by Tanya Simon
“Who, who is he?” Sam asked, still dazed.
“He’s a high school kid who lives across the street.”
“Peter Hawkley.”
“Yeah. How’d you know?” Lilith glanced at Sam.
“We questioned him when she first disappeared. “ He sighed and looked out of the window. “He didn’t know anything. Naomi thought he was hiding something, but we couldn’t get anything out of him.”
“Well, whatever his reason, he’s ready to talk now.”
They pulled to the curb in front of a nice, well kept, three story home. Sam hurried around the car and opened the door for Lilith. She smiled at him and let him help her out. As they made their way up the driveway, a tall gangly boy, with an unfortunate complexion came striding out of the house. He pushed his glasses up his nose and swallowed convulsively, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.
“We need to talk out here, my mother told me not to do this.” He squeaked.
“Okay.” Sam stuck out his hand and grimaced as the boy’s clammy hand reached out to shake his. “I’m Detective Sergeant Jefferies, this is my partner Detective Sergeant Adamson.” Sam smothered a chuckle as the boy’s mouth fell open and all thought left his mind. Lilith was a looker.
Lilith was cool about it; she just nodded at him as though his mouth wasn’t hanging open. “You said you could give us a description of the people who took Shauna.”
“Yeah. I was watching for her to come home, she came home alone about eleven or eleven thirty. At about midnight a dark blue truck pulled up. There was a knockout redhead driving and she was also alone. I had been watching the house all evening; the parents were there alone. About five minutes after twelve, a tall dark-haired man materializes outside of the house carrying Shauna, he takes her to the truck, climbs in and they drive away.”
“What do you mean, materialized?” Sam and Lilith said in unison.
“He didn’t open the door and walk out, he just appeared outside of the house, with Shauna asleep in his arms.” He leaned in closer. “I was in a totally dark house, watching the Clarkson’s with binoculars from inside my totally dark room, and just as the guy puts Shauna in the truck, the redhead looks up at me and I knew she could see me.”
“Well…um…thank you, we have your statement. Sam took Lilith’s hand and propelled her down the driveway, “If we need anything, we’ll be in touch.”
“You don’t believe me. But police work and guns will not stop these guys!” He followed them a few steps down the driveway. “Nothing will! They’ll kill you because you are getting too close and because you don’t believe, you’ll never see it coming!”
Lilith put the car in gear and pulled away from the house. She glanced over at Sam. He was trying not to chuckle. Even with everything he had seen, he was still not able to buy the boy’s story, which protected Sam for now. However, the boy she would have to deal with tonight.
Seth yelped as he was thrown on the floor of the throne room, the stone beneath him was burning hot. He tried to stand up without touching his hands to the ground. After several attempts he finally made it to a standing position. The seven foot tall, sore-covered demon at his side knocked him down again.
“No human would dare to stand before the Master, you will kneel and bow your head and be thankful he deigned to see you.” He growled at Seth’s insolence.
Fear like nothing Seth could ever remember feeling, filled him; it was so strong he almost choked on it. The demon pushed Seth’s head down, as someone passed him and took the throne.
“You may rise human.” Satan said as he lounged across his throne, picking meat from his razor sharp teeth.
Seth fought his way to his feet again, Satan laughed at his effort not to burn his hands any further, and his demon guard laughed too.
“What is this plea, you have for me? What could you possibly have that I would need?”
“Master Satan, I can give you the priest. My brother would gladly die for me.” Seth was too afraid to look up into Satan’s face.
“How would you do this?”
“If you allow me to go back, I can tell him of how I suffered, how your soldiers meant to get him, and they didn’t realize they had the wrong man until they brought me back here and you punished them. I could tell him you will only let me stay if he promises to go in my place.” Seth held his breath.
“Why should I give you this chance? You already promised me that you could without any memory of my kingdom or your time in it, keep my granddaughter safe and easily at hand for when I needed her. That you would nurture her leanings to the Dark Arts, if I just left you with your leanings.” Satan used a razor sharp claw to pick flesh from between his teeth, the hellhounds by his side, raised their massive heads at the smell, then turned their patient eyes to Seth. “You failed at that. Not only is my granddaughter a christian, you believed yourself to be until my son destroyed your faith. Now my beloved granddaughter may not live to fulfill her purpose if my son cannot turn her of her own free will.” He stood and got in Seth’s face. “It was a favor to my granddaughter should she ever know; that I offered you a room, instead of the dungeons again.” He caressed Seth’s hair mockingly. Then placed his hand on his lips as though considering.
“Master, I had no memory of anything, I had no inclination to the Dark Arts. The only thing I remembered on any level is that it was important to get Ryan to come to us. I didn’t even know why I was so desperate for him to be there. I did not have enough to work with.” Seth whined.
“I do not deal in excuses. You had enough to complete your rather simple mission and you failed. Now you ask this of me. Well, what if your brother refuses to give up his immortal soul for his baby brother?” Satan grabbed Seth by the hair and forced him to look up into his face. He smiled as Seth began to shake. “What will you do then? What price will you pay to stop the pain? What will you do to stay out of the play room you chose?”
“I will kill him, myself, Master Satan.” Seth threw himself prostrate at Satan’s feet. “I will kill him any way you wish, just don’t make me go back to that room, Master, please!”
“I will give you one day, 24 hours to complete the task. I either want his soul here for my pleasure or I want him dead.” Satan lowered his voice so each syllable was a growl. “Or I will bring you back here and you shall spend eternity on one of the lower levels of my kingdom.”
“Thank you, Master!” Seth crawled forward and kissed his master’s feet.
“Have him sent back. If he fails bring him to me. I will see to it he begs me for one of the lower levels.” Satan turned his head away. “Take him from my sight.”
The demon guard pulled Seth to his feet and took him to the place where he had awoken. The eerie green light made Seth want to scream, but he chewed on his lip to keep himself silent. The demon guard spoke to the guardian of the rooms and explained what Seth was to do. The guardian threw Seth some clothes. Seth put the clothes on, relishing the feel of the soft cotton on his chafed skin.
Seth felt light-headed and the walls began to spin. He fell forward and continued falling, gaining speed as he went, he screamed. After falling for what seemed an eternity, Seth opened his eyes to find himself in a hotel room. His brother’s leather jacket was flung across one of the chairs and a picture of Seth and Mystery rested on the bureau. Seth crossed to it, swallowed with hatred for Mystery. She was the reason he was in a position to consider bargaining that someone would trade their soul for his. The slut had betrayed him with Ryan and after all everyone had done to keep her safe, she had betrayed those had fought to protect her and had gone to the Roodmasi. If it weren’t for that bitch he would not be facing the lower levels of Hell.
Seth stopped staring at Mystery’s picture when he heard the shower stop. He put the picture down and went to sit on the bed. “Just remember he is not even your real brother and this will be easy.” He silently reminded himself. He smiled, Ryan was singing off-key as he dried off. He stopped mid-note when he opened the bathroom do
or to see Seth sitting there on his bed.
“Seth?” Ryan dropped the towel he had been using to dry his hair, and gripped the wall to steady himself.
“Hi, Ryan.”
“How is this possible? I saw what was left in that room. You aren’t real. Cain, you bastard I won’t fall for this! Remember I saw what your friends did to him!” Ryan touched his hands to the cross around his neck and he began to pray. The cross began to glow.
“Ryan, wait. It is me. They offered a trade.” Ryan took off the cross. “I stole your GI Joe when you were seven and I hid it in the dog’s house. You found it ripped to shreds, but you never told Mom.”
When he finished the prayer and looked up at his brother there were tears in his eyes.
“What did they do to you, that you would come back to kill me?” Ryan whispered.
“There are no human words to describe what it was like. They make you pick a room. They all look okay, you know, not so horrible. When you choose, you see what you will go through over and over again until the end of time, but it’s too late, you’ve made your choice.” Seth closed his tortured gray eyes for a second as images of his room filled his mind. He looked down at his trembling hands. “If you switch places with me, they’ll let me go. They meant to get you. I guess the wrong brother was home.” Seth smiled sadistically. “The room I chose… I am tied to a giant boulder in a desert land. There is no moisture in the air, on the ground, it is always night and it is always hot. Periodically, lightening splits the sky and clouds form and it rains urine. But you are so thirsty that you try to tip your head back enough for the urine to run into your mouth. Sometimes, you get a few drops, sometimes you don’t. Then the urine turns to acid, which slowly eats your skin and flesh away, but you never die. Whatever is left when the acid storm stops, crows come and pick from your bones. You feel them eat your eyes, pick at your brain. Then finally you die. When you open your eyes again, everything starts over.” He raised eyes full of loathing to his brother. “That is were loving that bitch you fuck got me. And then she betrayed you and went to them anyway. If you had just picked up the phone and told me not to go to the house. I would not be spending eternity feeling crows eat my brain.”
“I love you. But I won’t give up my immortal soul for you. You made your choice you abandoned your faith. I can’t and I won’t pay for it. If I do give up, who will save Jeremiah, Seth? Or have you even forgotten your son?” Ryan went and put on a pair of jeans from his open suitcase. He looked at his brother sitting there calmly on the bed, asking Ryan to save him, asking Ryan protect him. As usual he wasn’t even thinking of anyone but himself. And Ryan felt his heart harden toward his brother.
Seth stood and turned to face his brother. The light gleamed off the long, thin knife he held in his hands. He looked at Ryan and there was no emotion in his face as he stalked toward his brother. “I won’t go back there. First you stole Mystery from me. Then you swear you will protect me from these people. And now when you have a chance to do just that, you won’t help me. So, I will kill you and help myself.”
Ryan backed up. “Seth don’t make me do this, please.” Seth kept walking toward his brother. He swung out with the knife, barely missing Ryan’s face. Ryan pushed past his brother and went for the other side of the room. Seth turned around mechanically and shuffled after him.
Ryan imagined Seth turning into a statue of ice and he watched horrified as Seth stopped moving and screamed as his limbs started to freeze. Ryan began crying again as Seth’s screams abruptly stopped as his head froze.
“May God have mercy on your soul, baby brother. I love you, goodbye.” Ryan swung around and kicked Seth; the statue broke into a million tiny fragments.
Ryan sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands and wept.
21
Ryan lay in bed that night trying not to let his fear and his pain turn into hatred of Mystery. He knew she wasn’t aware of what was going on out here they blocked her from feeling those who cared about her. God! He wished she were here right now to soothe him and to tell him it was going to be alright. He wished he had her soft, perfect body beneath him to lose his sorrows in. He started to doze.
Ryan’s eyes sprung open, as his jeans were unbuttoned. Focusing, he saw Mystery straddling him, her eyes glowing in the darkness. He tried to sit up and she pushed him back down. Ryan moaned as her hands closed around his manhood. They were cold and lifeless. He gagged and tried to pull away, but she tightened her hold.
“Come on, Ryan.” She laughed, the musical sound made his heart hurt. “You know you want me.” She replaced her hands with her mouth.
Ryan’s hips rose off the mattress all by themselves. He sank slowly into the world of pleasure she was providing and reached for her breasts. When he cried out, she moved up his body to kiss him. Resignedly, he removed his jeans and rolled her under him.
After they had made love a couple of times, they lay there cuddling in each other's arms. Neither spoke, both were afraid of what the other one was going to say. Ryan finally decided he had to tell her Seth was dead. He moved her around so he was looking down into her face.
“Mystery,” he played with a wayward strand of her hair. “Seth is dead.”
“NO! He promised me! No!” she fought and Ryan let her up. She pulled her knees up to her chest and sat there rocking back and forth.
“They killed him the night you went to them. He came here this morning to ask me to take his place in Hell and when I wouldn’t he attacked me. I had to kill him again. I was able to use my powers on him, so he was damned, he was already lost to us.” Ryan reached for her; she pulled away and got out of the bed.
“They will come for you. You aren’t safe as long as they know you matter to me.” She rubbed her arms and began to cry. “I should go.”
“Why did you come?”
“I felt your pain. It made it through whatever shield they have put around me. I’ve thought of you several times, but I couldn’t gather the wherewithal to come or to contact you. Time is different at the aerie, I don’t know how to explain it. But today I felt your pain and your loneliness and I had to come.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
“Are you Roodmasi, Mystery?” Ryan whispered.
“No. I am Jeremiah’s mother and your woman, and my mother’s daughter, but I am not Roodmasi.” She looked at him defiantly. “I am not evil.” Mystery touched Ryan’s head and he looked at her. “I know I have to stay there to be ready for the final battle. It is the only way I can learn enough. But, I swear to you, Ryan, I am not evil, I do not follow Cain.”
“But your mother is evil.”
“She was brought up to believe the side she fights on is the side of right. But she has a good heart. She made sure Jeremiah would remember me; she plays with him every day. She has been more of a mother to me in these few short weeks, than Sarah was in twenty years. She loves me. She is the one who warned us Cain would soon know where I was. She tried to get me to use the powers I didn’t even know I had by sending the winged things for me to fight. She has sworn to help us, to help her people when the time comes.”
“I hope you are right.” He went and sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I will find a way for this to be right in the end, I promise.”
When Ryan woke the next morning he was alone. It was as if she had never been there at all. He picked up a pillow and smelled it to see if her scent lingered. Nothing remained. Ryan got out of bed and went to face the day.
Seth opened his eyes and found himself in front of the throne room doors. Tears sparkled in them and he began to tremble. They slowly slid open. And the deep, rumbling voice of his Master bade him to enter.
Seth stumbled as he made his way through the doors. He lowered his head and walked towards the throne. His fear was such that the hellhounds came to sniff him, finding the scent mouth-watering. One licked his hand and he screamed.
“Return!” Came Satan’s command. The d
ogs returned to his side immediately.
Seth threw back his head and shrieked as all of the skin on his body was ripped from his being. The shrieking stopped when his tongue shriveled to a hard mass in his throat, then fell with a dry thud to the floor.
His skinless arms flew up and out over his head and were bound with ropes he could not see, making his eyes widen with pain. His feet bones grated through the flesh of his skinless feet as they were dragged across the stone floor and were bound. Satan rose from the throne, his footsteps making a heavy sound on the ground as he approached what was once Seth.
