“I have a criminal record, so I sure was scared when I saw the police officer,” Beatrice said to Susan over breakfast the next morning. “Those with criminal records aren’t really allowed to have businesses in High Town city, which makes me wonder if you thought this through before you gave me B’s Place. Not that I don’t like it. I’m just scared of meeting superior opposition. One I may not be able to handle.”
Susan suppressed her smile. If there was any superior opposition, Susan knew it had to be her very self.
“I heard tales yesterday from old workers, you know,” Beatrice went on. “Some said scary tales of how the managers were treated and all. It sure gave me the fright. It made me want to reconsider. But really, Susan, I’m grateful. I’m just scared.”
Her heart could rob a man of desire, as it could instill it quickly in him. She didn't like him, but she was willing to risk it. The sofa was drenched in the blood of more than one person. The bodies lying around had their eyes gouged out, their souls ripped from them even before she tore them into irredeemable shreds. No hearts here. No souls here. No redemption here. Only death stays here.Susan looked down at her blood-stained hands and frowned. The blood on her hands felt the heat of her stare and vanished for it couldn’t cry to the heavens for vengeance. Not for this lady. She took a glance around the room and the bodies of the men within, sprawled in different ways on the floor, a smile graced her face, and then she vanished.Elvis, the man whose life Susan had spared in the bar was sitting by a table with papers in front of him, locked up in a shadowy bunker with armed men positioned around, Susan appeared right across him, everyone in the room jerked.The s
Susan was quiet to herself and her thoughts in the living room, and with her was Dena and Hannah who both sat on separate sofas and were also quiet. Susan had told them both about Vivian’s sacrifice, and none of them were pleased with the news. At least, none more than Susan.“She was always kind to me,” Hannah said in a low tone.Susan lifted her gaze. “Someone is at the door.”And in a flash, she was at the door which briskly opened to reveal Dena’s father, the Chief priest.He was in a red robe, with a feather sticking out of his unkempt, gray hair, and he held a staff with the carved head of what resembled an eagle on it.“I must say when you called me,” he said and stroked his grey beard, “I thought you were bluffing. Your other guests? The human kind?”“Not around,” Susan said. “They’ve both gone to work. Come in.”Susan gave way to let Dena’s fath
Susan was staring into Jake’s eyes when Beatrice arrived with two wine glasses on a tray.Beatrice set the wine glasses before both parties on the table between them, she smiled and winked at Susan, then she walked away.“You don’t know what to say to that?” Jake asked.Oh, yes. Jake had asked her a question. But what was the question, and why was she staring at him with lust.“It’s not that I don’t know what to say,” Susan said. “I just—I don’t know.”“It’s fine. Hope you don’t think this awkward?” Jake asked.Susan for the first time felt herself unable to predict what Jake meant. Was it her love for him? She wondered. “What do you mean?” she asked.“Me taking you out?”“Oh. No—no. It’s fine.”“Yeah. I mean, you’ve spoiled me on several occasions, so I thought to take you out today.&
“I beg you to reconsider, Your Grace,” Hannah said as she followed Susan into the living room. “Beneath the blood sea is a different world. But for your sake, I hope the sea doesn’t let you through.”Susan paused her footsteps to look at Hannah. “I don’t know if I was born, Hannah, but I grew up beneath the blood sea, so I know what to expect.”The Chief priest walked into the living room. “She is correct, Susan. The blood sea may not let you through, so use the trap of Eleanor.”Susan gave a single nod.Dena came up from behind Susan who turned to look at her.“Be careful,” Dena said. “I may be getting to like you, but I’m very much frightened of your mother.”Susan played a small smile on her face. “You’re still my prisoner. Till your father finds a solution for me.”Dena returned her smile. “Well at least, it’s safer being with
It was drafty on the peak of the northeast mountain which was almost on a level with the clouds, and it was here Susan chose to have a better view of the northeast side. She saw the smoking huts, and tents, the playing children, the gatherings of adults around fires and the staked meat they kept turning and she wondered, what brought these savages here.They were in rag clothing, their feet bare, and their idols scattered all around the place. Some prayed to their idols, some poured blood on them, some tried to feed them, Susan laughed.“Ignorant they are,” Susan said, “wouldn’t you agree, sister?”Vivian materialized next to Susan. “Chadwick is gathering his war party,” she said. “And I hope we’ve not come to play scouts?” She looked at Susan.“Oh, you’re going to love this.” Susan smiled. “Lightning, whirlwind, and fire.”Vivian lifted her gaze to the changing clouds, it darkened, bolts of lightning struck every part of the camp, a whirlwind began and took people of
“Scatter round, and find them,” Janice said to a group of ladies in red robes before her in a graveyard.Tombs were quiet, their headstones watched resolutely. Janice pointed to the earth, the ground parted to give way to the bones of the dead, and in no time, skeletons and spirits were in attendance.Janice nodded. “If you see Susan, flee, or better still, keep your distance till I arrive. Dead or alive, you do not stand a chance against her. I repeat, do not engage her, for she is dangerous, and may not spare you.”“Sound advice,” Susan’s voice echoed.All the ladies in red gowns swooned to the ground, skeletons shattered to pieces, and spirits returned to their resting place.Janice turned to face her sister, Susan, with a bland expression written all over her face. “Where is Vivian?”“You’ll have to go through me to find out,” Susan said.“Mother instructs me to retur
“I’ve not had the urge to kill in days,” Susan said to Dena and Hannah who were in her room. She was before a mirror, looking at her reflection which then split into two separate forms and likeness of herself without her body doing the same.“Does it bother you?” Hannah asked.“Absolutely.” Susan watched as both reflections of herself became one. “It does bother me.”“How did you get out?”Susan backed the mirror to face Hannah. “I was this close,” she brought her thumb and index finger close to almost touching each other, “to using the Trap of Eleanor. This close. But Vivian advised against it. She said never to use the might of great powers who once lived, and that those powers do have a way of returning through their might. It was a candid warning, one I did take heed to, and if not for the invincibility I was feeling, I would have used it. I just didn’t trust the atmosph
Susan nodded. “So, you tend to take the likeness of the first being you see?”Eleanor changed into a young, beautiful white-haired lady. “I tend to take on any form I so choose to.” She came towards Susan. “So, unlike you who can split yourself into too many forms, and make people forget, I guess, this is a charmer.” She paused right before her. “You don’t seem afraid.”“I know my enemy.”Eleanor laughed. “You barely know me and you tag me to be your enemy.” She shook her head and walked past Susan.Susan didn’t turn. “I know you well enough to know to fear you.”Eleanor turned to look at her. “But that’s the thing, young Susan. You don’t seem afraid.”“No, I don’t.”“And why is that?”Susan looked over her shoulder. “You are a terror to everything I stand for.” She looked forward. &l