by Reid, Susan
That jolted my attention. “Massacre? Were any of ours there at the time?”
“I haven’t taken head count, so I don’t know for sure, and I haven’t heard any news.”
I sighed with melancholy. Though I hoped there hadn’t been any in our legion there at the time, I just knew that there were. I didn’t need one more thing to seek vengeance on, although I needed no other reason to go after Morning Star at this point.
“Put the word out to everyone else about this crow demon too. It’s just a fair warning is all. I think he may be part of Morning Stars’ liege.” I told him.
“Message received. Alright, so no magician, how about jacking with this Paranormal Examiners crew then? They’re setting up as we speak, to investigate Leap Castle in Ireland for worldwide television. They even have professional demonologists on board for the investigation—gonna be a party. For old times’ sake, come on.” Ry tried to make sound appealing.
It was true, I did love messing with people in that regard, but right now, even that didn’t spark my interest.
“Maybe another time. There’ll be plenty of other opportunities.” I replied.
Ry was silent for a moment.
“You’ve got it bad. I admit that I do wanna see her too…at least to see how she turned out and maybe test her skills a bit.” Ry then said, and I could tell he was grinning to himself.
“No. Don’t underestimate her Ry. I don’t want anything to happen to you or her, got it? None of us even knows if she truly made it over anyway. I haven’t seen her aura yet, and I’ve been watching each daybreak and night since she died. I should have seen a glimpse of her over there by now.”
“But we all saw her consumed. There were three Elite Seraphim that came to retrieve her, why wouldn’t she have crossed over?” Ry asked.
I paused, not wanting to reveal to Ryziel the reasons why I was beginning to have doubts now.
I’ve seen so many new auras parade around in the distance like fireflies from here, obviously being given a tour of the Divine Hall I presumed, and none of those had matched her aura. I flew in as close as I could get three daybreaks ago, which is when I calculated that she should have risen— I saw no sign of her anywhere.
Were they keeping her hidden from Morning Star? Not that he could cross into the side of light anyway, but he could see her from his domain just the same as any other of the dark fallen could.
Or were they keeping her from me, perhaps?
That may have been possible.
A part of me thought that I might have damned her after all. She took that risk for me, unknowingly.
I sighed and bit my lip in anguish. If she had been shunned, or left to simply be dead in the dimension of souls because of me, I’d find some way to retrieve and redeem her myself.
In my silence, Ry blew out a breath of annoyance.
“There’s no point in sitting around and waiting for what you already know is going to happen. You need to focus on keeping an eye on Morning Star, you know he’s gunning for you more now than before.”
He was right. It made sense as to why Morning Star had conveniently shown up when he did. I was positive that he sent those Succubus’s’ to tempt me. It was his MO. I stopped myself from ruminating over all of that again. It may just drive me to do something else that I tried to give up.
“I know.” I replied.
“I’ve hit up some of our most favorite spots recently, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, ‘Where is Cam`ael?’, ‘Has he been smote?’, ‘No incubus can ignite as much orgasmic pleasure as Cam`ael can.’ You are apparently a well-known, inter-dimensional celebrity.” Ry replied.
Though my ego had just been pumped, I sighed deeply and pursed my lips, wishing Ry hadn’t mentioned any of that. It only reminded me that I hadn’t been able to satisfy my dark lust recently. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t be certain who was working for Morning Star.
“Guess you’ll just have to take my place Ry.” I joked.
“Who me? I’m a fighter not a lover, although I never pass up a good piece of ass that’s for sure. I found one at that University. I may have to pay her another visit soon.” He laughed.
“Who?” I curiously smirked.
“Blonde, barely legal looking chic, with the body of a Night Nymph. She likes to do dirty things on and off camera, especially given the right positions. She lives at the same apartment place that Star did.” Ry revealed.
I raised a brow and chuckled this time. I knew exactly whom he was talking about.
“Don’t impregnate her Ry.” I warned.
“Given her expertise, and how she likes it…no need to worry about that.” Ry replied.
I smiled and shook my head, wanting to get the image of any sexual encounter out of my mind. Ry was killing me with this talk, but it did manage to lighten my mood a bit.
“Well, it’s too bad we can’t enter the Divine Hall grounds. What you need is an ally on the inside, so at least you’d know that she was okay.” Ry then suggested.
I instantly perked up. A literal light bulb winked on in my head. Why hadn’t I thought of it before myself?
“Ry, I owe you one, you’re a genius. Alright, let’s go fuck with this paranormal crew.” I replied with a wicked smile.
This was the perfect way for me to release this storming, dark lust.
~~~***~~~
Our presence was an addition to the already foreboding gloom that the castle was notorious for. I’d wait until all was silent to crack a flash of lightning, and turn up the volume on the thunder. I don’t remember if I’d ever been at this location before. I probably have but it must have been a long time ago.
There were actually many other nameless dark shadows slinking around already, by the time I joined Ry, Nay, and Mac. They were watching the crew of five males and four females set up their high tech equipment. I kept my eye out for the robed, walking murder of crows though.
The camera operators were marking so called ‘hot spots’, centered on the chapel area. Upon hearing their conversations, they had apparently determined that the chapel was the most haunted area of the castle.
The woman who spoke with an Australian accent, was one of the ‘so-called’ professional demonologists, and the other one was an older male. They both slowly walked around the dusty stone room with their hands out in front of them, and eyes closed in a trance-like gait to feel the air around them. They lingered the longest near a square hole in the wall that they called, the ‘Oubliette’.
“Victim number one?” Ry nodded at me with a raised brow and a devious grin. He moved to hover above the female demonologist.
She was a young, redheaded, petite woman. I could already sense that she was completely consumed with a deep belief in our existences…and an apparent false idea of how to rid us from this realm.
“Go for it.” I grinned.
“That blonde one over there is kind of cute. I bet she’s a screamer.” Ry commented with a nod towards the young journalist with a loose perm.
I already knew why Ry had picked the redhead to toy with. I gazed around to size up the others in the crew.
“I’m feeling a dark, pressing energy here. It’s strong…” the red haired woman began to speak. Her voice echoed against the stone walls and the others paused to listen to her. They all panned their eyes around the pitch-dark room, using only the lights of their night vision cameras and lighted equipment.
“I’m feeling it too. It’s a negative force, definitely sinister in nature. Many of them are here tonight so we need to be cautious.” Her male colleague added.
We were all cloaked, among the other unnamed shadows hanging around.
“I’ve definitely got something for her to feel.” Ry smirked, as his form descended down behind her. I saw him reach for his jean zipper.
I shook my head no, “Not yet, we just got here.” I smirked, knowing exactly what he planned to do. Nothing violent or violating…it was all in good fun— for us anyway. We had already t
aken stock, and knew which ones would be the most vulnerable.
Nay began stomping up and down the stone steps in a steady cadence, dust gritting beneath his boots, to add audible realism. The rhythm echoed loudly. Immediately, everyone in the crew jumped with excited whispers, and the camera operator began to film.
The mixture of fear, the rapid pounding of hearts, and the variant levels of sweat amid the stench of old stones and earth, was beyond palpable. It was continually attracting more shadows and other demons, like bugs to a bug light.
These poor damned fools, I thought.
“Are we rolling? Did you guys get that? It sounds like someone is walking up the steps here.” The brunette whispered ecstatically in a thick Irish accent. She waved frantically for one of the camera operators to follow her to the bottom of the steps.
“Hello? Is anyone there? We’re not here to cause disrespect or harm. Who are you?” She called out.
“Is anyone here? Is she for real? Does she really want a response?” Mac replied.
We all chuckled.
“So answer her.” Nay encouraged with a grin.
“Your demon lover, baby.” Ry rumbled, throwing his voice to add a chilling effect.
“What? What was that? What did it sound like?” The male leader of the crew hissed excitedly.
“I’ve got it on the EVP, hang on.” A male crewmember holding a parabolic device answered. He kneeled to reach for the small, blinking device that they had placed on the floor in the center of the room.
“No, don’t touch it yet! We’re getting a lot of activity all of a sudden. Keep it going and keep filming, we’ll listen later. Candace, can you sense anything now? Keep the cameras going!” The brunette woman urged.
The blonde haired journalist remained silent and rooted to her spot against the wall. Her eyes were as wide as full moons. She was already terrified.
“I’m getting…demon lover in that.” One of the camera operators, wearing a pair of headphones offered with fearful intrigue.
We all laughed.
“Funny, Chris. This is both a delicate and dangerous venture.” The brunette scowled at him and they both bickered briefly over the translation.
“Shhh! There are many spirits in here with us right now.” The red head named Candace cut in to shut them up. “I’m going to light some incense to ward off the evil I can feel.” She whispered.
“No, don’t. We don’t want to give them reason to become aggressive.” Her male demonologist partner stopped her.
“Evil?” Mac repeated, pretending to be offended.
He moved in behind the redhead, and raked his fingers through her tousled, layered hair, followed up by a firm yank.
She screeched and leapt at least a foot into the air. Screaming, she spun around, nearly tripping, and backed up into her partner while frantically smoothing down her hair.
“What? What happened?” He asked, reaching out to catch her before she fell.
“It touched my hair! Something just pulled at my hair!” her voice quivered.
All of their eyes immediately began searching the darkness. Shadows began to move in and roil around her, sucking up her fear. Funny, neither he nor she had a clue that dark forces were surrounding them right now— and they called themselves Demonologists.
The camera operators quickly made a wide sweep with their cameras around the chapel, trying to light each nook and shadowed corner, in search of the source. Ry made his eyes glow. The red, infernal hue appearing sinister enough on their own, even with a body. They all shrieked and pointed.
“There! I saw eyes! Red glowing eyes! Over there, point the camera there!” The leader shouted. Sweat streamed his face as he pointed a trembling finger towards Ry.
“Did you get it on film?” He asked the camera crew expectantly.
“Where was it?” The brunette asked timorously.
We all chuckled wildly again.
“Red eyes tend to be a sign of a demonic entity.” The male demonologist commented.
“Or some really good chronic shit!” Nay whispered, making sure that they could barely hear his words.
I glanced around, taking note of all the signatures that I could recognize. The inky forms of several low-level demons began crawling down the walls like mutant spiders.
Some of them sneered at me but they all made sure to stay as far away from us as possible.
We were dark fallen, the very top level of demons in the spirit realm. We were more powerful, because we had been angels before.
“I should burn the incense now.” The red-head urged.
“Pick on me! Reveal yourself or show us a sign of your presence!” The male host provoked bravely. They all stood still and silent, listening and waiting.
His over-done dramatic flair for ratings was getting on my nerves.
“I don’t feel so good anymore.” Candace said, as she slid down the wall and held her head between her knees. Her partner squatted down beside her to comfort her.
On purpose, we all remained quiet for a few moments. The other shadows that were here before us, continued to slink around in silent observance of the show.
I took that moment to throw my voice in a deep and resonating whisper towards the small square hole in the wall.
“Dylan.” I called out the name of the host. The echo effect added a freakish quality, which had been my goal.
The leader spun around in shock, looking directly at the square hole.
“I just heard my name! Something said my name over there!” He said pointing. “How the hell did it know my name?” He swallowed hard. He was hesitant that his request to be ‘picked on’, had indeed been answered.
“They do that. They hear and know everything about us.” The male demonologist answered.
Well, he got that one thing right.
“Please be careful, Dylan. I don’t like the fact that you heard your name. That’s a bad omen.” The blonde journalist finally spoke up in a timid voice.
The camera crew moved in right behind him, with bright lights aimed into the darkness of the chute. Dylan’s head and shoulders disappeared into the hole, and he cocked an ear to listen.
“Who’s there?” he called down into the pitch-blackness.
“Careful, Dylan.” The brunette warned, following close behind him.
“I wouldn’t hover in there if I were you.” The male demonologist then warned.
Hmmm, perhaps he really could sense us here, I thought.
Ry slithered into the chute, coalescing around the leader, who continued to peer and listen into the darkness.
“Ry, don’t hurt him.” I said.
“Don’t worry Cam; a good shock to the system is actually quite healthy for humans…” Ry smirked.
With that, he grabbed the guy by the shirt and pulled him into the chute.
“It gets the blood pumping.” Ry whispered breathily into his ear.
I’ve heard females scream with more bass in their
voices. His sounded as if his balls had just been ripped clean from his groin.
We all roared with laughter.
Shouts, screams, curse words, and shrieks of terror clamored off the gray and brown stones, and echoed throughout the entire chapel.
Dylan, the host and leader, continued to scream in panic, with legs flailing wildly. He desperately clung to the sides of the chute to keep himself from falling in. His crewmembers dropped what they held and helped to pull him out of the hole.
The strong scent of urine began to permeate the already dank air. That was my cue. I called forth water molecules from the atmosphere outside, to marry with the heat of my light energy. It created a slow curling, white mist that rose from the floor of the chapel.
“We need to get the hell out of here! The spirits are upset, and the demonic energy is getting stronger. Stop filming, this is getting dangerous!” The female demonologist called out.
“She’s right.” The blonde journalist replied. Her voice was wavering on the verge of tears.
That was when Mac began to mess with and distort their realities by shifting the stairs, and moving the location of the doorway.
“What the hell just happened? Are you alright?” One of the guys that helped to pull him out asked.
“Something just fucking whispered in my ear and grabbed me in there! There is something in there! I need to change my pants, someone bring me my backpack!” Dylan panted.
“Whispered in your ear? What did it say?” The brunette asked with saucer wide eyes.
“I don’t know! It was hard to tell, but there’s an intelligent and aggressive entity in that hole! Jesus!” He pointed and blurted. His heart was hammering, and he was breathing hard as if he’d just run a marathon.
All of the shadows were roaring with laughter right along with us, as the crew continued to shriek in both panic and fear.
“Turn on some lights, please!” The blonde girl began to cry.
“That one is afraid of the dark.” Mac said with a mischievous grin.
Starling had been afraid of the dark too. I suddenly felt guilt messing with these humans like this. My sense of humor and fun began to shrivel upon hearing Mac’s words.
Nay disabled every source of light that they had brought with them, just for the moment. They all began to desperately scramble around for alternate sources; clicking on cell phones, camera lights and flashlights.
“What the hell? Nothing is working!” Someone shouted.
The red headed woman began to pray.
Nay released his hold on their sources of light. The room was lit simultaneously, winking out the darkness. Mac was nowhere to be found.
Dylan’s eyes were wild, nearly bulging from their sockets. “No one move. This is exactly what we came for. Get this mist on tape! It wasn’t here a moment ago! This proves everything! Our ratings are going to fly off the charts! Get the damn cameras rolling again now! They can’t hurt us.” Dylan demanded. He was maniacal with conviction.
The blonde girl stood still. She was evidently in a trance or had possibly fainted while still standing. It’s happened before.