Chapter 31

Sanchez didn’t know what possessed him to sneak into Orion’s chamber that night and sit in his favorite chair. He sat back and stretched his back – even Dreamkillers get exhausted now and again. He laced his hands behind his head and grinned as he watched his master sleeping soundlessly in his tall bed.

He imagined himself in charge of their entire race. The Network is running without incident and the host is sleeping peacefully. He had checked these things out personally and he was pleased by the report.

He was lost in his own fantasy world when a light knock rapped on the door and it creaked open before Sanchez could stand up out of his master’s chair – God-King Orion’s chair.

He was shocked when he saw a young woman walk into the dark room and now he stood up, not as fast as he would have when he was surprised. “Who are you?” He must confess that there was no way in hell that he could know everyone of the Dreamkiller race, but he could smell one nonetheless. And by her hypnotic scent, he wanted to know her very much indeed.

She made her way over to him and placed one hand on his chest. He knew it was in their blood to want to kill, but damn, when she placed her silken hand on his bare chest, emotions ran through his mind like never before.

“We need to combine our strengths, Sanchez,” she said almost in a whisper. “Together we can defeat Father and you shall rule a new order. Together, Sanchez,” she looked deep into his dark red eyes. “We will make sure the rebellion rises.”

Sanchez stared at her for a moment in bewilderment. “Who are you?”

She knew the question would come and she was ready to tell the truth. To lie would be untrustworthy to an ally. “I am Beth,” she finally replied.

“Beth,” he repeated as he went through his mind and then he smiled. “Yes,” he said and placed his hand on her soft cheek. “You were made two decades ago, I think. Master has always wondered about you. He wondered where you were hiding.”

“I wasn’t hiding, Sanchez. I was building my own rebellion as I’ve said. Orion must not have this power. Divinity is for God, not the likes of Orion. You of all people should know this.”

“I am not people. I am a monster such as you.” There was pity and disgust in the way he said it.

“Then you know why he must be destroyed.”

There was a longing in his being. A longing to be free. And he knew that if he lived in this kingdom with Orion as his king, he would never be free. And there was also an alien need growing inside of him. “Stay with me,” he said.

Beth sighed. She had a feeling this might happen.

“Beth, I shall assist you in everything – just live here with me.”

She took a step back and lowered her eyes. “You let your desires cloud your priorities. Search your feelings – you know I can never live here.” Now she looked back up into his face and saw his withdrawn eyes.

He stared at her for a moment and wondered what she may have been like before she was turned to the darkness. He was curious to know what it was Orion saw in her to begin with that made him want to make her his child. As he looked at her he knew that he wanted her – badly. Was that what initially set Orion off? Desire?

“Where were you organizing the rebellion?” If she could just tell him this much.

There were things that she didn’t want to tell Sanchez. Even the truth won’t set you free all of the time. “I was organized in what was once known as the mountains of Tibet – the Himalayan Mountains. I had around one hundred of my brothers and sisters who were willing to overthrow Orion and die trying. We were found a little later.”

Sanchez lowered his eyes. “Not by Orion,” he said and she shook her head.

“No,” she replied. “He was a man called Ilias. Tall. I could see that he was once an angel of God.”

“Once?”

“You could see where his wings had been torn off.”

“And what did this once-angel want from you and your group?”

“He promised to bring more, a lot more, of my siblings if I lead the rebel uprising.” Beth hesitated for a moment and realized that she may have said too much. She detected a look of urgency in his eyes and she didn’t like it.

“The Himalayan’s, you say?” She nodded. “One hundred rebels?”

Like she knew where his desires were taking him, she knew where these questions were leading. So be it. “Yes; one hundred rebels in the Himalayan’s awaiting my command.”

Sanchez sighed and turned his back on Beth and walked over to the window. He didn’t bother looking out, but turned back to face Beth with a new authoritative appearance. “I shall send two hundred of my troops out there and slaughter them and their mindless thoughts of freedom.” She noticed that he formed a vicious grin on his lips. “And as for you, I shall enjoy keeping you here as my pet.”

Beth returned that vicious grin with one of seduction and crossed the room toward him. “There are two things you should know about keeping me here against my freedom,” she began and he smiled.

“I can’t wait to hear this.” He fought not to laugh out loud.

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“One – I don’t really think Father will approve of you keeping me, his daughter, prisoner.”

“No need to worry about that. There will be nothing to tell him. You won’t even be here. What’s the second thing?”

Beth reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and coaxed him to turn around. “Look outside and you’ll see.”

His eyes moved from her lips to the window and his mouth fell open as everything bad that could happen to him will most likely happen once his master awakens. There were not a hundred rebellious Dreamkillers out there, there had to be at least two thousand screaming Dreamkillers wanting to overthrow Orion and tear down the castle. He couldn’t even see how far the rows and rows went – they made their own horizon.

“I’m,”

Beth smiled and nodded. “Yes; you’re fucked.”

“How -?” There were a million how’s, why’s, and what-the-hell’s going on in his mind, but he couldn’t quite find words to articulate the horror he felt.

“There are four hundred troops out of the kingdom in search of the humans. Do you have enough here to ward them off?” Beth already knew the answer; she just wanted to drive it home. “And your master is asleep.”

They turned and looked at Orion who hadn’t moved at all.

“How do you think it will look to your people that their master never woke up to fight for them?”

Sanchez turned around and looked at her with a new appearance in his eyes. It was death that reflected in his dark eyes – not for his enemies, but for him. Should he surrender? What would happen to him if he did?

“Right now as we speak, your monstrosities are running around downstairs not knowing where to go. They are lost without orders. They cannot live without a commander. They will die.” She placed a soft finger on his cheek and could feel him tremble beneath her touch. “As you will.”

Sanchez closed his eyes so tight they hurt and then he opened them after a moment and glared at her with a newfound hatred and he shoved her back. “Fine,” he screamed and extended his arms to full width.

In the darkness Beth could see his fingernails had grown eight inches once his arms were outstretched and they looked more like razors than nails.

“Then kill me, bitch!” At that moment he decided that he would not give in without a fight – if he was going to die, he wasn’t going quietly damnit. He was determined to take as many traitors with him as he could, starting with this beautiful devil standing right in front of him.

Beth had to admit, she had not expected a fight. She had to reanalyze her dependence on her seductive powers. It was working for a while, but then he saw the rebels waiting for war. Maybe if she had taken off her clothes, perhaps he would have been in her trap for that much longer. Perhaps.

When Ilias had come to her so long ago he had promised a victory. He would give her a thousand Dreamkillers to overthrow Orion Keep if she would lead the assault. She eagerly agreed; she hated her father for what he had created. She wanted revenge. Ilias had told her that her beauty would be her weapon, that nothing would resist her.

She spent twenty years training to become a better killer – a better leader. And just a week ago, Ilias returned and handed over his thousand troops who were willing to fight for her. Where exactly he got them, she never questioned.

Now was the time to find out if these rebels were worth her trouble.

Should she take off her clothes now, to distract Sanchez? Stupid, he’s already on to you. It’s time, she realized, to come to terms with what she was made into. She had become her once-beautiful self twenty years ago when she hid from Orion. But now everything has come full circle. She would shed her flesh and show Sanchez her true nature.

She reached up and grabbed the back of her head, digging her nails into her scalp and pulled with little effort. Her entire being divided itself into two halves and she let her flesh fall to the floor on either side of her and she stepped out of her flesh-stockings.

Sanchez stared at the horror which now stood before him, her blood and mucus dripping everywhere. There was not a shred of the beauty Beth had possessed only minutes ago.

“Why do you look surprised? This is what Father made of me. This is what you’ll become, too, if Orion gets his way.”

Sanchez shook his head and grinned. “No, he would never do that to me. He has made me who I am. I am the second wave, true, but I am better than you all. I am truly hidden from human eyes.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “But for how long?” Deep down, she didn’t understand why she was trying to level with Sanchez. He wanted a fight. She’d give it to him.

“I will live for eternity through the Network.” A voice of triumph.

“Ah, the Network,” she mused – now we’re getting somewhere. “And what happens if the Host dies? What will you’re kind do then? There isn’t anyone strong enough left to sustain that many human dreams.”

He stared at her for a moment and then shook his head slowly, yet cautiously. “He’ll never die. He is monitored routinely. He is fed and watered regularly.”

Beth laughed. “You say it like he’s a plant.”

“Well, he is,” said Sanchez behind a shrug.

“What do you think would happen if we destroy the Host?”

“That will never happen.” He lowered his eyes and grinned at her. “Are we gonna end this or what?”

Beth shook her head pathetically and smiled. “Well, I suppose,” she said and then held out her hands, palms facing Sanchez, and the next thing he knew, he was flying across the room, hitting the wall hard enough to break his back. She held him suspended in midair as he looked at her behind shock. “You don’t understand,” she said to him. “You may be of the new breed, but you’ll never have my powers.”

She blew him a quick kiss and then sent him flying back across the room, sending him spiraling out the window where he landed, dead, amongst the rebellious demons.

Beth went over to the window to look down at her army, to tell them to storm the castle, but before she could, she felt a strong hand wrap around her neck and her head was forced around. Her last sight was looking into the horrifying eyes of her father staring at her behind contempt.

Orion held the devil’s daughter for a moment, staring into her dead eyes, wondering where she had been, and why she was dead in his arms. A lot must have taken place during his sleep. He took a chance, an awful big chance, on leaving Mykella for a moment to see what the ruckus was all about, only to find that his servant had been murdered.

He went to the window and saw the large amount of traitors standing at his doorstep and he thought, for one moment, that he was going to die.

But then that subsided and he thought about Eden. He would have to return now to consume the rest of the tree. Then he would have the power to destroy the invaders.

Yes, he thought. That is what must be done.

He would let Mykella have some more fun in his dream crusades for a while longer until he calls her back. Dawn was approaching after all and he doubted she would be able to sleep much longer.