L
ILITH PACED BACK and forth as she listened to Agra’s report of Belinda’s disappearance.
"Surely one of the minions can tell us what’s happening," Agra said.
"You would think," Lilith agreed. "Apparently, they have little interest in such unimportant things as whores."
"Since when did minions get to choose their duties?"
"Since Dis grew bored with this world, and lazy. It seems he has decided the humans can do enough evil on their own without his intervention. I’m not so sure he's wrong, either."
"Well, I’m not about to let anyone harm what is mine without feeling my wrath. My lord gave them to me thousand of years ago for fulfilling my duties to him. Those who choose to work for me willingly come under my protection."
"Agra, you have done all that you can. Perhaps Dis is right. We’ve grown too attached to these humans. Most of them are doomed to a miserable existence as it is."
"That's not the point... and I’m not here to argue with you. If Dis or his minions won’t help me, I’ll find someone who will, even if it means going to the Twin."
"I think that’s a little extreme and unnecessary," Lilith admonished.
"Me too, for now," Kali agreed, having just entered the room. "There are other ways of finding out. I’ll put the word out to a few minions who owe me favors. If they can’t find anything out, themselves, you can bet they’ll know someone that can." Turning to make eye contact with Agra, she placed her hand on the demoness’s shoulder. "I promise you, if we don’t hear anything soon, I’ll join you if you still want to go to the Twin... and Dis, himself, won’t be able to stop us. He has felt my wrath, already. He may still be our lord but only as long as we permit it."
Lilith looked from one demoness to the other and then laughed.
"Dis is lucky you two aren’t ambitious. I’m not so sure he’d win in a battle against you."
"We have no interest in ruling the Underworld," Agra said. "The damned lead boring existences."
"As do the good," Kali added. "It’s those whose fate is still undecided we find most to our liking. They are the unfinished stories of life."
"I agree. Keep me informed," Lilith ordered and vanished abruptly.
"She can be so serious at times. You'd think after all this time she'd learn to relax," Agra joked.
"Like us you mean."
"Hey, we're getting better."
Kali cocked her head sideways and smirked at her friend. Her newest hairdo made her look like a punk rocker from some heavy metal band. Red spiked hair with purple tips, dark green eyes and the torn jeans and tank top was far removed from the dark looks of her past. The change was obviously the result of her mental evolution from the angry demoness who had rebelled against the Twin... and had earned Dis's respect and gratitude... to the more fun-loving woman of today. Had Kali not lived in the time when the Twin had cast Dis and his followers out of their Kingdom, she would never have believed this Agra was the same person who had married their Underlord. Of course, the marriage lasted only a short time before he decided enough was enough and begged her for his freedom.
"What are you smirking about?" Agra demanded.
"Oh, I was just remembering something from long ago?"
"Care to share or is it personal?"
Laughing, Kali shook her head.
"Not really. I was just thinking about those years you and Dis were a couple."
"Paleeze! I had almost forgotten that or at least was trying to."
"I know but you have to admit we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your marriage to him. After all, it's the only reason you got the whores."
"Yeah. Everyone still claims I did him and them a favor releasing him from the contract." Agra chuckled.
"Well, whatever went on between you two, he definitely put his minions through hell while you were together."
"Not as much as I did him. All he ever wanted was sex. I don't know if you've ever seen Dis without his clothes, but he's enormously endowed... and considers himself a great lover."
"Ummm, I think maybe we can leave out the details," Kali snickered. "Anyway, I'd say you probably did. It was soon afterward that Lilith caught his eye."
"Not to mention, you had caught mine and was flirting unmercifully."
"Well, you were hot, and I was an angry and ambitious woman."
"That's putting it mildly. When the Angels defeated us in the Great Battle, there was no one to defend the Underworld against their final assault. We would have been overthrown had you not rallied the demons."
"Threatened you mean."
"Threatened... rallied... no difference. The light emanating from your eyes and hands was so terrible it scorched anyone it touched. They feared you more than they did Dis and it scared him so much, he still avoids you. I've always wanted to ask you where it came from?"
"I really don't know. It’s just something that happens when I'm extremely angry."
"Well, I hope no one ever makes you that angry again."
"I'm a lot mellower now... I think."
"Uh huh," Agra teased. "I'll take your word for it."
Leaning her head against the backrest, Agra closed her eyes and relaxed. It felt good reminiscing over old times. Picking up on her thoughts, Kali agreed.
D
R. LONNIE SANDERS caught only a few hours of sleep before deciding to check on her patients at Mercy Hospital. Although it was her day off, she felt a need to make sure everyone was stable. She was especially interested in Sasha. The aunt and her partner disappeared before she could get any personal information on her patient. Sasha was still sleeping. Checking the notes on her chart, Lonnie nodded in satisfaction.
"Good," she mumbled to herself. "She's stable and resting well."
"Are you the attending physician?"
Lonnie looked up to see Ms. Lysanne and Ms. Devereaux standing in the doorway.
"Why yes. We met earlier this morning, remember?"
Yemaya frowned and was about to reply when Dakota coughed and nudged her with her elbow.
"Sorry, Doctor..." Dakota apologized, taking over.
"Sanders. Lonnie Sanders."
"Right, Dr. Sanders. Sorry. It took us awhile to get here."
"I can imagine. Traffic is getting worse and worse. Which hotel are you staying at?" she asked trying to make conversation with the two.
"Hotel? Oh. We've already checked out. We wanted to see how Sasha is doing so we can make arrangements to take her home," Dakota said.
Lonnie frowned. Something about the two women seemed different. For one, the small blonde spoke excellent English with only a small hint of a mid-western accent. The taller woman remained quiet. It was almost as if their roles were reversed from earlier.
"Well, if she keeps improving I'd say she might be released in a few days. She's going to be in considerable pain, but that can be handled with meds. My biggest concern is her mental state. The emotional scars from this type of thing are usually far greater than the physical."
"My people and I will help her through this," said Yemaya softly. "She will be well cared for."
Jesus, what a voice
,
thought Lonnie.
What I wouldn't give to be in Devereaux's shoes if these two are partners. Then again she’s not so bad herself.
"Good," Lonnie said aloud. "Well, she's definitely doing a lot better since you saw her this morning. Sorry you vanished so soon, though. I could have given you the full update on the extent of her damages."
Yemaya looked at Dakota and frowned.
"This morning?" she mouthed.
"Ummm, I'm thinking grandma and Mari," whispered Dakota.
"Oh. Of course."
Lonnie watched the peculiar exchange. Shaking her head, she knew something was going on but figured it wasn't any of her business.
"If you two want to accompany me to my office, I'll go over the details and give you an idea what to look for while she's recovering. Like I said, the mental trauma is the bigger problem now."
"As you wish, Doctor. Let me look at my niece for a moment and I'll be along shortly."
Nodding, the doctor motioned for Dakota to follow her. Yemaya stood next to Sasha searching for signs of awakening. When she found none, she placed her hand on the girl's cheek and closed her eyes. Slowly, the images of torture surfaced in Sasha's mind. Yemaya could feel the hatred and rage building in her own as she felt the pain the young Carpi endured. The Illusionist had never experienced evil in its purest form. The torturer's face was forever branded in her victim's mind, every cell scarred from the ordeal she had suffered. Yemaya knew Sasha would never fully recover from this tragedy and deep within her own mind the beast stirred.
"Yemaya! Stop!"
As Dakota was leaving she remembered the last time Yemaya had tried to help one of her people. A mind merge, for lack of a better term, almost cost the Illusionist her soul. Walking back into the hospital room, she hurried to her lover's side and gently pulled Yemaya's hand away from Sasha's cheek. When Yemaya looked at her, a burning fury blazed in the ebony colored eyes.
"Come back to me," Dakota pleaded.
Maybe it was only moments, but it felt like an eternity before Yemaya relaxed. The blackness slowly receded. Deeply troubled blue eyes stared into the bright green ones of her lover. Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around Dakota and rested her cheek against the shorter woman's blonde head.
"I cannot keep doing this," she murmured, tiredly. "This thing grows stronger in me. I am afraid one day, it will consume me and I will do something terrible."
"It'll be over my dead body," swore Dakota, softly. "You aren't alone anymore. Remember that. I'll go to the depths of hell to save you if I have to. Maybe we should see the doc and then decide what needs to be done."
Yemaya nodded, knowing Dakota would do exactly that.
"Good idea," Leaning down she kissed the injured woman's cheek. "Sleep! I will be here when you need me."
After consulting with Dr. Sanders, Yemaya called Sonny asking him to arrange for the girl's transportation back to Moldova. Then she phoned Andrei. When Maria answered the phone and told her Andrei had left early to go into town, Yemaya briefed her on Sasha's condition.
Dakota sat quietly. Although she didn’t understand the language, she listened to the soothing way she discussed the situation with her housekeeper.
"Now what?" she asked when Yemaya was finished.
"Now we find this woman and make sure she does not do this to any one else," replied Yemaya, coldly. The lack of emotion in the Illusionist's voice frightened Dakota. She was just beginning to comprehend how deadly Yemaya could be if provoked. Hopefully, her anger could be kept in check.
"Shouldn’t we let the police know about this?"
Yemaya's response was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.
"What?" she demanded, irritably.
"Is that anyway to talk answer your phone?"
"Sorry Raidon. What do you want?"
"Well, first I think it's rather rude of you to call here and not even speak to me. Maria just told me about Sasha. Will she be okay?"
"In time and I apologize. I was thinking only of Andrei's feelings."
"So easily forgotten." Raidon sighed dramatically.
"This is not the time for drama," snapped Yemaya, unimpressed by her brother’s histrionics.