The Triple Goddess

by Stephanie Hudson

I turned my head to the side and let the mud slap against my face without care. I had tried to escape, I had gone down fighting and I had lost the battle, my only hope was now that with my death, Draven would win the war. Lucius was never getting his hands on this Spear they spoke about. Was this the reason for what was happening now? Was I always meant to die and this was the Gods great plan for me? Well if it was…man didn’t that suck!

  “D…Drav..en…I…love you” I said out loud letting that be the last words my lips spoke before I let my Afterlife take hold. A single tear rolled down over the clay on my cheek that I could feel hardening and it fell onto the ground. In that second the brightest light erupted from my tear and I heard the creature howl. I then saw two black army boots step into the ground near my head and the clay turned black under the person’s feet.

  “I knew you would be trouble.” A male voice said without emotion. I felt two hands grab for me and I slid along the bank as I was being pulled from the water. I got yanked upright and was too shocked to speak. My saviour wasn’t a man but just a teenage boy.

  Ruto pulled me towards a boulder and set me against it.

  “Stay there girly!” He said in a dark tone that I wasn’t going to argue with. He then turned back to face the creature and I saw something I wouldn’t have taken Ruto to be. He was an Angel.

  Great wings erupted from his back but instead of them being fully developed with thick feathers, only the bones unfolded from under his skin slowly bending until they had fully emerged. I could see everything now as torches by the exit had been lit and the orange glow reflected from the red stone of the cave.

  His torso was bare and he wore only black jeans that rested low on his hips showing white boxer briefs at the top. He had black swirled tattoos that formed daggers pointing down his back and the handles became the section where his wings came from. I saw him crack his neck this way and that before I saw silvery energy come from his trousers up his back. It was as if he was drawing his energy from the ground and as it travelled along his skin it all found its destination at the point his wings began. I watched as it started to leave his body and light up the bones of his wings before it erupted outwards, forming what looked like metal shards of all different sizes that were triangular in shape. Thousands started coming from the network of bones that reminded me of the skeleton of a giant bird. They made a tinging sound as wave after wave of metal grew outwards until the last bone was full. I looked in awe as now a full set of metal wings could be seen, like shiny steel feathers that looked deadly sharp and filled a large space in the cave.

  The creature made a deafening, high pitched wail as it threw its head up at the cave’s ceiling. Then it focused back on Ruto as if getting ready to attack. But it never came, it never got the chance as Ruto stretched out his wings and when the metal ruffled out, some of the shards left the others and shot at the creature in a quick fire. The deadly metal spikes all made their target and soon the creature looked like a gruesome pin cushion. It howled one more time, only now it was clearly in pain as the metal started to drive its way further into the bones of the fleshy skeleton. Light then exploded from the points of impact and soon the creature started to crumble to the water that had kept me captive.

  “Well, don’t you look a mess?” I turned to find Ruto staring at me with arms folded like I was some naughty child that need reprimanding for playing in the mud! I wanted to say ‘Well Durr’ but decided that wouldn’t be the wisest move, besides I didn’t think I even had the energy to speak.

  I watched as the metal wings started to fold in on themselves and soon I was left in the cave with a teenage punk that looked mighty pissed off.

  “Can you walk?” I pushed myself up from the boulder but my legs refused to support me and I sacked it to the floor.

  “I guess that’s a no.” I heard him say as I felt myself being lifted from the floor. I felt like a bag of bones as I was slung over his shoulder and for a slender teenage boy he was remarkable strong.

  “Shit woman, your covered in this crap! I’m glad I took off my favourite shirt now. Man you stink!” He complained and I couldn’t help but start laughing. I think the stress had finally seeped and turned me crazy, rather that or I was just so damned happy not to be some dead Northerner decomposing in some hell hole with Mr Clicky Bones for company.

  “Ah, so it begins!” He said, not sounding like the adolescent he looked.

  “Whhht, yy..oumeeeeen?” I couldn’t get my voice to work. It was like I was drunk. My speech was slurring and whenever I closed my eyes my mind would feel like someone had replaced my brain with fog.

  “It’s the mud you’re caked in. Once it’s washed off you should be fine, although I’m surprised you hung on as long as you did.” He said shrugging me further on his shoulder.

  “Whha…t wwasssss….it?” I asked hoping Ruto spoke slur, drunk and crazy.

  “What was it?” He repeated for me as he ducked into an opening and pushed a door with his hip on the other side to where I lay limply over his narrow shoulder. I felt like a huge wet fish and when I opened my eyes they would only just focus on my new grey dreadlocks that hung down like fossilised snakes.

  “It was an offspring of a Demon named Asag, which was long ago banished leaving his children of the mountains just waiting to be summoned. But the question is, by whom?” Well if he was expecting me to know then he was going to be disappointed. Of course knowing my new track record for collecting people who didn’t like me, then Christ that could be a long suspect line-up. Thankfully dating Draven far outweighed all the murder attempts and death threats.

  He didn’t say anything and I was glad as I don’t think I could have replied anyway. We continued down an endless amount of passageways and tunnels that weren’t exactly heated so of course I couldn’t stop my body from rattling with shivers. Ruto didn’t seem to mind or if he did, he didn’t comment. I think I must have even fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I knew I was being placed down on the floor and Ruto started talking but it became clear it wasn’t directed at me.

  “I have found her my Lord.” I looked up and could just make out through a hazy blur that Ruto was holding something to his ear. It didn’t take Sherlock to know that he was talking on the phone to Lucius but as to where I was, then Yeah, I’m sure Sherlock would have been real handy. I could only imagine that this was what the world must look like for people who wear glasses and then have them taken off them.

  “She was in the room under the well locks before someone must have opened the grating. I found her in the cave below being attacked.” Even from down here I could hear the roaring on the other end of the phone. I gathered that was the sound of one very pissed Vamp King. Ruto didn’t even bat an eye at his Master’s outburst, but just replied,

  “Yes, my Lord,” and hung up the phone.

  I must have passed out again because the next voice waking me up belonged to Lucius and I felt bigger, stronger hands lifting me.

  “Explain now!” Lucius snapped and I cringed in his hold. What did he want me to say? I think it was more than obvious that I was trying to escape but then Ruto spoke and I realised his demand was directed at him not me.

  “Asag Nachkommen meines Herrn” (Means ‘Asag offspring my lord’ in German) I felt Lucius stiffen where he had hold of me when Ruto was speaking in what I presumed to be perfect German.

  “Summoned?” Lucius asked and Ruto must have nodded ‘yes’, as I didn’t hear him answer.

  “And I gather, as you have not brought me back a severed head, that you do not know by whom?” Lucius’ voice was like acid that could eat through metal, he sounded so furious.

  “No my Lord, but I am going back into the caves to see if I can pick up on an aura or a summoning signature.”

  “Good, take Liessa with you and see if she can pick anything up in the rock pools. Report back to me when I am finished here. Go!” Lucius’ voice didn’t waver even though it was clear the emotions coming from him were thick with controlled rage
and I found myself more fearful than I did when I thought I was going to drown and become some skeleton man’s flesh smoothie.

  “Keira, can you hear me?” The question came through as strained but also from a man who was clearly concerned.

  “Y…yy..esss,” I stuttered and opened my eyes but the blurred surroundings still hadn’t cleared, so I still had no clue as to where I was.

  “I am going to get you undressed and submerge you in water, so don’t panic when you go under.” I felt his hands go to my dress and I tried to pull away.

  “Nnn..nnno!” I couldn’t stop shaking and my voice was proof of this.

  “Keira, listen to me now! If I don’t get this stuff off you then you will only get weaker still. Now shut up and let me take care of this. Take care of you.” I felt his hand cup my cheek for a second before I heard the thick material of my dress tear right down the middle. I sucked in a breath as I felt the sides being pulled back like a door to showcase my naked body. I felt his large hands span my hips and then a deep breath that for once didn’t come from me, before I felt my underwear coming away along with my ruined tights. He must have already taken my boots off because the only thing I felt on my skin was thick, crusty mud and the cold air.

  “Take a deep breath when I say,” Lucius said gently when picking me up and walking with me in his arms. I could feel the warm steam and hear the sound of running water but it wasn’t from the shower.

  “Now!” He said and as soon as I did as instructed I felt myself being lowered into water. He pushed my head down and I didn’t like the feeling of being held there by his hand on top of my head. I felt his other hand over my body like he was trying to remove the mud but when I started to thrash around he let me up.

  “Take another breath!” Was all he said and because I had to take one after being under there he decided that he could push me back down. I started thrashing again but he knew how long I could stay under without running out of air so he held me in the water with ease as he continued to wash the mud out of my hair. Finally after three more times he let me stay out.

  “Stop trying to drown me!” I shouted as I coughed and spluttered up water. Lucius growled at me and grabbed my head back by my hair without actually hurting me.

  “Do as you’re told before I do decide to drown you!” He snarled down at me and I froze. Now I didn’t have as much of that stuff on me I started to feel better, things became clearer and the fog started to disperse. I could now see my surroundings and it looked like I was in an ancient bath house straight from Roman times. The space was a large room that gleamed with pale sand coloured marble that had veins of rust red running through it. This matched the rough rock walls in colour but was the polar opposite in texture. In the middle of the room was a round pool that was raised from the floor about seven feet but had steps all the way around it. The pool was made from the same marble and had six great pillars that went up about fifteen feet to the ceiling. There they molded into beautiful carved works of art that made them look like the tops of trees mixed with grape vines and berried fruit.

  Lucius had me positioned by the edge of the pool with my head arched backwards out of the water. He sat further down the steps given his height, so that he could tend to me at the right level. He looked over me and I saw him eye my strained neck for a moment before popping my head back under. Once he released me I came up and moved to the other end so he couldn’t get to me. I hid my body as best as I could but considering moments ago he had his hands all over me I didn’t know what the point was.

  He raised an eyebrow and crooked his finger at me to come back.

  “No!” I said utterly refusing.

  “No? Really Keira, you don’t want to play this game with me.” His threat sounded very real but without the full force of anger behind it I thought it better to take the chance rather than be dunked over and over again.

  “I’m sure I can get myself clean,” I stated stubbornly.

  “Actually, no you can’t.” He said before doing something that if I had been a cartoon, my eyes would have been popping out of my head in some unbelievable way. He stood up and putting both hands over his head to his back he pulled his top off and threw it to the side.

  “Stop!” I shouted when he went to unbuckle his belt and started undoing his jeans.

  “Too late,” he said pulling everything off, including kicking one shoe with one foot and doing the same with the other. I turned quickly after seeing him flash his nakedness at me and there was one part of his anatomy I didn’t want to focus on. Ok, so too late but I didn’t want to stare at the large member that could have rightly had its own postcode. I shook my head as if that would help but by doing so I was too preoccupied to notice he had already gotten into the pool with me until his hands found my shoulders. I jumped making him chuckle.

  “Now stay still and let me do this properly.” He spoke in my ear sending a shiver down my naked spine at the sound of how deep his voice had turned.

  “I…” I had to clear my throat before I could continue.

  “I told you that I could do it.” The words didn’t come out half as determined as I planned for them to.

  “And I told you that no, you can’t.” I tried to move from under his hold but his fingers bit down on my shoulders just before the point of pain.

  “You see this isn’t just mud, not anymore. It’s been tainted and the longer it’s on your skin it will keep you too weak. Human hands can’t remove it as their touch just makes it spread and therefore it grows and only gains more power.”

  “What is it?” I asked taking a quivering breath as his hands washed my back in big gentle circles. He then went back to the top of my shoulders and started massaging my knot of muscles.

  “Relax Keira, don’t tense up so. Nothing will harm you. Not even me.” He whispered this last part in my ear and kissed the sensitive skin under my lobe. As he returned back to his task he answered my question.

  “The creature that attacked you was summoned from deep within the mountain. An offspring of the Demon Asag and one that feeds from sickness, but first the victim must be close to a large body of water then it transforms the earth to this.” He had scooped up a bit that must have been stuck to my lower back and then held it out in front of me. He rubbed it between his thumb and fingers while he continued.

  “It’s how it forms a connection between you and it. Then it proceeds to suck the goodness out of you, your health and it leaves you with a sickness that if left on long enough will eventually kill you, leaving it stronger and you very much dead. It could also make you start seeing things that aren’t there or feeling things that it wants you to. It is a drug Keira, like a hallucinogenic. Do you understand?” He asked softly and I found I could only nod.

  “Good, then turn round.” At this instruction I think my knees would have given out if Lucius hadn’t been holding me around the waist with both hands. I wanted to say no, I wanted to turn round and push him back with both hands but I knew if what he was saying was true then I had no other choice than to do what he said. I tried to think of it as just like going to see the doctor for an exam but as soon as I turned round to face him that thought flew away and left me like a flock of frightened birds.

  I was at least thankful that the water came up to just below my collar bone but it left Lucius with most of his upper body bare and the sight of his pale smooth skin over hard muscle, he looked almost godly and ethereal in the reflective surrounds of the water and marble. I couldn’t raise my face and felt my cheeks burn at being so close and, very, very naked together.

  “Eyes on me sweetheart.” He said raising my head up with a firm grip on my chin and I couldn’t help but hold my breath as if waiting for a kiss I didn’t want to happen. I didn’t know if I could have handled that right now, not with him being here like this with me, helping me, soothing me like a gentle knight does to the fair maiden. Ok, stop now…No fairy tale analogies, no thinking about the steamy setting and definitely no thinking about being naked! />
  “Ha, you look like you’re trying not to chew on something sour. Just relax will you or you’ll start to make me nervous!” He teased and I actually smiled and dropped my shoulders from their uncomfortable hold.

  He started to run his thumbs across my cheek and the side of my nose and when I saw the thick paste on his pad I knew what he was trying to do. Once finished with my face he then started down my neck and when he started to go lower I sucked in a breath making him freeze.

  “I realise you are not this type of girl Keira, but I can assume you have been touched before or has Draven joined the Sainthood and is keeping his prize wrapped until the wedding day.” He said sarcastically and I scowled at him.

  “If I was you and want to continue then I wouldn’t mention Draven again!” I said feeling disgusted with myself that I was allowing this to happen, even if I didn’t have any other choice and my health wasn’t on the cards.

  “I could restrain you if that would make things easier on you,” he replied with a bad boy grin only ever seen on the Devil inside.

  “I think I will pass, thank you very much.” I said folding my arms in front of my chest which he stopped me from doing at the last minute. He pulled my arms outstretched to the side and leaned down to my face so that only inches were between us.

  “Oh don’t thank me yet my little Keira girl, I haven’t even got started yet!” And with that said for me to gulp over, the arms he held in a secure grip he started to put behind my back. He transferred both my wrists in one hand and with the other tried to smooth out the worry frown on my forehead.

  “Ssshh, I am just making things easier for you,” he said, voice like drizzled cream over strawberries which is probably how my cheeks looked right about now, creamy pale skin flushed with a berry blush. And then his hand lowered and no matter how many comforting words were said I tensed every muscle in my body like iron girders. His hand curved over my left breast and then over to my right taking the mud away with each gentle swipe. It was almost hypnotic the way he moved, so precise and careful, almost like he was handling a fragile, priceless antiquity. I closed my eyes and held my bottom lip firmly in between my teeth to stop the moan that was bubbling up. With my eyes closed and my breathing heavy I felt his hand moving further down the dangerous path along my stomach making slow, lazy circles as he went.