Chapter 11

Vicki had been taken to a chamber, where she was bathed and her body was oiled then she was dressed with a shear stola where the material was then captured and held by a fibulae which allowed the shear material to drape over the front of her body in graceful folds..

The cut of the gown barely showed her baby bump. Her hair had been pulled up on top of her head with a golden ribbon that had been braided into her hair. The cut of the gown showed off her beauty to the fullest of extent. The style of her hair allowed her fine boned features to be portrayed, as they should. She was stunning and that inner light which was her essence now shown brighter in her surroundings.

A part of her wanted to be afraid of this the darkest and most evil place she had ever been. The thought that her baby could be born here frightened her to her core. She looked to the large bed draped in wispy white diaphanous material appeared to be inviting.

The room was decorated after the fashion of a Caesar of the Roman Empire. Ornately curved stools sat as a decorative compliment to the granite floor room. Soft area carpets padded the floor giving a whimsical feel to the room. The room had an open-air quality to it though she knew that was nothing more than an illusion.

She wanted to sit but was afraid of feeling at a disadvantage if the insufferable Baal entered, reasoning was not of the moment and she tried to calm herself. Finding it difficult to stop the trembling in her legs she paced the room. Trying the door and finding it secure. Turning she moved back to the room and finally gave in to her need to sit.

Moving to the nearest stool she sat on its edge and forced her hands not to fidget with here gown. Rising she moved to what she thought was a balcony but saw nothing but the living shadows that surrounded the room. Turning in frustration she refused to cry, she was going to face this monster no matter what.

She thought about this man who would claim to be the God of the underworld. His profile was definitely Roman with his aquiline nose and pronounced cheekbones. His eyes held no soul to them, they were as dark as his dark brown hair that was curled and cut to accent the strong line of his neck and chin. He would have been far more attractive if he had not been so arrogant and demanding.

Movement by the door alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone and she stood from her stool and faced the door. Baal stood devoid of his centurions' cape. He wore a tunic of white with gold braiding around the hem. He smiled and she saw no humor in his eyes or that smile. "Ahh my pet, I see they have you dressed in a gown more suited to your beauty."

He moved towards her and she forced herself not to try and back away, she was not going to show any weakness in his presence. So she stood her ground and faced him with open defiance. "I find you quite fascinating my dear. Had it not been for my son, I would have never known you existed."

She watched him circle her and approach her from behind pressing close to her body, his arms encircling her waist and his hand coming to rest over her stomach. "To think you might have gone unnoticed by me distresses me." His breath was against her neck as his hands moved to take liberties with her charms she locked her arms close to her body to stop his forward advance to her breasts.

"Shy, and modest, how quaint. You surely must realize that my intentions are to explore who you are and what you are before I give you to my son; who requested you as his eternal mate."

Vicki stiffened, "Just who is your son to whom you keep referring?"

He planted feathery light kisses up her neckline to her ear and he whispered, "You knew him as Sorin, assassin to Vlad Tepes, I have made him Baalescu, which means son of Baal."

Vicki broke his hold on her body moving forward she spun and anger laced her words as well as her eyes. "You have taken that monster as your son? He is beyond contemptible, and you think I will submit to your charms that makes you a bigger fool than Sorin."

Baal was growing angry at her venomous assault, "Take care my dear. You do not wish to anger me that would be your biggest mistake."

Vicki had thrown caution to the wind she spun with her back to him, folding her arms over her chest in a modicum of defense. "Take care to make you angry, I do not give one damn about your anger. I demand to be released and returned to my home."

She was startled feeling her body forcefully lifted and flung across the room to land face up on the bed. To add shock to her utter dismay was Baal's body pinning her to the bed, holding her hands up over her head he looked into her eyes and spoke, "Before this eve is done, you will beg for my attention and welcome it. You will be what I want and will always expect from you as mine, you belong to me Victoria, you would do well to get used to the fact I own you."

She looked into the eyes of death and she struggled for release. She watched as he lowered his mouth to hers and plundered her mouth with his tongue. Forcing her to submit to his demand. She closed her eyes to block out the lust filled look that etched its way across his face in triumph.

Trying to release her hands and struggle against his hold, she felt tears of frustration building in her. He uttered one word, "Hold." Her hands were held in place above her head. Baal rose away from her and stood looking down at her with a contemptuous smile, "Now, as for why I wanted you here." He slowly pulled his tunic over his head and dropped it on the floor, he stood naked before her and she knew what his intentions were and closed her eyes as he lay on her, letting her feel his arousal. Silently she endured and she prayed that this contemptible act would end and she could be alone and away from this man that had become one of the worst monsters she had ever met.

Just when the assault had started it was over. The weight of his body was no more; Vicki opened her eyes and found she was in bed. Her clothing had changed to that of a nightgown after a fashion similar to her earlier dress and furthermore she was fully clothed and under the security of be bed covers.

What was more soothing she discovered she was alone. A myriad of emotions swept her body and confusion reigned down on her conscious mind. There were so many questions and now to many doubts. In confusion she questioned her sanity. Had she slept, had she imagined the monster tried to take her against her free-will?

Baal smiled, he had started his assault against her reserves and was not about to let up. He had many women in his time; they all had come to him willingly and wanting more attention. They bored him and that was the reason they now were nothing more than ornamental decoration for his arm or the pleasure the other males in his contingent.

This one was different. She held a love bond to one man and he needed to find what would break her and bring her to him. He wanted to see into her dreams, into her heart. If he had her heart, oh not literally but passionately, then he would own her body and soul.

Moving away from the spying mirror, he turned and looked around the chambers. Something was not right, it felt as though there were visitors, unwelcome ones. Turning back to the mirror he waved his hand over the surface and commanded, "Show me."

There he saw her at the gate, her face not quite in focus. Looking closer he could see it was female. She was dressed as none he had seen before. How was she dressed, it certainly looked like her suit was covered in a web mesh that looking like an intricate spider web.

The suit that fit her like a second skin hugging her body from head to toe, over her suit she wore a long coat that reminded him of what the cowboys wore on the trail. The headgear was what obstructed his view of her features. It melded into the design of the suit, obscuring her features. He continued to study her as she crouched near the gates alert and watching

"Send." He intent was to test her as an opponent. So he sent two of his lesser minions to the gate to challenge her presence. He was not disappointed; she went into immediate battle mode. He surmised she must have smelled the approach of his two émigrés.

The first rather mewling sorts of half bear half man moved at her with a lumbering pace. His movements were awkward due to his size. She tucked her body and rolled to get behind the aggressor, leaping up she caught the demon with her legs and twisted attempting to suffocate or snap his neck.

Baal was entertained; he just wished she had not worn that officious mask that obstructed the view of her face. The second underling moved in to pull her from the back of the first antagonist. She anticipated his arrival and was ready.

Using the weight of the berman demon she pushed back and slammed her head into the face of the cicadias demon. The second one was shaped like a man-size cicada with male facial features. That was the only recognizable human feature to the creature for the rest of its body was shaped like a giant red grasshopper and it was trying to cleave her in half with its forelegs snapping at her every move.

The black body was covered in a fire resistant armor. The human face made a grimace as her head came in contact with it. It was enough of a distraction that she had time to use the side wall of the gate as a surface where she could run up and stand on the top of the wall. Reaching into her coat, she withdrew a slender diskette; aiming it at the cicadias she pressed a small button.

Baal watched the device emitted a blue light that cut the cicadas in half, then she turned it on the berman and decapitated it. Replacing the slender diskette in a pocket of her suit, she reached up and pulled the offending mask from her head.

Long luxurious dark hair tumbled down over her shoulders, to fall down her back. When she turned, Baal was struck with delight. "A daughter, this must be the timefolder. Well, well, well, I wonder what Victoria would give to save one of her own." Then he smiled, "No she need not know she is here, I shall give the daughter to Baalescu." Summoning his legion of zombie centurions, he commanded, "Bring me the female from the gate."

Josette fumed she watched helpless to assist her sister from the contingent of guards that swarmed over Jeanette, knocking her unconscious then dragging her into the structure that was the ninth hell.

When they first arrived and rushed her sister, Josette was ready to launch into action to help, only to have her arm firmly taken by Caan. He shook his head no and looked on, "Watch, they are not here to kill her, Baal sent them to retrieve her, he is interested and because she looks so much like your mother my guess is will do one of two things."

Josette did a slow burn as she waited for him to get to the point and quit being so melodramatic. "Well what are they?"

He smiled, "He wants her to torment your mother with the 'what ifs' to make her more pliable and amenable to his charms." Caan found his brother's methods tedious at most and very predictable.

Josette was growing more annoyed, "Or?"

Caan glanced at her and smiled, "Or he is going to give her to his newest adopted son Baalescu or as you may know him Sorin."

"Baastard." Josette had drug out the word but the intent and thought was there for Caan to hear.

"Rest easy little mouse, we must now move and follow the zombie guard into the structure, under cover of his guard will give us an advantage."

Morgan, Cain and Drummond were already on the move with Josette and Caan bringing up the rear. Using the rugged jagged terrain, they moved to fall into place behind the guard, blending with the shadows and using the concealment mode of their suits, they made their way into hell.

Josette felt her body lifted and cloaked with Caan's coat as he muttered "Distort." Their images were a blend to their surroundings. Caan held her while he moved into the ninth hell's jaw.

Caan had held his hand over her mouth so she could not cry out. Josette's first thoughts were he was going to betray her, she watched held in his arms while her team darted for cover upon entering the opening.

Once concealed to the rocky face of the interior they adjusted their wire messed helmets and began to scan the area for tunnels or apparatuses leading to a deeper part of this unholy place.

Caan looked around then he motioned for the others to be silent as another contingent moved to secure the door. They watched the mindless automatons moved past their positions, Caan stepped forward releasing his distort spell and appeared before the captain of the guard. "Where is the mortal female?"

The Captain less inclined to be a follower and designed more to be the brains of the group, asked, "Which one?"

Caan quirked a brow, they were getting more cognate, "Where is the one called Victoria and where is the daughter?"

The Captain features were nothing more than skin pulled over his skeletal skull. He wore the status of his rank on his head in the style and shape of a centurion helm. He used his pike to direct Caan.

"Your brother had her secured in his guest chamber, the other female is being detained in the prisoner's chamber, where she will be dressed befitting her station and brought to Baalescu."

Caan smiled, lifted his elbow and sent the Captain's helmeted head spinning across the concrete floor. The life's essence left the captain, the other four that had accompanied him fell with a clunk to the floor in nothing more than a ragged pile of clothing and bone.

Caan turned, "We need to rescue Jeanette first she will be the easiest and we can use her help." The small invading force moved into the caverns blindly following Caan. Their path was the one of lest resistance while they slowly clambered to the lower levels of this complicated system that was known as the ninth hell.

Josette only wanted to get this mission over she had a very bad feeling about this and questioned her judgment on whether or not she should have trusted this dark man with a cold calculated temperament that seemed to cater to his own whims.

Vicki slid from the comfort of the bed hearing a flurry of activity in the hallway. The gossamer gown fluttered around her legs as she moved towards what she thought was the entrance to this chamber. Pressing her face against the door she listened. The feel of the iron gave her pause to whether or not she would be able to open the door.

She leaned into the door she heard orders and shouts given as the sound of the activity picked up. Pulling against the door, she discovered it was unlocked and easy to open. With extreme care she cracked the heavy door and peered into the adjoining hallway.

It was empty. Stepping into the hallway she heard the sound of rushing footsteps in a panic she turned and ran full force into an immovable force. Lifting her head she stared into the burning rage filled gaze of Sorin. "At last you are mine!" She stepped away from him only to feel her wrist caught in a grip of steal jerking her back against his rock hard body. Smiling he looked into her terror filled eyes.

She watched him lowered his lips to hers and forced her mouth open he sought his punishment in this kiss he felt her go limp her eyes fluttered shut in a dead faint. "Yep still have it, can make em' swoon with a kiss."

Lifting her up, he carried her down the hallway and into his room. Laying her on his bed he gloated at his accomplishment. The one woman he wanted to pay for his descent into hell was now sharing hell with him. He was going to enjoy this, watching her grovel before him, begging him for her death and he would bring her to the edge of death only to bring her back and share in his hell.

He looked upon her lying unconscious on his bed and then he saw it, the gown had concealed it before but it was there. The soft swell of her stomach caused him to pause for a moment in his absolute triumph. She was pregnant; she bore life in her womb. How, he rolled his eyes, fool you know how, when did this happen? How long had he been in hell?

He knew time was irrelevant and had paused while he had been fighting his way to the last gate. Moving to the bed, he crawled up and lay next to her, with a hand that trembled he slowly moved his hand to place it over the round part. There a kick, he could feel the little life inside moving and responding to his touch.

Somewhere in the depths of her mind, Vicki was safe and the feel of a comforting hand on her stomach she wanted to believe it was Barnabas. With loving tenderness she laid her hand over the hand that covered her stomach and smiled, 'Yes my love our child is happy." The impact of those words spoken so lovingly, Sorin felt his world spin and tumble around him.

Keeping her eyes closed and filled with the sense of security being held in those arm. In her half awake state, she turned her head and placed a tender sweet kiss on his lips, and then she curled her body into his and slept.

Sorin had allowed her to awaken feelings he never considered exploring, with a giving touch, a nectar more tantalizing than that of a peach tasted on a hot summer day, had anything so affected him as this woman curled into his embrace. The taste of her tender kiss on his lips gave him a moment to pause and consider what he had missed in all these years as Tepe's henchman.

No, he could not let this temptress sway him from his revenge. He had dreamed during long lonely nights of this moment. Oh how he had dreamed of having his adjudicator before him helpless and dependent on him.

He had dreamed through those moments of darkness and calm before his next life threatening battle how he would torment her, break her down and have her beg for his mercy. Oh how cruel was fate to bring him what he wanted only to awaken in him a conscious.