by Mike Mannion
“What happened?”
“I vowed to Rowena that I would bring an end to her suffering and proposed.”
Lilith thought this was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard. “How dashing, even knowing she was so ill you still wanted to marry her?”
“Rowena accepted my hand and we were betrothed that spring at Saint Bede’s church in Underwood. All of the finest families in the district turned out and it was a glorious day. Rowena’s dress was long sleeved with white gloves and a heavy veil to ensure there was no chance of burning. Her illness was a secret to everyone except me and her parents.” Lord Percy paused, his brow furrowing. “But that night in our wedding bed, a most frightful thing – I am afraid Rowena heard the dreaded voice and it urged an attack upon me. In the heat of passion that is exactly what she did, mumbling the strangest of curses and most vile imprecations. This most wretched of diseases was passed on to me. I could now see the Bestia Marcam, the Beast Mark as Doctor Whitebeam calls this phenomenon, the flaming yellow eyes and halo of light. But to me she was still beautiful.”
“I see,” said Lilith. “So that’s how you became Arddhu.”
“I was head of the Ultorius Apostles and our noble society had already slain a number of the most troublesome warlocks in Barleybrook. How could the leader of such an organisation be in the grip of the warlock’s curse and have a cursed bride?”
“What did you do?”
“I insisted the Good Doctor move into Brimstone Manor, so I could see him each day and be at his side when a cure was found. He produced a concoction called Vita Dantis. This was not a cure but stopped the craving for blood, the tormenting voice and the burning of skin by sunlight. It was a great breakthrough.”
“That’s the stuff Professor Jareth gave you at the church.”
“My time spent with Rowena had tempered my lust for vengeance. And as I was now one of the victims myself I felt pity for their plight. After much deliberation, I told the Apostles everything. I said we could use the Good Doctor’s elixir to help those suffering the warlock’s curse live in society without harming anyone.”
“I see.”
“I am afraid they didn’t agree and I became their next victim.”
Lilith watched Lord Percy put a delicate hand to his brow. She gazed at his pale high cheek boned face, glowing by the firelight, at his long black hair and the purple velvet jacket she’d given him. She thought Arddhu were cool before, but after meeting Lord Percy properly she now thought they were super cool. She longed to take Rowena’s place. How could any future boyfriend she’d ever meet possibly compare with Lord Percy? And turning Arddhu would be the ultimate act of rebellion against her stupid stuck up parents.
“I want you to take me,” she blurted awkwardly.
Lord Percy looked a little impatient. “Have you not paid heed to a word I said? You need to leave this place before you suffer like myself and dear sweet Rowena have suffered.”
“I don’t care about that.”
Lord Percy looked in dismay at the young woman who gazed at him adoringly and wondered why he was trying to save this stupid girl. Until the Good Doctor had invented Vita Dantis it was Rowena that made him strong, made him feed on farm animals and not give in to the voice in their heads, the insistence voice of evil. But Rowena was not here...
“Do not ask such a thing!”
“But why did you make Claude bring me here if not to make me like you?”
“That was another part of me – and I deny its existence!”
Lord Percy felt strange. He reached down and picked up the the black bag the Professor had given him. He had to take some more Vita Danits before it was too late. He pulled out the Hex Box and switched it on, then took out the small case, opened it and took out a thin glass phial.
“What are you doing? Don’t be a coward. Embrace it!” Lilith got up and stood over Lord Percy. “I want to be a freak! Please!”
Percy tipped the clear liquid into the bowl in the top of the Hex Box, then with trembling hand tried to attach the needle to the end of the long plastic tube.
He stopped his breath and felt petrified with fear when a soft whispered voice echoed inside his mind.
You be a weak and feeble man if you don’t take a wench when she offers...
Lord Percy tried to think of honour and decency, of any way to silence the urges of the voice, but could feel all his compassion, kindness and love for Rowena crumble away...
Within an instant Lord Percy’s hands were clamped around Lilith’s exposed shoulders. He found himself mumbling in a language he didn’t understand. As the points of his teeth pieced her skin and he tasted human blood for the first time he felt a tipping point inside himself.
That’s it. She’s mine now...
The Dark Urge of Arddhu Og rose up and consumed him. All that he held decent and true, the virtues that made him a gentleman and a noble spirit were torn away and replaced by base animal lust.
As Lord Percy drank the sweet young blood his skin lost its pallor and took on a glowing vitality. Claude sat up and shook himself then lifted his head and let out a long plaintive howl. The blood contained something almost magical, a glorious vigour that was so intoxicatingly wonderful it made Lord Percy’s head swim. When he’d drunk his fill, he pushed Lilith aside and she sprawled unconscious on the settee. He sat and brooded by the fire.
A few moments later Lilith woke up. She looked over at Percy and got a terrible shock. Her cool and freaky Arddhu looked very different to the handsome man of just a few minutes ago. His skin was waxy and red veined, his ears were pointy and his eyes were shining and fiery yellow. There was a halo of light and curled horns around his head. He was a monster!
Lilith stammered, “You stay away from me.”
“Human blood! What sweet nectar flows from their veins! Why did I hide in the shadows and listen to that fool of a girl?”
Lilith got off the settee and backed away.
“Where are you going?” said Lord Percy. “You are my servant now.”
Lilith turned, opened the door and ran out into the hallway. Claude bounded after her, growling viciously, exposing long pointed teeth. He was about to leap up and drag Lilith to the ground but the huge dog suddenly stopped and crouched on the floor, whimpering softly. Lilith in a blind panic of self-preservation had somehow reached out into Claude’s mind and stopped him. She turned and fumbled with the lock to the door – her hands were trembling so badly she found it almost impossible – but managed to fling it open. She ran at tremendous speed across the courtyard – somehow the stones no longer cut into her feet and she felt no pain. A physical and mental transformation was starting to take place. She sprinted through the dark shrouded archway and out of sight.
Lord Percy and Claude stepped out into the night. The dog trotted forward, following Lilith scent.
“Leave her,” said Lord Percy. Claude immediately stopped and sat down. “Leave her to fend for herself. Let us see how well this arrogant young girl deals with the voice of Og and all its demands. Soon she’ll come crawling back to me.”
Claude looked up with dark doleful eyes. Percy held out a bony hand and stroked his head. “Why did I hide away in this meagre place, my friend? It is time to embrace what I was destined to become. Arddhu Og has told me how it longs to be heard in this realm, and I am the key. Let us away.”
Lord Percy pulled back the sleeve of his purple jacket, revealing a sinewy white forearm imprinted with a tattoo of a writhing salamander. With one astonishingly quick movement he bit into it and pulled out a chunk of flesh. The wound quickly filled with thick blood that began trickling down his arm and onto the stone chipped courtyard. Within seconds a lump of pink, vain streaked flesh was twitching at the centre of a dark pool. As more blood trickled onto the ground the fleshy lump grew in size, somehow sucking the sticky red liquid into its writhing mass.
It grew at a phenomenal rate. Within a couple of minutes, the convulsing ball of flesh, bone and sinew was bigger that Cla
ude. Four large fleshy buds sprouted from one side, forming rudimentary joints and sinew covered bones. A larger growth of vein matted flash sprouted from the other side, forming a thick neck that supported a long flesh covered skull. Eye sockets filled with wild staring eyes, lungs, heart and spleen appeared under a large rib cage and bones were quickly covered by hugely powerful muscles. Dark shiny skin sprouted everywhere. Suddenly there was a mane, a tail and four hooves.
The creature pulled itself up into a standing position and neighed softly. A magnificent black horse stood proud, its coat glossy over powerfully sleek muscles.
Lord Percy sucked the wound in his arm for a second and the bleeding stopped.
“Beauty! How wonderful to see you!”
The horse turned its head and looked at him with dark eyes.
Lord Percy leapt up into the air and landed on Beauty’s back.
“Away!” he cried. “Away to take back what is rightfully mine – Brimstone Manor!”
The horse reared for a few seconds then sped away into the night, with Claude following closely behind.
Chapter Ten - Reunion
See the sad and lonely girl
sitting in a bar.
No one understands the pain
of her dark and ugly scar.
She’s beautiful, her daddy’s rich,
destined to go far.
But she’ll never make it whilst she’s got
her dark and ugly scar.
– Extract from The Girl in the Bar
– By Crocodile, taken from the album Light Fantastic, 1969.
Bill woke up from a fitful doze, sat up in bed and scratched his head. He thought back to the previous evening and his heart sank. He’d been in Doctor van Devlin’s house with Frank and Professor Nox for hours, listening to the Professor’s dull yet obsessive monologue about the history of the Apostles. He was forced to go through a ritual that swore him to secrecy. When they’d finally allowed him to leave it was late evening and Fresher’s Fair had long since finished. Bill had walked up High Street, making his way back to College, with Frank by his side, telling him he’d been enrolled in the Choral Society and that he had to go to their meetings at ten sharp every Sunday morning. Bill had felt like a prisoner and was desperate to escape. When they’d got back to Connaught Hall he told Frank he was really tired and almost ran upstairs. Frank followed but Bill said he had to go to bed and ducked into his room, closing the door. He’d tossed and turned all night and hadn’t really slept. Now he was sitting in bed and wondering how he was ever going to get away from these awful people.
There was a hammering on the door, which made Bill jump. He heard Frank’s voice outside.
“Get up. There’s an urgent meeting.”
Bill was tempted to ignore him and roll back to sleep but he remembered Frank was huge and didn’t take to kindly to being messed about. He got out of bed and dressed as quick as he could. He opened the door as he was putting on his glasses and saw Frank’s chubby features glaring at him.
“You’re been summoned to the chapel to attend a meeting this morning. Inspector Ferret’s going to question you. He’s building identikit pictures of the two girls we’re after.”
Frank hammered on the door to Arthur’s room and waited. There was no reply so he hammered again, much louder. “Are you up?” he bellowed.
He heard a voice from inside. “I am now. Hang on a second. I’ll just get dressed.”
Bill looked at Frank, who was scowling in a very threatening manner. He seemed to be in a particularly bad mood today.
“Why do we need Arthur?” said Bill, hoping to get his friend off the hook.
“As your little friend has also seen the girls, Inspector Ferret wants him to come as well.”
Bill nodded.
The door opened and Arthur appeared, wearing a black denim jacket with a CND badge. “I am debating growing a beard,” he announced, “to make chicks think I’m bohemian and sophisticated.”
Bill looked at Arthur’s chin. It was small and pink and sported a sprinkling of short wispy hairs. “It’s getting there.”
Arthur stroked his chin and grinned, but then his face fell when he noticed Frank.
“Hi Frank. I didn’t expect to see you.”
“The police want to question you about the girls. You have to come with me.”
“Sure,” said Arthur a little dubiously, giving Bill a secret what-the-heck’s-going-on look.
Bill shrugged.
“Come on,” said Frank sternly, “we can’t be late.”
They went downstairs and heard lots of chatter as they approached the common room. People were coming in and out through the main exit. Frank’s two friends Dean and George appeared. Frank grinned when he saw them, his mood immediately lifting.
“You two wait here,” he hissed quietly, then went to join his friends.
Arthur and Bill watched them chatting and laughing. A moment later they went off, disappearing into the crowd with Dean waving at a couple of girls.
“Are we really going to waiting here?” said Arthur.
Bill walked slowly forward and peered into the common room. The place was full of people talking and drinking coffee but he couldn’t see Frank.
“Let’s go,” he said.
They darted through the exit and ran across the lawn outside. It was a warm cloudless morning and the majestic stonework of Conatus College, set back across the grass, almost glowed in the sunshine.
“Where we going?” said Arthur.
“Anywhere that’s away from Frank.”
They trotted across the lawn and went through a stone archway at the back of the college. After trotting round the quadrangle, they went through the main entrance, up the long driveway and out on to the street. They stopped to catch their breath.
Arthur gave Bill a puzzled look. “Do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Frank took me to a house, the home of a really creepy man called Doctor van Devlin.”
“Why did he do that?”
“I met Professor Nox there. He said I can see the Mark of Arddhu Og, apparently.”
“Arddhu who?”
“Arddhu Og. Some evil pagan god.”
“Honestly? We’re back to pagan hunting again. That’s cool man.”
“Apparently that’s what all the halos and yellow eyes are about.”
“And where does Frank come into it?”
“The Choral Society are part of it. I was told he’s my new best friend and he’s going to stick to me like glue.”
“He gives me the creeps, the big oaf. How are we going to shake him off?”
“I don’t think we can shake any of them off. I’ll have to go and see Professor Nox every day.”
“What?”
“I have to go to his rooms at seven o’clock sharp. He said he’s going to apply some sort of medical treatment to bring back my memory.”
Arthur raised his eyebrows. “I don’t like the sound of that. What sort of treatment?”
“He said hypnosis, psychotherapy and some medicine and injections. He said what I had locked up in my head was very important. But what could I possibly know?”
“You’re not actually going to this dude’s rooms are you?”
“I don’t have a choice. Remember what mother said? If I don’t see Professor Nox then she’ll take me out of university and force me to stay at Brimstone Manor. I don’t know what to do.”
“We’ll think of something,” said Arthur, who couldn’t think of anything at all.
They crossed over, walked past the library and followed the road for a few minutes as it cut through tall stone buildings. It turned left and ran down towards the river Midden. They passed a square Georgian building set back behind irons railings. This was Virtus college – renowned for its sporting achievements in rowing. Further along and over another road they went through a gate into Bankside Park – a wide grass promenade that ran alongside the river. It was quiet with a scattering of people on picn
ic blankets or riding bikes along the promenade. Down by the river was a long low wooden boathouse, where a group of young men were pushing a rowing boat out from a jetty.
Bill looked idly round and spotted a lone figure dressed in black, sitting under a tree and reading a book.
“Hang on, isn’t that-?”
“Yes it is,” said Arthur. “One of the crazies we’re trying to avoid.”
“It’s Ophelia,” said Bill with a shy grin.
“Haven’t we have had enough hassle from mad people today?”
“Remember what Frank said, were were going to help with identikit pictures? They’re looking for her, and Lilith. Professor Nox wants to question her at Brimstone Manor. Beryl said she’d do anything to get answers. I think she’s in grave danger, maybe even for her life. We’ve got to warn her.”
“Aren’t we in enough trouble?”
Bill wasn’t listening. He made his way over to Ophelia in a state of nervous anticipation. “Hi,” he said.
Ophelia looked up from her book and was surprised. “Bill! It’s you and you’re okay! At least, I hope you’re okay. How’s the stomach? I’m sorry about Lilith and the church and all that trying to sacrifice you stuff. I’ve given all that evil stuff up.”
Bill blushed and smiled coyly. “Well... it’s okay.”
“I thought that horrible dog had eaten you!”
“No, still here. In one piece.”
Ophelia patted the ground beside her. “Come and sit down.”
Bill smiled as he sat down beside her. He could feel her arm pressed against his and could smell her perfume. But he noticed her face was clouded with worry and she seemed very agitated.
Arthur appeared in front of them. He looked like he was building himself up to say something important. “Now look here Ophelia, what you did was wrong.”
“I know and I’m sorry.”
“And as for that nut case Lilith stabbing my friend here, I’ve a good mind to call the police.”