Raga Six (A Doctor Orient Occult Novel) (9 page)

"Oh, I’m so glad you came," she said, slipping her arm through his. "Tonight’s a glorious night for me."
 

"You look glorious," Orient observed.
 

Kali smiled. "For three months I’ve had to purify myself, but tonight I’m ready."
 

"Ready for what?"
 

"Tonight I’m admitted to the Circle."
 

"Better explain," Orient said, shaking his head. "I still don’t get it."
 

"Of course you don’t," Kali laughed. "But I’ll tell you as much as I can. The last week of every month is the meeting phase. When we help people. If Gregory chooses, you’re allowed to attend three phases, that’s nine meetings. After that you’re considered for the Circle."
 

"What about the Slavies?"
 

"They want to join, but they’re not even ready to attend meetings. They serve the Circle until the time when they’re mature enough for purification. But if Gregory thinks someone has strong vibrations, like you, they’re invited to observe. If Gregory agrees after that, you can begin purification right away."
 

Orient smiled. "What happens when you join the Circle?" He still couldn’t accept the fact that they were serious. It had all the stratifications of a high school secret club.
 

"You’ll see for yourself tonight," Kali said.
 

"Are all these people here to join?"
 

"Some. Most are here to get a favor from Gregory and Isis. And their blessing."
 

Orient didn’t answer. He knew that in every city, in every country on earth, there were people experimenting with some form of occult science. Most of them were deluded. But these kids didn’t give off the haphazard air of stumbling experimentation. And the men and women gathered in the storefront salon didn’t seem like the sort of people who were given to wasting time playing high school games with impressionable children.
 

"For two months I couldn’t take a bath, brush my teeth,
anything,
" Kali was saying. "That was my form of purification. Gregory said I was too vain."
 

The jingling sound of a bell cut off Orient’s question. A hush fell over the room. "I’ll see you later," Kali whispered. She walked over to the end of the room to join Thor and a black youth in white trousers and T-shirt who were standing near the curtain. The other people in the room waited in silence.
 

Kali lifted her hand and pulled a cord hanging next to the curtain. The linen drapes parted and slid back.
 

Gregory was standing behind a white table, the black seven-pointed star suspended directly over his high, shaven skull. A metallic object gleamed against the black leather covering his chest. It was a silver cross dangling upside down from a chain around his neck.
 

"Hello," he said shyly. As he spoke, Orient realized that Kali was right; Gregory appeared to be ageless. The clear, unlined skin and slender body could belong to a boy of sixteen, or an adept of a hundred and sixty. His melodic voice rang soft with compassion, but his round, amber eyes had the flat glint of timeless wisdom. "We meet tonight in celebration of the great and secret power of the universe,"
 

Gregory said, "a celebration of beauty and adoration." He looked around the room. "Please make yourselves comfortable."
 

There was a shuffled rustling as the men and women in the room
 

sat down on the pillows scattered about. Orient sat cross-legged on the floor.
 

"Those of you who have specific requests, please come forward,"
 

Gregory said.
 

Two women and one man rose, went up to the table and placed envelopes on the floor. Orient noticed that they placed the envelopes on the edge of a black circle that had been drawn around the table. He also saw that Gregory was standing in the exact center of the circle, and he became apprehensive. There was no doubt in his mind any longer. Gregory was attempting to perform some occult rite. He wondered what would happen if they boy could actually pull it off.
 

Gregory raised his arms above his head. "Isis," he called out, "come forth."
 

Gregory’s wife walked slowly into the room. She was dressed in a white cloak that she held wrapped around her. She appeared to be fresh and composed, totally unlike the grimacing, frightened creature
 

Orient had seen that afternoon. When she reached the circle, she let the cloak fall away, revealing her naked body underneath, and sat down on the table. She looked around and smiled. "Isis is ready to serve you," she said softly.
 

Kali approached the table holding a fluttering white dove in her hands. She held it out to Gregory, then backed away.
 

As Gregory held the bird against his chest, stroking its feathers, he began to intone a prayer. "In the power and the words of God, the God of power, Jesus the Christ of Nazareth, I conjure thee by the Angel Gabriel the unknown..."
 

His words rose and fell against Orient’s thoughts as he watched Isis close her eyes and slump over on the table. "Astaroth, Astaroth, I adjure thee by the sacred words Eloim, Sabaoth and Ya—" Gregory’s soft voice was clear in the stillness of the room. He held the dove over Isis’s head. "Astaroth, come then and accomplish our desires by the name of the Holy God." With a quick, careless motion of his fingers, he wrung the dove’s neck. The bird’s legs jerked and then stiffened. It died without making a sound. "Astaroth, come forward," Gregory whispered.
 

Isis suddenly sat up and went rigid. Her arms shot forward straight out in front of her body, her fists tightly clenched. A hoarse, almost masculine growl came from somewhere deep inside her belly and escaped through her contorted lips. "I come," she said.
 

Kali, Thor, and the black boy began to moan and sway from side to side.
 

"Will you grant our requests?" Gregory asked.
 

For a moment Isis was silent. Then she began to speak very slowly, her voice guttural and indistinct. "Mrs. Berry," she grunted. One of the women who had put an envelope in front of the circle raised her hand. "Here," she called out timidly.
 

"You must sign—contract you asked—about—will bring wealth."
 

 
"Thank you, Isis," the woman said.
 

 
"Thank Astaroth." The voice was deeper, almost menacing.
 

The woman hesitated. "Yes. Thank you—Astaroth," she said.
 

Isis’s shoulders began to jerk. Gregory put his hand on her neck and the movement stopped. "Mr. Kramer," Isis rumbled. The man who had placed his request before the circle flushed and half-rose, somewhat startled at hearing his name being uttered by the straining girl.
 

"Wife—will speak." Isis fell silent. Her body shuddered and her arms began to move back toward to her body, crossing slowly over her breasts, fists still clenched. When she began to speak, her voice was no longer low and coarse; it was pitched very high now, coming out as a squeaky whisper. "Arthur? It’s Agnes here."
 

The man struggled to his feet. "Agnes? You’re not dead," he stammered.
 

"There is—no death—only the journey—" The words were somehow out of synchronization with Isis’s curled lips. "Must have faith."
 

"But the will, Agnes," the man said quickly, taking a step forward.
 

"Will—can be found in—the attic—my chest." The voice became louder. "Must have—faith, Arth—" Isis stopped and her arms thrust forward again. She began to rock back and forth on the table.
 

The man looked confused and started to speak, but before he could say anything, Isis opened her mouth and began to shriek.
 

As if the screams were a signal, Kali began to tremble uncontrollably. She fell to the floor growling, and working her jaws like an animal gnawing on fresh-killed bones.
 

Thor and the black boy were rolling on the floor near her, their arms and legs twitching.
 

The room was suddenly filled by static electricity, and Orient felt his hair rising. Everyone else in the room seemed frozen with fear, their faces blank and uncomprehending. Orient looked up and saw Gregory standing with his head thrown back, muttering a jumble of words and phrases. Isis began to weep hysterically, her breath coming in choppy, hiccupping sobs. Thin streams of liquid were running down her thighs. It took Orient a moment before he realized it was urine.
 

Isis uttered a long, weak wail and fell to the floor unconscious. A brief flash of blue flame illuminated the star above the table, and abruptly all the noise and movement in the room stopped.
 

For long seconds everything was suspended in stillness. Then Thor got to his feet and pulled the cord hanging against the wall. The linen curtains closed Gregory and Isis off from view.
 

Orient moved to help Kali, but she was already on her feet. There were large wet stains on her gown, and her face was pale and covered with perspiration.
 

"All right now?" Orient asked.
 

Kali nodded, and sighed luxuriously. "Fine. I love it when Gregory calls Astaroth. He fills my whole body."
 

Orient didn’t answer. From the excited murmur of conversation buzzing around the room, he knew that most of the people there shared Kall’s rush of physical enthusiasm. His own thoughts, however, were numbed with fear and depression.
 

The curtains parted and Gregory stepped into the room. "One of you here had a request unanswered," he said, "but Isis is too exhausted to continue the celebration. If you wish, we are available for private consultation. There will be another celebration of the universal power of Astaroth in two days. Thank you for coming."
 

Most of the participants started filing toward the door, but a few lingered to talk to Gregory.
 

"Later," Kali whispered. "I’m on duty at the door."
 

Orient edged closer to the group surrounding Gregory. He had underestimated him, Orient admitted ruefully; the boy was able to wield sizable amounts of occult energy.
 

"It was just the greatest thing I’ve ever seen," the man who had contacted his dead wife was saying. "I’d clean forgotten about the chest. Nobody else could know. It was just fantastic."
 

Gregory bowed his head. "I’m glad we were of service."
 

"I want you to know I’m behind you and Isis a hundred percent," the man told him.
 

"But Isis," a woman said, "I’m worried about her, Gregory."
 

"My wife was overcome, but she’ll be completely normal in a few minutes," Gregory assured her. "Isis is proud to use her powers on your behalf."
 

Orient waited patiently until Gregory had finished chatting with his guests before approaching. There was a great deal he still wanted to know, but it wasn’t wise to appear too anxious. From now on he would have to move very carefully.
 

"Hello, Owen," Gregory said softly, "I’m pleased you could come."
 

Orient made himself smile. "Thanks for having me. It was fascinating."
 

Gregory nodded slowly, studying Orient. "Now you see that the power of the Circle can be of use to you."
 

"I believe it could. I’ve made some inquiries into psychic science myself, but never with results like that. Magnificent control."
 

The boy responded to the slight flattery. His amber eyes clouded over with pride. "Yes," he said, "I knew when I saw you. You’re sensitive."
 

"Was the rite to Astaroth you used according to Honorius?" Orient tried to sound casual, but he was tense. The information was crucial.
 

The mist faded from Gregory’s eyes, leaving them hard and alert.
 

A tiny vein in his smooth skull jumped. "I’m not sure," he purred.
 

"My wife and I developed our powers in California. There we discovered that Astaroth is goodness and fife." His smile was a cold dismissal. "But I must see about my wife. Good night, Owen." He turned and walked back through the curtain.
 

Orient frowned; Gregory wasn’t telling the truth. Astaroth was not goodness. The being was a guide of the left-hand path. Gregory
 

Gregory knew how to wield psychic energy, but it was negative energy. His power and that of Isis was Satanic in origin. Orient moved to the entrance. He was sure that the prayer to Astaroth was from the books of Honorius III, the occultist who became Pope. Perhaps Gregory had sensed the urgency behind the remark and guessed his intention. If that was the case, it would make everything difficult.
 

"Wasn’t it beautiful?"
 

Orient looked down and saw Kali standing just beside the door.
 

She was holding a wooden bowl in her hands. The bowl was filled with cash, and Orient saw that someone had dropped a diamond ring on top of the green bills." Looks like the Circle made a profit," he said.
 

"Oh, that." Kali make a face and set the bowl carelessly down on the floor. "We need it right now, but pretty soon we’ll be beyond money. As soon as the Circle is established." She took his hand and walked with him to the outside door. "There are more important things, you know. Like you and me."
 

Orient stopped at the door. He didn’t want to arouse Kali’s suspicions. "I think I was too moved by the celebration," he said. "I’m still not together."
 

Kali reached up and touched his cheek. "I understand," she said tenderly. "It was the same with me my first time."