The Second Book of Babylon

by Barry Reese

  Bolan, a man that had always dreamed of being a cop, had once lost his way. He’d blamed Babylon for things that had been beyond his control and he’d slowly begun to creep over the line between law enforcer and vigilante. He’d sold his soul to Damian in exchange for power. And he’d killed... many people. But, in the end, he’d found himself again, and Bolan had done much in an attempt to atone for his mistakes. All in all, he liked to think that he’d succeeded.

  And so he said nothing. He did not beg. He did not cry.

  And the being known as Flay felt a trifle disappointed in turn.

  Flay drove the blade deep into Bolan’s neck, clashing and cutting through the meat and gristle until Bolan’s head fell to the floor with a sickening thump.

  Sighing, Flay wiped his hands off on the dark clothing that he wore. He knelt down to pick up Bolan’s head, staring into the glassy eyes. “And now you are mine,” he whispered. Flay leaned forward and opened his mouth, revealing needle-sharp teeth. He closed his mouth on the tip of Bolan’s nose... and he began to chew.

  ***

  Suspira’s flat was filled with the melodious sounds of Dido, and Jennifer was beginning to feel a bit tipsy. She and Suspira were sitting on the floor of the flat looking through a series of magical texts, but the more she drank, the funnier Suspira’s plans began to seem.

  Stifling an unladylike snort, Jennifer leaned back and polished off her sixth (or was it seventh) drink of the evening. Wiping her mouth with the back of a hand, Jennifer regarded the other woman through bleary eyes. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you? You want to call up Gaea and ask her to let us to tap into this ‘feminine magic’ that’s all around us?”

  Suspira moved from a sitting position to an on-all-fours one and crawled toward Jennifer. Babylon’s current host felt a bit dizzy as Suspira approached and she wondered, again, if the woman’s powers were enhancing her sexuality, or if Jennifer was simply really, really attracted to her. “Gaea was the only one of the elder gods that the second generation of deities allowed to exist. Every living being on the Earth contains a portion of her essence within them. She’s the Mother, representing life, renewal, and the harvest. That’s us all over, Jen.”

  “It is?”

  “Sure. I’m a girl. You’re a girl. We’re the life-bearers. Right now, life is abundant under the Barrier. Enchanted creatures are being born left and right... Gaea’s magic is flourishing.”

  Jennifer swallowed hard as Suspira leaned forward and planted a soft kiss directly upon her lips. A hammering in Jennifer’s head made her almost black out for a moment. She wanted this so badly... she needed it... but in the back of her head, she felt Gideon’s presence. He gave her a bit of his own strength and the fog began to clear.

  With obvious reluctance, she pushed Suspira away. “I need to think straight for this.”

  “What’s there to think about? I want you... and I can tell you want me, too.”

  “I mean this Gaea stuff.”

  Suspira shrugged her shoulders and sat back down on her rump. “According to the text of these books, Gaea sometimes grants additional powers to certain priestesses. They’re obligated to defend life and the Earth but beyond that, they’re free to do what they want. We can be those priestesses! Let Catalyst and every other man squabble over who’s the most powerful... we’ll be tapping into the most primal of all forces: life itself!”

  Jennifer stood up on wobbly legs. “Yeah but neither of us are exactly what I picture when I think of the Earth Mother type.”

  Suspira reached up and ran her hand along Jennifer’s hip. “You and me together, Jen. We can be the Queen Bitches we were always meant to be!”

  “But I’m the host of the cosmic spirit of retribution,” Jennifer replied. She knew Gideon was watching her, but he gave no clue as to what direction he wanted her to go. Was he afraid of her being bound to Gaea, with conflicting loyalties? Or did he trust her to decide for herself?

  “That’s the beauty of it! You’re already a union of male and female... think how perfect it would be to balance Gideon’s masculine power—his destructiveness and violence—with the power of femininity? You’d be amazing.”

  Jennifer sighed. Staring at Suspira, she slowly began to smile. “You know, you’re such a temptress... you really are Lucifer’s daughter, aren’t you?”

  “Are you in?” Suspira asked.

  “Yeah, count me in. I just hope I won’t end up regretting it.”

  ***

  Amber Greene’s feet were starting to hurt. She’d been leading John Galahad deeper and deeper below W.H.A.T. Headquarters for many hours—hell, it might have been days at this point—but they still hadn’t found their way to the exit.

  They were now wandering through a series of unmarked passageways. The floor was covered by nearly a foot of water and the only lights were emergency ones, mounted every fifteen or twenty feet from each other. It was enough to keep them from being in complete darkness but not by much.

  “Do you know where we are?”

  Amber didn’t bother looking at Galahad. She knew he was beginning to lose faith in her. “We’re not far now.”

  “You said that three hours ago.”

  “Well, now we’re three hours closer.”

  “Don’t play me, girl.”

  “I’m not. Look, nobody really uses these tunnels, okay? Few people even know about them. It’s one of the sure-fire ways we can get out without any trouble. That’s what you want, right?”

  “Well, well,” someone said from the darkness. “This is a surprise.”

  Amber turned to see a figure emerge from the shadows. He had long white hair and pale skin... if not for a series of horrific burns, he would have been painfully beautiful. “Bloodshot,” she whispered.

  “That’s right,” the vampire whispered. “Nice to know my rep is still impressive.”

  “Why are you out of your cell?”

  “There was a whole lot of confusion awhile back and I managed to overpower my guards... ended up down here.” He snapped his fingers. “Hey, now... it wouldn’t have been you two that set off all those alarms, would it?”

  Galahad stepped between Amber and Bloodshot. “Go slither back into the shadows. We don’t need you.”

  “Oh, I think you do. You’re headed right into a trap if you keep going in that direction.”

  Galahad looked at Amber who shook her head.

  “He’s lying. The exits down here are known only to epsilon-level agents. There’s no way they could have set up a trap before we got here.”

  “You don’t think they’ve been expecting someone to make a break for it? Especially with dangerous types like me and Galahad locked up here,” he asked. “But I know of another way.”

  Galahad gave a snort. “Kiss my ass, Bloodshot. You’re the most untrustworthy person I’ve ever known.” Taking Amber by the elbow, her urged her forward. “Keep going.”

  Bloodshot watched them go, frowning. Truthfully, he had no idea if there was a trap up ahead, but he did know of another way out. Without Galahad it would be more difficult, but he’d manage to do what needed to be done.

  With a shake of his long hair, the vampire disappeared into the darkness once more... and headed toward freedom.

  ***

  “Tell me again—Why are we naked?”

  Suspira stood in the center of a mystic circle, candlelight illuminating her beautiful form, which gleamed slightly with sweat. The two young witches were in the center of Suspira’s flat, the music turned up high and their spell books arranged on the floor. “Because we should greet our Mother the way we came into this world.”

  “Naked, covered in goo, and screaming our heads off?” Jennifer asked.

  Suspira winked again. “Close enough. You ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  Suspira reached out and took her hand. Together, the two young women began reciting ancient words of power. Their voices melded together in a lilting pattern and both could feel electrici
ty in the air. Jennifer felt both spiritually and sexually charged as wavy lines of magical energy began to circle about them.

  And their words seemed to part one reality and reveal another:

  As one we walk this earth together

  As one we sing to her our song

  As one we love her

  As one we heal her

  Her heart beats with our own as one.

  As one we join with her our mother

  As one we feel her sacred song

  As one we touch her

  As one we heal her

  Her heart beats with our own as one.

  Jennifer and Suspira paused in their chant, feeling a powerful presence in their midst. Jennifer saw, on the periphery of her vision, a brown-haired woman dressed in a flowing gown. She seemed to be smiling at them, as if they were two little girls that had broken into their mother’s closet for dress-up, only to be caught in the act.

  With a barely audible whisper, the Goddess Gaea released the tiniest portion of her power and enveloped the witches in her loving grace. The touch filled both women from head to toe, but it also snaked outside this tiny flat—to touch the spirit of a woman long thought dead.

  And then Jennifer Black and Suspira felt themselves bursting with power.

  Suspira let out an almost orgasmic squeal, pulling away from Jennifer’s hand. “Damn... Do you feel that? It’s like all my old magical ability was just a prelude to this. I feel like I’m capable of tapping into... into...”

  “The wild magic.” Jennifer stared at her hands. “All my life, I’ve had Atlantean mysticism instilled in me... and I’ve learned how to use other schools, as well. But this... this is older than anything I’ve felt before. Even older than Atlantis.”

  “We’re kicking it old school, Jen. Really old school.” Suspira’s laugh sounded happier than Jennifer could ever remember it sounding. She looked over to see the young woman hugging herself happily.

  Jennifer understood Suspira’s mood very well. She was bursting with power and life, pulsing within her. “Now what?”

  “Now,” Suspira replied, “we celebrate.”

  And, to Jennifer’s surprise, Lucifer’s daughter kissed her once more.

  This time, Jennifer did not pull away.

  ***

  The Void

  Gideon watched from afar, his view of the outside world somewhat distorted. Here, in the void where he resided when not in control of the mortal form he shared with Jennifer, he often had long periods to think, and to ponder what actions he would take next.

  And now, more and more, the path seemed clear. Though he cherished the bond he now shared with Jennifer, he was growing increasingly frightened of how easily manipulated she was by this Suspira person.

  If you are a threat to us, Suspira, I will unravel the truth. And then you may find yourself on the receiving end of my cosmic energy...

  Chapter XIII Ladies’ Night

  Since the arrival of Babylon over a year ago, Highgate Cemetery has seen more than its share of strange events. In the estimation of Fisher, however, there were few that could match up to this one.

  As he drove his shovel deeper into the earth, disturbing the soil, Fisher turned his head and spat. He couldn’t stop thinking about Jennifer Black, the current host for the cosmic spirit of retribution. A bright girl, with a good head on her shoulders and a knack for magic that even Nathaniel Caine would be envious of.

  But she’d made some mistakes, some big ones.

  She’d failed to save Catalyst and the other mages during Damian’s reign of terror... and, worst of all, she’d recently made a pact with the Earth Mother. She’s listening too much to Suspira, he mused, and not thinking enough with her own mind. It’s not just a matter of gaining more power when you do somethin’ like that—you gotta consider what it really means. The spirit of retribution is an aspect of death—and Gaea is anything but death. She’s life itself.

  And how will the two mix?

  Not very damned well, I’d sa—

  Fisher’s thoughts drifted away as his shovel hit something hard and unyielding. Bending low with a creak in his joints, he slowly dragged a pine coffin from the ground. He spat again before pulling the lid up and away, revealing the still fresh form of a young woman.

  She was beautiful, with a soft, almost gypsy-like look to her. Her dark hair hung in curls about her shoulders and a sweet, playful smile resided on her cupid-bow lips.

  Fisher was somewhat taken aback by her, for she looked fresh as a daisy... and so lovely that he felt like a young man again.

  The Barrier. Its magicks have soaked into the soil. And she’s been resting in it.

  The woman suddenly opened her eyes and screamed.

  Fisher placed a filthy hand over her mouth to silence her but the girl bit him hard, causing him to jerk away. “Damn it, woman! Be quiet!”

  The empath named Topaz stared at him for a long moment, quieting her screams. Her eyes flashed with recognition. “Fisher...”

  “That’s right,” he answered, shaking his hand to rid himself of the lingering pain from her bite. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

  Topaz rose unsteadily, staring about herself. The cemetery was dark and unkempt, having fallen into disfavor during the recent months of magick and evil. “I was buried alive... ?”

  “No, you were buried dead. Bloodshot killed you. Remember?”

  Topaz nodded slowly. Her face was a mask of confusion. “Yes! I’d come here because of visions that were haunting me. I knew that Babylon had to be reborn... to fight the Dark One who was coming to destroy England.” She turned to him. “Did he succeed?”

  “A lot’s happened. Some of it good, some not so much. Damian’s been dealt with, though.” Fisher reached out and touched her shoulders. He gave them a firm squeeze. “You were dead, but Gaea’s seen fit to restore you. I felt it. You’ve got a destiny still to fulfill.”

  Topaz ran a hand through her hair and said, “I feel... different.”

  “I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” He looked up as rain began to fall on a London plagued by the occult. “Come with me. I have some people you should meet.”

  Not having much else to do, Topaz did as he asked.

  ***

  The Slimelight Club

  The trendiest Trance club in London was packed to the brim this evening. And the partying types that surrounded Jennifer Black and Suspira were anything but the usual crowd. Nowhere to be seen were the college kids, the Ecstasy-addled, or the local club kids. In their place were figures from myth: vampires, werewolves, succubi, and things far less savory.

  Jennifer found herself both intrigued and repulsed by all of this. On the one hand, she found it somewhat liberating to lose herself in the music and in Suspira’s company—and not have to worry about what others thought. After all, these beings were like her... creatures of the night, each set apart from the run-of-the-mill humanity.

  But many of them were also hunters, preying on mankind like wolves in the darkness.

  And the part of her that was merged with Gideon Black could almost feel the stink of innocent blood on their hands.

  “You look like you’re thinking non-fun thoughts again, Jen.”

  Jennifer glanced back over at her dance partner, the alluring young girl called Suspira. The succubus had weaved quite a spell on Jennifer, enticing her through her sexuality and love for life. Jennifer spun about, throwing herself into the music. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Does this look like a girl who’s not into the party?”

  Suspira grinned at her, moving forward to wrap her arms about Jennifer’s waist. The song slowed, becoming a bump-and-grind number and Suspira accommodated the DJ by straddling Jennifer’s leg and pressing against it. She saw Jennifer flush with an uneasy embarrassment and it made her laugh. “Relax! We’re celebrating, remember?”

  “I remember... But I wish you’d chosen somewhere else. This place is a powder keg, ready to explode at any second. It coul
d get real ugly, real fast.”

  “The danger’s what makes it fun,” Suspira teased. She pulled Jennifer off the dance floor, toward the bar. “Besides, I’m not here just for the music.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah. Word on the street is that something big’s coming down tonight. That someone’s looking to pull all the covens and such together in one big group.”

  Jennifer frowned. She didn’t need Gideon’s urging to prompt her to ask, “Any idea who it is? And what they plan to do with all these forces?”

  Suspira shrugged. “Who knows? I’m sure the New Olympians will be all over them before they can get anywhere close to their goal, though. That’s the problem with the world conquering types—they don’t consider that by being so above-board, they attract too much attention.”

  Jennifer laughed merrily at that, checking out Suspira’s skimpy attire. “You’re one to talk about staying low-key...”

  Suspira started to reply but she hesitated, feeling a strange sense of unease pass over her. “Hey, Jen—You feel that?”

  Jennifer did, indeed. She scanned the crowded club for anything that looked suspicious but found altogether too many suspects... “It’s the same feeling I got outside Bansi’s store. A feeling of fear and unease...”

  Suspira tapped her friend on the shoulder and motioned toward a stage, upon which a spotlight now shone. “Looks like the master of ceremonies is about to begin...”

  Jennifer followed Suspira’s gaze, though she felt reluctant to end her searching for the source of this new emotion. The music around her had suddenly come to an abrupt halt, leaving only the buzzing of voices behind. A thin, pale woman stepped into the spotlight, immediately catching the full attention of everyone in the club. She wore a bodysuit that hugged her every curve, with gossamer webbing hanging from the sleeves. Her voice was hauntingly beautiful, with the confidence of one born to lead. “Welcome, children of darkness. Welcome to the beginning of something profound. I am the Baroness, and I give you these words of comfort: this Barrier was just the beginning. This is now our time. The time of the Immortal.”