“I could see that Allieb was playing a big charade, remaining internally incognito, at least to Thornton, convincing the minister that he was his ‘human’ son. All this time I’d tried desperately to stay in close contact with Thornton, making hopeless attempts to convince him that the exorcism had not been successful in driving out the soul of the ancient demonologist. But the minister had disregarded me, had distanced himself—this was
Allieb’s
influence, I knew, who as far as I could tell, had taken full mental control of his father.
“By the time the boy had reached his early twenties, he’d earned a small fortune through the foretelling of numbers, exploited by both he and his father in gambling venues, Reno, Atlantic City, Vegas; here you could plainly see the power of his influence on the minister: the once religious man, desperate for an escape from evil, ultimately drawn back in—swayed toward prosperity earned through deceptions and lies. With his rapid fortune and powering charisma came long lines of followers, who’d gathered nightly at his new home, a mansion in the hills he’d coined
In Domo
, which, roughly translated, is Latin for ‘at home’. The parties there were rampant, famous for their debauchery, laden with sex and drugs and alcohol: the subsequent rewards of participation in
Allieb’s
black masses.”
Sex and drugs and black masses...dear God, Julianne
.
“The stories flew over what went on up there, and many people strove to be invited to his events, hoping for participation in what was rumored as ‘self-indulgent orgies of limitless proportions’.”
Bevant
Mathers
, your presence is requested for an exclusive gathering...
Hey Dad, maybe you’ll get lucky and it’ll turn out to be one of those ultra-secretive high-class sex romps. You know, orgy of the stars!
Bev felt in his pocket. Shuddered. The invitation...it was still there.
“The house,
In Domo
, is fairly isolated, like most of the homes up in the hills. Everything that went on up there was kept under heavy lock and key. No one ever complained, and no one ever investigated his doings, as far as I could tell; perhaps it had been
Allieb’s
influence over the house itself: a shield of protection armoring it from interlopers. Most importantly, however, were the people whom he invited inside; once they had a taste of the excesses within, no other way of living seemed possible. Eventually these ‘party-goers’ would be coerced into joining his cabal through initiation. They’d move into the house, by default I suppose, as they were never actually permitted to leave after their rites had been served. It was purported that if someone contested
Allieb’s
influence and tried to leave, they would disappear suddenly, or tragically die.”
Bev’s jaw dropped. “Julianne. The accident.”
Danto nodded. “Once the cabal grew to a healthy number, the black masses increased in scope, enacting every cruelty, perversion, and defilement known to man. Most of the cult members had relished in it. There were others, however, who were able to break their trances. They eventually resisted
Allieb’s
rule, and attempted to flee
In Domo
. They were quickly taken care of.”
Danto continued, “He’s been up there in the Hollywood Hills mansion for the last twenty years, growing stronger, wiser, perfecting his black arts and waiting for the ideal time to begin summoning the thirteen demons again.”
Bev said, “Julianne had gone up there. To the house. I read about it in her diary.”
Danto, eyes filled with compassion, said, “I know. She, along with many others over the years. And then, she tried to flee.”
Bev blew out. Frustrated. Scared. “And this is why I’m experiencing all these horrible things?”
“Yes.”
“How? What’s happening to me? Please, tell me.”
Danto, looking suddenly glassy-eyed, said, “The time has come to commence. And you, Bev, must lead.”
“Lead? Lead what?”
Danto hesitated, then in a voice just above a whisper, said, “Stopping
Allieb’s
legion of demons.”
“
Ohhh
, you’ve
gotta
be kidding me.”
“I’m not.”
Bev shook his head vigorously, in sudden denial. “No...no...why should I believe you?”
Rebecca, drawn of color, said appealingly, “Bev...”
He shushed her with a raised hand. “Tell me Father, why should I believe all this?”
“Bev, I understand where you’re coming from. The last few days have been very hard on you, and if I were you, I’d have trouble believing everything I’ve just heard. But...you read your wife’s diary, about what she did all those years ago. There’s no doubting that. And...your daughter—”
Bev stood up, instantly red-faced. “What about Kristin?”
“Bev, please, based on what you told me, the literature and research in her room, and the limo that came for her…she is in danger. Allieb is a very powerful man. He knows that Kristin is Julianne’s daughter. He knows that you were her husband. There’s great power in bloodlines, and he is using it to his advantage.”
“Which means what? That I’m possessed by one of the thirteen demons?”
Danto nodded. “As I mentioned, two thousand years ago Allieb utilized the innocence of children as vehicles for the demonic souls, one by one transferring them from the children’s bodies into himself through the consumption of their bodies.
Take this bread and eat of it, because this is my body
. Once inside of him, he used his demonological proficiencies to corral them for his own personal use, to gain supreme knowledge, strength, and omnipotence. The demon spirits themselves had willingly joined forces within him in a union of great power—Allieb had given them a taste of freedom from exile, and they relished in it, now an army of forces with the demon Belial in the forefront.” He paused, then added, “But...one demon had protested having his minions overtaken.”
“One demon?”
“The Devil himself. Satan.”
Bev shook his head. “Father, I—”
“He—Satan—had been responsible for
Allieb’s
demise two thousand years ago, creating a persuasive force in alerting the people of Jerusalem of his massacre on their children, an unlikely move for the Devil. Allieb had proved a worthy adversary of Satan, giving Him a reason to fight using whatever means necessary. He, Satan, had also protested
Allieb’s
attempt twenty years ago—I realized this because I heard it pass through the boy’s very lips following the exorcism. Now…He appears to be doing it again.”
“Satan? Protesting Allieb?”
“Yes. But Allieb is much stronger now, more powerful, more confident. He has been preparing for this confrontation for twenty years—he is now ready to clash with the Prince of Darkness. Bring him in. Corral him inside his strengthened body along with the other demons. To create within him the ultimate power, one that not even God himself can defeat.”
“This is serious shit,” Rebecca said, mesmerized.
“It is. You see, Allieb is once again using human vehicles to transport the thirteen demons from the underworld into his own body. He began the process a few weeks ago, each person hand-picked by Allieb himself to be used as a vehicle. They were given invitations to a party—”
“Father…” he interrupted, instantly stunned. “I got one…” A
party
. Bev reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. He opened it, handed it to Danto.
Danto took it and gazed at the words on the beige parchment. Nodded. “This invitation, along with
Allieb’s
telepathic influence, has already drawn in twelve relatives of past cabal members—members who’d unwittingly sacrificed their lives for another’s benefit. In your case, this would be Julianne: at an impressionable and stressful time in her life, she’d been easily persuaded by the young Allieb, promised good fortune for her husband and daughter as long as she heeded his demands. Eventually she got what she’d hoped for—but, unbeknownst to her, wouldn’t be around to see it. Of course that was all part of
Allieb’s
master plan, to sacrifice the family member of a future vehicle; in time, he would ultimately call upon those on the receiving end of the ‘good fortune’ to take part in the grandest ritual of all: the summoning of the thirteen demons. You see, the strongest vehicle for demonic transport is one who has lost a family member to demonic sacrifice. Bev, that would be you.”
Bev rubbed his face, focused on a cross hanging on the wall. Nausea purled in his gut, and he had to look away.
Danto added, “It’s a grand plan. One that has taken years for Allieb to complete. And now, the time has come.” Danto leaned away and peered out the window again.
Rebecca, white-faced and shivering, asked, “Why did he use invitations?”
“Allieb never leaves
In Domo
. As well, as mentioned, once you become a member of the cabal, there is no leaving the house. Allieb has only one reliable hand, but he isn’t strong enough or influential enough to go out and haul these people in. The man who’s been following you is
Allieb’s
only trusted hand: Thornton.”
“His father?” Bev asked.
“Yes. He’s the one who gave you this envelope.” Danto handed the invitation back to Bev, who stuck it back into his pocket.
“My God…” Bev was stunned.
“Bev, listen to me carefully. Twelve of the thirteen vehicles, now wholly possessed by demons, have been brought in to
In Domo
. Allieb and Thornton…both of them have been struggling for the past couple of days to bring you in—Allieb telepathically, Thornton physically—but have been unsuccessful because…because the demon inside you is resisting them.”
“Resisting. You mean…Satan.”
“Yes…the ritual cannot be accomplished without the thirteenth. It is my understanding, rightly so, that the first demon brought in was Belial. Allieb has assumed Belial as his primary personality—as father and son, they are virtually inseparable. The other demons are waiting in their vehicles, elsewhere in the house, for the drawing. But, without Satan’s presence, the ritual cannot be wholly completed: if the Devil remains free, outside the
Allieb’s
body, he would ultimately retrieve them.“
“Jesus,” Bev said, running a hand through his hair. “How is it that you know all of this?”
“Thornton,” the priest answered. “He contacted me a few weeks ago. Allieb had used his father for the harvest—after nearly twenty years in isolation, the man had been released from his prison at
In Domo
to locate the thirteen people that would be utilized as vehicles for the demons. Allieb had begun his summoning once they’d all been sited. Soon thereafter, the invites were sent out. It was a lethal combination: an invite to spur curiosity and temptation, and a form of telepathic communication to instill fear and break down resistance. It’s worked with everyone so far…except you. Additionally, Thornton, once free of his prisoner’s shell, in combination with
Allieb’s
preoccupation with the prospective vehicles, had fallen away from the demonologist’s trance. It was at this point, almost immediately, that he became conscious of the danger that existed, and realized no alternative but to oppose his son’s intentions. He contacted me, revealed to me everything in great detail, and we both agreed that the person harboring the soul of Satan would prove to be our only chance to defeat him.”
“Me? Harboring Satan? I can’t buy it…it’s absurd.” A sharp sudden pain jabbed his neck and back, as though he’d been punched. From the inside.
“Bev, please. I am explaining all this to you so you can understand. You will be brought to
In Domo
, and you will be brought into ritual. Satan is laying in near dormancy within you, contesting only
Allieb’s
influence upon you—“
“C’mon! I’m in a damn church right now. How come Satan isn’t freaking out?”
In his mind, an image of a clawed hand reached out from the hole the ghostly fingers had created. It gripped the edges of his skull and pulled
…