summoned the magickally-charged, jeweled-handled athame out of the sacred, ceremonial water and into her hands. Saturn’s all-seeing Eye emitted a golden ray of light that shone through the temple’s hexagon skylight. The golden ray struck the blade of the athame, causing it to glow red. Taking the dagger in both hands, Lilith positioned the blade directly over her husband’s heart.

  Felipe stared back at the glowing red blade. His eyes widened in terror.

  “Lilith, I beg you,” Felipe’s voice cracked.

  Without hesitation, Lilith plunged the athame deep into Felipe’s chest.

  The sharp blade punctured Felipe’s heart. He let out a bloodcurdling scream. The magickal elixir began to spread quickly and Felipe’s body shook violently. Bright rays of white light spilled out from his body, making it glow and then turned translucent, and back to solid flesh. Felipe’s breathing became erratic. He gasped and drew his final breath.

  “You ripped my heart out, now it’s my turn.”

  Lilith took the sacred athame and with the skill of a surgeon, wrenched Felipe’s heart out of his chest cavity, still dripping with blood. Her eyes darkened as she gazed upon the skewered, bloody organ, her husband’s heart. The bloody organ slid down deep onto the sharp blade of the knife. Lilith let out an evil laugh.

  A glowing, red orb appeared and floated toward Lilith’s outstretched hand. The lid of the sphere opened. A surprising sadness swept across Lilith’s face, followed by a single tear that slipped from her left eye. Overcome by emotion, Lilith lowered her lips to the bloody organ and gave it a gentle kiss before depositing the heart into the orb. The red sphere sealed itself shut.

  Asira flew to Lilith, taking the sphere from her.

  Dusana collected Felipe’s blood, as it flowed from the gaping wound in his chest, in a green colored orb. Once the vessel was filled with blood, the sphere closed. The blood swirled and sloshed around inside the orb, causing the vessel to give off a florescent, greenish glow.

  Dead, but not dead, Felipe was fully aware of what was happening to him. Felipe’s spirit tried to ascend into the heavens, but it could not escape its earthbound prison. Felipe’s soul tried once more to leave his body and ascend into the spirit world, only to come crashing back to into his body, causing him agonizing pain. Finally, Felipe’s soul managed to escape—still earthbound, it soared high above the temple seeking a portal to the underworld.

  Isis cast her eyes upon the floating, cloud-like entity and took flight. A white, glowing orb appeared in the palm of her right hand. The glowing sphere opened, creating a powerful suction, imprisoning Felipe’s soul in its impregnable fortress.

  “Spirits of the dead, hear me. Sprits of the grave and of devil’s slaves, hear me. Father Saturn, let your power flow through the vampire. Let him descend into darkness,” Isis chanted.

  The Eye of Saturn watched as Felipe’s heart, blood, and soul was enslaved by his daughters.

  Felipe’s eyes opened.

  “What evil sorcery is this? What have you done to me?” he screamed in a raspy, panicked voice.

  Lilith threw her head back with laugher. She then lowered her head and whispered in Felipe’s ear.

  “Your lust for Zaybeth shall never be quenched, my love. Every time you crave the blood of the innocent, it is the hunger for Zaybeth’s love you crave. When your talons rip the flesh of your victims, it is Zaybeth’s fingernails you desire to dig into your back as you make love to her.”

  “Lilith, I beg you...”

  “Felipe, you will walk this earth a bloodsucking, flesh-eating immortal for five-hundred-and-fifty years until Saturn returns, and opens HIS all-seeing Eye,” she hissed. “Oh, I mustn’t forget your redheaded harlot. She, too, must be punished.”

  “Lilith, please don’t hurt Zaybeth, she’s innocent. Please don’t.”

  “Now, let me see what punishment would be fitting a husband-stealing whore.” Lilith turned her back to Felipe, rubbing her hands together. “I’ve got it!” She turned to Felipe. “I will curse Zaybeth as the only one who can break the curse—by destroying you in a battle to the death—lover versus lover. Once Zaybeth destroys you, Saturn can send your worthless soul straight to hell!”

  Felipe stared back at Lilith in horror.

  “Oh, my love, you mustn’t worry,” she said, taking back of her hand and stroking the sides of Felipe’s face. “I’m not entirely without compassion. I’m sure you will get lonely being the only one of your kind. I will allow you to turn only one person into a vampiro—Zaybeth perhaps. Turn her before the Eye reopens and you shall have your bride. Drink her blood, and then allow her to drink your blood. Bite her once more and she will share your fate. This is your curse, Felipe, a curse you brought upon yourself.” Lilith threw back her head and laughed evilly.

  Felipe felt a strange sensation churning inside his body, signaling a change was about to take place. The Eye of Saturn swirled in his pupils as the whites of his eyes turned black. Felipe’s muscles began to ripple and bulge. His facial features began to change. His flesh turned black and slick, devoid of any hair. His once perfect nose, pulled far back, leaving nothing but two tiny black holes.

  Next, Felipe’s ears became elongated and pointed. His hands and feet transformed into talons. Black wings replaced his shoulder blades. His teeth twisted in his mou
th, causing him to gag. Slowly, two large, sharp fangs emerged.

  The thick metal chains that once bound him to the altar, snapped like twigs. Felipe stood up. He had made the terrible transformation into an eight-foot tall, winged monster. He opened his mouth wide and gave a mighty roar. A black, thread-like tongue darted around his fangs and five rows of razor sharp teeth.

  The grotesque creature spread his enormous wings and vanished in a rolling cloud of smoke.

  * * *

  Lilith returned to the palace. It was over. Gently, she touched her pregnant belly, when something shimmering caught her eye in the corner of her bedchamber. It was the Six Forbidden Scrolls.

  “What are these doing here?” She waved her hand, but the scrolls remained. “Why won’t you go back to the temple? I did what you wanted. Stop haunting me!” she yelled.

  “We belong to you now, Elidaelohim,” the scrolls whispered.

  * * *

  Apollyon watched Lilith through his divination pool of fire, laughing. “Everything is going according to my plan. In five-hundred-fifty years the Plutonian Age will begin.” he said laughing evilly.

  El VAMPIRO

  Felipe stood naked high on a hill overlooking the Andalusian countryside. Unseasonably wild, blustery, icy cold winds caused tree limbs to thrash about violently. The chilled night air had stiffened the blades of grass, coating it with a heavy frost. Even though the air was bitter cold, Felipe could not feel it as it blew hard against his chest. Nor could he feel the frost covered blades of grass, crackling beneath his feet.

  “It’s not possible. It’s just not possible to turn a man into the undead. I must be having a nightmare. That’s the only plausible explanation,” he said, giving a sick laugh.

  A flash against the sky sidetracked Felipe’s thoughts. His eyes trailed upwards to a honey-colored light emitting from the heavens—it was Saturn’s all-seeing Eye. The heavenly light intensified, transforming the night momentarily into day. In an instant, Saturn’s Eye closed and the sky fell back into darkness.

  Felipe’s skin felt boiling hot. He took the back of his right hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, only there was no sweat to wipe. Haunting images of three winged she-demons taunting him and Lilith carving out his heart, flashed before him. Paralyzed by fear, Felipe stopped walking to examine his chest. His fingers carefully, searched his left side. He looked down, expecting to find a gaping wound. But to his surprise there was no wound—not even a scar. His chest had completely healed. Felipe breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Okay, this proves it. I’m dreaming. There’s no curse. I’m not... I’m not a vampiro,” he, stammered. “I just need to wake up.” He closed his eyes tight. “Okay, Felipe, wake up!”

  He opened one eye, then the other. But instead of lying in his bed next to Lilith, he was standing naked in the middle of a meadow. Felipe pinched himself hard on his left forearm. He felt no pain. His eyes widened. “Wake up! I said, Wake up!” He smacked himself hard across the face. “Wake up! Wake up!” his voice cracked.

  Felipe placed his hand back on the left side of his chest. Something wasn’t right. There was no heartbeat. He wasn’t breathing. Felipe sank to his knees, putting his hands up to his face in horror. He strained his eyes, but no tears would come. He looked up to the sky, with fashioning prayer hands.

  “Please, God, let this be a dream. Please don’t let me be dead or rather, the undead.”

  Overwhelmed by fear, Felipe bolted to his feet and started running. He ran so fast, he couldn’t feel his feet touching the ground. He felt light as a feather as if he was floating on air. Then Felipe made a shocking discovery—he was not running, he was actually flying. Wings had somehow sprouted from his shoulder blades and he had taken flight.

  Panic-stricken, Felipe stopped flapping his wings. He plummeted to earth, crashing face down in the dirt, unhurt and feeling no pain. Frightened and confused, Felipe sat for a while on the grassy hillside. Without warning, a surge of power ran through his body. He suddenly felt stronger and invincible.

  Felipe blinked a couple of times and rubbed his eyes. His pupils refocused and he began seeing as though for the very first time. His eyes were able to penetrate the darkness as if it were broad daylight. He could detect heat coming off of the tiniest of insects. But Felipe’s heightened sense of awareness was not just limited to his sight, now all five of his senses were heightened.

  Felipe’s hearing and sense of smell had dramatically improved. He could hear and smell blood pumping through the hearts of animals. Even though he was dead, ironically, Felipe never felt more alive. He felt invincible! Felipe smiled and started laughing. Wolves began howling in the distance.

  Felipe’s body began contorting, transforming into a giant black wolf. The wolf trotted up the highest hill and gave a loud, frightening howl that quieted the other wolves. A snake slithered past. The wolf looked down curiously at the slithering reptile and the wolf’s body began to contort and transformed into the up-turned snouted, Lataste’s viper—a venomous and cannibalistic snake.

  The viper rose up and opened its mouth, exposing its venomous fangs. The snake slithered on the ground, down the hillside, and into a thick brush. Bats flew past overhead, the snake looked up, its body twisted and transformed into a large vampire bat. The bat flew furiously until it caught up to the other bats. The creature’s mouth distorted and opened wide, devouring bat after bat, swallowing them whole.

  The bat landed on the ground. At will, Felipe changed back into his human form.

  “What in God’s name did Lilith do to me? How am I able to transform into animals?”

  A thick fog slowly began rolling into the valley. Felipe looked down at the lower portion of his body, it had evaporated and homogenized with the fog, taking on an ephemeral form. Floating, tumbling, rolling through the Andalusian countryside, Felipe was the fog, fully cognizant of his own existence and surroundings, yet somehow he did not have a physical body.

  Felipe became bored as a slow-moving fog and changed back into his human form. He sat on the hillside for a while, both frightened and fascinated. Felipe carefully took inventory of his strange powers. He could fly. He could shift forms at will, but what else could he do? Then he remembered Lilith’s haunting words.

  “You will walk this earth as a bloodsucking, flesh eating immortal for five-hundred-and-fifty years until Saturn returns, and opens HIS all-seeing Eye.”

  Felipe’s first thought was his mother. She was a wise woman and would find a way to lift the curse. Without warning, Felipe found himself standing in the middle of his parents’ bedchamber hundreds of miles from where he once sat.

  “How did I get here?” he whispered to himself.

  His father was sound asleep, but his mother tossed and turned in her sleep. Careful not to wake her, Felipe tiptoed toward the door, but Francisca stirred in bed. Felipe turned around and stared at his mother. He could hear his mother’s heart pumping blood through the course of her veins. Felipe could smell the sweet bouquet of her blood filling his nostrils. He licked his lips and began to salivate. His teeth became elongated. Felipe continued to stare at his mother’s neck. With just his thoughts, he commanded her to awake.

  Francisca obeyed Felipe’s telepathic command and awakened.

  Felipe became frightened. He shifted his eyes and broke the physic connection with his mother and she fell back into a deep sleep.

  I have to get out of here.

  Without warning, Felipe disappeared, reappearing in his old bedchamber.

  Alejandro, who was fast asleep, awakened and sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his brother.

  “Felipe?”

  Not wanting Alejandro to see him, Felipe instantly transformed into his father’s likeness. His eyes transfixed on his brother’s eyes.

  “Go back to sleep, Alejandro,” Felipe said, in his father’s booming voice. “When you awaken in the morning, you will remember nothing.”

  “Sí, Papa,” a hypnotized Alejandro replied. He s
lid back into bed, falling into a deep sleep.

  Felipe waited until his brother was asleep before transforming back into his true form. He got dressed, and while dressing, something slipped from around his neck and fell to the floor. Curiously, Felipe picked up the small gold object in his hand. It was the crucifix Zaybeth had given him. Gently he kissed the crucifix before tucking it away safely in his pocket.

  This time, Felipe guided his thoughts. He purposely tried not to think about Zaybeth, who was sleeping down the hall. If he was indeed cursed, he had to protect her. Without opening a single door, Felipe found himself in the middle of the courtyard. Still trying to get a handle on his supernatural powers, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts. When Felipe opened his eyes he was standing in front of the statehouse.

  Felipe walked past a man on the street. He gazed deep into the man’s eyes and telepathically commanded him to stop walking. To Felipe’s surprise, the man stopped and stared zombie-like, waiting for Felipe’s next command. The longer Felipe stared at the man, vivid images of the stranger’s life began playing out in Felipe’s mind. He was on his way to a secret rendezvous with his mistress. Felipe willed the man to go home and make love to his wife instead.

  The man did an about-face and obeyed Felipe’s command.

  “Perhaps being a vampiro isn’t without its merits after all,” he chuckled to himself. Each time Felipe explored his powers, he gained control over them.

  Rather pleased with himself for having mastered his dark powers, Felipe strolled along the streets of Toledo humming a happy tune, then suddenly, his throat went dry his belly ached—no, it actually burned. He gagged. This was no ordinary thirst for water or hunger pain. No, this was a hunger for something entirely different. What Felipe craved was thick, meaty, red, and warm—human flesh and blood. His tongue trailed along his top lip.

  Felipe stumbled past pedestrians. He could smell the sweet aroma of blood pumping through their veins. His stomach ached, causing him to double over in agonizing pain. This was the first pain he had experienced since his horrible transformation into the undead. The insatiable, hellish hunger and thirst continued to consume him as he stumbled through the twisted, maze-like cobblestoned streets of Toledo.