by Tanya Simon
“You are not here because of your friend’s stupidity.” Raevanne said as she brushed her hair back. “You are here to learn to be a fitting gift to the Master. Your training will begin tomorrow. I just wanted to welcome you. Now, I will also require the name of the friend who asked you to forget our name.”
Kim swallowed, thought about her friend for a moment and decided she had no choice; they might not kill her if she told. “Bryce Markham.” Kim said with a shaky voice.
“Thank you. Unfortunately, we cannot allow him to live. You will be going to the Master soon, so you are no threat to us.” Raevanne’s beautiful face held an expression that went better with picking out what to wear, than the deaths of two people.
“No!” Kim struggled against her bonds. “No! Please! I don’t want to die!”
“Silence!” Raevanne hissed. “It is a great honor to be given to the Master!”
“My parents will be looking for me. I will be missed!”
“Perhaps. However, they won’t find you.” Raevanne stood to leave. “You’d best get some rest, training will begin early tomorrow.”
The door opened again and a young woman with blond hair entered with a serving tray.
“Ah. Here is Abigail with your evening meal.” Raevanne went to the door. “I will see you tomorrow, Kim.”
Kim began to weep when the door closed behind Raevanne. She jerked when she felt a hand pat her arm. She opened her eyes and found Abigail smiling at her.
“Fear not, Kim. We will not let you come to harm.” She turned and unchained Kim’s hands. “Now eat, you will need your strength.”
Kim rubbed her wrists, and began to eat the soup Abigail placed in front of her. She was surprisingly hungry and she quickly finished it and the bread that had been served with it. Her eyelids began to grow heavy and she fought to keep them open.
“Shhh… Kim, it’s alright.” Abigail helped her lie back on the bed. “When you wake up you will be home in your own bed.” Abigail made sure she slept, stood and walked to the door and opened it. Daniel came into the room, carrying a trunk. He placed it beside the bed, opened it and placed the sleeping girl in it.
“Daniel, are we doing the right thing?” Abigail asked her husband.
“Yes. Abby, there are plenty of people who would voluntarily give their lives to the Master. We can’t let them keep killing children, who have to be brainwashed into dying for him, it will bring too much attention to the Roodmasi!” He took Abigail in his arms. “These are girls who will be missed, who have parents waiting for them, when they disappear, there are press conferences. We are doing the only thing we can do. We are doing what the Shivana would do, if not for Cain.”
Abigail sighed and stepped from her husband’s arms, she bent and fixed Kim’s limbs more comfortably in the trunk. She sighed as she closed and locked the lid.
“We must be careful my love.” She went and checked the hall. Finding it clear, she stepped back and pushed the door all the way open. When Daniel had carried the trunk out, she closed and locked the door.
Abigail watched as Daniel carried the trunk out into the night and loaded it in the back of their mini-van. When he beckoned her forth, they both climbed into the van and drove to the gate, stopping when they saw the guard.
“Manuel, you aren’t supposed to be here.” Daniel said as he stopped beside the guard. “Now your part in this will be known.”
“Cain’s madness must be stopped. I stand with you proudly.” He grasped the pendant hanging around his neck, “And freely. I know the risks, my friend.” He opened the gate. “Now get the child home before she is missed.”
“Goodbye, old friend. May Satan guide your steps always,” Daniel said as he drove through the gate.
“And yours, my friend.” The guard closed the gate.
He did not notice the glowing blue eyes watching from the shadows.
Raevanne paced furiously across her chamber floor. She could not believe the sheer audacity, which the men standing in front of her had shown. Imagine, thinking they could release a gift and live! Her temper bubbled over when she thought of Kim Owens with her knowledge of the Roodmasi, being free. She understood Cain had allowed the escape to happen because the rebels within their number must be outed and destroyed. However, the attitude of the two in front of her irritated her.
“Daniel, you can spare yourself some pain if you tell me who else was in on this insane scheme,” she said through gritted teeth. “Give us the rebels and we will allow your Abigail to live. Either way your life is forfeit. All that remains is for you to decide how painful the death is and whether or not Abigail will follow you.” She glared at him, her emerald eyes beginning to glow.
Daniel looked at the man standing beside him and thought of the others who believed as he did. He wondered if he could give them to the Shivana to save his Abigail. Tears streamed down his face as he realized he already had. He looked up at Raevanne and knew from her smile she had plucked the information from his mind.
“Manuel go with Malcolm.” Raevanne said to the man standing beside Daniel. She walked over and stroked the glistening muscles of her bodyguard, “Your were not the leader of our little rebellion, and you and your training as a Roodmasi Red Guard are too valuable to lose, so Malcolm will mete out your punishment and begin your re-conditioning.”
Manuel walked to the door and looked back at Daniel, “Goodbye, old friend.” Manuel walked out the door before Daniel responded.
Daniel hung his head, “Goodbye.”
“How touching.” Raevanne walked to the antique desk against the wall. “You have not only disobeyed your Shivana, you have defied the Master in defying Cain.” She walked toward him, a dagger gleaming in her dainty hands. “And to make matters worse,” Raevanne took a deep breath and tried to control her rage, “You have known where my child is all this time and you did not tell me! That is unforgivable!” She looked up at him, hatred burning in her eyes. “I will remove you from my sight, but your torture will begin when the Master gets a hold of you. Several lower level demons have already petitioned for your flesh.”
Daniel blanched and resisted the urge to fight the inevitable. He knew to struggle against the Shivana would only bring about her blood lust. He had to try one more time, to make her see what Cain was doing to her people. “I will not fight you, my Shivana, but please, stop and consider what the Master’s son is bringing to our people, the chaos this will cause, and the witch hunts.” He swallowed as her eyes filled with rage. “He cares only for the power he will gain in the Ascension, not for you or the people who follow you and who have served the Master faithfully all their lives!”
“You are not worthy, traitor, to have his plans explained to you! He is seeing to it those who faithfully serve the Master will have reign over all on this plane! After the Ascension the Earth and her spoils will go to the Roodmasi and the Master will take his rightful place on the Throne of Heaven. However, filth, you will not be here to see it.”
Raevanne smiled hungrily as she approached Daniel. He lifted his head and closed his eyes.
“And now you die traitor.” Raevanne said as she slowly slid the blade across Daniel’s throat. He moaned as he slumped to the ground. His blood sprayed her face as he fell, making her smile.
Raevanne’s smile grew as she licked the blood from the knife. Her child was safe.
Belinda stood in the center of the Shivana’s office and said a silent prayer for strength. She knew Raevanne would suffer for what she must do, so Belinda could at least be courageous and not beg for her life. She tried to get the circulation going in her hands, but her bonds were too tight. She hung her head, she had failed them all, she should have insisted Raevanne listen to reason and now it was too late; they would all die for their treachery and Cain would destroy the Roodmasi. She looked straight ahead and squared her shoulders when the door opened. Raevanne spared her a quick glance and went to sit behind her desk.
“Please sit down, Belinda.” Raevanne said in an eve
n voice.
Belinda sat down, still staring straight ahead.
“I suppose this is just as much my fault as it is yours. You tried to tell me some of my people feared Cain’s behavior. They thought he would bring about our destruction. And I treated you like a child. I didn’t take what you were trying to tell me seriously. They sent you because they thought if anyone, I would hear my friend.” She stood and walked around the desk stopping in front of the chair where Belinda sat. “I didn’t listen. You didn’t trust me to do what’s right for our people. And now, we have no choices, we have no time.” She sat in the chair next to Belinda. “The Master himself has ordered your death; there is nothing I can do to save you.”
Belinda’s breath caught in her lungs. She looked her old friend in the eyes. “I knew the risks when I joined Daniel. I did what I did because I love my people and I don’t want to see them fail after all these centuries of waiting for the Master to take his rightful place. I still think we were right, but I am sorry I had to deceive you to do the things I did. You have always been my friend and you shall always be my friend.”
“The master gave me the choice of how it would be done.” She stood and went to the shelves on the other side of the chamber. She took down a silver chalice and bringing it back to her desk, she filled it with wine. She opened a secret compartment on one of her rings and a black powder fell into the wine. She took the fizzing liquid back over to Belinda. “This potion is made of nightshade and some other herbs; it is quite poisonous. Normally it would be a painful death, but I have added other ingredients to counteract the effect. The death will be almost instantaneous.” She handed the mug to Belinda.
“I shall miss you, Raevanne.” She held Raevanne’s hand. “May the Master show mercy on my soul, I have and will always serve him.” She wiped the tears streaming down Raevanne’s cheeks away. “May Satan guide your steps always.” She tipped the chalice up and drained the liquid. She slumped forward and the glass fell out of her limp fingers.
Raevanne kissed Belinda’s brow and turned away from the body of her childhood friend before ringing the bell for Malcolm.
“Take her away.” The mountain of a bodyguard picked the body up and flung it over his shoulder. “Be gentle with her.”
“Yes, my Shivana.” Malcolm turned and left the chamber, closing the door behind him.
Raevanne fell into her desk chair and began to weep.
Cain watched from the shadows as Raevanne brushed her long hair until the heavy curls gleamed in the candlelight, which lit their bedroom. He swallowed hard, when she stood and the light shone through her sheer gown, silhouetting her curves. She moved slowly to each candle snuffing them out, until only the ones on the bedside table remained. Cain’s heart swelled with love for the woman who was his wife and more his mate than any other woman before her. She beckoned to him, having finally sensed his presence. He stepped from the shadows and moved to sit on the bed. Raevanne sat in his lap and placed her head against his chest.
“I have found another gift to take the place of the one that was lost.” Cain said as he stroked Raevanne’s back. “She will be perfect, she fancies herself a Christian, and she will truly please Father.”
“I sent Nergal himself after Kim Owens. He will make sure it is a mystery what became of her.” Raevanne said as she turned and began raining kisses over Cain’s hard, muscular chest.
“What shall we do with Abigail?” Cain asked as he began sliding the straps of Raevanne’s gown over her silken shoulders.
“I sent Legion after her.” Raevanne sighed as Cain lowered his head to her breast. “I believe she and Daniel were the leaders.” She gasped as Cain pulled a nipple into his mouth and began to suckle. “The remainder of their little group has already been dispatched, except for Manuel, who will be reconditioned.” She whispered as her head fell back in surrender.
“All is going according to the Master’s plan.” He took the other pebbled nipple between his fingers and rolled it, “I think we can find other things to occupy our thoughts for awhile.”
Raevanne moaned and the candles blinked out.
6
Raevanne knew as the Ascension grew near she would have choices to make. She would have to choose between her people and her duties as a mother. She would have to choose between her husband and her child. And ultimately, she would have to choose between life and death. She closed her eyes and a maternal smile lit her face as she remembered how beautiful Melusine had been as a toddler. Her emerald eyes had always sparkled with mischief as she had bedeviled her father. Her features had been fragile like a china doll, but she had been a sturdy, gutsy little girl. She would try anything, charge into whatever challenge put before her.
They had been the perfect family. Cain and Melusine had adored one another. She would spend every evening after prayers sitting in Cain’s lap listening to tales of the Master’s triumphs, her little hands clapping together with glee.
All of that had changed when she had been stolen from them on a business trip to meet with several of the California coven heads. They had been at a coven bar; Melusine was playing with the other children, showing off her strengthening powers, a little queen holding court. The next instant, the other children had begun screaming and crying. When the adults ran over, Melusine had been gone.
It had been 17 long years since the horrible night, and now she had found her baby. She was safe, alive and right here in Colorado. She tried not to get angry again as she thought of Daniel having this information and not sharing it with her. Raevanne took a couple of deep breaths and tried to picture what Melusine would look like, how her perfect features had arranged themselves on an adult’s face. She wondered if she were happy, if she was lonely. Did Melusine even remember the three short happy years they’d had together? Would she be the powerful sorceress she was meant to be or had David Williams stopped her from using her powers?
Raevanne knew she had to warn the Williamses it wouldn’t be long before Cain would come after the child. And if she knew nothing else about the woman, her daughter had become, she knew she would fight him and Cain would see her as a threat and kill her. So, she said a prayer for strength and picked up the phone. She quickly dialed the number she had gotten from the phonebook. Raevanne swore when she got an answering machine.
“Melus… I mean Mystery is in danger,” she paused, glancing at the door to make sure she was alone. “The protection spell you used will no longer protect her. It is only a matter of time before they find her and destroy her.”
Raevanne slammed down the phone, misery clearly etched in her face. She had just broken the most sacred of the oaths; she had gone against the Master. She hung her head, rubbing her forehead. Choked sobs forced their way from her throat. She rose from her desk and went to the altar in the corner. Falling to her knees she began to beg the Master’s forgiveness. She was so intent on her prayers she almost couldn’t hide her shock when Cain gently rubbed her shoulders.
“It’s time to go and claim Father’s prize, my love.” Cain helped her to her feet. “I know you feel you failed Belinda, but she made her own choices.”
“I know, but I still miss her, she was one of my dearest friends. I should have seen she was keeping something from me. I should have taken the time to explain how the Ascension will come about.” Raevanne wiped away a tear.
“My love, they should have had faith that their Master would not allow me to destroy his people. They should have know my being here, in this life, would be to bring about their Master’s aims, to lead us to The Ascension, not to destruction. You did not fail them. They failed Father by not having enough faith in him to know I would not be allowed to destroy his people.”
Raevanne ran her thumb beneath her eyes to catch the last of her tears. “Faith is hard when your gut tells you danger is all around you. When your eyes show you someone breaking every law you were raised with. Yes, they failed the Master, but I failed them because I should have explained his path for us. I, as their leader
, should have known there would be fear among our people.”
“I suppose it is hard for me to fathom, because I have always seen who I worshipped. I have supped with him, we have share succubi, and we have spent endless hours talking. He is not an abstract belief to me, but a father. I do not know what it would be like to simply go on the faith I felt in my spirit that he would attend to my needs and protect his people. Even you, my love, have never actually seen my father.”
“I suppose when I had a child’s faith, nothing more than word of my mother was needed for me to believe. Then when I was an adult, you were here and you actually saw who I worshipped, so I was sustained in the knowledge you knew he listened and cared. Our people have not even had that. A few words could have saved several lives.”
