by David Paul
The vampire immediately breaks up the brief celebration. Their work is not done yet. “Carver is no where in sight.”
“Check on the girl,” Rawley said to the detective.
In all of the excitement, the team almost forgot about Kaye Miller. They have compassion for her and want to insure her safety, but the most important part of this mission is to confront Devin. Devin is the biggest threat to the world, and it takes precedence over even her safety. The detective quickly walks over to the altar to see Kaye Miller awake and speechless. She is still under the influence of the demonroot and is seemingly oblivious to everything that has transpired. Detangelo puts a robe over her naked body and leaves her on the altar for the moment. She is unable to communicate and appears to be in a vegetative-like state.
“She’s fine. I think,” Detangelo said. The policeman checks her vital signs, and a slightly slower heart rate is all he can be concerned over. The lowered heart rate is the trademark of the demonroot.
The vampire has another déjà-vu moment as he sees the reflection of a shooting star off of some glass in the distance. The vampire knows that Carver is there. David points in the direction of the reflection.
“He is in that house.”
The other two men watch where David is referring.
The vampire’s words hang heavy in the air. A marked drop in the temperature seems to happen instantly, and it is noticed by everyone as the humans’ breathe shows in the cold air. Rawley and Detangelo can feel that David is correct. The bloody journey ends here at this old house. They are about to confront the Beast.
Chapter Fifteen: The Beast Is Near
The eerie broken down house in the vampire’s dream is present in these woods. David keeps getting the strange sensation of the chills. He knows that his fated meeting with his son is drawing near. Every single event in his life has culminated to confronting Devin in these woods. Every past wrong decision, action, and thought is now rendered pointless. The vampire starts with a clean slate. This is the moment of truth for the ancient vampire. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of David and his comrades tonight.
“I didn’t even see the house. It is completely buried in the forest,” Rawley said. Rawley observes the lay of the land.
“I don’t have time to get into all of the specifics,” David said, “but I’ve been inside that house before in a recent dream. I know that Carver is in there.”
“How do you want to handle this?” Rawley asked David. “I know that you want Carver alive, but I’m not going to die for him. We have bigger fish to fry in the future.”
“I was hoping that we could restrain him instead of killing him. If we can exorcise Devin out of Carver, we may be able to trap him.”
Rawley pondered the dilemma.
“We could trap him in a prism or a crystal,” Rawley said, “and then throw it in the bottom of the ocean to keep him out of everyone’s hair for awhile.”
“That would be ideal because we can only banish Devin for so long before he possesses someone else and starts the whole thing all over again,” the vampire replied.
“He has the power of influence in his earthly form,” Rawley said, “but just like Lucifer, he cannot walk freely in this universe for long periods of time. They orchestrate all of there business using either their mental influence or through a host body.” Rawley is informing the detective about Devin.
“It would be in our best interest to trap him,” David said. The vampire has made his decision.
“I agree with you,” Rawley said, “so let’s see if we can imprison him.” A wounded cultist squirms on the ground in an attempt to stand up. -Crack, Detangelo jumps, and the shot echoes through the forest. Rawley put a single round through his forehead mid-conversation. The cultist fell to ground motionless. Rawley looks down at the slain devil worshiper “We should walk these grounds quickly and put people out of their misery before we go after Carver.”
Everyone agreed with Rawley, so the team did a quick walk around to see if any survivors were leftover. The aftermath of this night was brutal. The team managed to kill almost a hundred of Devin’s followers, and they all went out hard. Those who lost their lives to gunshots to the head were the lucky ones. Quite a few followers are barely alive and suffering in agony from their wounds. The dark vampire chose painful, almost torturous, entry points into many assailants with his blade.
Once again, David has taken great pleasure with his killing in the name of righteousness. David enjoyed the killing, and he wears his sense of purpose like a mask. He somehow dilutes this harsh realization in his mind. The vampire cannot escape himself and what he has become after so many centuries. David is just the same as his reflection in the mirror, both inside and out. Even with this self-knowledge, he is determined to stay on course. The vampire needs to own who he is.
Even though he walks the night, the vampire never pledged his soul to the deceiver. He has fallen from grace, but he hasn’t accepted the walking stick of the Beast. David abandoned the heavens many years ago, but still never befriended below the depths. This leaves him almost neutral in the balance of the world. The vampire bloodline gives him a natural gravitation toward inherent evil, but his mind and soul lead him elsewhere.
Regardless of whether he is a clergyman or a murderer, David’s call of duty shows no prejudice to his kind. A piece of coal is worth more than a flawless diamond when one needs a fire. That age-old tribal adage stands true. The vampire is an unlikely hero, and his past is dark. David is doing all that he can do to walk the path toward redemption. Part of his journey is self-awareness, and the rest of the quest is to find the conviction to execute what he already believes. Maybe the ends will justify the means.
A cultist managed to stab Rawley in the calf with a small dagger while he was checking on the wounded, and this set Rawley off. “You son of a bitch!” He screamed.
Rawley removes the dagger from his leg and stabs it into the back of a corpse. He then decapitates his assailant with a shovel that was on the ground next to him. After the grotesque display of carnage, a fuming Rawley slowly walks over and grabs one of the diesel fuel storage cans that the followers used to light the fires for the event. David scoops Kaye from the altar and holds her in his arms. She is still in a trance-like state.
“I should have let all of you suffer like the putrid scum of the earth that you all are.” Rawley pours diesel fuel on the piles of dead and wounded. “To think that I would show mercy to fallen enemies,” Rawley said.
“Please,” a wounded male cried.
Rawley spits on him.
“Your master would show no such mercy,” David said, “and neither shall we.”
Kaye Miller looks up at him in wonderment and confusion.
The detective is completely silent, but he is in agreement with the rest. Finally, Detangelo has come to terms with how evil needs to be dealt with. If one lives by the sword, then they should die by the sword. No mercy for the wicked. Detangelo realizes that this is really the end game. The further enlightened detective has chosen his side of the battlefield. He has tasted the battle and spilled the blood. Much of why he originally became a policeman was to help to make a difference. The level of the playing field has changed for him, but many of the principles remain the same. The methods have become far more extreme, and that is the singular difference. Detangelo’s brass police badge has become a holy shield that has clashed with true evil.
“You like the Devil so much?” Rawley asked. “You want to burn in Hell for all eternity?” Rawley holds up his lighter. “This is mercy. Make peace with your Hell god and join him in the depths.” Xavier ignites the diesel fuel with one metallic snap of a Zippo lighter, and the clearing erupts into flames.
The last of the survivors scream in pain as the fire rages instantly, burning them alive. The smell of diesel fuel mixed with burning flesh and smoke overpowers the mossy damp forest fragrance. The fire cleanses the filth in the forest. Rawley makes the sign of the cross and commences
ashes to ashes and dust to dust. The raging fire warms the frigid night. The grounds are illuminated with more late night flames.
“We need to go inside that house and deal with Devin. I have a feeling that he is just waiting for us in there,” the vampire said.
“What about the girl?” Detangelo asked. “We can’t just leave her here.”
“I’ll bring Rawley’s truck to the edge to the clearing, and we’ll leave her inside it for now.” David volunteered for the job. “I need the keys, Xavier,” he said.
Detangelo takes Kaye Miller from David’s arms.
“Just hurry up,” Rawley said. He flicks the vampire the keys. “We have some work to do.”
David wastes no time as he races on the wind through the dense air above the trees. The aerial view of the clearing looks like a raging brush fire. Minutes later, he arrives at Rawley’s vehicle. The vampire fires the black truck to life and activates all of the off-road lights. David didn’t need them, but he wanted to see them lit up. He points the truck in the right direction and guns the motor. The truck rips effortlessly through the cornfield as David carves out his own path with the four-wheel drive behemoth. The corn stalks smashing off of the front bumper sound like a hailstorm on a tin roof.
Just outside the field, the vampire is able to maneuver the truck over a small obstacle of boulders. The ultra low gearing in the trucks modified transmission and massive tires allow the truck to crawl over the rocks with minimal effort. The path is just wide enough to press forward into the forest. David hopes Rawley won’t mind some minor scratches and brush-marks on his paint job. Once again, David appreciates a fine automobile.
After a short while in the forest, and a few more natural obstacles, David arrives at the still burning inferno. The detective props Kaye into a seat in the back of the truck. She is comfortably strapped into the seat, and the men focus their attention on Devin.
“Are you ready gentlemen?” David asked. Rawley and Detangelo look at the vampire and give a nod for their readiness.
“If I am correct,” David said, “the house should be empty. I think that we should use the flash-bangs and get him into restraints as soon as possible.”
“He is just as dangerous in restraints as walking freely.” Rawley added.
“Why do you say that?” Detangelo asked.
“He is a possessed by a major demon.” Rawley said angrily. Rawley is forgetting that Detangelo is not completely up to speed on exorcisms, demons, and such. To David and Rawley, what was said is common knowledge. The battle with the followers was an epic battle, and the detective has never seen such an altercation. Detangelo almost finds it hard to believe that the battle was the easy part of this excursion.
“Sorry,” Detangelo said, “I don’t have much experience with demonic possessions.”
“Well,” Rawley said, “tonight, you are getting the crash course in it.”
“Jack, what ever you do…avoid looking Carver in the eyes,” the vampire said.
They are doing their best to coach the unprepared detective.
“Do you believe in God, Jack?” Rawley asked.
“Of course I believe in God, Rawley. Do I look like a soulless heathen?”
“Then pray,” Rawley said. He goes into the tailgate area of his truck to acquire some things that may be needed.
“Devin is going to use anything possible to invade our minds. Do not give into whatever he tempts you with.” David removes the protective necklace that Capello gave him from his neck, and he gives it to the detective. “Wear this,” the vampire said, “it will help protect you from Devin.”
Detangelo puts the necklace around his neck, and the necklace locks down on his body the same way it had done with the vampire.
“What in God’s name are you doing, David?” Rawley asked. “I know what that necklace does, and it should be around your neck. We cannot afford to lose you to the other side.” Rawley urged the vampire to reconsider his act of generosity toward the detective.
“I’ll be fine.” The vampire said no more about it.
Rawley is not entirely happy with David’s decision. The warrior knows that David has the pivotal role in the outcome of the war. In Rawley’s eyes, the vampire is more important to the cause than the detective. Sadly, these types of decisions have to be made when dealing with the possible end to all of civilization. Usually, only politicians and generals have to make these types of decisions that require prioritizing the value of life. Even Kaye Miller and Dr. Carver are on the bottom of the list of importance compared to David. The mission of stopping Devin is of utmost urgency.
Rawley says a short prayer asking for protection for the team, and the three head towards the old creepy house. The prayer was painful to the vampire. David made no mention about it. They get to the front door, and the worn porch creaks at the floorboards. The same dank smell in David’s dream is present on the porch.
“Come inside.” A creepy voice from inside the house invited everyone in.
Rawley responds by throwing a pair of flash-bang grenades into the small house. Two large bangs go off, and the team rushes inside immediately afterward Rawley has a Tazer readied to subdue Carver. The house is empty, except for a simple and beat up bed. The house is exactly as David had seen in his dream with the exception of the velvet-covered chair.
Carver is unconscious on the dirty floor. Rawley immediately uses zip ties to restrain him and carries him to the bed. Looking through the backpack that he had grabbed in the truck, Rawley pulls out some ropes that look very used and old. He uses them to restrain Carver’s hands and feet to the antiquated bed.
Dr. Carver has a sickly look about him. The doctors temples have large jagged veins flaring out like his cranium is inflamed or under extreme pressure. The purplish veins poke through his pale white skin. The vampire has an eerie feeling that everything is way too convenient. David finds it rather strange that there is a bed in the house, almost as if Devin has been waiting for this to happen. Most likely, this was all orchestrated. Devin could have easily escaped while the armed assault was transpiring. Carver waited for the team to finish. The vampire has no choice, but to move forward and try to exorcise the ruthless demon from Carver.
There is a noticeable chill in the room making it substantially colder inside the house, than outside. The raging bonfire of wood and dead bodies outside is still throwing quite a bit of heat and illumination, but it isn’t spreading into the forest. The inferno seems to be isolated to the clearing. Detangelo can see his breath in the room adding a dramatic effect. Both the temperature and the situation are chilling. It is indeed an unnatural chill that is affecting the room.
Dressing himself up in some religious garb, Rawley looks as if he is about to give a sermon. A red velvet cloth bearing the sign of the cross and the embroidered crest of the Knights of the White Light is draped over his neck and hangs over his shoulders.
“It’s the Deacon of Death,” Detangelo said with a smile. After seeing the man viciously kill one cultist after another, it is hard for anyone to picture him looking very religious.
“Got that right,” Rawley said.
Rawley actually smiles.
Detangelo’s performance in battle actually gained the respect of Rawley and David. The detective is an ordinary man who could have easily dismissed the supernatural talk as foolishness and continued life with his blinders on. David was persuasive with his methods, but some human minds simply refuse to see reality. They live in absolute denial of the truth even when the truth is right before their eyes. Not only did Detangelo fight the urge of being short-sited and close-minded, but also he risked his life to protect the world in noble fashion. He fought with nobility. The detective definitely earned his respect from the two seasoned veterans.
Rawley takes out an ancient gold-framed Bible and sets up several items on the floor a few feet from the bed. He takes out a large piece of chalk and draws a circle on the floor. Rawley begins writing numerous archaic, magical symbols around the c
ircle.
“This is a protective countermeasure that may aid us,” Rawley said. The vampire and the detective watch silently while Rawley works. “If anyone is not feeling quite like themselves, then enter the circle.”
“Rawley,” David said, “you are giving us a fighting chance.”
“Might as well,” Rawley said. “I do not want to die here today.”
“Neither do I,” the detective said. “After surviving that bloody mayhem out there, I don’t want to die in here.”
“This can take an hour or a year,” Rawley said. The warrior warned everybody. Detangelo is standing in the middle of the protective circle as a precaution. “So prepare yourselves for the worst. Dr. Carver may die in the middle of the procedure.”
David stands behind Rawley as he begins the exorcism process. There is complete silence in the room. Xavier lights four candles around the bed, and this offers quite a bit more light inside the house. The outside inferno only gives the house a small amount of illumination through the dirty neglected windows. He takes a small bottle of Holy Water and splashes it onto Carver. A sickening sizzle, followed by blistering skin is the result of his actions.
The Holy water works like an acid on Carver’s pale white skin. Rawley makes the sign of the cross on Carver’s forehead, and this leaves a raw open wound of burnt flesh on his head. The wound oozes blood steadily before finally coagulating. Carver is still unconscious and hasn’t even flinched yet. The exorcist checks Carver’s vital signs, and he is in fact still alive. He is just not responding.
“They all do this,” Rawley said. Everyone sees Rawley’s breath in the stale frozen air. “Pretty soon, he will be spitting, vomiting, and saying all kinds of vile nonsense in different languages.”
“I’ve seen this before,” David said. This isn’t the vampire’s first time witnessing an exorcism. “It is not pretty.”
What Rawley is trying to do is to expel the demon from Carver and imprison its soul inside of a crystal. Once its soul is imprisoned, the crystal would have to be shattered for the demon’s soul to be released. This is a good method and a bad method at the same time. The nice part of the procedure is that the demon is trapped indefinitely. The bad part is that the crystal can accidentally be shattered in transit, which basically releases the demon immediately.