Luxuria (16 page)

“Because I don’t.” He drank from the goblet.

“What the hell’s a matter with you Dustin?”

“Absolutely nothing— now,” Dustin chuckled grimly, “my life finally has meaning and purpose Mark. No longer am I a loser who will be looked down upon, mocked and taken for granted. That’s all gone now, purged from me by the sisters. What I am to become now...” His smile was dark and twisted. “...will be divine.”

“What are you talking about?” Mark bellowed looking from Dustin to Callisto. “Our friend is dead and you are acting like nothing happened. What has happened to him?” he asked Callisto. “Help him!”

Dustin finished off what was in the cup and placed it on the fountain. “But something did happen Mark, something more glorious than you could ever imagine.” He beckoned Callisto and she went to him, a black silken pillow in hand, the dagger resting on it. He picked up the dagger; his eyes glistened as he looked upon the crimson diamond. “With Josh’s death I will have all I deserve, come tonight’s full moon.”

“With his death?” Mark questioned fearfully. “You talk as if you had a hand in it.”

Dustin’s face hardened. “He got what he deserved!” He held the goblet under the light trickle of the fountain and filled it once more.

Mark stormed up and knocked the cup from Dustin’s hand and grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. “Stop drinking the water, it’s doing something to you! Don’t you see that?”

Dustin’s lips quivered in fury. “Do not touch me, peasant!” He lifted Mark from his feet and threw him to the ground, several feet away.

Mark pushed himself to his feet in utter surprise as he eyed Dustin. “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but I and Jessica are leaving here right now.”

“You can try.”

Mark turned and ran from the garden alcove, haunting laugher following him with every step. All around him as he ran through the city to where Jess was staying, an eerie sensation flooded through him. Something was happening here, and the longer they stayed, the worse it would get.

“Jess!” Mark threw the leather door aside and ran into the room. She was standing by the bed looking down at the pack full of gold and jewels, a haunted look upon her face. “Jess, are you alright? Jess?” He said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

His touch seemed to pull her from her thought and she turned a stern eye to him. “What do you want?” She snapped.

“Josh is dead Jess and... and Dustin...” he threw his arms up in the air in frustration, “...I honestly think he might have killed him.” He licked his lips nervously. “There’s something wrong with him Jess, he’s changed. Something in the water has made him different, I don’t know... he’s got... power now... strength like I’ve never seen. And there’s something weird going on with the ruins of the city, I can feel it, it’s like something is coming alive... I don’t know it’s hard to explain. We need to leave here and quickly.” He urged yet Jess had gone back to staring at her pack. “Jess, are you even listening to me?”

“A promise had been made.” She whispered not looking up at him.

“What?”

“And a promise must be kept.” Kassandra said behind him.

Mark spun around to face the sister. “What hell is going on here?”

“What we have always done.” Kassandra’s smile was seductive and cruel. “What we must to survive.”

Mark felt the blood fade from his face and his leg weaken. “You knew this was going to happen... you set it up...” He stepped back fearfully, “why?”

“I’m sorry Mark...” Jessica whispered.

Before he could react, bright colors exploded in front of his eyes. He fell to his knees, the world around him spinning as all went black.

Slowly Mark’s senses began to return - he discovered that he was on his knees, his hands lashed to something behind him. He could hear soft, chanting all around him, the noise helped pull him from the blackness he had been in. His head throbbed terribly where he had been struck and trying to open his eyes was a mistake - the light of a hundred torches stabbed at them relentlessly and he couldn’t suppress the groan that followed.

“Ah, so good of you to join us again, Mark.” Dustin’s voice boomed eagerly. “Jess and I were just about to have a little talk.”

Mark forced his eyes open against the sting of light. Dustin paced naked in front of the fountain, his body glazed in dark oil, making him look made of bronze. His eyes were fierce as he stared at Jessica like a lion would a lamb.

“You pained me Jess; your betrayal against my heart, with the likes of him,” he glared over to the dagger that rested on a black silken pillow in Callisto’s hands. “But in doing so I was given the chance at becoming a God and for that I cannot thank you enough.” His smile was more a sneer. “And now you have brought me Mark.”

“Glad I could be so useful,” Jessica spat.

“Now, I have a choice to make.” He began to pace the length of the fountain. “One more life must cease to be for me to prove myself to Senhor Escuro and be accepted into his fold.” He stopped in front of Jessica and ran a strong hand down her cheek. “I loved you once and for that alone you will be spared.” Jessica pulled herself away from his grasp and he grinned. “Sadly that doesn’t bode well for you Mark.”

“Listen to yourself, you’ve gone fucking mad!” Mark cursed pulling hard on his restraints. “We are friends… you can’t do this!”

Dustin’s laughed loudly. “Friends? Is that what you call all those years beneath…in your shadow? All the years you and Josh would flaunt everything you had over me?”

“I never did that!” Mark countered angrily. “You were my friend; I never claimed myself better than you.”

“You never had to claim it,” Dustin hissed, his hand lashing out and striking Mark across the face, “because you knew you were! I was nothing more than a lackey that followed at both your heels, hoping that because of you I would be accepted! And you,” he glared at Jessica, “you led me on day after day pretending that you might just like me, keeping my hopes up and keeping me around for when you needed something! Even in the hotel room …it was a pity fuck.”

“You’re a fool if you believe that.” Mark muttered, spitting out blood.

Dustin grinned maliciously. “It doesn’t even matter anymore, for what I am about to become trumps all that any of you could have ever dreamed.” He turned to reach for the dagger that rested upon the silken pillow within Callisto’s arms but found the pillow empty. “Where is the dagger?”

“Right here.” A familiar voice said.

Dustin turned around and out from the bushes stepped, Melanie. “What is she doing here?” He growled to Callisto.

“She is to be welcomed into the open arms of Senhor Escuro tonight.” She replied with a dark smile.

“But you told me only one may be accepted,” Dustin said confused. “This was not what was promised me.”

Melanie grinned. “That’s right.” She stepped forward and plunged the dagger into his chest. “But it was what was promised me.”

Dustin’s eyes widened in terror and pain as he looked down at the blade buried within him. “What... what is going on...?” He stuttered meekly looking at the three sisters who were watching intently.

“You are dying.” Alcina purred, her eyes burning sinisterly.

“But... but you need me!” He groaned as Melanie pulled the dagger free, he staggered back, gripping the side of the fountain for support.

“We did need you,” Kassandra smirked, “and now you are fulfilling that need. Finish that task and become one of us sister.”

“I have waited a long time for this.” Melanie’s eyes were completely empty.

“No, don’t!” Dustin cried out hardly able to keep his legs beneath him. Alcina and Kassandra grabbed his arms and held him still. “Don’t do this, please!”

The blade slashed again and his voice was lost as he gurgled and choked on the swelling of blood. A crimson spray poured down his bare chest from the gash in his throat.

“Quickly drink, while his heart still beats.” Alcina commanded excitedly.

Melanie stepped in and put her mouth to the vicious wound and drank deeply as his life pumped free.

Mark’s stared in horror at the scene playing out in front of him, his hands worked quickly yet he could not get them freed. He looked up and watched the terrified life in Dustin’s eyes faded out and his body slump in the sister’s arms as death took him. He stole a quick glance at Jessica; she stared at the ground, her body rigid and ashen faced as she refused to watch what was happening in front of them.

Melanie stepped back, her faced smeared with thick dripping scarlet, her eyes wild with a greedy lust as Dustin’s body was discarded.

“Good,” cooed Callisto, “now place the diamond within Senhor Escuro’s mouth in the fountain, awaken him and ask for his embrace.”

Melanie pulled the diamond from the dagger and stepped into the shallow waters of the fountain, placing the red shard within the twisted mouth of the golden face. Slowly the mouth closed down and the diamond disappeared. The eyes of the figure lit up, a dark burning red. “I offer my body and soul to you, you use as you desire, to command as you need and to fulfill the needs of the sisterhood.” Its mouth opened again and with it came a thick stream of blood as the fountain surged to life once more.

“Strip down and bathe in the life blood of Senhor Escuro ; drink of his vein sister and feel immortality purge from your mortal soul. Feel the weakness of your flesh disappear and accept the gifts he bestows.” Kassandra encouraged.

Melanie removed her clothing and stepped into the flow of thick blood that poured from the fountain’s mouth. The liquid covered her smooth, tanned body, painting every inch of her womanly curves.

“This is fucking madness!” Mark cried, desperately trying once last attempt to struggle free of his bindings.

Alcina dipped a silver goblet into the new crimson waters of the fountain and walked over to Jessica and lifted her face up to meet hers. “It is now time for your promise to truly begin.”

Jessica swallowed back her mounting fear and nodded. “What would you have of me?”

“The cycle must continue as it has since time began.” Alcina took her hand and led her to stand in front of Mark. “You will be the shepherd that flocks them to us as Melanie was before you.” She grinned down at Mark. “And he will be your puppet.”

“I will be no such thing.” Mark spat bitterly.

Alcina ran her slender hand down the side of his face and he pulled away from her touch as if it burnt him, “as if you have a choice. You must take his life with your own hands.”

Jessica took a step back nervously. “I... I don’t think I can do that.”

“You must.” Kassandra whispered in her ear behind her, not letting her retreat any further. “A promise was made.” She reminded her. “To break it would anger Senhor Escuro and what wrath would fall upon you and yours would be unthinkable. Think of your innocent mother and what ill fates could befall upon her, if such a god became angry.”

Melanie climbed from the fountain; her body glistened with a red aura. “The first one is always the hardest. Everyone after will become easier.”

“Don’t listen to them Jess!” Mark pleaded and Alcina hand struck his face for his efforts.

“How many times must I do this?”

“When a thousand full moons rise and fall and a thousand men’s souls are consumed, your promise will be complete.” Callisto told her. “Now take his life so that he may rise again in servitude.”

“Don’t do this Jess,” Mark said fearfully as she moved in front of him, “this isn’t you, this doesn’t need to happen.”

She licked her lips nervously. “A promise was made.” She whispered placing her cold hands around his neck. “My mother needs me to do this... there’s no going back now.”

Mark’s eyes bore into hers, hoping to reach her before it was too late. “I knew it was you beside me this morning.”

Jessica shut her eyes tightly as tears escaped down her cheeks.

“It must be done quickly!” Alcina commanded. “The hour grows late and the moon starts its descent.”

“Jess, I lo...” But his voice was cut short as her gripped tightened.

“I’m sorry!” Jessica cried out tears rolling down her face freely now as her fingers dug into the flesh of his throat. “I’m so sorry...” she could feel him thrash and spasm beneath her grip but she would not open her eyes, could not. Her cries of anguish drowned out the sound of his dying gurgles and for that she was thankful.