Chapter Twenty-Five

Orion woke with a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. Tonight he will order Beth to go to Samantha and take over her soul. As for Eric, he would send him with his sister just in case Samantha puts up a fight.

He sat up in bed and immediately wondered how far Vince would take them today. He stood up and went to the window and pulled back the drapes and looked at Vince’s green door. Such a lovely creature hidden behind that green door. He has shown more strength than his father ever had.

Unfortunately, Vince will not be alive when the Great War ends. He will see to it that Vincent Hopman dies slowly. Maybe he will impale him and hang him in his new garden.

* * *

Vince grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. “Here we go again,” he whispered and then opened the door and headed for his car; turning just in time to see that Orion had been looking out his window.

After he turned the ignition he saw the beast exit his room and hop into his own car. There was a grin on Orion’s face which told Vince that he liked this cat-and-mouse game. At this point, it didn’t look like Orion cared if he ever found the gate. He could burn down the entire city with just his mind and it wouldn’t bring him any closer to the Forbidden Realms; Vince knew that the chase was all the fun.

And just where shall we go, he thought as he stared out at nothing. And as if in answer, he heard a voice inside his head telling him to go to Ireland. He almost laughed out loud and shook his head. “There’s nothing anyone can do to make me go back there.”

“I wouldn’t say that if I were you.”

Vince jumped and turned to face his mother as she sat next to him. He looked puzzled and then he found words.

“How can you be here? I’m not asleep. Am I?” At this point he wasn’t sure which end was up any more.

Tracy smiled and shook her head. “You’re no more asleep than the rest of the world. I can be anywhere anytime I wish; just as long as that anywhere and anytime can be pulled into my world.”

Vince shook his head. “Now wait just a minute; are you telling me that we’re in your world?” She didn’t reply to this; merely stared into his eyes. “Dear God,” he said with wide eyes. “That means we’re at the gate of Eden. And you’ve pulled him with me,” he said and glanced over at a clueless beast who sat in his car in a comatose state.

She looked into the mind of the young man she once knew. “And all that time he was really Orion?”

Vince nodded and touched her shoulder. It was like touching a feather; for there was almost no solidarity to her being. “Why did you bring me here?”

There seemed to be a long pause before she answered. “I know how you feel about it, but you must bring Orion to the gate. It’s the only way that he can be destroyed.”

He tried to read his mother but it was as if she were blocking out all emotions. “I can’t take that risk. You know that.”

“You must understand, Vincent, that when he arrives here, it will be the beginning of the end and that the final prophecy will have begun.”

“I don’t care about prophecies. The first prophecy didn’t help you stay alive.”

She gave him a sorrowful smile and placed her hand on his cheek. “The first prophecy told how I was to become a new guardian and Rick was there to see that it happened. My death began my new life. I wish I hadn't died by Rick’s hands, but he made sure I’d become a guardian one way or another.”

“So I suppose it was Allen who really took control of Dad and killed you.” Vince let a sigh escape and he looked out the window. There was too much for him to think about and he didn’t know where to begin.

“Suppose I bring him to the gate,” Vince began while staring at the man sitting behind Orion’s wheel. “What can I expect?”

“He will not give in without a fight – you know that. It is my job to fight him and protect the Forbidden Realms at all cost. I don’t like it any more than you do, but it is my job. My burden.”

“Where can I find you?” he asked behind a hardened soul. He didn’t want to take the bastard there, but if it called for his end,

“You already know. St. Vincent Convent. You’ll have to dig; it’s pretty far below the surface.”

Vince nodded and then turned to look at his mother. “All right. As soon as I can, I’ll bring him there. But do me a favor.”

“What’s that?” she replied with a smile.

“By bringing him there, it begins the final prophecy where he is in control.” She nodded. “Then that means you die.”

“My dear Vincent. I’m already dead.”

He stared out the window at the motionless beast. “Let me fight the fucker. You watch out for Mykella and I’ll fight him.”

“I can’t do that. My job description,”

“Yeah, I know. You have to protect the gate. Is there anything I can do?”

She stared at her son for a moment and then grinned. “Do not be afraid to love; it is the one thing worth living for.”

Vince blinked his eyes and turned back to face his mother but she was nowhere to be seen. In fact, when he saw that Orion was looking around too, he realized that he was no longer at the gate.

Such a lonely job, he thought. Just waiting your entire existence for someone to come knocking on your door. He sighed and pulled out of the parking lot without bothering to see if Orion was in tow.

He knew that he would have to begin heading back east, but he also knew that there were plenty of airports that would take him to Ireland. Just as soon as he heard from Karl he would purchase a ticket and go back to St. Vincent Convent; back where all this shit began.

Around six that evening Vince returned to his motel room without doing all that much during the day except locating the local mall and busying himself by walking around and eating. There really wasn’t much this tiny town had to offer. If he were still here tomorrow he would venture out to the movie theater.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Orion had different plans for tomorrow. Tonight he would confront Beth and give her the orders and tell Eric to join her. Tomorrow he should no longer be following Vincent as closely; he would have complete control over the body Mykella was in. Without a protector, there would be no hurry to find the gate.

* * *

When Orion opened his eyes he found his way to his favorite room, ready to have his fatherly talk with his children. He was infuriated, however, when he realized that both his children were missing. After bending several spikes with his hands, “Where have I gone wrong?”

Alexius was his most trusted servant. And the others after him showed no desire for rebellion. Why these two? What was so different between then and now?

Orion stared at the altar for a while and shook his head. Alexius had been Orion’s friend so there would have been no need to fight back at his maker. As for the others; they were obedient only because he was their king once he had killed his father. That was why.

Beth and Eric were creatures in this time and age with independent minds.

“This is going to become a problem,” he said and stormed out of the room to go in search of his children. As he climbed the steps outside he was wondering how he could find creatures he had created with minds of their own.

By the time he reached the last step, the answer was laid out before him. He looked up and noticed that every single head dangling from their spikes were all turned in the other direction and he followed their death gazes. Then he looked down and saw a line of blood. He shook his head with a disgusted expression on his face. “Just follow the blood trail,” he said and headed off on the trail.

He would have to wake up and follow their trail. But, what of Vincent?

* * *

He found Mykella standing beside the creek wearing a long yellow summer dress. She turned when she heard him approaching.

He grinned when he saw what she was wearing. “What’re you wearing a dress for?”

She shrugged and turned back to look into the water. “I guess my birthday’s coming up.”

“But, it’s not time yet. You’ve got at least another month.”

“That’s not what your mother thought.”

“She doesn’t know everything.” He walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and realized that she had been trembling. A crashing feeling came over his mind as he knew what was making her tremble. There was nothing that either one of them could do to stop the rise of the Dreamkillers. That’s why Mom was asking me to take him there soon; she knew that the birth was near.

“I’m going back to Ireland.”

She pushed out a long sigh just as a child might when losing a pet. “I know. I just thought I wanted more time.” She turned and looked into his eyes. “I need more time.”

He squeezed her shoulder. “I wish I could give it to you, but it’s not mine to give.”

“Promise me that when you get to Ireland, you’ll tell me before searching for Eden.”

He grinned and made that promise as he kissed her forehead.

* * *

Orion opened his eyes and was as irate now as he had been asleep. He would have to put everything on hold as he went in search of his children. He did not like it one bit. He waited a long time until he found the Kingston girls. Now he had to wait even longer to find the gate.

He sat up and rubbed his black hair and looked over at the window. Soon Vincent would wake up and be off on his way and he would have to remain here searching for clues as to where Beth and Eric were hiding. He knew that it wouldn’t take that much time, but in this part of the game, time means everything.

Standing up he grabbed his pants and slipped them on and went out of his room to where he found a newspaper stand next to the management’s office.

He took it back to his room and opened it and scanned the articles for any bizarre and brutal killings. And there it was, three people slain just last night. Two men and a woman who were killed in their own beds. They had been severely cut up but it did not look, to the police that is, to be connected to one another.

Orion grinned. Sure, the article mentions all three deaths in the same article, but the cops don’t think they were done by the same people?

Was there a connection or were they just out for blood? He couldn’t even think that far back into his past when he made that first kill. He knew he must have been overjoyed, but not because he liked the feel of blood. No; he loved the feel of power that came from spilling blood.

Is there a way to see who they will kill next? He thought this over in his head and shuddered. He would have to return to his burned homestead in England and attempt to find his hidden entrance to the lower ground. It would take time, but if he were successful, he would have all the time in the world at his disposal.

How to get there was of another concern. He could purchase a plane ticket and get there in a day or two or he could use his new-found preternatural abilities. He had after all destroyed an entire hospital and sent cars flying after Vincent. Why couldn’t he use his gift for travel? He lowered his eyes as he stared at the beautiful green door from his window and let a malicious grin form on his lips.

* * *

It took a few minutes before Vince could comprehend that his cell phone was ringing. He opened his eyes and rolled onto his side and grabbed his phone laying on the nightstand. He closed his eyes again when he turned it on and acknowledged his presence.

“What the hell happened last night?”

Vince opened his eyes and sprang into a sitting position. “Chris? What did you see?”

“You damned bastard. What have you done to me?”

He could tell that she was mad as hell but for the life of him he didn’t understand why. He asked her to explain what had happened last night in a calm tone; and this she did not appreciate either.

“Don’t patronize me, Vince. Professor Krieger knew what he was doing, not me. What happened to Samantha?”

He suddenly realized that Krieger was dreaming of Samantha – why he didn’t know – and he let his eyes fall. “Long story, Chris. Look, tell me what happened last night in the dream.”

There was a short pause and then she began.

“I did like you told me. And sure as shit, I found him in his dreams. He was confused at first until I explained our conversation. Then he got frightened. He wanted to know what you were up to but I told him I didn’t know. He closed his eyes and that’s when I saw Samantha laying in bed. When she saw me she couldn’t remember who I was.

“He asked me who else you had told of this and when I told him no one, he became suspicious of me. He asked me if I was some sort of Dreamkiller.” She paused. “What’s a Dreamkiller, Vince?”

He shook his head. “You’ll find out soon enough. What else happened?” He didn’t want to reveal too much; otherwise there was a possibility that she would not help him.

“Not much really. He tells me to wake up and that I should tell you to call him immediately after I talk to you.”

“Thanks, Chris. Will you still talk to Karl for me? I need his help on this, too. A lot falls on us four people.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“The Apocalypse,” he said and looked out the window at the bright sunny morning. “I know I sound like a psycho, but I really need your help. I don’t know where else to turn.”

He knew that she was weighing her heart during her pause.

“All right, Vince. I’ll do whatever you ask just as long as you swear it’s for the greater good.”

He smiled. Maybe it will be a happy day after all. “Thank you, Chris. Talk to Karl; make him understand how important this is.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to him. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do it.”

With that she hung up her phone and he held his phone for a minute before turning it off. Krieger and Chris. If I get Karl, that’ll be three. My little army is coming together.