Shadow Plague

by William Massa

  With a cry of terror, I bolted to my feet. The tentacle quickly withdrew from me. It hovered in midair like the oversized trunk of an elephant. Whatever this thing was attached to, it mercifully remained hidden from view behind the dusty curtain. Oh my God, what sort of monstrosity had I—?

  I couldn’t even finish the thought, shaken to the core of my being.

  I backed away and pulled my pants up. I had to get out of this place.

  The tentacle remained suspended in the air, and for a second, the room changed again. I was back in the seductive champagne room, and the creature looked once more like Keira. She eyed me with concern, apparently unaware that I had seen through the illusion.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” she asked in a seductive purr.

  I backed away, unwilling and unable to fall for this game of smoke and mirrors for a second time. The world changed again, almost as if the creature manipulating my mind realized it was a lost cause at this point. A roar of rage, thick and inhuman, filled the room, and the tentacle whipped away. It vanished behind the shroud-like curtain. I had to get away from whatever eldritch horror lay beyond.

  My revulsion barely kept in check, I burst out of the private room. The main floor of the club looked the way I remembered it, but with a twist. The stunning beauties weren’t merely flirting with the club’s horny patrons. Like Keira, the strippers had slipped out of their meager clothing and were now making love to the men who had foolishly ventured into this place. Techno pounded in my ears, the air charged with sex. Seductive lights painted the exposed flesh red and blue, adding another layer of sensuality to the orgy playing out in front of my eyes.

  I stood there, staring open-mouthed at the display of naked flesh. The staccato thump of the bass drowned out the moans of pleasure. But I knew the truth now. The dark magic of the club couldn’t fool me again.

  The fantasy shattered, and I caught a glimpse of the real club. There was nothing erotic about this orgy anymore. For one, the once glitzy space had transformed into an utter shithole, the walls cracked and moldy, the carpet faded and stained, the furniture ratty and rotting. The decrepit surroundings were no match for the horror that played out before me.

  Each club patron, blissed out and completely ensnared by the magic, embraced a grotesque tentacle as if the slimy appendage was a hot woman.

  I traced the tentacles back to the oozing horror which formed the dark heart of this hellish place. A giant blob of pale, undulating flesh straight out of some Lovecraftian nightmare dominated the center of the club. The mountain of quivering flesh reminded me of some prehistoric jellyfish, except that this monstrosity was the size of a Hummer. A mass of shorter, stalk-like tentacles swooped in my direction. They had to be the creature’s eyes, which meant the damn thing had spotted me.

  My stomach twisted with revulsion. I had been just like these poor fools. I had made love to one of those repulsive appendages.

  This sickening blob had to be the source of the monster plague. And that meant I was infected.

  As the full horror of what had transpired sank in, the world around me changed again, and my mind went blank. By the time I left the club, the images of horror had long been erased from my brain. As far as I was concerned, I’d visited the club, asked a few questions, and then left without finding the answers I sought.

  Little did I know that a dark beast was growing inside my soul.

  8

  I wheeled down deserted city streets on my bike, feeling restless, my mind on fire.

  The club had been a complete bust, and our best chance at tracking down the source of the plague had backfired. I didn’t know how to proceed. I’d really believed the strip club would provide the answers we were looking for. But as far as I could tell, it was an ordinary—if upscale—gentlemen’s club.

  “Did you discover the source?” Octurna asked as soon as I hit the sidewalk.

  “I’m afraid the club was a dead end.”

  I could feel the sorceress’ disappointment. “You must have detected some sort of magic in that place. It was warded for a reason.”

  This gave me pause. I had blanked on the wards for a moment. How could I have forgotten such an important detail?

  “I don’t know. I’m just telling you that I didn’t find anything in there. Maybe our Patient Zero was taking the day off. Even monsters need a break.”

  Octurna wasn’t amused by my flippant comment,

  “We shall try again tomorrow night again. Meanwhile, I will explore other options.”

  “Ten-four, boss. If I have to search every strip join in New York, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

  “I have locked onto you, Jason,” Octurna said, ignoring my remarks. “Keep an eye out for the portal.”

  As if on cue, the parking structure up ahead shimmered and rippled with energy. The entrance to the garage radiated a mysterious spectral light, and a dark-robed figure stood silhouetted in the unnatural radiance. The Sanctuary always materialized within existing structures in the real world to draw the least amount of attention.

  It said something about how strange my life had become that this sight didn’t faze me at all. I was just glad to be home.

  My bike purred as I wheeled into the garage. Ghostly light washed over me as I pulled into the observation room of Octurna’s interdimensional fortress. The sorceress fronted her black throne, her disappointment palpable. The parking entrance I had driven through vanished behind me, replaced by the familiar bank of church windows, which reduced the real world to a series of intriguing snapshots.

  I killed the engine, released the motorcycle’s kickstand, and dismounted. My face felt flush and my eyes watery, almost as if I was coming down with something. Weird. Ever since I’d gotten a dragon blood infusion, I hadn’t had so much as a sniffle.

  “Welcome back, Jason,” Octurna said, raising a hand in greeting.

  As I stared at the sorceress, a searing sexual hunger gripped me. Maybe it was the way the light from the flickering torches painted her alabaster skin or how her black robe accentuated her curves, but I wanted to grab her hair, tear off the flimsy robe, and claim her right now.

  I sucked in a lungful of air and bit my lower lip until I tasted copper. What was wrong with me? I’d always been attracted to Octurna, but this was different. Heat seemed to radiate off her skin, and every gesture felt like an invitation. I was burning up with desire, an animalistic impulse that was getting stronger with every passing second. Some rational part of me still exerted control over my behavior, but the growing appetite in my gut would erode my self-control if I stayed here.

  I had to flee the observation chamber and get away from the sorceress.

  She wants you too, a voice whispered inside me. Be a man, take her the way she took you on the altar. All she needs is a little push.

  I swallowed hard. Thankfully the rational part of my brain still understood that no meant No. Octurna had communicated in the past that our relationship should remain platonic. Maybe my visit to the strip club had just gotten me worked up. Surprisingly enough, none of the dancers stood out to my mind. To be honest, they had left little of an impression at all, but something must’ve triggered this wave of unbridled desire. Best for me to head to my room and cool off in the grotto. Perhaps I could convince the Nuala and Zamira to join me for a bath.

  Octurna regarded me for a beat, sensing the intensity of my stare. Misinterpreting my look, she said, “I know it is frustrating when a lead doesn’t pay off. But we will figure this out and put an end to it.”

  I nodded, my mind dominated by the memory of Octurna writhing atop me on the altar the first night we met, her jet-black mane of hair wild and unkempt, her full lips parted in ecstasy. I had wanted the sorceress since that fateful night, but never like this. Never without her full and enthusiastic consent.

  What’s wrong with you, man?

  The intensity of my feelings unsettled me. When Octurna spoke next, her voice sounded like a siren call.

  “You loo
k tired, Jason. Rest now. We will try a new strategy tomorrow.”

  The sorceress’ mesmerizing eyes flashed with concern, the rare display of emotion making me want her even more.

  She wants you, that unfamiliar voice urged. Practically begging for it. Take her now!

  “Yeah, I’m feeling a little ragged,” I said out loud, tamping the voice down. “Good night.”

  Even as I stepped out of the observation room, I knew thoughts of the sorceress would keep me up for the rest of the night. I shook my head. What had gotten into me? I was acting like a hormonal teenager. No, worse than that. I was acting like a man without honor or self-control.

  I made my way down a stone corridor to my assigned quarters. Octurna’s castle was vast and mazelike, and I passed numerous doors I’d never opened and passageways that remained unexplored.

  I reached my sumptuous quarters and gravitated to the bowls of fresh fruit, nuts and cheeses waiting for me. With gusto, I chowed down on the food as if I hadn’t eaten in days, medicating my sexual frustration with food. I found a flask of wine and washed down the meal. Delicious.

  I had once asked the sorceress where she did her grocery shopping, and she’d merely flashed me her enigmatic smile. Even though I’d mastered the art of flinging fireballs at my enemies and teleporting through space, the notion that Octurna could produce food from thin air still blew my mind.

  As I finished my meal, I heard a rustle, and immediately my guard went up. The twin blades sprouted from my gauntlet as I followed the sound. It had emanated from the adjoining bedchamber. I stepped inside, nerves on edge, ready for anything. What I found still made me pause in my tracks.

  Octurna’s two magical golems had gotten comfortable on my plush king-sized bed. My body responded to the sight of their bare skin and the eager look of anticipation in their eyes.

  “We’ve been waiting for you, Slayer. We felt you might need to unwind before bed,” the one on the left, Nuala, said.

  I grinned at the two golems. Had Octurna put them up to this? Nothing happened around here without her input. The sorceress demanded a lot from me but made sure my needs—all my needs—were taken care of. Nuala and Zamira were my training partners in the arena and my bed partners here in my chambers.

  As lovely as the golems were in their own right, I wished the real Octurna and Keira could have taken their places. As soon as this thought occurred my wish came true. The two magical constructs could transform into any fantasy I might desire, but bizarrely enough, I had never asked them to turn into someone I knew. But tonight was different somehow. I felt different.

  Stronger. Untamed. Savage. Ready to explore boundaries and break down barriers.

  Nuala and Zamira must’ve scanned my mind, or maybe they sensed my desire on some other level. Perhaps it was written on my face. Either way, their exotic features morphed into the women I desired the most on this planet. Octurna and Keira now waited for me in my bed.

  Sporting a shit-eating grin, I stripped out of my black combat suit and joined them. My blood roared in anticipation, and I felt like my head would explode. Keira’s lithe, sun-kissed beauty formed a tantalizing contrast to Octurna’s marble-like form.

  The golem's warmth enveloped me, and I gave myself over to my physical desires. We must’ve made love for hours before we collapsed in a sweat-soaked heap, exhausted, spent, and happy.

  Nevertheless, I slept fitfully, plagued by nightmares. My dreams were filled with a menace I couldn’t quite see, something large and angry that stalked me through the night. I woke up and found myself staring up at the ceiling with the two beauties cradled in my muscular arms. Why wasn’t I able to shut my brain off and get some much-needed rest? Strange anxiety stirred in the pit of my stomach, a vague sense that something was wrong.

  The bed gymnastics of the last few hours should have exhausted me, but I still felt like I wanted more. Needed more. Was I starved for more sex or was I hungry for something different, something more substantial? Was I craving a connection I only could find in the arms of the real women I desired? Or was I some out-of-control horndog whose libido had hit overdrive?

  After another hour of such restless thoughts, I gave up and jumped out of bed. I got dressed and headed for the observation room. To my surprise—and frustration—there was no sign of Octurna in the observation chamber. I had always sort of thought she lived in her command chair, a tireless, ever watchful presence. Apparently, even the sorceress had to catch up on her beauty sleep from time to time.

  I stepped up to the blazing church windows. Images flickered, seemingly at random. I balled my hands into fists and cracked my knuckles, filled with restless energy. Unbidden, my mind turned to Keira, and she materialized in the windows. The beautiful reporter sat hunched over a desk in what appeared to be an office building after closing time. A computer bathed her features in a ghostly green glow. She looked sleep-deprived and anxious but still lovely. She was burning the midnight oil, pushing herself to finish a story when everyone else had already called it a night.

  The knowledge that terrible forces were plotting against humanity exacted a high price. Keira and I both knew this from personal experience, but we refused to let it defeat us. On the contrary, it drove us to work harder, motivated us to fight back. I admired Keira's indomitable spirit. She was a hell of a woman, and no magical construct could compare.

  Before I could talk myself out of it, I stepped through the window.

  9

  Keira cried out in surprise and almost jumped out of her Aeron desk chair. I held up my hands. This wasn’t turning into one of my smoothest entrances.

  “I’m sorry, Keira, I shouldn’t have popped out of nowhere like that.”

  She silenced me with a smile. “It’s all right. I’m just jumpy. I’ve been mainlining caffeine for the last few hours, trying to finish this story. What are you doing back in LA?”

  Good question. I couldn’t very well tell Keira that I’d been watching her through a magical window. That sounded a tad creepy even to me.

  Now that the initial shock of my sudden appearance was wearing off, I could see Keira visibly relaxing. She even seemed happy to see me.

  “Thank you for keeping your promise.” She hesitated and then said, “I missed you, Jason.”

  I missed you too, I thought but didn’t say it out loud.

  We stared at each other, and there was an awkwardness between us. Looking at Keira, I realized how little I knew about her. And how I wanted to learn more.

  She took a step toward me. “I missed having someone around who understands what I’m up against. I’ve felt so alone...”

  Tears welled up in her eyes, and she surged towards me. Before I knew what was happening, her lips found mine. She had clearly forgiven my disappearing act. All that mattered was that I was here. Despite the hours spent with the golems, my body responded to her warmth and the softness of her body. Our kisses deepened, and something inside me stirred. It urged me to dispense with foreplay and ravage her on the desk right now.

  I was about to tear off her blouse when Octurna’s voice filled my mind.

  “Jason, stop!”

  Sorry, Octurna but this isn’t a good time, I mentally retorted while my hands continued to explore Keira’s body. We’re sorta having a private moment here, so if you don’t mind…

  “Damn you, listen to me! You must not touch her.”

  Talk about a mood killer. I dropped my hands and backed off from Keira . Something about the urgency in Octurna’s voice was getting to me despite the passion boiling in my blood.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” I said out loud.

  Keira looked at me, startled by the question.

  Octurna’s voice continued to haunt me.

  ”The monster bug. It’s active in your bloodstream. You haven’t changed yet, but you will. You must come back to the fortress now. It might not be too late to save you.”

  Octurna’s words felt like punches. There was no way I could be infected. Oth
er than my romp with Zuala and Namira, I hadn’t slept with anyone since this case began. But a part of me was unwilling to dismiss what the sorceress was telling me. And it wasn’t merely because I trusted her. I had tried to ignore her warning, but ever since my fruitless visit to the strip club, there had been a nagging feeling of dread brewing in the back of my mind. A sense that I had forgotten something of great importance.

  “Um, is something wrong, Jason?” Keira asked. I couldn’t tell her I was having a mental dialogue with a sorceress. There was so much the reporter didn’t know about me.

  Show her, a dark whisper urged. Hold her down and make her see what kind of man you are.

  I cursed out loud. There was at least one too many voices in my head right now. Growling with frustration, I reached toward the woman in front of me.

  “Jason, you are one of the good guys,” Octurna said. “Let Keira go and come home.”

  “Get out of mind, Octurna,” I ordered, anger bubbling up.

  “I am sorry, Jason, but I can’t do that. You’ve become a danger. Soon you will change into a nightmare, and you won’t be in control of your actions. You must return to the fortress before people get hurt. Before you infect Keira, too.”

  Octurna’s words triggered a fit of irrational anger inside my mind. Who was the sorceress to stick her nose in my love life like this? It was almost like she wanted to keep me for herself, unwilling to consummate our relationship but not interested in sharing me with anyone else.

  “I know you are feeling angry and confused,” she said. “Paranoia, increased levels of testosterone, and a dangerously strong libido are all symptoms of this terrible virus.”

  “And how, if I might ask, do you know I even have the virus? Did you take some of my blood while I wasn’t looking?”