Embers

by Daniela Elana

  CHAPTER 10

  DESECRATION

  Erich left the men’s rest stop, pulling up his pants after alleviating himself. He had spied three men and two women—it had to be them. He moved toward the women’s bathroom where he noticed Caroline and Crystal entered minutes ago.

  “Here kitty, kitty,” he said, kicking down the stalls to find nothing. From behind, Warren hit him with a club. Erich turned around flipping Warren over his head, throwing him on the ground and he fell passing out. Zev attacked him from the side with a kick. Erich shot him in the shoulder and Zev winced yet still ran ahead. He shot Zev again until he fell over. Crystal and Kevin swung at him, but Erich stabbed both of them, and they fell clutching their abdomens. He dialed Rain.

  “I found the missing sheep,” he said.

  “Be right over,” Rain replied on the other end.

  Minutes later, Rain pulled up in a truck, and he assisted Erich in loading the bodies to be flown into DC for the gala.

  * * *

  Leslie sat up in the brushes with a dull headache clutching her head. Her legs weren’t broken just exceedingly sore. She glanced to her left. Beside her lay Erich’s wallet, he must have dropped from his trench coat when he stood over her, and she scooped it up. In it was a list of contacts. Her eyes glossed over them and landed on the name on one of the cards. Thane and Rain. She thought back to Leo’s friend. Perhaps he was in on the village fire to Flo? Asmodeus hadn’t held up his end of the deal and she of known after all if Satan was the father of lies and she had believed one of his followers.

  On another card, there was a list of names. Among the names were ours. She gasped. Just as she struggled to stand, she saw a familiar face passing by, and laid back down, listening to the familiar raspy voice.

  “Those bastards! That should’ve been me not Maricel. I hope Leo slices her to bits.” She peeked down to see Leslie lying there with a smirk and poured her remaining coffee on her and threw the cup at her. It hit Leslie’s face and rolled down to the side of her.

  Tess grinned and kept walking. Leslie didn’t appreciate being treated like a trashcan yet knew better than to move.

  “At least one of the sheep is dead. The rest will be slaughtered at the gala where we’ll make examples of them, especially those prophets. I’ll have Leo kill Maricel and then when the chump thinks he’s safe we’ll kill him as well, and their heads will be on my platter along with the other prophets. As for the rest, they’ll make good human sacrifices, she laughed. “Oh, Thane stop it!”

  Tess lingered to her car, she opened the trunk for a brief second to put something in and got distracted as she and Thane went on walking to the side of the car bickering with him.

  Leslie hurried out of the ditch and went around to the trunk hastily throwing out some of Tess’s beauty supplies and zipping herself into Tess’s suitcase. It was tight, and she barely fit, but thanks to her lack of eating and her petite size, she was just able to make it work. She prayed she wouldn’t check it

  Tess was still facing the opposite direction talking on the phone. Finally, she strutted back over and shut the trunk, barely looking too caught up in her ranting and raving.

  “No, Thane, you can’t sleep with her!” she yelled at him and turned back around, hanging up, cursing and getting into the car slamming the driver’s door. “What is it about Maricel, she’s not better than me, I’m queen I wear the crown, me not her, she’s not even as pretty! I hate her, I hate freaking her!” She fumed as she drove off, heading for the Louisville International airport.

  * * *

  Twenty-minute laters, when she arrived, Thane assisted her with her luggage.

  “Damn, what did you put in here,” he said as he struggled to lift suitcases.

  “All of my beauty supplies. Why else do you think I look so flawless?” His brow rose. “Don’t give me that look Thane I’m naturally gorgeous.”

  “Are all those pounds of makeup really necessary?”

  “You’re really starting to irritate me,” she said to Thane had a difficult time rolling the suitcase, but managed. At the terminals transportation security checked bags having them place all of their belongings on a conveyer belt.

  Tess was exempt from such at her request because of her status, swaying past them, heading for her light private Jet along with Thane willing her luggage.

  Leslie gulped from inside the suitcase having trouble believing she had actually made it thus far. Tess swished up the airstairs. Thane followed behind her. She reclined comfortably in a leather seat as a flight attendant brought her a pint of Vodka Tess downed it down. Thane stared at her for a moment.

  “Geeze woman, how much do you drink?”

  “Enough for us both to swim,” she said.

  “Don’t die of alcohol poisoning,” he said. She snapped her fingers.

  “Don’t forget to put my luggage up.”

  When he got to the suitcase with Leslie in it, he struggled to lift and fit it into the compartment. It fell, and Leslie crashed onto the floor along with some of Tess’s beauty supplies, rolling all over the place.

  Thane gaped at her and then grabbed her legs. Leslie kicked him in the face, rising.

  He held onto his black eye before standing to reach for her again. She again kicked him in the groin area.

  Another man came from behind and subdued Leslie by the shoulders lifting her off her feet. Thane got up, cursing. Tess glared at her.

  “I thought your precious little “hubby” took care of you!”

  “He made a mistake,” she said. Tess rolled her eyes.

  “Where’s Maricel.”

  “I don’t know, we parted ways a long time ago.”

  “You’re lying to protect her.”

  “I have no idea, I promised Asmodeus I’d leave her,” he said. Tess frowned.

  “Well, then I guess you’re of no use anymore.”

  * * *

  My head throbbed and vision was clouded as my eyes peeled wide. They were sensitive to the ring lights around me.

  I felt awful like I had been drugged. I lay in a California king-sized bed, of a luxury hotel in Arlington, Virginia. I glanced down at my smooth shaved, dark legs realizing I wasn’t in my pants and I wore a crimson gown, along with matching stilettos.

  A large full-length mirror was on the other side of the room. I crawled across the bed, doing my best not to trip as my legs wobbled in the uncomfortable shoes.

  I stood in front of it, and I was dressed tastefully. My hair had been professionally done, not a strand out of sight. It was partially up and partially down and waved. I hadn’t seen myself this made up since the day I fled from my wedding.

  My makeup was painted on neatly bringing out my best features.

  I pivoted around with plans to leave, bumping into Azazel who stood behind hovering over me. My hand raised to slap him. He grabbed both my hands taking, them into his and the warm electrical current swept through me. He pressed my hands against his chest I tried to shove him away, but he pulled me in closer sending a magnetic sensation throughout my veins and warming my flesh all the way to my bones reminding me of when I had first encountered him in my dreams. He picked me up and set me on the dresser. My legs dangled over the edge as I faced him. He pushed back my hair and shushed me as he placed his hands on my bare leg. I shoved him away.

  “Just like old times,” he said. I scowled at him. “You’re so alluring Maricel.” His lips inches from my face as he drew away, leering at me.

  “Where are the others?” I said.

  “You’ll soon see,” he said, scooping me up again and carrying me out of the hotel room, passing everyone in the lobby. They all stopped and stared at him, as he held me in his arms, walking. We came to a limousine where he placed me inside, shutting the door behind me. I turned to my side, feeling the eyes of the person next to me fixated. To my horror, I was beside Lovell, who grinned at me. My instant reaction was inching away.

  “We me
et again.” I was surprised not to see Tess. I didn’t answer him. “You attempted to assassinate me and failed taking out my eye.” My expression was stolid and I remained silent. “I would like to thank you,” he said.

  “For what?”

  “You’re the one who delivered the mortal head wound. Now you’re going to pay the price.”

  “Where is Tess?” Both Azazel and Lovell cackled.

  “Tess?”

  “She’ll be there,” he said. The driver pushed his foot on the gas petal flooring the car. It accelerated forward screeching. I fell forward and back, sending my nerves into a frenzy. I wondered if I had suffered whiplash. The car declined to an average speed. Both Lovell and Azazel seemed to take pleasure in watching me at my weakest, using these intimidation tactics as we were off to the District of Columbia.

  * * *

  Leo stared at himself in the mirror, he had grown a beard since the last time he had seen me which he figured may make him somewhat unrecognizable. The tuxedo Tess had given him was hard to adjust too. If he were going to sneak in the event, he was going to have to look the part.

  * * *

  The limousines stopped in front of an imposing large marble building, and the chauffeurs came around to open the door. Out came politicians, celebrities, Nephilim, demons, then the Seirim and Asmodeus, then fallen angels and their wives and girlfriends. Right before us was Belial all by himself. He donned a dark red suit with a black tie. He popped his collar as he walked fan girls screamed from the top of their lungs reaching for him and he turned a blind eye ignoring them as he followed behind the other others who walked along the red carpet. On both sides, crowds were kept back as individuals reached for them behind the velvet ropes. Some celebrities waved at the masses while others gave them the cold shoulder pompously posing for pictures with the Lovellian Order Gala backdrop. It reminded me of my days in Hollywood except freakier. If that were even possible.

  Our limousine came to a stop. The crowd roared louder than before. The chauffeur came around and opened the door for us. I gripped the leather seats with all my might, but Azazel tugged on me. Lovell emerged waving at the crowd and blowing kisses. Everyone bowed kissing the ground. Azazel arose and their worship grew louder. I remained in the limousine and Azazel tugged on me by the arm. I tried to fight him and ended up falling onto the carpet.

  Camera flashes nearly blinded me. A group booed me throwing things behind the velvet ropes. I shielded myself from the flying debris.

  “Why is she here?” someone shouted in anger. Mr. Lovell and Azazel exchanged looks and grinned as they took me by both of my arms dragging me. My feet skidded the ground, almost taking off my heels. People yelled angry chants at me.

  “Maricel, what are you doing with them rather than your cult?” a man said, stepping in front of me with a sharkish grin. I recognized him as Ross Day. In person he was even trimmer than imagined.

  “Anything for a story, Ross,” I said. Ross winked.

  “She just couldn’t stay away from me,” Azazel said to him. The paparazzi went wild bursting into laugher exploding with more questions.

  Azazel clutched my waist tight as if I were his arm candy and stopped in front of the step and repeat edge of the carpet with a backdrop advertising the event. Flashes struck us as he held me close to him as I realized he had made me his date for the evening.

  The doorman parted the stanchion for us, and he strutted inside with me. My jaws dropped at the interior of the building hosted, and Belial looked up from standing to the side. His eyes narrowed at Azazel as he walked with me, he mouthed something under his breath, took a sip of his wine and disappeared.

  * * *

  When the private jet landed in DC, Tess instructed Thane to take Leslie to the prison chambers. Leslie scowled and yelped as he roughly handled her having no regard for her pain, dragging her by the hair.

  “Maybe I’ll spare you, honey, if you and I spend the night together,” Thane said.

  “I’d rather die.”

  “Fair enough, “he said, angered by her rejection shoving her behind bars closing it and walked away whistling. Leslie stood there trapped.

  “Hey Thane,” she called after him in a breathy tone. He turned. “I’m sorry maybe we can work things out.” She winked. He moved closer to her with his eyes glazed over. He unlocked the door and grabbed her like a wild animal by the waist, kissing her neck, making his way down her body. As his lips sucked on her collar bone, she rolled her eyes and reached for his keys. When he detected what she was trying to do, his hand jetted out for her wrist. She stabbed him in the leg with a pocket knife. He yowled in pain, gripping his thigh as she darted out of the cage.

  * * *

  Tess hurried into her suite, displeased to discover her husband had left without her. She complained to herself. He rarely gave her the time of day. In the beginning, she was the center of his universe like Maricel was to Azazel. He boasted of her beauty and sex appeal, yet Lovell had no love for anyone, but himself.

  He believed he was the most beautiful creation. She had agreed countless times to partaking in orgies and swinging to please him. At first, she enjoyed it as he always came back to her. After a while, there was the same boredom Azazel had in his eyes when he looked at her. No matter how gorgeous or kinky she was never enough for him.

  She took a seat at the vanity peering at herself in the mirror, popping a few Vicodin with vodka and touched her face displeased with the lack of glow lately.

  * * *

  Leslie watched Tess prance around her walk-in closet and select an amethyst, body con mermaid evening gown as she hummed to herself using it as an opportunity to sneak into her room as she was in the bathroom talking to herself, freshening up for the formal gathering.

  * * *

  Erich drove the truck carrying caged saints into the crypt of the building where the celebration was held. Every last one of them had been beaten starved and ranged in age and appearance. Slate greeted him and Rain with approving grin as they delivered the bodies.

  “Good work boys, I’ll have my men take it from here,” Slate said. The three of them entered the gala, preparing to celebrate the slaughtering of the saints and Hell’s gates opening.

  * * *

  Leo pulled into the parking garage and stepped out of his black Cadillac swaggering across the street, avoiding congested traffic as he crossed the road, slipping into the line stretching around the block. He glanced at the ID card Tess had provided for him

  The lines moved as many in line were turned away at the door. The tux irritated him. He tugged at his collar and adjusted his tie.

  After fifteen minutes of wondering how he would react to seeing me. The doorman asked for his ID, and he handed it to him. The man hardly looked at it and granted him permission to enter in parting the velvet ropes for him.

  Inside, as he entered people lined the walls chatting with costly drinks in their hands. Some in strange getups while others were more formal. Some took note of Leo turning to him, patting him on the back welcoming him inside as if he had joined a club. He tried not to recoil repulsed by their vulture set of eyes and fiendish palms. Half dressed women caressed him offering to sleep with him whispering suggestive innuendos in his ears tempting him. Leo pushed them off. Some called after him hissing and he continued on set on his mission.

  He glanced up at the balcony where Lovell sipped a glass of Cognac Grande, peering down at everyone in a calculated fashion.

  His eyes narrowed at Leo. It invoked discomfort within him. Leo stared back, and he continued walking, maintaining his modicum of calm.

  There was a large table with people seated most who looked to be prominent, it reminded him of the Last Supper painting by Da Vinci, and he figured I would be somewhere at the table. He noticed Azazel seated in the center as if he were trying to depict Christ. To his left, I sat. Leo’s blood boiled at the sight of me, amiss the devils.

  Creatures bumped into him as they gr
ound with men, trading partners at random.

  * * *

  I sat bored while Azazel chatted away with Semjaza both cackling like a couple of drunk hyenas telling cruel jokes.

  Semjaza winked at me. I turned away from him, fed up with his behavior. On my other side was Casper James, a model sat on his lap as he blabbered inebriated about his success. He turned to me and squinted.

  “Maricel, is that you?” he looked me over.

  “I saw on the news you became a Jesus freak for a while. I see you decided to come back to the high life.”

  “No, Casper. I’d rather have been dead than be here.”

  “Wow, you really are lost,” he said, turning away.

  At this table, I was a fish in the desert, sitting among these shallow individuals. It was a relief all of the reprobates displaying the dark triads of personality were distracted by their own narcissism to notice my existence. I motioned to stand, but Azazel pushed me down by the knee.

  “We can dance later,” he said, his eyes now a dark emerald shade.

  “You really think I am going to waltz around with you in this hellhole?” I said. He answered with a smirk and withdrew his hand, resuming his conversation with Semjaza.

  From a distance, I noted a man lost in the crowd as he scanned the room from behind his gold Columbiana mask, wading through the various bodies dry humping one another.

  It was as if he were in search of something or someone. An upbeat tune played. Some of the entities from our table poured onto the floor hooting and jiving. Azazel was still tied up speaking to Semjaza to get up.

  The man disappeared into the crowd as they pushed past him howling buzzed and high on drugs. Our eyes met from across the room. We held a steady gaze. His dark eyes dilated—he headed straight for the table. As he drew closer, I observed him more thoroughly. He looked to be in his early thirties. Yet with the mask, I couldn’t be sure as it was difficult to gauge his age.