by Mara Lee
Aega tsked. “Well, that is a shame. I shall endeavor to make sure I tell you often how tweakable your nose is.”
Ditheous blinked, perplexed by the rapid turn in the conversation. “Is it your mission on this earth to confound me, woman?”
She laughed. “No, but it is a perk.” She strode over to the map Ditheous had laid out on the table. “Now, darling, show me the layout of the mansion.”
Ditheous sighed. It was obvious that he could not win this one, and equally obvious that his life was to be an endless jaunt of madness.
He smiled. Not that he minded the madness one bit where his Aega was concerned.
He came to stand by her side and pointed to the side of the map where a clear marking had been made in red.
“The mansion is very old. Its natural defenses are not strong. However, I am sure that this Xavier will have situated his pack to make the most of the given surroundings. That said, there should be guards,” he pointed to some tagged spots, “here, here and here. If I were him, I would have set someone to watch this point … here.”
Aega nodded slowly. “However did you manage to get this map?”
“Anything is available for a price, sunshine.”
“How cynical you are,” she said lightly.
“Not cynical. Just realistic.” he turned to Joseph. “I want you to take Boris and…”
“—Natasha?” Aega asked with an innocent look.
Ditheous rolled his eyes. “Take Boris and Madeline, and wait for my signal by the south entrance. Aega will be…”
“—Right by your side.” she smiled tightly.
“Goddess … you would try the patience of a saint.” Ditheous sighed. “Would you like to plan this rescue?”
Aega shook her head. “Oh no, you are doing brilliantly, darling. Do continue, please.”
Ditheous was clearly exasperated. His face tightened and his eyes grew cold. His voice turned icy, chilled like the north wind.
“Joseph, gather the able pack. Meet us at the Danvers Mansion.”
Joseph nodded and then bowed at the waist. “We will be ready at the gates, master.” He spun on his heel and left the room.
Ditheous shook his head. “Now he’s respectful.”
Aega laughed, took his hand in hers, and kissed his knuckles. “The boy worships you, Ditheous, as well you know. They all worship you.”
He stared intently into her eyes. “And you, sunshine.”
She leaned into him and placed a kiss at the crook of his neck. “Later … I’ll show you just how much I worship you.”
Ditheous grinned. “That sounds wickedly delicious, sweet.”
“It will be.” Aega nipped his neck and smiled when he growled low in his throat.
He frowned suddenly as he noticed for the first time the intricate winding of her hair on top of her head.
“What in the dark lord’s name have you done to your hair?”
She drew back. “I put it up.”
Ditheous’ frown deepened. “Well, I don’t like it.”
She laughed. “Well, I don’t particularly care if you like it or not. You’re not the one who has to go into battle with waist-length hair. Do you truly think I can concentrate on fighting when I have a plait of hair swinging in my face?”
Ditheous scowled and reached for the secured coronet. Aega jumped away from his hands.
“Oh no, no way. Hands to yourself. Come, we have important matters to attend to.”
Ditheous growled.
“Growl away, love, it doesn’t change a thing.” Aega reached the door and turned back to look at him. “Are you coming? Or should we start without you?” She gasped as he materialized by her side. His hand snaked up to her throat and his fingers caressed the sensitive pulse that beat there. He brought her flush against his body and smiled down into her surprised face.
“You have a very impetuous mouth, sunshine.” Ditheous licked the soft, fullness of her lips. “A runaway mouth, if you will.” He nipped her bottom lip and smiled when she moaned against his mouth. “A mouth … that later I am going to put to better use.” With a hard swat to her backside, he opened the door and walked through it. Leaving Aega to lean heavily against the hard oak.
“Are you coming? Or should we start without you?” Ditheous called from down the hall, echoing her words from a moment before.
Aega rolled her eyes and let out a short burst of laughter. Oh indeed. They had one another’s number down just fine. And she for one could not wait to see what plans Ditheous had in mind for her ‘runaway’ tongue.
* * * *
The Danvers Mansion stretched out tall, wide and imposing before them. Like the Grand Dame that she once had been, she sat regal upon a large piece of land. However, her once stately gates and manicured lawns had long been removed and replaced with imperious walls and barbed wire.
Ditheous seemed to scoff at the measly defenses. He narrowed his eyes and carefully watched the changing of the guards.
“I would dearly love to know how you learned of Andre’s whereabouts?” Ditheous asked Aega.
She waved his question away with a careless toss of her hand. “How I learned of his whereabouts is unimportant. My source was right.”
“Ah yes, your source.” His smile was tight. “Perhaps a little divine intervention?”
“If you’d like to call it that.” Aega frowned and found that suddenly her body was wracked in uncontrollable shivers. “There seems to be an appalling lack of guard at the gates.” She swallowed, upset by her body’s strange reaction to this place.
Ditheous nodded. “Either this Xavier is overconfident, or he has something planned for us inside.”
Aega took in the darkness of the grounds, and the heard the whispering call of the wind. And knew that here … monsters waited in full. This was not like the comforting darkness of Ditheous’ lair, or the silence of sunlight on a sill. This was a crawling feeling of pestilence and decay. And the longer she stood on this ground, the more tainted she felt.
“There is something very evil here, Ditheous,” she whispered.
Ditheous looked down at Aega’s face, concerned by the paleness and pallor of her cheeks.
“Sunshine, what is wrong?” He wrapped his arms around her and was shocked to feel her body shaking.
“I … I am not certain. I am not used to such … darkness,” she ground out. “It’s the worst sort of evil I feel here. There is…” she sniffed and shuddered. “Decay.” She grabbed at his shirt. “We must get in, quick.”
Ditheous nodded. “Aye.” He reached out with his mind to contact Joseph. “Seph, can you hear me?”
“Loud and clear, amigo.”
“Have you come up against any resistance?”
“No, there is nothing at the south end.”
“We’re going in. You will take your force over the wall and through the south gardens. I’m taking the front.” Ditheous disconnected and turned to Aega. “Are you up to this, sunshine?”
Aega took a deep fortifying breath and nodded. “All right commander … lead the way.”
* * * *
They encountered no resistance as they breached the outer gate. In fact, the grounds were unnervingly empty and silent.
Ditheous felt the presence of his pack as they followed his orders. He knew that they were closing in on the great mansion.
“Ditheous…” Aega whispered at his back, as they made it to the front of the house.
“I know, I feel it too.” And he did. The awful clinging scent of decay and fresh death; it wrapped around his body, unwilling to let go. Even he, as he was, could recognize the stench of rot.
“The door is warded,” Aega announced tightly. She drew a line in the air and shuddered. “Strong magic.”
Ditheous’ eyes widened. “Surely Xavier doesn’t have that sort of power.”
Aega stepped closer to the ward, and winced when the ward magic targeted her. It leapt to her skin and tried to suck her power. She quickly thrust the offending
magic away and stepped back.
“Very strong magic. I would have to agree with you. I would not think the Loopine capable of this sort of power. But … we cannot discount anything.”
Ditheous reached for the door. A shocking bright light pierced the darkness and flew at him. Swearing viciously, he brought his arm up to protect his eyes and ward away the painful light.
“Now that is interesting.” Aega stepped closer. This time she ignored the magic that tried to siphon her power. “It seems that this ward is light-based. The only call for such a ward would be to protect against,” she smiled slightly, “the darkness … or creatures that speak of the night.”
“Vampyres,” Ditheous said dryly.
She nodded curtly. When she turned to look at Ditheous, her eyes were bright, radiant, gold. It was impossible to stare directly at her.
“Shield your eyes, Ditheous.” Aega drew her power to her slowly. It was sluggish and she knew that the ward was trying to counteract the magic she was bringing to her hands. “Oh no, my friend,” she whispered. She continued to weave her strands of energy and build them to a fine fury. “Your light is no match for mine.” Holding out her hands she watched as the power built and built, until two large balls of fire appeared wavering just above her palms. The twin suns burned bright, and their light pulsed and leapt as living beings.
Aega was now fully consumed by the fire riding her body. She was a living flame.
With a great burst of energy she thrust out her hands and watched as her fireballs shot toward the warded door.
There was a great rumbling and the ground on which they stood shook. And then it was over.
Ditheous blinked, and stood, staring at the open, gaping door. He nodded, smiling.
“Yes. I think that will do,” he murmured.
Aega blew at the tips of her steaming, smoking fingers. Her eyes were slowly bleeding back to their normal light amber color.
“Never test a Sun Goddess with light,” she whispered. The smile on her face was tight and contained. “You’ll lose … you’ll always lose.”
* * * *
Aega cast a quick light spell and was grateful when the dark hall brightened. Unlike her Vampyre lover, she did not have the best night vision.
After a quick debate, in which Ditheous had promised wicked retribution for her stubbornness, she convinced him to allow her to go her own way. She had not meant to be stubborn. She merely felt that it was in everyone’s best interest to cover as much of the mansion as possible. They could not do so if they were attached at the hip. No, splitting up was the most logical course of action. Oh fine, and she was being a little stubborn. She was used to doing things her own way.
Aega remembered the heated light in Ditheous’ eyes when he spoke of punishing her. She shivered—but not from fear. The wicked promise in his eyes had spoken to a deep need within her.
Aega gasped as a sudden chill swept her skin. “Oh Goddess.” She moaned and doubled over as the scent of death invaded her body.
“Lady,” Joseph rushed to her side, reaching for her.
Aega pushed his hands away and shook her head. “No, no, I am fine. It came all at once. I’ll be fine.” She stood slowly, taking deep, shuddering breaths. “By Zeus, it’s awful.”
Joseph nodded. “Smells like old trash … or,” he sniffed, “Boris’ feet.”
Aega blinked. “You honestly don’t smell it?”
“Like I said it smells…”
She waved his answer away. “No … you don’t smell the rot? There is decay and death here.”
Joseph shook his head. “I’m sorry, Lady, it just smells … slightly unclean to me.”
Aega frowned. Perhaps the Vampyre were just not as sensitive as she to the scent of decay. But Ditheous had felt it, smelled it. She would have to speak to him on the matter.
“What are you doing here?”
Joseph grinned. “Boris, Madeline and Hector took the top floor. Ditheous sent a couple of the others to sweep the grounds. I was on my way to the back rooms when I saw you. You looked ill.”
Aega cleared her throat and looked quickly away. She could feel heat blossoming on her cheeks. Such a display of public weakness was unacceptable to her. She was a Goddess. Goddesses had more strength of will. They were not felled by the first whiff of … rot.
“Well, as you are here, you can help me scour the dungeon.” She began to walk away.
Joseph rushed after her. “Wait, what dungeon?”
“The dungeon.”
Joseph frowned as he cast his eyes around. “Lady, I fear that I see no dungeon.”
Aega placed both of her hands on the exposed brick of the nearest wall and ran them across the ragged, cold, surface.
“I do not feel like teleporting at this moment, boy. As we could end up on the other side of this wall…” she shrugged, “or at the bottom of a well. But, I believe with a well intentioned kick, you could take this wall down.”
Joseph eyed the stone critically.
Aega smiled. “Do not worry, it is not thick … trust me.”
He nodded. He positioned himself directly in front of the wall and landed a powerful punch to the stone.
The wall cracked and several pieces crumbled.
Aega raised her eyebrows.
Joseph shrugged. “I prefer my fists,” he said simply.
She grinned, nodded and pulled several loose bricks from the wall, then motioned for Joseph to take a look.
He peered into the hole and his eyes widened in surprise. “Hot damn. Isn’t that something?”
Three punches and one kick later, the wall had crumbled to reveal a strange archway and a descending flight of stairs.
Joseph turned to Aega. “How did you know?”
She stiffened. “I smelled it.” She took a deep breath. “Come…”
Joseph pushed her behind of him. “I’ll take the lead.” Aega was just coming up with a scathing comeback when he winked at her. “Just think, whatever comes at us, my pretty face will take the first hit.”
Aega’s face broke out into a wry smile and she swept her hand outward. “All right, pretty boy, lead the way.”
* * * *
“Are you all right?” Joseph tossed a look behind his shoulder.
Aega scowled. “The answer is the same as when you asked me a minute ago.”
He held up his hands. “Well sorry, but you look like you’re having an epileptic fit.”
“Thanks,” she spat out, desperately trying to control her shivers. The smell was growing worse and she was breaking out into a sweat. She could feel her body losing precious heat and the draining effect of the stench was beginning to worry her.
Joseph grinned. “Don’t mention it. Hey, I think our trot through the hellish tunnel is coming to an end, I see an opening.”
Aega couldn’t see anything with Joseph blocking her view. But she certainly smelled the opening.
“Holy mother of…” he stopped abruptly.
Aega pushed his stiff body none-to-gently, out of the way and went ice cold. And for the first time in four centuries, words completely failed her.
*
Ditheous found her huddled over an object in the corner. Her body was shaking uncontrollably.
She was sobbing.
He knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder. She whipped her head back. Her eyes were filled with tears, her lips trembling, her face held the pallor of death.
“My love,” Ditheous enveloped her within his arms.
Aega dropped the object she was holding and threw herself into his embrace. She buried her head within his chest and let the anger, pain, rage and grief pour out from her soul.
“Oh Ditheous…”
“Shhhhh baby, shhhhh, my love, it will be okay,” He continued to croon reassuringly to her.
“No…” Aega’s voice was broken with tears. “How can it be okay?” She pulled away and thrust the object she had been holding out to Ditheous. “Look, look what they did to her.”
&nbs
p; Ditheous snarled and jumped back. It was a child, the remains of a child. Her small body was dry as ash, wrinkled and wizened. But it was her eyes that defied all reason and stopped all breath.
Her eyes were open—clear as glass—strangely belying the decay of her body, and filled with an expression of overwhelming terror.
It was horrifying.
“They took her soul,” Aega said. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Oh Gods…” Ditheous shook his head in disbelief. “How, here…”
Aega placed the child’s body gently on the ground and closed her eyes tightly as if to ward against the pain.
“This is not a dungeon, Ditheous. It is a feeding ground. The demons were here … they took these souls. They took these souls before death.” Aega’s voice was flat and cold. “Xavier has been feeding the demons. He has been feeding the demons souls.”
Ditheous nodded slowly. “Yes, there is strong Loopine presence here. But not amongst the dead.”
Aega stood and dropped her head. “Did you find Andre?” she asked quietly.
Ditheous shook his head. “No, sadly I did not. But I scented him in one of the tower rooms. He was here are one time.”
“So they moved him.” Aega looked up. Her eyes were cold. “I’ve had enough of this nonsense.”
She reached up to her tightly secured coronet and pulled out what appeared to be an intricately carved pin.
Ditheous narrowed his eyes. “What?”
Aega fingered the finely wrought gold and summoned.
There was a flash of bright light and Hermes appeared, scantily clothed in a loincloth in the dimly-lit dungeon.
“Hera’s tits, you’ve done it this time,” Hermes swore. He ran a hand through his tousled hair. “You are taking appalling advantage of the situation,” he growled, pointing to the golden wings in her hands. “You can’t just keep calling me this way.”
“I can do anything I please, as I have your wings, Hermes,” Aega snarled.
He sighed. “Well, what the devil do you want? You summoned at a most inopportune moment.”
Aega’s eyes raked over his nearly naked form and her lips curled in disgust. “Your information came a little too late. The Kitar is no longer on the premises. I wish to know where the Loopine have taken him.”
