THE ANOINTED 3: PROPHECIES OF FIRE (2 page)

“It can be made to work against us as well. And we not allow its power to be lost to us, no matter the cost. But your mercenaries have been getting the job done without it, does that satisfy your curiosity, my son?”

Cornelius struggled from shouting out no! But he gathered his emotions and nodded. Now was not the time or place to question the many times he had heard here tonight.

“I see the humbling wisdom in your words, my lord. I’m sorry for questioning your will. All orders will be carried out to the letter.”

Smiling tightly, Cornelius turned to bow to the omnipotent.

“Will the omnipotent be joining us here tonight, my lord?” he asked, wishing he could tear the man’s beating heart out of his chest.

“No, our omnipotent has other important work to do.”

As if the words had been an order, the omnipotent faded lightly to nothing as he disappeared. The corner he had been standing in was empty, as if had never been there. But Cornelius knew better. He could still feel the pain the man had inflicted on him with ease. When he found out who it was, he would pay for his actions here tonight.

“Now, let’s get back to the mindless sheep before they start to think on their own,” Anais said dryly while tossing back the remains of his drink in one swallow.

CHAPTER THREE

Cornelius was scowling menacingly as he reentered the party and made his way back to where he had left his wife. The events inside of Anais’ study had shaken him more than he realized and he was anxious to be away from this place. Each time he had visited here, the memories have not been pleasant. He came up on the congressman’s pretty wife standing alone, looking bored and extremely piss.

“Mrs. Holliday, can I intrude on you to ask the whereabouts of my wife?” he asked with a half-smile.

With a touch, he sent a signal that replaced the boredom on her face with lust and she closed the gap between them to place the tips of her breast on his chest and tried to caress his face with her finger. He grabbed her wrist as she giggled like a school girl. He was so occupied with his own thoughts that he had forgotten to mask the powers that drifted through his pores and produced a powerful intoxicant that attracted human females.

“She’s probably somewhere with that no good husband of mines, committing multiple sins and adultery,” she purred the last few words as she licked her lips. “Forget about them. How about me and you getting to know each other?” she asked lustfully.

Cornelius ripped his gaze away quickly before his eyes placed her in a more hypnotic state. He also pulled back the waves of aura that was affecting her and muted it. Another time, another place, he would’ve gladly tasted what the woman offered. But he did not want to stay near Anais no more than necessary.

Mrs. Holliday blinked rapidly as she shook herself from a dream.

“W…what just happened?” she asked before gasping and jerking her breast away from him, as if she had been burned.

“I…I don’t know what… came over me,” she sputtered embarrass.

“That’s okay, Mrs. Holliday. I been known to have that effect on women.”

With a squeak, she fled in her bright red high heels. Cornelius chuckled in amusement, in spite of himself. At least some things were still entertaining. He closed his eyes as the music and noise vanished as he reached out with his mind.

*****

Cornelius’s wife and the congressman were, at the moment, hidden in the deepest shadows of a bedroom they found on the ground floor kissing and petting heavily.

The moment after Cornelius had left them, Cathy saw no harm in the sweet seduction of the horny congressman by whispering dirty suggestions in his ear, despite his ice queen of a wife hovering near them. Taking him by the hand, she led him out the shadows into the moonlight of the bed. The congressman’s hands were like a snake as they roamed over every inch of her body.

He was caught up in a powerful lust that her body gave off. Cathy herself panted with desire and longing, as her eyes settled on the throbbing vein on the side of his neck. Her heightened senses picked up the faint traces of hot fresh blood and it almost sent her over the edge into a frenzy. Her fangs enlarged themselves with readiness and anticipation.

She worked his leather belt that held up his pants until they drop down around his ankles to reveal heart stamped boxers. Ripping open his shirt, she sent the buttons flying in every direction as she lowered her mouth to place rough kisses upon his chest.

“OUCH!” he yelped and tried to touch the spot where she had drawn blood. “You bit me!”

Her hands entwined with his as she pulled them down to his sides.

“Just relax Mr. Congressman. I’m about to take you to a place you can’t imagine existed,” she whispered.

He looked up into her face to see the tiny dark spot of blood on her lips. She darted her pink tongue out to lap up the precious liquid. Her eyes glowed with a crimson shine. Her smile was slow forming, like that of a hunting wolf. It showed the anticipation before the kill. Learning in for a bite, she was just about to show the congressman just how lethal her sexual appetite had become when she felt her husband’s presence into her mind.

My wife. What are you doing?

The question bounced through her mind with an itching quality. She shielded her thoughts quickly.

“Just having an innocent conversation with your old friend,” she replied out loud.

Her husband’s laugh echoed in her head.

“Who are you talking to?” the congressman asked in a puzzled voice. His breath smelled heavily of liquor.

“Just stand still and keep your mouth shut, I’ll be right with you in a sec.” Her voice was irritated now.

She was so close, but denied at the door step of pleasure. It wasn’t one of sex, it was of blood. I forbid you to feed off the essence of the man you have with you. This is not a pleasure visit and you of all people should know that. Plus, Anais has use for this one. Now come, I grow tired of this place.

Cathy sighed to control her frustration while her husband’s presence started to fade away. Play time was over with.

What a shame, she thought. We would’ve had so much fun! But she didn’t like to anger her husband. He had been kind enough to show her new things. And she wouldn’t risk the wrath of Anais.

She shivered in delightful fear. The man scared her. She looked at the congressman as she trailed her finger down his chest through the clogging blood that was the result of her bite. She placed the flesh into her mouth, tasting the sweet liquid like it was the world’s best sauce on her tongue.

“We could’ve had pure ecstasy congressman,” she said, releasing his skin.

“I regret we cannot finish our little rendezvous, but I’m dealing with a bunch of killjoys,” her voice went to a low seductive whisper.

“B…but please. You can’t leave me like this! I’m in love with you!” he pleaded in a thick whiny voice. “Damn my wife! I’m in love with you!”

She smiled, amused at the power her vampire pores oozed around her, like a perfume that spoke of endearment and love.

“Yes, I know sweetheart. Just remember, if I call on you again, do not resist my call. And I promise you things that will blow your mind.”

She backed up slowly into the shadows until only her crimson eyes was visible. The congressman wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took his eyes from the woman once and she was gone.

CHAPTER FOUR

Nathan took his time to walk around the woman in front of him, his eyes taking in every detail. The woman’s eyes looked back at him with the curiosity at being examined. But otherwise, she remained silent as she, in turn, studied him. He reached out to touch her and the woman shimmered as his hand passed neatly through her.

“Data support’s PPH system. A live visual link anywhere in the world that her supercomputers are connected to the sect’s property,” a voice explained to him as he continued to study the image in front of him.

The woman’s skin was smooth and flawless as she stood there clothed in a silver silk robe that left little to the imagination. Her long blond hair spilled out behind her in golden waves as it moved, slightly raising and falling like it was in a breeze. This was the new added program that had recently been upgraded by one Sterling Graham in the last few days.

After they allowed him to return for his equipment and tools he had secured in warehouses across Europe, he had turned out to have some useful technology that matched perfectly with the sect’s programs. Mr. Graham had been seriously wasting his talents at arms dealing. His title of weapon/computer specialist looked like it would be well deserved.

The PPH system program enabled the main program to physically interject itself into a woman’s image when it manifested itself. PPH was short for Personality Projected Hologram system.

“Will all our sectional heads have their own entry codes for their own information input and personal use? It wouldn’t be good for them to think I was looking over their files without their blessings,” stated Nathan.

“PPH is able to separate individual files for each of your sectional leaders. It’s like upper management of a corporation having storage space for any confidential files. PPH will be totally non-accessible to anybody else except the user of that peculiar section, but the sect’s main computer will have total control over everything else,” replied Graham.

“It’s a genius set up. How did you come about it?”

“I came upon a discarded hologram program while visiting my friends in Beijing about black market anti-tank missiles. The Brits had an interconnecting technology program that I used to combine into what you see before you.”

Nathan nodded still in thought.

“How about we go see how Thomas is holding up?”

Nathan could see the smooth face of the man in front of him as he scowled at the name. Thomas was a very sore subject with the man.

“You still haven’t forgiven him for dragging you away from your former life?” Nathan asked, barely able to keep the laughter from coating his voice.

“That little stunt in Africa could’ve gotten me cut up into little pieces, the bastard. You try to be forgivable when you’re staring down the barrel of two AK-47s waiting for a homicidal general with no conscious to give the order to shoot.”

“He felt it was the only way to get you to seriously consider our proposition.”

“Yeah, guns tend to do that. But it could have been done another way.”

Nathan shook his head.

“No, you were into things that had a dark aura that was eating at your soul. So, you were giving a choice to correct wrongs you caused in this life at gun point. To change your path in life or end your darkness and chaos was your own choice. You knew you couldn’t go on like you were because in the end, the best out was for you to accept our proposition.”

Graham put his head in his hands as he rubbed his face. “You know, you sound like a holy man, a preacher perhaps.”

“A man doesn’t have to be holy to know the difference between good and evil. Only you can know the depths of darkness in your heart, no matter if you believe in one god or another. When you give into that darkness willingly, that’s when you start to lose pieces of yourself bit by bit. Somewhere deep down, you never wanted to stay in that way of life. So cheer up, you only have Thomas to thank for you having a chance to correct your wrongs.”

Graham scowl returned deeper than before.

              Thomas came awake slowly. His senses tried to refocus as he felt groggy, like the world around him was sinking in quicksand. It took a minute for his senses to gradually return and at once, he absently noted that he laid in a light green painted room. The bed he was in was comfortable, in a sort of hospital way. He could now hear the steady beeps of the machines that were responsible for the tubes that covered him. His eyes were drawn to the sound of the opening door that admitted Nathan and a scowling Graham.

“I see you’re finally shaking off the drugs,” Nathan said as he approached the bed alone.

“Gimme the use of one of his pillows and I think I can rectify his consciousness,” Graham stated, standing at the door with his arms crossed.

Even groggy, Thomas could tell that the man still had a bee up his ass.
Hey, you couldn’t make everybody happy with your methods
, he thought.

“What happened? It feels like I been hit by a Mack truck twice inside of an hour.” His mouth was dry as he talked and it felt like it hadn’t had a drop of moisture in days.

Nathan noticed it and passed him a silver bowl of ice cubes that sat on a table by his bed. At least someone thought of his comfort.

“Yeah, we were told by the doctors that the procedure would do that. Try to relax, the feeling will fade in a day or two. Our doctors said you’re healing nicely. More so on schedule.”

“You sure we can’t turn off his morphine drip for shit and giggles?” asked Graham from the door.

Thomas turned to look at him with bloodshot eyes. “Look, I can deal without the wisecracks Graham. You still got issues with me? Then spit it out.”

“Besides the fact that you ruined my name in arm’s dealing while almost getting me killed in the process? And committing me to a war that I was blissfully unaware of?”

“So the fuck what, Graham. Stop being six years old and picking at an old wound. You and I both know that if I hadn’t done what I did, you would’ve been somewhere in the Middle East selling sand flea repellent and AK-47s, so cut the innocent bullshit. I have given you a chance to make up to the entire human race for your years of profit from violence. Blood and war.”

“If you ask me, I was just supplying what the world was begging for. If not me, they would get the weapons from somebody, and the wars would’ve happened regardless.”

“Then, why are you still here Graham? Why come, if you were so happy trading missiles?”

“Because I gave my bloody word! Even under the threat of death, you know I always honor my word, you friggin’ wanker.

“It’s the reason why you sold me out in Africa. But nevertheless, I’m here now and if I get bloody killed because of you, I’ll haunt your bloody dreams.”

“Alright then, you prick, stop sulking and being a smartass.”

A smirk started to spread on Thomas’s face. “You’re to follow orders now, Graham.”

“Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but while you were in dreamland, I made my bones with the boss. Call it a reconstruction of my usefulness. The story of it is, you’re not my boss.”

“Well, congratulations, knowing your track record for negotiating ship loads of guns. What else did you ‘reconstruct’?”

Graham’s lips actually broke into a smile for the first time since entering the room. “You do know me, don’t you? Well, I just so happen to negotiate a role as the new OSI- On Scene Improviser- dealing in all things in weapons, transportation, and technology. It may take you months or years to master the armor you been fitted with and yes, I seen the blueprint breakdown, but the good news is that I’m your specialist until you get things right on your own.”

“Oh lord,” Thomas said, closing his eyes painfully at the revelation.

“Please tell me Nathan, that for all I done so far, I’m not being punished for some reason.”

“It was your idea that we bring him in on to anchor our weapon/security systems. So, I think it’s only fair that you’re both joined at the hip, so you can keep an eye on each other. I think it will help patch up some deep dark issues in your new found relationship.”

Thomas groaned and shook his head in misery. “Dammit man, a victim of my own genius. If you keep acting like you wanna put a knife in my back Graham, we have a problem. And until you fix it, stay the hell out of my way. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it you wanker, scouts honor.”

“Like the boy scouts would’ve admitted you.”

Thomas lifted a hand that wasn’t covered in bandages and turned it over slowly, examining it as if it would unlock something different in himself.

“I don’t think x-ray vision was one of your functions,” Graham said sarcastically.

Thomas ignored him.

“When the feeling of nausea has passed, you will be taught to find the switch within yourself to bring your armor to the surface. Mr. Sawatasishi and our doctors declared that your body was the perfect test model.”

“Look Nathan, don’t talk like that, it makes me feel like some kind of lab rat.”

“The good news is the healing stage should be accelerated, due to the armor’s own healing technology.”

A sharp knock interrupted their conversation. Graham moved to open the door, just as Sam stuck her head in the room. Her eyes settled on Nathan.

“Nathan, I have been looking all over for you. You seem to move from place to place quickly with this one,” she said, referring to Graham with cold disapproval. She was the spitting image of her uncle.

“The ruling of the Eclipse had been brought from our sanctuaries for the meeting. Some are asking that they speak with you in private first. Our field report of our activities are waiting for you in the projection room.”

The sect had a video debriefing system.

“And last but not least, the Vatican has finally arrived.”

That caught Nathan off guard. While the last visit from Vatican City had been expected, no one really thought they would come. For years, their voice had been silent on the matters of Anais. Until now.

“Thank you Sam. I heard good things about the infiltration squad successes and loss. Andrew would’ve been very proud.”

Andrew had fallen at the attack on the same place they stood in now. When they found him, it wasn’t enough to fill a shoe box.

Sam blushed a bit at the praise. “That means a lot coming from you, Nathan. Now, please go before the people upstairs waiting to see you cause a riot.”

Nathan nodded.

“Do me a favor and keep Thomas here company for a while, will you, until I get back?”

“You may be gone a very long time Nathan, but don’t worry, he’s in good hands.”

She gave a winning smile.

Nathan and Graham left, already in a low conversation.

Sam watched as she closed the door behind them and put her back to the door. She closed her eyes for a moment before releasing a sigh. As she opened them, a look of disgust twisted her lovely features. It was like she flipped a switch of night and day inside herself.

“So,” he said, drawing out the word slowly.

“From the look on your face, I take it that you share your late uncle’s opinion of my involvement in this, especially now.”

“You’re a plague,” she said in a low harsh voice.

“An outsider that has allowed another outsider into our way of life.”

Thomas wasn’t surprise, she was only one of many who felt that he didn’t belong here.

“It has been a world that hasn’t been breached by the outside world since its founding. How can you both even begin to understand our devotion and sacrifices in this? All you see is your own vengeance and it blinds you. Now, Nathan has made you one of us.” She spat on the floor in insult.

“That’s what I think of you, outsider.”

Thomas’ anger rose and his hand went to the bullet fragment on a chain around his neck. He had refused to let them take it off before the surgery. It was his only reminder of his wife and what had happened to her. When his fingers touched it, his anger flared anew. The demon responsible for her death must pay. He took a moment to lock the beast back in its cage. He would need it for later.

“The easiest thing of all is deceive oneself, for what a man wishes, he generally believes to be true.”

“Oh, so you’re a philosopher now?”

“Don’t be an ass Sam, it’s a quote by Demosthenes. But I said it in reference to you. You fool yourself if you don’t think vengeance doesn’t drive you also. Don’t deny it, I know the look. I lived it since my wife was taken from me, so save your speeches for those you now command. I know what I am and what moves me. Do you?

“I am a free agent and that means your approval is crap to me. Got an issue with me? Get in line. I just went through this shit with that asshole, Graham.” Sam snorted harshly and Thomas anger flared once more.

He gritted his teeth. “You and your late uncle walk around like your own lives were the only ones effected by this war. What about the rest of us who have loss love ones? You think you have your own personal license for revenge and others should wait on the sidelines where we belong?”

He snorted his own contempt.