Chapter 1: The Enemy is always a nice guy.
Part One: .Freedom is Passe.
(Too dark... Scratch..Scrath...I have to get out.. Why am I in here.... All I can remeber is...
errrr... Think.. think... think .... damnit think you fool.... What are you doing under gorund... Wheres Kristi... Damnit... i ... i'm dead... I've been dead...)
The thoughts of a dead man are worth nothing if everyone knows their dead.
A crow, a curious animal watching the man's every move as he crawled on the dirt. The truest form he'd ever held. Like a worm. The worm he was and will always be... A worm.
The crow, a stong creature cawed at him, and slowly he could remember the Gates.Small bits of memory of his fight against them..
What should we do with him?
We can't sacrafice hi,m like this?
Doesn't he have a sister? she'll be of age in the next seven years.
Yes. His sister...
Kristi... I left the little girl at the apartment. She should still be there. She has all the signs. She'll do nicely.
(Kristi?... Do they have Kristi... Is she dead.... Kristi... )
He listened to the crow's caw. Slowly the meaningless sounds took shape as words in his mind.
(Revenge... Yes... Pure... sweet.. revenge... for Kristi... To Kristi... Revenge... Kristi not dead?...
Slave... Will be dead soon..... revenge for me... Freedom for kristi.... Yes....)
He climbed out of the whole in the ground, and looked at the bird from the tombtstone across from his own. the crow cocked its head at him..
( Help... Si can help.. Si will help...)
November 22
Ryan Jackson held out a check in the amount of two millon dollars. He had the most charming and humble smile on his face. For the picture of course, a record of his great and noble deed to the community .
A service to the dying breed hanging themselves in the wind. Knocking against the big trees of the city.On their stoops and in the alleyways, sealing their blood, bone, and flesh for a little pack of white artificial heaven.
" thank you so much Mr. Jackson for supporting our foundation," the man across form him said.
The reporter came by the table and asked a few question to Mr. Jackson.
" Mr Jackson-"
" Oh, no Please! Just Jackson."
" Of course," she beamed at him. " Why this particular foundation? "
" When I was a child I was on Welfare.. And it was never really enough. And i almost didn't make it to where I am today because of that.. I mean, there was barely enough money for food let alone school supplies. Now don't you think its wrong, Mrs... " he paused to read her press badge on the breast of her smart maroon suit.
" Miss," she answered gentlyand almost breathlessly. " Miss Winters.. But you can just call me Siren, " she looked him deeply in the eyes.
For a moment Ryan thought of the room . The room with Kristi.
Kristi is beautiful. Thats why the Clan choseher. For her beauty and charm and grace. To open the Gate they need a perfect sacrafice.
He tremembered the feel of her skin underneath his fingers. Perfect silk. Her eyes the clearest blue.
There had only been two of such perfection having the exact twelve birth signs that was expressed as needed in the Book of the Gate.
The first one had been a man .he had been Kristi's older brother by seven years, his name had been Brody. A perfect match like Kristi is, only minus the breast and add a dick.
Unlike Kristi's kind nature and her submissive behavior, Brody had been fierce, and had fought back with a firey passion. He'd even killed one or two nameless members.
He cursed and bite and fought the Clan with the little strengh he had from all the drugs the Clan had pumped into him.Plunging a hidden dagger into the side of one and into the heart of another.
( present)
" you look familiar Siren, have we met before?"
her eyes like kristi's...But not as beautiful.
" I don''t think so Mr. Jackson. If we've met before, I think i'd remeber someone so handsom as you."
(last night)
"What the fu-" a hand closed around her mouth and the blue eyed beauty struggled against a strong grip.
The broad shoulders pulled her deeper into the alley where only a few drugged out people lay, fitting themselves together in the most natural postion on earth. The sound of their momentary pleasures would occupy them and keep them form helpong her.
Her dark hair fell across her face as the man pushed her against the stone wall. She lost whatever breath she had left in her lungs in that moment and lost it yet again when she saw who it was.
" Si," the man spoke under his dark brown hair, glinting red gold in the dim lights of the alley. ' I need your help-"
" I-I-"
He looked up at her from across the narrow space, he leaned back further onto the opposite wall and looked at her with the brightest blue eyes that neared her own, but hers not quite as brilliant as his.
" Si? i know this is weird, but I reall-"
" Your Dead, " whispered. " Or you were-"
" No. I am-'
" but how?"
" Si-"
" I mean, I saw you get put into the ground-"
He moved toward her with incredible speed and grace. He pulled both her hands above her head so she couldn't struggle, lose glumps of dirt falling form the musty tux.His mouth was right in her ear. He could feel her heartbeat against his own dead one and it filled him with a longing for her.
He pushed a stran of her dark hair away from her face.
" Si, do you see the crow behind me?"
Her heart went faster. She was afraid and it made him want her even more.
She nodded, her breath warm on his lips.
" Si, do you remeber the stories your grandma told us about the Crow? About the man back in The city of Angels and the woman named Sara?... You remeber? " that brought a smile to his face. " You know how everyone thinks my death was random? It wasn't. YOu know how Kristi disappeared? It wasn't cause of the city. It was 'Cause of these bad man. Ever heard of Ryan Jackson?"
" So Siren," Jackson smiled charmingly. " Would you grace me with your presence tonight at dinner?"
She returned it with a sly grin. " Of course, Where should we met?"
Ryan Jackson turned to the man, " well did you see that Randy? Am I good or what?"
he took a small bow as the older man who he'd given the check to applauded him.
" She was charming, but as I always said: never trust a beautiful woman. My wife was beautiful and look what happened to me," Randy sat down on a white plush couch. " speaking of beauty? How is our darling little goddess?"
"Kristi is as restless as ever. I had to put her back on a chain last night. it sadden my heart."
:" well, seven years away from society can do that. But The Clan can't afford another mistake. Not after the fiasco with her dear brother Brody."
Jackson sat down behind his desk and took out a small brown case of havanna cigars, gesturing towards the box at randy. Randy declined. Jackson shrugged and placed a cigar in between his too full lips and fired away.
" I don't know... I liked Brody. He had spirt-"
"So does Kristi-"
" But shes so easily manipulated. A few jewles, pretty flowers and a little drink shes happy. Brody understood freedom. Loved it, even. I think the only reason she bothers trying to get free is because she knows we need her. She wants more, but not freedon-"
"Freedom is passe.," Randy leaned forward. " But this is with the purest of intentions. We need her to open the Gates. We can't let anything go wrong," he placed a wrinkled,but still strong hand on the coffe table. " Damnit, Jackson! I'm growing too old fotr this shit!! Do you understand!"
Jackson looked at the couch that randy was sitting on as he continued his rant about faliure. His eyes began to burn holes in his skull... and in the couch.
Randy jumped up, screaming. " Stop it! Please! I swear I'll make it up! Please Father!" the sixty year old man was not on fire but he could feel hell at his back. The darkness ebbing into his mind and taking over his mind. Bringing him closer to the ultimate ending. A thousand knives on his face. Blood all over his hands. He crawled toward Jackson and pleaded.
Jackson with a wave of a his hand brought the old man back to reality. " Next time you feel the needed to question me I'll let you slip through the cracks and you'll never see the Gate and all its offerings."
" Yes. Yes father!" he clinged to his pantleg crying the tears of a small child.
Jackson tilted his chin up, " Now don't cry. I didn't meant o scare you so much my son... You can make it up to me... Call the BrotherHood of The Clan. Reasure them, if you have doubts they must too. Now dry you tears. I have to go see our Goddess," he helped the old man to his feet and kissed his forehead. " Trust me."
Part Two: A little Late....
november22, 7pm
" You called him handsome, " a quite voice said by Si's bedroom door. Causing her to jump nearly out of her skin and the little underwear she was wearing.
" Damnit! Would you not do that!" she suddenly remembered what she was wearing and went for her robe draped casually across her bed.
He reached it first. he held it out ot her, giving her a mock pout.She took it awya from him with an aggravated jerk. He smiled, his hand in one of his pockets.
" I've seen you in less-"
" Well you weren't dead back then ...or the undead..or whatever..." she pulled the robe around her tighter. " and we were actually together then."
" Dead is so passe."
She stormed off into her adjacent bathroom. she left the door slightly open so she could still talk to him. " Don't peek!"
He held up his hands in the air , " I promise i won't" The crow on his shoulder cawed at him mockingly.
He looked into Si's dresser mirror, he looked alittle more like his old self. He'd found some old clothes. He didn't think they were his, but he liked to pretend they were. Just pretend that Si hadn't been with anyone else since he'd left her two weeks before his untimely death.
The pants were leather, but theyfit alittle bit lose around his hips and thighs. The shirt a sleveless social distortion tee. He'd slicked his brwon hair back in a pony tail, revealing three moles in the shape of a triangel on his left cheek and exposing some of the birthmark on the left side of his neck.
He bit his lower lip and saw that he still ad the gap on the right side of his teeth. " you think death could fix those little problems."
" Death isn't like platic surgeory."
"It should be," he said in sincere voice." These are what caused all my problems in the first place. The marks of the Perfect Sacrafice." he made quote marks in the air.
He turned around and faced her. His jaw dropped alittle. Her black hair was freshly dried and she had left it be with a little mouse leaving it curly and unkempt. She wore a tight red dress with a black coat over that, but he could still see every shape of her perfect body. She turned to him and caught him staring.
" What?" she asked as she stood up from putting her shoes on.
His eyes found something on a silver chain on her neck. She followed his gaze, and she tried to hide the pendant quickly. They exchanged a look, and he didn't callher on it.
" So... You called him handsome?"
She gave a sweet smile, " isn't it a little too late to be jealous?"
She skipped alittle as she headed ot the living room to get her purse.
He said to the empty roomand gave a regretful smile. " Its never to late with you...."
7pm
Jackson looked into the gold plaited mirror and listened to the sounds of rare song birds and slowly rushing water. the room around him was absoulutely breathtakeing. The wood paneling were jewel encrusted with diamonds and emeralds of every size and shape, alone unstable and unmarketable, but together ... well they were just perfect. Birds flew freely aound the room, a small white tiger cub played in the shallow fountains built in perfect chi. A ruby collar and silver nail caps adorning him.
The garden of Eden in a room, he liked to call it. And the ultimate Eve on plush pillows , a mirrored image of her brother.
She was not unattractive, but she wasn ot beautiful either. Still the beauty lay in her blood and her eyes. The most sacrad of precious secreats hidden in them.
Jackson plucked hmslef down beside her. She lay stretched out playing with a flower in sincere boredom. " I wish you hadn't of done that Kristi," he clucked his tongue at her.
He pulled at a pure golden chain that led to a sapphire cuff on her ankle. " You just had to knee him in the groin. and one of your most faithful followers as well... He won't come near you for awhile. All he was trying to do was get to know you-"
" he touched me."
his hand went up her long leg towards her thigh which was easiley accesable with the dress she was wearing. He got behind her, " You mean like this?"
She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. " Yes,' she whispered.
" Did he touch you where it counts?" he asked nibbling at her ear.
" No," she felt pain in her eyes and she could see colors uneder her lids.
" Good," he kissed her cheek. " now stay still , my beautiful Goddess."
She squeezed her eyes tighter then before, if it were even possible. She held her breath and tried to pass out before he pushed himself further into her....
Hours seemed to pass, before he left her and brushed himself off. He kissed her forehead and looked one last time in the mirror before leaving her alone.
Now she could let it all go and cry. Cry over her freedom,but it was just a little too late for that.