Chapter 29

The Mark of the Beast

With out any decent rest at all, the three trod bravely to the edge of the guarded forest, where Arden's tent had been pitched earlier. He stood alone, waiting. His eyes definitely were his father's and not his own. "What is your decision?" he said calmly, as if asking the weather. "You can go to hell, Arden, and take Raden with you." Youko spat. Arden's eyes darkened. "So you figured it out? No matter," he shifted his arms in the sleeves of his robe. He raised his hands as if giving up. "You really don't want to just give her to me?"

Their grim faces answered for them. "Very well, I will make her suffer instead of you two. Come, my servants." He raised his arms, Youko and Koronue jerked forward, stumbling as if being pulled roughly. "What..?" Youko hissed. Arden continued to beckon with his hands; the two bandits were helpless and could only obey. "What's happening?" Gabriel cried. Arden tsk-tsked, wagging a finger. "You bandits should never have let me make the Mark on you. You are helpless to resist the will of your Master as long as you wear the Mark; too bad my fool-of-a-son didn't know that, he could have saved me the trouble of dieing."

"Stop it! Let them go!!" Gabriel ran forward to protect her friends.

"Stop right there, unless you want them dead." She froze, anger burning in her eyes. "I own them, in every respect of the word. I am dominant, the master, and the owner. If you ever want to see them again, surrender yourself to me." Gabriel was about to open her mouth, when he stopped her, "Don't answer just yet, I want you to way your options. 1. Become my queen, or 2.die slowly in agony and grief. I shall return to you again, pet. Be ready with your answer then." Her senses darkened; when she was next aware, she was lying on the ground all alone.

Night had come again; she was alone in the hideout. Tears streaked her face as she sat; sleep lines shown under her eyes. "What should I do? Oh, father, I wish you had not left me! I'm so lost!!" she whispered to no one. She felt so weak and wretched. Like a person who had been raped; stripped of what was most precious to them. Her tears were forced away abruptly; she had to be strong.

"My father said I was strong, I don't want to make him a liar." She stood up and paced the room. If she could find Youko and Koronue and rescue them, they could defeat Raden and Arden. The vixen tried to use her spirit awareness and sense them. She had not restarted her training with reiki yet, though. Sighing, she tried to think of a plan.

Raden wanted her to surrender; but she could not do that. She had to save her friends without getting them, or herself killed. Raden didn't give her very many feasible options. "First and foremost, find Raden." she formulated a plan and ticked off the steps on her fingers. "Next, find Youko and Koronue. Then, free them and escape. Sounds simple enough, but the escape part." She crossed her arms; they would not be able to escape if Youko and Koronue were under the werewolf's control. She had to, some how, make Raden remove the Mark from their eyes.

"If I could just find a way to control him for a minute, I could remove the Mark myself. A while back, I could pass through walls, maybe I can walk into people's bodies; but my reiki isn't strong enough yet. I sure wish my father hadn't taken that necklace away." Her ears twitched, a soft knock was at the door to the hideout. Fearing the worst, she walked up to the door and opened it halfway. Arden's smug face could be seen in the dark.

"What is your decision?" he asked.

"If I come with you, will you let them go?"

"Of course,"

"And take the Mark off them?"

"What ever you wish."

"How can I trust you?" Sighing, Raden, using Arden's body, made the bandits appear. They were unconscious, and bound. Raden laid them on the floor and put his hands on either of their faces. When he took his hands away, Gabriel reached for them and checked their eyes; the Marks were gone. Something wasn't right though; they smelled like earth, even though their clothes were clean. "Come, my queen. We must away." He chuckled sinisterly, grabbing her by the wrist. She obediently followed him, tears pouring down her cheeks again.

I'm sorry Youko, I'm so sorry.

6

I'm not going to make this problem last as long as last time they fought Raden