8767 words (35 minute read)

Chapter3 Azazael shows his true colors.


Chapter 3

Azazael reveals his True Colors





The last time they were led away from their cells they were all made strip. The guards stripped him since he refused to remove his own clothing. He stood still as a marble statue left exposed to the elements. The man in the white clinical coat strapped him to the chair and apply tiny clamps to his scrotum. He could hear his personal assistant and James Caldwell screaming but couldn’t see them. They were all separated. The man looked in his cold eyes as if he was a doctor giving him an exam, not that he ever had one. He got enough of guys touching him dealing with Orman and his evil buddies.


The man leaves and suddenly a violent burst of electricity streak through his body assaulting and violating him. His battered body tries to withstand by clenching his teeth so hard his jaws hurt, but from somewhere Dr. Evil is watching and determined to call forth a grimace of agony. Nikola vowed he would die before he gave Azazael the pleasant in hearing him scream.

He feels the voltage increase but still doesn’t scream. His people screaming could be enough for Azazael but against his will darkness envelops him. When he came through he had a thudding headache. He could hear movement but he kept his eyes closed against the throbbing pain. The back of his eyes throbbed like a race horse’s heart; he chewed out a curse and moved his hand to inspect the damage to his persons – except they didn’t move. Something was restraining his arms. His legs, too, were immobilized, as he noticed when he tried to get up. How long had he be been out? He last remembered sitting upright but now he was laying down; unable to get up....he was lying on a cold metal surgical table. He was sure of that but he couldn’t see. A steady movement of feet echoed all around him, but it seemed to come from a single source. Was he blind? Had that crazy immortal blinded him?

"What did you blind me for?" He asked his tormentor. "Hey, Doctor Frankenstein! Azazael doesn’t care any more about you than he does me. I saw you are human__so how can you do this your fellowman."

The doctor took the night caps off his eyes and said. "The same as you. At least I do it for money__but what’s your reason? You’ve been out about six hours. I guess it takes a lot of energy to keep up as much evil as you do. That will be all for right now." The doctor said beckoning the men who manhandled him into the room to unstrap him and robe him. A third man brought a tray of food and bottle of water. This was better than he ever treated anyone he tortured.

In a separate steel room James Caldwell licked his lips, they were parched and his throat dry and rash from screaming long and hard, fear gnawed in his stomach like a rabid rat. He cracked open his eyes to better perceive how deep in shit he really was. Darkness continued to engulf him. A tremor of panic vibrated in his guts. He was blind and restrained. He knew he was as good as dead, a lamb awaiting slaughter. A lamb breathing its last lungful before the butcher’s blade would steal it’s life forever more. The fear was becoming unbearable, the slight tremor increased in intensity until he shook in time with it.

"This is all a dream, all a dream. Only a nightmare. I’ll wake up any second now. Just a dream. Not real. Not real!" James thinks. Nikola had tortured him before but this felt different. But he didn’t feel death creeping down the hallway coming for him. This time he could almost see the hooded demon. Suddenly he heard Carol screaming from some unknown place and knew this was real. Azazael really intended to kill them.


She tried to wrench her arms free and felt narrow straps dig deeper into her flesh. She cried out in pain and kept battering at the straps with her forearms. They dug deeper and drew blood, but she was too hysterical to care. Her eyes dart wildly around as she heard but couldn’t see the giant succumb slugging along the floor, she heard the sloshing of it’s body fluids as it moved. One that size could kill her in a few seconds. It could consume her in seconds, her heart forced an overwrought scream of unadulterated fear from her throat. Succumbs resembled slugs but was nothing like a slug; they possessed razor sharp poisonous teeth which they used to inject pain causing agents into the body of their victims. She knew her affliction on Ana landed her on this table. But her every instinct forced her to fight this unseen enemy, to escape these bonds, before the hell slug reached her. The female tormentors of Cargill’s staff held the demon in a glass cage, it was moving around trying to escape. The women periodically touched her to make her blinded mind believe their touch was the succumb. Carol didn’t know it was them who touched her with slimy dampness on their gloved fingertips as she let loose volleys of frenzied, frantic howling. The female doctor monitoring the escalating height of her fear halted the two snickering guards. Cargill didn’t want to kill the woman. When Carole passed out the two guards lifted her off the table and threw her on the metal bed padded with a thin plastic mattress, covering her with a thin wool blanket. They was advised all treatment of prisoners had to be somewhat humane just in case the new Mrs. Cargill found out.


Nikola knew they only fed and relaxed him to lower his guard, to lower his resist to pain. He knew it wasn’t over. He knew the trick which is why he resisted. He have used it himself. Giving his prisoner a little ray of hope while mercy was his least element and definitely not his virtue. This time the doctor didn’t blindfold him nor darken the room when he used something akin to electrical cow probes, what was it with these freaks doing? He wonder as he snapped his head back, the impact dizzied him for a moment or two. He banged the metallic table with the back of his head, pounding away at his restraints. He yelled out, a shout mingled with fury and panic. "You sickos leave me alone! I never slept with Ana! Tell that lion-king looking boss of yours I never slept with her!" He figured out what was Azazel real problem with him from his torture methods being used.


The stench filled air invaded his mouth, and nostril causing him to gag. How hadn’t he noticed the odor before? The metallic scent of blood mixed with the stench of excretion was like fingers of decay forcing their way down his throat and lodging into his stomach and lower guts. He wanted to puke but not on himself. His strength was beginning to ebb; his poundings came at longer intervals; his heart beat the painstakingly slow rhythm of a funeral march. He drew in one ragged breath after another, inviting the foul fingers back down his throat again and again – eventually he could stand it anymore and vomited a dry heave. All he had eaten had long been processed and passed through his anus.

Nikola felt fifteen year old again, afraid, ashamed and frighten he was reliving what Orman had done to him over thirty years ago. He willed his body against what was coming next for he was determined not to give Cargill the satisfaction he wanted in hearing scream in anguish and pain. He had read the ancient texts of Azazel so he knew this could be a lot worse and perhaps would be if Azazel wasn’t happy right now.


The young man realized he was strapped to a cold metal table when he woke up and heard himself breathing in the tomb-like room. Vonderbilt’s aide realized there was no squeak from hinges as the door open; but someone was coming in – or going out and then nothing. He was alone he realized. They were leaving him here to die of hunger and thirst. To literally rot in hell. Why were they doing this to him? Tonight was his first time meeting that woman. He hadn’t done anything to her.


“No! No, no, no, no! Why? What have I done? I don’t even know that woman! I merely came because my boss ordered me to come.” The angelic looking dark blonde haired young man cried. But there was no answer. Fear was making him hungry. He choked as he tried to cry for help, his throat was raw from shouting and his lips dry and chapped from long-deprivation of liquid; spittle escaped his lips instead not words. The distinct sound of swishing cloth reached his ears. Now he knew for certain he wasn’t alone. His tormentors were wetting the cloth to electrocute him again. The person was coming closer but walked past him, the faint footsteps receded into the other direction. This alone was torture. Why tempt one and not deliver?


”Com...” he croaked as loud as his parched throat allowed. ”No... Don’t...”


The words of his cruel but wise mentor came to mind. “Shall you become captured, never beg for mercy for there’s no mercy to be had.”


He listened for what seemed like an eternity. They weren’t coming back. They had left him to rot, to die in the darkness. They had left him hanging over the open maw of hell. His tortured throat let out a pathetic whimper as he attacked his bonds with the remainder of his strength. He’d get free, if he had to break his own arms and legs__he’d free himself. He’d escape. He’d walk in the sun again. He was too young to die. He was not closing his eyes in death.


He thrust upwards with every muscle he had, gritting his teeth when the straps tightened around his form, trying to overcome his captivity. He could feel the joining groan in strain and he pushed harder. Hope. It existed. Just a little more... A few inches. One of the joining popped out of its socket, cleanly as a twisted arm. He clenched his teeth harder. A few more and he’d be free.


”Hey, it seems he’s awake,” someone said above him, a rather youthful voice excitedly said. “So there’s more than one person here.”


A physcial unheard set of heavy, ample footsteps echoed in the room. A doctor? They’d set him free. Hell, no he won’t. The man who did this to him was in a doctor’s coat.

No, doctors are helpful, they’ll help me. Trust the doctors, doctors help. They do. “Help. Help!”


He let his aching body collapse onto the metallic surface, breathing heavily.

The footsteps had stopped. He heard soft breathing. Something nudged his hip painfully, a questioning prod from the shadows; he shirked away from the sadistic touch the best he could.


”Hmm. It does seem so.” This voice was crisp and cool, all warmth drained by lack of compassion. He wasn’t sure if the speaker could even be human. The speech lack all human defects, ”Well, let us gaze upon his visage.” Was this Cargill? He sounded different.


From somewhere within he found tears, “Mr. Cargill...please let me go. I don’t know your wife.”


The simple implications of this request hadn’t register in his mind before a hard fist wrenched the rough bag from his head, ripping out shards of his hair in the process. He cried out as bright illumination clawed its way through his eyes and into his brain, eating away at his nerves, turning them raw. Blistering scabs were ripped open inside his head as nova rays of light feasted upon his flesh, flaying him bloody from the inside. Through the haze of agony, he heard the two voices conferring above his prone form.


”This is one pisspoor excuse of warlock, this motherfucker is the weakest one I’ve seen in a while," the inhumane voice deprived of all emotions but anger said.


”I see no difference? They all look the same with all their magic gone. Take away their enchanted decors, spells and jinxes they’re all ugly as their sins. They’re all hideous demons devoid of conscience.” The second man said, he sounded human.


He gasped and groaned, eyes rolled back into his head. He tried to close his eyes, but someone was keeping them open. Froth was gathering at his lips, and his entire body shivered in violent spasms, all his fight gone. Sweet oblivion slowly accepted him into it’s grim grasp; his body went limp. But soon a sound like a whip jolted him alert and this time he could see clearly. He looked into angry dark sapphire eyes. He was right. It was Cargill.

“Wake the fuck up! If you had an ounce of sense you wouldn’t follow Nikola. But since you’re his lapdog, suffer the consequences.” He’d never seen an immortal close up. Especially not an angry one. This face was ancient, older than time as he knew it but handsome as the gods. OH, he forgot Azazel was once a god.

Cargill threw the blood soaked black headsack to the floor and stalked out just as two young men his own age was bring in a tray of food and water while the another carried a white terrycloth robe. He passed out again. He knew the food and water was dope.


Nikola felt someone slapping him awake. He peered out from under his long thick black eyelashes. It was Cargill in a thick silk bottom and robe. He thought he was supposed to be on his honeymoon.

"Rise and shine," Ashton said slapping him again so hard his ears rung. Orman toughen him up long ago to sadists.

“Couldn’t you be on your honeymoon instead of down here fucking with me?” Nikola asked through bleeding swollen lips. Azazael’s face twisted into a monstrous rage before striking him again. This time he nearly lost conscious.

“I hope you know saints can detect when a spirit departs. When a nearby soul leave this world. So Ana will know what you did and won’t stand for it.” Nikola taunts.

“Oh I can detect when life leaves too, by watching you die.” Azazael said stepping around to the other size to get a better look at what his people had done. They made him proud. With genitals swollen that size he won’t be able to think about Ana or any other woman for a while.

****************************


Daewn is how her name is actually spelled on her birth certificate had been sitting down the road outside the LA mansion watching long sleek limos come and go. This is where Carol told her the party was held nearly a week ago. She hasn’t heard from Carol Caldwell since. Knowing Ashton he probably killed his guests. He’ve done so before.

She was here because Ashton had the nerve to tell the household chief of staff to tell them to get the hell outta his house he was bringing that bitch home. What he needed to do was leave her damn ass out in the wild where she belongs.

I thought Carol was bullshitting when she said the bitch was crazy. The way she attacked Carol’s limo was a crying shame. She knows Ashton saw the footage as well as everyone else and yet he still marries the insane woman! Don’t he know you can’t turn a madwoman into a lady no matter how hard you try.

Dawn felt something come over her, something else takes control. She scoops down in the car as another limo passes. She fondles the gun in her hand and is trying to figure out how to scale that wall. There are powerful electrodes along the top. He most likely have them on as well as the laser once the wall is scaled. The women below were unaware a limo passing overhead was carrying the newly formed Cargill family. They were returning from a shopping rendezvous.


"Can you actually see anything?" Delores asked anxiously, wishing she hadn’t come. This ploy is crazy. It was hatched by Dawn so it’s bind to be unbalance. They should be home making arrangements to move plus there’s a creepy feeling out here tonight. "Maybe we could go."

A harsh male’s voice comes out of Dawn’s mouth instead of her ultra sultry voice. "Shut up! You’re getting on my fucking nerves!"

Delores froze, she had lived with Dawn for over 23 years and never heard that voice. Realizing this isn’t Dawn she tries to quietly slip from the hovercar, Dawn turns quickly and grabs her with a steel grip much stronger than Dawn actually is. They’ve had numerous catfights when Ashton wasn’t around so she knows this isn’t Dawn’s natural strength. Her eyes looked like a wild animal, the pupils are enlarged and mean.

"Sit your ass still before they discover we’re out here." The male voice grunts throwing her arm away from Dawn’s side with a hard sling.

Without indication Dawn leapt out the car and begun sprinting toward the high wall at a speed Delores have never seen her able to accomplish. Dawn doesn’t run or sprint. She doesn’t even jog. She watched in amazement as Dawn easily scales the wall with a single leap. She see the laser rays missed her for she was moving so fast and nor did electrical shocks doesn’t slow her down. She completely disappear over the twenty foot smooth blackish grey granite wall.


The security teams was aware of her present but was stunned by her speed. Those possessing the speed inherited their immortal parentage tackled her and took her to the outpost but they doesn’t quite know what to do with Dawn Shepherd. She smells of burnt flesh and sulfur. So they knew a demon was aiding her or had possessed her. It’d be much easier to kill her than to let her go. But they doesn’t know what are Cargill’s intention with her. So they decided to hold her until Cargill can slip away from his new wife.


An hour passed before Ashton teleports to the guard’s outpost. Seeing the situation he immediately expels the demon and asked "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"You aren’t getting rid of us that easily," Dawn, now herself snaps. “You aren’t throwing me out of my home of 26 years. I’ve given my best years to you and this is the thanks I get.” She glowered up at him shifting her weigh to one foot.

He weary sigh, he knew this would happen. "The chief of household finance staff paid you 30 million, Dawn__go live your life. If you manage it well, it will last you the rest of your life."

"Maybe it will or maybe it won’t but I"m pregnant and you owe me child support." She said triumphantly. "Since our contract is over, I don’t have to abort it."

"Suit yourself but you need to find out if it’s mines or my triplet brother’s," he replied turning to leave as he told security to place her back outside the gate and if she pull this again—don’t hesitate to shoot her.


The silver moonlight outside the guard’s station made looked like the goddess she was name for. Dawn was shunned on two accounts; First she thought he wouldn’t be able to tell the different since he and his brother looked exactly alike. Shared the exact same essence. Pascasiel promised her he wouldn’t know the difference. The last one hurt the most; he cold-hardheartedly told his people to kill her.

"Oh, it’s definitely yours, I’ll tell everyone including your precious wife." She yelled through the intricacy of the wrought iron gate at his retreating back. That’s when his eyes changed from sapphires to fire. He was outside with her in a flash and grabbed her under the arms and teleported her back to the car, taking the gun from her.

His fingers curled around her neck and he begin squeezing, "Look here! Dawn and Delores. Go home now! Go back to the palace! Packs your shit and get the fuck out! Don’t make me hurt you." He said holding the gun to Dawn’s head with the hammer cocked. Delores nor Dawn had never known him to drawn a weapon of any sort on them. This ireful side of him was completely new. Still holding the gun he asked in a bloodchilling tone. “Do either of you want to die this evening?” They both had seen his eyes on fire before but it was never directed at them.

"Ladies what’s going to be? You two die tonight or get the hell out."

"Gee, damn! Ashton we’ll get the fuck out of your damn house!" Delores cried watching his finger uncock the hammer. "We came to see if it was true. Your siddity ass staff never liked us so we figured they were lying. But damn, since you wanna be like that then you and Miss Damn Pollyanna can have the damn place."

"One other thing, you two nor any of the others, shall you ever meet her, better not tell her about our arrangements. If you do, you’ll not walk away alive," he promised before disappearing.


Dawn exhaled in gasps, "Whew! I thought for a second that fool really was going to pull the trigger. I saw him shoot someone point blank once. I never thought he’d pull that number on me." Dawn wept as Delores told the limo driver of the rented car to pulled from the curb and headed for the airport.

Delores felt sympathy for Dawn, she had been with him the longest. She reached over patting Dawn’s hand. "We must accept it, this is the end of an era. A lot of marriages don’t last as long as we’ve been with him. It was good while it lasted. Dawn__ he has changed, don’t make him kill you. He does have some affection for you, for us or otherwise he would’ve pulled that trigger. We both knows he’s capable of murder and much cruelty. We’ve seen how mean he can be so don’t make him turn it on us. Carol Caldwell only told us about the wedding because she wanted us to show up and make trouble while she turned up smelling like roses. There’s much more to this than the bleached blonde bitch is telling us. She has been using us for information. Don’t take anymore calls from her. She in many ways is more harmful to us than this Ana, Ashton simply done lost his mind over her. But there’s something evil or even dangerous about Carol Caldwell."

The night air had turned the city cold by the time women arrived at the airport taking the first flight headed back to Paris. Deciding it’s truly over this time. Delores somehow sensed Dawn wasn’t taking this lying down.


Ana curiously awaited him but kept clicking the buttons to the security massive wall screen. It’s kept panning to the lake in the back and the English garden. She heard the alarm go off seconds before he told her he’d be right back. She slapped the remote in the palm of her hand believing it to be a technical glitch causing the mispans not knowing her new husband had redirected it the moment he learned who had breached the front wall.

“"The night was not created oara vos. It was made for love." Ashton said melodious from behind her, slipping his arms around her slender waist, pushing her hair aside to nip at her nape while one hand stroked her arms.

“Was everything alright?” She inquired turning to face him.

“Yes, my love everything is fine,” he said gently gliding his hand over her lower back, taking the remote and reactivating what he had frozen to her to show her all was well. The front was now Dawn and Delores free. Leaning closer to him.

“I hope no one was hurt.”

“No, my darling no one was hurt. It was simply a wandering vagabond. I gave him a few thousands and sent him on his way.”

“That’s sweet of you, dear but I wish I had known. I would’ve invited him in. Times are tough.”

“Yes, that’s what I thought you might have done is why I rigged the systems.” He thinks, kissing her to shut her up so they can make love while Bea is out for the evening. Exhausted from a strenuous shopping expedition.

*********************


In the ethereal tropical realm of Nod where Van’s earthly domain had been pushed into when humans started to spread out and populate the earth. He opened his realm and connected it to the physical one when he saw how populous this new world was. Father didn’t bother him just so long as he stayed away from the two naked occupants of Eden. God didn’t like his association with them. He didn’t see why not, hell! They did bad all by themselves. Well, not quite by themselves, they got a little push from Lucifer but they didn’t need any help from him.

Van sat fuming, so it’s true Azazael have closed off the grand parties and food supply to Nod. Azazael was full aware since Jesus binded hell the immortals can’t take what they want from the Adamites anymore. Ogun said it was a party fit for a god. He didn’t even invite some of his own brothers to his wedding. Stuck-up ass bastard, always did think he was pretty. Azazael reeks of that damn woman. He can’t go near him without becoming violently ill.


Ok, everyone didn’t squirrel away resources, wealth and money as Azazael did and had an abundant of wealth when Michael derailed the gravy train. But their half- earthen off-springs still had to eat.

The bitch is tearing down his playhouse. The brothers have always met at Azazael’s for fun with mortals as long as Azazael had a place. Now this little saintly girl comes along and fuck up everything. They always do. That’s why he can’t stand damn saints. They fucks up every damn thing that’s fun. They aren’t fun and doesn’t want anyone else to be fun or have fun. They’re all joykillers.

"This is so unfair,” Van angrily sighed looking around at the beautiful world he built from earthly material. By now most of his children had long ago shredded the characteristics of their beastly parentage and looked totally like him.


“Azazael or Azazel as Ashton as now he calls himself has it all! A rosy smelling house, a beautiful wife, good looks__not that I’m hard on the eyes. But he’s shitting money and wealth! While I’m stuck here in Nod land with a bunch of half-animal children, he’s allowed to marry a saint. Had I done that, they’d be throwing gold bricks at me! Nobody said a damn thing about him screwing a saint. Ashton Cargill is Azazel and sooner or later he is going to be Azazel and fuck that marriage from here to hell." Van laughs, several of his children laughs not that they care about Azazael nor what he’s doing but it agitated their father so they’re listening.

"I must find a way to tell his imbecile of a wife about who he really is and get things back to normal." Van is disappointed he can’t look in on Azazael anymore. Glory is blocking his vision.

"I must convince his concubines to put an end to this nonsense. Somebody has to scatter his picture-perfect life to hell and make him wake up and be who he really is. This new life is so unbecoming to him. Since Father and Michael won’t act, then it’s left up to me." Van reasoned to his most trusted son Nordbis. Being one of his first born of earth children, Nordbis had animal characteristics the latter ones didn’t. Being able to transforms from these features have served Nordbis son of Van well over the trillions of years.


Van sends Nordbis to Ashton’s Parisian palace. Nordbis spoke with the woman named Delores who said they were afraid of Ashton he held a gun on them. He wanted to speak to the one named Easley, although no longer a harem member because of age, she has been with him the longest and had more influence than the others.

"Yeah, we heard from him. Yeah he gave us the money but cut off all other privileges. He held a cocked gun to one of our’s head. Can you believe that?" The grand dame yapped in Nordbis’ ear, boring him. Yeah, he can believe it?! That’s Azazel. That’s the kind of things he’s known for. The dumb woman is lucky he didn’t blow her brains out. Too often full-humans mistaken good looks for a person being nice.

“It was I who coached all these others on how to please him and now he’s throwing me out like yesterday’s trash.” Nordbis empathetical nods not that he cared an ounce what Azazel did to these people.

"If you happen to meet her, his wife tell her his real name. Tell her about you all. Make your voices heard. You don’t deserve how he treated you. You’ve given him a lifetime of serve and this is how he repay you!?" Nordbris egged the angry elderly woman on. “You are pragmatically his wife. She stole your thunder. She stole your place. Legally, all this is yours.” He preached as he violently waved his arms to emphasize his point.

Patty Easley formed her mouth to summon Azazael. Nordbis leapt across the room clamping her mouth shut. Wondering if she had a deathwish? He certainly didn’t.

"NO, he said he’d kill us if we did. Saying his real name calls him." A brunette reminded the angry Easley.

Wearing an expensive silk gown, "I don’t know his real name," Dawn lied. Thinking on what Delores said. Delores is right all these people doesn’t give a fart about us. They wants to use us for their own revenge against Ashton. She isn’t dying for any of these bastards. "Why don’t ’you’ say his name and call him?"

"Bitch, do I look stupid to you, saying his real name summons him!" Nordbris snarled. Dawn pitched a heavy crystal vase across the room at Nordbris who dodged it as crashed into the wall and scattered. No one was getting away with calling her a bitch. Sure, she knew she was a bitch but no one had better not say it.

"Oh and am supposed to be dumb enough to do it? Right?! Dumb enough to call the stupid bitch he married and tell her his real name so he can come rip my freaking head off?!?" Dawn yelled at the demigod. Sipping a glass of bourbon as she narrows her eyes at Nordbis. "All the parties he gave which you attended, I’m sure you’re quite cozy with him. So why don’t you call him?" She egged Nordbris on.


Feeling in a nasty, foul mood Nordbris taunts back. The animal instinct in him rises but he swallowed it back down into the pit of his stomach. Remembering his father once told him you can get information if you don’t keep your cool. "You’re his bitch, so why don’t you cal him. If he cares so much about you he would’ve married you years ago. According to my dad it only took him only two days to marry that woman.” Dawn looked around for something else to pitch at Nordbris. But decided to let it rest. He was too fast.


Nordbris looking around at the others who had ventured into the Louis XIV styled sitting room, he orated, “Girl, wake up and realize he used you all those years. Are you all gonna sit back and let him get away with it? That’s what Azazel do is used people."

"If he didn’t care at all he would’ve thrown us all out with no money and no place to go." The brunette reminded Nordbis, Easley and Dawn.

Easley reminded them they got a pretty good deal out of this arrangement. "Some like him have been known to do a lot worse things. A few years ago this prince had his harem killed when he got married. So he could do a lot worse. Ten million dollars can go a long way."

Nordbris laughed a hateful snicker. "I supposed that is supposed to make it hurts less. That’s pocket change in comparison to what Mrs. Ashton Cargill will get from him."


The women all stopped and looked at this half man and some snickered behind their hands. They didn’t bother to tell him Ashton wasn’t hurting them. After the laughing abated Raylee from Trinidad asked Nordbris, "What kinda relationship do you think we had with him that it hurts? Love is what hurts. Nordbris, this was a business arrangement. Nothing more.”

Raylee announced to the others, “He think love was involved here, isn’t that sweet.” She guffawed loudly at this half-man half-beast trying to paint a mirage of a situation he knew nothing about.

"Yeah, and about Ana, he’s hurting her all alright, probably got her screaming for mercy!" One of the other six joined the encore of the utterance.

Nordbris’ eyes turned yellow and his fangs started to protrude.

"Y’all better hush, now hush." Shunta said, half snickering. "Hush y’all. He’s getting mad. I think he’s a werewolf or part wolf or something. He think we’re she-wolves that why he keep calling us bitches." Another round of hard laughing broke out, it was so cruel that even some of the household staff within earshot had to laugh behind their hands.


Glancing out the main great window where one can get a spectacular view of the quarter of a mile arched driveway. He smiles and retracted his fangs and gleefully says."I can bet right now he’s screwing his wife and when he finish he plans to bring her here to show her her other palace. While else would an expensive interior decorator truck be outside. He doesn’t want any of your skanky skunk traces anywhere near her." He laughed and pointed out the window. The women rose to look out the window, sure enough a truck is outside and a smartly dressed man carrying a briefcase ascending the front steps. He side stepped the movers carrying and loading the women’ personal effects in moving trucks.


The son of Van runs through the palace, out the back door, through the garden into the evergreen outback beyond the vast backyard. His inherent animal instinct tells the man is an assassin. Bullets may not be able to kill him but they do hurts like hell.


The smartly dressed man lets himself into the palace. The man wearing a black suit and stiff Hermes’ tie introduced himself as a lawyer says." Ladies, Mr. Cargill ordered you to vacate the premises three days ago. He paid each of you handsomely for your service. There’s a redecorating crew here to redo the palace. Vacate nicely or I call the authorities." The man said slightly push his crisp suit coat back revealing a gun in a hip holster, meaning "I’m the authority and unlike Cargill I don’t give a fuck about you. I’ll shoot every last one of you and then some before I lose the big bucks being paid to get you whores out of here." His icy steel colored eyes told them he was ordered to kill if they started any shit with him. He unceremoniously shakes out a ziptop leather cache and order them each to drop all their keys inside and to board whichever truck carrying their belonging.

"If you’re caught back on this property the guards have authorization to shoot to kill." Having gathered all the keys and security devices he politely said, "Wise decision ladies. Have a nice life.”


Dawn doesn’t know this man but hates his misogynistic attitude, “I’m the mother of his child. I’m not going anywhere.”

Caleasa sashaying toward the door, struggling with her belongings for the house staff won’t help now that they don’t have to. She’s floating her steamtrunk and heavy wardrobe on remote hoverlifters toward the door when she sees in slow motion the man draw the gun, she pressed the button to make the trunk fly and steered the heavy, floating steamtrunk into the man’s side second before the gun goes off. The bullet hit the ceiling instead of Dawn.

“Have you lost your mind?” She asked Dawn eying how easily the sharp dressed man pushed the trunk off. He’s a nephilim. “All of you, get out! Ashton isn’t worth dying over.”

“It isn’t Ashton I want! Ana can have him. I’m defending what rightfully belongs to my baby.” Dawn shouted back as the man rose, straighten his clothing as if he had been hit by a feather duster not a five hundred pound steeltrunk.

“You can’t defend shit if you’re dead!” Calease shrieked. Promising the man she’d get them out. There was no need for anyone to get hurt or die. She gently helped Easley out her comfortable chair and ordered the others to get a move on it. Easley was like a mother to them and to many the only mothering they ever had.

**********************


At the Cargill’s L.A. estate demons gathered outside and around the vicinity along side satanic humans, Vonderbilt followers, trying to devise a plan to rescue Vonderbilt and the Caldwells without attracting Azazael’s attention. But the palace had become a spiritual Fort Knox. The couple had unknowingly created a fortified defense when their powers combined. Not to exclude the fact that most of Cargill top security were actually demigods. Handpicked by Ashton himself. They were children left behind by several of his celestial siblings for various reasons. Some, their earthly parents had died and the immortal one went berserk. Immortals can’t handle death as easily as mortals. They never had to. Death is alien to them. Others were results of one encounter or a brutal attack on their mortal parent. No one knew these are his nieces and nephews except he. Many of the nephilims doesn’t know he’s their uncle. Some knew but didn’t care. He shouldn’t undo what his siblings had done but he decided long ago they needed someone who understood them. He begun his search for them in the late 1800’s when his industrial empire was flourishing. He needed security to keep the humans from destroying his factories. The younger of the group such as Sewell were offsprings of the originals.


Having consummated their vows helped fortified both of theirs spiritual abilities. She unknowing absolved immortal substance and intrinsic combative skills he transferred to her willingly and he absolved love, compassion and passion, the good kind from her. Soothing his ancient wounds.


The darkside knew they shall not allow this fortification of power to continue. Hell knew or suspected the couple was absolving from each other. Therefore it’s essential they find a way to separate them or she’ll soon have absolved so much wisdom from him in the art of warfare that she’ll become almost as invincible in the physical realm as she already is in the spiritual realms. She’s troublesome enough as it is. But no one thought he’d actually give himself, emit his powers to her or any mortal while watching them in Jasper. No one thought the great Ashton Cargill would truly consecrated a marriage to anyone. The darkside felt he was merely romancing her to get her in the sack and once that was accomplished he’d move to his next conquest. But of course, that’s not what happened. Many believed she used the gift of love and compassion on him. The fact that she was gifted in love and compassion, the strongest of the gift made her his spiritual superior.

The news of this believed to be unholy union had now reached the depths of hell, Hades and other unholy realms where enemies of Azazael and humanity dwelt. The sulfurous Tartarean realms and pits were as shocked as everyone else from worlds humans had no idea existed. Lucifer sat on high high, gleaming black and blood red throne rolling over knavish thoughts in his ancient, deviant mind. How to put an end to this folly? He knows Azazael is merely playing a game. But with one able to absolve power this was not a game to play.


Zeus detested Hell, he hated the moaning, crying and weeping; he hated the heat, stench and smells. The heat and boiling blood was unbearable. But nonetheless he asked his son Hades to grant him entrance to see what was so urgent that Lucifer wanted to see him about. Many mortals believed Hades was his brother due to they looked alike. But Hades was his son. Many thinks Hades is hell, they doesn’t know Hades is a realm in hell. Although, they are father and son their relationship became shaky long ago.

"There’s a reason in Heaven’s favor to allow a sacred union between a Nazarene general and a semi-rehabilitated fallen son of the heavens." Lucifer voiced and pondered, pacing before the hellish council of the 12 princes of hell. He for sure knew the Nazarene general’s abilities would increase but what would it do for Azazael? Make him more manageable? He seriously doubted that? It was far easier to dictate and manage hellfire than to get Azazael do anything he didn’t want to do. But if there was anyone to teach her how to be cold, ruthless, crafty, evil and relentless there was no better one than Azazael. He didn’t want her Azazaelized. He wanted her to remain pure in mind and heart, sweet, gentle, loving and kind. He wanted her for his diabolic purpose.

"That’s it!" Lucifer snapped his finger as he stopped pacing. "Maybe that’s the reason!" Zeus looked bored at him from under his heavy silvery white brow. Seeing this expression Lucifer exclaimed, leaning in close to Zeus. "Think about it. We far outnumber them by the millions...right?! We all remember well, Azazael’s great military feats during the Great War. After our expulsion he left the fold. Being who he is___the heavens want him back so she is to lead him back into the fold and he’s to teach her the art of treacherous warfare. OH Hell NO! They allowed that to create a greater fighting force against us. We must end this trickery immediately. Even Loki would be hard pressed to pull off a greater trick than this." Lucifer complimented to appease Odin of Loki’s abilities as he side-eyed Zeus. He never cared much for the egoistic white-haired bastard but needed his ability to pull off the scheme. To him, Zeus was nothing more than an older version of Azazael.

The Plutonian council all agree Lucifer had a vital point. Why else would a Handmaid of God be allowed to wed a fallen heavenly prince?

"He’s having his in-laws guarded." One of the 12 princes of hell named Tezcatlipoca mentioned. “So we can’t attack them and there aren’t any other known relatives left to persuade her to encourage him to surrender to us." Tezcatlipoca pointed out. Lucifer shot him a shut up glare. He already knew that but before this audience of immortals he needed to let them believe there was some leverage left. Something to hold her feet to the fire with. If she whines long enough, Azazael might subside for her sake.


"Yeah." A second prince said. "Thanks to your over zest followers they’ve killed everyone we might had been able to use as a leverage. Knowing this was true didn’t keep satan from becoming angry. Instead of pitching a fit he sends for a set of demons who looked like children and expressed his plan. They worked well with children because they looked like children. They had guests right now so he was being nice and polite but unfortunate for him the guests and those pissing him off were brothers. He was fully aware had not he been stronger these twelve brothers with their cities in hell would overthrow him, they have tried many times. Even in hell the immortals still believe they are superior to created being like himself. So no, he doesn’t trust any of these brothers.

"You guys stay in the sky and watch for the child. When that damn kid of hers’ leave the house to play you guys are to approach her and pretend you too have a stepfather you do not like. You’re to instill in her psyche that her mother loves Ashton more than her and she doesn’t like her stepfather, keep the pressure up so she’ll make Prince Azazael life with her living hell. The inner agony of the child will force Ana to leave him." Lucifer reasoned.”


A third prince lazily asks, "How do we know it will work? This is Azazel we’re talking about here, we aren’t talking about a normal, sane, decent person here. He might just kill the kid to get her out his hair and still keep the mother?"

Lucifer shrugged his fluff white winged shoulders and say. "So what if he does. It’s worth a try."

A fourth prince rebuts them both saying. "That’s a sorry ass plan. He’s only going to ship her little butt off to private boarding school with other rich kids if she start anything with him. If he kills the child he knows he’s certain to lose the mother. He isn’t stupid. Azazel is astonishingly evil and mean but also very brilliant, intelligent and exceptional bright. And knowing the power that child wields he’s going to make her his ally."

Ignoring the princes Lucifer tries again to break through into the visional field of Cargill’s home. The vision is still very murky therefore soon goes blank. He made out the image of Ashton embracing Ana in his arms. It’s Azazel blocking him, no on else. Lucifer chortled nastily "You sly old dog you just wait. Enjoy her while you can." He was positive Ashton heard him for he narrowed his eyes in his direction.


The Northwest Semitic Aramean goddess Astarte sighs, “All males are stupid. Nikola had a better plan.”

“Listen up you imbeciles.” The plan is to capture and imprison Azazael, create a clone to take his place. She’ll never know the difference.”

The princes of hell looked at her and burst out laughing, wanting to know how are they supposed to capture someone as mean, combative and wild as Azazael?

Zeus beckon Apollo to his side. Apollo is referred to as the Greek god of prophecy, healing, music, song, poetry, archery, and the protector of youth. Apollo and his twin sister Artemis are said to be the children of Zeus and Leto, and both have resided on Mt. Olympus with him. At least that’s the story Zeus told mortals. But Apollo’s real twin sister is Aphrodite and Hera is both of their mother. But humans didn’t need to know all his business. Apollo has been said to radiant such splendiferous beauty that it scorched the eyes of men.

“When the mortal bring me the essence of Azazael I’ll create a clone from it and imbed my son Apollo into it. He’ll live as Ashton Cargill, take control of the vast wealth. I know you all are thinking this Ana will know the difference. I can tell you from experience they never know the difference,” Zeus vowed looking over at his hell residing brothers and sisters. Reminding them all he has done it many times. Taking the husband’s form, even killing him if the man refused to go away. Some of the women who were married to mortal men and figured it out when the children was born with exquisite abilities or their husband never aged, but those he cared about and loved he aged himself along with their progression.

“That’s kind of plot I love.” Lucifer said to his conference. “Then we will work duly with you to make this Machiavellian plot a reality.” Everyone laughed, even the immortals. They knew to whom he was referring.

*******************************


Ana sensed the property being canvassed. Now, this was her property, too, she had to remind herself. She was too far away to see whose spiritual imprint she was scanning. She knew there were hundreds if not thousands of them out there beyond her normal sight range. She concentrated on using her astral vision. She rarely used it for it moved faster than she was comfortable with yet. Sometime frighten her at the speed it moved. But she used it anyway and focused on them.

The multitudes were milling around in clusters in the back woods behind the property. Some were black and dark brown hooded satanists while others were demons and some were neither, she had no idea what they were nor where they come from. She knew they were all there because of her. Vonderbilt had sent them to make her pay for marrying Ashton. She wondered could she torch them? Usually it doesn’t work if she isn’t in imminent danger. She is in no real danger right now. But she wonders where those piles of ashes come from.

Shortly before she pulls her astral vision back she see a blur running through the diabolical multitudes cutting, slashing, bludgeoning and killing. She can’t see who is killing the people and demons alike. She wonders if it’s Ashton? Well, in retrospective he did say if anyone came after her or Bea he’d kill them. She watched the supernatural being mow them down like grass before pulling her astral vision back and steps away from the window.

"Hello baby, hope you’re enjoying the scenery," Ashton says startling her as he wraps his arms around her waist. “Behind the wall there was once other mansions but they dilapidated over years due to years of neglect while families fought over fortunes so I brought and demolished them and expanded the property boundaries.”

She ask herself. "If that wasn’t him out there__then who was it?"




Next Chapter: Chapter 4 The Honeymoon Begins