"Who's this one from?" the mystery woman asked.
"The biker guy down the bar, again!" Audrey smiled and pointed. Kyle liked her big smile. Dancing blue eyes, hair cut short, messed up. Tattoos peeking out from her leather vest.
The brunette nodded at the biker and her eyes drifted past Kyle as she turned to the beer. Kyle smiled at the woman, but she just turned away. He held his hand out, "Hi, I'm Kyle."
She ignored him and had just eyes for Audrey, who eventually turned to Kyle and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Dewar's neat. Beer back," Kyle ordered. Audrey turned, and expertly filled a shot glass with amber fluid and popped a beer bottle open.
"Eight fifty," she said as she sat both drinks in front of Kyle.
He dropped a twenty on the bar. He sipped the scotch and looked around the room. His eyes narrowed at two blondes at a back table. Weird, they both looked very familiar.
He scanned the crowd for a possible pick-up who met his usual standards. Audrey was still looking like the best target. He swiveled and watched as she served other customers. Every few minutes, she'd stop and make eye contact, even if briefly. Yeah, she just might do. Kyle started sipping the beer.
His attention was diverted by a very tall blonde who suddenly appeared in the door, making her way across the crowded room to the bar. At least five ten, maybe taller. She had bright blue eyes, long, straight blonde hair, held back by only an odd hair band made of what appeared to be gold leaves. Despite the cool weather, she was in a short white dress that revealed long, tanned legs. He smiled. She must be a classics major. Her outfit was obviously Grecian, or Greek inspired. Maybe an actress after a rehearsal?
Kyle made his way down the bar and took a seat next to the woman. She stopped and looked at Kyle. "Hi! I'm Kyle!" He shouted to be heard over the crowd.
No smile was returned. She looked at him, then through him.
"Can I buy you a drink?" Kyle asked.
"Sorry, no," she shouted and turned to a thick man beside her, who started laughing. She joined in, musical laughter. Kyle's ears began to burn and he stepped away.
He wandered back to his original stool and sat. Looks like he'd have to corral the bartender into accepting a night cap. He turned and waved her down. "Another Dewar's. Wanna join me?"
"Not while I'm on the clock. Check back in an hour, though, might get a different answer," she replied as she poured his drink.
"Bad night?" It was the brunette sitting next to him.
"You could say that," he answered as he downed the scotch.
"Tell you what, let me buy you another scotch," she offered, nodding at his empty rocks-glass.
"Thanks!" Maybe this night would be successful after all, he smiled to himself.
Audrey set up another drink and the brunette slid it across to Kyle. He raised it in a toast and sipped. This one was a bit warmer on his tongue than the last one. Audrey held up the more expensive bottle. Kyle nodded and sipped again, smiling as the liquid warmed his throat.
Then things got weird.
The people around Kyle appeared to freeze, like a movie that was suddenly paused. He looked around, and the brunette was still looking at him, amused. The bartender was grinning. In the mirror, the people behind him were all frozen, and staring in his direction. All smiles.
Audrey moved, and leaned against the bar. Her features began to morph. Her face got younger, her hair softer. She looked familiar.
Kyle frowned and turned. The brunette next to him had also changed. Her hair was different: Now it had streaks of red and her clothing became black leather. It appeared that snakes were writhing on her black jacket.
His eyes went wide when he realized the tall blonde he just talked to became someone he had in his chair a week ago. This blonde wasn't smiling.
The room began to spin. He squeezed his eyes shut, then he dropped like a bag of potatoes, making a sickening THUD on the cement floor.
***
San Marin
Dan snapped awake. He was in his recliner; the television was showing some documentary on supposed aliens visiting the planet in ancient times. The lights were off. He remembered that he had gotten home, exhausted, and irritated, and had sat down to decompress. He must have dozed off.
Except, the television wasn't on when he had sat down. In the blue dim light, he saw Megaera on the couch, watching the show, the closed captions were running in a language not English. The characters were odd. Then he recognized the language as Greek.
He moved, and Megaera turned and smiled.
"I didn't want to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully," she said as she stood and went over to his chair. He held out his hand. In one swift motion, he was up and in her arms. "Now, it's time to make you exhausted again."
"Food first?"
"Of course. Then some wine, then some exercise."
"I like your exercise." Dan allowed himself to be led into the dining room. The table was set for dinner. Another old bottle was on the table. Dan reached for it, and examined the neck. Wax coated the opening, hiding the cork.
"I've been wanting to ask. Where does your mother get this wine?"
Megaera stopped on her way into the kitchen, and looked back. "She makes it herself."
Dan followed her into the kitchen and watched as she opened his vintage Frigidaire, pulled on the handle, and began taking out covered dishes. "It's quite unique."
Megaera stopped by Dan as she headed for the dining room. "Well, she did get Dionysus to show her how to make it. It's an old recipe," she said while setting the dishes on the table. Against all logic, when she uncovered the food, it was steaming hot.
Dan watched and frowned. "How did you... The food... It was stored cold, and now it's..."
"Simple thermal transfer. Elementary thermodynamics, Dan. Easy; all the cold in the food was moved into the freezer, which needs defrosting soon, and thus, following the laws of thermodynamics, the food grows warm again. Child's play. If you know what you're doing." Megaera shrugged and uncovered another dish, this one a salad.
"But the salad, it's still cool," Dan pointed out.
"I can warp time and space, keeping the salad cool is nothing. Now, let's eat," she said and started serving the food. A roasted bird and some boiled vegetables.
"Duck?" Dan asked as she served him a portion of breast.
"Oh, it's Ibis. I was in Egypt earlier, on business, and a local market had them." She started eating. "Tastes like chicken."
"Oh, everyone says that, and it's usually not the case," Dan said as he took a small bite. He chewed and looked astonished. "I'll be damned, it does!"
Megaera smiled as she continued to eat. One day, this mortal will learn. Maybe not today, but he will before I'm done with him.
***
Furies House
Alecto was busy with one of her katanas, polishing the blade after some use a few days ago. Gaia walked in from the back of the house and looked around.
"Have you seen your sister?" she asked.
"Which one? Both are out. Megaera is most likely getting laid by that cop, and sweet Tisiphone is out taking care of Brianna's killer."
"Oh dear. Any idea where she went?" Gaia sat and looked extremely worried.
Alecto stopped what she was doing and turned her full attention to Gaia. "What is going on?"
"The man who killed Brianna, and left those sigils, he's not to be touched," Gaia explained, then went on to explain what she'd found out from Hermes and Kali.
Alecto put her sword on the coffee table and stared at the relic wall. "It may be possible to catch up with Tisiphone." Alecto stood. She added, "Wish me luck in catching her before she kills the poor guy."
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Outside San Luis Obispo
Kyle began to regain consciousness. He tried to move and snapped awake when he realized his hands were bound behind his back. He strained to kick. His legs were immobile. He twisted his head see where he was.
Then he recognized the room
.
It was the very same room he had prepared for his next victim.
Uh oh!
There was movement in the shadows. A figure walked into view. Tisiphone. She stopped and looked around.
"Nice work. Clean, efficient, a great way to contain the fluids. Good way to control the evidence. No wonder the cops never figured it out." Tisiphone nodded. "Good kill room. It's going to come in handy."
"Wait, what?" Kyle shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "Who are you?"
"A friend of a friend, you might say." Tisiphone strutted in front of him.
"What did you put in my drink?" Kyle demanded.
"You are in no place to be asking questions. But to answer: Nothing you didn't already bring along," Tisiphone explained. "That was why it was so warm on your tongue. I'm surprised you never tried the stuff for yourself. I understand it's quite the trip."
"Lady, let me go! I'm a cop and you're in serious trouble," Kyle demanded.
"Oh, you're not a real cop, even if you weren't kicked out of the bureau." A file folder appeared in her hand. "Seems you failed the last psych evaluation, among other things." She causally tossed the file folder aside. It disappeared into the darkness and never landed.
Tisiphone then sat on his lap, straddling him. "Personally, I do like your style. It's a little rough but nice technique. Especially the carving work. Shows a really deep cruel streak."
"You don't understand. That wasn't really me!" Kyle protested, his face against hers.
Tisiphone laughed, rolling her head back. A blur, and she was across the room.
"I know, what do they call it? Non-professionally, of course." Tisiphone pretended to think. "Oh, right. Spilt personality."
"No, seriously, there's a darkness that needs me to kill for it."
"Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls!" She laughed. In a flash, she was back in his lap. She ran her fingers through his long blonde hair.
"But, I'm not concerned with the recent victims, where you exhibited such flair carving all those sigils," she stopped and flicked her fingers. A blur and she was standing behind him.
"What? Carved what?" He struggled to turn and glance at his tormentor.
"Those facial carvings. On the last handful of victims, you don't remember?"
"Those were carved by the darkness. It took control of my hand," Kyle explained. "It wanted it. It was no longer satisfied with just the deaths, but it wanted the carvings, it wanted me to hurt the girls even more."
His head dropped as he began sobbing. Tisiphone was disgusted with the display and circled behind Kyle, snatching his head up by the hair.
"Cry all you want. Your victims cried. They yelled, they screamed, you showed no mercy. Neither shall I," Tisiphone growled, her eyes flashed red, then dimmed back to green. "Pussy."
But first," she smiled. "You need to meet someone."
A form began to appear directly in front of Kyle. Tisiphone pulled on his hair to make sure he looked up.
"Your cousin, Bobbie. Your first victim," Tisiphone said as Bobbie stepped into the light. Her long blond hair parted down the middle, looking exactly as she had on that fateful afternoon. "Wow. She was a gorgeous young woman, wasn't she? No wonder she turned you on."
Unexpectedly, Bobbie turned blue, her eyes were black and sunken, her hair wet and floating up around her head, like she was underwater. Kyle groaned.
"All because you were scared, and you were unable to consummate the lust you both felt. But it felt so good to kill, didn't it? That's what really got your motor running, wasn't it?"
Bobbie floated closer to Kyle. His eyes budged at the sight coming at him, he shivered when her cold, clammy hands caressed his face. He struggled to draw back, but was held in place by the ropes.
"Please," Kyle begged, "Please! Take her away!"
Bobbie moved in closer, her cold lips pressed onto his. A slime coated tongue moved into his mouth as he fought to wiggle away.
"Aww, look at that. After what you did, she still loves you!" Tisiphone laughed. She released his head and allowed Kyle to turn away from the wet specter.
Bobbie backed away, a few bubbles escaping her mouth.
Tisiphone's laugh echoed throughout the old warehouse. More specters began to move in the darkness. Two broke away from the group and moved towards Kyle. Kelsey, her features restored, floated until she was inches from Kyle's face.
"Sweet Kelsey. Now, she would have gone back to your hotel, and made you one happy guy, for at least the next few hours. But no. You had to kill her as well," Tisiphone pointed out.
Kelsey's form shifted, her face was bloody and covered with the sigils. Her mouth was open in a silent scream. Kyle recoiled back.
"Please, no more!" he sobbed. "I know what I did! Do whatever you have to do, but get these creatures away from me!"
"You are aware that these ladies will accompany you to your punishment?" Tisiphone asked, astonished at how Kyle was behaving.
"You'll see, it really wasn't me!" Kyle begged. "It never was me, you see? Never was."
"I'm very old fashioned. I believe in an eye for an eye." A lethal stiletto switchblade appeared in her hand. She snapped it open.
She moved to where she was behind Kyle, and pulled his head back.
Kyle swallowed and started begging, "Please. No. Just get them away. You don't' have to do this."
The specters in the room gathered, many were smiling and looking quite pleased. Tisiphone's eye glinted. "Not only do I have to, I really want to, you know?"
Her hand flashed and the flesh on Kyle's neck parted so quickly that blood barely had time to flow before his last breath gurgled through the gaping wound. Blood flowed down his chest and onto the plastic. He jerked and fought, then he stopped moving as his eyes went blank, his head rolled and hung forward.
Then the room moved.
A slight trembling began. Tisiphone looked around.
Then the floor bucked hard and the ceiling creaked as the room grew hot.
Tisiphone stepped away from Kyle's body as it began to glow red. A flame jetted up towards the ceiling, then began to spread as something dark shot upwards out of Kyle's body.
The specters fled, except for Brianna. She moved and stood next to Tisiphone.
The flame dimmed and a darkness gathered in the afterglow.
A form appeared. A hulking figure, horns on a massive head, enormous shoulders, muscles rippling across it's torso. Red eyes appeared.
A laughter erupted from the monster, which subsided into a low growl.
"Thanks, bitch." The demon said, his voice a low rumble. "Kill you later!"
The figure disappeared into a cloud of gray smoke.
"Who the hell was that?" Brianna looked at the empty spot, then held her hand to her nose. "Oh, dear god, the smell!"
"Well, fuck me running! The bastard!" It was all Tisiphone could manage to get out.
Alecto walked into the light cast by the single bulb. She glanced at the ceiling.
"I didn't find this place until a few seconds ago, I guess I'm too late?" Alecto shook Kyle's lifeless head. "Mother showed up not long after you left."
"Mother sent you? Why? What was Sorath doing in this guy?"
"I have no idea. I don't have that information," Alecto turned the almost severed head to face Tisiphone. "So, what do you want to do with the stiff?"
"I have an idea, if you're open to it?" Brianna smiled widely. She was enjoying this a bit too much.
***
Furies House
Tisiphone and Alecto walked their demonic steeds into the stable, settling them in for the night. Brianna stood next to the white mare, rubbing her nose.
"Why hasn't she moved on?" Tisiphone asked, eyeing Brianna, who was now giving the horse a carrot.
"She's a demi-goddess," Alecto said as she latched the door.
"So, she's not a normal ghost?"
"Not by a longshot." Alecto looked over to Brianna, "Let's go, kid, time to make some plans."
In the living room, Gaia was explaining to Tisiphone the story as told by Hermes. Tisiphone grew angrier by the moment.
"So why are we standing here gossiping, we need to saddle up! Go find the bastard," Tisiphone demanded. "Where's Megaera? She needs to be here. We have a battle to plan, we must recapture Sorath before he can assemble his army."
"She's out with that cop, who happens to be part immortal," Gaia said quietly.
"What do you mean, part immortal?" Brianna asked. She sat beside Gaia and turned to her, eyes wide.
"It means, it explains why you are still here and not where most go after a death," Gaia explained. She went on, "It happens that your great, great whatever grandmother on your mother's side was a goddess incarnate. The goddess Lakshmi to be exact."
Brianna looked around at Tisiphone and Alecto. "I had no idea, we never talked about our ancestors. I'm part goddess?"
"Don't let it go to your head, kid. Immoral blood that diluted? One nose bleed and you're out of the gang," Tisiphone growled. "What about Megaera? If he attacks us separately, we're defeated."
"She's with Dan, so I'm sure she'll be fine," Gaia said, then sat back and patted Brianna on the shoulder. "We'll just wait for her."
***
Dan's House
The bedroom was a mess; clothing everywhere, file folders scattered like papers after an embassy evacuation.
On the bed, Dude was nestled in between the human lumps. He was happy since he had the leftovers that were left sitting on the dining table. It was a good thing, since his human was too busy to remember to feed him.
Something woke him up. He raised his head and looked around. He scowled. He was good at scowling, all cats were. Dude had perfected his scowl when he was a kitten. He first used it on his human after a visit to the people who poked him with needles. He knew he was missing something vital, but never could figure out what it was.
Dude stood, stretched, then climbed across one sleeping human to drop to the floor. That human moaned and rolled over. He could have walked to the end of the bed, but that wasn't his style. He stretched again after hitting the floor and padded out into the hallway. There it was again, a definite "popping" noise. He stopped and tried listening.
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