Dark Layers (Volume 4)

by Gray, A L

  "Gemini twins?" I ask while frowning. "You and Elijah!" I gasp.

  "Clever girl." He eyes me for a moment. "My mother was made pregnant scientifically so she could give birth to the Gemini twins. I was born first, so I am recognized as the evil twin. Elijah, born second, the good twin. That's why he has all the power, because regardless of how dark he is inside, people just fall in love with him, no matter what they desire."

  "Is that why they have allowed Elijah to get away with a lot? Because the public adore him?"

  "Yes."

  "I'm so confused, Castor, I read that the public call Elijah The Bastard of Law."

  "There will always be those who try to be against us, but it doesn't change the facts. People would give their own lives for Elijah, women would risk their marriages, young girls would cancel their wedding for him - he is adored by most, trust me. That's why he's so valuable to the Freemasons."

  I shake my head furiously. "To me, Elijah didn't seem like the good twin - neither of you did."

  He laughs a little at my observation. "I always wondered if the cult got Elijah and I around the wrong way. When I thought Elijah killed our mother, I was so sure that he was the evil twin, because I know I would never have killed her, it just wouldn't have been in me to do so."

  "Well he didn't."

  "I know that now Anile. I trust you."

  With his eyes burning into me, I stop and think hard about everything. This is so messed up, how the hell did I end up between all this? I raise my eyes to meet Castor's, he's watching me intently.

  "Do you think you will ever be allowed to leave your cult?" I ask curiously.

  He firmly shakes his head. "No, that's not how it works."

  "Then how does it work? How can you stop?"

  "Um..." he sighs, "you know when rookie Politicians retire because something bad has been exposed to the public?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, that's the only way out, to retire and stay quiet, very far away from the public eye, and as you can see, Elijah and I are very young and rarely get into public disputes. We have a long way to go before we retire."

  "What if you agreed never to say anything? Would they let you go?"

  "Anile, Elijah and I are very influential in the public. I own the largest Media company in the world, and Elijah runs the Law firm - and you know how powerful that firm is. They would never want us gone, people would ask too many questions."

  I stare down at the rubble in defeat. "So, there is no hope?"

  "No, not yet there isn't."

  I stand up straight; I want to cut our meeting short, I don't want him confessing anymore.

  "I should go." I whisper.

  He frowns. "Why? Why did you want to see me?"

  "It doesn't matter now."

  "It does, tell me, Anile."

  I stare up at him, his face, it's impassive, but his eyes, they are curious.

  "I just wanted to sort things with you, and I'm glad I have." I arch a perfect eyebrow. "It's not very comforting living a life where someone is out to get you."

  He takes a step closer and rests a strong hand on my shoulder.

  "I will never do anything to hurt you, Anile, never again, no matter who gives me the order."

  "Do you promise?" I ask, my eyes serious.

  "I promise."

  Chapter Fourteen

  CASTOR AND I say our goodbyes and I head off. Thank God Castor didn't say much more about Jezebel, although I'm not sure it really matters, he confessed, and now I feel as though I need to save him. He's not a bad person, he's just confused and follows strict orders. I set my phone on loud speaker and call Elijah's father.

  "Anile, how nice of you to call."

  "Mr. Darks, we need to talk. Where are you?"

  "I'm at Darks Lawyers."

  "I'll be half hour."

  I shut down the phone, hit the pedal to the metal and speed over to Darks Lawyers. I hate the thought of him sitting in Elijah's chair, but I one-hundred percent know that is exactly where he is.

  AS SOON AS the lift pings open on Elijah's office level, I take a hasty step out. I cast my eyes over the lobby in shock. Mr. Darks has moved the Greek Goddess pictures, it is as it was on my first day of work - except the floor still remains white granite and not the Masonic tiling. I'm stupefied as to why he would do this. The Greek Gods are in order, hung powerful and strong - but lonely. I pass my old office, the number eleven and the picture of Astraea has also been removed. How strange? There is no reception desk up here anymore, no plants, no nothing, nothing but the pictures of the Greek Gods that stand out from the bright white walls.

  I shake my confused head and stop outside Mr. Darks' office door. How the hell am I going to persuade Mr. Darks not to send Castor to jail and still release Elijah? I need something on him, something other than that video of him killing Helen. I need something to do with his cult, a confession on tape. With luck hopefully on my side, I have a last minute thought. I secretly peer down at my phone in my jacket pocket and press record. I need some leverage, and this will do perfectly. With my phone all set, I pull down the gold handle and enter. The office smells of cigars, strong and bitter, I can almost taste the smoke on my tongue. It's pitch black, I cannot even see my hand in front of my own face.

  "Anile, that was a quick half hour." I hear Mr. Darks say in the darkness.

  "Why are all the lights off?" I ask.

  Light suddenly fills my eyes, it's a desk lamp, low lit and soft on my irises. I stop in my tracks when I spot another man sitting opposite Mr. Darks. My heart grinds to a halt when I realize it's the man from the DLOS house - he's the man Elijah shook hands with! I swallow hard.

  "Maybe I should come back when you are not so busy." I say, and quickly turn on my heel and head for the door.

  "Not so fast, Anile. Someone is outside the door, insuring you cannot just run off. We have much to discuss. Please, sit." He says, but secretly it's an order.

  With my heart pounding viciously in my chest, I turn back to them both and make my way over to the seat next to the scary guy. I let a load off but sit tense, my legs pressed firmly together, my hands, raking up and down my knees nervously. I peer into the low light and only wish I was not here.

  "Please, relax, Anile." Mr. Darks says.

  I peer up at him. His eyes are alight with humour, and burning into me uncomfortably.

  He presses his hands together as though he's praying. "I am very pleased with how you completed your task. You are a natural."

  "It was not a task, it was my only option." I lower my head in shame. "But I cannot do it, I cannot allow you to send Castor to jail."

  "Oh, so you agree to stay here, in London, and accept Elijah working for our leader?" He cast his hand over the scary guy.

  I quickly thrash my head to the scary guy. "You're there leader?" I gasp.

  Holy fuck, this is dangerous. My palms start to sweat and my heart, it's now left me completely. I'm wide-eyed.

  He crosses his hands together and rests them on his crossed knees. I run my eyes over him - he doesn't look any different from Mr. Darks here. He's wearing a sharp black suit, a red tie, and his dark hair is cut short and tidy around his ears and neck. He honestly doesn't look like anything special. He smiles sweetly at me, his dark brown eyes appear warm. I'm so confused.

  "Anile, as you may have guessed, you know too much. We couldn't let you leave without just cause. Now, you are an accessory to the knowledge of murder. If you choose to stay here in London, this will forever be in our pile of resources."

  He leans a little closer, I can smell him now - a sweet fragrance of... spice, mixed with... I inhale a little more... cigars. I swallow hard and something, a lump I think, gets stuck in my throat.

  He continues. "Regardless of what we have on you, we would like to dispose of you being part of the evidence. We enjoy trust. We would prefer to have you on our side. You are a smart, beautiful, young woman with a brain of knowledge, the knowledge of knowing how dangerous we are, and
yet you still haven't ran off screaming. This to us shows you possess another gift... strength - we are extremely fond of this gift you have." He sighs long and steely. "You make our special Elijah happy and we would desire nothing more than to keep him happy."

  "I don't want to be a part of any of this. I just want Elijah and I to be happy - alone." I elongate alone.

  "And you can be happy. You could have more money than you could ever spend, luxurious houses, holiday homes, cars... children." He elongates the word, 'children'. "You could have it all, anything and everything you have ever desired. All you have to do is marry Elijah, keep him happy, and keep this shut." He raises his index finger to my mouth and taps my bottom lip twice. I don't move an inch, I'm flabbergasted and beyond confused.

  "And if I refuse?" I ask serious.

  "Anile," Mr. Darks leans forward on his elbows and presses them firm on the desk top, "we can be very persuasive."

  I quickly gather my equilibrium. I am not having this, I am not having these two muther fuckers set out my life for me.

  "Who are you?" I ask the scary guy.

  "I am, Abraham Rockerfella, Leader of the Freemasons across the nations."

  "Mr. Elijah Darks, you can see how this is all a problem for me?" I say his entire name out so the recording picks up who is present.

  "How so?" He asks serious, elbows still firmly in place.

  "I want a free thinking life, happiness, children," I stare at Mr. Rockerfella while I say children, "I don't want orders, tests, cults - I don't - and will not - have someone dictate my life for me."

  "We will not. All you have to do is stay out of the media and live happily ever after. If you do this, you and your family will be safe." Mr. Rockerfella says.

  I sneer at them both. "Safe from what? If you do anything, I will go to the Police."

  They both chuckle between themselves. "Sweetheart, we own the Police. Murders, scandals, whores, blackmailing, government control, it's all down to us." Mr. Rockerfella confesses.

  Bingo. I smile proud at myself.

  "I tell you what, Elijah and I are leaving, with no strings attached." I eye them both. "And if you try to stop us, then you will both pay with more than you would expect."

  They both look confused.

  "Anile, you don't quite understand the extent we will go to. You see this cup." He reveals a gold cup. It looks like the bloody Holy Grail, completely made from gold. "What do you immediately think of when you look at this?" He passes it to me.

  I take it. The gold is cold on my sweaty palm, and it's really quite heavy. It has inscriptions written in Hebrew, I think, I have absolutely no idea what it says though.

  "The Holy Grail." I say confused.

  "Good. Now, this is supposedly the real Holy Grail. It took us a great deal to obtain it."

  I roll my eyes at them, not for a second believing this crap. "Yes, and?"

  "You are not following me, are you? This cup is a cover story, the cup isn't the real Holy Grail. The Holy Grail is a blood line that descends from Jesus himself."

  "Where are you going with this?"

  "The bloodline, we have good confirmation that, Helen Yeshua - aka - Helen Darks, descends from this blood line. And in comes Elijah, born from the Zodiac, our time of the Gemini Twins. We cannot just let you take our person of power away without a great fight."

  I am stunned, mouth wide open stunned. These idiots actually believe all this bullshit? Holy fucking crap. I seize my forehead in dismay. They even have Castor quoting the same bloody story, I almost want to laugh.

  "I've heard enough." I take my phone out and at lightning speed, I e-mail the recording to myself.

  "What are you doing? Take that phone from her!" Mr. Darks orders Mr. Rockerfella.

  He tries to snatch it out of my hands but I rise to my feet and stop him with one hand on his chest.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I smile up at him, he's so damn tall. "You see this little conversation we have just had? I have recorded it and just now sent it to ten different e-mail addresses."

  "You little bitch!" Mr. Darks snaps.

  He rises to his feet and makes his way around to me. He stops dead in front of me, pushing Mr. Rockerfella out of the way.

  "I will ruin you, Anile."

  With all my fear gone, I laugh a little. "You don't scare me, I think I'll make a better move than you can." I cast my eyes over them both. "And be warned, if any of you try to hurt my family - including Castor - I will publish this recording in every damn country!"

  "If you do that, you will suffer greater than you know. Don't think we won't reign again. We have been around for centuries, built and re-built our cult. One person cannot take us down." Mr. Darks snaps.

  I shrug my shoulders. "We can put your theory to the test if you like? It takes one press of a button, and boom, a reporter has the recording."

  They eye one another, they look scared.

  "Get out, Anile." Mr. Darks orders.

  "Not yet." I say with surety. "That recording you have of Castor confessing to Jezebel's murder, I want it, every copy. I know you have it here." Or I'm guessing and hoping he does!

  He sneers at me and grits his teeth. He glides past Mr. Rockerfella and I, into the only other room in his office.

  "You know, Anile, although I am not happy about this, I am impressed." Mr. Rockerfella says proud. "You would have made a great addition to the cult."

  "Well, that would never happen, even if I didn't find leverage. I will never worship the Devil."

  He shrugs his shoulders. "Never say never."

  I roll my eyes at him. What a lummox. Mr. Darks returns with three dvd's in hand.

  "These are all the copies." He pushes them into my chest. "What of the recording showing I killed, Helen?"

  With a heavy heart, I have no choice but to keep to our deal. "Elijah - or anyone for that matter - will never hear of it from me. A deal is a deal. You can trust that no one will ever hear of this conversation, your murder, or this dvd of Castor's confession."

  "And how can we guarantee your trust?"

  "You cannot. But, I have all the leverage and means to destroy you, at the least by only telling Elijah the truth about his Mothers' death. But I won't. You will realize in time that I keep my word. All I want is for Elijah, Castor, my Mother and I to be happy, and away from darkness."

  Mr. Rockerfella laughs. "Elijah has committed himself, he's dark beyond his soul. You cannot erase the mind control. That will be with him forever."

  "I know, but I will help him through his troubles."

  Mr. Rockerfella starts to circle me. "Does he have nightmares? Does he have specific desires with sex? Does he go black with anger?"

  I frown while eyeing him as he moves around me.

  "That's called possession." He confesses. "You cannot reverse it - and God doesn't forgive people who walk along the path of Lucifer."

  Fear infects my system - I'm scared for Elijah.

  "Maybe not," I snap, "but Elijah has a long time before he meets his maker."

  "It doesn't matter how long he will remain human, eternity is longer than life." Mr. Rockerfella says deadpan.

  The revelation scares the hell out of me. "I'm leaving." I zip up my leather jacket. "It was... good doing business with you both."

  "Not before we discuss how things are going to happen, otherwise, we will not be allowed to leave you alone, Anile." Mr. Rockerfella says.

  "I told you, if you try anything, I will leak this!" I snap, a firm hand stretched towards him.

  "Listen girl." He narrows a long finger at me. "You cannot work in Law. Elijah cannot work in Law. You will sell your Law firms, and Elijah will sign back over his shares in Darks Lawyers. We will pay you both handsomely for the companies, and then, you can be on your way."

  That actually sounds like the best idea yet!

  "You have a deal. I will speak with Elijah and make the arrangements." I frown with my next question. "How long will the sales take?"

&nbs
p; "At the most, three months."

  "That's a long time!" I gasp.

  "Money needs to be sorted, lawyers and the paperwork. You will not need to have any contact with us, you will hear from my lawyer."

  Well thank fuck for that!

  "Fine, I will await contact with your Lawyer."

  I turn away from them both and leave this dark life behind me. Although I know that Elijah will forever be troubled, and we have a lot of rebuilding to do regarding his brother, Castor, I'm happy that we will be able to do this without evil on our shoulders.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I TRY TO SNEAK inside my house through the front door quietly and with no lights. It's late, and I have hope that Elijah is in bed. I reach the living area and mentally deflate - he's not here, it's pitch black and feels vacant. On my tippy toes, I sneak through to the living area but get as far as the kitchen before the lights flood the colossal living area.

  "Where have you been?"

  I turn, slowly, to see Elijah standing tall next to the entrance archway. I walked past him and didn't even sense him there. I stop and eye him for a moment, I need to tell him everything, I cannot move forward with these secrets.

  "Do not even think to lie. I called Derek's phone, asked to speak with you on his phone, and guess what, you were not there. Where have you been, Anile." He snaps.

  He starts to edge towards me. I stare into his eyes and expect anger, but all I see is disappointment embedded between a sad frown.

  "We need to talk." I say deadpan. "Sit down."

  "I don't want to sit down, Anile, I want to know where the fuck you have been." He stops in front of me and casts his gentle fingers down my cheek. "You're leaving me, aren't you?" He whispers.

  "What?" I gasp. "No, you're way off the mark. Sit down, Elijah, please."

  "First, tell me where you have been?"