Disclaimer: (Thought I'd better add one this time) Don't own them. Doggone it! This time I offer a personal Hat's Off to Metalkatt of LiveJounal. She wrote a wonderfully inspired piece around the torture at St. Marguerite Island and it really helped me get through this chapter.
Part 8
Isle Saint Marguerite, a lonely and nearly barren island off the southern coast of France. Isle St. Marguerite, once a prison for political adversaries of the ruling regime, was now a prison of despair for those deemed dangerous by Sapientes Gladio. At one time, a ferry crossed the choppy Mediterranean Sea to the little island, but now there was only a small boat, owned by a local, and that served Nicholai's purpose, for if there was only one way onto the island, then Yuri and his companions would be forced to land where he was in control.
He looked, with a distasteful expression on his usually calm features, at the giant mutant hound chained before the prison cells that were prepared for the Godslayer and his friends. He would rather they were killed instantly, but he had promised; a devil's promise but whatever it took to keep Veronica happy – and busy – and out of his way. For Nicholai would have to move quickly to consolidate his agreement with the Japanese envoy, and having the great lump that was Lenny or the Queen of Pain anywhere near might jeopardize what he was working to create. For although his master, Gregori Rasputin, wanted control of Russia and through her the rest of Europe, Nicholai had his own plans that did not include Rasputin in charge of anything. But as both Lenny and Veronica were loyal to the Master...
With continued distaste, Nicholai left the cellblock and climbed the stairs to the upper floor office. He passed by the torture chamber with its Iron Maiden, rack and electric persuasion, a shudder rippling down his spine with the remembrance of pain; the room reeked of it and Nicholai avoided that chamber as much as he could, leaving it to Veronica's personal attention. Mentally cleansing himself, he climbed the rest of the dark stairs to the office to await developments. As it turned out he did not have long to wait, for by late afternoon of that very day, a message arrived from the lower level guards that Veronica's trap had been sprung and the Godslayer, and his companions, were now trapped. He sprung quickly to the door and sprinted down the stairs to the main hall where Veronica had laid her perfume trap and there, on the stones before him, lay his prey, the Harmonixer, the Godslayer, Yuri Hyuga.
Lenny and Veronica were both preening their good fortune and Nicholai put on his cold coat of indifference before stepping into the main hall. A few quick strides brought him to the fusionist's side, and with one booted foot, he pushed him over. Looking down at his victim Nicholai had to restrain himself from dealing more damage and instead knelt to rifle through the Harmonixer's pouch, pulling out the ancient tome.
"I'll take this," he said, amusement escaping his control. "Thanks for the help."
Lenny stood with arms crossing his massive chest, nodding his big head.
"Okay, now I can finish them off," he grumbled. "'Bout time too."
Nicholai rose to his feet and scanned the rest of the fallen group: in the middle were the old man, and the dancing girl. Just past them was the huge wrestler and... His heart skipped a beat at the sight of the scantily clad swordswoman.
She's here, he thought. Well, of course she would be. He crossed the floor to look at her, not daring to reach down to caress the fiery locks that cascaded over her face, covering it in crimson silk. No, as much as he wanted to, he dared not let Lenny or Veronica realize how much he wanted to touch the young woman. With a silent sigh, he turned toward the doors.
"Wait," called Veronica, the buxomly blonde bed partner of his Master, Rasputin. "Nicholai said I could have him," she whined, staring at the fallen Godslayer with lascivious glee.
Nicholai waved them off.
"Do whatever you want," he said and then mentally kicked himself, for that meant leaving Karin to Veronica's dark mercies as well. Each step he climbed to the upstairs office was a step he regretted more than life itself. In his hands was the ancient tome, the Émigré Manuscript. With it, a wizard or warlock could raise up the dead. And the Japanese envoy wanted this cursed tome – for reasons he had not stated. But Nicholai knew it had something to do with the man's past... didn't it always? He threw himself onto the chair at the desk and set the tome on the desktop. His head in his hands, elbows on the tome, Nicholai shuddered. Here at his fingertips was all the power he could ever hope for. And yet, all he wanted right now was below, being dragged into the cold cellblock, guarded by that insidious hound.
"Karin, Karin," he breathed and felt his heart lurch in his chest. All his reserve, all his years of training, keeping at bay the thoughts and emotions that motivated others so he could build the power he wanted, needed, for himself. And in one woman, one soft, sweet woman, it all fell apart. His body strained against his clothing, his desire for this woman overreaching his own controls. He felt again her lips against his, her breath in his bangs, the whisper of her voice as she moaned in her desire for him. He felt the softness of her breasts in his hands, the curve of her body fitting his like a glove and he wanted her, desired her so much at that moment he thought he'd crumble to dust.
Below he could hear the sounds of the electrical device Veronica used to 'soften' her prisoners, and he grit his teeth. If that bitch dares to touch Karin... he thought, and then shook himself.
"No, no I cannot go there. Not now, not yet," he said softly and then turned his attention to the book. But soon.
The soon had not been for a couple of hours as Nicholai perused the manuscript, noting its contents. Lenny had interrupted him to tell him about the escaped wolf, but Nicholai waved it off.
"That S&M broad is nuts, I tell ya! She's really into some weird stuff," he said.
"Did you find the dog?"
Lenny moaned, taking a heavy seat on the sofa. "Urh, I'm looking for it now. Got men out searching." Lenny stared at the bookshelves across from him and sighed. "She's really laying it into that little punk," he offered.
Nicholai ignored him, his eyes still scanning the brown pages of the Émigré, the ink a faded black against the old paper, and the letters of the ancient Greek written with a fine hand.
"This book is most definitely cursed... Why in the world would anyone want such a thing?" he wondered aloud, then closed the book softly and rose from the desk. He crossed the room toward the door but Lenny called out again.
"Hey, where ya goin? You leaving me here with that weird broad?"
"It is time for me to see the Master. Now that I have this," he said raising the book, "my work here is done. And as for the prisoners, after she's had her way with them, you finish them off."
"Ah man, why do I always have to do cleanup," Lenny groaned.
Nicholai sighed, shaking his head.
"She'll be tired of them after a few days. Just be patient until then," he said.
"Okay, but you owe me one you know."
Nicholai did not reply. He left the office and headed downstairs. Lenny's words, in spite of his best intentions and efforts, had reached Nicholai's ears and his mind was seething. So, Veronica was torturing the Godslayer. Pity I can't be here to see that, but I really must get back to Russia. And then there's the matter of the woman… He stopped at the entrance to the torture chamber – it was the fastest way out of the prison, leading directly to the exit stairs, but to go through there would mean dealing with Veronica and… The Godslayer. The thought of the fusionist hanging from Veronica's devise – drops of sweat and blood dribbling down his semi-naked body to drizzle on the floor and add to the patina of pain the room exuded caused him to pause, a slow smile of satisfaction curling his lips before the cold veneer once more settled over him. He opened the door and stepped through.
Inside Veronica was laughing her throaty chuckle, hand covering her mouth as she laughed at the expense of the young man hanging limply from the fetters. She had indeed been working on Yuri; she was so predictable. The Godslayer was panting, mouth open as he gasped for breath, but Nicholai could see there was yet defiance in his stance – if he were as weak as he was pretending, he would be on his knees. Nicholai had to admire the young fighter his ability to play with his torturer. Once inside, the reek of sweat and piss assailed his nostrils, and the calm expression he'd adopted quickly crumbled to disgust.
"Nicholai," Veronica exclaimed startled, as if caught in the midst of some indiscretion.
"My apologies," the exorcist said. "I was leaving; do continue," he offered her the bon mot of acceptance, if not approval, and crossed the torture chamber, being careful not to touch the harmonixer. That young man looked up with bleary eyes and a small quirk of his bloody and bruised lips. One side of his face showed evidence of Veronica's whip and Nicholai could not help but stare at the once exotic complexion now scarred and split by repeated beatings. A small part of him wanted to reach out in compassion for this lost soul, but he quickly beat it down, knowing that this was a fate richly deserved for the one who thwarted his hunt for Simon.
"He's been most entertaining, Nicholai. I hope I get as much fun from the others," Veronica volunteered and then turned back to the electrical device. "Come on, slave. Tell me how much you want this," she teased and turned the dial.
Nicholai quickly pulled open the far door and slammed it shut behind him, but not fast enough to block out the Godslayer's defiant obscenity, nor his subsequent scream, as the current surged through him.
Veronica's taste leaves little to the imagination, he thought and, as he crossed the outer chamber and climbed the stairs, he thought again of the Godslayer's pain and, instead of the fusionist hanging limply from the sweat-soaked fetters, he suddenly saw a slender red-head, her cream complexion reduced to a bruised and battered pulp and Nicholai bit his tongue as he opened the upper door.
I will not allow that… I will not allow that, he kept repeating as he made his way to the Guard Captain's office, ostensibly to give him final orders for the disposal of the bodies.
"Captain," he said as he pushed open the door without knocking. At the wooden table in the room's center, the captain sat eating luncheon. His surprise at the cardinal's sudden interruption was quickly washed away when he rose to attention. "Captain," Nicholai continued, "there is a woman in the cellblock that needs to be removed to other quarters. It seems she is a daughter of nobility … of the Kaiser's family I believe, and it would not do to injure a potential pawn." How glibly the lie slips across my tongue, he thought. Have I sunk that far down?
"Her name, sir?" the captain asked, dropping his salute and reaching for the clipboard with its list of prisoners.
"She's one of the new ones: Koenig. See to it she's removed immediately."
"Yes, sir," the captain said and Nicholai was gone, the door open and the echo of his quick steps the only sign of his retreat.
There, he thought. That should do it. For now. Until I can return; once I've given this book to its new owner and spoken with the Master. His thoughts turned toward his next visit with Rasputin and his stomach turned sour, but he immediately schooled his thoughts to more docile concerns lest his nosy and powerful teacher realize that Nicholai was plotting his demise.
Reviewers:
Bella: I am also delighted you and your fiancé are safe. So good of you to read and comment. I try to get a bit of detail into each piece – not like a history book, which some readers would find boring, but enough to let them see the world I'm describing. Thanks so much for noticing.
Sable: Hope this one is also loved... but I doubt it. Nikki's being mean. haha.
Aegis: What do you expect? Nikki hates Yuri. Never mind they'd make a loverly yaoi couple... ooops, did I say that? Haha!
Kitty: ... ... is that you Miss Kitty from Ireland? Yes, the tension is building. We will see more of Nikki and Karin together. And Yuri and Karin. And the world will be filled with tension ... haha. Stick around for the fun. I promise a lemon. No, actually, two lemons!