《Knights By Moonlight》 1. Life After Death Hahh! I gasped for air, startled in the musty darkness. Silence beckoned me, as I searched frantically for light, though my hands could only meet a firm surface inches above me...all around me. Tough and unrelenting, yet somehow strong . It felt like rotting wood. I pounded upwards with my fists, hyperventilating as the sounds of the wriggling white worms enhanced around me, dirt pouring down into my nostrils from a slight crevice in-between the boards over my face. Someone had tried to kill me! The thoughts feverishly hurtled through my mind and circled back around into a thick lump in my throat. ¡°Help!¡± I screamed, before thinking better of it much too long into my cries, and cursing myself for the wasting of precious air, and potentially straining my larynx in the process. It felt bruised and tender, running my hands over it, but no pain. Did someone do that to me? I couldn''t even remember how I got here. I couldn''t remember...anything! Who was I? Who...am I? I shook the thoughts from my head and returned to the pressing moment at hand. Feeling through my clothing for pockets or for any sign of light, tools, or even identification, though not too helpful without a light, I found nothing. This can''t be happening. How did I get here? There must be some way out of this situation? These types of things had happened before, right? I had to escape, I had to live! Mustering up the strength, I began kicking and flailing, and levied every strike I could at the boards hoping for a crack, but none came.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Taking a moment, I wrestled in thought, wondering what I could possibly do to escape. Suddenly, more dirt poured down onto my face from above. Ptah! I spat out the moistened soil. Wait...my palms move to the weakened boards, broken and unmended...that''s the spot! Running my fingers over the roughshod wood, I scrambled to yank down any bits of the plank that I could, piece by piece, until more dirt and debris flowed in, which I divvied towards my feet, while taking in mouthfuls of soil, rushing into my nostrils as well. Gruelingly, I broke a hole large enough to squeeze my frame through, but could only hope I had enough air to keep my lungs in tact. Now was my chance. I held my breath and swam for dear life, in what seemed like an eternity, as I struggled upwards and clawed for the surface world. Finally, I felt my fingertips tear through the surface. Feeling my chest tightening, I frantically pulled myself through the darkness of the mound of dirt and into the nighttime throes of fresh air, my eyes searing even in the dim light. I could make out a cemetery housing me, and a hazily lit city off around us, though not this particular area, the towering city beyond was more inviting. As I pulled myself out, I sprawled atop the dirt and faced the starry sky, its tiny lights twinkling effervescently. I survived. I cheated death. I did the improbable. Alone. ¡°Well...¡± A playfully dark, yet whimsically masculine voice chimed in. I rolled over and backed away from the voice, crawling backwards in fear. A dark skinned man wearing a lengthy head-wrap, draped in layers of robes, brandishing a staff with a skull on the tip with jewel inlaid eyes, sat lackadaisically upon a nearby headstone, a bracelet filled ankle weighed down, hanging free over it. Behind his floating leg, the headstone read. ''Annabelle Crowley.'' ¡°It''s about time,¡± the man yawned, brandishing a random assortment of gold teeth and lost ones in a wide grin. ¡°Isn''t it...Miss Crowley?¡± 2. Zombie ¡°I''m dead?¡± I muttered, hypnotized by the grim reality laid bare before me, as the faint city lights from a distance felt much brighter, and disorienting than before. ¡°That''s what the stone says,¡± the mysterious man moaned. ¡°Takes some getting used to mon ch¨¨re,¡± he added, twirling his bejeweled staff which housed a tiny inlaid skull at the far end, its eyes glowing ominously as he hopped off the headstone. ¡°Lucky for you, your beauty hasn''t faded in these two weeks.¡± ¡°Two weeks!?¡± I blurted out, my eyes almost popping out of their sockets. ¡°I''ve been dead for that long?¡± I turned my gaze to the disheveled pile of dirt that I''d just surfaced from, watching the grubs wriggling in an aimless malaise. ¡°Resurrection ain''t no joke, ch¨¨re. It takes time...materials...and a skilled shaman...,¡± the mysterious man sold somberly. ¡°And one with dastardly good looks,¡± he laughed. ¡°Yours truly,¡± the man took a bow in mock honor, and held his staff out for me to grab a hold and rise. ¡°Denaux LaForge,¡± he continued, ¡°Denny to my friends.¡± ¡°Denny...¡± I repeated his name, lost in thought. ¡°I said, Denny to my friends,¡± he piped up, with a splintering glare. I shuddered, backpedaling. ¡°I...I''m sor--¡± ¡°Ha-HA!¡± Denaux howled riotously, a wealth of costume jewelry jingling jovially throughout his slender frame. ¡°All in jest mon ch¨¨re.¡± ¡°Well,¡± I started up, stringing dirt and grime out of my long brown hair, dusting myself off, and inspecting my tattered black dress, ¡°thank you for helping me...I think?¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The pleasure was all mine,¡± Denaux assured. ¡°Besides, I didn''t just bring you back for you and you alone. There''s work to be done.¡± ¡°But..¡± my eyes sank to the ground, tracing along til I found the words on the gravestone before me. ¡°I have a life to get back to.¡± ¡°Ch¨¨re, you don''t even remember your old life...just yet.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± I soured, reminding myself that he was right. ¡°I have life again though.¡± ¡°You sure do...just not how you perceive. You are one of the undead now,¡± Denaux waved his fingers with spooky affect, ¡°or so to speak.¡± ¡°Undead?¡± I coughed up, my hands naturally feeling around my formerly bruised neck. ¡°Like a zombie??¡± ¡°Zoo-mbie! Zoo-mbie! EEE! EEE!¡± Denaux danced in jubilee, his rollicking jewelry now taking on an the form of an annoying collection of wind chimes packed densely on a tiny front lawn. I could feel my blood pressure rising, if I still had any blood, that is. ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned, ¡°I hate that song...at least I remember that.¡± ¡°You''re gonna have to learn to embrace it,¡± Denaux smiled, dancing ever closer to me, shaking his hips and clomping around like a small child on holiday. ¡°Good luck, you''ll never get me to like that one,¡± I crossed my arms, looking around us and admiring the quiet surroundings looking upon the small graveyard. ¡°Not the song,¡± Denaux imparted, as he quit dancing and offered his soft hand in mine. It felt so warm. What did mine feel like then? ¡°The lifestyle,¡± Denaux continued, ¡°Or should I say, the dead style!¡± He erupted at his own poorly timed joke, crossing the staff onto his midsection with one hand to keep himself from toppling over. ¡°I can''t die then?¡±The thought crept into my thoughts with positive notion. ¡°I wouldn''t go that far. There are ways to die...again. And that''s for good. I can tell you, it ain''t pretty.¡± A startling realization just came back to the forefront of my mind. ¡°Denaux...how exactly did I die?¡± ¡°Better question is...¡± Denaux''s demeanor turned grave. ¡°Who took your life?¡± 3. Graveyard Shift ¡°Who killed me?¡± I asked Denaux with newfound dark intrigue. ¡°You know, don''t you?¡± Denaux sighed heavily. ¡°First, a drink,¡± he waved me to follow along. ¡°I''m parched.¡± ¡°And I''m dead,¡± I harangued him, storming around to his face. ¡°Don''t mean ya can''t enjoy a few adult libations none. Ya dead, ch¨¨re, not a Mormon.¡± ¡°You won''t be in need of those drinks,¡± a twangy voice called out from the darkness behind us. Our gaze turned towards five black suited men, sauntering forward through the graveyard. ¡°It was just too easy to lure you out, LaForge,¡± the head man said. Denaux grinned. ¡°Why so certain you haven''t fallen into my trap?¡± The men unveiled handguns from their persons, locked and loaded. ¡°Her soul, just like all the others, is forfeit,¡± the head man chided. ¡°It''s time for you to end this foolish crusade against my employer.¡± I looked to Denaux with fire raging in my eyes. ¡°So it was these guys, huh?¡± Denaux bounced his brow fruitfully in playful acknowledgment. ¡°The name you''re looking for is Perrault--¡± ¡°There will be no further discussion. Your life...and that of this puppet--¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I growled, stomping forward, but being held back in restraint by Denaux''s swinging staff. ¡°Feisty one,¡± the head man replied. ¡±Not like the other ones. I''ll be happy to send you back to the grave,¡± he added, levying his gun towards me, his other men raising their own weapons in unison. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. A ferocious growl welled up from my chest, causing the men to hesitate and retreat slightly. I could feel the blood...well not sure on that...something coursing through my veins. Rage was one of them. A hand fell upon my shoulder. ¡°You aren''t ready for this yet,¡± Denaux whispered. ¡°Those aren''t normal guns.¡± He nodded at the weapons cradled tightly in their hands. I looked at him with trepidation. ¡°It might be time to skedaddle,¡± he coughed up, motioning away with his head. HOOWWLL! Everyone froze, looking around for the source of the shiver sending bellow that had pierced the sound barrier around us. Suddenly, a guttural cry rang out in the moonlit night, as one of the gunmen fell to the ground and was dragged viciously between headstones, pawing mounds of grassy knoll with him before his cries fell silent. The other gunmen turned to face the looming darkness behind them, raising their weapons toward the abyss. ¡°What''s going on?¡± the head man trembled, frantically searching the space with terror filled eyes. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Another gunman was picked off and thrown thirty yards away, screaming all the way until his landing, impaling brutally upon an iron wrought fence post. ¡°Show yourself!¡± the head man yelled, his men whirling around, shaking their guns in any, and every direction possible. All the while, we remained frozen. I glanced at Denaux to find his jovial attitude turned into something else. Something truly uncanny for him. Fear. The other two gunmen reacted too slowly, as a massive shadowed creature sliced their innards with cruel precision, their gunfire an errant echo throughout the hallowed grounds. ¡°Oh god,¡± the head man exalted, watching the fanged beast rise and tower over him in bloodcurdling glory. It roared with malice as it chomped the formerly arrogant head clean off, tearing flesh with ease, and dropped it to the ground with ease, the distorted face illuminated in forever preserved terror under the opulent glow of the full moon. ¡°Not god...¡± Denaux softened, actual gravity in his tone for once. The massive wolf turned to face us, a reddened flow of droplets trickling down razor sharp fangs, its crimson eyes glowing inhumanely. ¡°A monster.¡± 4. Under The Moons Watch Our footsteps pounded the softened soil behind the cemetery walls as Denaux and I weaved throughout the cracked stones honoring lives well lived, and dishonoring our escape efforts. The fanged beast tread hotly on our tail, leaping great distances behind us to cover our tracks. ¡°We gotta lose it, keep struttin'' those long legs,¡± Denaux yelled. ¡°Thanks for the tip,¡± I lashed back. I did notice that even after death...and rebirth, my legs were stronger than ever. I wondered what other enhancements I''d earned after a two week sabbatical under ground. Ahead, a long row of tall stones blocked my way, as Denaux wound down another route. I tensed my legs, to test myself... ¡°Whatchu doing?¡± Denaux hollered in my direction. ¡°Trying something new,¡± I yelled back. The air burst around me, as I ascended, the muscles twitching in my legs and sending me sky high, above the stones for a few seconds, and giving me some time to admire the intricate marbling and masonry of the mausoleum tops below. They were right though, the fall is always worse than the rise. I plummeted down, out of control, whirling into the direction of an iron mausoleum gate. Crashing through, I mangled the sturdy fixture and rolled down the steps to the bottom of the crypt, slamming into a stone slab sarcophagus. ¡°Ugh,¡± I moaned, taking a minute to reorient myself. I cracked my neck, all the way around, back in place. Guess it could''ve been worse, I thought to myself, looking at some lacerations on my arms that leaked no red like before. A dried, black ooze formed, but wiped away with ease. A paper cut used to send me to the ER, in need of a blood transfusion, but now... My mind trailed off as I rubbed my wrists, where the old scars had remained from before. Short, jagged lines across. Sweet release. I can''t remember why I did it, but the feeling lingered. Things were different though now. I was different. This...with some sewing kits, and a trip to ''Michael''s,'' was an improvement. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The roof rattled, crumbles of debris falling past my face, where a strip of light from an errant street lamp flittered through, beamed down into my eyes. Suddenly, a ferocious red orb pushed up against it. I spoke too soon on that whole worse thing. BANG! BANG! BANG! Pounding erupted upon the ceiling, as I scrambled up, hobbling towards the steps, before the roof had reached its limits, and caved, a large stream of beautiful craftsmanship rained onto the floor and blocked the exit. A breathy growl permeated the mausoleum like a thick fog, and rumbled throughout the interior walls. I turned to face the beast and found its massive frame crowding over me. I stood silent, retreating slowly, before tripping backwards over a piece of rubble. In my fall, the creature caught me and whipped me around, pressing me back against the sarcophagus with its mighty claw. Looking into the ferocious face of the creature, my body shivered. My eyes trailed downwards though with a glimmer under the ambient light, as a bracelet dangled, emblazoning a triangle within a circle, which contained the script letter ''b'', all housed entirely by a Gothic pentagram. It was unique. Nostalgic in some way. And old, very old. What was it? The creature looking into my eyes, breathing in my scent, or the new scent I bore, before slowly unclenching its razors from around me. As if it recognized something about me. I held my gaze firmly on its eyes...showing strength, or at least trying to...and finding...profound sadness within. Was I imagining it? Or did this creature...have emotions? Suddenly, it backed away and leaped through the open roof, into the night. After a moment''s reprieve, Denaux shakily wandered down the steps. ¡°I have arrived!¡± He trumpeted sheepishly peering around the corners, and pushing past some larger rocks. ¡°Yeah, thanks for that.¡± ¡°I work with voodoo,¡± he snapped, ¡°that don''t work on no werewolves. Get me silver for that...though I prefer gold...In case you were planning on getting me a gift for saving your life...twice,¡± he joked, raising two fingers. ¡°Don''t plan on it,¡± I grumbled, as he helped stabilize me. ¡°A werewolf?¡± I said aloud, letting my thoughts finally catch up with me. ¡°They can''t exist.¡± ¡°You''ve seen all this tonight, and you''re showing disbelief,¡± Denaux clapped. ¡°You just survived a werewolf, ch¨¨re, believe it.¡± ¡°Do you know who it was?¡± ¡°Someone dangerous.¡± ¡°It had a bracelet on. There was a triangle...and inside it, the script letter ''b.''¡± Denaux''s jaw dropped, his brow skyrocketing at the same time. ¡°Well now, a family affair...things just got interesting.¡± 5. Welcome To The Club ¡°This is your place?¡± I hollered over the blaring house music in the densely packed sardine can of a club. ¡°That''s what the sign says.¡± Denaux yelled back, pointing upwards to a bubbly neon sign illuminating ''Denaux''s Place'' and ''The Cat''s Cradle'' underneath it. ¡°So the bad guys know where to find me!¡± He laughed riotously, loud enough to cut through the music and general rabble, as we slithered past the sweaty droves of young socials dancing and grinding up against each other in jubilant revelry. I raised a hand up to block the colored lights painting the grungy canvas all around us and followed Denaux to a back room, down some steps, and into a basement. It was dirty and disorganized, holding a yellow stained cot, an old dingy wardrobe, and a dusty table, beside a dilapidated old chest freezer which sat humming quietly above the cracked concrete floor. ¡°It''s not much, but...¡± Denaux started up, ¡°well, it''s not much, that''s it,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Why can''t I go home?¡± ¡°Ch¨¨re, you ain''t any idea where home is right now, don''t be rude,¡± Denaux hissed, his silhouette disappearing behind a ripped french curtain, as he fished out a bundle of items, re-appearing with a sparkly bedazzled red dress that had tears and snags down its sides. I wasn''t sure if it was intentional, or not, but stylish, I was certainly not saying. ¡°Now I know you''re born again,¡± Denaux started up, ¡°tossing the dress on a small throw-up colored couch nearby, ¡°but you''ll want to wash that dead off you in the river,¡± he followed up flipping on a light ina small bathroom and shower. ¡°The stench of the rot doesn''t come off just like that. I''ll prepare an outfit for you, in the meantime. Come up for a drink after and we can talk.¡± After Denaux returned to the world of thumping bass that rained down upon the walls all around me, I sat on the cot for a moment, to collect myself, its strained coils weeping with each bit of applied pressure. What was the world I now lived in? ''Lived''. What am I now? Am I even alive in any sense? I still feel pain, and emotion, but it was different. I felt power too, brimming with it. Unsure of how to use it..but what else had I lost besides my memory? Did I have a family? Who was I? What was I? Under the weak stream in the shower, I washed away the dirt and grime, the death. Even being frigid, it felt so warm and comforting. I slowly cleansed myself, my hands running over the course carvings that zigzagged up my wrists and arms. Etchings of a past never to be forgotten. The Scars still remained unfamiliar though. What had I done to myself? And why? Maybe I''d know some day...and forgive myself for them. At the risk of untimely imprudence, I wondered about the black blood from earlier. Spotting an old razor by the yellow curtain, I hesitated, grabbing it before nicking my finger. The pain evaporated quickly, as an ooze of that familiar black blood pooled, almost like a mossy infection, crusty, poisoned, before I washed it away. Something coursed through my body, but was it still humanity? What type of monster had I become? Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After toweling off, I examined my bruised throat in the mirror, outlines of dark fingerprints lingered around my neck. I swallowed hard at the thought of learning more about my even immediate past. Noticing the eclectic outfit that had been procured, I popped on a black lace collar, and suited up to find Denaux. The crowd watched me with a lascivious intent, as I slipped through, which made me feel at least a little bit better about being a few hours removed from the ground. I worked my way to the bar to find a neon green pixie cut weaving back and forth behind a line of heads waiting at the local watering hole. The petite young woman behind the bar met my eyes, flagging me over once she spotted me, her black studded leather jingling as she served darkened pints and cocktails. ¡°Get your hot ass over here!¡± She called out. ¡°Me?¡± I mouthed, pointing to myself incredulously. ¡°Who else?¡± She cut back, as I sidled up to the sticky bar. ¡°Name''s Taniya,¡± she said, sliding a murky drink to someone down the end of the bar. ¡°Denaux had to take care of something for a little bit, but he''ll be back." I nodded, taking things in silently. ¡°Whatchya having?¡± She wiped her hands on a grimy off-white hand towel, in waiting. ¡°Uh,¡± I stalled in thought, ¡°what do you recommend?¡± ¡°For your kind...a blackout, it hits right.¡± She must know, I thought. ¡°What''s that?¡± Taniya started pouring from numerous different hard liqueur bottles into a Collins glass. ¡°A little bit of everything,¡± she grinned, several lip rings coalescing as she slid it towards me. I grabbed it, eyeing the concoction tentatively, before taking a sip. It hit me powerfully. Almost felt tipsy with one swig. ¡°It slaps, huh?¡± She smiled. I nodded, letting my hard lined lips relax for the first time in a while. ¡°A blackout...¡± a gravely voice cut in from beside me. A gorgeous man with a tight beard and darkly manicured hair entered my view. He looked like a god. Chiseled from marble in a tightly fitting pair of gray slacks and sporting a black button down, with sleeves rolled up to his forearms. I couldn''t tell if the drink was hitting, or if I still could feel more things than I ever thought possible again. ¡°Sounds dangerous,¡± the man continued, sharing a grin. ¡°I''ll have what she''s having,¡± he added with a wink, leaning carelessly against the bar. I tried to turn away from his seductive eyes, but found it difficult to do so without being sucked in by them, forcing me to study him more fully. ¡°Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?¡± He offered, while Taniya went toff to make his drink and take other orders, with a bemused look plastered across her face. ¡°Annabelle,¡± I said, my defenses and inhibitions lowering. ¡°And you?¡± The drink rifled down along the bar to his hand, which he caught without even looking. I could see Taniya''s shocked expression from a distance as well, her almost toppling over in a mix of laughter and pure unadulterated surprise. ¡°Isaac,¡± he said, raising the glass to his lips. Horror trickled down into my eyes as I noticed the familiar dangling of a the crested bracelet from earlier in the night, that same script ''b'' seated inside. Isaac''s expression turned dark, and gravely serious, ¡°Let''s make this a night to remember.¡± 6. Dance Of Death ¡°Bottoms up,¡± Isaac said, clinking his dirty glass against mine, its blackened liquid pooling like miasma at top of a deep lake hidden in the Carpathian Forest. I drank along in unison, the burning sensation lingering like a lump in my throat, while the anxiety was swallowing me whole, just as this...man...this beast had done a few hours earlier. Almost to me. ¡°I have an early morning,¡± I started up, ¡°gotta cut out.¡± I rose to make a swift exit. ¡°Stay,¡± he commanded, his hand shooting out and grasping my forearm, while his eyes showed power through a limitless gaze. I held quiet, my eyes darting searchingly for Taniya or Denaux, but futile efforts they were. ¡°Care for a dance?¡± Isaac rose resolutely, slowly nodding and pressing me to join him with a glare, while his grip tightened around my arm. Joining him, I mimicked his nodding, as he led me through the crowded dance floor, the music blaring evermore as we coalesced. With a twirl, Isaac spun behind me, tightly pressed against my backside, all of him. His warm breath pricked the nape of my neck as he spoke. ¡°Who are you? ¡° he demanded. ¡°No one,¡± I responded, whirling and trying to pull away. ¡°Wrong answer," he pulled me back in, "try again." His calloused hand found its way up to my throat, gently clasping around it. ¡°I don''t know,¡± I retorted candidly. ¡°That doesn''t work for me. What''s your relation to The Mad Harlequin?¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Something tweaked in my mind at the name of the man who had me killed. I overpowered Isaac and spun around to face him, my own claws grabbing a hold of his face as the rage welled up inside me. ¡°That bastard took my life," I growled, "and I''ll be the one to take his.¡± Isaac loosened his grip, startled by my abrupt change in nature. His lip curled into slight bemusement. ¡°I knew I smelled something different in you...new blood. Reborn, huh? That''s all I needed to know.¡± He released his hand and stepped backwards. ¡°I ask the questions now,¡± I stomped forward. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I got what I wanted,¡± Isaac said, turning and moving to the exit. ¡°I didn''t get mine!¡± I roared, finding myself turning feral, as I lurched forward to paw at his wrist. ¡±Just don''t get in my way,¡± he soured, ripping his hand loose and slipping through the crowd. I pursued, pushing past the dense moving wave of humans dancing hypnotically under the thumping bass, while his head bobbed back and forth on its way to the rear exit.¡±Stop!¡± I howled, masked by the heavy beat. Isaac pounded through two steel double doors and disappeared outside. I pushed past others, arriving just a moment late, and found a dimly lit back alley, silence permeating it otherwise. ¡°Damn,¡± I huffed, looking down at my closed fist and seeing the scrapes of red blood seeping out from underneath my fingernails. Guess he was part human after all. ¡°Turning tricks in the back alley,¡± a familiar voice chimed in, as Denaux sauntered along from down the alley, now in a loose gray knitted suit, but still barefoot. ¡°The difference an hour makes,¡± he chuckled. ¡°We had a visitor,¡± I groaned, clenching my fist tightly. Denaux''s ears perked, with an inquiring stare ¡°You don''t say? And for what did we owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°He came to make a statement,¡± I growled, trying to ease myself down a bit, my breathing leveling back out. ¡°Idle threats.¡± ¡°Better that than another enemy,¡± Denaux affirmed. ¡°No,¡± I shook my head, ¡°not after all that...he''s gonna help us.¡± ¡°You can''t tame a wild beast,¡± Denaux laughed. ¡°Untrue,¡± I smiled, opening my palm to unveil a shining bracelet under the muted street lights, the letter ''b'' flicked with specks of blood against my palm. ¡°You just need a little bait.¡± 7. Stakeout ¡°So you plan to lure him out to assist us?¡± Denaux said, ducking behind a large thicket underneath the brightly shining moon, as we looked upon a still plantation, enshrouded in darkness at the bottom of the hillside. ¡°And you think he''ll be able to catch your scent all the way in the sticks? You an optimist, ch¨¨re.¡± ¡°You''re the one who said ''show, don''t tell'' and dragged me out here, so that''s on you.¡± I said, peering over a bush at the quietly expansive farmhouse, in all its dilapidated glory, and rows of shadowed crops and vines leading to it. ¡°It''s a history lesson, ch¨¨re, and a present lesson too...¡± Denaux said, ¡°look.¡± He pointed his arm, rattling with some chains of jewelry, in his usual outfit, off into the distance. ¡°What am I looking at?¡± I said , rubbing the fatigue from my eyes on the tattered sleeve of my all black covert ops outfit that had been procured from Denaux''s basement wardrobe, and my new residence for the time being. ¡°Also, do you think it''s prudent to wear loud jewelry to a stakeout?¡± I hissed. ¡°Don''t tell me who I can and cannot be.¡± He snapped, pointing over to small line of heads marching from the house to the rows of harvest-able vines in the fields. ¡°They won''t hear it anyway.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, inching forward, to find throngs of almost hypnotized human bodies collecting bucks and other small tools to harvest something from the crops. ¡°Zombies, but with full soul removal. Ain''t got no mind of their own anymore.¡± ¡°Why am I not like them in some way?¡± My mind piqued with intrigue. ¡°That...I don''t know...butI intend to find out.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Is that why you resurrected me?¡± I asked angrily. ¡°Ch¨¨re...he didn''t take your soul...or wasn''t able to...that means there''s something special about you, whether you like to hear it or not. That man''s been alive, young and spry, for as long as I can remember, but keeps to the shadows. He feeds off of souls...but for years...he''s been onto something else.¡± My brow turned down discerningly, as I listened. ¡°He''s taken something from all of us,¡± Denaux softened. ¡°This was my Mama''s farm...our farm....after Daddy passed.¡± My head titled as I watched him soften, with sadness cradling his eyes. ¡°Perrault had his people try to buy us out. The whole time he was there, never said a word...just had this creepy crooked smile on his face. Like a clown, and some obsession with two tone outfits. Unsettling. Evil. He scared me. His associates didn''t take no for an answer though, and he was never going to accept an answer that he didn''t want.¡± Tears welled up in Denaux''s reservoirs. ¡°On a night, just like this, Perrault and his army of the undead invaded, and he slit my Mama''s throat right in front of me...¡± he held back sobbing in the lump of his throat. ¡°He almost got me, but I escaped...I ran.¡± Denaux grew silent for a moment. ¡°I don''t run anymore, I plan...¡± He started up again. ¡°I don''t know what he''s been doing out here, but he''s been amassing an army over the years and has some nefarious devices for New Orleans. We need to find out why.¡± ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I said, ¡°I didn''t know he stole from you too.¡± ¡°Not your fault, ch¨¨re. I''ve learned and trained over these ten years. That child is a man now. That hoodoo mama always talked about wasn''t no joke. I have resources now too...and skills...and dare say I...friends,¡± he nodded to me. ¡°I wouldn''t go that far,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Ch¨¨re!¡± He choked, slapping my shoulder with the back of his hand. I laughed, and he joined in. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, ¡°I¡±ll help...got nothing better to do.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± he said, fanning his eyes with his hand, while his host of beads, chains and adornments clacked, rang and jangled in a cacophony of noise. ¡°Denaux!¡± I hissed, pointing at his jewelry. Suddenly, we both went quiet, as the rustling sounds of dutiful work from the base of the hill instantly stopped. I looked out and over to find a chilling sight. All the zombies stood straight, staring in our direction. ¡°Uh oh,¡± I said, ¡°looks like they''re more perceptive than you thought.¡± 8. This Old Home ¡°I think I can handle them,¡± I said, rolling up my figurative sleeves as I stood. ¡°Hold on there Anna the Riveter,¡± Denaux cut back, tugging me down by the sleeve. ¡°This is a recon mission, and--¡± ¡°A history lesson, I know.¡± I crossed my arms in waiting. ¡°You''ll grow into your powers...they aren''t all the same for everyone and you''re...a special case.¡± ¡°So I''ve heard,¡± I grumbled, disappointed that a fight against some slow zombies didn''t lay ahead of me. ¡°Tonight, we fight as a last resort...we''re here to gather...till the fields, ya know, ch¨¨re? Besides...¡± he motioned me to join him in peaking over the bushes at the zombies who had returned to their duties already, ¡°they clearly ain''t the smartest bunch around.¡± ¡°Duly noted,¡± I nodded. ¡°So what''s the plan?¡± Denaux rubbed his chin pensively. ¡°We gonn'' need a distraction.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± my head almost rolled off my neck, ¡°so I''m the bait, huh?¡± My brow raised suspiciously. ¡°Ch¨¨re, you puttin'' words in that mouth...but that does sound ideal. You''re the one with the power anyway...¡± ¡°And you''re a voodoo man!¡± ¡°I did earn my doctorate in voodoo studies from the City College of New Orleans,¡± he grinned. ¡°Alright,¡± I thrust my hands to the sky uproariously, ¡°this conversation is enough to get me out and away from you.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Ya know ya love me, ch¨¨re,¡± Denaux winked. I rose to shuffle away and turned back for a last word. ¡°Denny.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Denaux said audibly, brandishing a smile. I cheekily grinned as I slipped away, while realizing that we didn''t actually concoct a plan either. ¡°Draw them away from the house,¡± Denaux whispered, almost reading my thoughts. ¡°Already on it!¡± I yelled, as I started sprinting down the hillside toward the fields. ¡°Wake the dead!¡± I shouted, ¡°wake the dead!¡± The zombies slowly turned their heads upwards, their decomposed corpses and odorous stench was enough to follow me by itself, but that appeared like much too arduous a task for such creatures. I came to a stop near one zombie plucking a sapling and squeeze dripping milky white secretion from it into a small glass vial. ¡°Hey,¡± I stopped, ¡°whatcha'' got there?¡± I continued, talking down to the vacant minded zombie that slowly looked up at me. RARGH! It shrieked, baring its the blackened sinews between its sharply rotted teeth, as it became a quadruped, falling to the ground and clutching the earth. ¡°Oh,¡± I said, watching on, ¡°This is not what I had in mind,¡± as I turned tall, hearing its pack animal friends transforming throughout the fields. Dashing away, I heard the zombies clomping along in chase, as I scurried throughout the winding crop fields. Hooking left, I wove through other entanglements, passing by other zombies entering sport mode. It wasn''t supposed to be like this! I breathed heavily, cycling air in and out as I ran endlessly, the zombies keeping up pace behind me. I could fight...well, I wasn''t too confident in that...at present time. Another several zombies leaped through the vines, snagging them to some degree, as I turned and dove through another patch myself. Spotting the house, I motored toward it, and noticed the vial that the zombie had dropped earlier. Snatching the vial as I raced past and pocketing it, I turned on the throttle all the way up the back steps to the farmhouse door. Barging in, I slammed the door shut, sliding the bar lock across and and not beginning to think if anyone else could be in there as well. Whatever. ¡°Denaux!¡± I whispered harshly, pushing a nearby bookshelf up against the door.. ¡°Hush!¡± Denaux hollered back, waltzing in from a side room of the broken down and abandoned home. He carried a dusty leather bound photo book under one arm, and a confused expression with him. ¡°What happened to the distraction?¡± BANG! BANG! BANG! An endless barrage of fists pounded upon the door. ¡°I thought zombies were slow!¡± I caught my breath. "What gave you that idea!?" Denaux''s mouth fell open. "The movies!" I exhaled. Denaux facepalmed, rubbing his hand over his eyes. ¡°Is the front door locked?¡± I followed up. Denaux dropped his hand as his face contorted. ¡°Uh oh.¡± 9. Put Our Shrunken Heads Together Pushing past Denaux, I raced through the darkened farmhouse, my sight seemingly enhanced, hurtling over piles of errant debris toward the front door. The incessant wailing of zombie fists upon the dilapidated compound doors grew louder with feral intensity, as I flew in front of the closed entryway and heaved a nearby shelf into its direction, stopping the pounding footsteps outside in their tracks, and leading them to a hard collision against the door, but not enough to send it open, and thus hindering their movement for the time being. Denaux huffed and puffed as he gingerly hopped into the foyer, avoiding any materials on the floor with deft precision. ¡°This is why you should wear shoes,¡± I snapped, not admiring his languished accompaniment. ¡°Ch¨¨re, you got a bold tongue for being the one who got us in this vile predicament!¡± ¡°Wh-what!?¡± My mouth hung agape. ¡°You''re the reason we''re here in the first place!¡± ¡°I didn''t lead our good friends over here though,¡± he hissed. ¡°I was confident they''d be slow!¡± I shouted back, motioning for him to assist with dragging furniture over to barricade the door. ¡°Well, they do say, confidence is a friend of the devil.¡± Denaux replied knowingly. ¡°No one says that!¡± I growled back. ¡°But they might,¡± he smirked. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°You''re insufferable,¡± I howled, tossing any extra debris I could find against the door. ¡°What''s our exit strategy?¡± Denaux stood in silence, stroking his chin. ¡°The basement is a risk. We can get onto the roof from my old bedroom window though.¡± ¡°Good enough for me,¡± I said, as the back door cracked loudly, surely coming off its hinges. Denaux and I looked sharply at each other. ¡°Lead the way,¡± I flagged him up the stairs, ¡°watch out for any Legos.¡± ¡°Hah hah!¡± Denaux laughed mockingly in a high pitch as he ascended the roughshod steps, creaking all the way up. RARGH! The zombies cried as they spilled into the adjacent room, scrambling over each other like a small tidal wave of mangled flesh. I bolted up the stairs, them hot on my tail, before I felt a balmy hand wrap around my ankle, halfway up. Looking down, I saw the mass piling up the steps, and one had latched onto me. With a swift kick, my foot exploded straight through its snarling face, splattering viscous brains and dark goo along the walls, before hurtling back up to follow Denaux, with his hand outstretched towards me. I could feel that familiar power coursing through my veins, was this it at work? I looked back down to see the zombies detached hand still clenched around my ankle, before tearing it off, and whipping it behind me, striking another zombie in the face and sending it reeling all the way back down. Grabbing Denaux''s hand, he pulled me down a short hall and turned into a side bedroom, passing by dusty family pictures showing a happy young boy and his loving parents on a porch swing outside the property. It hurt my soul and surely Denaux''s, even though he wasn''t focused on it at the moment. Swinging into Denaux''s old room we slammed the door, locking it behind us, and pulled over a dresser to lodge against the frame. I moved past an unfocused Denaux and headed towards the window, which showed a long slope of rooftop descending at a slight gradient down the opposite side of the house, and placed my hands on the lip to yank the window up. ¡°Don''t remember having this in my room,¡± Denaux said, his leather-bound book firmly entrenched under his arm as he approached something sitting on his desk. ¡°What?¡± I said, turning and looking at him. A large shrunken head sat there, its eyes sewn shut, hair tied up over its little green hued dried out face, just like you''d see in the movies. ¡°No, I don''t like this none,¡± he reached to touch it. ¡°Denaux,¡± I urged, ¡°c''mon.¡± ¡°This don''t feel right, ch¨¨re.¡± He stood, mesmerized by the oddity. Slowly, a huge shadow eclipsed me through the window, a low growling accompanying it. I turned to register it, my eyes widening. ¡°No, I don''t like this either,¡± I softened, as the visage of the bloodthirsty werewolf, Isaac Brimstone, towered over me. 10. A Tap At The Window The razor sharp fangs of Isaac Brimstone bore in an open maw just beyond the window pane. ¡°You have something that is not yours,¡± his voice quaked, the room''s bearings reverberated with each hanging of a word. I stepped back, startled that he could speak while in form. ¡°And you fell right into my trap!¡± I shouted back, side eyeing Denaux, who nervously glanced back at me. ¡°Look around, girl,¡± Isaac exhaled an airy breath from his nostrils, ¡°the caged one is not I.¡± The feverish banging continued its raid upon the bedroom door behind us, the pine trembling at its hinges, while the screeching for blood stayed ever present. ¡°Pray tell,¡± Isaac ran a jagged claw menacingly along the window, seemingly tracing the outline of my body, while sending the glass weeping in pain, like nails on a chalkboard, ¡°What was this plan of yours?¡± I hesitated, looking back at Denaux again, before fumbling for that bracelet of Isaac''s. ¡°Do tell indeed, ch¨¨re!¡± Denaux added, keeping a close eye, and ear, on the door. ¡°We need your help!¡± I said, brandishing the bracelet, letting it hang down in glimmering moonlight faintly glowing behind the beast. ¡°Oh, that is evident.¡± The dark chuckle came back. ¡°And why should I not just leave you and retrieve what''s mine from your corpse?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Because we want the same thing!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He growled. ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Vengeance.¡± I boomed. ¡°Against that bastard murderer, Perrault.¡± I gripped the bracelet, baring my own teeth. ¡°I don''t need two weaklings for help in my crusade.¡± ¡°What if we have information that might help you?¡± I cut him off, reaching for anything, any idea, and pulling out the vial I snagged from the zombie in the field earlier. Isaac''s eyes narrowed, his red eyes glowing suspiciously. ¡°Something bigger than you can imagine is going on here. You can''t tell me you don''t want to know. Hell, it might even give you an edge over him.¡± Denaux''s eyes also widened in confusion, as he mouthed, ¡°what?¡± The strain on the door became loudly pronounced behind us, each fiber of the dilapidated wood pressing to its limits, counting down the seconds we had to remain safely intact. ¡°Well...¡± I stood firm, ¡°your answer?¡± Isaac held still. The edges of his mouth twitching with resentful thoughts. ¡°MOVE.¡± Before I could even process, Isaac barreled through the window, spiraling in as shards of glass flew everywhere, his fur brushing past my cheek as he collided with zombies who burst in, flooding over the broken door frame that had just snapped clean in half. Slicing and dicing, Isaac shredded the unread legions as Deanux and I stood in shock. ¡°GO,¡± Isaac commanded. ¡°I''ll find you. We''ll talk.¡± ¡°Don''t have to tell me twice,¡± Denaux said, scuttling to the window and trying to brush off pieces of standing glass with his photo book. I stared for a moment longer before nodding in affirmation, and headed to the window. ¡°Allow me,¡± I said, swiping the glass shards away with my bare hand, with little pain, and helping hoist Denaux up and over. ¡°Smart thinking, ch¨¨re,¡± he whispered. ¡°We''ll see,¡± I said, looking back at the carnage being inflicted by Isaac before climbing out. As I slipped onto the roof-side, I looked back once more and spotted something peculiar. The eyes on the shrunken head were now fully open, staring straight at me. An eerie chill crawled down my spine. Shaking it off, I went forth with Denaux...but couldn''t help the feeling of something ominous...dangerous...was occurring just beyond our comprehension at that very moment. 11. Clowning Around Moonlight sliced through the double-pane glass of the multi level penthouse perched high atop the city of New Orleans. It filtered across a pristine glass table in an ultra modern room, adorned with two-tone floors of black and white, and exotic pieces, such as wooden tribal masks and curiosities draped along the walls of the wide open space. One particular oddity was seated atop the table, its eyes shrieking open, screaming silently in recognition, as a suited young man sat in front of it, grasping the shrunken head, with his eyes closed. Suddenly, the man''s eyes shot open over his sunken cheeks, as he pushed his chair out, snatched the head, and carried it delicately, two hands underneath, his meek frame swiftly walking throughout the compound. Passing by other suited men guarding entry ways, the man clopped up a spiral staircase into another overlook, and entered a study at the top. ¡°And why should we sell?¡± A big southern businessman, wearing an over-sized lightly tan Texas suit, a bolo, and a cowboy hat, guffawed, chewing down on a big cigar absentmindedly, while tossing darts with blatant inaccuracy at a large dartboard across the way. ¡°The slaughterhouse produces ample streams of revenue. Make me a better offer,¡± he bragged. ¡°Mr. Perrault...¡± said a bespectacled man with short cropped hair, a pristine white button up shirt tucked in, and sleeves neatly rolled to his elbows, as he turned to face a large oaken desk sat in front of an octagonal glass window. A curly mop of gray hair sat behind the desk, gazing out of the window. ¡°Has made his offer,¡± the bespectacled man continued, his eyes darting from the curly figure behind the desk to the suited man entering. ¡°Lyle,¡±the bespectacled man groaned, ¡°we''re conducting business.¡± ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Callum,¡± Lyle said, ¡°Mr. Perrault needs to see this.¡± ¡°JEE-SUS,¡± the southern businessman hollered, spotting the shrunken head, ¡°I''d heard you people were freaks, but this...¡± he snickered, spouting out a column of smoke, ¡°this is something else.¡± Mr. Callum titled his small wire frame glasses to acknowledge the shrunken head, and nodded resolutely. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A hand rose from behind the desk, with a lone singular wave beckoning to come forward. ¡°Listen here,¡± the southern businessman croaked, ¡°if you don''t want the land, someone else will pony up for it!¡± Everyone disregarded the qualms as Lyle approached the desk and set the shrunken head down on gently, before stepping backwards. A squeaky wheel screeched at the chair revolved to offer the ghastly white face of Hugo Perrault, his manic eyes inspecting the shrunken head, while his arms outstretched in a black suit with moderately sized white polka dots dispersed all throughout it. Perrault silently clasped his hands on its temples, as his eyes rolled back into his skull. The southern businessman watched, mouth agape, as ash fell from his lit cigar, trickling onto his suit unabated. After a long moment, Perrault''s eyes rolled back. ¡°See,¡± Lyle said, ¡°unwanted visitors...the wolf, the shaman, and the dead girl...working together?¡± Perrault glared at Lyle, unblinking. ¡°I''ve had enough,¡± the southern businessman hissed. ¡°The deal''s off!¡± He hurled his smoking cigar on the floor and readjusted his hat. Perrault''s eyes fell upon the cigar, unmoving. Callum sighed. ¡°That is unfortunate. You see, this...was a courtesy. We gave you an offer. A chance to do the right thing. ¡°Are you threatening me!?¡± The southern businessman marched up to Callum, grabbing his collar. ¡°There is a duality to all decisions,¡± Callum continued, ¡°yet the outcome is always determined. Perhaps this outcome could''ve been more favorable for you...but you made that decision all your own.¡± Suddenly, two musclebound guards waltzed into the room and grabbed the businessman, jostling with him. ¡°Hey! What is this!?¡± he huffed, struggling against the two larger men, but failing against their massive bodies. Perrault reached into his desk and pulled out a small case, cracking it open with ease, as the guards pulled the southern businessman''s head to the dartboard, slamming it back and sending the darts rattling to the floor. Perrault swiveled out of his chair and unveiled his own set of darts as he rounded the table, offering Callum''s outstretched hand to hold the box as he picked out a thick dart with razor sharp serrations lining its bladed edge. ¡°The aims of Mr. Perrault are beyond your qualifications. However,¡± Callum said, cracking his lips in slight bemusement, ¡°he usually aims for the eyes first.¡± ¡°No, wait!¡± The southern businessman cried, as the guards held tight, prying his eyes open with their free hands. Hugo Perrault brandished an inhumanly sardonic grin from ear to ear, his eyes alight with insane delight. ¡°Thank you for doing business,¡± Callum said. ¡°NOOOO!¡± Screams echoed throughout the compound, while the mad harlequin cackled jovially in the night. 12. Nights Watch ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked with wonder, climbing up a weathered old rope ladder and peaking my head through into the spacious tree house that looked out over the farmhouse from the hillside. ¡°My old secret hideout,¡± Denaux said, dusting off the photo book that he brought back from the house and setting it on a rickety old table. ¡°My Pa helped me build it.¡± ¡°It''s...¡± I breathed in, taking in the shocking magnitude of its size, ¡°It''s impressive.¡± ¡°You ain''t the first person to say that about my big piece O'' wood,¡± Denaux chuckled, slapping his knee. ¡°Ew, gross,¡± I said. ¡°I should''ve left you back down there.¡± ¡°But ch¨¨re, who would make you laugh?¡± ¡°That''s a good point, we really should find someone who can do that.¡± ¡°Ch¨¨re!¡± He laughed. I leaned on a creaky board that loosened as I sat up. ¡°Please don''t tell me you have magazines hidden underneath here.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t call ''Playgirl'' just a magazine, more like sophisticated periodicals.¡± I couldn''t help but crack a smile, as I shook my head. ¡°Every hero needs their secret lair,¡± Denaux added solemnly. ¡°I''ve grown out of it a bit and built my own with The Cat''s Cradle, but it''s nice to know something is still standing that we built together.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Hey,¡± I rested a hand on his leg, ¡°your parents built you, and you''re still standing.¡± A smile crossed his face. ¡°You sure do got a way with words, ch¨¨re." ¡°Not sure I''d go that far,¡± I said, ¡°but I got a way with hands,¡± I continued, pulling out the vial from the farmhouse vines. ¡°You plucked that off the zombies down there?¡± ¡°That''s right, squeezing out from a sapping,¡± I held it up, inspecting it under what little moonlight cut through the trees and the largely torn open roof. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± ¡°That''s the question of the hour,¡± Denaux said, stepping away from his photo book and peering closely at the vial. I popped open the top and let him have a look inside. ¡°Perrault''s been building an army, scooping up land, and now he''s harvesting. Whatever it is, it sure ain''t good.¡± ¡°Don''t we have some type of lab or something?¡± Denaux forced his hands on his hips and raised his brow. ¡°Ch¨¨re.¡± ¡°You''re the one who''s doing all this secret lair superhero talk!¡± ¡°I run a club, ch¨¨re, not a science lab.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± a huge shadow eclipsed the moon overhead, as a booming voice bellowed above us. ¡°I can be of assistance in that area.¡± The bloodied frame of the werewolf himself, Isaac Brimstone, came into focus, his matted fur stained red and black. Immediately, my heart strings tugged, but I wasn''t sure why. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°My blood, this is not. I could add some more to the palette,¡± he continued, ¡°If I''m not pleased with this talk.¡± ¡°Why are you so opposed to working as a team?¡± I hissed. ¡°I work best alone...¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± I huffed. ¡°What about my family,¡± his teeth gnashed together. ¡°We know all about them,¡± I pulled out his bracelet and tossed it on the floor. ¡°You don''t know anything about my family, you petulant child.¡± ¡°Before everyone gets too heated,¡± Denaux stepped in between us, ¡°maybe we should talk about a partnership for the time being. You said something about having access to a lab? See what we have to offer before cutting us out. Might realize that ya need us.¡± Isaac''s eyes rolled back and forth between us. ¡°Give me the vial.¡± ¡°That,¡± I put my foot down, ¡°I won''t do. Give us a location.¡± ¡°I could just take it from you.¡± ¡°And risk me breaking it, I think not.¡± Isaac exhaled in frustration. ¡°You know all about me, then come find me tomorrow...and don''t dare wake me early.¡± ¡°That, we can do,¡± Denaux said, nodding his head profusely. Isaac glared intently, and I met his gaze in turn, before he turned his back on us, growling. ¡°Do not disappoint me.¡± 13. Fit For Kings ¡°The Castle,¡± Denaux looked up in awe at the gothic pointed spires of the modern tower, scraping the heavens of downtown New Orleans, blotting out the sun struggling to rise from behind the its mammoth structure. ¡°The illustrious abode of the Brimstone family.¡± ¡°What''d they do?¡± I asked, smoothing out my tattered leather jacket over a casual off-white tank and jeans.¡± ¡°They''re old money, ch¨¨re.¡± ¡°What''d they do to make it thought?¡± ¡°Take,¡± Denaux''s tone shifted with gravity, as he stood, his vibrantly patterned tunic blowing in the wind over a pair of gray photographer pants, and wide black sunglasses, but shoe-less, always. ¡°Can I help you?¡± A suited man cut in, an edge to his voice. ¡°We have a meeting with Mr. Brimstone,¡± Denaux said. ¡°Which Mr. Brimstone?¡± ¡°Isaac,¡± I jumped in. ¡°He''s expecting us.¡± The man looked me up and down. ¡°He often expects your ilk.¡± ¡°Excuse me!¡± I fired up, as the man retreated to a desk inside the open ornately finished double doors, and mouthed words over the phone for a minute, before flagging us over. ¡°Keep ya cool, ch¨¨re,¡± Denaux poked my sides. ¡°I am...¡± I growled, ¡°cool.¡± Denaux shook his head and sashayed past me, as the man escorted us past some desk security and filed us into a gold trimmed elevator, before pressing for floor 23. The ride was smooth and efficient, as we ascended rapidly. The doors opened just as quickly, and we were ushered out into a wide open area, sparsely decorated with modern white couches, and many empty walls. It was definitely a man''s space. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Mr. Brimstone will be with you shortly,¡± the man droned on, before returning to the elevator and disappearing behind its doors and thusly descended in an orderly fashion. ¡°Not a bad place,¡± Denaux said, wide eyed, tipping his glasses, as he ran a finger across an oaken entryway table, and inspected his finger for dust. ¡°Must have a good maid,¡± he chuckled quietly. ¡°Is it that difficult to comprehend that a man can keep his own trappings held to a standard?¡± The shirtless Isaac entered, a towel draped partially over her post shower glistening chest, his messy wet curls with a loose matte over his scowling eyes, as he waltzed in, barefoot, black sweatpants tightly affixed around his waist. ¡°What a warm welcome,¡± I groaned, reaching into my jacket pocket and unveiled his bracelet. ¡°Here,¡± I added, tossing it in his direction haphazardly. Isaac moved quickly, to snatch it out of the air. ¡°Hey, what are you thinking!¡± He cradled it gently in his spiked rage. ¡°This is an heirloom.¡± His fist closed around it tightly. ¡°Maybe you shouldn''t have lost it in the first place,¡± I mumbled, hands slipping back into my jacket pockets. ¡°You tow a fine line, a common thief with the tongue of a viper.¡± He sneered at me. ¡°Can we drop this whole snooty talk,¡± I said, ¡°I''m real tired of your attitude.¡± ¡°The feeling is mutual,¡± he glared. ¡°Hold up, hold up,¡± Denaux stepped in, ¡°that''s not why we formed this group.¡± ¡°This isn''t a group,¡± Isaac and I jumped on him at the same time. ¡°Not yet,¡± Denaux beckoned. ¡°As a team, we can unearth Perrault''s plan, and take him down.¡± Denaux reached into his pocket and revealed the vial from the farm. ¡°Now, you said you could analyze this?¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°Yes, that is correct,¡± he walked over and reached for it. Denaux pulled back. ¡°This is the only one we have, remember? Just want to make sure it''s not going to waste.¡± ¡°That''s why you''re here,¡± Isaac affirmed, ¡°I''m not in the mood for games. Our lab in the basement can evaluate its properties.¡± ¡°You have a lab in the basement?¡± I asked. Isaac stared in silence at me. ¡°Yes, our business is plentiful and varied.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m sure,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Annabelle!¡± Denaux chided, speaking my name, which showed how serious he was. Denaux turned back to Isaac and handed over the vial. ¡°How quickly do your lab rats scurry?¡± ¡°My...technicians are skillful and prolific, you have no need to question their efficiency.¡± ¡°So this afternoon?¡± I asked. Isaac rolled his dark, intoxicating eyes back in my direction. ¡°Yes.¡± Frustration seemed to well up within his beating chest. ¡°I see no value in this endeavor otherwise. What does a partnership offer me?¡± Denaux stood in silence for a moment. ¡°Well...you have the finest shaman in all the bayou and ch¨¨re here is...¡± he trailed off in thought. ¡°I''m tough,¡± I hammered in. Isaac cracked a smile. ¡°Is that right, dead girl?¡± ¡°Don''t call me girl,¡± I marched up to him. ¡°I''ll put you down like the dog you are!¡± Isaac grimaced and got in my face, looking me over, his eyes bouncing to my lips and back to my eyes. His scent was overpowering, a masculine sandalwood entering my senses. ¡°Then prove it,¡± he commanded. ¡°Best me in combat, pin me, and I''ll work with you.¡± ¡°Uh, ch¨¨re?¡± Denaux moved forward, his hands up in the air in a minor state of frenzy, ¡°I''m not sure about this.¡± ¡°You''re on,¡± I smirked. ¡°When?¡± Isaac smiled. ¡°Now.¡± 14. Trial By Combat ¡°Go get ''em ch¨¨re!¡± Denaux pumped his fist in the air, but retracted it sheepishly as I flipped onto my back at a failed lunge, while Isaac had effortlessly parried and sent me tumbling with a flick of the wrist and a well placed foot. The firm blue mat beneath my head was unforgiving, but enough to pad any fall like the softest brick you''d ever met. I saw stars float in the air, with a pristine, equipment filled gym in the massive background of floor 17. The entirety of the floor was a facility that put the Saints to shame, offering every type of workout machine you could desire, along with a training and rehab room, a steam room, cold plunge, and even a hot tub. Whether anyone could get usage out of this room, besides a few people in the Brimstone family, was uncertain to me, until Isaac''s shirtless and glistening body waltzed into my light and cast a shadow over me. ¡°Do you yield?¡± Isaac''s brow bounced in chuffed amusement. ¡°So Soon?¡± Rolling over and pounding my fists against the mat, I pushed off and attempted to missile myself in his direction, feet first, which he sidestepped easily, while I scrambled back to my feet. Pouncing forward, I swiped and clawed with every ounce of effort, unable to land even a finger on him, or his smugly handsome face. It enraged me that he saw this a little dalliance in his day. ¡°Can we keep this brief?¡± He smirked, ¡°I''m a busy man.¡± That set my blood boiling. ¡°Do you even want to beat Perrault?¡± I barked. ¡°Or is everything just a game to you?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°On the contrary,¡± Isaac quelled the thought, ¡°I take this endeavor very seriously. You...however...¡± he grinned, ¡°not so much.¡± Fury spiked within me, the blackened blood rapidly coursing through my veins. It felt as though the fluorescents became fuzzier overhead, as if I could see their very particles of light painting the canvas around us, things slowing down...or was I...speeding up? Turning on the jets, I leaped forward, slashing at him and tearing pieces from loose shorts. Suddenly, his eyes turned serious, as he retreated with haste, all the muscles in his shirtless physique tightening. ¡°Not laughing now,¡± I growled, as I began to lose my bearings, finding a voice deepening with guttural inflection. ¡°Anna!¡± Denaux shouted, ¡°you''re losing control!¡± Whipping around, I glared at Denaux across the way, bearing razor sharp eyes, but clear unwieldy vision. ¡°Wrong! This is control!¡± I cackled maliciously, as I charged him. ¡°Not today!¡± Denaux chided, reaching into his tunic, while mumbling some mantra. ¡°Clear eyes, clear soul,¡± he eschewed, grabbing a fistful of glimmering beige dust and blowing it in my direction, as I closed on him. ¡°Agh!¡± I screeched in a blinded stupor as the singing sandstorm hit my eyes. I swiped with errant disregard, and connecting. Suddenly, my eyes burst open to find torn flesh and a freed mind. ¡°Oh god,¡± I softened, watching blood leak from a chiseled abdomen. Isaac had jumped in front of Denaux, protecting him, and now had his hands wrapped around my wrists as they held in the air before me. ¡°Oh god!¡± I cried softly. ¡°No,¡± I mouthed. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I whispered, black teardrops forming in at the edges of my eyes and trickling down my face. Isaac fell to one knee and groaned as he toppled over to the side. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I repeated absentmindedly, while I huddled over him. ¡°I didn''t mean to,¡± I bawled, hyperventilating, ¡°we need help!¡± I looked at Denaux, who was already on the phone to the desk. ¡°Congrats,¡± Isaac coughed up. ¡°What?¡± I said, sniffling. ¡°On your win...¡± he forced a pained grin, before shutting his eyes. ¡°Anna...¡± ¡°Wait...¡± I grasped his face with my hands. ¡°Help!¡± 15. The Brothers Brimstone ¡°Isaac!¡± I cried, cradling his head, ¡°wake up!¡± Blackened tears dripped down my cheeks and splattered across his chest, painting his canvas with despair. BING! The elevator doors thrust open. ¡°What''s all this?¡± A stringy voice chimed in with laughter, snickering loudly. ¡°We agreed upon halting extraneous activities in the gym,¡± another voice bellowed. ¡°You know how hard that is for Treven here.¡± ¡°I just like those fitness freaks, what can I say?¡± Treven remarked, his long, effortlessly straight hair hanging messily back in an bun just past his shoulders, draped above a gray henley and dark joggers. ¡°And they just love me,¡± he grinned, shooting a wink in my direction. ¡°We know,¡± the other man retorted, his expression tired, but growing serious, as he marched forward in a three piece suit, all black on black, with a pocket watch stretching down from his breast pocket as he removed his jacket. The man, with his short spiky crop of hair, and tight fade, rolled up the sleeves of his black collared shirt to reveal another bracelet, just like Isaac''s. ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Treven groaned, dragging his feet, ¡°I''m so tired from last night though.¡± ¡°Listen to your elders,¡± the other man fired back, his voice always monotone. ¡°Elder,¡± Treven corrected, with a wry look, ¡°there''s only one standing right now.¡± The other man glared. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Fine, Callum,¡± Treven relented, rolling ups his own sleeve and unveiling another bracelet as the two approached. ¡°Please stand back,¡± Callum said dryly, as the men knelt beside Isaac, while I shuffled slightly back. Presenting their forearms, the two men suddenly extended their nails into sharpened claws of the wolf and pierced their own skin, letting crimson blood trickle down over Isaac''s wounds. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, in a heightened state of confusion. ¡°A simple transfusion,¡± Callum affirmed. ¡°This bracelet. The moon need not hang high for us without it. A certain degree of control comes with it. A necessary degree of control. Without it...we are but slaves to nature.¡± I noticed Isaac''s wrist, barren without the bracelet I''d just brought back, while the other two wore their own around bloodied limbs. It felt like even more of my fault at that moment. And just like that, the wounds on Isaac''s chest started growing smaller and closing up with slowed rapidity. ¡°That''s...that''s incredible,¡± I sniffled in bewildered amazement. ¡°And you,¡± Callum started up, ¡°you did this?¡± Stuttering, I felt on edge. ¡°I...I didn''t mean to.¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Callum remarked. ¡°A sentient and powerful reborn.¡± ¡°The work of yours truly,¡± Denaux chimed in. ¡°Denaux--¡± ¡°LaForge,¡± Callum cut in. ¡°Yes, we''re aware of you, Mr. LaForge.¡± Denaux''s eyes widened at the response. ¡°Huh?¡± I tilted my head in confusion. Treven chuckled and slapped Isaac across the face playfully. ¡°Wake up, brother.¡± ¡°We''ve been tracking your activities for quite some time, Mr. LaForge...but you,¡± Callum looked at me with dark eyes, ¡°You''ve made quite an impression as well...Miss Crowley. Our brother has kept us well informed of that.¡± ¡°He''s mentioned me?¡± ¡°Don''t let his tough exterior fool you,¡± Treven laughed, ¡°he''s a sweetheart.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Isaac swiped Treven''s hands away. ¡°Leave me be.¡± ¡°Isaac!¡± I yelped, closing on him in a tight embrace, and feeling my heart beat for what felt like the first time in a long time. What was happening to me? I hated this man...right? ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned, wincing in pain. ¡°Sorry,¡± I uttered, inching back, and forgetting everything that had happened prior. ¡°Ready up,¡± Callum looked at Isaac, ¡°we''ll not let you recuse yourself, brother. There''s work at hand." Callum patted Isaac on the shoulder. "Still, you''ve done well here.¡± Tilting my head, I grew even more confused. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°We have much to discuss,¡± Callum said, ¡°but first, a trip to the lab. The results are in. Let''s have a look...shall we?¡± 16. Compound ¡°The analysis shows a compound comprised of a powerful sedative and methamphetamine,¡± Callum said, eying a printable readout from a pristine machine in the basement lab, gleaming with a sterile abundance of high tech equipment, and white coated research technicians scurrying around with their own work. ¡°Quite the concoction,¡± Denaux followed up. ¡°How are they growing it?¡± I asked. ¡°Furthermore,¡± Isaac jumped in, looking at Denaux, ¡°Where is it showing up?¡± Denaux shrugged, ¡°I''d know if this candy was on the streets, in my joint, babe.¡± ¡°Perhaps it hasn''t been introduced yet,¡± Callum asserted. ¡°Why are we so certain they''ll put it in the community?¡± I craned my head, trying to look at the results page. ¡°This is his M.O., ch¨¨re, he enslaves and kills. No better way than hooking up the folks no one notices no how,¡± Denaux said. ¡°It''s easy peasy.¡± ¡°Once this hits the streets,¡± Isaac mumbled gravely, twirling the remaining liquid in a new vial, ¡°bedlam.¡± ¡°This seems too easy,¡± Callum stroked his chin. ¡°I''ll check further on any recent public acquisitions Perrault has made.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I cut in, ¡°we still don''t know what''s even going on here,¡± I motioned my wide arms in circles to encompass everything going on. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Simple,¡± Treven sounded off, lounging back in a swivel chair like a child at play, ¡°you were tested after Isaac saw your strength,¡± he smirked. ¡°Guess what? You passed.¡± I felt my blood starting to boil again, as I clenched my fist. ¡°So, I''m just a tool? That''s it?¡± ¡°It''s nothing like that,¡± Isaac spoke up. ¡°In the cemetery, I sensed something. I saw something special. It was a chance encounter, nothing more.¡± I shied away from Isaac''s reaching hand. ¡°I don''t know what''s going on anymore. I just want a straight answer!¡± My emotions were unraveling, still heightened from earlier. ¡°This battle,¡± Callum said, ¡°has been waged for generations. He took our Great Grandfather...our Mother...and many more. A war fought in the shadows. For everyone''s safety. You may be the key to ending this all.¡± ¡°I..I need some air,¡± I flustered about, turning for the elevator. ¡°What air?¡± Treven laughed, ¡°you''re a dead girl.¡± ¡°Treven!¡± Isaac yelled, pushing him over and sending him spilling to the floor, cackling all the way down. I shook my head and stormed off. ¡°Wait, Anna!¡± Isaac moved forward, but was held back by an outstretched arm from Callum. ¡°Let her go,¡± Callum said, ¡°she needs this.¡± ¡°Ch¨¨re,¡± Denaux walked to follow in pursuit. ¡°Mr. LaForge,¡± Callum chided, ¡°we request your presence as well. A plan of action needs to be put in place.¡± Denaux watched on, forlorn, as I glanced back, before exiting. ¡°I assure you,¡± Callum continued, ¡°nothing happens to her.¡± He nodded at Isaac, who clenched his fists in frustration. ¡°You fool,¡± Isaac whipped around and yanked a giggling Treven off the floor, his collar outstretched. ¡°Progress was at hand!¡± Denaux raised his eyes, questioningly. ¡°Feelings brother?¡± Treven smirked. "That''s so unlike you.¡± WHAM! Isaac struck Treven in the face, his fist recoiling with specks of blood splattering off it. ¡°Now boys,¡± Denaux chimed in, ¡°this is a place of business.¡± ¡°Composure is the word,¡± Callum stepped in, pressing a finger against Isaac''s chest and pointing him backwards. ¡°Your budding feelings for the girl notwithstanding,¡± as he ushered Denaux forward. ¡°Pick yourself up brother,¡± he droned on, looking straight ahead, ¡°It''s unbecoming of a Brimstone to hold such a position.¡± Treven spat blood and forced himself up. ¡°Nice to see a little of that old fire back in you,¡± he patted Isaac on the chest, and adjusted his clothes, smoothing them out. ¡°Now, Mr. LaForge,¡± Callum started up again, his tone shifting gravely, ¡°there''s something I''d like a man of your talents...to see.¡± 17. Retracing Steps Wandering underneath the orange hued streetlamps, I found myself walking for ages, barely a thought crossing my mind, while the darkened skies loomed quietly above. It felt serene, taking the solitude that came with such a lonesome night time stroll. I tried to hold down my anger at the Brimstone brothers, and remind myself that we were all on the same team, surely, but that feeling of betrayal, even if slight, still stung, especially with Isaac. I''d assumed that I hated this man, and everything he''d put us through so far. I''d felt fear, rage, and some other feelings that I''d prefer not to think about at the moment, all due to him. Yet...maybe I was being a little hard on him, as he was just trying to help his family, and the family of New Orleans as well. I wish I could talk to him alone...maybe hash things out. Just not yet. A gust of cold air raced forward, unnaturally, and stopped me in my tracks with a chill. I stopped and looked around at the closely connected apartments hunched over the streets, watching me through their brownstone-esque facades, while sparse trees shaded me from their cold gaze. I didn''t know how I''d found myself here, but I felt a sense of peace as I stopped in front of a red bricked building, lingering for some reason. Suddenly, flashing lights coalesced within my vision and I was somewhere else...no, the same place...just a different time. I found myself watching on as my spitting image cracked open the large brown doors up the steps across from me and appeared, descending down those same steps in a pair of large red heels, clacking then onto the sidewalk. It was me! The image wore a thin black dress with hints of red and a tight black fur jacket covering my upper half. Was I chic? I wondered as the image looked immaculate, down to the sharp crimson lipstick to match the outfit. ¡°Hey!¡± I couldn''t help but speak to my image, waving at her. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Hey,¡± she smiled warmly, clutching a purse at her waist. My eyes widened. ¡°You can hear--¡± ¡°A beautiful night for a beautiful woman,¡± cut in a a smooth voice, as a dark haired and fit man waltzed up to my image, garbed in a charcoal pea coat and formal slacks below. ¡°Oh...¡± I quieted. ¡°A pleasure to see you again, Annabelle,¡± the man said, embracing my image. ¡°The pleasure''s all mine, Mr. Martinson,¡± my image swooned. ¡°Tyler,¡± he said, pulling back and kissing my hand. ¡°No need for such formalities where we''re going.¡± ¡°Won''t you tell me?¡± I teased. ¡°You might not get a 5th date if you miss the mark,¡± I winked. ¡°There parties are secretive,¡± he turned me around to walk away with him. ¡°Not even a little hint?¡± My image begged, clutching his arm and hanging on tightly. Tyler grinned. ¡°Dockside, Warehouse 7, that''s all I''ll say.¡± He mocked zipping his lips. FLASH! The blinding light rolled over my eyes and sent me into a state of disorientation as I fell backwards and crashed hard along the steps, slicing my hand and drawing some blackened blood, while I returned to the present. ¡°Ugh,¡± I moaned, holding my hand, while shaking my head, trying to bring myself back from the muted tones of...the past? Could that have been real? I sat in thought for a moment. I had a looming feeling of dread for that girl. No, that was me! I had to remind myself. Was that the night I died? I firmly pressed my palm to stop the bleeding, before a white handkerchief entered my vision. Looking up, I found a man with short cropped hair, sporting a white buttoned up shirt. A harsh white glare bounced off both lenses of his wiry spectacles. A thin smile appeared on the man''s face, before he spoke. ¡°Well now miss, it looks like you could use a hand.¡± 18. A Guide Through Darkness ¡°Th-thank you,¡± I stammered, pushing off the ground and accepting the man''s handkerchief, applying some pressure to the cut. ¡°Oh, I''m sorry,¡± I added, acknowledging that I had forever ruined his crisp white handkerchief with a dash...no...a heap of red. ¡°I didn''t mean to--¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± he brushed the notion aside, ¡°I have more than I''d ever need,¡± he smiled. ¡°Some are just right up those steps,¡± he pointed to the apartment building firmly planted behind me, ¡°if you need more, that is?¡± ¡°You live here?¡± I asked, looking back at the red bricked building. ¡°Well,¡± the man bobbled his head from side to side, ¡°In ways. My employer owns the building. I act as more of a...caretaker to his devices...to his properties.¡± Hmm...I thought, maybe I could use this as an opportunity to learn more about my old life. ¡°I uh,¡± I stumbled, ¡°I used to have a friend that lived here.¡± ¡°Oh, is that right?¡± ¡°She''s gone now though...Annabelle Crowley.¡± ¡°I''m so sorry for your loss,¡± the man frowned. ¡°It''s been tough,¡± I shared in somber reflection. ¡°I sometimes come here and wish I could see her place one last time, for closure. So many memories...¡± I trailed off. The man looked up at the building and nodded to himself slowly. ¡°I could lose my position for something like that...¡± he started up, ¡°but I understand loss," he adjusted his glasses in thought, "perhaps just once.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Why thank you!¡± I beamed, clutching my hands together with the handkerchief stuck between them. ¡°You don''t know what this means to me!¡± ¡°Quite the contrary, my dear,¡± he muttered as he turned to walk up to the door. ¡°One thing,¡± he continued, ¡°what is your name, per chance?¡± He turned to look back, as he inserted a golden skeleton key and twisted it, unlocking the big brown doors with a resolute click and boom. ¡°Uh,¡± I stuttered, ¡°Kensie Stark.¡± ¡°Well met, Miss Stark,¡± he smiled through pursed lips. ¡°I am Winston Callum Bricksley The 3rd, but you may call me Mr. Callum.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I said, astonished, ¡°you''re not the first Callum I''ve met tonight.¡± ¡°Well now, isn''t that peculiar,¡± he grinned. ¡°Perhaps we are bonded by blood.¡± My head tilted in thought as I took in the strange words of his, an almost malevolent spark in his eyes. I must have been imagining things. ¡°Thank you...Winston,¡± I added, accidentally disregarding his preference. His face twitched with what looked like tensed rage, his eyes narrowing viciously, before returning to normal as he swiftly cracked the door open and disappeared inside. Hesitating, I quietly followed inside, not remembering anything of the winding steps and false regal fixtures of the building. I could hear Winston''s footsteps echoing up the stairwell far above, quick on his feet for such a slender, nonathletic looking man. ¡°Up this way,¡± he pronounced from the abyss. ¡°I followed up, fatigued, as if I had entered some bizarre malaise upon crossing through the precipice of the building, my head feeling heavy and my stomach churning violently. ¡°I don''t feel so good,¡± I said, winding up the ever revolving steps. ¡°A feeling all those who have lost...receive,¡± he whispered loudly back, ¡°come, not much further now.¡± I nodded, still not seeing him until I reached the proper landing, as it had felt like an endless climb. ¡°Here we are,¡± he said, motioning to Room 13. ¡°Lucky number,¡± he quipped. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he followed up, watching me woozily drift behind him. I nodded, loosely, floating, as I awaited the big moment. ¡°Compose yourself,¡± he clacked the key in and turned, with a mischievous grin. ¡°You know not what lies beyond.¡± 19. Waking Nightmare A powerful incense hit my senses, as I entered the dark, candle lit apartment. It was filled with lit candles throughout the otherwise barren and drab emptiness, lining the hallways and up against the brick interior wall in the living room. They glowed faintly and ominously, almost luring me through the apartment in a trance. I examined the small bathroom, and the cracked walls of each room, in a dull haze, unable to process what was even occurring in my own mind. ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, my brain still foggy as I slurred my words, looking around at the empty space, and unable to flash back any memories within its walls. ¡°Oh Miss Crowley,¡± Winston said, his tone shifting menacingly. ¡°The one that got away. Mr. Perrault will be thrilled to see you again.¡± ¡°Perrault?¡± I repeated, his name slithering out of my mouth like food from an engorged snake, while my eyes widened with recognition at the name he said. My name. ¡°I¡ªI--,¡± I stuttered, ¡°My name ''s Kensie, remember? You''re mistaken.¡± ¡°No need to play coy any longer,¡± Winston grinned, his yellowed teeth glowing and cutting through the darkness. ¡°We''ve both dropped the facade now. What a web you''ve stumbled into little fly. You haven''t a clue what''s taking place. The spell you''re under. Once you passed through those doors downstairs, the barrier, you lost everything. Those blood candles only further disorient your lapsed state. Oh, to have all that unbridled power, and no mind to use it,¡± he cackled. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Suddenly, I noticed that the candles were glimmering with a crimson flame all throughout the red tinted apartment. ¡°You''ve been here for hours, my dear, unaware of the world''s machinations for you,¡± he continued on. ¡°But that ends now.¡± The front door creaked loudly down the hall, screeching with malicious intent. A long shadow cast down the wall, monstrous, as a slender figure approached. The flickering lights slowly illuminating a horrific cheshire grin on the white powdered face of the sadistic Hugo Perrault, sending shivers down my spine, my legs wobbling weakly. The polka dots on his suit enveloped me in the abyss, just like the blackness of his all-consuming and unhinged eyes as they lay affixed on me, a modern day Nosferatu. The Mad Harlequin himself. Terror wound tightly in my chest, as I backed up step by step, while he approached in suit, his hands raised with villainous intent, ready to snatch and grab when the opportunity arose. ¡°There''s no need to worry, Miss Crowley,¡± Winston said, readjusting his glasses. ¡°Mr. Perrault is just retaking what is rightfully his. Had we known what you were beforehand, we wouldn''t have left this in lesser hands. Things have changed though, and you are worthy of his grace.¡± I mumbled incoherently, while trembling, trying to will forward my powers, but unable to invoke anything. ¡°Doubtful you''ve ever seen a soul devoured?¡± Winston said. I bumped back into a brick wall beside a window, as Perault approached. No escape this time, while I remained frozen in fear. Perrault grew close, his hands blackening with a soot like aura growing from them, transforming into a hardened form like obsidian, jagged knife-like claws protruding from his hands, as he brought the sharpened tip of a claw up to my chin. I let out a single sob, as he traced it down my shirt to my chest and looked back up at me with a crazed grin, his eyes near exploding from their sockets. ¡°But I assure you...¡± Winston continued, with an evil smile all his own, ¡°It will be quite painful.¡± 20. Confrontation CRASH! A dark figure burst through the window beside me, and rolled into the candle lit apartment. Coming to a stop, its blackened claws raising poised towards a startled Winston, while the un-moving monster that was Hugo Perrault, remained still. ¡°Choose wisely,¡± growled the figure behind a tuft of darkened fur, as Isaac turned his menacingly wolf-ish mane up towards Perrault. ¡°Or lose your mouthpiece.¡± Isaac¡¯s claws glinted as they hovered near the neck of Winston. Hugo Perrault remained fixated on my chest, his eyes bulging still, his teeth chattering ever so slightly, almost violently, as they began to gnash, causing a slight screech, shrill in my ears. Perrault slowly retracted his own obsidian claw, as it took form into something else. Suddenly, Perrault whirled around, his arm now a long malformed blade, cleaving through the night. Issac leaped backwards, the blade shaving off some fur that lingered floating in the air, before the two sat at a standstill yet again. I remained frozen, watching it all go down. ¡°And so the game begins again,¡± Winston affixed his glasses. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since we¡¯ve seen each other, has it not...Isaac Brimstone?¡± ¡°Keep my name from your venomous tongue, cretin!¡± Isaac howled, tensing his legs, ready for action. ¡°Once your elder is eliminated,¡± Winston smiled, ¡°your name will added to my ever-growing namesake.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Isaac raged, charging, but darkened ooze like whips flipped from Perrault¡¯s hands, shooting forward and lashing Isaac back. ¡°I will be honored again, with more souls of the Brimstone family, by the master. Perhaps we will have the whole clan one day?¡± ¡°You monster!¡± Isaac charged forward again. Instantaneously, Perrault moved forward and clasped his enlarged blackened hand around the neck of Isaac, who thrashed and thralled, slicing the demonic puppeteer, but drawing no blood, just tears on his suit. ¡°Heel.¡± Perrault whispered, his soft stringy voice tenderly booming throughout the room, and sending chills down my spine. Isaac collapsed to one knee, being forced down, struggling to stand. ¡°No!¡± I raced forward, my mind feeling clear for one brief moment, and punched Perrault in the face. It felt as though energy was surging and spiraling throughout my body, as the mad harlequin released Isaac and slid back through the room, the wooden floorboards pulling up and crackling as he came to a stop, tugging them along on his heels right before impacting Winston. For the first time, a scowl came upon his sardonic face. It was truly unsettling. ¡°Now that,¡± Winston added, some surprise layered even within his voice, ¡°was an error, you will not make again.¡± Isaac regained his footing beside me, breathing heavily, as I put up my fists to fight. ¡°This is just too easy for Mr. Perrault,¡± Winston said, as his master looked at him briefly before buttoning up his suit and walking past him towards the door. ¡°You will suffer before you fall. If there is one thing Mr. Perrault excels at...it is enjoying the suffering. You¡¯d best to enjoy it as well. His attention is not to be wasted. Til then.¡± Winston waved at us jovially. ¡°No!¡± Isaac growled , lunging forward, before a purple miasma appeared and took the two monsters with it, while Isaac clutched at air, in frustration. ¡°Damn!¡± He cried out, pounding his fist on the mangled floorboards. ¡°Isaac!¡± I ran to him, running my hands through his hair and embracing him, a weird feeling, but it felt right, knowing that he is human after all. ¡°Thank you...for saving me.¡± ¡°It is you, I should thank. Your powers...saved me.¡± ¡°What was he talking about? With your souls, your names?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give me a chance earlier,¡± Isaac said, grimacing, ¡°it is time you learn about...The Curse of The Brimstones.¡± 21. The Curse Of The Brimstones ¡°Ah, Mr. Brimstone,¡± a neatly dressed older man, in a white collected shirt and brown suspenders with a graying comb over looked at us over sunken eyes in the dimly lit yet elegant speakeasy. ¡°The usual?¡± Isaac nodded, before turning to me, expectantly. I raised a brow. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What can I get you?¡± Isaac brooded. ¡°Why? Do I look like I need something?¡± Isaac raised his own brow, somewhat playfully, tilting his head with disbelief in my statement. I smirked. ¡°Something heavy.¡± ¡°W.L.W neat...¡±Isaac said, ¡°for the both of us.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I said aloud. ¡°Right away sir,¡± the bartender affirmed and got to work. ¡°Bourbon,¡± Isaac continued, ¡°said you wanted something heavy.¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± We sat in quiet for moments, unsure of what each of us should say, until our drinks arrived. Isaac, slipped a crisp hundred dollar bill from out of nowhere and folded it across, handing it to the bartender. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Thank you sir,¡± the bartender bowed humbly. Isaac nodded appreciatively himself and grabbed both of our drinks as we receded into darker corners of the barely half full speakeasy, finding a small booth in the back. Gently placing our drinks on the oaken table, Isaac offered me the seat across from him, as we sat down. Looking at each other awkwardly, I took a swig from my drink and was hit with a powerful, yet refined wave. ¡°Woah,¡± I squinted, ¡°nothing like that drink at Denaux¡¯s.¡± ¡°I should think not,¡± Isaac smiled, swirling the drink himself and let his nose be enveloped by it as he took in its scent, before sipping. Relaxation washed over his face as the drink went down his soft lips smoothly, which was all I could focus on. ¡°Denaux showed quite the foresight bring you back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? Starting off strong. That¡¯s the way to win a girl¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Do you want me to take your heart?¡± Isaac looked stoic, yet an intoxicating bemusement crossing his pursed lips. I exhaled harshly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Isaac leaned in closer. I hesitated, leaning back, taking another sip from my drink and trying to hide my thoughts. I was sure...wasn¡¯t I? ¡°What was all that back there?¡± I turned the conversation around. ¡°That taking your name stuff too?¡± Isaac sat back, exhaling roughly as his own mind ventured elsewhere. ¡°That...thing is just a blood puppet of Perrault¡¯s. He created it with dark magic and uses it primarily as a mouth piece, along with handling his more...personal business. It had no name to begin with, but adds them on with each target. A slight to my family. He took my great grandfather, and my uncle. His next target was Callum. He takes on the names of each next on his list.¡± ¡°So that means...¡± I sat in tragic thought, as the monstrousness swirled in my mind. ¡°That¡¯s right, Callum is his next target. That¡¯s why he goes by Mr. Callum right now. It¡¯s a nefarious jest...but we won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I said, instinctively putting a hand atop his. We both looked somberly, yet emotionally at each other, before I retracted it quickly, embarrassed. ¡°Perrault has taken much from our family, and leaves more personal targets for himself. He practically stole our livelihood, but he wants more...much more.¡± Isaac took a large gulp from his drink. ¡°One cannot sate such a beast. We¡¯ve tried, our family, for generations, to stop him. Only now are we realizing, that we may have a chance. With you...of course.¡± ¡°Me!?¡± I choked down my own drink in surprise. ¡°What can I do that you and your brothers can¡¯t do already?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already proven some power over him. We have to find out why and how...maybe we can harness it to finally end his reign of terror. To correct our family¡¯s mistake.¡± ¡°Mistake?¡± I said. ¡°What happened?¡± Isaac sighed and quieted for a moment. ¡°The Curse of the Brimstone family,¡± he continued, ¡°that monster turned us into what we are...but we...we created him." 22. Past Lives New Orleans - 1850 ¡°Alcide Brimstone, you best not sleep the day away! Afeard of the work, are ye?¡± Alcide raised his head from the dusty scratched wooden counter-top, his matted strands of darkened brown hair crimping over his eyebrows, and a sour expression across his face, inside the dingy little shop of medicines and other proclivities. The store room held furs, trappings, and other items of need, a general store, no less, but some items were procured with greater intent. Alcide scrambled to hide a small revolver that was sitting out atop the counter, and shuffled it into a crate beneath him, kicking it further under the counter, obscuring it. A beautiful young woman strode across the room to the young man, her rag like attire matching his own, but not detracting from her beauty. ¡°My Father won¡¯t be pleased none,¡± she snapped, her knotted brown locks swinging down past her neck. ¡°Don''t let him lay eyes upon those again,¡± she motioned to the revolver that had been whisked away. ¡°For paying customer only...the ones who know...that be.¡± She sighed, eyeing over the defeated looking young man. ¡°You was out all night with that French boy, weren¡¯t ya?¡± The woman lamented. ¡°C¨¦leste,¡± Alcide moaned, ¡°he¡¯s Belgian.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°No difference none, that Perry¡¯s unwell, got something dark...unclean...ominous ways about him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s ideas. We both have,¡± Alcide stood, cracking his neck. ¡°I can¡¯t be a betty for your father all my life,¡± he muttered.¡± ¡°This be proud and humble work. You¡¯re eighteen years now.¡± C¨¦leste held her stomach, a little bump protruding. She touched it tenderly. ¡°A man did this,¡± she continued, ¡°you did this...now...¡± she motioned around the store, ¡°do this.¡± Alcide clenched his teeth, looking back down towards the revolver peeking out of the crate. ¡°You¡¯ll be grateful for what I do some do. As will our family. My legacy.¡± *********************************** Perry idled in the fields, trying not to dirty his fancy ruffled clothes as he tiptoed along the tight rope that was a small wall of stone, chucking rocks in the direction of dehydrated slaves that tilled the lands under the hot evening sun. Behind him stood a grand white estate, looming powerfully over the cotton fields before them. Towering Oak trees guarded the long promenade to the house, with Spanish moss occasionally shielding the brilliant facade, but rarely, if ever. ¡°Aha,¡± Perry giggled at his own contemptuousness, as the thin and lanky middle aged slave, wiped his darkened brow under the beating wave of heat, while trying to resume his work. A routine that occurred quite frequently, though one of minor consequence when compared to the boy''s devilishly brutal father and the cackling fiendish madness of the mother. ¡°Perry!¡± Alcide ran up, excitedly, near tumbling in the tall grass as he wove through from a distance. Perry grinned, a malicious look under his blackened curls, as the sun bounced off his almost ghostly white face. ¡°I¡¯ve decided upon it,¡± Alcide said, coming to a stop, huffing profusely as he caught his breath. ¡°I brought the provisions from the store, as you requested.¡± Alcide removed a tiny hide skin wrapped with twine that was hidden within the waist of his person. Unwrapping it, he unveiled the revolver to his bedeviled friend. Perry smiled, a wide and evil grin, as he looked upon the weapon, his hands almost instantly stretching out to clasp it in his spindly fingers, wanting for something more than he ever had at that point, but knowing something even greater lay in store if he waited just a little bit longer. Alcide looked back with a peculiar grin. ¡°Show me this god of yours.¡± 23. Summon Your Desires DRIP. DRIP. Droplets hung long before plummeting to the floors within the the underground cavern, its sharpened stalactites hovering menacingly before being illuminated by the gaining light from an inflamed torch that cut through the darkness. The haggard middle aged slave held the torch, carefully treading over abrasive rocks on his calloused and bare feet. ¡°With haste,¡± Perry commanded, rounding behind him. ¡°Yes master,¡± the slave groaned. ¡°Never have I laid gaze upon on such wondrous sights,¡± Alcide said, coming up behind Perry. Perry raised a brow in agreement, before jabbing the back of the slave with a sharpened stick, prodding him onward. The slave jolted forward and near dropped his torch. ¡°Careful, boy,¡± Perry admonished him. The slave winced and bore his teeth, but trudged onward. ¡°How long these been down here?¡± Alcide asked. Perry shrugged. ¡°Father showed me when we arrived in these lands. As if he knew of it prior.¡± Alcide nodded his head, though still unsure of what he was even nodding to. ¡°Halt,¡± Perry started up, causing the slave to stop completely. ¡°This...¡± he circled around the slave, eyeing the floor lasciviously. ¡°It must be...¡± Perry knelt and put a hand to the cool floor. He reached up and pointed for the slave to hold the torch lower. The slave stalled, but finally bent, his back cracking in pain as he stooped. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The torch illuminated the now smooth rock floor. The coloring turned from muted browns and tans to splotches of stark red, that had barely faded with time. Perry touched his hand upon the rock, running his palms over it with delight. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Alcide asked in confirmation. Perry nodded, looking up at him with a grin. He stood and used his sharpened stick to draw a faint circle from the dust and dirt within the painted rocks. ¡°She beckons and we answer her call, just as Father proclaims.¡± Perry pointed to the slave and tapped his stick within the circle. ¡°Here...you.¡± ¡°The master says so?¡± The slave squinted with doubt. ¡°Father is nay your only master!¡± Perry snarled and snapped the stick across the ground with a harsh strike, it cracking and mangling into even sharper serrations, before Perry held it out to the slave with malicious intent. The slave gulped and slowly walked into the circle. Alcide ''s brow narrowed as beads of sweat forming at his temples, while he eyed Perry nervously. Perry spotted this reaction and waltzed over to Alcide. ¡°We need something of spectacle to draw her out. Unlike what Father does.¡± He held out his hand waiting. Alcide hesitated before retrieving the revolver from his waistband and placing it in Perry¡¯s hand. Perry smiled malevolently and raised the weapon at the slave. The slave¡¯s eyes near burst from his head as he held up his hands in defense. BANG! The gun went off, sending the slave reeling to the floor as blood leaked from his chest and began seeping through his white tattered rags. Alcide held his ears, as the cavern rang with terror. Perry smiled from ear to ear as he approached the slave. He watched as blood drained down over the floor, pooling where it had many times before. ¡°Lucretia, we call to you,¡± Perry said. ¡°With an offering.¡± Silence permeated the cavern. Alcide felt queasy, as he stumbled back to the floor. ¡°She does not approve of weakness,¡± Perry turned and chastised him, casting a down-turned gaze upon his ''friend'', like the swine he perceived him as. ¡°You..." Alcide shook, rage coursing through his veins, "just...took a man''s life!¡± he cried. ¡°Not a man...a slave. And you expected play with such a spectacular...tool," Perry waved the gun. "A fool you are then.¡± ¡°You liar,¡± Alcide growled, pushing off the floor and charging at Perry, grabbing him by the collar and sending the gun flying out of his hands and careening across the floor, slipping into the darkness past the fading torch light. ¡°Where be this god you speak of? At what cost!?¡± The slave writhed in pain on the floor, trying to crawl from the circle and escape. Suddenly, the circle illuminated with fire, drawing the attention of both boys, shocked expressions climbing their faces. Two jet black claws emerged from the ground, from a white light and tore limbs apart, dragging the slave down into the fire, piece by piece, as he screamed horrifically all the way down. Both men eyes raised in fear as they held still. Quiet for a moment, before blackened twisting horns appeared from the hole and up raised the blackened eyes of a red skinned demoness. Her body robed in pale green silk and gold plated armor as she rose, hovering above the hole, her blackened claws and feet beckoning the men forward. She was beautiful, intoxicating... ¡°You begged for riches,¡± Perry grinned, side-eying Alcide, who remained in stunned silence , ¡°and today, you are rewarded.¡± 24. Dark Rewards ¡°You,¡± the demoness Lucretia bellowed in an even tone, ¡°who have called me,¡± she pointed a curved black dripping claw at Perry and Alcide, ¡°with more tantalizing an offer than that of your kin....state your claim. What is it you desire?¡± Perry licked his lips and pushed Alcide aside, inching closer to the hellish, yet beautiful creature. ¡°Everything...for all time.¡± The flames surrounding the beautifully malevolent creature burst up in a frenzy, dying down just as quickly, her lips evolving from a pursed bemusement to something more, slight elation perhaps. ¡°And time you shall have,¡± she affirmed. The demoness stared at Perry, unblinking for quite some time, before turning her gaze upon Alcide, who sat on the ground, horrified in the dimly lit cavern. ¡°And you?¡± The smile dissipated as a scowl returned on the succulent lips of the demoness, her robes floating in the slight breeze that drifted through the dank and earthen darkness. Alcide hesitated. ¡°Power...wealth...I want to be something else...I want my family to be something else.¡± With that, the creature¡¯s lip curled sardonically. ¡°And that you shall.¡± The flames burst up again and curtained with the same effect as before. An orange light emanated from the claw of the demoness and enraptured the two men, glowing in a heavenly aura. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°At cost.¡± The demoness continued. ¡°For you two committed the sin, you will be bound together eternally.¡± ¡°The two of us...bound?¡± Perry squinted, and looked at Alcide menacingly. ¡°Pray tell?¡± He beckoned the demoness. ¡°Pray,¡± Lucretia laughed. ¡°No...no prayers here. Iin time, you shall ascertain the price of sin.¡± Lucretia looked at Perry. ¡°Your soul is forfeit. For you...Eternity may not last forever,¡± she sent a wicked smile, before gazing upon Alcide. ¡°You will find what you desire, as will your lineage. Be witness to that change in full.¡± Alcide sat, stunned and confused. ¡°What!?¡± Perry yelled. ¡°This unfairness, you seek to punish me? I delivered a human body and soul, a sacrifice for you to consume. Christ went for less!¡± Lucretia laughed loudly, her guttural inflections bouncing off the cavern walls and echoing horrifically. ¡°Punished? You made an arrangement with the Devil, child. Enjoy it.¡± With that, the demoness vanished in a flash of blackened fire, the cave illuminating in a quick show of lights that blinded and dimmed just as resolutely, revealing only the small torchlight painting the floor before the two men. ¡°What did she mean?¡± Alcide said, puzzled and terrified at the same time. ¡°YOU!¡± Perry screamed. ¡°You ruined this for me!¡± He charged toward Alcide, who scrambled back across the floor, his palms scraping across dirt encrusted rocks abrasively, before Perry lunged at him. Perry flew atop Alcide, knocking Alcide''s head back upon the rocks with a painful bounce and threw him further into the darkness, the flickering flame from the torch seeming so far away now. Alcide moaned in a daze. ¡°Perry, why are you...¡± he struggled to find the words, his vision blurring. Perry wrapped his clenched fists around tattered cloth at Alcide''s chest, and shook him violently. ¡°You...of no value! None at all! You...you urchin!¡± ¡°Stop, Perry,¡± Alcide pleaded, ¡°I...please...¡± Suddenly, both men felt a surge of pain, twisting and contorting with their stomachs, and then a white light came before them. Alcide reopened his eyes to find himself lying in the tall grass outside, blades swaying in the wind and tickling his cheeks. Perry was no longer there. It was just him. Was it a dream? What happened. It couldn¡¯t have been real? Alcide felt a pain in his hand, stinging and looked upon it to find the branding of a pentagram etched in his palm. ¡°My god,¡± he whispered, running his fingers over it, ¡°what have I done?¡± 25. On The Hunt ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, shuffling in my seat awkwardly, as I somberly looked over Isaac¡¯s downtrodden expression, before shifting my gaze to the swirling pool of liquid that sat at the very bottom of my drink, in the dimly lit bar. ¡°Now you know our plight,¡± Isaac affirmed, before sitting quietly again, the two of us left in the corner, while the rest of the patrons, though sparing, had found reprieve for the night. ¡°We¡¯ve ascertained ways to manage this curse,¡± he continued, fingering the bracelet at his wrist, ¡°Mother with the largest contribution.¡± He sighed. ¡°Yet still, we forge on in this never ending battle.¡± I remained silent for a moment, compiling my own thoughts from the long story that I''d heard, despite it being abridged in various states. ¡°Do you hate him?¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes bounced back up from the table, as his mouth opened, empty of words, seemingly trying to wrangle the thoughts from his mind into a present form without mismanaging them by any means. ¡°I resent his actions, yes, but the intent, to aid your family, for generations...I can¡¯t fault a man for that, for trying to provide a life for himself...his family. Perrault...¡± Isaac tensed up, his upper lip twitching with rage as his teeth gritted ferociously, ¡°is another story.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°So Perrault is just accumulating souls to prolong his own life?¡± ¡°That, I¡¯m unsure of,¡± he sighed and lounged back in his seat. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Suddenly, a flicker of light came in my eyes, a thought. ¡°What about Lucretia?¡± Isaac raised a brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Could he be trying to give her more souls, as tribute, to cement his immortality or increase his powers? Maybe special souls too, with their abilities? He''s gotta be planning something large scale." ¡°A lot of questions to ponder,¡± Isaac put forth. ¡°We have no way of knowing. Just let the research do its part. Callum will do appropriate work at this stage.¡± Suddenly, a thought hit me. I leaned forward and grabbed his hand, tugging him upwards and out of the booth. ¡°We don¡¯t have to wait for Callum,¡± I said, with an excitable gleam in my eye. Isaac hesitated, before slowly rising out of his seat, his face painted with confusion. ¡°There¡¯s one more place we must go before the night is through.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Isaac asked, standing up beside me, and looking at our hands interlocked for just a moment, our faces close to each other in the darkened flicker of light from a faulty bulb above. We gazed into each others'' eyes, my own bouncing back to his lips before quickly back to his own eyes, which were following my own track in suit. Was there something here? It felt like some kind of magnetism, drawing us together. There were moments where I hated this man. I still did, right? Or...I thought I did...but things changed. Being around him now...my blackened blood pumped, all throughout my body, my heart beating like it never had. I''d died before...but now...Isaac made me feel alive. I retracted my hand, with a sheepish smile, embarrassed and brushed it off, as...nice... as it was. I couldn''t let my emotions start muddling things. Feels like something I''d done in the past...but...looking at him, the total package, that would be very challenging. Isaac was always attractive, there was no doubt about that, but even seeing him in a state like this, vulnerable, so human...it made him even more so. No! I shook these meandering thoughts from my mind. Now was not the time for this, as much as I wanted it! ¡°There¡¯s a certain spot I need visit...from my past," I said, with a grin. "A certain...warehouse, that is.¡± 26. Circle Of Blood The cloudless blackened sky loomed ominously over the abandoned looking warehouse at the end of the dockside. The waters lapped the concrete bearings with reckless abandon, as though to warn us that we were entering a place that we shouldn¡¯t dare. The ardent splashing the only sound echoing in the area. Even the hazy yellow street lamps had given way to muted tones over years of disservice and lack of repair. It was a place that was forgotten with time. Just as Hugo Perrault would desire. Isaac and I moved slowly around the building, examining its structure and the long depreciating facade. I spotted a main door off to the side of large sealed vehicle depot with a pull down gate and pointed it out to Isaac. Isaac shook his head, but I traipsed forth out of his reaching hands anyway. Approaching the door, I heard him growl slightly as I did my own thing. I reached for the handle and jiggled it ever so slightly. Locked. Isaac raised his brow in the most ¡®I told you...and why would you try the front entrance anyway¡¯ type of look I¡¯d ever seen. I shrugged with a grin and followed him around in pursuit of a back entrance, but we couldn¡¯t find anything else. Isaac touched my shoulder, which shocked me with a little tingle of delight, before turning my attention to rusted scaffolding that led up to some narrow windows atop the side of the building. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Ugh,¡± I said audibly, gathering the brunt of his ire in a wide eyed glare. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mouthed, as I followed him to the scaffolding. There was no way to easily climb up it, but Isaac knelt down and flagged me to step on his cupped hands for a boost. I leaned forward and put my hands on his shoulders, feeling his hot breath cutting through and tickling my thighs just briefly, before he hoisted me up and I grasped the metal frame, pulling myself up and rolling onto the grating. I breathed loudly and felt flushed. It must have been the exertion...and nothing else...right? Isaac instantly leaped and pulled himself up, swinging with ease and momentum landing right beside me, in a crouched position. With that, we delicately ascended, while he aided me in each portion of the climb until we reached the cracked and dusty windows at the top. Peering in, we weren¡¯t able to see much, but a faded orange glow that emanated from beyond. I tried a few of the windows and found them sealed tightly. Glancing back at Isaac momentarily, I found a lip and exerted a little bit of my extra strength, wrenching open the window, with a slight screech. I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked back at Isaac for admonishment, but found his gaze turned inward to the warehouse. Following his eyes, I spotted dozens of figures wearing black hooded robes, which obscured their faces, standing at points around a large red painted circle overlaid with a pentagram. A circle of blood. They held daggers in their hands and chanted in a low Gregorian hum. Inside the circle, were ten victims, in all forms of dress, bound and gagged, writhing and struggling to break free, their muffled cries diminished by the chants around them. Suddenly, I felt a brief flash in my mind. As though I had been there. Experienced it first person. And then...the rage. ¡°I¡¯m not letting this happen to anyone else,¡± I growled to Isaac. ¡°Death will be a luxury for these monsters.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Isaac said, beckoning me back to rationality for a moment...but it was too late. The blackened blood coursed through my veins as I lunged forward with one thing on my mind. Vengeance. 27. The Night Cries Vengeance In a whirlwind of searing rage, I crashed stories down upon the concrete floor, my fists splaying dust and debris everywhere and sending back the cultists in a startled frenzy. They waited momentarily for the dusty haze to dissipate, their white eyes appearing starkly behind the darkness of their obscured hoods, raising their daggers toward me with trepidation. ¡°Are...are you the goddess Lucretia?¡± One cultist responded shakily. ¡°Here to bless us and our master with the will of the avowed.¡± ¡°Not god,¡± I growled ¡°tonight I¡¯m your devil.¡± As I turned upward, my eyes beating, pulsating, like a heart, before I resumed flight and tore my white hot fingers like claws through his flesh. ¡°Arghh!¡± The cultist screamed, his blood splattering through his robe and leaking down my crimson painted arm, dripping off the tops of my fingers and plummeting to the floor with an echoing plop, while I eyed the other cultists, who quivered, the daggers slipping sweaty in their hands. A sardonic smile crossed my lips. ¡°Come, your baptism awaits,¡± I laughed deeply, my voice octaves below its usual tone. The cultists screamed as they fled, the wide eyed victims cried through their bindings and tried to shuffle away, but were unable, but I paid no mind. I swirled and danced, bloodletting with glorious epiphany whilst dodging their attacks. It felt horrible. It felt...good. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Annabelle,¡± Isaac yelled, landing on the floor in his wolf form, and swiping aside a cultist who tried to come upon me from the back. ¡°Stop this at once!¡± I laughed at him as I continued my war. The canvas outside of the circle filled with new blood as I swayed gleefully in the wrath that I sowed. It felt as if my body was moving on its own, while I watched on from a darkened tunnel, seeing the action in some sort of detachment, but enveloped in the thrill that coursed through my blood. As I closed in on one of the final two victims, I toppled over him, on the ground, his hood falling back to reveal his face. A familiar face. I reeled back, pausing, my thoughts racing in my head, unable to keep up with the violent inclinations that held a stranglehold on my darkened mind. A word kept bracing throughout the storm of malice. No...a name. ¡°You...¡± I uttered, my voice lessening with tension for a moment of thoughtful reprieve. The man from the visions, from the past. The man that brought me to an after life. At least I thought. No, it must be true, here he lay before me. Now the lamb, brought to my slaughter. ¡°Tyler.¡± ¡°You¡¯re...¡± his throat locked up as he tried to talk through brimming tears. ¡°You¡¯re alive...but how?¡± He sniffled as my hand slowly gripped around his throat, each finger tensing and feeling the warmth beneath his skin as it clenched snakelike with jubilee, attempting to squeeze the life from his brittle body. ¡°Relent!¡± Isaac bellowed, barreling into me and rolling us over to the side. He sat atop me, his fangs gnarling. ¡°You¡¯re losing control! Don¡¯t let the beast inside consume you!¡± I snarled and hissed back at him. Suddenly, a dagger hovered above Isaac and sunk into his shoulder. ¡°Argh!¡± Isaac growled and twirled, kicking the cultist back, sending him flying across the room. It gave me just enough time to slip away from Isaac and follow the door that had just slammed shut behind the fleeing Tyler. ¡°I want answers...¡± I howled, bursting through the door and into the misty night time air, leaping to the rooftops in pursuit. ¡°I WANT BLOOD!¡± 28. Out Of Control Soaring over the rooftops, the brisk night air lashed my face, whipping my hair wildly as my fingers dug into landing spots, scraping debris and sending it raining to the ground below. I listened to the muffled cries as Tyler hurtled through the streets below, stumbling and swerving as he tried to evade me through narrow alleys and shadowed walkways. It was never enough though. In my current state, I could practically hear his heartbeat, following it like a hunter to its prey, thumping loudly, painfully, as it exhausted all reserves to try to escape unscathed. It wouldn¡¯t. Tyler descended down some steps into an alcove further up along the waterside. Obscured well, but not well enough. The scent of his fear was palpable on my lips, I could follow him to the ends of the earth...and I would. Unfortunately for him, that end was nigh. He breathed profusely, backing up against a concrete wall, the water roughly lapping the elevated ground a few feet away from him. Suddenly, I crashed from the heavens, the ground crumbling at my feet, and sending a screech up from Tyler as I closed on him. Nowhere to go this time. ¡°What?¡± I snarled, my eyes bursting manically. ¡°Not happy to see me?¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡° he stuttered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.¡± ¡°And how was it supposed to be?¡± I hissed. ¡°Weave your story wisely.¡± I approached slowly, spotting him reaching for something in his robe. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Instantaneously, my arm grabbed his hand, twisting it, as he lurched forward unsuccessfully, a small knife clattering to the ground. My eyes followed it, before returning to his own as they wallowed in a quiet frenzy. ¡°That oh so chivalrous behavior...where has that gone?¡± I grinned. ¡°They promised us,¡± he started spilling out. ¡°That everything would be fine.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°Speak.¡± He gulped. ¡°That we¡¯d be safe in the new order. My father, and his father, they¡¯ve always known Mr. Perrault. Family friends. They were protected by him, saved by ruin with his aid. It falls on us children to protect his legacy. It¡¯s not without cost.¡± He blubbered. ¡°He gains power with each sacrifice, and knows that soon he will have enough to usurp Lucretia himself. Through her rewards, shall he claim rapture in his own vendetta. She will fall...and with him...we will rise..." he stopped for a moment. "I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You entice people for sacrifice? What do you think that demon will grant you?¡± I bellowed as he shirked away. ¡°Look at me!¡± Tyler blinked away the tears, his eyes rolling up to face me. ¡°Everything,¡± he whimpered, his voice echoing quietly within the small space, almost taking on a familiar tone of how Perrault was described, another monster born with his blessing. Growling, I wondering how he thought Perrault could beat a devil himself, poisoning New Orleans for such a selfish crusade, while my eyes burned an inferno as I looked upon a man I once felt something towards..¡°And today,¡± I snapped, raising my hand up to strike, ¡°you end with nothing.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± A familiar voice howled, as I felt a claw wrap around my hand and tug me back. At that instant, Tyler recoiled and bounced his head off the wall, falling down cold to the ground. ¡°You have no right!¡± I hissed, twirling around to face Isaac and pushing him back with my free hand, sending him into the opposing wall with a crack. I pounced upon him, but he quickly snared both my hands and twirled me around against the cold wall. ¡°Annabelle, please...¡± his voice broke, as his face shifted to his human form almost instantaneously within the darkened shadows that painted harshly over his face. I took in his scent and locked eyes with him, feeling sanity creeping back into my mind, tugging at the fringes. Control slowly ceded to me, as I looked into his eyes, entranced. Suddenly, I looked at his muscular and bare chest, wondering what else was bare, before I noticed his eyes on my lips. With that, he pushed me back against the wall and kissed me, while I was enraptured with him. The darkness of the night felt warm and magical, his lips were soft and tender upon mine, while my heart raced with passion pumping through my blackened veins. For the first time in a long time, I had felt life after death. 29. Fire And Ice Our lips unlocked passionately, saliva coalescing from lip to lip just as my hands began to wander, cursing the darkness for the first time in my newfound life. Suddenly, his hands wrapped around my wrists, halting me. ¡°Annabelle...¡± Isaac started up. He motioned his head to that poor sap Tyler, knocked out on the floor, who was starting to grumble and reawaken. ¡°Perhaps now,¡± Isaac said, ¡°is not the time.¡± I exhaled in frustration, almost wishing that I¡¯d just killed Tyler when I had the chance now. ¡°What do we do with him?¡± I leaned back, trying to keep my eyes above waist level for moments and suffering dearly. Things loomed large in the darkness. Swiftly, Isaac transformed back into the wolf and leaped forward, scooping up Tyler in one appendage with the aid of his formidable jaw. ¡°We need somewhere low profile.¡± I thought for the slightest of moments. ¡°We can both think of the exact place,¡± I said. *********************************** BANG. BANG. BANG. I pounded hard on the metal back doors. The sound echoing rapturously in the back alley. Suddenly, footsteps clopped along behind the door, before it wrenched open suddenly. The smiling face of Taniya appeared. ¡°Well,¡± she said, looking at three perfectly normal humans, one partially clothed Isaac with scraps scooped from a nearby trash can, and a seemingly passed out drunkard in tow. ¡°The party¡¯s done here, seems like you rocked out doing your own thing though!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± I groaned, sauntering in, my head feeling very heavy from the night I''d had. Isaac lugged Tyler in over his shoulder and closed the door behind us. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± the violet silk pajama wearing Denaux appeared, still sporting large black framed glasses in the dimly lit, but empty establishment. ¡°I wondered when you¡¯d come back home. You broke curfew young lady,¡± he crossed his arms in mock gesture. He tilted his glasses down and looked at the bare chest of Isaac. ¡°And with a boy no less!¡± ¡°Two,¡± I chided. ¡°Oh my word,¡± Denaux joked, ¡°who led you down this...terrible...¡± he smirked and winked, ¡°path.¡± ¡°This is the man who had me murdered,¡± I started up, as Isaac dropped him to the floor. ¡°I didn''t expect Perrault to be so handsome,¡± Denaux chuckled. I glared. ¡°Come now, ch¨¨re,¡± Denaux looked up with a raised brow as he stooped down beside Tyler, before looking at the passed out face of the man, ¡°Gimme some credit for that one.¡± I stuck my nose up, not allowing him the satisfaction of his joke. ¡°We interrupted quite the sacrificial party, so to speak,¡± Isaac spoke up. ¡°Some fortuitous civilians were freed inside, before someone,¡± Isaac turned to me with a scowl, ¡°went rogue.¡± ¡°I went rogue well before that,¡± I snarled, still angry over the everything that had happened, including Issac pulling away when things were getting...murky, but trying to maintain my composure. I think I was doing well. ¡°Are we going to discuss what happened back there?¡± Isaac demanded, folding his arms and looking delectable. ¡°The kiss?¡± I fired back with an edge, taking him by surprise, his jaw falling open. His jaw wasn''t the only one. ¡°The WHAT?!¡± Denaux stood up, flustered, his glasses almost slipping off his face with how wide eyed he was, as he reached to retrieve them before they fell, and held them in his hand. ¡°Denaux,¡± I yelled, ¡°please!¡± Denaux held his hands up as if accused of something he didn''t do, and departed.¡°Taniya,¡± Denaux whispered loudly, ¡°did you hear that!?¡± He followed her as she went back to wipe down the bar with a wash cloth. Taniya grinned. ¡°About time,¡± she said, ¡°you could tell night one.¡± ¡°No,¡± Isaac said, stepping over Tyler and marching toward me. ¡°Your lack of control.¡± ¡°I don''t think I was the one out of control there. You kissed me.¡± ¡°We''re not talking about that! You could''ve hurt innocent people...you could''ve hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Why aren''t we talking about it? Plus, you''re the one who wanted me combat trained.¡± I straightened up and turned back to him. ¡°What happened? Sudden change of heart?¡± Isaac pawed a hand over his face and wiped sweat from his brow. ¡°You''re making this complicated.¡± I remained silent for a moment. ¡°What are we gonna do with him?¡± I followed up, changing the subject, as I looked upon Tyler. Isaac stood quiet himself. ¡°Hate to interrupt again,¡± Denaux said,¡± waltzing back over and chiming in with a smile. ¡°But you brought him to me...and I got something oh so sweet in mind...¡± 30. Forming A Plan ¡°Brrr,¡± Denaux shivered with an oversized puffy coat draped over him, his purple lounge-wear still peaking out underneath. ¡°It¡¯s chill-lay to the bone up here. Whatchu done to make Mother Nature so coarse now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 68 degrees, Denaux¡± I scoffed, trying to stifle laughter while still sporting my now tattered night time attire,¡± looking past the spires of the castle and down over the edge of the rooftop and watching sparing activity in the hours before dawn, the city still aglow in the night, but not for much longer. ¡°I know,¡± Denaux clutched his coat tightly, ¡°She must be mighty mad. Like a blizzard rolled on through.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I smirked, shaking my head at his antics. ¡°Please, no!¡± A guttural cry came from behind us. ¡°I¡¯ll talk, I swear!¡± Tyler¡¯s voice echoed off the side of the building and gently caressed the rooftop from a little away. I turned to watch Treven. Holding tenderly onto a thick rope that was wrapped around a solid steel port in the roof itself. The rope trailed over the side of the building. ¡°We don¡¯t want you to talk, we want you to play!¡± Treven laughed maniacally. ¡°Turn down the theatrics,¡± Callum said. ¡°We just need to convince him there¡¯s no better option,¡± he whispered. I walked to the ledge and sat upon it, watching the struggling Tyler swaying with the rope bound both around his feet and hands, trying not to make any further movement while he pleaded for his life, dangling quite a distance from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it,¡± I smiled and gave a playful wink to Callum, pretending to enjoy the spectacle in Tyler¡¯s eyes. Though I slightly did, I must admit. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. I looked around the rooftop, my eyes following a quiet Isaac standing in the darkened corners of the rooftop across from me, shying away from the activity...and me. It made me angry and want him all the more. ¡°This is simple,¡± Callum spoke up, ¡°we are going to end your relationship with Perrault. In doing so, we will end him. You will aid us in that endeavor, are we clear?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll¡ªhe¡¯ll kill me!¡± Tyler blubbered about, tears trickling down his face and plummeting to a minuscule demise on the cold, barren, cement far below. Callum nodded to Treven, who grinned and immediately started sawing the rope with a dull blade as to not potentially cause irreparable damage to their unwilling participant. ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± Tyler flailed again, before recognizing that his flailing could cause himself even greater harm and halting immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, just please, let me down!¡± ¡°Your words to gods ears,¡± Treven said, picking up speed in his loudly false cutting, his hand cycling like well oiled machinery. ¡°NO! NO!¡± Tyler yelped. ¡°I¡¯ll help, I¡¯ll help!¡± I smirked and looked at Callum, who snapped fingers at Treven to stop. ¡°Be witness, different parties can come to arrangements. You¡¯ll not regret your decision. Repentance is nigh.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, just please, pull me up!¡± Treven slowly pulled him up, calling upon his hidden strength that lay beneath the surface, lugging Tyler''s scared stiff body up and over the weathered stone ledge of the balcony. I rose and walked to Callum, lowering my voice. ¡°Is everyone on board with the plan?¡± I eyed Isaac in the back, who watched me from the shadows, still brooding about and avoiding me after our post kiss blow-up. Callum nodded. ¡°Everyone,¡± his eyes slanting and turning to clock his shadowed brother off in the corner. Denaux smiled from aside, his brow bouncing playfully behind his glasses. I grinned. ¡°Good. We¡¯re gonna put a stop to Perrault, once and for all.¡± 31. Ghastly Machinations ¡°Mr. Callum!¡± Lyle said, breathing heavily as he ran into the lavishly barren dining room of the Perrault penthouse. He stopped to wheeze heavily before he mustered up the strength to begin with his usual barrage of frantic concerns. ¡°We¡¯ve had another detection, multiple detections that is.¡± Winston turned his head slightly to clock the entrance, lacking in surprise, but certainly perturbed, as always. He hovered near the table, in his usually drab attire, where a seated Perrault clanked his cutlery gently, indulging in a tomahawk steak that teetered on raw, its blood red juices dripping out and seeping the formerly starched mashed potatoes on his plate, while faint orchestral music played in the background. Adjusting his glasses, Winston gave half attention. ¡°It¡¯s dinner time, Lyle. Can¡¯t you see that Mr. Perrault is amongst company?¡± Lyle looked over the table, before cold recognition set in. The severed head of the cowboy businessman, among other wide eyed men of the same ilk, were placed on risers at each seat and looking shoulder level at Perrault from around the silk white cloth of the table. ¡°He¡¯s holding court,¡± Winston said, trying to reign back contempt from crossing his glare at the constant interruptions from Lyle, who cried wolf quite frequently. ¡°I¡ªI understand sir,¡± Lyle fumbled. ¡°I just wanted you to know that we¡¯ve faced attack at numerous sites. Werewolves have been spotted by the shrunken ones. They''ve ceased all functioning workers onsite. It''s a mess,¡± Lyle uttered, seemingly distraught himself, as if it personally affected him, not just on a work level. ¡°It''s just a darn mess,¡± he continued, then disappointed in himself, muttering with distaste, ¡°excuse my language.¡± Stolen story; please report. Winston raised his brow in acceptance, always intrigued by the oddities of the boy in front of him. Perhaps that was why Mr. Perrault indulged him so, the humor of it all. Or perhaps he just took pity on one well beneath his standing. Moving away from distraction, Winston nodded his head. Perhaps Lyle cried wolf accurately this time. Perrault remained silent, enjoying his steak with a glass of red wine. ¡°We shall send reinforcements then. Does that appease you, as you¡¯re at the head of the table apparently?¡± Winston cleared his throat mockingly. ¡°That¡¯s not all, sir.¡± Lyle gulped. ¡°Warehouse 7 was disrupted during a ceremony. All the lambs escaped and the majority of our members slain, if not debilitated for quite some time. Save for one.¡± Winston¡¯s eyes rolled, tracking the man¡¯s next words narrowly, a knife''s edge could be felt from their turn. ¡°Tyler Martinson,¡± He sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve been unable to confirm his whereabouts.¡± ¡°So be it,¡± Winston chided, ¡°he was not of much value anyway, nor his father.¡± ¡°But,¡± Lyle winced. ¡°He knows where the Grand Ball is. The Great Masquerade, and has invitation for them. It could ruin all our plans.¡± Winston cricked his head to the side, clearly agitated. ¡°The preparations have already been made. Tomorrow night will remain the ball, and we will plate for extra guests,¡± he looked at the heads surrounding the table. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes sir, thank you sir,¡± he nodded to Winston and half bowed to Perrault before briskly exiting the room. ¡°Mr. Perrault...¡± Winston turned to his lord, to find a wine glass trembling in his veiny hands. SHATTER! The glass exploded, shards flying everywhere, even planting in the eyes and faces of some of the body-less guests, though they surely didn''t mind it in their current state. Perrault¡¯s face shook with rage, his eyes blackening. ¡°Mr. Perrault,¡± Winston spoke up cool and collected, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure nothing comes of it. We shall be prepared. As we always are. They are not aware that we are expecting them. No one will interrupt your special evening. There is only one guest of import, and she will be glad for the extra company,¡± he grinned. 32. Masquerade A faint mist loomed in the air, as the thumping footsteps of Tyler and myself trod down a muddy dirt path. The blackened trees swayed silently, seemingly narrowing the path as we came upon a wrought iron gate, ill omens set by its towering spires and wretched faces carved into it, screaming into the night. Tyler, made up well in a suit and rat like masquerade mask, how fitting, approached a tiny speaker console on the left hand side of the gate and pressed a button. I stood idly, with my crimson red and black laced boning ball gown hiked up a bit, as dirt and grime were not the all the rage, but I was feeling all the rage coming on. ¡°They really don¡¯t allow cars? Or you¡¯re just mad I roughed you up a bit?¡± I said, adjusting my lacy black mask over my eyes further. ¡°No vehicles from this point on,¡± Tyler said, before the comms cut through with a waiting static. ¡°Mr. Martinson and Guest,¡± Tyler replied. A momentary quiet came forth. BUZZ! An electronic chime harshly blared through, as the gates opened backward for entry. Tyler and I exchanged glances, before walking in, allowing the gates to close quickly behind us. I didn¡¯t feel nervous, but I did wonder how Isaac and his brothers would make it in, if they could? Well...they are werewolves. I reminded myself. Within a few moments, the trees cleared and a wide circular drive surrounded a majestic flowing fountain, with a lavish southern palace behind it. Willow trees lined the circle and green pastures beyond, acres as far as the eye could see, even in the darkness. The white facade was pristine, though a picture of time long gone. Warm lights illuminated the windows inside. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Wow,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but utter. ¡°I know, right?¡± Tyler said. ¡°Starting to reconsider your options?¡± He added with snark. ¡°Shut your mouth,¡± I hissed. ¡°Only open it when needed, like we discussed. Don¡¯t forget...¡± I rolled my fingers and clenched them. ¡°It only takes a second.¡± Tyler stiffened up and remained silent for the rest of the walk to the grand oaken doors of the estate. As we approached, Tyler smoothed out his suit and rapped upon wood with the iron door knocker that looked oddly like a skull with a bar hanging from its mouth. Stepping back, he joined my side again. After a moment passed, one door creaked open, revealing an old butler, with stringy white balding hair, who looked as if he had all the life drained from him. He gazed at us through very narrow slits of his eyes and disappeared back inside, cranking open the other door to allow entry. He guided us in with his arm. At that, we entered a world of ornate gold trimmings, luxurious finishes, centuries old paintings from masters adorning the walls and collections of oddities in glass cabinets. It was extraordinary. Loud rabble hit us immediately as we entered, finding the various halls and rooms packed with wealthy socialites, boasting gratuitously in their masked outfits and enjoying glasses of wine with little reprieve. The pure excess was...strangely revolting. ¡°Ah, Mr. Martinson, is that you?¡± A middle aged woman putting on airs in her voice sauntered up in a black dress. ¡°I¡¯d know that tush anywhere!¡± She groped him from behind with a laugh. ¡°Gross,¡± I whispered, trying not to gag, and shooting him a look. Tyler shrugged. ¡°It is...Mrs...Kennsley?¡± He asked in confusion. A terribly sign at that. ¡°Yes,¡± she said with a chuckle, ¡°but which one?¡± She grinned. Yep, I thought, definitely gonna throw up now. ¡°Grace,¡± she teased. Pushing him on the chest, before looking to me. ¡°And this is?¡± Tyler locked up, frozen, his eyes darting to me. ¡°Uh...¡± I extended my hand with expectation, letting it hang there, waiting for her to kiss it, which she did with slight hesitation. ¡°''Tis a masquerade dear. No secrets revealed yet,¡± I smiled mischievously. The woman waited a moment, before a thin smile crossed her face. ¡°''Tis true, my regal acquaintance.¡± DING. A great bell chimed, resonating all throughout the house. DING. ¡°Well,¡± she smirked, ¡°perhaps you won¡¯t need to wait long for some secrets to unveil themselves. Come!¡± She took my hand to lead me with her. ¡°''Tis the hour!¡± 33. Having A Ball Amber light filled the expansive glass paneled ballroom with windows looking to the darkened expanse outside. Candles were dispersed on tables and holders throughout and upon an elaborate spidering chandelier alike. A large open space in the center remained open for dancing, which was currently occupied by others in boisterous conversation, while a small quintet of white coated string musicians stood to the side, plucking a soft melody in the background. There was even a man painting the scene with a canvas far to the back, to memorialize the event. Up high, a red draped balcony stood over the room, empty for the time being. ¡°Exquisite,¡± Grace uttered with a long and haughty grasp on the entirety of the word, ¡°is it not?¡± Tyler looked to me again, unsure if he should talk or not. I noticed my jaw was displaced largely with awe, and moved it back accordingly. ¡°It¡¯ll do,¡± I said, mimicking her tone. Grace scoffed under her breath and turned back to Tyler to speak, just as the quintet stirred up something special. The music swelled and those on the dance floor began partnering up, readying their feet for some excitement. ¡°May I have this dance?¡± She offered her hand to Tyler, slyly looking at me, as if trying to rile me up by stealing the man I was with. ¡°Take him,¡± I offered, ¡°the masquerade beckons it.¡± A tinge of rage pinged in her twitched eye as she snatched his hand and stormed off to the dance floor, unable to win decisively in such a silly battle. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I watched on as the two started to traipse across the floor, with others joining in. An uneasy feeling crept up my spine, before a warm hand fell upon it. Turning, I found a handsome man, in a suit, sporting a mask with wolf fur and detailing. ¡°Care to dance?¡± Isaac said, brandishing a grin. I couldn¡¯t help but let a thin smile cross my own lips. ¡°How¡¯d you get in?¡± I held out my hand for him to take. He gracefully took it, planting a kiss with ease. ¡°We have a way with the night.¡± ¡°Another non answer. You seem to be full of them,¡± I responded, letting him lead me to the floor. ¡°Perhaps the moment does not call for it,¡± he shot back, turning to me, pressing his body up against mine. ¡°Where did my brooding man go? What have you done with him?¡± I joked, though slightly serious. ¡°I have my tendencies. Not without reason, of course.¡± ¡°I challenge you, is what you¡¯re saying.¡± I returned, swaying with him. ¡°You indeed...¡± he stalled momentarily, ¡°bring forth thoughts and feelings that reside elsewhere in the heart and mind.¡± ¡°Can you for once just speak like a regular human,¡± I shook my head with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not...a regular human.¡± He added with a wink. ¡°This whole act doesn¡¯t get you out of an apology.¡± ¡°That is assuredly something we owe each other.¡± I shirked my head downward, recalling that I was a little wild at points, and did put others in danger. I nodded slightly. ¡°Perchance,¡± I said mockingly, with a hint of seriousness following up, ¡°you are right.¡± He smiled and followed the rest of the crowd dancing. ¡°Have you ever done this one before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what this one is...I¡¯m following you.¡± I laughed. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°you always finish with something special of your own, a flourish if you will.¡± Suddenly, Isaac dipped me deep, holding my leg out with his other hand, his nails grazing my knee and thigh ever so slightly, sparking something in me. He leaned over me, eclipsing the light from the chandelier, my lips pressed in waiting. CLING CLING! The clanking of glass broke the moment and the quintet, turning our attention upward to the balcony, as Isaac rose me safely back up. Winston stood above us in a coat with lapels and buttons, like that of the British cavalier, hundreds of years ago. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± he announced. ¡°The time is nigh! Your lord and savior has arrived!¡± 34. A Time To Die Thunderous applause drummed from all around the dance floor, as the masqueraders looked up towards the balcony with fervent admiration. Isaac and I exchanged a glance of careful anticipation, preparing for action if necessary, and giving off a nod of mutual understanding. Emerging out from behind a large pair of red curtains, Hugo Perrault crept in, brandishing a jester type mask, split down the middle, with a smile on one side and a frown on the other, little bells tinkering from his mask''s cap. His costume was similarly fashioned, such as an old clown, but with royal fringes and crests, adding an element of regality. He sported a long flowing cap, that was bisected down the middle, one half being black, the other white. Perrault approached the balcony and gestured a sweeping palm open to the crowd before half bowing to them. The masqueraders mirrored his half bow, save for the new partners who had just been brought to the event for the first time, who were slow to mimic the action, or just let it occur with wonder in their eyes. Silence then fell upon the crowd, as they watched and listened. Perrault scanned the floor with narrow eyes and a conviction of malcontent, before a slight smirk cornered his mouth. Isaac and I did not shy away from his gaze, holding our heads high, while he seemed to gloss over us. ¡°Tonight,¡± Winston stepped forward, beside Perrault, but slightly back. ¡°We usher in a new age.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The crowd clapped resoundingly, even after such a brief comment. Winston tempered them with his hands, beckoning them to lower the volume. ¡°Tireless work, from the palms of those who wish to ascend, within this very room. It goes without saying that your efforts are lauded.¡± He looked to Perrault. ¡°Has this dignified being not delivered upon you the very desires of your heart, without fail, nor repercussion?¡± Isaac and I shared another glance of displeasure, a palpable distaste within the air. ¡°The time has come to exceed those very desires, to cause a shift within the known world. For now, we desire something more. A change not unto ourselves, but to the waking universe.¡± Winston smiled proudly. ¡°And it is him...who stands before you. The god who shall shape the cradle of this world and all others. The curtain falls on the old crown this morn'', and rises on a new king!¡± The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, cheers and cries, an eerie feeling. Suddenly, numerous servers began entering the ballroom in droves, carrying pristine silver trays which held glimmering champagne flutes of a golden bubbly liquid to any and all guests. A server approached us and extended the tray after we held stoic for a moment. Hesitating, we both grabbed a glass, before the server ventured off to deliver the drink to others. Isaac and I exchanged uneven glances, our brows furroughing as we peered into the liquid. I held it to my nose, sniffing it cautiously, but shook my head unable to detect anything out of the ordinary. Isaac bent to inspect his own glass further, perhaps utilizing his wolf like senses, before our attention returned immediately to the balcony, as Winston cleared his throat loudly , while the crowd took on in excitement, readying their glasses. Winston held up a glass himself, while Perrault watched on, looking solely at me now. A large Cheshire grin plastered across his face. Something felt wrong. I looked around at the masqueraders. Had they known we were there? Suddenly, people were clanking drinks and ready to down them. Then...recognition. Oh no! Winston raised his glass triumphantly. ¡°May he forever reign!¡± 35. Guest of Honor The wealthy socialites around the room touched their lips to the flutes without thought, downing the champagne with ease before celebrating by heaving each glass into the ground, sending shattered remains of glass everywhere upon the ballroom floor. They laughed maniacally as they sowed revelry between their comrades. I turned to express my concerns to Isaac, who remained still, keeping a keen and enraged eye set upon Perrault raised up in the balcony, bearing his gritted teeth to a slightly charming affect, in spite of the circumstances. COUGH! COUGH! GURGLE! Members of the crowd around us suddenly began clutching their throats, gasping for air, and falling to their knees, while the rest of the crowd cheered and shouted joyously over the sights of despair and unfettered anguish. I dropped to aid a young woman who had seemingly come in as an unaware partner with another masquerader. Her eyes bulged, pulsating with a deathly fever, phlegm splattering from her mouth before saliva drained like a faucet, mixed with bright red blood, sending her now rolling eyes back as she collapsed to the floor. I looked back up Isaac with aggression blackening my own eyes, yet still trying to maintain some semblance of control. He nodded back slightly, understanding my plight, and recognizing the efforts I went to in maintaining control, if even for a little bit, but how much longer it would last, I was unsure, a winding tension mounting in my veins pressed tightly on my body. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Suddenly, the laughter erupting from the rest of the crowd stunted, as they too began trembling and losing their senses, gagging on the poison. Wealthy eyes turned with shock, as they were now seemingly experiencing something that had not occurred to them in prior meetings. A personally painful death. Screams sounded throughout the ballroom as socialites began searching for exits. ¡°Why, why have you forsaken us, my lord!? We should be immune!¡± A woman called out from the back, before tripping over another fallen man and tumbling to the floor, her neck cracking and sending her to hell quicker than her friends. They would be joining her soon though. Panic set forth as worried cries and hyperventilating patrons started running for their lives before tripping and falling to the floor slicing on broken glass, and dying like cattle instead. I even spotted Tyler pawing his own throat as he stumbled and toppled over with his dancing partner. I kind of felt sorry for him, before reminding myself that he had stolen life before. Mine. Maybe more. As the group excruciatingly met their demise, silence once again fell upon the room, leaving only some wait staff and musicians, who had seemingly been unfazed by the exhibit before them, along with us and our two mortal enemies atop the balcony. Isaac tossed his glass with haphazard disregard to the ground and tore his mask from his beautifully chiseled face, his piercing eyes stark and violent. I followed suit, whipping my hair out and standing ready for battle. ¡°Ah,¡± Winston said, with an overbearing tinge of amusement, while Perrault grinned widely. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you, our rebellious friends,¡± Winston smirked and readjusted the frames over his eyes. ¡°However,¡± he continued, ¡°you¡¯re not the only guests of honor,¡± his eyes trailed down to our feet with a pleasure for the macabre. Suddenly, I noticed something painted around us amongst the bodies and debris, pooling into smooth grooves in the floor. It was blood red, faint at first, but glowing now, ominously. A crimson summoning circle. But how?! Shuffling drew my attention back to the balcony, as Perrault moved forward and lifted his hands ceremoniously, as if welcoming something holy. ¡°Rise,¡± he stood tall and snarled with malevolence, ¡°Lucretia!¡± 36. Blood Feud The floors and walls quaked, as a rumbling reverberated throughout the mansion. Isaac and I immediately leaped backwards and outside of the summoning circle, as we watched on with tense curiosity. Slowly, the floor split, a grand fissure opening up a crack through the middle and sinking inwards from both sides. Bodies swished down and rolled toward the opening. ¡°No!¡± Some of the remaining half alive socialites beckoned, clawing at the floor, while they looked towards us. ¡°Help!¡± They begged. ¡°Please!¡± Instinctively, my hand reached out, but slightly recoiled knowing what they¡¯d been doing, and that we were well out of reach as is. ¡°I should be a god!¡± One man screamed, as he tipped out and into the heavenly light that emanated from an assuredly fiery hell below. Suddenly, the piles angled over and slid down into the now gaping hole, where only the most depraved of eternities awaited them. For some, that would be a future undeserved. We must save their souls somehow, I thought to myself. With the floor emptying, only a moment passed before gnarled horns emerged, floating up from the depths, and a beautifully malevolent demon arose. Lucretia. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, boy,¡± she spoke to Perrault without even facing him, as her curious eyes noted Isaac and myself. ¡°Soon enough,¡± her clawed fingers held up, a green malaise forming around them, which instantaneously flowed around Perrault, ¡°you may join us in your ascendancy.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Soon enough,¡± Perrault hissed. ¡°I¡¯ve given you far too much already. It is time you pay that back in kind,¡± he gritted his teeth in a rage. ¡°Even demons pay chance to suffering.¡± Lucretia held her gaze on us. ¡°My¡ªmy,¡± she smiled. ¡°A Brimstone.¡± Isaac tensed up, ready to transform. ¡°This is what your ancestor begged for. How rewarding to see the fruits of his betrayal.¡± ¡°Betrayal?¡± Isaac said aloud, offended. ¡°Betrayal,¡± Lucretia reiterated. ¡°To his brethren. Oh, mankind...so fickle.¡± Her eyes turned to me. ¡°And you...¡± her eyes narrowed, ¡°you are something else entirely. What is that I sense in you? Angels...demons...no. Not but one soul lingers in this one.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Hundreds...thousands. The power of an army. How? I ask you child.¡± I shook my head confused. ¡°I¡ªI, don¡¯t know what you mean¡ª¡° CLANG. Perrault was suddenly down upon us, his arm turned into a massive blackened scythe, which was cutting into the wrist of Lucretia, who blocked the slice, holding her hand up idly by her head. ¡°Betrayal...you speak of betrayal!?¡± Perrault growled. Lucretia smiled. ¡°You children share a commonality.¡± ¡°Come,¡± Isaac tugged my arm, ¡°we must go, now!¡± I gulped, and understood what he meant, as we ran and pushed through a door at the back of the ballroom, unbeknownst to even the two engaged in battle. I turned to watch the final moments between them, through a dusty pane of glass. Perrault pressed more weight in on his blade before shifting his free hand to a giant spike that almost severed the chandelier atop the ceiling, rattling past its glass chimes. Lucretia thrust him back with her wrist, as he slid across the floor, awaiting his next charge. She inspected the deep gash placed upon her. ¡°Deeper this time,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps you can take my head, next time. If a city falls, a lord arises.¡± Perrault held quiet for a moment, watching her intently. ¡°And you will give me her.¡± Lucretia demanded. Instantly, the room flashed and she disappeared, along with the fissure. Isaac pulled again and we turned tail, sprinting from the house, while he shifted, as we put both our powers to use. Perrault stood still in the ballroom, over the blood caked floor, tension welling up within his throat. An earth crushing scream sounded throughout, shattering all windows in the mansion. We heard it from miles away. It sent a shiver down my spine. Dark times...loomed on the horizon. 37. Frustration ¡°Where were you?!¡± Isaac hurled an old pristine vase from a long bygone era, sending it shattering to the hardwood floor in jagged pieces across the comfortable lounge level of the Tower. ¡°We were out-manned,¡± Isaac paced back and forth, while I stood aside him. ¡°We needed support, and it was nowhere to be found!¡± Callum and Treven stood idly by, the elder seemingly unfazed by the developments, while the younger looked down awkwardly. ¡°That support,¡± Callum spat out, the most emotional I¡¯d ever seen him, ¡°was eliminating all forces at each and every farm in the local area. We¡¯ve dealt an irreparable wound in Perrault¡¯s operation tonight, do you disagree?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t what we discussed!¡± Isaac yelled, marching up to Callum and getting in his face. ¡°Would you have gone through with it, had we told you the truth?¡± Callum looked down on Isaac with an all knowing air of truth. ¡°You put Annabelle in danger tonight. You put us both in danger,¡± Isaac snapped. ¡°Do you not share contempt for me, brothers? For what other purpose would this speak true.¡± ¡°Isaac,¡± Treven said, more mellow and seemingly disappointed in himself, ¡°C¡¯mon, you know that¡¯s not¡ª¡° ¡°Not true?¡± Isaac turned to his younger brother, growling. ¡°Then why do you insist on keeping me out of strategy! Hmm? Why do you continue to put the life of the one I...¡± Isaac looked at me trailing off, his cheeks slightly reddening, or was I imagining it? ¡°Why put her at risk. Do you not value her skills? Her abilities?¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°If we did not value her,¡± Callum spoke up, ¡°we wouldn¡¯t have sent her with you.¡± The room quieted at the heavy weight of such words. Multiple implications. I opened my mouth to speak of the soul farms and Perrault¡¯s increasing power, when suddenly, the elevator chimed. ¡°What?¡± Denaux cackled, ¡°I¡¯m not interrupting a family spat, am I?¡± He sauntered in through the doors and lowered his glasses to wink at me. Isaac¡¯s lip twitched with rage as he retreated and resumed his wild pacing. ¡°What¡¯s the word?¡± Treven said, standing up straight and running his hands through his perfectly straight hair, before shaking it out again with his head. He pulled a a tiny stick from it and flicked it on the floor. Must have been from earlier. ¡°Well, my people in the street have seen it before, some have even used it in small doses. Some...in not so small doses,¡± his expression frowned down. ¡°Said men in suits have been distributing it. Pretty potent stuff, if ya ask me.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± I finally pipped up. Denaux sighed. ¡°Mostly just relaxes you, to an almost catatonic state. Some said they are out like that,¡± he snapped his fingers,¡± and didn¡¯t wake up till days later.¡± ¡°Perfect for kidnapping. For sacrificing. On a large scale,¡± I said, my face rapt with tension. ¡°The farms are incapacitated,¡± Callum said, ¡°for now. Once the flames have been extinguished, they¡¯ll start anew. For all we know, he has other locations in use. He¡¯s certainly planning something on a grand scale.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should¡¯ve all been there tonight to aid him in contemplating his ways...¡± Isaac said. ¡°Forcibly.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Callum coughed, ¡°you should retire for the evening, Brother.¡± Isaac scowled and charged toward the elevator, pounding the button with his fist, and sending the doors flying open again. ¡°Wait,¡± I said, trotting to follow him inside before the doors closed behind us. I innately grabbed his arm, his coarse hairs gently caressing my fingertips, and came in close, almost hugging his side. ¡°What do we do now?¡± I beckoned, gazing into his furiously glimmering eyes. The elevator reopened in his living space. ¡°Bourbon,¡± he said, entering in personal home. ¡°Wait,¡± I said again, stepping forward to follow him in, and turning his gaze upon me from over his shoulder. I brushed my hair back behind my ear. ¡°Can you make that two?¡± 38. Quiet Truths CLINK. Our glasses met with a quiet cheers, though we weren¡¯t sure what we could be celebrating. An awkward moment in cherishing the favor that we had escaped the night with our lives...well, in some form, I reminded myself of the living act of ''unlife'' that I was. We sat on Isaac¡¯s long midnight blue suede couch, a few spaces apart from each other, in silence. Isaac put back a big gulp of bourbon and reached for the low center table, a cherry wood of some kind with interconnecting patterns like a grid layered atop, to grab the bottle of high end bourbon that he''d opened a few minutes ago. He poured another tall glass and sighed, before placing the now half empty bottle back on the table. I held my glass neatly in the seat of my lap, sitting up straight, somewhat nervously, peering into the amber liquid and taking in its overpowering scent, even from afar. It made me wonder if it felt even more potent for Isaac, or only when he was in his other form? ¡°Do you want to talk about anything?¡± I finally spoke up, breaking the silence. Isaac whetted his lips, still staring at his own drink, but taking no time to process what I was saying, in any form. His mouth opened to utter the word ''no,'' but nothing came out. He remained in silence, yet speaking volumes. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I nodded slowly, to myself. ¡°We¡¯re making progress, ya know?¡± ¡°In what way is that?¡± Isaac coughed, before taking another sip. ¡°The soul farms have been taken down. There¡¯s further strife between Perrault and Lucretia. Things are dissolving for him.¡± A thin smile broached my lips. ¡°He¡¯s losing his cool.¡± ¡°Why is that something we desire? A madman losing his sensibilities further,¡± Isaac growled. ¡°We needed to end him when the opportunity had presented itself. This opportunity laid bare before us...and yet mine own brothers let the it slip away. They betrayed blood!¡± Isaac scowled. ¡°Perrault will not take this lightly. At what price have we sowed such loss?¡± I took a swig from my own drink and inched closer to him, the couch groaning as I did, and laid a hand upon his thigh. ¡°This is the perfect time to lay a trap for him,¡± I stopped, my thoughts wandering to the horrible truth. ¡°I know he wants me. This special thing about me. Lucretia wants it too.¡± ¡°That is out of the question,¡± Isaac snapped, pounding back his drink and slamming it on the table. ¡°We scarcely know anything about this specialty anyway. Perhaps Denaux can¡ª¡° ¡°Perhaps you should trust me,¡± I craned my neck to look into his face, putting my own drink down. Instantly, I felt something come over me and straddled him, clutching his face to look deep inside his glimmering eyes, eyes filled with surprise. ¡°Use me.¡± There was barely a moment''s hesitation as his eyes locked with my own. He grabbed my neck pulled me in, kissing me passionately, biting my lip and causing a little blood to trickle down the side. I gasped at the shock of it and pulled back. Not because I didn¡¯t enjoy it though. Isaac saw my reaction and reeled. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what came over me. My apologies,¡± he lifted me off of him gently and rose to leave the room, heading for the bathroom. ¡°Uh, you can stay here tonight, I¡¯ll take the couch, you the bed.¡± He launched the bathroom door shut behind him. I sighed, confused at his reaction, and my own. Didn¡¯t he want this? Didn¡¯t we both want this? What scared him so much? Was it me...or his own misgivings? I let my body fall back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling, my finger instinctively reaching for the blood on my lip. Its blackened tones menacing, hideous, all consuming. Maybe all I am...is just...a monster. 39. Night And The City I remained still, in the almost comically over-sized king bed of Isaac Brimstone, but alone. Wrapped in the silk sheets, I took in the almost piney musk that had scented them, the thoughts and desires racing through my mind. They weren''t solitary though, as my head also drifted further. To my death. To my life. To the monster that is Hugo Perrault. Suddenly, the rain began to pelt the large windows surrounding three sides of the ultra modern styled room. Stirring, I slipped out of bed and pushed aside the sheer drapes, peering out at the blackened sky below. The muted yellow lights of the city seemed so distant at this height. A city that held such superstitions as a part of their culture. What would they think had they known that there was nothing solely superstitious left in this world, and that all of their nightmares weren''t just monsters under the bed? What terrors did the night hold, I wondered...and could I stop them? ********************************** BOOM! Thunder cracked the sky as streaks of lightning sliced through dark clouds looming over the hazily lit city of New Orleans with malevolent intent. A downpour of rain erupted from the heavens, flooding the town with winds that whipped and slashed its buildings with an unrelenting abandon. A droplet of water trailed down the side of a grimy concrete building, plopping onto a neon sign, flashing colors as it curved down through the iron framework and held onto a bolt for dear life, before plummeting further down. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. SIZZLE. As it landed on the edge of a cigarette butt, extinguishing the flame with easy, and sending up a tiny stream of smoke above. ¡°Shit.¡± A buff, middle aged bouncer, removed the cigarette, and tried to wipe off the water, retreating further under the lip of the overhang, standing out of the rain. The man was illuminated under the extravagant lights of the sign, ¡®The Cat¡¯s Cradle.¡¯ Heavy bass thumped repetitively inside the building, while, the man ushered in some scantily clad young men and women, carelessly, focusing on his cigarette, as he pulled out a scratched silver lighter. A pair of shoes squelched forward in the darkness and drew the bouncer¡¯s attention upward. Smirking, the bouncer shook his head. ¡°No, we¡¯re all packed right now.¡± The shoes remained still, a pool of water flowing into and around them. The bouncer flicked his lighter, ineffectively, time and time again, to no light. Finally, a slight flame emerged, and he held it to the cigarette at length. The cigarette remained unlit. Groaning, the bouncer chucked the damp cigarette to the ground, reaching into his jacket to pull out another carton, while bouncing his gaze back up at the person in front of him. ¡°Get out of here. You ain¡¯t getting in. I won¡¯t tell you again.¡± As the bouncer went to retrieve a cigarette, he bobbled the pack, the rest, save for one that he pulled just in time, falling to the ground and splashing into the pool at the at his feet. Cigarettes floated quietly by the shoes of the person in front of him. ¡°Ugh!¡± The bouncer popped the cigarette in his mouth and went to retrieve the pack. Suddenly, one shoe, two-toned, rose and slowly stepped over the pack, pushing it down slowly. The bouncer stopped, his lip twitching with rage. ¡°That was a mistake, pal,¡± he growled, rising back up, and flicking his lighter to inflame the end of his cigarette. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that,¡± he snarled, out of the corner of his mouth. The cigarette glowed hot orange, illuminating a face opposite it. A wet mop of hair, draining water down a stark smiling visage, an unholy wide-eyed grin from ear to ear...the grin...of Hugo Perrault. 40. Blood For Blood GASP! I awoke, startled in the night, breathing in a cold chill of air, as if a dagger had been delivered to my heart while I slept. I gripped my chest, wishing for the unyielding tension to cease, as it strangled me in some unfounded terror. I popped up immediately, entrapped in the contorted sheets of the luxurious king sized bed. It didn¡¯t feel right. Not without Isaac here. Not with anything lately. Tossing and turning, I tried to get a grasp on my thoughts and emotions. Huffing, I sat up, tossed on my clothes, and looked back outside through the windows into the darkness. The rain had stopped, but the night had still loomed ominously ever present. I crept out into the quiet living space, sneaking past a snoozing Isaac on the couch. I stopped for a minute to listen to his hoarse breathing. It felt weird, an odd sense of comfort near, and enamored with the sense of calm vulnerability in this moment. Something I rarely see from him. Regardless, I slipped out and into the elevator, somberly watching Isaac as the doors closed before me. I flew down to the ground floor and out with ease. Security glanced at me with careless reprieve as I exited swiftly. Time went by quickly as I found myself down the street from Denaux¡¯s place, The Cat¡¯s Cradle. It shouldn¡¯t feel like it, but it felt like home, that¡¯s for sure. As I approached the entryway, something felt wrong. Terribly wrong. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The bass was still thumping, but the doors were creaked open and no one was outside. Strips of flashing light emanated through the slit , reflecting off the rain puddles that remained still upon the cracked pavement outside. I felt a sense of looming dread as I approached and rounded the bend. Opening the door, I found nightmares become vivid, a slaughter upon my eyes. The dance floor was filled with mangled bodies, in all forms of total evisceration, limbs and heads detached with ease, draining blood into a thin layer, like an ocean''s tide, across the floor. I splashed forward, gagging, and holding a hand to my mouth, as I passed by the severed head of our resident bouncer planted on a sharpened post. His eyes bulging in abject horror. ¡°Oh god,¡± I muttered, ¡°the stench of iron and feces overwhelming me. ¡°Oh god,¡± I whispered endlessly, as I trudged through the sea of bodies, stepping lightly, around each cadaver I encountered. I searched around, looking for any sign of life or the assailant...though I knew who it must have been immediately. Trailing upwards, my eyes found large words scrawled in blood and intestines underneath the sign on the wall, illuminated under the flashing lights. I shuddered at the menacing sign of times to come. ¡®War¡¯ Suddenly, I heard the sound of whimpering coming from behind the bar. I sped up, treading quickly over, approaching from an angle. A tiny body was huddled, holding their legs and trembling. ¡°Taniya!¡± I yelled, rushing over to hold her. I picked her up to her feet, embracing her. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I repeated, ¡°it¡¯s okay,¡± knowing full well that none of this could ever be classified as ¡®okay.¡¯ ¡°I¡ªI...¡± she stuttered, trying to force words out, but unable to do so. Tears shed from her eyes rapidly, shooting down her ducts in an ever flowing matte with her muddled eye shadow. True despair painted across her face, a mask unlike any other. ¡°Where is Denaux?¡± I asked, gripping her shoulders. She looked back shakily, wide-eyed, blubbering incessantly, and unable to speak. My heart began to race, my voice growing raspy and frenzied. ¡°Where is Denaux!?¡± 41. Evisceration FLASH! FLASH! The bright lights of the crime scene analysts illuminated the now fully lit and sedate scene of bloodshed, as police wandered through the crimson seas of terror. They sloshed through with delicate trepidation. It was an unnatural sight, not only the desecration of what remained, but seeing Denaux''s once lively and raucous club, a place of personality and character, destroyed, turned base, into something foul and wretched...a morgue. ¡°Christ,¡± one officer remarked, at the entrance to the club, his words resonating throughout the borderline silent venue. He peered inside, wide-eyed, before sinking back before the entryway. ¡°Who''d these people piss off?¡± ¡°Poor bastards,¡± another officer said, his eyes rolling to categorize all the horrific elements that lingered, their images burned into his retinas for a lifetime...and possibly more, as I''d learned just recently. ¡°I can''t imagine.¡± ¡°Ya don''t need to imagine,¡± the other shot back, ¡°we''re seein'' it right here.¡± ¡°Hell, I''ve seen enough.¡± His partner responded, as they both eyed the scene for a moment longer, silence building between them for a brief moment as they held back tears, before turning back to the door. They both shuffled outside and lit up cigarettes. Puffs of smoke silhouetting their bodies against the lights blasting from inside. ¡°I''ve seen some shit...¡± They trailed off. The gist was familiar. The sights...were not. Other crime scene analysts combed through the oceans of flesh and blood, wearing high quality masks and suits to protect from the bio-hazards present. One gagged presently and repeatedly, before he stood and ran out of the building. The sounds of gagging and wrenching in uncontrolled vomit, held no further bearing on the putrid scent and pit of horrors that he¡¯d stumbled into. He''d presumably made it this far in his career, wondering if the income was worth the admission. Today, he learned that it was a price to be paid. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. As I listened to the officers from parts unseen, I heard them discussing this incident. The words ¡°unnatural¡± and ¡°ain¡¯t right¡± cropped up frequently. ¡°Otherworldly¡± was another. Still, the lead detective stated the toughest fact to swallow. ¡°Just regular gang warfare,¡± he said. ¡°Mark it down. That¡¯s what it is, end of story.¡± He was right, it was warfare, but nothing ¡®normal¡¯ about it. They couldn¡¯t begin to comprehend the horrors that lingered in this world. Unless...I wondered, there were some on Perrault¡¯s payroll already? It seemed likely. I''m sure there weren''t many not on his payroll in this town? Would they still be...had they known what was coming? What plans he had in store for them? I continued to watch on from the side, keeping to the shadows, to avoid being forced to interview. Things were crazy enough as is. The police wouldn¡¯t understand the situation of my life...and death...and life again. If I had to run, I would. This was a different world. A new life. I was a mystery now and preferred it kept that way. The bigger mystery, however, was where Denaux was. Taniya, who was currently talking to paper and pen clad investigators, notching down every word, was in a borderline catatonic state earlier. She only mentioned that he was gone. No...taken. Hugo Perrault had been at war with the Brimstones for generations...but now...there wasn¡¯t just a family feud taking place. Others were drawn into the line of fire. More innocents. Denaux and Perrault had their own battles, but this was a massacre. Still, I could feel that Denaux was still alive. He was bait. Bait that I would take. One thing was for sure. Perrault knew I¡¯d come. Isaac appeared by the open doors out back. Standing quietly in a dark leather jacket. He acknowledged me with a firm head nod and a grim face. I nodded back, my eyes fierce. I wasn¡¯t coming alone. 42. Going Deeper ¡°We should¡¯ve asked your brothers for help.¡± I said, as the dusty farm door of Denaux¡¯s old family home flew open inward at the force Isaac¡¯s kick. ¡°And leave them the opportunity to dangle us as bait any further?¡± Isaac scoffed. ¡°I think not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± I through my hands up, ¡°a little backup would be nice.¡± I slipped inside, our all black clad sleuthing outfits almost matching as I came up beside him. ¡°What is it that we¡¯re even searching for here?¡± Isaac pondered aloud, his foot tipping over an old cracked footstool as he made room to venture forth. ¡°It¡¯s almost certain that Perrault wouldn¡¯t hold Denaux here.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I nodded, ¡°it seems unlikely...but he is about pageantry and game playing.¡± ¡°The torturous nature of it, indeed,¡± Isaac agreed, stepping over some more debris. ¡°Exactly,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he wants us to find something.¡± I nodded to my own words, as I remembered Denaux¡¯s bedroom and trudged upstairs. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Isaac asked, following slowly. ¡°You, of all people, should remember this spot.¡± Isaac¡¯s head titled, him squinting through the confusion as he pursued me upstairs. We navigated the hall into the busted down bedroom door of Denaux¡¯s old room. ¡°Ah,¡± I said, ¡°here it is.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Isaac said, ¡°yes. I do recall this location. This...occurrence.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You saved me,¡± I turned to him with a slight grin. And Denaux. I knew you couldn¡¯t be all bad after that.¡± Isaac smirked. ¡°It was a long night.¡± I nodded, hoping, waiting for him to open up, to say more, but it never came. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still here,¡± Isaac said, walking past me to the shrunken head perched on the desk. ¡°Still watching Perrault?¡± Isaac asked. Clenching his fist, he wound up and punched straight through the head, tearing through like paper mache, before whipping it to the ground, in tatters. ¡°Maybe we should¡¯ve held onto it?¡± I said. ¡°It could¡¯ve given us some more information, something to research.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done with research. This war has raged on far too long as is. It¡¯s time for resolution. I refuse to see the forest for the trees any longer.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± my head piqued with interest. ¡°I''ve got something.¡± ********************************** We pushed through the brush, trampling over sticks and dirt towards the tree house. Denaux¡¯s old tree house. ¡°Why must we continue sight seeing?¡± Isaac groaned. ¡°Let us just confront Perrault at his own residence.¡± ¡°Because he might not be there?¡± I said, climbing up the ladder. ¡°Annabelle, wait,¡± Isaac said, daring to use my full name, as I climbed the ladder. He must have been really agitated now. I lost my footing though and fell slightly. Luckily, Isaac¡¯s hands caught me at the bottom, or on the bottom, I should say. I blushed inadvertently, thankful for the masque of the darkness draped across it at the moment. We remained still for a moment, his hands unmoving, even though I was braced and regrouping upon the ladder. ¡°Um...¡± I started up. ¡°Oh, yes,¡± he sounded shocked, for a moment, and removed his hands, the sensation tickling me as he did. I quietly ascended and looked through the tree house. ¡°Anything?¡± Isaac yelled from down below. A slew of nostalgic magazines were littered across the floor, large holes garishly cut out of the center of them, punctured sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I shouted back, before looking out of the small side window back to him. ¡°Holes?¡± ¡°What?¡± Isaac yelled back up in confusion. The faint moonlight clipped Isaac from above and illuminated the grounds around us. That¡¯s when I noticed an odd pile of leaves in an ornate circle. ¡°Wait,¡± I yelled, my eyebrows narrowing. I quickly descended and pulled Isaac with me to the leaf pile. ¡°I don¡¯t remember seeing this before.¡± I grabbed a large stick from nearby and waved it into the pile of leaves. Immediately, they fell apart and were swallowed into a deep cavernous hole into the ground. ¡°What in the world?¡± Isaac looked over with trepidation. ¡°Holes,¡± I said, almost chuckling to myself. ¡°I guess we found our clues.¡± Isaac looked at me with a furrowed brow. ¡°Well,¡± I looked up back at him, ¡°care for a bit of spelunking?¡± 43. The Shrine ¡°This isn¡¯t what I had in mind,¡± I groaned, as my arms remained wrapped around Isaac¡¯s thick wolf mane while he pounced from hold to hold in rapid descent to the bottom of the pit. ¡°Safety,¡± Isaac growled, ¡°Is what I had in mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I could¡¯ve just jumped the distance down here and landed just fine,¡± I snarked back. ¡°Test your feeble legs then. See how they stand in halves,¡± he cut back. ¡°Boy, that testosterone boost always kicks in this form, huh?¡± ¡°Wench!¡± He sounded off. ¡°Sorry,¡± he growled back a moment later. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought!¡± I joked. ¡°Wait,¡± I commanded, and he stopped. ¡°What is it?¡± He hissed. ¡°I grow weary of this escapade.¡± I grabbed a matted scoop of dirt from the wall and sifted through to find a large enough rock. ¡°I want to see how far from the bottom we are.¡± I dropped the rock past Isaac. Instantaneously. CRACK! ¡°Wait...¡± I said, my face contorting with the embarrassing realization. ¡°how long have you been touching the ground?¡± ¡°Ever since you began this dreadful stoppage.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Oh,¡± I smirked, hidden in the darkness. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get on with it.¡± I hopped down from him. ¡°Thanks for the ride,¡± I added, patting him on the back. Though not the one I really wanted. ¡°Do not patronize me,¡± he snapped back. ¡°Welcome to my world.¡± I said, reaching into my small saddle bag, and unveiling a flashlight. CLICK. It illuminated the dirty hollow around us, worms and beetles writhing around in ecstasy. Ahead of us lay a carved tunnel. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± Isaac commanded. ¡°But I have the flashlight?¡± ¡°And mine eyes give me sight in the darkness.¡± I nodded. Allowing Isaac to take the reins and slowly clomp down the circular tunnel of soil. As we progressed further, dim flames lined the tunnel on iron holders, as things changed shape. Dirt became stone, carved into the halls of some forgotten temple. ¡°What is this? Suddenly, shadows cleaved through sides of the many iron wrought bars that came down into cells dug into the walls. Isaac passed by first, with a scrutinizing glare. I came upon him and peered inside the cells. ¡°Monsters,¡± Isaac said, as I looked inside to spy brainless zombies bobbing about in each cell, stuffed to the brim, idling about, bumping into each other like cattle. ¡°Their keepers, that is.¡± Isaac continued. I nodded, in agreement, as we continued on down the hall. At some point, the path split into a fork, with other similar lit halls to each side and cells lining said halls that continued endlessly. ¡°Straight,¡± we both said at the same time. ¡°Easy decision,¡± I added. Isaac snorted, taking in the humor of it and continued on. After some time, we entered a larger room, what appeared to be a mausoleum, with ancient caskets lining from floor to ceiling in little alcoves, before rounding out to a center area with a pedestal to some renaissance type figure standing proudly and holding a skull. His long old monarchy styled locks descending down to his shoulder as he laughed proudly, his buttoned coat and ruffled shirt looking majestic in the musky air. ¡°Who is that?¡± I asked Isaac. ¡°No man that I have ever seen.¡± He retorted. Suddenly, an unrecognizable voice sounded off in the darkness. ¡°No...my friends, you are mistaken.¡± We twirled around to face a shadowed being walking towards us, and readied our stances to fight. ¡°Not a man.¡± The masculine voice continued, the outline of his face becoming slightly visible, a smirk painted across it. ¡°Welcome...to the shrine...of Mephistopheles¡± 44. Deeper Hells ¡°Mephistopheles?¡± I repeated the shadowed figure¡¯s words as the torch light illuminated his face, once he stepped forward. A hooded figure, in a tattered blackened robe, with deep sunken in white eyes, their pupils nonexistent, and leathery wrinkled skin all throughout his face, surrounding his abyssal black lips. Isaac stepped in, pouncing in front of me, growling. ¡°That is correct, undead one,¡± the figure spoke, in hushed tones. ¡°I am the warden of his shrine. Borge Alessia.¡± He half bowed to introduce himself. ¡°Where lies Denaux, creature?¡± Isaac spat, bearing his razor sharp fangs, that gnarled between a tongue lapping for blood, even that of an old, weary, time worn creature such as this. Alessia smirked, his wrinkled skin stretching at his lips. ¡°He is here. He is...safe.¡± ¡°Why should we trust the words of a monster?¡± Isaac snarled. ¡°An associate of Hugo Perrault.¡± Alessia scoffed in amusement. ¡°Associate?¡± A glimmer of distaste shown in his eye. ¡°Now where would you come upon such an idea?¡± ¡°You kidnapped our friend, after slaughtering innocents in his den,¡± I spoke up, though lacking confidence as he stood there. ¡°I?¡± Alessia gestured to himself. ¡°You are mistaken, undead one.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°You did kidnap our friend though?¡± I reaffirmed, doubts creeping into my mind. ¡°That,¡± he responded, ¡°is a fallacy.¡± He shook his head, before bearing rotted teeth in a smile, and licking the cracks and holes within them with odd pleasure. ¡°Perrault, however, is a scourge.¡± ¡°And we are to trust your words?¡± Isaac said. ¡°You took our friend, and you will show us to him,¡± Isaac leaned forward, his claws digging into the stone, chipping it with substantial pressure above them. ¡°And then you will lead us to Perrault.¡± ¡°Perrault is not to be trifled with, in his current state,¡± Alessia said, eying us with peculiar interest. ¡°Nor is his patron Saint, if you will.¡± ¡°Irrelevant words of a snake,¡± Isaac responded. ¡°We know you not, creature, and I will jubilantly slay you if you don¡¯t adhere to my demands.¡± ¡°Demands are made only by our king,¡± Alessia said, looking up to the statue behind us, and sashaying past with an errant arm. We tensley held still as he did so. ¡°He has so graciously allowed me to hold his guard for many a century,¡± he knelt before the statue, and kissed two fingers, which he delicately tapped the stone base with. ¡°And what does this...Mephistopheles want?¡± I asked. ¡°Why...restitution, of course. A comeuppance, if you will,¡± Alessia said, rising at just the same moment and holding his listless stare well off past the statue. ¡°For his sister.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± I raised a brow. ¡°The one who tricked him, betrayed him, leaving this beautiful king chained in the depths of the deepest circles of Infernus,¡± his lips twitched with muted rage. ¡°Lucretia.¡± ¡°How does he mean to free himself?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± Isaac moved forward. ¡°We continue these games no longer. Where is our friend?¡± ¡°How?¡± Alessia continued, looking at me, with a wry smile. ¡°With your help.¡± ¡°We will not unleash a demon in hopes of any personal aid,¡± Isaac said. ¡°Then why did your friend come here?¡± Alessia said. ¡°You!¡± Isaac howled, priming his claws for attack, as he hissed, losing control. I shot a look at Isaac and rested a soft hand upon him. ¡°Isaac,¡± I said, sending calming vibes his way, while also reminding him that I was the one not losing control this time. Isaac''s long furry snoot twitched with rage, as he recognized my efforts and eased down to some degree. Alessia grinned and outstretched an arm to cut between the path of Isaac and myself. ¡°No,¡± he said, brushing past with down-turned eyes. ¡°He came all his own.¡± 45. The Cost Of Living We followed Alessia down another dimly lit tunnel, that led into a larger, yet just as dusty, enclosure. I could feel Isaac¡¯s uneasiness emanating strongly from him, almost as if it was an aura of danger, an anticipation that he was ready to strike at any moment. I was drawn to it, attracted to his power, to his intent. Yet still, it felt good to be the one in control, even if it was just for a little bit. Isaac seemed to be spiraling though. Was that because of me? ¡°My friend,¡± Alessia croaked, as the torch light illuminated the tiny space, ¡°you have visitors.¡± ¡°Ch¨¨re!¡± Denaux tilted his glasses, seated at a desk, as he compounded some powdery mixture with mortar and pestle, a row of instruments and oddities in jars, set before him. He immediately rose from the table and waltzed over to embrace me. ¡°But...what brings you here?¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± I countered with, relinquishing from a tight hug. ¡°Well, I figured we could use some help. Scoured the phone book,¡± he laughed, slapping me playfully on the shoulder. I narrowed my brow in confusion. ¡°And the history books,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t just become when you were reborn. I¡¯ve been on this hunt for a while now.¡± ¡°It was of mutual interest,¡± Alessia smiled. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t you that set those clues for us?¡± I said. ¡°Huh?¡± Denaux scratched his head. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That,¡± Alessia said, ¡°would be my work. We had to bring you into awareness, with greater immediacy.¡± Denaux squinted, in thought that bore the potential deceit laid bare for him by his new patron. ¡°I...¡± he started up, processing his deep thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ve been testing new mixtures, new callings, to enhance you. With Mr. Alessia¡¯s help, we might be able to win this thing.¡± ¡°You are enchanted by this creature, and his demons,¡± Isaac spoke up. ¡°We must not entrust in these dark arts.¡± ¡°I hate to tell you, wolfy, but that¡¯s how we all got here,¡± Denaux chided. Isaac bore his teeth, growling. ¡°We thought you were kidnapped,¡± I cut in again, ¡°after what happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Denaux twisted his head in confusion. ¡°Uh,¡± I held silent for a moment, trying to gather the words. ¡°A slaughter,¡± Isaac said, ¡°a bloodbath on your own grounds.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Denaux said, almost shaking with incomprehension. ¡°Perrault,¡± I spoke up. ¡°It was a packed club...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crime scene now,¡± Isaac said. "Isaac!" I shot him an annoyed glance. ¡°No...¡± I Denaux said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± He fell forward to me, begging for answers, his arms outstretched, as he pleaded with me for the terrible truth. ¡°Is everyone okay? Taniya...is Taniya okay?¡± I nodded, sighing. ¡°The only one.¡± Denaux¡¯s hastened breathing came out uncontrollably. ¡°This¡ªI can¡¯t breathe,¡± he waved hands over his head, trying to circulate air in the musty yet arid space. ¡°It''s okay,¡± I said, pulling him in, to embrace, ¡°It''s okay.¡± ¡°No, ch¨¨re,¡± he said, pushing back, ¡°it''s not. More blood has been spilled.¡± He looked at his own open hands in an accusatory manner. ¡°More blood on my palms.¡± ¡°It''s not your fault,¡± I raised my voice. ¡°But it is!¡± He shook his head. ¡°If I''d only went down this path sooner,¡± he wrestled with his own thoughts. ¡°I could''ve...I could''ve--¡± ¡°You could''ve sold your soul to another devil,¡± Isaac cut in. Denaux glared at Isaac, shaking his head in mounting rage. ¡°That''s not fair. You know that''s not fair.¡± ¡°We''re all trying to put a stop to this,¡± I said. ¡°But...¡± Alessia spoke up, a glint of perverse humor in his eyes. ¡°At what cost? Perhaps it is time we talk.¡± 46. Deal With The Devil ¡°Do not bargain with this creature!¡± Isaac howled, his teeth bare, dripping viscous rage. ¡°Perhaps you should hear an offer before you speak?¡± Alessia clasped his hands together in precious waiting, licking his eternally dry lips with ill mannered intent. ¡°What is the price for freedom from this torment?¡± Isaac shouted to us. ¡°Retribution in this form will only cost more than you are willing to give!¡± ¡°Let that be up to us,¡± Denaux snapped back coldly. ¡°Blood for blood, if it be so.¡± Denaux glanced back at me, in waiting. He nodded slowly, as if acknowledging the mutual understanding that the decision held before us. I exhaled, and nodded along with him, accepting his affirmation in the fact that we held individual actions and thoughts...some which could lead to the end of a demon...or maybe the birth of another? ¡°What do you have to offer?¡± I asked Alessia, naturally leaning in closer to listen to the moans of the dimly lit creature. ¡°Power,¡± he purred. ¡°Limitless. Unbound.¡± His lips contorted in euphoric pleasure. ¡°You could end Perrault in one battle, if we enhance your current state, of that I am certain.¡± I stood in silence, my heart thumping with blackened desire for vengeance. For an end to our suffering. All of it. ¡°Your friend here,¡± Alessia nodded to Denaux, ¡°has already been putting in the footwork to make this ritual a success. Do you distrust his actions?¡± I remained silent, the cogs grinding inside my head, before the words trembled from my lips, the uncertainty even driving me to sensational thoughts. ¡°What do you want? My soul?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Alessia snorted in decadent laughter. ¡°Oh, my child, you comfort me with your naivety. The lord does not desire souls.¡± ¡°What does he desire then?¡± I posited, tilting my head naturally, in questioning. ¡°Something simple,¡± Alessia said. ¡°Perhaps not even tangible this very moment. At some point in the future, a request will be asked of you. That is all.¡± ¡°NO!¡± Isaac thundered. ¡°Annabelle, we will not entail ourselves in this any further.¡± ¡°That,¡± Alessia said, ¡°is not your decision to make.¡± "Ch¨¨re,¡± Denaux spoke up, ¡°I want this more than anyone...but is this something you want?¡± ¡°Your selfish whims will have consequences, shaman,¡± Isaac growled, springing forth. ¡°How many more lives must we lose before we have to step up?¡± Denaux shot back. ¡°We must make our stand now.¡± ¡°We!?¡± Isaac shouted. ¡°That is rich, when you are not the one paying the price.¡± ¡°I...¡± Denaux stood silent. ¡°Perhaps we should let the girl speak?¡± Alessia cut in. ¡°Perhaps I should rip that tongue from your mouth!¡± Isaac snapped, the sinews in his oversized muscles tensing, bulging, with feral anticipation. ¡°Wait...¡± I yelled out, quieting the room. I breathed in the silence, trying to assemble the words that would put an end to this, but soon realized, that such is an impossibility. I had no answers. Each problem created another, and so on. That couldn''t be the way to reach our destination...could it? ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± I stuttered, shaking my head and twisting to face the exit. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Alessia cleared his throat. ¡°Remember,¡± he harangued, ¡°the offer may not exist in its current form for much longer.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, turning tail and running back down the hall from where we came. ¡°Annabelle, wait!¡± Isaac yelled, chasing after me, our shadows flickering down the tunnel. Denaux softened and sank back into his chair, with a heavy sigh. ¡°The others abate,¡± Alessia said, ¡°while this one waits.¡± Denaux looked back up with intrigue. ¡°What do you dream of, child?¡± Alessia said, leaning over him.¡°The price for admission stands.¡± Denaux peered unsure through the darkness, feeling his temples slick with sweat. Alessia beamed, his gnarled teeth shining horrifically in the darkness. ¡°Is another willing to sacrifice for such dreams, in their stead?¡±