Ace in the Hole
Summary: [Sequel to Celtic Aurora's Dark Ripples in Blood] When an arcane necromancer offers his allegiance and powers to help him defeat the vampires in the grisly war, Lucian cannot refuse. With Kraven as an unpredictable factor in the game, he needs an ace in the hole to win. [LucianxSonja & other various parings]
VII: The Seven Deadlies
Text:
"Speech"
Thoughts
Flashbacks
Music/Poems/Sonnets:
"The City in the Sea" by Edgar Allen Poe
"In Darkness" by Amy Lowell
Disclaimer: Don't own a thing save for my characters. Oh, by the way, course, adult language and content will be arriving in this chapter. Make sure no little kiddies are reading this chapter.
"Lo! Death has reared himself as throne
In a strange city lying alone
Far down within the dim West
Where the good and the bad and the worst and the best
Have gone to their eternal rest.
There shrines and palaces and towers
(Time-eaten towers that tremble not!)
Resemble nothing that is ours.
Around, lifting winds forgot,
Resignedly beneath the sky
The melancholy waters lie."
-The City in the Sea, Edgar Allen Poe
Today had been a rather pleasant day for Nero Wentreck.
Before his meeting with Amelia, the daily routine in the Order of Anarchy had started to become rather slow, mundane, and a tad bit dull–you'd think for a band of assassins they would have more hit contracts but competition was in the air and Nero thought that maybe it was time for his subordinates to target other assassins so more of the money would instead line their pockets. He was beginning to miss the smell of blood and corpses; the scent was always so invigorating to him.
But now, at last, Victor's coven summoned him for his aid and he was only too eager to comply. Amelia agreed to pay him the handsome sum and he assured her he would take care of the werewolves and their little allies as soon as possible. After all, he and his band of assassins never failed a single contract, Nero made certain of that. They weren't one of most feared assassin clans in the world for nothing.
However, that didn't mean they'd fight Victor's war for them. Victor unhappily understood that and now, so did Amelia. Victor, of course, only had himself to blame for his little botch-up and Nero was never pleased when his gifts or additional rewards were taken away from him. Victor was lucky enough he let him live after that embarrassing mistake years ago.
But perhaps now is the time where my waiting is over. This could be the year where I collect my reward, regardless of the circumstances. I grow weary of waiting.
"Master…?"
The hushed, inquisitive voice drew Nero out of his short musing and he glanced up, surveying the wide, round, and darkened chamber his cunning, almighty gaze.
Lust. Pride. Wrath. Greed. Sloth. Envy. Gluttony. Dubbed after the Seven Deadly Sins the Church and clergymen warned everyone in the world to beware of and avoid at all costs. Such names were fitting for his assassins, men and women who had sinned so many times they would give a priest an apoplexy if they went to a confession. Nero did that aplenty–just for shits and giggles.
Now, he satisfied to see all seven of them had arrived. Earlier, he had ordered them to meet him in the throne room (as he liked to call that specific chamber) to brief over their next mission.
"Many of you are probably wondering what task is so crucial that I would summon all seven of you, the Seven Deadlies," Nero began in his usual charismatic manner, sitting up from his throne, "So I will tell you. I have a contract from the Ordoghaz coven, by Amelia, one of the Elders."
"Does this mean we get to kill someone?"
Nero fought down the urge to smirk evilly at the question. Trust Wrath to say such a thing. It was a silly query for they always had to kill someone—but he appreciated the assassin's enthusiasm. His eagerness for bloodshed was one of the reasons that earned him the name Wrath and the title as one of the Seven Deadlies.
"Isn't it obvious, Wrath?" he responded, the corners of his lips curling upwards, "But this time, we get to dispatch a whole army instead of a single person."
"Is it the rebellious lycan army?" interjected Pride, his glacial, scarlet eyes darting away from the new "weapon" he was creating to Nero's face, "Yet I thought you refused—" The leader of the Order of Anarchy held up his hand and the hired blade ceased immediately.
"I am well aware of my decisions for not assisting Victor and his coven totally in his war. However, Amelia requested me to take care of what seems like possible allies of the werewolves. They are our real targets. However, if a few lycans get in the way, our pay doubles for each corpse." He said this specifically for Greed, who loved the chance to get an extra bit of money. Of course, currency wasn't the only thing the assassin was voracious for.
"Who exactly are these allies? Does the Ordoghaz coven have information on them?" inquired Envy, her unblinking inky eyes staring right at him. He shook his head.
"Not much, I'm afraid. So far, all they have are a mysterious, alluring woman who can summon spiders and potentially a red-headed, turncoat vampire. But since this is Victor's coven, they're bound to make plenty of mistakes."
Several chuckles erupted from the group at his little jab. Once the laughter died down, Nero handed them their files, knowing they would uncover the rest. After all, they were the second-best assassins in his order. They could take down the evasive, strange allies of Lucian without breaking a sweat. That's why he summoned them, not the Unholy Five. Bringing the Unholy Five into this would be overkill and Nero preferred not to waste his men with jobs that were so below their talents.
"Now, I do believe this charming little press conference is over. Time for all you to start the hunt."
Seven identical insidious grins greeted his manifesto.
It didn't take them long to find the hidden base of Lucian and his rebel force. Of course, they did have help from an unnamed source in the Ordoghaz coven but they managed to find the lair all by themselves. After all, they weren't the second circle of the Order of Anarchy for nothing.
Meanwhile, the Seven Deadlies kept to the walls of the sewers, the shadows masking them quite nicely. Before they went in, they had spread and caked themselves with dirt, grim, and muck to conceal their scent from the werewolves. The trash and dirty water from the sewer would be enough to plug their noses but the assassins didn't want to make any mistakes.
"What is our status, Pride?" whispered Envy, onyx shifting from the opening of a tunnel nearby to their group's tactician. "How do we draw Lucian's allies out?"
"Why don't we just storm in there and slay them all? Easy plan, bloody as hell, and plus, we'll be richer than kings." Greed suggested and Gluttony, his bedmate gave him an approving simper. Sloth shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Wealth will be of no use to you, Greed, when you're dead," he spat, fingers dancing anxiously on the hilt of his blade, "Let Pride think of a plan, he knows what's best."
"Of course he does," mocked Greed, raising his voice an octave higher and adopting an almost petulant tone, "'Pride knows what he's doing, Greed, so don't question his orders'. 'Pride is an absolute genius, Greed'. 'Shut-up, Greed, and go back to counting money'. I'd go on with all of your fervent, zealous ramblings but I might throw up." He glared at his "fellow" members–save for his mate, Gluttony, who was only one who understood him truly–, a sneer growing on his face.
"Well, piss on that! I don't give a fuck and I'm tired of waiting around—"
Out of nowhere, a blade soared through the air and pinned the sleeve of Greed's rough, faded stone grey jacket to the wall behind him. Greed barely batted an eyelash as he lifted his head to meet the gaze of the man who sent the attack.
"Got something to say, Pride?" he jeered, hellish orange eyes flashing dangerously. Cold, harsh, maroon orbs stared right back him, no emotion in them whatsoever. Pride was like living mirror of the dolls he loved to craft so much.
"Greed." The timbre was curt and brisk. "Curb your tongue. I need some peace and your complaining isn't helping me at all. Go paw Gluttony while you're waiting."
Greed was about to say a few utterly crude and profane expletives (some referring to Pride's heritage to livestock) but the silky brush of Gluttony's hand snaking up his arm stopped him.
"Greed…please, save it for later. Why waste your time with him when you have me?" she whispered sultrily into his ear, removing her hand from his arm to his abdomen, trailing it down towards his crouch. Immediately, he hardened from her touch and the rest of the assassins turned away in disgust, not caring to see what betided next.
Lust blazing in his eyes, a toothy grin spread across Greed's lips as he grabbed Gluttony's arm and drove her up against the wall, kissing, fondling, and groping her while she did her best not to let out a little giggle or shriek of rapture. The crafty, beauteous woman grasped her partner's belt, easily undoing it while Greed tossed up her skirts as if the material was made of air.
"I do believe we have time for one quick romp," answered the avid assassin lewdly, gently tweaking his mate's taut nipple before he grasped his mate's thighs firmly and brought Gluttony down on his eager, waiting cock.
Something just wasn't quite right today.
Magna couldn't put her finger on the hunch but she could feel the omen deep in her bones. Trouble was brewing and the old seer witch reckoned it was coming right around the corner, very soon. Master Thanatos should be forewarned, no matter how much physical, solid evidence her intuition lacked.
Hence, the archaic witch began wondering down the many twisted levels of the sewer, wishing the lycan leader Lucian provided more suitable—and not so infuriatingly torturous—lair that didn't have so many bloody corridors, stairs, twists, and turns. Such obstacles were never good for someone her age.
Just when she reached the second level and was about to head down to the ground level, Sonja, the alleged lover of Lucian, appeared out from an opposite hallway.
"Oh, Magna," the vampiress said suddenly, "I didn't see you there. Are you heading down to the main floor?"
"Yes," croaked the crone, continuing her pace, "I take it you are as well, Miss Sonja—or is it Mrs. Sonja?"
"Just call me Sonja, Magna," she corrected politely, her face blasé and yet her dusky eyes were soft and rather kind. She offered the see her arm. "Please, take my arm. You seem to have suffered a bit during your walk."
"Walk? More like journey." grunted Magna, shaking her head but she accepted Sonja's arm anyway. "Blood stairs, cracks, and stumps! They'll be the death of me, I swear!"
"Oh, I'm sure you're much tougher than that," Sonja remarked drolly, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards in regalement.
"Tougher than meat, some say," commented Magna dryly, her leathery face stretching out into a toothy, almost frightening smile, "But I reckon that's not really what you're want to discuss with me." The devious, knowing twinkle in the old witch's eye unnerved Sonja more than the strange beam but she pressed on nonetheless.
"Fine, you caught me on that one. I just wanted to ask you about Thanatos." She didn't add "your master" because for some reason, the phrase felt weird on her tongue. Hopefully, the aging witch took no offense to the lack of the honorific.
"Ah, curious about my master?" chuckled Magna as they walked along the grimy, stone path, "The young often are. Tell me, what is it that you would like to know?"
"Anything, everything," Sonja blurted out, wondering where she should begin, "Why did your…master want to join Lucian? Why sort of grudge does he harbor for my father?"
Father. That word tasted even stranger and bitter in her tongue than referring to the necromancer as "Master".
Magna chortled eerily at her query. "Ah, doesn't everybody want to know?" She flashed her yellow, chipped yet perfectly straight teeth at the former Death Dealer. "My master has his reasons and it's none of my business to pry. I'd give you the same advice but from what I have heard of you, I'd doubt you'll listen."
Sonja didn't even bother to ponder if that was supposed to be a compliment or an insult. "But I wish to learn more of your master," she urged on, hoping with all her heart and the safety of her child that Lucian didn't pick the wrong ally, "I have no ill intentions for him, Magna. Please, understand that." The old seer stopped suddenly, eyeing her crucially with her beady, unfathomable eyes. Almost a minute or so passed by and yet, she was still scrutinizing Sonja. The fierce vampire was starting to feel slightly unnerved at the weight of Magna boring her gaze deep into her being, as if studying her soul and mind for any falsehoods.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Magna nodded her head slowly, a gesture of acceptance and kept on walking. "Very well. What do you wish to know?"
"Well, to restate my earlier question, I want to know why your master allied himself with Lucian. What sort of vendetta does he want to settle with my father?" Sonja repeated, her strides matching Magna's shorter ones perfectly, albeit with more effort. The crone frowned pensively at her questioned again.
"To be frank, my dear Sonja, I can't be certain. There are some tales that my master Thanatos doesn't share with us. Some scars, no matter how old, can never be fully healed. Do you understand my meaning?" Sonja glanced back down again, just in time to see the old seer's beady eyes gazing back at her. Wordlessly, she nodded her head.
So much for this conversation being informative. I suppose I'll have to ask the necromancer myself.
For the duration of the trip downstairs to the main chamber, Sonja and Magna walked alongside each other in absolute silence. It was there they soon realized that the base was under attack.
Pierce, Taylor, and few other lycans Lucian had assigned watch in the general vicinity prowled the outside skirts of their underground lair. Taylor wrinkled his nose at the constant, suffocating malodor of shit, piss, rot, mud, and dirty water. Even though he got use to all various repugnant smells of the sewer, he'd still wished they could have had their base somewhere else, somewhere a bit more dignified and less…putrid.
"Taylor! Pierce! I think I heard something!" called out Randolf, a young werewolf around Taylor's age and he raced up to the two watch partners, "It came over here–I think there's someone here!"
"Another annoying Death Dealer?" grumbled Taylor as he followed the other lycan and Pierce.
"Hope not," grunted the older, bigger lycan, "Now is not a good time for us to be under attack."
The three werewolves rushed hectically back to the location where Randolf last heard the peculiar noise. Randolf's watch partner was already there, looking around while sniffing the air. When he heard their approach, he looked up at the three lycans and shook his head. Randolf frowned and joined in on the search but akin to his partner, he uncovered nothing.
"Sorry, fellows, but I can't seem to—"
He never finished his sentence. A knife was lodged in his bloody, torn throat, ending his words for the young werewolf. Randolf's body crumpled to the floor, the carcass of his suddenly dead partner behind him, leaning up against all, blood splotches littering the grimy brick wall. Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest displayed his demise.
Immediately sensing danger, Pierce and Taylor quickly burst into their lycan forms, howling out danger and a potential breach in the base. Just as they were lopping and sprinting their way down the corridors, several pangs of immense agony erupted all over their bodies and both Peirce and Taylor growled and whimpered at the excruciating pain. Only silver bullets could create such a detriment.
Despite the swelling pain, the two werewolves struggled on, streaking blood behind them. They didn't stop until they heard a sharp, satanic cackle and then later, a cold but equally regaled tenor.
"What devoted dogs this Lucian fellow must have. You two would make such wonderful puppets."
Abruptly, Pierce and Taylor felt their bodies go numb, their control over themselves fading away as a blanket of darkness shrouded them with its nebulous, potent hand.
Panic, violent clamor, and agonized cries and howls wracked Lucian's base as he rushed down to the meeting area of his complex, rage rolling off him in waves. How could have this transpired? How did the enemy managed to breach their patrol until it was too late? Not only was he going to have to deal with this sanguinary mess himself, he was also going to have to tighten up security even more.
Dammit, weren't Taylor and Pierce one of the last sentries who alerted the foe's presence?
After hearing their distress call, Lucian didn't hear nor see either one of them since then. For all the lycan leader knew, they were either dead, injured, or taken hostage but Lucian doubted the latter. He needed Raze and the rest of his men right now.
"Raze? Raze!" He thundered, partly relieved to see Sonja safe and sound with the strange necromancer Thanatos and his small, private army. He noticed the Clarissa woman wasn't with them and groaned inwardly. He had a sneaking suspicion where Raze was at the moment.
"Raze and Clarissa will be coming shortly, Lucian," said the old crone called Magna in a cracked, but unwavering voice, "No need to panic over his whereabouts."
"Panic? I'm more enraged and frustrated right now." Lucian growled, walking over to his table and began loading his pistols. "I don't know how Victor's coven found my base but now it has been sieged, I have ordered all of my men to take their positions and get ready to attack. We have yet to glimpse the enemy's face but I already know for certain who is assailing us."
"It's not Victor's coven," interrupted Magna, beady nigrine eyes now in a trance, her voice dropping several pitches until she sound dark and sinister, "These killers…you have never faced them before... Paid by gold, they will hunt you down until you are dead…until everyone here is a corpse…"
"What? What are you saying?" interjected Sonja hotly, dark eyes flashing with fire and worry, "Does my father have an ally that we are not aware of?" Almost instantly, Magna nodded her head, her eyes still glazed over and the seer's stare was still distant and fathomless.
"I sense…seven of them. Seven black hearts, full of sin and blood, to match their names."
Lucian looked up, dark azure eyes meeting the unblinking, unnerving emerald gaze of Thanatos. The necromancer held his scrutiny for a few second before shifting his attention to his archaic witch, who was slowing coming out of her trance.
"Is that everything, Magna?" he queried tonelessly, not a shred of emotion cast on his ivory features. The crone nodded silently. "Then we better get ready for battle. Ukon, please go find Clarissa. I want her put those succubus abilities of hers to the test." He then turned to face Lucian again.
"Lucian, tell your men to pull back. Let me and my army deal with these…wretches."
This baffled Lucian–why did Thanatos want to put his live and his followers' lives on the line like that?
"Do you even know who you are dealing with?" demanded the lycan leader, grabbing Thanatos's arm and bring him aside so they can talk more in private, "Yes, there are only seven of them but if we can outman them, we should be able to overpower once we determine their location in the sewers and plot out a strategy."
"That won't be necessary." Thanatos's timbre was sharp and swift. "Don't waste your men on these assassins, Lucian. Allow me to take care of them. Consider this another benefit of your alliance with me and evidence of my…devotion." An eerie, almost genuine smile formed its way across his lips.
"And perhaps after this, you'll begin to trust me more. After all, we both want to bring Victor down, don't we?" Impervious verdant orbs stared right back Lucian, challenging him to say otherwise. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the wary look Sonja sent his way but he already felt her concern. If he wanted to trust this Thanatos man more, he would just have to let him prove his loyalty to the cause while he tried to glean some background information about his mysterious ally.
Still, Thanatos's haunting words continued echo inside Lucian's head, those piercing green eyes entering, disturbing his thoughts even after Lucian called his men to back down and allow Thanatos and his minions to kill the intruders.
I really am going to have a long conversation with this necromancer. I sense that he's hiding far too much from me.
If that was the case, Lucian wouldn't be at all shocked.
Clarissa knew those bothersome assassins were out there, concealed in the shadows. Magna had pinpointed their location but couldn't fully detect what exactly they were. Most of them weren't human, she had declared. Well, Clarissa wasn't too worried about that–she could ensnare any man, human or not. The only thing the succubus was uncertain, or rather concerned, about when and where the assailants would strike.
Come out, come out, where ever you are. Clarissa is getting bored and her darling pets want to play.
Fortunately for Clarissa, she didn't have to wait long for she heard the faint, muffled sounds of footsteps and abruptly, out of the shadows appeared a man with shimmering golden hair. Just by one glance, Clarissa immediately knew he was far from human. No human could ever hope be as handsome as this male standing right in front of her. Slightly wavy blonde hair that parted off to his left side, warm brown eyes that were lewdly undressing her enticing form (not that she minded), and a killer body with amazing abdominal muscles regular men would kill to have. If he wasn't the enemy, Clarissa would have been sorely tempted to stroke those fine abdominals of his. Scratch that, she'll do it anyway, whether or not he was the enemy.
Too tan for a vampire–he must be an incubus!
"I never thought I would discover such a beauty done here," remarked the gorgeous male specimen, carefully approaching Clarissa, a winsome smile adorning his features, "What are doing down here, honey?"
Simpering, she sent him a coy wink and turned around, wiggling her hips expertly as if to beckon him to follow. "Why don't you follow me and find out?" she offered seductively, her whole body thrumming with sexual desire and delight. After this, she definitely would have another go with Raze.
"Oh, I don't think that would be a wise idea on my part. Your little friends won't like me."
Ah, so no more flirting or seducing? Fine then, we'll just cut to the chase.
"Maybe if you and your pals didn't kill off some of Lucian's men, we wouldn't be in this situation," countered Clarissa, turning back around to face him, "I'd hate to fight you and ruin your good looks."
"Same here. Why don't you just leave those fools and come with me. I guaranty you I will sate all of your needs better than any of those incompetent buffoons." His golden, charming smile widen, holding out his hand for her to take. "What do you say?"
You're lucky Raze isn't here right now. He'd tear your throat out for insinuating he's not man enough to handle me. And trust me, he is.
"Your proposal is so very tempting," Clarissa began, licking her lips in a suggestive manner as she sashayed towards the man, curling one leg around him. He stiffened immediately, whether from lust or wariness, she didn't care. "However, the man whom I serve…I could never betray him."
The incubus sighed. "Pity."
Gold eyes meet smoldering brown, intense with arousal, passion, and alertness. A black window, hovering over the inhuman male, spun a gossamer thread and slowly inched towards his head. Nearby, a hawk, concealed in the shadows, watched Clarissa meticulously, wings lifting upwards to take flight. Each creature was waiting for the final command of its master to strike and attack their prey. And both demons knew what the other was planning, they were just looking for the opportune moment.
"Before we begin," cut in Clarissa, temporarily halting the suspenseful atmosphere hanging over them, "you never told me your name, handsome."
The blonde incubus smiled darkly, his burnet eyes alight with amusement.
"The name's Lust. And who might you be?"
"Clarissa."
The black window fell on the incubus's shoulder, venomous fangs sinking deep into his flesh. The red-tailed hawk flew swiftly from its perch, sharp talons and beak slicing the skin of gold-eyed succubus. Both Lust's and Clarissa's pained hisses echoed all over the compound and in instant, the Seven Deadlies darted out of the shadows, heading towards the main entrance of Lucian's base, only to be stopped by gunfire, slashes of steel, a bolt of magic, a cracking whip. The hesitation only lasted for a few seconds. Immediately, Jacob and Blanca pounced on a duo of demons and they responded back with several rounds of bullets and blast of fire. Edward was nearly tackled by a female vampire with short, spiky hair and a hellish smile on her face. He backhanded her with his gun and immediately rolled out of striking range, firing at her as he recovered his balance. Magna sent another vortex of magic towards the only person she believed to be human while Ukon unsheathed one katana and already engaged the remaining enemy. This just left Thanatos staring impassively at a man sporting unruly locks of auburn and eyes of dark, piercing cinnabar.
"I take it you the unofficial leader of this group," Thanatos remarked monotonously, one hand on his saber, the other on his rosary chain. The young man nodded.
"I am called Pride. My comrades possess names similar to mine, as you might reckon."
"I daresay I would," the necromancer retorted dryly, withdrawing his saber, "but I say that's enough chatting." He moved to lunge at Pride but the enigmatic man dodged the blade and practically summersaulted away, a smarmy jeer spreading across his lips.
"I couldn't agree more, dead man. But first, in order to prove your worth, you're going to have to get past my puppets, my precious dolls."
Although Thanatos's expression remained blank, he did arch one eyebrow at his opponent's choice of words. "Puppets, eh? Quit taking my vocabulary, assassin." He went to strike again but a chilling roar stopped him, forcing the necromancer to turn around and elude a huge paw swiping at him. Thanatos swirled around and sliced the tip of his saber at the creature, causing an agonized cry to erupt from it. When he gained proper footing and was able to study his new foe more closely, his deep emerald eyes widen with shock.
The creature who attacked him was one of Lucian's lycans.
Selene shoved open the doors in her usual intimidating manner, ignoring the curious yet bored stares of the aristocratic vampires. They quickly returned back to their idle chatter and lazily sipping their drinks while the Death Dealer blew right past them, in search of Kahn. She didn't have to look for long because he nearly came sprinting down the hall and stopped just in time before he collided into her.
"Selene!" he exclaimed, his typical rational demeanor slightly rattled–which disturbed the said vampiress greatly. "Your timing couldn't have been more perfect. I have some bad news." Kahn quickly turned around again and walked briskly towards the throne room, the crypt.
"What's going on? Did something happen to Amelia? Has there been another lycan attack nearby?" Selene queried sharply, her mind running with all possible scenarios and dire issues that Kahn would be extremely worried about. Oh-no, what if it's Victor?
"Amelia's all right–and so is Victor," added Kahn, as if he read her mind, "But I can't say the same for Markus."
Supreme joy flooded Selene's senses when she heard her mentor, her foster father was safe and sound. But her mind quickly nagged her that this was no time to rejoice–Markus, the other Elder, was still in danger.
"What do you mean? Is he dead?" Much to Selene's relief, Kahn shook his head.
"No, he just been…well, abducted."
Both of Selene's eyebrows shot straight up in disbelief. "Abducted? You got to be joking! Where were the guards?"
"One was present but he was told to leave by this red-haired vampiress, whom I believe to be the person responsible for Markus's disappearance. The man watching over the crypt was told by this woman that his shift was over and she would take his place. Once he left, she disappeared and so did Markus's tomb, as we later uncovered."
"Did anyone see her or someone else leaving the coven with a rather large baggage?" Selene knew their normal, sleek sport or travel cars couldn't carry any one of the Elders' coffins in their trunk, they would need an enormous truck for that.
Kahn shook his head again. "No, no one left the compound or tripped the alarm during that time. So whoever it was either left by another method or is still in the coven, hiding."
"If that's the case, then we better start checking every single room, from top to bottom."
Kahn gave her a small smile. "Already on it, Selene. So far, nothing has turned up but we'll find something. "
"I hope so," Selene replied as they approached the throne room, "Because we don't have just Markus's disappearance to worry about."
Kahn nearly grimaced at her foreboding words. "What is it, Selene? What did you find out about that woman when you were with Tanis?"
Her answer was simple. "Succubus, Kahn. We're going up against a damned succubus."
"Must all of worth be travailled for, and those
Life's brightest stars rise from a troubled sea?
Must years go by in sad uncertainty
Leaving us doubting whose the conquering blows,
Are we or Fate the victors? Time which shows
All inner meanings will reveal, but we
Shall never know the upshot. Ours to be
Wasted with longing, shattered in the throes,
The agonies of splendid dreams, which day
Dims from our vision, but each night brings back;
We strive to hold their grandeur, and essay
To be the thing we dream. Sudden we lack
The flash of insight, life grows drear and gray,
And hour follows hour, nerveless, slack."
-In Darkness, Amy Lowell
Color Glossary:
Nigrine- black
Burnet- dark brown
Cinnabar- red
Soooo, hey everyone! I know it's been over a year and many months and I have several reasons for why it took me forever to get this next chapter going. 1) I was five chapters away in finishing another story and so I wanted to get that fanfic done and over with so I could devote all my time to this story. 2) College. Yes, college and hanging out with friends drained plenty of my time. But I had fun. 3) "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. I'm hooked onto that series and want to nothing but keeping reading until I finish book 4 before the fifth one comes out. 4) Oblivion, Assassin's Creed, Nancy Drew, Fire Emblem, etc.—I got sucked into playing all these games but I managed to resist long enough to finish the chapter. Hopefully, I can get more out this summer before fall and school starts rolling back in again.
Selene: It's about time you updated. I was about to kill more lycans because I was so damned bored.
Hey, I don't need any sass from you today, Selene. Remember, I am the puppet master and you are but the puppet on my strings.
Selene: *cocks pistol* Am not!
Kill me and I will return even more powerful than before! Plus, you'll have a mob of readers who'd want to know what happens next.
Selene: *grumbles but puts pistol away* Fine.
There we go, Selene. Now, dance, puppet, dance!
Thanatos: Hm, she's acting a bit too much like me now…
All right, enough of my raving! Review, alert, favorite, critique, or flame, I hope my absence and my long, overdue update doesn't cost me any feedback.
:SpeedDemon315: