Last night at 2am when I was awaken by a strange dream that involved a vampire hunting a werewolf with a silver stake.
I now am distracted by writing a short story.
Toni, bastard child of Elizabeth Bathory, was living their undead life in the shadows with the love of their existence, Medusa, named such for her obsession with snakes. When an Ancient Werewolf killed Medusa. Toni vowed revenge. They gave an offering to the Gods of Ole to help them with their quest. Will they succeed with their desire for Revenge? Or will it finally be the end of the Bathory line?
There he goes, not even noticing how I look at him. He doesn’t notice the look in my eye. He doesn’t see that he owns my heart and soul. He doesn’t know how much I need him. It is wrong I know. But I can’t help but love him. I try to stay away. I try to remember he isn’t mine. I try. I try so hard. Sometimes I slip. But only when I am drunk, which is often, as I love him so. I love him. How could I not? It really is a sight to behold, that man. But I am nothing but a dirty secret, for when he has had too much to drink, when the job gets to tough, and when he just needs someone other than his wife. He comes seeking a comfort only I can give. But then he leaves again; the clock mocks me as it flashes two in the morning. Four hours. For four hours he was mine. And now he will go back to her. His love. His soul. The one that doesn’t have to be the dirty little secret. The one that gets to tell the world he is hers. The one that gets to tell the world that he belongs to her. That the world knows has his heart. Even if I have his body for hours at a time. I get up and look in my cabinet. The gun he gave me is there. For my protection, he had told me. He had a lot of enemies. The pills the doctor gave me are there. For my depression. My anxiety. My seizures. All there. I am sick of being someone’s dirty little secret. I look at them, but I slide down to the floor and sigh. I don’t know how long I am there. But suddenly I hear my door open; only he can get in to my apartment. I wait for something, but nothing is coming. I hear the bathroom door open. He is standing there above me. He has a gun. I look up at him. “You can’t be my dirty little secret anymore.” He pointed the gun at me and shot twice, into my chest. As I lay there, the pain of the bullets in my chest, I was gasping for air. I hear another shot; he had turned the gun upoin himself and shot himself in the head. I struggle to get up. I make my way to the phone… I dial emergency services. “He killed himself…” I gasped out, and then my world went black… I was no longer his dirty little secret.
In the land of nightmares nothing has to make sense. We after all are just that, nightmares, creatures of imagination, given life. It is why when I retired from traveling through dreams, I opened a bar. A bar made of glass, with the magic of dreams it is easy to fix after a fight. The bar of glass allows all to watch the dreams of their humans, and know when they have to join the dream. It gives me and the other creatures of the night our entertainment and the social interaction that we now crave as we were created by the humans we torture. After all, in the land of nightmares the only light we have are from the dreams of our humans.
I updated chapter One of Darkened Grace, which is the Short Story Damned. Enjoy.
All mortals are born with the scar of original sin. They go through their lives paying for that sin. Some fail, most fail, they give into that darkness that is burned into the soul. Others, well others, they heal that scar and become saints.
The celestial beings, however, were made to be perfect. Never sinning. Never questioning. Never evolving. Until one asked a simple question. A war started. And ended. Most celestial beings went upon their way doing what they were made to do, be perfect little angels… Then there are those who fell… Cast out. Forgotten. Damned. Those were the ones that humanity had to worry about; for if humanity forgot about the Damned, then what hope would there be to be absolved of a sin they never committed.
Hope would be found in an unlikely legion.
Hope would be found by those with Darkened Grace.
Hope would be found in those unjustly Damned…
The sun was beating down. The last days before Death would claim this land. One could smell it in the air. Death always had a particular smell. Always would. It was not rot like one would think… No, Death smelled like life. Of the fresh grass in the morning dew. For there was no life without Death. Everything must be balanced. Something many celestial beings, both angelic and fallen, still needed to learn.
A celestial being, a fallen, smelled Death. He sought out the center of the future mass destruction. It took only moments for him to learn what was going to happen. Hidden until this moment from even from him. He was the Angel of Knowledge. Or he was… He is… It was confusing even to him, he was a Fallen, but he kept his Gift from Her. Most fallen did not, in fact only his legion of Fallen had. He took in what was happening in front of him, he took in the knowledge of what was going to happen.
“Damn her,” thought the demon, with burnt reddish ochre hair and midnight blue eyes that had star dust in the pupil, as he stood looking at the ark. His skin a dark golden sepia color, which transferred quite nicely over to his true demonic form. He stood in what would one day be called a suit. He was a being of knowledge and that allowed him foresight. A lot of it. And he adored his suits already. He had a feeling he always would, there was something powerful about them. The midnight green shirt barely added any color to the black as a starless space suit. The black tie held a silver pin, of his sigil.
He tilted his head, how anybody thought God was all good had to be smoking better shit than he could get ahold of in Hell. And he had access to everything.
He turned when felt an angelic grace he had not felt since before the fall. The last angelic grace he felt in heaven. The one being he would have changed all his actions for, if his actions had not prevented this celestial being from being damned, even more than he himself had been.
Since God’s opening of Hell and this newly made demon felt a burning. He smelled acid. Sulphur. Him and the others had crashed into the Sulphur pits created for hell. He crashed into a Sulphur pit at terminal velocity. And burned. It was not a good burn; it was molten lava poured down one’s throat and ripped them apart from the inside out sort of burn. A burn so painful it had turned his pure wings to the darkest of greens, not quite black.
Not since he had stood in front of this angel and told him he was not fighting the war; it had been the last moments of the war. This angel had wanted him to fight. But this demon had known something that the Angel of Mysteries did not know.
If this demon had fought in the war, he would have been killed by Samuel’s sword. And the Angel of Mysteries would have fallen to vengeance.
Hell was not a place for the Angel of Mysteries.
Still standing in front of the Angel, God made Her choice.
He fell.
Since the very moment his existence became literally Hell, both on Earth and below. He had not felt… “Raziel,” he drawled out, the name tasting bittersweet on his tongue. “Come to finally smite me?” Part of him wished Raziel would smite him; then he would not be alive any longer to feel the ache in his chest where Her love once was present. Where the love of the angel that came up to his side once lived, bringing warmth to his logical ways.
Raziel came to his side, letting his fingers brush against Vapula’s. One would think he was another demon, but this being was all angel. Even if he did not look the part of the Fallen. He was thin, tall, and walked with a swagger. He wore skintight torn black jeans, leather boots, a black tee, and a black leather jacket. This Angel of Mystery had access to as much knowledge as the Fallen of Knowledge. He was attached to his look, what would be in the future known as a Rock Star looks. Raziel held a smirk on his lips, his hair was long and dark brown, almost black with shades of scarlet that could be seen in the sun, with a nice tight beard to match. His skin was a warm ochre brown that balanced his hair and eyes quite well. His eyes at first glance were nothing too exciting, brown. But when one looked, it was like honey coffee. The deepest of browns. Coffee that had honey and chocolate mixed into it, with a bit of cream to lighten the deep, strong richness of the black. “Nah, Vapula, decided heaven is a bag full of dicks. I just haven’t done anything Fall worthy. And I am supposed to oversee putting up the promise not to do this shite again.” The Fallen could feel the pain that shot through the Angel at the thought of what was going to happen. Yet, he was there to give hope at the end of the disaster.
Vapula should have guessed the man would choose what would become a Scottish accent to talk in, as it went completely against his looks, but Vapula knew Raziel would change his accent many times, after all Raziel existed for mystery and change. He was as fluid as water, as air, only thing that never changed was the fact he stayed a He. Which shocked Vapula greatly when he first met him. Most angels that crave change, crave different were fluid in their genders. But not Raziel. He shook his head of the thoughts about this Angel. He flicked his eyes towards Raziel but still looked out at the ark and Noah. Anger was in both their eyes at the fact even children would die today. Just so She could call it a lesson not to sleep with angels. “That used to be enough in the old days,” Vapula responded, but did not move as he watched the children. Only a few where half angel, half human, but all would pay for the price of an Angel’s sin.
“Why do so many have to pay for the sins of the few?” Raziel asked, as he watched the hell fire enter Vapula’s eyes.
“It has always been that way, Angel. In this case, I hear she forgave some of them if they never had another child with mortals again. Others I heard Fell.”
“Yes, that is true. Never again has she sentenced anybody to fall for once sin, since the Opening.” Raziel was internally furious about this fact. Only thing Vapula did was refuse to fight and kill the other angels. At least, that was all he had been told. Raziel always felt there was another reason that Vapula fell. One day he hoped the being he loved, even if he was now a Fallen, would confide in him the true reasons.
“Is it rude of me to call our creator a monstrous bitch? And what are you putting up?” Vapula wanted to get Raziel away from the topic, he felt the righteous anger in the angel flare, and if Raziel gave into anger… Vapula shuddered, his Angel of Mystery did not belong in Hell.
“And you wonder why you fell.” Raziel smirked then to get away from the topic of THE FALL, “My colors. She is calling it a Rainbow.”
“I don’t wonder about anything, I know exactly why I fell, Raziel. I was born in holy water but forged in the fires of hell. A rainbow? Really? Is that the color you finally decided on?”
“You very well know I couldn’t choose one.” He clapped his hands to show a mini rainbow. “One day it will symbolize more than this promise not to drown anybody again. One day it will be a sign of solidarity. It will be a sign of love and pride. It will show the world that people are done hiding, that people are proud to be themselves, that they will fight for that right to be who they truly are in their life. She may have made humanity in her image, and as that is the case, and humanity makes mistakes, it can be said She can make mistakes. She promised me this would symbolize Love. I may dress in black, but I adore the colors, they make up life. The virtues, and the sins.” He sent the rainbow back into non-existence and turned to Vapula, he had to ask, it was eating at him. “And why did you fall?” Nobody ever answered him, Heaven kept no record, and even the being of secrets he was, he did not know why this being of knowledge, his best friend, his everything, had fallen. For the excuse of refusing to fight, just did not make sense! Cerviel, Requel, and even Anael, all refused to fight, and they were created to be the warriors as Principalities!
“Ask another time, Darling,” Vapula drawled and turned away, he would not discuss that with Raziel at this time. Maybe never. “Now, I got work to do, and don’t you have some humans and Nephilim to drown? Make sure to accidentally wipe out the bunnies, minions of the devil they are, Darling” With that Vapula sunk into the ground as the memories of their friendship and more assaulted him. Especially when it was not something he could not have any longer.
All because he had stabbed Michael to save Samuel…
I stood silent. As to speak would have meant my own death. I stood silent. As the rivers ran with the blood of the innocent. I stood silent. As my fellow women hung from the trees. I stood silent. As their screams rang out. I stood silent. As they dragged them from their homes. I stood silent. As I faced my own judgment. I didn’t stand silently. As I faced my death. I cursed them all. I showed my truth. I stood silent. And that is my curse. We are all cursed. I just learned to own my curse.
Castiel didn’t really know what to do any longer. He had refused Heaven’s orders. What choice had he been given? To kill a human? Even one tainted with Demon’s blood was against HIS orders. He just couldn’t do it. He wasn’t officially fallen, not like others, namely Gadreel. Gadreel is the one that helped him find a way to live among the humans. Gadreel felt bad for his part in the temptation of humans. And he for sure did not like how Hell was ran. Another who helped was Loki, or as Castiel once knew him, Gabriel. Loki loved Castiel’s new adventure.
Castiel had been shocked to discover that there was a whole community of Angels, Fallen or otherwise, that have left Heaven and Hell for the orders that have been given. They pretty much have built a town. Of course, many mortals were in the town. After all, the world must still go round. People would notice if one town didn’t have sickness and death.
He had moved here with the human he had been ordered to kill. A Samuel Winchester. Sam used to be a hunter, until his brother sold his soul to save his life. Now, he was just trying to live that life. He became a lawyer and is the lawyer helping all the demons and angels in this town, as well as the town people.
Castiel decided to open a diner. He learned to cook from Sam, who had learned to cook from this brother. Castiel found a passion for feeding people. He smiled to himself as he made a sandwich. He wasn’t watching as the mustard fell upon the sandwich creating a sigil, and then when he accidently cut himself, the lone drop of blood that fell upon it. He did start when there was a poof of smoke and a man in jeans with bow legs, working boots, a tight tee, and a deep red shirt unbutton and the sleeves rolled up. Castiel blinked seeing the Mark of Cain. He looked up to see the most gorgeous green eyes, they reminded him of clear Emeralds. Loki’s voice entered his head calling them fanfiction green. He had short hair and had this drawl when he spoke.
“An Angel! Why would an angel summon a demon?” The demon leaned against the counter and smirked. “How about making me one of those bad boys and telling me why you called me, angel?”
Castiel sputtered. “I didn’t mean to call you! I was just making a sandwich!”
The demon smirked, “ooo, a subconscious calling! Maybe some sex? I am good at discreet.”
Castiel sputtered and pushed a sandwich into his hand. “I didn’t mean to call you! Here, eat something!”
The demon laughed and took a bite of the sandwich. “This is good angel!”
Castiel blushes and puts some chips on the plate without saying anything.
The demon finishes up and smirks. “Later Angel!” He poofs out.
The next day Castiel gets a call of the lifetime. A television show that goes around and highlights small town diners, bakeries, and favorite food spots wanted to do a piece at his diner! His!
It wasn’t until he was telling Gadreel and Loki about the demon that it clicked. “Wait, I didn’t give my soul or anything right?”
“No. You have to kiss or sign something. You just feed this very hot sounding demon and if he was involved, it was his simple thank you.” Gadreel explained, “you said he had Cain’s Mark. Seems you met Dean. He took the mark from Cain about 2 years ago. He was one of Alistair’s pupils. He sold his soul for his brother. He prevented the seals from being broken by never touching a BLADE to a soul. He used other tools.”
Loki snorted, “he used animal claws, he got out quickly and become a crossroads demon. Now he is a rogueish demon. Still makes deals and such. But is selective in what he takes.”
Castiel was shocked. “Oh! Well, I have to go clean the diner. I will see you all later.”
He was almost done when he smelled sulfer. “Back?”
Dean smirked, “your sandwiches are tasty. But it seems your diner is closed. Can I get a sandwich, Angel?”
Castiel said nothing but washed his hands and slide a sandwich toward Dean with some chips. He finished cleaning.
Dean ate and left, even going so far as to wash the dish before leaving.
This went on for months. Dean showing up more and more. And Castiel getting more and more ‘gifts’. Winning the Lottery one time so he could expand. Being on new television shows. Life became easier and easier living as a mortal.
Until Sam came in one day to give him paperwork and Dean had popped in at the same time. The air became tense and Dean popped back out.
“What was that?” Castiel asked Sam.
“Dean is my brother. Is he living in the community?”
“No. From what Loki and Gadreel has told me, he is still protecting the world. Makes deals with only damned souls. Took the make to keep Darkness contained. He is a demon even hunters trust.”
“Oh…” Sam rubbed the back of his head. “We had a fight when he became a demon. I said some things I didn’t mean. We haven’t spoke in years. He is damned because of me. I wasn’t aware he was a friend.”
“Yeah… friend. He comes for sandwiches and gives me gifts.”
Sam laughed. “Leave it to my brother to be courting an angel when he is a demon.” Sam left the papers on the counter. “Next time tell Dean he is my brother. And I would like to see him.” Sam walked out the door laughing.
The problem was Dean didn’t show back up for weeks.
After 3 months Castiel was worried. So, he got Gadreel to get him Dean’s sigil. So, he called him. He didn’t know when it happened. But Dean became essential to his day. He had a sandwich and chips ready.
Dean blinked. “Need something Angel?”
“Where have you been?”
“Avoiding Sammy. Didn’t know you two were close.”
“Sam is our lawyer in this community. I am expanding. He also said he would like to meet up with his brother again. He is hurting because of the things he said to you.”
Dean blinked. He was shocked silent. He accepted the sandwich and chips automatically. He ate while lost in thought. He washed the dish and was getting ready to leave when Castiel stopped him. “Angel?”
“Stay. We could use a man like you in the community. And let me take you to dinner. Tonight.”
Dean blinked. A life. An apple pie life? Doing his demon things, but having a home to come back to and just not his baby? He wanted that. He wanted that so much. And it all started with an accidently summons and a sandwich. “Yes.”
Castiel smiled, “I will introduce you around tomorrow, something to drink dear? Or another sandwich?”
“I love me some pie, Angel.”
Like that life in the mortal world, cast from heaven, looked sweet as the pie he was pulling from the oven.
Copyright Image Kris Charles created as a gift for a friend
“It seems ironic that my voice when I speak is like sweet cream or honey. But when I cry, when I wail, it sounds and feels like death.
I remember hearing that wail for the first time. I was a warrior. I was a queen! They called me The Phantom Queen with how quiet and light on my feet I am.
I was the queen, and men followed me to their deaths and their victories.
Then I married.
Then I fulfilled my duty to take a husband and become round with my heir. Then I failed.
For all my success on the battlefield when it came to being a woman I failed.
My child was stillborn, and I almost died, losing the ability to have a child. It had to be my fault. And so I dove into magic, trying to find a solution to have a child.
Instead, I ended up with immortality.
To keep the curse, I must kill those who failed their child.
Fitting.
It is my fault my child is dead, and I was punished. Others should be as well.
Now I use my honey voice to calm them and then I strike fear into them when I wail and allow them to know Death is coming for them.”
Morgan looked out at her diners. She loved running the restaurant. It allowed her to see families. It allowed her to watch them. She still grieved for her only child. She still desired a child. She hadn’t thought of adoption before recently.
Oh, she knew of it, but she didn’t think a monster would be able to adopt. But then she heard Frank had a daughter now. She was even given immortality. In an over dramatic ritual, Morgan knows easier and better ones, as long as she accepted the child would be as cursed as she was, to wail and kill those with her cries.
It isn’t so bad.
She didn’t have a set victim requirement; she didn’t have to have so many a year or a decade or are cursed to gain forgiveness. Because forgiveness can only truly come from within. And well, she would never forgive herself for failing her duty as a woman. Ancient thinking. But she was an ancient woman.
It is why she moaned and cried and turned those like her to a bleeding mess as their blood vessels in their body burst at hearing her cries.
“Earth to Morgan! Earth to Morgan!” Came a voice and a hand in front of her face.
“Oh, sorry I was just…”
“Just lost in thought there darling?” Came the drawl of Abe.
“Shush Abe!” Yelled Caliban. “She was doing her thing more than likely.”
“Oh, she can do that without spacing out on us. I mean we are planning a party here!” Abe stated as he reached over the counter and filled his glass with more sugary carbonated beverages.
“I don’t see how you can mix all those flavors.” Caliban stated. “And I am basically a kid.”
Abe took a long drink. “So good! Full of sugary goodness! I mean, my father never allowed me this. Hell, the man basically made me with all he deprived me of when I was growing up.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Why are you two planning a party again?”
“Well, I am so glad you asked!” Abe clapped his hands. “You see with Sophie joining us monsters, and Darin in town, and, of course, Sam basically getting hitched I thought we should have a big New Year’s Eve to do and celebrate everything! Bring in fresh food, let our hair down, and just have fun. I mean yeah, James Parties are fun, but we need them more than once a year!”
Morgan rolled her eyes and scanned the families again. She had heard some rumors, and she needed to validate them before she just went and killed the parents. That was the one thing about her that set her apart from other monsters. She didn’t just go off one rumor but validated and only hunted very specific people. She has gone decades without killing and she isn’t required to kill. She is only required to live. Well, it wasn’t really a requirement as ‘failing’ can be so differently interrupted so she never really had to kill them. It was just sometimes… just sometimes… it was satisfying to kill those who failed their children.
For over a week Morgan watched the same family. The mother was always hunched into herself. The father was always trying to act tough. She had heard that their eldest had died. Suddenly and without cause. So Morgan checked in on that. After just a couple of hours, she found the abuse. The pain the kid had gone through and finally was released.
It wasn’t the parents.
It was a teacher at the school. The parents hadn’t noticed. Too busy. Always too busy. Well, Morgan normally only killed the parents, but a teacher was like a parent to a child. She would kill the teacher instead and then choose to spare or kill the parents. After all, they had failed their eldest.
One Friday night Morgan walked into Jo’s with a strappy little dress and heels that made her legs go for miles. She saw her target. She smirked and walked right up to him. “Buy me a drink, slugger?” She smirked as she bit his ear.
The man, Wayne Stevens, just nodded and snapped his fingers to Jo. “Whatever the lady wants and a refill. NOW!” He yelled.
Jo raised an eyebrow to Morgan, and Morgan licked her lips. Jo laughed. “Well, if you hadn’t, I would have.” She stated as she poured the good tequila on the man’s credit card.
Morgan laughed and took the shot, took the bottle and went and straddled her victim. “Come one honey! Let’s go dance!” She pulled him by the tie. “I want to dance!” She started to sway her hips and lead him into the middle of the dance floor.
It was two in the morning, and Morgan was dragging Wayne into the woods. She smiled as she took off her shoes, dropping them as she went, and then skimmed out of her dress at the water’s edge. “Come one Wayne!” She called.
It wasn’t long before the man was by her side and undressing. “I can’t believe one of the most gorgeous women in town thought to notice me.”
“Oh, Wayne, don’t know you when you hurt kids all the queens notice? It was just I got to win.” Morgan stated.
Wayne looked at her. “What are you talking about?”
“What do you think I am talking about? A little kid now at rest because of your abuse. Abuse, their parents missed because they trusted you?” Morgan held his head between her hands. “And now my soul cries for that child Wayne. And you will bleed the tears I cry.” Morgan then opened her mouth and let out a mournful cry for the child.
Wayne tried to get away but soon the blood was dripping from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears as every vessel burst in his body. As Morgan held him to life to feel the pain. To feel the pain of failing a child. To feel the pain of not doing what his job was and to protect and care and teach the child. Soon his heart exploded out of his chest and she was covered in blood.
She dropped the body. She sneered at it as she dived into the water and cleaned off before putting her dress back on to leave his body.
Morgan found herself walking to the home of the parents. They were sitting outside yelling. Each blaming the other for not noticing what was happening to their eldest. Morgan stopped and listened.
The mother.
The mother was having an affair with Wayne. Well, that wouldn’t do and as the father slammed into the house; Morgan went and grabbed the mother.
She looked into her eyes. “You failed your child. Your failed your child for sexual gratification. For your sins you must die.” She let out a mournful cry and again held the woman as she died. Morgan dropped the body and went home to clean up.
She left a message for Ewan about the two lovers who cut their own hearts out rather than to be apart. She then took out a million in savings and snuck in and put it in a ‘hidden’ safe in the house.
It would keep the father and allow him to be home more with his remaining children.
After all, if the father failed, then she would have to take him.
She smiled at the young babe that still lived and with a kiss to the babe’s head she left with the wind.
Giving one final mournful cry to grieve the passing of a child…
“Funny that I live in the shadows during most of my ‘lives.’ After all, I was created by darkness. I am older than most of the monsters that are in our group. I was created with the dawn of times. I have seen not only this vast Earth, but the nothingness that it once was before the balls of gas formed in space.
I wasn’t always a monster. I was once a creator of life. I gave souls. Now I take them.
It is my punishment. I refused to not give souls to infants. I thought all humans deserved a chance at life. To live, the soul had to be given to the body. Thus adding the soul to the body and allow the body to live.
All beings generally have souls. There are a few exceptions, though. Frank wasn’t given his own soul, he is made up of the pieces of souls left over though he says he is soulless, those pieces have knitted together to create something of a soul.
No, sometimes there is just evil in the world. I wouldn’t say we are evil, though we kill to live. We are just doing what humanity is doing; doing whatever is needed to stay alive. That is probably why when I was banished to the shadows of Earth I tried everything to be able to walk among the mortals and I found a way.
I must drain souls to gain a body. About one hundred a year. Which is probably why I work with Bo and the other monsters as the private investigator…
Funny how being a shadow who wants to be among the humans, I live my un-life in the shadows…”
Sebastian sighed as he was going through the paperwork. His job was mostly to find and create identities. He had to research backgrounds, make sure that pictures and most evidence that one of their family wasn’t how they said they were. He had only met a handful; but they were okay beings. Right now he was finding what he could on Mary Sheldon and whose daughter she gave birth to; as Frank wasn’t giving up the babe. He didn’t blame him. Kids were a soft spot for him and most monsters. Most monsters only regretted not being able to have their own children.
He wasn’t having much luck with Sheldon. She grew up listening to monster stories, took it seriously, majored in classic lit and started teaching at a local high school, getting her doctorate and then moving to teach at the university. No relationships. No marriages. Nothing. Not even a picture of her with any men. It just didn’t make sense!
He sighed as he threw the paper away from him. He looked up at the calendar. He had to take a soul soon. He had to take two a week and then he would have two weeks where he wouldn’t have to take any souls. He could pretend to be normal. He slacked on taking the first this week so he would have to take both quickly and close together. He stood up and jabbed his hat on his head and left.
He had to do a bit of research anyway on this Sheldon chick. It was like she was a bloody monster herself. But if that was the case, she would know the rules for not attacking any monsters living in their town. If they do, they are declaring war. It was only because of James that Kat was still alive and the world wasn’t divided into kingdoms, Frankensteins and the voodoo priestess and her slaves.
Most would have sided with Frank. Nobody touched family. Family was such a rare commodity in this undead life.
He locked his door and headed toward the bars.
“Hey Seb!” Jo yelled. “Usual?”
Sebastian nodded. “Of course, Jo.” He took a seat at the end of the bar in the shadows.
Tonight he was hunting.
He looked out the window into the skies. He saw the billions of stars, many he created, many he knew had died out long ago. He closed his eyes against the pain of his creations dying. He knew they would.
He knew soon there would be nothing he created.
Not even this Earth that he sat upon.
Soon he would be up for re-judgment and given a new punishment for his disobedience.
Even when these monsters went to heaven or hell, he would be stuck in an endless loop of punishment because he was a creator.
A destroyer.
A true monster.
He gave all this life, and he would take it one day as part of his punishment. He shook himself out of his stupor. He had to focus.
He flicked his soul gaze on and looked at the people. He tried to pick those who were unnoticed, unwanted, unneeded or evil. After all, there was just sometimes evilness in the world.
It was a few beers in when a bar fight caught his attention. It wouldn’t have held his attention if it wasn’t for the dark, oily souls that were leading the fight. Sebastian smirked. Two for one!
Always loved a bonus.
He moved over and jumped into the fray. He had to get on his victims’ sides so he helped them.
Soon the little college boys that started the fight were limping away, nursing their wounds, sans the cash they lost at the pool game.
Lost… Stolen… Po-tat-oes… Pah-tot-os.
“Hey man, that was cool of ya. Why us and not the frat boys?” One of the meals on legs asked.
“Looked a bit unfair, seven against two? Thought I would even it up a bit.” Sebastian gave a grin.
The two men laughed. “Well, this is Bubba and I am Jay. Niceta meet ya.” Jay held out his hand.
Sebastian took it. “Seb.”
“Come on! Let’s get us some beer with our prize money and play some pool! Come on, you can join us Seb, after all those who fight together drink together!” Bubba stated.
It wasn’t long before the stolen money ran out, but Sebastian just slapped his credit card on the bar and they continued to drink. Jo came up to him. “Hell, Seb, they are drunk enough don’tcha think?”
“Just making sure. You know I avoid the struggle. You do me a favor and call the bodies in, in the morning? Gus should get use out of the skin; and they are troublemakers, they will think they got on the wrong side of each other and shot each other when I am done with the scene.”
“No problem sug. Look, just don’t forget to not get blood on the building. I can hose the alley. The building seems to have a life of its own sometimes and I don’t want to feed it, if you know what I mean?”
“Got it, Jo. We will leave soon.” He signed his name on his slip. Not bad for a lovely meal of two dark souls, he thought as he signed the seven hundred-dollar bill.
“Hey, we should go find something else to do!” Jay yelled.
“Yay! Come on Seb, buddy!” Bubba agreed as they stumbled into the alley.
Sebastian smirked. “Well, I have an idea my fiends.” He then dropped his power to look human and stood there looking for all the world a black void. There were sparks of light inside of the black. Like it was an universe upon Earth. Which, based upon what Sebastian was made of, made sense. “How about you run!” He then grabbed Bubba and sucked out his soul through his mouth. The black light that was dripping in an oily substance showed just how dark and evil Bubba was as a human. Sebastian dropped the body and placed one bullet in the heart and took off after Jay.
Jay tried to shoot at him. “What are you, man?” He asked as Sebastian held him up.
“I am the darkness. The shadows. The beginning and the end. And this is your end, Jay.” Sebastian stated as he sucked the black soul from Jay’s body. Dropping it and shooting once in the chest. Sebastian wiped the black oily residue from his chin and licked his fingers. “Well, that was pleasant.”
He looked at the time. “Only one… I may be able to get a bit of work done.” With that, Sebastian left the bodies and went back to the office.
It was his job to solve the mysteries of the town monsters.
“Cursed to live forever. Cursed to be connected to a painting. A curse that can evolve. I have decided to start over again. Always starting over. Never evolving myself like that curse. What is the point of life? I would destroy the portrait of myself if I thought it would grant me freedom. But I cannot. I will not be granted freedom until I gain my redemption. Damn the fates that cursed me.
Okay, so it may have been my fault for trying to find the secret of immortality. I should never have asked Henry for a key to immorality. And I should never have been so shallow. Sybil… She was one of a kind. Killing her and making it look like suicide was not my brightest idea, but I wanted to preserve her beauty!
Like mine was preserved. Killing Henry was just because of my insanity. If my Sybil couldn’t have immorality no other but I shall. Destroying all his works but my own portrait was not hard since Henry, the dear little man, loved me. I was his ultimate muse. Funny how I find my own muses from life to life before I toss them away. Will I ever not be shallow?”
Darin got up from his desk in his flat. He was in London; but he was moving to Grand Prairie Rapids. Lucas said they would put him up for a while. He looked down at the people in his bed. His most recent muses. He smirked. One thing about the curse was that to remain forever young, he had to hurt those who loved him. These two beauties so did love him. But alas, their time as his muses has ended, and he had to feed the curse so he couldn’t age.
He took the needles and plunged them into the arms of his muses. All this time and he still used ‘poison’ the poison changed and the delivery method changed, but it was one thing about him that was consistent from muse to muse. After their hearts stopped, he took the hearts and drained them over his painting. He cleaned up after and grabbed his guitar and his duffel and smirked as he got on the plane.
Lucas was not in a good mood. He was waiting for Darin and pacing as he waited for him. His plane landed an hour ago. “Darin!” He yelled.
Darin was playing a young set of twins when he heard his name. It was low. Damn wolf frequencies. “Darlings, I will be living with my college friends. You will be my perfect muses as I prepare for my shows. Here is the address. And my number so you all can call me, darlings.”
The twins giggled as they took the piece of papers. “We will call you!” They giggled again as Darin gave them a kiss to their cheeks. And he bounced out.
“Damn if Luc! I gotta find my victims to give me my immortal beauty!” Darin laughed.
Lucas growled. “We have no problems with your tactics Darin. It is having me wait for hours to pick your lazy ass up!”
“Hour. Hour, Lucas.” Darin sighed. “An hour.” Darin through his guitar and bag into the back. “Come on! I hear Frankie is a daddy! And I want to see this little bundle of monster!”
Lucas growled. “You will keep everything kosher with the child Darin; or I will kick you out!”
“Whoosh! What side of the bed did you wake up on? You know we don’t touch each other’s families! So, how is the cute little bundle?”
“We are looking for the biological father. Part of us is hoping he is a monster so it will be hard-wired into her brain to be like us. The other part doesn’t want any monster to stake claim to our cub.”
“Our cub?” Darin looked at him.
“Hey! She is as good as mine too. Frank is my best friend, man.”
“Okay, okay! Sheesh I said nothing, Lucy.”
Lucas growled. “Do not call me Lucy! I have killed entire packs for less.”
“Down boy! Friend, remember? Aall said in good taste!”
“Yes, well, keep your ‘good taste’ in muses away from Sophie. The baby doesn’t need your victims as role models. Her grandmother and Morgan are the best, I think.”
“Not Jo and Kat?”
“Frank still wants to kill Kat, and Jo, no offense, could be a bit more selective in her bedmate.”
“And if Sophie has succubus blood?”
“Then we teach her how to choose good victims and not the drunken frat boys that will just take their pleasure and make her work for hers. But she doesn’t seem to have a draining aspect or we would have seen that by now.” Lucas pulled up to the house. “FRANK! We are home!”
Frank came out with Sophie. “Darin. Meet Sophie. Drake is out on the hunt and Cameron is over at his latest prey’s house.”
Darin smirked. “Cute kid pops!” He threw his guitar on the couch. “So, what is for grub?”
Frank rolled his eyes and went back into his office with Sophie. Lucas laughed. “On your own, my man. This is fend for yourself house.” Lucas grabbed his book bag. “Later Darin.” And he left.
Darin huffed. “Well, what can I do now?” He looked at his guitar. “Looks like it is time to get a gig. It is Friday, after all.” He grabbed his case, looked in the mirror and smirked. “You are one handsome dude. Go get them tiger.” He then growled at himself. He laughed as he walked out the door. Yep, he was an egotistical asshole.
It didn’t take him long to talk Jo into letting him play Friday and Saturday at her pool hall. He smirked at the all the college kids. Not as nice as twins but most could be talked into joining him and becoming his muses for the night, weekend, week, month, etcetera, etcetera. In fact, he had a couple hanging off him now. Sorority girls. “Well, it is only a matter of time before I can’t do shows for free. I am a high demand commodity right now!”
The girls giggled. “Of course, you are Darin! You are amazing! That last song, it is like it totally sang to my soul.”
“Yes, well, it was so hard to come up with without proper muses. You two wouldn’t like to come with me when the bar closes to help inspire my next major hit, would you?”
The girls giggled some more. “We would Darin!”
Darin smiled and slapped them on their asses. “Well, I got another set to do darlings! Be in the front for me!” He smiled and slipped them something in each drink. It made them compliant enough for the night until he… well, until he killed them tomorrow morning and had Tony come and get the bodies.
Poor Tony. Under appreciated. That man needs to let loose and have a party. Maybe get Jo to throw him one.
Okay, so Darin just loved a delightful party. Didn’t matter the excuse, he always found another victim at them.
He jumped on stage and started to play. Soon… Soon… Was all he could think as he looked down at his ‘muses.’
The three crashed through the doors of the room Darin was staying in. He told the girls to keep it down; they didn’t want to wake his roommate’s baby. The girls were tearing at his clothes as they crashed into his bed. Well, this was the fun part!
The next morning the girls were still sleeping when he woke. He stood up and after putting on a robe he held up the two syringes full of ‘poison’ he sighed as he plunged them deep into the sleeping girls’ veins.
But he was too afraid of death.
Too afraid of growing old.
Too afraid of being ugly.
Yep, he would always be that shallow guy.
He waited until their hearts stopped and then taking a knife; he cut open their chests and took their hearts out. He walked over to his portrait, blood dripping from the hearts the entire way across the room, and squeezed them over his portrait.
The more blood, the better.
The more blood, the younger and better he would be.
The more blood he gave, the more it craved.
And the more it craved, the more he had to feed it…
Or pay the price…
And there were a lot worse things in this world than death…