(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: At last another long awaited update. This chapter revised a second time due to me not liking something that was done. Me and editor had a semi intense discussion on this chapter and why it's so short so if anyone is unhappy with the shortness of this chapter please just suck it up and wait until the next update. Much to my dismay sometimes not all chapters are long as much as I want them to be more than anything. Hope everyone has fun reading this leave all your comments and critique.
Also many thanks to all newbies whom added this story or me to their alerts recently have fun ^^
(*) As always many special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner dragonwriter24cmf. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guys the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.
DISCLAIMER: All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.
Warning:This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter. This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.
Notice: Trinity Blood War Continuum takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.
Trinity Blood: War Continuum - Chapter Thirty – Wheels in Motion
Esther woke lying on something soft and yielding. The left side of her face ached. It felt like she'd been hit by a crowbar across the temple, but a cautious shift of her jaw revealed that it wasn't broken, and she didn't think anything else was either. It just hurt. She blinked her eyes open carefully. Where...where am I? I remember...the Contra Mundi hit me, and I blacked out. But then...
"Oh? Are you finally awake, my dear?" Esther froze at the sound of the voice. Then panic jerked her upright.
Pain crashed through her head. Esther gasped, her head pounding. The force of it was great enough to make her dizzy. She clenched her hands on the sheets, trying desperately not to collapse again.
"Hmmm...you shouldn't move too much yet, I suppose." She didn't have time to move before Cain appeared beside her. His arm caught her round the shoulders, supporting her. She would have liked to scoot away, but the nauseating pain forced her to lean into his support instead. One cool finger touched the left side of her face, making her wince. "Isaac gave you something to reduce the swelling, but he did say it would take a day or so for you to fully recover." He smiled coolly. "You really shouldn't be so reckless, my dear."
Anger gave her a little bit of strength to pull away from him. She couldn't get more than a few inches, but at least it gave her some distance. The movement hurt though, making her head throb. Esther gritted her teeth through the pain. "You, why are you here?"
Cain chuckled, a low amused sound. "Well, it is my bed you're sleeping in, my dear." His finger trailed to under her chin, then forced her head up, so that she was looking into the blue eyes. A faintly amused smile crossed his mouth. "I believe I have a right to be here."
His bed? Alarm knifed through her. Esther felt her stomach tense. "Why...?"
There was cold, glittering amusement in his gaze. "Well, I couldn't have Dietrich playing with you, after all. He really is such a foolish boy, he might try something if he thought I wasn't watching. And, of course, I wouldn't want to give you another chance to run away, my dear. After all, if you leave, I won't be able to use you to call 02."
Esther felt a cold chill sweep over her as Cain settled on the bed beside her. Her eyes widened as she realized he was wearing...nothing. He hadn't even bothered to cross his legs. In fact he seemed not to even notice he was naked before her. Red flared in her cheeks, and she jerked her gaze away. "You...what are you doing?"
"Hmmm?" He looked at her with cool, amused eyes. Then his gaze flicked downward, to his bare body. He tilted his head, and smiled at her. "Well, my dear, I did just come from my regeneration. And this is my sleeping chamber, after all." He shrugged lazily. "I don't use it much, but still...I did warn you about a lady in a man's sleeping chamber."
Esther's eyes widened, and her fists clenched. "I didn't ask to be brought here."
Cain chuckled. "Well, that is true. But still...I wouldn't want you to try anything foolish. Besides, it's not as though this should bother you too much. After all, you've been with 02, haven't you?" The smile widened.
Esther felt her stomach clench. "You...I don't know what you're talking about!"
"There's no need to be coy." His hand came up again, tracing her face. Then, faster than she could blink, he moved, pushing her backward into the pillows and leaning over her. The cool smile was still on his face. "Isaac told me all about it. I can smell Abel on you, and Isaac said you're no longer a virgin. So then, you've been with Abel, haven't you?"
Esther bit her lip, wishing she could think through the pounding in her head. "That's none of your business!" She wanted to shout it, but the pain in her head wouldn't let her. Even the softer voices she and Cain used sent pain through her skull.
Cain drew closer, leaning over her with his hands on either side of her shoulders. "Everything about you is my business, my dear. You, and 02." There was a hint of cruelty, of darkness in those low tones.
The closeness of him terrified her. She tried to squirm away, but surrounded and weak as she was, she couldn't seem to get any leverage. The bed was too soft, the sheets too yielding. She tried to kick him, but the pain in her head robbed her movements of the coordination she needed. And the second time she tried, Cain simply shifted, planting a knee between hers. In desperation, she lifted her hands and shoved against his chest. She might as well have been shoving a brick wall for all the good it did. In fact, Cain simply chuckled, a cold smile crossing his face. "You..." She gritted her teeth. "My relationship to Father Nightroad is none of your business. You don't have any right to ask about that."
"On the contrary, my dear. 02 is very much my business. If you've been keeping Abel company, then that's something I want to know. Besides, I did tell you...I plan to have you by my side, just as soon as I've taken Abel into me." One hand pinned her hands above her head, the other traced down her cheek, then lower, across her chest and down her stomach.
Panic made her feel nearly mindless, and pain eroded her self-control. "I will...never accept that!"
Cain's eyes darkened, and cruelty entered his smile. "Well, my dear, if you're going to be that unreasonable, I suppose I could just claim you now. 02 doesn't share very well, but it can't be helped. I do intend to have you by my side. I was going to wait until I'd absorbed Abel, to be polite, but if you wish to be stubborn..." He bent closer, shifting his position until he was straddling her, his body only a few inches from her own. He bent his head closer, so that the blond hair brushed across her cheek, then leaned in to whisper, almost intimately, into her ear. "I don't mind making my claim now. Then 02 will have no choice but to come for you, if he wants to reclaim you."
Esther tried to pull away from him, but she couldn't move. "Let go of me!"
"Well, my dear, I did say it. There are consequences to getting between me and what I want." The cruel smile widened, and he deliberately lowered himself, so that she could feel his body heat as he covered her, separated only by the material of her dress. His knee shifted again, pressing her legs apart, so that his hips were resting against hers, his naked body pressing her dress to her. He smiled, as her eyes widened, feeling the hardness that pressed against her. "If you hadn't defied me and gone to Abel, then you might be safer. And I did tell you to come back promptly, but you went and ignored my request. You should have realized, there are consequences, even for you. Even for 02."
Esther felt her stomach clenching, terror threatening to overwhelm her as he shifted against her, his free hand running down her dress again. Somehow, he was more terrifying than Dietrich. With Dietrich, she'd known that if she could just break the control of his strings, she had a chance. Even when he'd held her helpless, she'd known she had a chance to fight him, if she could just break free. But Cain was too strong. She could feel how little effort he was using to pin her in place. There was no way to break free, and even if she did, the pain in her head testified that she had no chance. He'd simply catch her again. And most likely, he'd violate her on the spot. She looked into his face, and saw nothing but madness in the blue gaze. Somehow, his resemblance to Abel made him even more terrifying.
Cain shifted upward. For a moment, Esther felt relief, then his hand trailed down to the junction of her legs. Esther choked back a cry as his hand clenched over the fabric, as if he meant to simply rip it from her body. "You..."
The empty, cold gaze returned to hers. "Well, I suppose 02 would be a little gentler. But tell me...did you enjoy having him touch you like this?" His hand slid lower, then pulled the skirt up with a wrench, until his hand could stroke her thigh, then upward.
"You...Father Nightroad, he never did anything like this." Esther's teeth clenched as he touched her again, as his knee forced her legs slightly wider to accommodate his hand brushing over her. She felt trapped, as she had with Dietrich. The memory of that time brought another memory to the surface. "You said you weren't like Dietrich!"
"Hmmm? You mean Puppet Master? Well, I did say I wasn't like him, but I don't see how it applies, my dear. After all, I'm only giving you the same thing 02 did. And since Abel and I are so alike, you should enjoy it just as much as you did with him."
"It isn't the same. Father Nightroad, he never touched me any way I didn't want to be touched. He'd never hold me prisoner like you." Esther spat the words, finding slight refuge in the anger that surged through her. She still felt terrified, but the thought that this man could violate her and justify it by his relationship to Abel was more than she could stand. "You...what you're doing is no better than what Dietrich did, and what you punished him for threatening to do to me!"
"Hmmm." There was a faint, thoughtful light in the blue eyes. Somehow, it didn't lessen the coldness of his expression. "Well, that might be true. Abel is a little shy after all. But still..." His eyes came to hers. "02 and I...we're exactly alike. So...if you enjoyed his company, then mine should do just as well, my dear." He leaned forward again, once more pinning her with his body..
Esther choked back a cry of fear. She felt his body pressing against hers, his shaft touching her leg where he'd drawn the skirt up. Then he shifted forward a bit, and she felt it rub along her. She was still wearing underthings, but she had no illusions that they'd prove much hindrance if he decided to take her. She shuddered, feeling helpless tears in her eyes. "No..."
"Well, it matters not." Cain tilted his head slightly; cool disinterest in his eyes, then pushed himself upward, so that he was leaning over her instead of lying on her. "I suppose it's all right to wait a little longer. After all, Abel will come for you, whether I do this or not. And when he comes, I'll absorb 02 and take him into me. Then we won't have to worry about having this discussion any further. Abel's claim and mine will be the same." He smiled. Then the smile darkened, and his hand came up to trap her face, framing her jaw. "However, my dear, there are still consequences to denying me what I want. And since you won't accept my claim, I'll have you assist me anyway."
"You, what do you want?" Esther felt her heart pounding. She wanted to squirm away from that dark smile, but Cain still had her arms pinned above her head.
Cain's free hand came up, framing her jaw. "Well, 02 does have a complete body. Isaac's regeneration is very useful, but it doesn't hold together as well as I'd like. But...you have that very special blood, don't you?" The darkness in his smile widened. "With your help, I won't have to worry about having problems when 02 and I face each other. That will make it much easier."
Esther had no time to respond before Cain leaned down. His hand turned her head to one side, exposing her throat. She gasped as a sharp pain seared through her neck, just above her right shoulder. Red pain slashed across her vision, combining with the pounding agony already throbbing through her temples, as Cain sank his teeth into her neck, drinking her blood. Through the haze of pain and weakness, she felt Cain's body pressed against hers. Though he was no longer trying to violate her, her helplessness and his similarity to Abel made it worse than Dietrich's rape attempt. She tried to struggle weakly, but it only made her dizzy again.
Her vision was going blurry again, and Esther felt a renewed stroke of panic. He's...if he drinks too much...I'll die. Abel...I...no, stop...
Her consciousness was fading. Esther tossed her head weakly in one final attempt to pull away, but the effort left her dizzy, barely clinging to awareness. Then, with a sudden jerk, Cain withdrew his fangs. He sat up, and Esther felt the hum of energy around him as white wings flared into view. His eyes glittered red, and a cold, empty smile touched his face as he licked away her blood from around his mouth. "There. That should work much better. Like this, I'll have plenty of energy to face 02." The smile widened, and he stroked her face. "I did say, after all, that I would get your assistance, my dear. You've been very helpful." His gaze went to her neck. Through the gray haze that surrounded her, Esther could feel blood trickling down her throat. Cain frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm...well, Abel will be annoyed with me if you bleed too much, and I don't feel like claiming another dead woman from him, so I suppose I'll fix this." He smirked, then leaned down.
Esther gasped as his tongue ran across her throat. Though she knew it was meant to stop her bleeding, there was an intimacy about the touch that made her gag. She jerked, feeling the pain knife through her. The last blow to her consciousness was too much, and Esther fainted again.
Cain levered himself off the bed, staring down at her unconscious form. "Hmm...well, I suppose I drank a little much. Still, you were wonderfully helpful, my dear. And now, you can help me send a message to 02. After all, I'm sure he'll come for you." He studied her for a moment, then turned and pressed a button on the wall. "Isaac."
"Mien Herr. Is there something you require?" Isaac's voice resonated from a small speaker.
"Hmmm...well, I just received help from Lady Esther, but I might have overdone it a little." Cain smiled. "I need you to bring something to treat her, and a change of clothing, for her and for me."
"I see. Will Mien Herr be wanting me to bring that dress?" There was a slight note of interest in the voice at the other end.
Cain tilted his head, and the faint smile widened appreciatively. "Hmmm...that does seem appropriate. And then, while I get Esther dressed, you can set up the communications line for me. I have a message I want to send to 02. After all, I need him to meet with me. Otherwise, I can't establish my claim on Lady Esther, or fulfill my plans."
"As you wish, my lord. I shall be there in a moment." The line clicked.
Cain turned his head, his cool eyes drifting towards the figure on the bed. He lifted one hand and flexed it a few times, his expression thoughtful and distant. Then he moved to the bedside and leaned down, tracing a finger across Esther's jaw. "Well, my dear, you have proved helpful. So, as a present, I'll bring 02 for you. We'll send him a message, and bring Abel to my side at last." Then he turned away, shutting the door behind him.
"Father Nightroad..." Colonel Spencer knocked respectfully on the door. "We've almost completed preparations to launch. Please, attend at the meeting hall as soon as possible." She'd barely finished the sentence when the door opened.
Abel's expression was closed, his eyes dark with raging emotion. "Is there any word?"
"No. We've monitored on every channel we can think of, and Virgil's been doing an extensive search for unusual activity, but we've found nothing. Once the ships moved out of Albion satellite range, we lost track of them." She glanced at the device in Abel's hands. "Are the tracking monitors still functioning?"
"Yes. They've continued to move east and a little south." Abel's jaw tightened. "Unfortunately, at their present course, they'll bypass the Vatican territory."
"Understood. Do you still wish to rendezvous with the Vatican forces?" Mary turned as Abel came through the doorway, then fell into step just behind him. "Cardinal Sforza has informed us the Iron Maiden is standing by. We can relay a request to intercept the enemy vessel."
Abel's jaw clenched. "If we do that, they'll undoubtedly open fire, and we can't risk firing back while Esther is on board. But if we don't fire, the ships will be destroyed."
"My thoughts exactly. However...as you are our commander at present..."
Abel flinched, pain and anger in his gaze. "Even for this...I will not uselessly destroy lives." His gaze met Mary's "I will save Esther, but not at that cost. I swear it."
"Understood." Mary saluted him.
They entered the meeting room moments later. Virgil turned from his position at his work station. "Father Nightroad." His gaze slipped to the device Abel carried. "Have you information on their present course?" He turned to the computer. "I've gotten the communications panels up. I was attempting to compute their present course, to plan a more effective strike."
"They're still moving east, and a little south." Abel laid the the tracking device on the surface, then bent to examine the computer interface. "I'm going to connect this to the main grid." His gaze moved to the others. "Leon, Astha...reconnect us with the Vatican and the Empire, while I hook this in and overlay it with the mapping interface." His fingers pulled free a few wires, then began reattaching them, including the professor's device in the network. His head came up. "Colonel Spencer, how long before we're ready to launch?"
"Our fastest ships will be ready within the hour." Mary stepped up beside him. Her jaw was tight. "Unfortunately, it appears as though they've already gotten several hours head start on us. This may be problematic."
Abel's teeth gritted. "We'll catch up. We have to believe that, or this battle is finished."
"Understood." Mary's expression settled into hard lines. "Lord Walsh!"
"The mapping interface is coming online now." Virgil's good hand typed a series of codes into the console in front of him. "I'm recalibrating it to deliver the information in real-time, and input the code from Father Nightroad's tracking device."
"Well, Abel, looks like you're hard at work. I thought you were supposed to be resting." Seth spoke from her projector. Caterina was also there.
Abel shook his head. "There's no time." His gaze shifted. "Caterina, I need the Professor and Havel on this as well. We have to figure out where they're going."
"Agreed. I'll have both of them come online." Caterina turned away, her hand moving to tap in a code on her own console. She looked up. "They'll be with us in a moment."
Abel nodded. From his place at the computer, Virgil spoke. "Father Nightroad, the mapping interface is online. I'm bringing the image up as we speak."
The projection of the world map sprang into being above the table surface. Seth eyed it with consideration. "So then, this is the path he's taking?" Her eyes tracked the line that traced Esther's tracking devices. "He'll cross the Empire's borders by this time tomorrow." There was a gleam in her eyes. "The Yenceri will definitely be ready by then. Do you want me to intercept them, Abel?" Her eyes met her brothers.
"If you can. But...you must not fire on Cain's ship. Esther is...she's still aboard. Until we free her, we can't risk any damage on that vessel." Abel swallowed hard. "Is your Aegis technology working?"
Seth sighed. "It's not perfect, but Mirka has it in standby mode. If he tries anything, we'll be ready. But..." There was a dangerous sparkle in her gaze, a hint of red. "If he attacks my children Abel...then I won't be content with letting him go."
"Be careful." Abel's eyes came up to meet hers. "Seth...don't engage him directly. You can't..." His voice rasped and broke, and his hands were trembling slightly. "We'll intercept him and take Esther back, but you must not fight Cain. Understood?" His eyes were dark with fear. "Seth...I'm asking you..."
"I understand Abel, but I can't promise anything. It's going to depend on what that man does." Seth relaxed a little, and she offered her brother a small smile. "I do have an Empire to protect, after all. I know what you're worried about, but even so..." She sighed, then shrugged. "For now, why don't you concentrate on how we can get Esther back, okay?"
"Yes." Abel's eyes held hers a moment longer, then turned to the two newcomers. "Professor, Vaclav."
Havel nodded. "We came in as soon as Lady Caterina summoned us." His eyes were on the map. "Are those the tracking devices placed with Lady Esther?"
"Yes." Virgil nodded. "This is their present course. It hasn't changed in several hours, so I believe we can conclude their stopping point will be somewhere along this route."
"I see. That course will take them into Vatican territory, but not near Rome. From there, they'll probably cross the Carthage zone, then pass into the Empire." Vaclav's brow furrowed. "But what could they want there?"
William shrugged. "They may be headed for the Dark Lands. After all, considering its lack of inhabitants, and the shortage of knowledge about the region, it's an excellent place to hide. Their only concern would be the effects of lingering radiation. And even that, they can probably shield themselves from, to some extent. At least...a man of Wizard's talents would be perfectly capable of providing protection."
Abel's eyes were dark. "It's true. As far as I know, there's nothing there but...if Cain set up a new facility...then it makes sense for it to be somewhere where we couldn't easily find it." His jaw clenched. "Still..."
"Is there any possibility that the trackers are leading us to a decoy?" Vaclav spoke softly. "After all, it only makes sense that we'd try to keep track of Lady Esther. Surely they know that."
"It's possible, but highly unlikely." Virgil spoke softly. "We had no less than five tracking devices hidden on Lady Esther's person for that very reason. Of all of them, we keep the strictest observance on the one in the locket Lady Esther wears. It is the one least likely to be taken from her. At present, all tracking devices are moving along the same general path, though there are signal distortions that suggest they may not all be in the same exact physical location."
"There's still a chance they were removed and set on board another ship." Vaclav frowned.
"We will have to take that chance." Caterina frowned. "We can't afford to try and second guess things at this stage." her gaze flicked to the man who usually acted as her subordinate. "Well Abel? What do you plan to do?" She folded her hands. "You're the one who best knows the enemy."
"I will board the Albion ship as soon as it's ready." Abel's hand clenched. "I want to rendezvous with the Iron Maiden as soon as we touch the edge of Vatican territory. Seth...get your ships in the air. Monitor only, unless you are specifically attacked. We'll meet you at Byzantium and try to intercept him. At the very least, we'll follow him to ground." His eyes were hard.
"Abel, what if he stops before then?" William frowned at the map. "He may choose to hide in the Carthage free zone, or his course may change at any time."
"In that case, we'll gather forces wherever he makes his stop, and pin him there." Abel clenched his fingers on the edge of the console. "All of you...light assault ships only. We need maneuverability more than firepower here, especially if we want to recover Esther unharmed."
Leon frowned. "And how exactly were you planning to get Red away from those guys?" He met Abel's gaze. "I'm all for siege and guerrilla tactics, but how will that get Esther back? After all, she's probably with that guy by now."
"Leave that to me." Abel's eyes were stone hard and cold as ice. There was a dangerous edge to his expression, and a subtle feel of static in the air, like the ozone before a storm.
Astha stepped forward to put a hand on his shoulder, but whatever she wanted to say was stopped by the light that flashed to life on Virgil's console. The Albion lord tapped a few buttons, then stiffened in surprise. "Father Nightroad."
"What is it?" Abel tensed.
"There is an incoming call. It's back-tracing our own tracking signals. The contact code is not one I recognize, and as near as I can tell..." He swallowed. "It appears to be coming from Her Majesty's location." He tapped another button. "The call is listed as being for you." His eyes came up to Abel's.
Seth's eyes widened. "So...they're calling us this time." Her frame tensed, visible even through the holographic projections. "Abel...what will you do?"
Abel's jaw tightened, and his hand clenched into a fist. "Put it through."
Virgil tensed, but he nodded, and his fingers tapped out a quick sequence on the keyboard, activating another holographic projection system.
The image that appeared was that of a slender blond man, wearing white robes, trimmed in red. His eyes sparkled red, his hair wildly tousled. Behind his shoulders, a triple pair of white wings spread, an angel's wings framing the face of a devil. In his arms, he held a slender, red-haired young woman, wearing a simple white dress. The dress was floor-length and sleeveless, it's only decoration the line of red fabric roses separating the bodice from the skirt, and another rosette that pinned the left shoulder and supported what appeared to be a short cloak. The girl was unconscious, and the garb clearly exposed the bruise that stained one cheekbone, and a set of deep puncture marks at her neck.
The Contra Mundi smiled. "Hello Abel. 02. Have you been well?"
"Caain..." Abel's words were forced from between teeth gritted with rage. "What have you done to Esther?" The words emerged in a near scream, fury lancing through them. Around the priest's frame, static began to crackle..
"Oh, Esther?" Cain looked down at the woman in his arms. "I haven't done much, yet. But I did take her assistance. After all, that blood of hers is very helpful in sustaining my body." He smiled coldly, cruelty and delight mixing in the expression. "But then, you already know about that, don't you 02?"
"You...monster!" Abel took a single step forward before Leon and Astha caught him by the shoulders.
"Hey. Don't destroy the computer. You can't touch him right now." Astha's voice was low in his ear. "Save your rage. If you blow our communications line, we can't do anything."
Abel's jaw clenched, but he stopped. The electrical energy around him, however, increased. There were actually sparks sliding across his sleeves and jumping from the links of his rosary. "Let go." The darkness in his tones, the cold fire dancing across his frame, was enough to command instant obedience.
Cain smiled again. "That's the Abel I know. I always was so very fond of that angry expression of yours." The smile shifted subtly, becoming a smirk. "You know, I was going to claim Esther as well, but she wasn't very receptive. That's why I had to knock her out. She just seems far too attached to you. Rather like that woman. Still, I suppose I'll convince her in time. And even if I don't...I have ways of getting what I want, without compliance. Isn't that right, Abel?" There was something of madness in the smile, and a cruel intimacy, an awareness of the other man that almost seemed to taint the air.
Abel was trembling, his eyes beginning to shine red. "You...if you touch one hair on her head...Cain..."
"Hmmm...well, I've already done that." One hand shifted, to stroke Esther's throat, over the wounds. Abel actually snarled at the sight, and Cain's smile widened. "Still...if you want to stop me from taking this one from you...you'll have to join me."
"You bastard...Cain..." Abel's voice dropped an octave, signaling his internal transformation as his hands tightened.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll make it easier for you this time." Cain smiled. "All you have to do is join me in the place where our fight began. When you do that, you and I can discuss this further, and we'll see who gets Esther. And you can finally rejoin me, and take your place beside me, just as you used to." The smile widened, frightening with its mix of madness and actual affection. "I'll be waiting for you, 02...Abel." Then the image cut off.
"CAIN! You Monster!" Abel screamed the words in thwarted fury. Lightning erupted in a shower around him, shattering his glasses. Black wings burst from his shoulders as he screamed, tearing through the fabric of his cassock. His head jerked back under the force of his anger, revealing the crimson eyes, fangs, and the blood-colored cross tattooed across his brow. "CAIN!"
"Shit!" Leon dodged backward with a curse and pulled his weapons off one wrist. Beside him, Astha drew her spear.
"Wait!" Seth's sharp exclamation stopped them both. "Leave him."
"You gotta be kidding!" Leon stared at her. "Look at him. You seriously want us to leave him like that?" He gestured.
"Yes. Abel has to get this out of his system, or it will get worse." Seth's face was pale, but her eyes were resolute. Her gaze slipped to Virgil, who had moved around the table to get clear of the Crusnik's fury. "I'll pay for the broken equipment later, but Abel has to vent, or he'll explode. Right now..." Her eyes were on her brother's figure. "Abel is insane. And if he faces Cain like this...with his mind consumed like this...he'll die. Let him rage."
"She's right." Havel spoke. "When Abel truly loses his temper, he doesn't think to protect himself."
William nodded, his eyes full of sorrow. "Even if he lives, Leon...in this state, we'll lose him. He can't go into battle like this."
"Shit." Leon backed away carefully, pulling Astha with him. His gaze slipped to Caterina. "Cardinal..."
"Do as they say, Father Garcias." Caterina's outward expression was calm, though her eyes were filled with pain for the man before her.
"CAIN!" Abel screamed again, a roar of sound that seemed to come from the very earth itself. His hands clenched into fists as his back arched, the wings spreading high and wide as lightning crackled across him. "CAIN!" His body shuddered, hands convulsively opening again as the lightning surged. With an earsplitting crack, the doors to the conference room blew apart, and the window glass shattered as horizontal lightning blasted through it. Everyone in the room winced and covered their ears, ducking as the debris rained around them. Then the dark, lightning-touched figure seemed to fold in on himself. The wings folded in and disappeared, the lightning died down to sparks as he hunched forward, clawed hands covering his face. "Cain...Esther! Esther..."
Astha stepped forward cautiously, avoiding the glass and wood splinters. Abel was curiously untouched by the rain of destruction. She stepped forward to his side, then very gently reached out and put a hand on the tense shoulder. "Tovarish?"
Abel was shuddering, crackles of static still racing over his frame. The eyes were still crimson, but as he raised his head, there was a small measure of sanity in them once more. "Astha...Esther...he..." His swallowed hard, turning his face away from her as the lightning snapped around him.
"I know. But we know where he's going. We can stop him." Astha's hand tightened.
"The Duchess of Kiev is correct." Caterina spoke softly, her voice a strange mix of practicality and compassion. "We'll meet you at the borders of Rome with the Iron Maiden, and turn full speed for Old Berlin as soon as we rendezvous."
"No." Abel's voice rasped hard on the word. "Not Berlin." His red-tinged gaze came to his sister. Somehow, even with the darkness of his other form clouding his features, he had paled, and his hands were shaking. "He said...the place where our conflict began."
"He did, didn't he?" Seth's eyes were concerned. "But...if it's not Berlin...Abel...where do you think he's gone? The first time you fought was on the station, but that...wasn't that destroyed?" her brow furrowed, then her eyes widened. "Abel...he isn't...you don't think..." Alarm crossed her face.
"He's attempting to access the ARK. He'll use the rocket and his own ship to get there, and attempt to break through the seals and make it functional." Abel's hands clenched into fists. "After that..."
"The ARK is sealed. Lilith damaged the weapons, and you damaged some of the primary systems." Seth's eyes were dark with concern. "I want to say it's impossible, but...he has his codes, and those two computer experts of his. I sealed it, but I haven't checked there in centuries." Her hands clenched. "Abel...do you think...that he can get it working again?"
"I don't know. But if that's where he's taken Esther, then I'm going." Abel straightened.
Seth grimaced. "Abel... you do know, right? You have Lilith's bio-signature and yours now. If you go...you'll make it easier for him to activate that."
"I don't care. I'm going for Esther." Abel's skin had slowly lightened to his normal pale complexion, but the stigmas of Lilith's powers remained, as did the elongated fangs and reddened eyes. He looked like a half-feral monster out of legend, ready to explode. His jaw clenched, and the dark gaze came to Caterina. "Don't try to stop me, please." His voice was still lower than normal, deep and rasping.
"Of course not." Caterina met the eyes of her friend and subordinate without a trace of fear. "No matter what the risk, the Contra Mundi must be stopped, and the Queen of Albion must be rescued, if at all possible. At present, you are our best chance of that." She folded her hands. "I'd prefer, however if you went with back-up. So...what will you do, Abel?"
Abel spun to Mary and Virgil. "Colonel, are the ships ready?"
"They should be waiting for us, Father." Mary nodded.
"Fine. We're leaving. Anyone who intends to accompany me...be on the docks within fifteen minutes." Abel's harsh gaze traveled over the group, then came to Caterina. "We'll be in Rome as fast as the ship can fly. Have the Iron Maiden ready to go, fully fueled, and all weapons systems ready. Whoever you intend to be involved should be on board. Have Brother Petros and His Holiness there to meet us. I have some things I need to tell them."
"Understood." Caterina sighed. "Francesco won't appreciate this, but I'll manage somehow. Fortunately, I believe His Holiness will listen if I tell him it's an urgent message from you. He seems fond of you."
Abel nodded sharply, once, then turned to his sister. "Seth, I'll need to borrow your orbital shifts. I need them armed and ready as soon as we arrive."
"I'm already on it." Seth gave her brother a grim smile. "Hey...when Cain passes by here..."
"If you can think of a way to distract him or stall him, fine. But don't engage him, and don't fire on the ship Esther is on. This..." The eyes glittered brighter, and lightning snapped across his hands. "This is my battle. I want you to stay clear."
Seth's jaw set in a sullen line, but she didn't argue. Brother and sister locked gazes for a moment, then Abel turned. "We need to get moving." Without another word, he turned and left the room. Darkness seemed to follow him.
"Damn." Leon rubbed his head. His gaze moved to Wordsworth. "Professor, are you sure it's safe to have him leading us in that state? He looks like he's gonna go nuts at any moment."
"Of course it isn't safe." William's eyes were dark with concern. He sighed. "Even so...Abel is our best chance. And...after everything...can you truly deny him the right to face this challenge?"
"No. But I sure as hell hope that bastard's there, and Esther doesn't die. Otherwise...it's gonna be Four Eyes we fight, and I don't think we have a hope in hell." Leon made a face, then caught Astha's eyes and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Come on. We can at least keep an eye on him." She nodded, and the two of them left.
Caterina sighed, then met Virgil's eyes. "I'll see to it that everything is ready for your arrival. Until then, please take care of Abel for me."
"You have my word, my lady." Virgil bowed his head to her, then turned to Seth. "You as well, Majesty. I will look after him personally."
"Thanks." Seth gave him a wan grin. Then her connection snapped off. After a moment more, Caterina and her agents followed suit. Virgil and Mary caught each others gazes in unspoken accord, then turned, leaving the mess behind as they hurried to make preparations.
Esther woke slowly. Her mind felt hazy, her body weak and heavy. Gradually, it registered that she was leaning propped against something, something slightly warm and yielding, but firm. It also registered that she was wearing different clothing than she'd worn before.
Memories of the last time that had occurred were enough to send adrenalin surging through her system. Her eyes snapped open, and she jerked feebly, trying to break away and get to her feet. But something held her in position, and as she stirred, the grip tightened, ever so slightly.
A soft amused chuckle greeted her efforts. With a gasp, Esther looked up into Cain's smiling face. After a second, it registered that he was holding her in his arms, propped against his shoulder. He was standing at a view-port. At the sight of her eyes gazing into his, the cool smile widened. "Welcome back, my dear."
"You..." Esther swallowed against the dryness in her throat. "What...are you doing?" She felt terribly weak. She knew it was from blood loss, but she didn't know what to do.
Cain turned from the windows and glided towards his throne. With easy grace, he settled into it, pulling Esther into his lap. One arm pinned her in place. The other hand reached over to a small table and lifted a glass. "You should drink this, my dear. Isaac said it would help."
If she'd had any strength, she would have knocked the glass from his hand. But she felt weak, dizzy, unable to think or move the way she wanted. And her throat felt as if it had been sand-papered, coated with dust. Cain put the glass to her mouth and tilted, and she swallowed, almost by reflex. The cool liquid eased the dryness in her mouth and throat, and gave her little strength back. "You...what are you going to do?"
Cain smiled. "I was watching the world pass. Soon, everything will be destroyed. 02 will help me set the world ablaze."
"No...Abel will never..." Esther tried to push away, but the effort set her head to pounding again. She slumped back helplessly in his grasp, struggling to get her thoughts into some form of order.
"Oh...I think he will. 02 is very angry now." A cool finger stroked her cheek, then brushed across the wounds he had made in her throat. The intimacy of the touch, so like Abel's gentle caresses, made her stomach twist. "While you were asleep, I sent Abel a message." There was amusement and a tinge of excitement in his gaze. "Now, Abel will come for you, and he'll come right where I need him. I'll bring him to the ARK, and with his powers, I'll awaken it. Then the world can be cleansed, and Abel can be joined to me, together for eternity. And after we've become one, you, my dear, will be mine as well."
"No..." Esther shuddered. She wanted to run, but she was too weak even to escape his grip. Just moving made her head hurt and the room spin uncomfortably. She struggled for a moment, then collapsed against his grip, her head pounding and gray spots clouding her vision. Abel...