by Aubrey Law
I began to regret burning up my daily Death spell on Zaebos because at the moment all I wanted to do was send the Necromancer's soul straight into the Lake of Fire. He didn't realize who I really was so his guard against a magical attack was completely down or at least very low. I considered the best way to make him suffer for his half-assed resurrection ritual that failed to work properly and turned Sonja into one of the Undead. "Suffocate!" I shouted and stared into his beady brown eyes. His lungs collapsed and he lost the ability to breathe. The look on his wrinkled face was priceless once he realized I was serious about my claim to be a Black Witch. I expected him to fall over and die since I'd caught him off guard but the sneaky son of a whore used his Teleport spell to vanish out of the chamber and escape. If our paths ever crossed again I would not hesitate to attack him with the full force of my darkest magic. I added his name to my growing list of Kill on Sight enemies.
"How do you feel?" I asked Sonja.
She groaned. "Like hammered demon shit."
I smiled. "That good huh?"
Sonja scowled. "Why are you smiling?"
"Because I'm happy to see you alive again, silly."
"You are?" She smiled back at me. "What the fuck happened to your fingers?"
I wiggled the stumps of flesh and bone that protruded from my left hand. "Just a little accident. Don't worry they'll grow back soon enough." The Regenerate spell would completely restore my severed fingers within a day or two. I hated not also having the knowledge of Resurrection but it was an ancient spell exclusive to Necromancers and never known by any other type of Mage.
"The demon that did this to me," said Sonja. "He did that to your hand too? Did you kill him?"
I nodded. "He will never hurt you again."
We exited the Necromancer's lavish chamber as a piercing siren echoed throughout the corridors of the dungeon. Automated locks began to click at every door. The underground lair was being locked down and our chances of escape were diminishing by the second. A panicked rat scurried by our feet and I watched it disappear down a small hole in the hallway floor. I knew there had to be a massive sewage pipe under the dungeon which meant a tunnel we could follow out to the surface. "Implode!" I caused a minor shockwave in the rat's hole and it crumbled open wide enough for Sonja and I to climb down. The outpouring stench was horrid and I imagined the corrosive waste of demons was incredibly harsh on a sewer system designed for humans. Demons were disgusting creatures and the lingering scent of their excrement could wake a Vampire from a deep sleep in a basement coffin.
"I'm going to be sick," said Sonja. "Something is dead down here." She gagged and nearly vomited.
"WE are going to be dead down here if we don't hurry." I looked behind us and still no sign of any new priests or demons. Maybe they wouldn't figure out we'd escaped the dungeon into the sewer but most likely one of them would notice the smell. Especially true if they'd brought any more Hellhounds since the devil-dogs had noses like the Bloodhounds of Belgium. We also needed to beware of the Necromancer's return and chances were he was the old bastard who'd triggered the dungeon alarms. I thought it wise to summon a guardian to watch our backs as we crept through the pipe in search of an exit to the surface. "Shadowbeast," I whispered and the cat-like creature appeared out of the darkness. A mass of black smoke shaped like a panther with sharpened bone claws and teeth was prepared to die for our protection. I stared into its fiery red eyes and spoke the command to stay behind in case any Hellhounds were released into the tunnel to find us. “Guard us well.”
Rays of blinding sunlight shot down through tiny holes in the rusted covering above our heads and illuminated the pitch black tunnel. My Night Vision had guided us to our destination and Sonja held herself together remarkably well with all things considered. She'd need to begin her daily regimen of blood-eating soon to maintain her strength and avoid losing consciousness. The blood could come from almost any source and I expected she'd rather feed on animals than humans. I listened for any signs of the Shadow Cat coming in contact with Hellhounds but there was only silence. I pushed up on the circular metal lid and opened a way to the outside world. When we climbed out of the tunnel I was amazed to see we were inside of an enormous modern city. "We are safe now," I said to Sonja. "How are you feeling?"
She sighed. "Still crappy."
"Is this your city?"
"Yeah. This is Los Angeles."
Traces of smoke and strange pollution tainted the outside air but at least it was cleaner than that demon-shit scented sewer. I returned the spherical lid to the street hole and sealed it shut with a Petrify spell. If any of the priests' henchmen or other monsters tried to follow us out into the city they'd struggle to do it. The lid fused into the rock-hard road and would require powerful magic or an explosive device to remove.
"Sonja, how many of the Hellgates were discovered in this city?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure but at least three of them that I know of. Hey, I'm really, really hungry. I don't think I've ever wanted to eat this bad."
I sighed. "I'm sure you are. We need to talk about your new....condition."
"Condition?"
"Show me where you live and we can discuss it. We need to stay off the streets especially if the Priesthood is looking for us. Are they aware of your residence in this city?"
Sonja shook her head of long red hair. "I don't think so. When those men took us and put me and Ashley in their van it was outside of a dance club. Very late at night and far away from my apartment. I dropped my purse on the street so my ID is lost and I don't think they have it. At least I hope not."
Four-hundred long years had passed since I'd seen the world and it was very different from what I remembered. Ashley's remnant consciousness and fragmented memories helped me to discern what my black eyes witnessed in this strange city of towering structures. All of Sonja's bizarre words slowly began to make sense. My fingers tingled as the broken bones in my mangled hand continued to regenerate. I'd need to have all of my body parts fully functional as we began our journey through the demon-infested city of Los Angeles.
We'd surfaced from the sewer into a back alley behind some inner city buildings. I was counting on Sonja to navigate us to her apartment so we could stay out of sight and determine exactly what to feed her. I suspected there were rats inside the metal trash dumpsters that surrounded us and I could easily capture a few of them with a Paralyze spell. I didn't expect Sonja to be willing to feast on rat flesh so soon.
She moaned in frustration. "I can't take this! I'm starving!" Sonja thrust her arm deep into one of the dumpsters and retrieved a large rat. The rodents in the city were immensely overgrown from a continuous source of food discarded into the containers of trash. Sonja bit the head off the rat and drank its blood until the creature was drained dry.
I smiled. "This is the condition I need to talk to you about."
She used her hand to wipe the dripping blood from her mouth. "I have no idea why I just did that but goddamn it was delicious."
CHAPTER FIVE
Sonja and I shared a rare moment of laughter with both of us still in a state of surprise over her grisly new appetite. I'd seen the gruesome glory before but witnessing a Blood-eater's first experience was always entertaining. "Feeling better?" I said.
She exhaled a deep breath and smiled. "Definitely."
"And you're not sickened by what you just ate?" I had to ask.
"For some weird reason I'm not. I can't explain it and I know I should be puking my guts out right now but eating that big rat seemed natural to me." The chemistry of her body and brain were altering as she entered the first transformation phase of a Blood-eater.
I stared into her dilated emerald eyes. "I need to tell you about what you're experiencing. About what you're becoming. And what you can expect in the future."
She frowned. "Bad news?"
"Some good. Some bad."
The sunny sky suddenly crackled like thunder but there wasn't a cloud of any color in sight. We looked u
p at the source of the sound and watched a lightning bolt explode into the city not far from our location.
"What the hell was that?" said Sonja.
"Probably not what I think it is. But let's see to be sure."
Sonja raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"
"A fallen angel."
"Fallen from where?" said Sonja.
I looked up into the clear blue sky. "From Heaven."
"How do angels fall?"
"They break their Creator's commandments and become banished for their rebellion."
"You've seen an angel fall before?"
I nodded. "Many times."
We walked the littered alleyway and arrived at the section of street where the lightning struck. Angels cast from Heaven were done so with blinding speed and there was never any time wasted removing their undesired presence from Paradise. Obviously the Creator wanted them gone as soon as possible and if an angel was declared banished he or she was instantly thrown down to the world below. What happened after they arrived was always the most interesting part.
"I was right after all. Look." I pointed at the angel shivering on the street. He was curled up in ball like a baby in a mother's womb and still clearly shaken by his violent and shameful rejection from Heaven.
"Are we gonna help him?" asked Sonja.
I laughed. "No, he's not our friend. But also not an enemy. Not yet anyway. We'll have a little chat with him. That's all."
Sonja frowned. "Is he dying?"
"In a way, yes he is." Part of the punishment for the exiled angel was a slow and humiliating transformation from feathered friend of Heaven into a low-level demon destined for Hell. Their pride and joy, those white fluffy feathers, would all fall out one by one and cause their precious wings to crumble. An exiled angel still possessed the power of limited flight but any attempts to soar back up to Heaven would fail. Their fading wings were no longer capable of carrying them to such heights.
"Hey!" I said. "Can you hear me?"
The angel groaned. "Go away! Leave me alone."
I ignored his impolite request. "Tell us why you were banished." My morbid curiosity compelled me to question the angel and listen to his side of the story. The fallen ones usually appreciated anyone willing to sympathize with their sorrow.
He sighed and began to tell us his sad tale. "If you must know," said the angel. "I am guilty of a horrible sin. Unlawful intimate relations with another angel. No one cares that I loved her."
"Angels can't have sex?" said Sonja. "That doesn't sound like paradise to me."
I chuckled. "Oh it's far from paradise from what I hear."
The angel scowled. "Are you two here to mock me? Have I not suffered enough? I thought you wanted to know why this happened."
"No, don't stop," I said. "Please continue."
"Amesha was her name. She was the most beautiful of all the angels. I wanted to marry her but we are forbidden from marriage."
"Where is she now?" Sonja asked the angel.
"Dead," he lamented. "Amesha flew into a supernova and killed herself. She was also marked for banishment and chose to avoid her punishment. I should have joined her."
Sonja's face turned glum. "That's so heartbreaking."
"That is a tragic tale," I said. "You are aware of the coming transformation?"
The angel sighed and nodded. "Yes of course. I will become one of them....a demon."
A black van with windows like mirrors pulled into the alley where we spoke to the fallen angel. "Oh shit!" said Sonja. "I think that’s the same van that kidnapped us."
The van stopped and the side door slid open. A team of ski-masked urban camouflaged soldiers climbed out and confronted us. They were all armed with sophisticated weapons that projected beams of green light onto our bodies.
"I don't know if they are here for us," I said. "Or the angel."
Sonja stood behind me. "What do we do?"
"We fight." I cast the invisible Shield of Protection in front of us making sure Sonja was completely covered this time. One of the soldiers fired his weapon and the projectile was absorbed and melted by the shield.
"That was a warning shot," said the soldier. "All of you surrender and get inside the van. The Priesthood would like a word with you."
"It was nice meeting the both of you," said the angel. "Best of luck with the Priesthood." He laughed and then lay back down on the street to wallow in his depression.
"Hey asshole angel," I said. "Did you misunderstand when he said all of us? That includes you. I'm sure those perverted priests and their pet demons would enjoy getting their hands on a former high servant of Heaven." The soldiers must have tracked the falling star to this location and whoever commanded them was surely aware it was no star that fell. An exiled angel would be a prized possession and he could join the ranks of their demon army once he transformed.
"If they touch me, they die," said the angel. He pulled out a strange silver dagger with a curved blade from within his pure white robe.
"I'm certain they are planning on touching you," I said. "In ways you cannot imagine." All angels were attractive and this one was no exception even in his fallen condition. His hair was a mess of golden curls and his icy blue eyes didn't fail to arouse me. Kissing Sonja was an exhilarating experience but I wasn't convinced yet that a woman's touch could ever replace the pleasures that a well-endowed man could provide. The angels' bodies were all perfectly designed and they were free of any the flaws that hindered humanity. Such a fine physical specimen in the hands of the demon-friendly Priesthood would not remain unsullied for long.
The soldiers continued their assault and approached our position with loaded weapons pointed at our heads. My tongue twitched like a venomous viper as my lips prepared to speak devastation to the first enemy that came too close to us. Before I could say a single word to punish them the angel threw his silver blade in the direction of the soldiers. The spinning knife whirled in circles and sliced the throats of all the wide-eyed men. Their weapons fell and the soldiers dropped to their knees, desperately trying with their hands to stop the streams of red pouring out from their necks. None of them were able to prevent the imminent shock and unconsciousness caused by losing that much blood. The spiraling blade returned to the angel and he caught it with his hand.
"Wow!" said Sonja. "He just killed all of them."
I smiled. "That's a nice trick."
"My name is Luke," said the angel. "And this is the Judas Dagger, stolen from the Archives of Heaven."
I raised an eyebrow. "Stolen?"
"Angels aren't supposed to steal stuff," said Sonja. "No wonder they kicked you out."
Luke shook his head and chuckled. "I only stole the blade after I knew I was going to be marked for banishment."
"I see. So thieving the dagger was your way of saying ‘fuck you’ to the Creator before he cast you out of Heaven." I was actually starting to like this Luke. He wasn't the ordinary breed of angel.
Luke nodded. "Exactly. Plus I knew I'd need a powerful weapon for self-defense once I was cast down to this world. Seems I was right."
"Why is it called the Judas Dagger?" asked Sonja.
"This blade was forged with cursed silver melted from the very coins that Judas Iscariot was paid for his betrayal of Christ," explained Luke. "Anyone stabbed by the dagger will never recover from the wound. Assuming they don't die instantly."
"Well then," I said. "You are officially welcome to join our demon-hunting quest." This fallen angel’s super weapon of Creator-cursed silver could definitely be an asset.
Sonja smiled. "Yeah join us!"
"Demon hunters? I knew the city of Los Angeles was home to lunatics but you two have exceeded my expectations. Two beautiful human women have zero chance of killing any demons. You must have a death wish? Are you intoxicated or high on drugs?"
"My name is Annis. Also known as Black Annis of the Dane Hills. And this is Sonja, my new best friend and Blood-eater."
Luke snickered. "THE Black
Annis? Daughter of Amelia? She was hanged and condemned to the Lake of Fire four centuries ago. I remember the day it happened. All of Heaven celebrated your death."
Sonja grimaced. "So the angels threw a big party when a woman was hanged? What kind of a sick place is it?"
"Don't get me started," said Luke. "I could write a series of books on how screwed up Paradise really is."
“I don’t doubt the truth of that. And Hell isn’t all screaming and gnashing of teeth either. Although I have no desire to ever go back. The roaming demons ruined it for me.” My goal was to live in this new modern world forever. Once Ashley’s bones were too old or weak I’d simply have to find a fresh body to snatch.
Luke's blue eyes widened. "So...Black Annis...if that's really you. How did you escape Hell? And how did you end up inside this twenty-something's beautiful body?"
I cringed at his questions. "It's a long story." Normally I'd love to boast how my unholy spirit escaped eternal damnation through a Hellgate and entered the foolish woman who'd opened death's doorway to let me out. But I'd killed Ashley and she was Sonja's friend. My heart remained black as midnight but the ghost in my conscience hindered me from speaking an insensitive word about Ashley's murder. There was no polite way to say I'd evicted an innocent woman’s soul and possessed her body like a parasite.
Her sadness was apparent as Sonja listened to Luke curiously question me about Ashley's body. I knew I'd made the right choice by refusing to speak about it. Sonja's short life would never be the same now that she'd become a Blood-eater thanks to that worthless Necromancer. I still needed to sit down with her and explain the details of her new reality as an official member of the Undead. Looking at her young face you'd never suspect she was essentially a monster that needed to feed on the blood of living creatures to survive. She wasn't immortal like a Vampire but she did retain her beauty and her physical strength was greatly increased. Her lifespan of approximately seven years would seem like more from her perspective due to the fact she didn't have to sleep ever again. As long as she consumed her daily requirement of blood her body would be fully energized without the need for rest. So seven years may feel like fourteen, since she'd be awake for every second of every day. I realized I was trying to rationalize her unfortunate fate and there was no denying she'd been royally fucked by the Priesthood. Hopefully within the next seven years we could make them pay dearly for all the damage they'd done.
