The Triple Goddess

by Stephanie Hudson

  I could see the sun in the distance getting lower and dusk fast approaching. My body was torn between wanting to run for the door and throw myself out and being rooted to the seat. I didn't want the next part of this nightmare to play out and there was nothing more terrifying than knowing what waited for me at the end of my destination. Carrick was scary enough but I would rather provoke his wrath than meet Lucius in living flesh any day of the week. So I mentally prepared myself for the landing of a lifetime. As soon as the plane stopped I would bolt for the door and hoped...no, no, more like prayed that I would make it to freedom.

  I think Carrick took my tightly closed eyes for one of fear as the plane’s wheels hit the tarmac. Of course, thanks to the solid walls I had built, my mind was no longer accessible and my thoughts were far from the plane hitting land. I was gearing myself up until my blood pumped at a greater speed thanks to the adrenaline now coursing its way around my body like an unstoppable river. Just a little bit longer and then there was a chance, just a small chance, that I could make it...I had to.

  The plane made its stop outside a hanger pretty much like the one it left and I gathered they didn't want to draw too much attention to the fact that they were kidnapping to Customs. The question “Do you have anything to declare?” sprang to mind.

  I was close to bouncing in my seat trying to choose the right moment and hoping that Carrick didn't get up before me. These things were racing around in my mind when the sound of the door opening made my final decision for me. Without a second thought I jumped out of my seat and raced down in between seats like the one I had just vacated. I saw my chance and didn't hold back as my legs pushed me to the only freedom I could see. I was surprised at the speed I seemed to travel, as with one turn of my head I saw that Carrick hadn't even made it out of his seat by the time I reached the door. I turned back and soon realised why.

  The door was fully open and a figure stood in its opening preventing all chance of escape. My eyes tried to fully understand the trick they were playing. Surely this couldn't be real...it just couldn't be.

  I was losing my mind, or was this some mind control, a cruel game, anything but the truth that now faced me. This person was my friend, not an enemy...how did this happen? When had my friends turned against me?

  “Hello Keira.” The voice that had greeted me so many times before didn't sound right with the picture in front of me.

  “It...it... can't be!” I finally managed to get out as tears streamed down my flushed cheeks. I turned round now understanding why Carrick hadn't even bothered to try and stop me, he never needed to. He actually looked sorry for me until then I saw the nod he gave the betrayer behind me. That's when things started to get numb. Like my brain was shutting itself down from shock but when my legs started to cave I knew the horrible truth...

  I had been drugged.

  Hands grabbed me and pulled me securely so that I wouldn't fall and I couldn't help but shout out at the contact,

  “HOW COULD YOU?”

  “I'm sorry, but there was no other way.” That voice, the voice of a friend, was the last I heard before a sickening blackness took over me leaving me feeling cold, frozen to the bone with a bitterness so deep I could drown in it.

  Trust was a clever thing, one that accrued so blindly that it didn't take thinking about, that was until you discovered the reason for every bad thing that had happened the last few months now had a name...

  Traitor.

  Chapter 2

  Death of a Friendship

  I woke to the sound of voices deep in conversation and if I wasn't mistaken my name was the subject choice. It felt like I had a hangover without the happy memories flooding back from the night before. I remembered feeling like this a few times before and it was a strange thing to admit that it had been far too many times that I had been drugged against my will. Hell, it was becoming a monthly occurrence.

  I decided to go along with what I usually did in these circumstances and that was to remain limp and play dead. I opened my eyes into slits and turned my head slightly to free both ears. I could pick up a few things this way, one being where I was lay. The combination of leather against my skin and the slight rocking motion didn't take an intellectual genius to realise that I was lay spread out on a car seat. Also the gentle hum of an engine could be heard as an undercurrent to the conversation taking place in front of me. The second was the people that were mentioning my name so frequently. Of course there was Mr Death himself... Carrick and I had to confirm my fears one last time by opening my eyes...yep there sat my friend

  Karmun.

  They both sat in the seat in front of me with only the backs of their heads on view. Carrick's silver head looked a dark grey with the lack of sunlight, only flashing lighter when the orange glow of street lamps hit the window. Of course there was no mistaking the glossy black hair that flowed like a silken sheet down the shoulders of Afterlife's barman.

  I wanted to cry. I had to bite my lip to prevent it. Karmun was my friend and all this time he had been a traitor to not only me but to his King. Nothing made sense, why and how flooded my mind but I knew I needed to concentrate if I was to find out any answers to the never ending stream of questions.

  “What will happen to the girl?” I heard Karmun's deep accented voice ask.

  “It is a little late for that now, don't you think?” Carrick sounded amused. I had to agree with his statement.

  “I had very little choice in the matter and you know it. I have fulfilled my side of the bargain and I am more than ready to receive your end of the deal.”

  “My end? Don't you mean your own?” He asked in earnest. At this Karmun just shrugged.

  “It is all just a means to an end, whichever way you look at it.”

  “You care for this girl, I think?” Once again Carrick sounded amused by his statement.

  “I don't want her to suffer during the time until the King can reclaim her and I know not of any plans that Lucius holds for her.” I could see that Karmun was about to turn around so I slammed my eyes shut and tried to steady my beating heart. It was only when I heard him shift back around that I continued my spying.

  “She has been through a lot and does not deserve what is happening now.”

  “Are you trying to cleanse your soul, because you know I’m not the right man for that!” Carrick snapped.

  “I care little for what becomes of my soul! And the only soul I care about will soon be safe once again. Speaking of which, when will we get there, Keira will not stay under for long until she will need another dose and she is more than a little wilful.” Karmun let out a sigh as this was all very taxing on his nerves and for that I had a huge urge to just smack him upside the head.

  “Yes, so I have seen. It will not be long until you are reunited with your precious one but the girl’s journey is far from over.”

  “Where will you take her?” At this I could almost hear one of Carrick's eyebrows raise.

  “What, you think I would have time to get that information to anyone before the inevitable?” Karmun laughed deep within his throat, a sound I had heard many a time.

  “True, with the deal made I doubt there would be much harm. She is to go to Germany where Lucius awaits her most eagerly.” I tried not to shudder at this thought.

  “So it’s true what they say…the Vampire King has remained strong in his quest with the Nazi’s beliefs?” At this my ears pinged up like a dog on smelling an intruder. Nazis… What on earth did they have to do with a Vampire King? All I knew was the rumours that Hitler had had a huge following in the supernatural and occult but an alliance, was it possible?

  “I know little of Lucius’ plans nor do I want to, my only reasons for being here are the same as yours, although granted, our ends differ greatly.” I heard Karmun snort before giving his response.

  “That they do but answer me this, what will you do when Draven catches up with you? Surely you won’t expect him to let you live beyond minutes of such an encounter?” Karmun
said in a very smug tone, which I couldn’t help agreeing with.

  “Do I look worried? Even one such as he would not dare to take a Death Dealer from this realm.”

  “You can be that sure can you? Not even when you took from him his Chosen One, the Electus? She is the key and something is coming that only she will unlock, but let me guess…you care little for the prophecy or the balance which the King keeps. If that is the case my friend then my fate I welcome, yours I would not!” At this Carrick lost all his cool exterior and let loose a primal snarl. His hand whipped out so quickly I jumped back but thankfully the noise I made was drowned out by Karmun’s gasp of terror.

  Carrick’s hand had encircled Karmun’s throat and he was squeezing the life out of him with very little effort. The deadly grip changed between that of the flesh of a man and the blood dripping bone of Death itself, Death at its core, Death in its truest nature. I could hear the joints cracking as he flexed, like wood splitting on a roaring fire and I couldn’t help the shudder that crept up my skin like insects crawling up my veins.

  “You will remember your place Kokabiel! You may be ready to die but do not forget that I care little for your last wishes and your windpipe feels a little brittle in my grasp, like a soul of the dammed. Almost too easy to take and send to an awaiting damnation of my choice. What do you say now?” Carrick hadn’t lost an ounce of composure during this threatening speech but the words sent more fear into me than that of a roaring lion. His eerie calm was of such dominance that there was no doubt this dude was a big player in the supernatural game of fate and I was almost sorry to think about what that fate had in store for my traitorous friend Karmun.

  He took Karmun’s spluttering for submission and released his throat with an audible snap making Karmun cry out in pain as now one bone looked too close to the skin and protruded at an awkward angle. I had to try extremely hard not to gag out loud as I turned away from the gruesome sight. When the acid left my mouth I turned to find Karmun’s head was missing and soon realised he had bent his body to cradle his head in his hands near his lap. He was sobbing words in a different language and Carrick looked out of the window as though he was alone in the world.

  It took a while for Karmun to calm enough to sit back up and acknowledge his mistake. I guess it was a big no, no to threaten a soul collector. That or he had hit a major sore spot when mentioning Draven’s reaction to my kidnapping and considering what happened the last time that attempt was made, I didn’t doubt Karmun’s words of warning. But obviously Carrick didn’t appear to be worried, which brought on the mental picture of that day at the warehouse. What if Carrick had been there? Would Draven have ripped open the van, saw Carrick and said “Oh, didn’t know it was you... sorry, you just go ahead!” I didn’t think so somehow!

  This once again brought my thoughts back to Draven. What would he be doing now? Going crazy with worry and an anger that would equal Mount Vesuvius’ eruption I could imagine. Did he have a plan? And most importantly when would he put that plan into effect?

  I riddled my mind full of questions like this for what seemed like an age. It was only when the SUV began to slow down that I finally broke away from my quiet meltdown. What now? Make another break for it...’cause I have to say, that didn’t fare so well for me last time.

  “Is he here?” Karmun spoke for the first time since Carrick’s violent stand on respect and he sounded gruff and sore. Like a cold, flu, tonsillitis and bronchitis all rolled into one.

  “Have no fear Kokabiel, I keep my promises, despite my urges.” He said the word ‘urges’ in a demonic voice that could rattle the bones of the fiercest warriors. Me, well I was no warrior and the flinch my body made was testament to that, but I did have one over on most people...this wasn’t the first time I’d heard a demon’s voice.

  “Are you ready to do what was discussed?” Karmun asked in a sombre voice that I had never heard from him before.

  “But of course, it is after all, what I was created to do. And did you really think you both could just go back to the way it was before?” Carrick snorted after his last statement.

  “Of course not! The King no doubt knows of my betrayal and after the warehouse attempt was made his spies were far too close to discovering the truth. They knew her drinks were being spiked but I doubt he realised just how long it had been happening.” After Karmun said this I had to bite my lip from crying out in anger! All this time I had been blindly trusting him as a friend when really God only knows how many times he had betrayed that trust. I felt stupid and utterly naive when thinking back to all those times we had laughed together but most of all, the strongest emotion was hurt.

  “I am curious, when was it you were first commissioned by Lucius?”

  “When Constantine was taken from me, before the girl even arrived at Afterlife.” I remembered Karmun speaking of this Constantine before and I also remembered the sad and desperate look on his face as he spoke of him. Now it was becoming clearer but the next question on the tip of my brain was asked by Carrick.

  “And how did Lucius know the girl would even be found? From what I know of the Chosen One it was prophesied that she was always the one to find, not be found?” For the first time Carrick looked truly interested and Karmun just shrugged.

  “It is of little matter and I do not have the answers either way but the fact remains that Lucius knew of the girl before the Dravens ever did. I believe his plan only ever had one flaw.”

  “Which was?” I almost asked this at the same time as Carrick but thankfully realised I wasn’t part of this conversation, just the choice of topic!

  “He didn’t count on not being able to control her,” Karmun confessed.

  “And that’s where you came in no doubt,” Carrick replied dryly. The car had now stopped completely and I wondered what they were waiting for? I had to resist the urge to sit up and see where we were but once again stopped myself. There was no harm in letting them believe I was still under the drugs.

  “At first I was only there to see, to make sure the Electus and the King continued along the path of their fate but it soon became apparent that the girl’s natural power was being triggered by the King’s ever growing presence. Lucius was losing his control and needed my unique gifts to help control the girl.” Karmun looked frustrated and dragged a hand down his face. He didn’t keep his gaze away from his side of the window as if he was waiting for someone...which I guess he was.

  “Yes, I saw his form of control, it was surprising indeed to find his only control lay within her dreams. She is powerful, there is no question to it and the walls around her mind are indestructible when needs be, I convinced her to keep these walls in place if she is to survive in our world.” At this Karmun finally turned his head from the window to stare at Carrick in shock.

  “You did...? But why?”

  “And why not? I am not immune to the prophecy and just because I chose not to take a greater part in it, it is not without some interaction and if I can ease some of the injustice that is being bestowed upon an innocent girl then I am not so much of the cold hearted bastard that you take me for.”

  “What makes you think she is ever going to be strong enough to do what is really expected of her? After all, she couldn’t prevent my powers when used on her.” Once again I wanted to bitch slap him for the arrogant tone in his voice when saying this.

  “Ah yes, the power of persuasion is a gift indeed and one I hear you excel at. I gathered it was your intervention that prevented the girl from speaking to Draven about all that was going on in her mind. Let me guess, you let her convince herself that her fears were unfounded and not worth mentioning to the man she loves?”

  “Well, if you are unable to control a mind to do what you want, then try and lead her into convincing herself instead, after all, she cannot fight her own mind.” Carrick actually looked like he admired Karmun’s technique of mind control. I however looked disgusted! It actually all just fell into place. All those times when I couldn’t convince myse
lf to tell Draven what had been going on. Why I felt the need to lock those thoughts away and never let him see what had been happening under his nose all this time. I felt sick! I felt as though I had betrayed my heart, body and soul. Like my mind had lost its way and decided to turn against me.

  “You used her own power against her. I can see now why Lucius used you.”

  “Yes, well it is over now. He will now have what he wants and I will soon be whole again. Everyone gets what they want apart from the girl, whose fate, for the first time, is left uncertain.” At this point Karmun turned round to look at me and I just managed to close my eyes in time.

  “Keira, open your eyes, there is no reason to pretend, I know you are awake.” Karmun called my bluff and I decided not to call his, so I opened my eyes and tried to sit up. My mind felt clouded when put in the upright position and I swayed slightly.

  “Take it easy,” Karmun said gently.

  “Piss off asshole.” I said calmly giving him my best evil eye.

  “Ok, I deserve that.” He said turning back around before opening his side door. The door slid back to reveal where we were and I was surprised to see that we were in what looked like an underground car park. Strip lighting flickered above as though it only just had enough power to function. The walls were a mixture of dirt covered, ageing cement and x rated graffiti that spoke volumes to which part of any city we were in. I could almost guarantee that if I left this concrete maze that I would find barely dressed women on street corners and dark alleys full of junkies shooting up poison into their veins. Given the circumstances and the streets they were living on, I could hardly blame them for trying to see the world they lived in differently, even if just for one false minute.

  Carrick made a motion with his head towards the open door for me to move from the back seat and get out of this black people carrier. When I didn’t move he sighed and snapped out something I couldn’t understand to Karmun.