by Linda Creel
Gregory stared at the young girl and shook his head. Wearing a long-sleeved, black rayon dress which barely showed her ankles; the stiff white pinafore apron, and matching cap, completed the uniform.
She looks like a parlor maid – straight out of Downton Abby. This must be another of Meredith’s brilliant ideas. The poor girl can’t be any older than sixteen; I wonder how she came to be in the Governor’s employ.
“Excuse me, Governor; there is a gentleman here to deliver a wedding gift.”
Meredith turned to see Gregory Godwin standing in the doorway.
“Forgive the intrusion, but Andromeda insisted I bring this to Caspian and Desiree,” he said.
As he looked around the table, he couldn’t help noticing Caspian’s absence. His focus shifted to Desiree. Judging by her reddened eyes, she must have been crying recently.
“I apologize for our sudden departure yesterday; Matthew isn’t used to controversy,” he told Henry.
“Gregory -- it’s good to see you,” Meredith gushed. “I’m afraid my son has been called away. The Guild recruited him and my son-in-law to warn the angel-bloods about the danger to their children. Please -- have a seat and share a cup of tea.”
Nathali raised her brow, giving her grandmother a curious stare. Since when do you care what happens to the angel-bloods?
“Yes, all that business about those missing children; such a shame. I hope they have a successful journey.” He handed the package, wrapped with fine gold paper and trimmed with a satin band, to Desiree.
“Well, open it,” Meredith instructed. “Andromeda has exquisite taste; I’m sure it will be lovely.”
Following her mother-in-laws command, Desiree carefully untied the white ribbon and removed the paper, revealing a robin-egg colored blue box. She lifted the lid and set it on the table. Beneath the tissue paper, she found a silver, Queen-Anne tea-set. Engraved on each piece, was a detailed picture of an angel, spreading their wings.
‘It’s beautiful,” she gasped.
Gregory chuckled. “Andromeda will be pleased. I noticed Richard isn’t here either; are you expecting him sometime soon? I’d like to speak to him about a business proposition.”
“My son left early this morning. We have no idea what time he’ll return, but I can leave a message for you,” Henry said.
“No – don’t trouble yourself. It was nothing earth shattering.” He stood, excused himself, and after kissing Meredith’s hand, the maid showed him to the door.
“What a nice young man. I hope Andromeda appreciates him,” Meredith said.
She called for one of the other servants. Pointing to the tea set, she said, “Take this to Desiree’s room and be careful not to drop it.”
The girl replaced the lid, and rushed towards the stairs, mumbling under her breath. I’m counting the days. Three more months, and then I can finally be rid of this ridiculous costume, and that witch.
Samhael arrived at the cabin in the woods shortly after Richard. “Is this all you could find?” he asked, looking at the two brothers.
“You didn’t give me much time. These men have agreed to take the blood, and if we are successful; I’ll try to locate some of their friends.”
“Not to worry,” Mortriel said as he approached from the road. “We’ll start with these men, and add to the group later.”
Standing beside him were six of the seediest characters Richard had ever seen. The hulking men stood over six feet tall. The sleeves of their sweat-stained, blue and white striped prison uniforms were rolled up, exposing bronze, muscular arms, painted with multi-colored tattoos.
“I picked them up from a chain gang in Mississippi this morning,” Mortriel said.
“They are agreeable to the plan?”
“It didn’t take much convincing. I think they’ll be perfect for our New Guard.”
Clarence and Chester started grumbling when they recognized two of the men – Roland, and his brother, Roy. “What are you doing here -- looking to screw us over again?” Chester spat.
Richard cocked his brow. “You know each other?”
Chester spit on the ground next to Roy’s feet. “These two low-lifes welched on a deal they made with us a few months back.”
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Roland spat. “We’ve been in that hell--hole for three months, while you two were living the good life.”
“It was just a little misunderstanding,” Roy explained. “We agreed on an amount of money for their services, but they never finished the job. We paid Clarence and Chester what we thought they were worth.”
Mortriel doubled over in laughter. “Clarence and Chester – how frightening – I doubt anyone is going to be afraid of these two.”
“Yeah-- well it ain’t as bad as Roland and Roy,” Chester sneered.
“Enough -- there will be plenty of gold to go around,” Mortriel said, still chuckling. “We don’t have time for these petty arguments. When this is done, we’ll change all of your names.” He turned to Samhael. “Did you bring the blood?”
Reaching into his pocket, Samhael removed several of the clear glass vials. “This should be enough to get us started. Each of them have a small knife?”
The men pulled switchblades and make--shift pocket--knives out of their prison trousers. Some were bloodied; others rusted.
They aren’t exactly the cream of society, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“In an effort to save time, Richard will administer the blood to Clarence and Chester while the rest of you watch. Pay close attention -- you’ll only need a small drop of blood,” Samhael said.
When Chester offered his knife, Richard pushed it away. Who knows where that thing has been; I’ll use my own.
He pulled a small serrated blade out of his jacket pocket and made a small slit in the brothers’ arms. Samhael opened one of the vials and handed it to him.
“Wait,” Mortriel said. He leaned in and whispered in Samhael’s ear. “Perhaps we should have them make a cut now. If these two don’t survive, the others may renege on their agreement.”
Samhael nodded. “Before Richard mixes the blood, the rest of you can make a small nick in your forearm,” he said. The men did as they were instructed, though some cut deeper than was necessary.
Maybe they’re trying to prove how tough they are because they know Mortriel will appoint one of them as the leader.
“Are you ready?” Richard asked the brothers.
Chester and Clarence did nothing to disguise the pretentious smirks on their faces. Since they were chosen to go first, it moved them one step ahead of the others.
As they held out their arms, Richard applied a single drop of blood to each of the open cuts, and then took a step back. He had already been warned him about the transformation, and didn’t want to be their first victim if they survived the process.
Mortriel and Samhael followed suit; emptying the contents of the vial on the rest of the men. Then, backing away to stand next to Richard; they waited for the change.
When Gregory left the Governor’s house, he walked past the square towards the country. When his parents died, he inherited the family estate, but he hadn’t checked on the property in ages.
He saw a shadow out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a cloaked figure limping hurriedly towards the outskirts of town. Though her face was concealed, he suspected she was one of the Enchantors who lived in the small village adjacent to the city.
I wonder where she is going in such a hurry. I’ve heard rumors about their bizarre spell-casting; I should tag along and see what she’s up to. He watched her turn towards the woods, and then he followed, keeping enough distance so he wasn’t spotted.
The reaction to the blood was swift.
The men lay on the ground, twisting and writhing in pain as the transformation began. Their chests and heads swelled to twice its size.
Sharp, elongated teeth protruded from their gaping mouths, accompanied by a foul-smelling drool. A sleek black fur
began to manifest over their faces and arms, and extended, razor sharp claws replaced the fingers on their hands.
“So, the rumors about werewolves are true?” Richard joked.
Mortriel couldn’t contain his exhilaration. “It seems to be working; my father will be pleased.”
No sooner did the words roll off his tongue, four of the men began to convulse. A thick, dark substance poured from their mouths and noses, and within minutes the quivering stopped. As they lay motionless, a knot formed in Mortriel’s gut -- they were dead.
Staring at the limp bodies, he cursed under his breath. If none of them survive, my father will think I’m a failure. His eyes focused on the remaining four, who were still thrashing about.
“Someone’s coming,” Richard whispered.
They turned to see an old grey-haired woman with a cane hobbling towards them. As she came into view he recognized her – it was Grendel. “What’s she doing here?” he mumbled.
They had only turned away for a split second, but it was long enough.
Before Richard could stop them, the brothers mounted a vicious attack on Roy and Roland, who had not yet completed the transformation. Sinking sharp fangs into the necks of the two men; the air was soon filled with shrill, deafening screams.
Roy and Roland, who were not fully awake, tried to stave off the attack, but the brothers were relentless. As Clarence and Chester used their teeth to tear at the raw flesh, their clawed hands ripped through the chests of their victims.
Gregory, who had been hiding behind a tree and watching, felt a sour pang in the pit of his stomach. His first instinct was to run, but he found himself glued to the spot, unable to turn away from the horrific scene.
“Stop them!” Mortriel shouted.
“ENOUGH!” Richard screamed.
The brothers, still panting and covered in blood, fell to the ground. A few seconds later, their altered bodies were once again in their human form.
Grendel approached and threw two pairs of shackles at Richard. “Quickly – chain them before they change back,” she said.
Richard and Samhael each grabbed one of the iron manacles. After wrapping them tightly around the brothers’ hands and feet; the chains were secured with a heavy padlock.
“We are not alone,” Grendel whispered. She pointed to Gregory who stood motionless in front of the tree.
Gregory felt the hair lift on his arms as all of the color drained from his face. He contemplated approaching them, until he saw the serrated blade in Richard’s hand.
He doesn’t know me well enough to vouch for me to his friends. I need to get out of here fast before I become their next victim. He snapped his fingers, and used the portal to take him home.
Mortriel started towards the spot, when Samhael grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. “He’s long gone.”
“Did you recognize him?”
“His name is Gregory Godwin,” Richard said. “He and his wife run a school for angel-bloods in New York.”
“We need to take care of him. If word gets out, our plans will be ruined,” Samhael said. He stared at the mound of dead bodies. “We need to do something with them, and then find a safe place for Clarence and Chester.”
“First, we’ll eliminate our little problem,” Mortriel said.
“Richard can deal with Gregory, while we keep watch over Clarence and Chester. When he returns, you and I can take our new Abyvir to Purgatory. We’ll need the carriage house.”
Mortriel’s brow furrowed. “What am I supposed to do with my prisoners?”
“They’ll be moved back to their dormitory. A large cage can be brought into the carriage house, and we’ll keep Clarence and Chester in these manacles until they are in command of their faculties.”
“How long will that take?” Richard asked.
“They should be under control in a week, two at the most,” Samhael said.
Grendel stepped forward and pulled a small, silver ring-like object from her pocket. She slid the cap off, revealing a fountain pen-type tip. She turned to Richard.
“This has been soaked in a very powerful poison – Witches Bane. Place it on your forefinger; one tiny scratch on any part of Gregory’s skin should do the trick. The effects will be immediate, so don’t linger,” she warned.
She tried to place it in his palm, but he hesitated. “How do I know it won’t poison me?”
“The venom can’t enter your body unless there is a tear in the skin,” she said matter-of-factly. “As soon as you scratch him, toss the implement on the ground.”
Grendel laughed as Richard pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around the tiny weapon before shoving it carefully into his pocket.
“You should be on your way before Gregory gets too far ahead,” Samhael said.
Richard nodded, and then vanished leaving behind a faint outline of black smoke.
Samhael looked at Clarence and Chester, who appeared to be sleeping. “Let’s get these bodies piled up. Richard should be back in fifteen minutes. As soon as you leave; I’ll start the fire.”
Chapter 34
By the time the support group finished eating; Stella came strutting down the stairs with the new girl. After hugging Ryan, she introduced Mehri to the roommates.
“I hope we’re not late,” Stella said, staring at the half-empty plates.
“Find a seat; there is still plenty of food,” Ryan said.
Katie and her friends stared at the new girl. Mehri was wearing blue jeans and a white peasant blouse with embroidery on the belled sleeves and open neckline. Her blonde hair was cropped short like theirs, but to them, she looked older than her seventeen years.
When she leaned across the table to shake Ryan’s hand, the sleeve slid up her arm exposing the black stitches.
“Are you a cutter?” Katie asked.
Mehri’s eyes widened; she felt her heart racing as she stared at her naked wrist. My bracelet…
Stella clutched Mehri’s hand and pulled her closer. “Don’t worry; they won’t judge you,” she whispered. “This will make your story more credible.”
“I don’t care about that. My bracelet is missing; I must have lost it in the house.”
Fool – how could you be so careless? “We’ll cut our visit short, and then talk about what to do.” Stella let go of Mehri’s hand and turned back to the girls.
“Mehri has self-esteem issues, and has been cutting herself for months now.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Sophia said. “We had another cutter here a while back; her name was Betsy. Father Ryan met with her parents and explained they were putting too much pressure on her to be perfect. After some counseling, everything worked out. She went home a few weeks ago. I talked to her yesterday, and she said home life is better than ever now.”
Shanna snapped her fork in half and threw it on the plate. “Yeah-- her parents care about her. The rest of us are still here, aren’t we?”
Without saying another word, she stood, slammed her chair against the table, and tossed her plate and cup in the trashcan before running up the back stairs.
“You’ll have to excuse her,” Katie said. “After Shanna’s father died last year, her mother lost it. She hooked up with some loser a few months later. They started clubbing and spending money like water. Shanna saw her mother turning into a drunk and they fought every day. Finally, she had enough and ran away. She thought her mom would kick the boyfriend out and beg her to come back, but …”
“We drove by the house a few months ago,” Sophia said. “A new family was living there. According to the neighbor, her mother married the boyfriend, and they moved to another state – Shanna doesn’t know where they are.
Mehri understood how Shanna felt. Her mother had abandoned her too. Maybe I’ll ask Samhael for a favor. No one will miss a couple more mortals. I hope he won’t be angry that I lost the bracelet Lucifer gave to me. We need to go back to the house and see if I left it there.
“I can’t thank you enough for meeting
with us, but we have to leave early,” Stella said. “Mehri is still getting settled into the house, and we have some shopping to do.”
“Isn’t she staying at the dorm with us?” Katie asked.
“No – she’ll be staying with me for now.”
“The girls were thinking about doing some shopping too,” Father Ryan said.
He pulled the cash out of his pocket and handed it to Katie. “I was so busy this morning I forgot to give this to you.” He chuckled as he watched her counting out the hundred dollar bills. “It seems you girls have a secret benefactor.”
Mehri’s eyes darted towards the stairs. They can’t go with us. We have to retrieve my bracelet.
“I’m afraid there isn’t room today, but we can plan to get together after church on Sunday,” Stella said. While she hugged the priest and each of the girls, Mehri stood back.
As they were leaving, Katie tugged on Mehri’s arm. “We wanted you to have this.” She tried to hand her five - $100 bills.
Mehri felt a warm tingling sensation spread through her chest. This girl doesn’t even know me, yet she is offering me part of her gift.
She smiled and gently pushed her hand away. “Thank you, but you keep it. I brought plenty of money with me, before I left home. I hope to see you on Sunday. Maybe we can have lunch.”
“Are you coming to mass?”
“We’ll have to get back to you,” Stella said. Grasping Mehri’s hand, she dragged her up the stairs.
As soon as she heard the car doors open, Katie approached the priest. “So, what did you think? Will she fit in with the rest of us misfits?”
“I think so.”
“Can we use your car to go to the mall? I promise -- I’ll be careful.”
Ryan pulled the keys out of his jeans pocket and handed them to her. “Remember – no speeding.”
Katie giggled. “Right – don’t drive like Father Patrick.”
Sophia finished clearing the table. “What should we do with the rest of the food?”
“Drop it off at the dorm on your way to the mall. Maybe you can take in a movie tonight and bring the car back tomorrow afternoon.”