Chapter Eight
Birth
The cellar was dank. The smell of wet earth and rotted things filled their nostrils. But, through it all they could smell the blood, rich and metallic; intoxicating. There she lay in the center of their great circle of vampiric monks and acolytes. She lay naked and unconscious, her shiny black hair still perfect in a short bob. Her bangs barely touched her beautifully arched eyebrows. Her lipstick was still unsmugged and rich ruby red. The altar she lay upon was solid stone and three feet high. There was no cloth of covering that protected her perfect white skin from its cold unforgiving surface. At the head of the altar, just before Nica's, was a black marble effigy of the Inanna herself. She stood commandingly with arms extended and a sneer across her wretched lips. She held The silver spear in one hand and a golden goblet in the other. Rubies were beset for her menacing eyes and snarling fangs. Her head was thrown back and her hair, which flowed to the carefully etched base, was carved elegantly around shoulders and waist. The body itself was nude as Nica was and just as perfect. As he looked down to the statues feet, he saw that she stood upon a world of death depicted by a pile of carved corpses.
Leo was so taken by Nica's beauty. He wanted to reach out and stroke her cheek and brush her long thick lashed with his finger tips. "Snow White in all her glory." He thought to himself. He noted the hundreds of dead and dry black roses that encircled her frame. Flawless she was. Nothing marked her body. No tattoos, not even earrings. Her breast sat in absolute symmetry and needed to assistance to defy gravity with their erectness even as her body lay flat. Never was there a more perfect vessel for the Inanna. Even Leo felt it was so. And, he really didn't care about "The Empty One" or "She Who is the Arm of the Damned" or even "The Blood Goddess". He only cared about having his un-life back to some form of normality. With all the Slayers around, he and his companion were more hunted than hunters anymore. And Naberius promised him that this "Inanna" would be able to set the scales into their favor.
So here he and Jerome were, in this giant circle, participating in the Ritual of the Inanna. They were now fully members of the Order of Naberius. And even as the Priest stepped forward to the head of Nica to place the wedged black silk pillow under her head, Leo still marveled at her pristine condition.
The Priest gently lifted her head with his left hand while sliding the wedged pillow under, making sure the thicker end was under her neck. All they while he chanted with the others.
"Gube uzu avec mud. Sudu ama tud adda musal lirum Inanna."
As he finished placing the pillow that now tilted her head back, he took a step backward and lifted the effigy of Inanna above his head.
"We call you to awaken! Please accept this vessel to be filled by your black emptiness, and to feed your unending hunger. Take this form to be the Arm, to control the pestilence that plagues the existence of your faithful children! Come to us and set right the balance that has been tipped against us! Accept the offering of nourishment we give willingly from out own unworthy bodies and set us free!" He lowered the statue and produced a very old looking flask from his robes. He mumbled something unintelligible as he tipped the flask and anointed Nica's head, hands and feet with its contents. From what Leo and Jerome could tell it looked like black oil. It began to run and drip down from the places he had anointed. He then opened a compartment in back of the effigy and placed the flask inside.
"That is her blood." Naberius whispered to Leo. "It calls my queen to the vessel and binds her to it."
The Priest placed a finger on Nica's chin and gently pushed down opening her mouth. He then presented his wrist and sliced it upon the spear he had held before. As the blood began to run, he held his wrist over her mouth. When he did this gave an instructive look to the others to do the same. Each vampire then produced a dagger they had been given earlier and slashed their wrists. They then formed a procession and one by one fed the vessel from their wounds. Because of the number present and the regenerative properties vampires possess, some had to continue to slice to re-open their wounds while waiting for their turns to present their offering. Finally, it came time for Leo. He sliced hard and deep as he walked up to the blood soaked beauty that lay before them. He stretched out his arm and let his blood flow down into her gaping mouth.
"Accept this gift, and allow me to touch your elegant face." He reached up with his left hand and went to stroke the cheek he had been aching to touch. But, just as he was about to do so, a hand that felt like rock grabbed his. He looked and saw Naberius looking down at him scorning his presumption.
"You are un worthy of touching the vessel." He drilled. "I think you have given enough, you needent give more." Leo stepped back and scowled at the great gray beast with deep black-red eyes. Leo was powerful, but he knew when he was out muscled and out powered. He sulked back and watched as Naberius placed his massive left hand on Nica's forehead, almost covering her face, and then ripping open his right wrist with his teeth to offer his dark blood to as well. When he was satisfied he returned to the circle that had reformed itself and resumed it's chanting.
"Child of Many Devils, awake and be host to the Empty One!" The Priest cried out. The torch light flickered and the cave grew colder. And icy wind brushed through the multitude to the center of the room. The group watched in amazement as the blood they spilt upon her body and face slowly absorbed inter her skin as if nothing was there at all. The last to go was the Black Blood of Inanna herself. As the last of the black oily substance had disappeared, the ruby eyes of the effigy began to glow bright. Her fingers began to twitch, and then her head started to roll from side to side. The growing anticipation in Naberius was apparent to Leo. He could see his steely face twist into a sort of a crazed smile.
Nica's body stopped twitching and began convulsing. Leo thought to himself how if the pillow hadn't still been there that her head would have been cracked wide open, ruining her perfect hair. She continued to flop and her eyes fluttered. He could just make out their rich blue color. Suddenly, she stopped moving all together and her head rolled to the right her eyes open wide starring right at Leo. With his vampiric senses, he saw her body's last breath escape from her lips.
Leo adjusted his jacket and looked to Naberius. "Well I must say that was a lovely service. I take it now we bury her and then more waiting for her to rise?"
Naberius grinned showing his gunmetal teeth. His blood soaked eyes gleamed in delight. "Oh, to be so naïve! We are not simply siring a fledgling girl! We are awaking in the INANNA! The Empty Goddess! She does not require sleeping though a day to assimilate this vessel. What you have just witnessed is the soul succumbing to her will!" As the words exited his mouth Leo saw the change over coming Nica's eyes. Blood rushed from the whites of her eyes to the irises where it was soaked in totally in quick, bright flash. Their color was permanently transformed to a dark, rich purple. Her lids closed and then opened again. Her pupils dilated and her left hand reached up and touched her head. Naberius smiled greatly in satisfaction at the sight of his resurrected queen. She rolled her head back and sat up. She held her head in her hands as if waking to a hangover. Leo spied her naked back; it was speckled with bits dust, tiny pieces of stone and broken rose petals from her ceremonial wreath. Her perfect porcelain skin seemed some how defiled by the presence of the altar's debris. He wished he could step forward and dust it away for her. But, he knew Naberius would never allow it. He saw her as belonging to him.
The Dark Goddess looked up and straight ahead and righted herself upon the altar. She turned her legs to the side brushing away the dead flowers that had encircled her and slid down touching her exquisite toes to grimy dirt floor. Leisurely, she continued down placing then the balls of her feet, arches and then heels. She studied her digits as she dug them into the mud and muck. Her head rocked back, her eyes closed and a smiled graced her divine face as she moaned in enchantment of the sensation. Her sighs were all that was heard, for the moment she sat up; everyone in the vicinity fell silent in awe. Finally, she slid completely from the altar, stood firm and glanced around the cellar smiling wickedly. It was almost appropriate that the black petals fell to her feet as she rose from her stone bed.
"All hail the Inanna! The Empty One! Our Dark Goddess has come to reclaim this realm drench it in blood!" The Priest announced. Upon this, all in the room dropped to their knees and fell forward face down in reverence. All, except Leo. He stood unmoving and unable to take his eyes off of the bare splendor before him. She looked back at Leo, smiling all the while, confidently and chiefly. The mutual gaze seemed to last an eternity, until it was interrupted by the deep gargle of Naberius' voice.
"If you do not show humility now, I will rip your legs from you feeble corpse and force you to lower yourself in her presence!" The Goddess winked at Leo teasingly. He did as he was instructed.
She turned to her attending priestesses. Three scantly clad vampiresses with black scarves covering their long hair. Each was clothed in black, sheer silk wraps tied at the waist with a red silken cord. Each attendant held below her supple assets, an article for the Goddess. The first held a golden bowl filled with rose water and sponge, and a large cotton towel draped over her left arm. The second held a silver tray on top of which were various oils and perfumes. And the third held a red silk garment.
The first approached the Inanna and knelt before her. When she was given permission to rise, she began to cleanse her with the sponge and the rose water. Leo rose his head just enough to spy upon this act. The priestess began by rinsing away the debris from her sullied back side. Starting at her shoulders, buttocks, and then her artfully sculpted calves. He watched a globule of the water roll down from the nape of her neck, down her spine and then absorbing into her right firm and ripe buttock. As the priestess went to cleanse her front, the angelic figure turned to facilitate her. As this were, she was now facing Leo and smiled as she noticed him watching this ritual. Once more the attendant dipped the sponge into the golden bowl, pushing the many floating rose petals away. She squeezed the soft ball and then released allowing it to absorb the soft perfumed liquid. She brought it to the Goddesses shoulders and began to rinse her skin. Leo's eyes left her intoxicating gaze and followed the water as it ran down her chest over her pert breasts and dripped off of her coffee colored nipples. The priestess continued down to her abdomen and then the tops of her thighs. Leo couldn't help himself as he watched the hair disappear into the small patch of curly hair that rest between her white thighs. When he got himself, he shot his eyes back north and locked back with hers. She smiled slyly back at him to show that she enjoyed his eyes caressing her naked frame. Without taking her eyes away she tilted her head to the right allowing her hair to touch her smooth shoulder, and lifted her right foot from the ground, bending her knee so that the attending priestess could wash away the filth from the dirt floor and then place a red velvet slipper on it. She then did the same with her left leg watching Leo watch her the entire time. When she had done this, the Priestess bowed and then hurried back to her place against the wall, thus summoning the second attendant.
The second Priestess brought forth her silver platter of oils and perfumes and began anointing her Goddess with them. She chose a red Egyptian glass bottle first, pouring its oil contents in her palm and then rubbing her hands together. She smoothed it through her hair and then wiped her hands clean. Next came a large blue bottle in which she did the same but, it was rubbed into her porcelain skin. She massaged the perfumed oil into her shoulders, arms, stomach and even her pert breasts. She persisted down her thighs and calves and then back up to her unyielding buttocks and back. He could feel that his arousal was becoming imminent that in all of years on this earth, and all his attentions to controlling his more animal of urges, this ritual was proving to be to stimulating for him to control these things. His gaze again was taken by her. It was as if her eyes commanded him to catch them. The second Priestess had finished and third came forward. She unfurled the garment and draped it over her Goddess' shoulders. She pushed her languid arms through the sleeves and allowed the attendant the belt it at her waist with a matching sash. The Goddess waved the priestess away and then walked forward never taking her eyes from Leo and never once stopping her wicked smile. She stopped in front of Naberius and reached of her right hand. The massive demon king raised his head and then held her hand in his. He kissed it eagerly and rose to his feet.
"It is marvelous to have you at my side once more. I remember when we tore the southern dimension to shreds and danced as it bled! My hordes still hold a rigid grip over its pestilence. Once again, your expertise is required. Come, let us retire and we shall discuss our reign of these vermin over a few supple virgins. Shall we?" He gestured towards the stairs. As he turned with her at his arm, she looked down and smiled again at Leo's intrigued gaze. As they left, her attending priestesses followed and with in seconds the procession was gone.
The High Priest stamped his staff thrice upon the stone altar to signal all to get up from the muck floor. Leo and Jerome stood and dusted themselves as best as they could to try and remove the remnants of their time face down in the dirt. Jerome looked twice at Leo and noticed his thoughtful expression.
"Your not thinking about how you will soon be able to roam free back at home, are you?" He posed.
Leo didn't look at him he just continued to adjust his jacket and watched the multitude of Forsaken exit up the stairs and off of the property.
"No, il mio amico. It is safe to say that I am thinking about something else entirely." Leo turned and headed up the rickety stair case with Jerome not far behind.
"Our task is done now right? Are we leaving this piece of shit place now or what?" Jerome prodded.
"No, I believe we will be extending out stay in the Heartland. At least for a while."
"What! You're shitting me right? We are in the middle of no where! We have been suffering in this sink hole of redneck hell for over a year now! I am wasting my un-life here! I'm ready to leave!" He persisted as they reached the top of the stairs and entered the kitchen. Leo spun around on his heal sharply making him virtually nose to nose with Jerome, if only Jerome were a few inches taller.
"You may leave if you wish. I will not stop you." Leo calmly commanded.
Jerome was dumbstruck! They had been together for thirty years! Not once had Leo every uttered any close to that to him before! He had never ever suggested that Jerome set off on his own! They were as brothers, proven inseparable since Leo took him under his wing those many years ago.
Leo turned back around and continued into the parlor and then out of the front door to the wrap around porch where he rested on the fragile railing and gazed up at the twinkling stars above.
Jerome stayed in the same spot in complete shock. But, old habits die hard. His temper rose like a bonfire inside his chest and he stormed out to the porch.
"What the fuck! I have stuck by your side for over thirty years! And when you asked me to follow you out here to this middle of no where state, to this back water town to help in some bullshit ritual just so you can go back to your precious Italy, I agreed! I stayed out here for almost two years! And now you are basically blowing me off without explanation! Your just gonna tell me to go! FUCK YOU!" Jerome spat the words in his face.
Leo spun around quicker than Jerome's mind could calculate and before he finished a blink Leo had his hand around his neck and had forced him up against the wall. Leo's frustration manifested itself by his face twisting into its demon form.
"Listen to me idiota! I care not for your childish needs! You are a creature of darkness not an infant suckling from my tit! Start acting like it! If I wish to stay than I will stay! Whether or not you continue to tag along doesn't matter to me! You delicate emotional state doesn't affect existence!" Jerome could do nothing but stare into Leo's yellow eyes. Leo closed his eyes and breathed deep through his crumpled nostrils. "Do you smell that il mio amico? I do. It's fear." Leo dropped him and allowed his face to return to its human state. Jerome coughed and held his neck tenderly. He slowly looked up at Leo who had turned back around starring at the stars. Jerome walked passed him down the porch steps and turned to look at Leo.
"You've lost it Leonardo." And then he slipped away.
Leo closed his eyes replayed the images of the Goddess. Her elegant shape, her soft milk skin, her perfect supple breasts. And than there was her eyes; large and slightly almond shaped yet rounded. Her lashes were full and long and complimented her dark purple irises perfectly. He mused about her silky black hair, how it shined and lay flawlessly bobbed just under her ears. He knew it he was fascinated by her. Completely enamored. He just didn't understand why. He had met thousands of beauties in his lifetime. Seduced them and ravaged them. He had tasted the souls of hundreds of gorgeous and exquisite women. Why, suddenly, is this one different? He rubbed his face vigorously.
"I'm tired maybe that's it I just need to get some sleep." It was true, dawn was approaching. He stood up straight and turned to enter the house. But, when he looked up SHE was standing there. He was shocked. He began to take a knee when she waved him off. He stopped and returned to his upright position. She smiled and walked passed him the very railing where he had been just before. She leaned on it and looked up at the lightening sky. Leo didn't know if it was an invitation to join her or if he should leave her alone.
"Tell me, does your master know of your wandering eyes?" This was the first time he had heard her voice. It rang in his ears sweetly; hypnotically.
"I have no master mio caro."
"Italian." She let her head roll back. "Such a seductive language! I have wanted to learn it since I was little girl."
"You were ever a little girl?" Leo asked
"Of course, weren't you a child once?"
"Of course I was. But, aren't you the great Empty One, the Arm of the Damned, a Black Blood Goddess?"
"Yes, but like you, I retain my human memories and persona. I am the Inanna but I am also Nica Todd."
"So what do I call you? Goddess, the Empty One? Inanna?"
"Oh no, those names are for Priests and lower beings, and Naberius. He refuses to let go of ritual and all the pomp that goes along with it. He's a child of the old ways. Me, because I am always brought into a world in a new form, I am always 'born' to that age. But, that doesn't mean I start over each time. I am still the Blood Goddess, The Inanna of what you call the Forsaken." She unfolded her arms in a presenting gesture. "But, for others, who I see are worthy, may call me Nica."
Leo looked at her confused. "Am I assuming correctly that you do not see me as a 'lower being' and that I am worthy of using your name?"
"You assume correctly. You don't fear me. You don't worship me either. But, you are definitely intrigued. And honestly, so am I." She took steps towards him and touched the lapel of his jacket. He felt himself quicken. It took all of his strength not to wrap his arms around her shapely waist and kiss her neck.
"Very nice, you're very stylish aren't you? I bet you have no trouble luring some sweet young apple into a dark corner, so you?" She cooed.
"Vermin!" Came the thunderous growl from behind him. "You are not worthy of hearing her voice!" It was of course Naberius. Nica rolled her eyes.
"I speak to whom ever I choose. And I say he is worthy. If you don't like it, than go play with one of the priestesses, I'm sure they would be willing to fulfill whatever depravities you could conjure up." Her words seemed to wound him though he would not show it in his face.
"Do as you wish Goddess, but, remember, I called you here for a purpose."
"And it will be met, be at peace with that. But otherwise, allow me my space."
Naberius grunted and glimmered into nothing.
Nica turned her eyes back to Leo. She looked him up and then down. She ran her fingers along his lapels and then grasped them in her hands.
"You know, I am intrigued by you as well. You know, they call me the Empty One, but, do you know why? Because I hunger and can never be satisfied. But, I am always looking to try. Wanna help?" She pulled him to her and kissed him forcefully. He let go and felt a kind of release he hadn't felt in a couple of centuries. He was finally able to touch her skin and crush her against him. And in that moment as they locked together under the brightening sky, he felt the darkness that lie ahead. The world would tremble before her feet and he would know what It meant to be truly wicked.