~ Dead Things, Part 2 ~

~ DEAD THINGS ~

~ Part Two ~

Approaching the front door prompted Meta to ask for identification from the 9 foot Giant. Lucuis ignored the request and tried the knob. An electric shock that would incapacitate a normal man caused him to snatch his hand back. It pissed him off more than hurt. He kicked the door in easily and ducked low to enter. He was pleasantly surprised to find 10 foot ceilings. He loved the old houses. Meta’s voice rang throughout. “I am calling 911. You are being recorded. Exit the premises or you will be prosecuted.”

Lucuis touched a keypad on the wall by the front door. “Meta. Cancel that.”

“Canceled,” said Meta’s unemotional voice.

The house was decorated contemporary, except for one wall of hanging weapons. A spear, a Halberd, a bullwhip and a battle axe framed several different types of swords. He noticed that one sword was missing.

Doreen came at him from his left with a Katana. He caught her swing and the blade bit deep into his hand as he snatched the weapon away from her. Doreen saw what should have been a serious wound barely dribble blood. He smiled at her. Yeah, he liked them feisty. As he pinched the skin back together on his hand instantly sealing the wound, she shifted nervously, looking for an escape and beginning to feel helpless. “How did you disable Meta?”

“One of my special talents. I have many. My father and the Greys spent thousands of years and seven incarnations perfecting them. I normally kill women after I finish with them. That’s right, I’m going to fuck you six ways to Sunday. The Greys don’t like me spreading my seed willy-nilly. But I have taken to you. I could use someone like you. So I’m probably giving you a baby and letting you live. I say probably because sometimes I just get carried away. If you survive, I’ll tell you all about me. It will make nice pillow talk.”

Doreen lunged for the weapon wall but Lucuis caught her by the hair and dragged her upstairs, kicking and screaming.

**********

Breaking dawn crept in the window. The ritual was done and Wisty was exhausted. She went around the barn blowing out the dozens of burning candles and feeling the weight of regret and guilt. She shook it off. It was this or lose Doreen, the baby and David E. No point in dwelling on it. She checked the vitals of the Si-Ti-Cah. Mere hours before he was Lucius’ dead brother, Bemoth. A rotting, putrid corpse of a giant. Now his chest was moving, breathing. The greenish color of his body was turning pink. The swelling from internal gasses seemed to be gone. She pushed her finger into his bicep and the skin was tight. The wounds were healing at an amazing rate as well. Logically, all good indicators that the animation was successful. She had done it. She had taken the body of a warrior, the heart of a monster, and the soul of a demon and commanding the most abominable necromancy, raised a Draugr. An invincible Demonic Warrior the likes of which even Hell itself had rarely seen. Wisty Wix was a White Witch and having only once in desperation summoned the Hellfire of Aamon to kill an unholy slayer, her experience with Dark Magiks was limited to one purgatorial event. The spell had gone disastrously wrong, killing not only the Hybrid Assassin but also wiping out her parents, her familiar and her Coven ~The Sisters of Remedy. Raising this monster would cost her dearly: body, mind, and soul. She already felt it's reckoning invading her Karmic essence.

The tiny voice in her head said, “Momma, no. It will be worth it. Today, you… we, have changed the world. You’ll see.”

“I hope you’re right Mon Petite,” Wisty said out loud to the Hybrid child growing in her womb.

Lilith had spent the last few hours motionless in a cross legged transcendental pose. She opened her eyes and stood in one motion. “Did you say something Wix?”

“Not to you. I was talking to my baby.”

Lilith wrinkled her brow. “Really?” She started to pursue the statement but dropped it. “You’re done? What’s the prognosis?”

“Everything seems pretty good. But we have to wait and see to be sure.”

Lilith went over and prodded the gangly pile of legs and arms that had been the Demon Nephilim, Lucy Lange. It was definitely dead. She sighed decisively. “Huh. Okay then.” She walked over to Wisty and gave back the weaponized prosthetic hand. Wisty attached it and flexed the fingers. “And just between us girls. Can it be killed?”

Wisty thought back to the wielding of Dark Magik that had taken everything she loved in the world. “Perhaps. There may be a way.”

“I knew you were the right choice for this, Wix. A retrieval team will come and pick up this mess.” She pointed to Lucy’s remains. “The Greys will want the Nephilim DNA. There’s just one more thing to go over. A freight truck is coming for the Draugr at noon tomorrow. I want you to go with it.” Wisty started shaking her head adamantly. “Now listen Wix. I need someone involved to protect my interests. Lucuis and I basically have the same end game, but he is neither trustworthy nor reliable. And Lucy, or rather the Draugr, is a complete wildcard at this point.”

“No, Lilith, No way. I am done with this.”

“That’s cute Wix. Of course you’re not done. Let me explain. Once Lucy gets the Crystal Computer Skulls and Lucuis hacks them, his next order of business is you. You look surprised. You couldn’t know this but Lucy cannot foresee the consequences of your actions.”

“What?”

“That’s right. His Sight doesn’t work on you. His ability to see the future allowed him to play his chess game with Humanity for centuries, but then near the end, you became the x-factor. The unknown quantity. I knew. Lucy did not. You look skeptical. Think about it. You rescued your parents and killed that Draugr they sent after you and your Coven when you were only a teenager. Saved the Hybrid leader from assassination 10 years ago. And your Sasquatch allies were the main reason that Debbie won the Hybrid war against Lucy’s horde and was able to transform into that pain-in-the-ass Comista bitch that she is now. If Lucy had foreseen any of it, you would have died in your crib. Lucy is finally on to you. He will kill you at some point and it won’t be pretty. But I prefer that you live. I see your value in the long haul.”

“That was a Draugr they sent to kill us under the mountain?”

“Yes my dear, and somehow you destroyed it. David Major will be there. Lucy will use him to get access to the vault, then kill him. I would think you want to be there to protect both of our interests. I know your weaknesses now. Doreen Svoboda, David, the child you carry. I own you woman.”

Wisty hung her head in submission. “David E.,” she mumbled.

“What?”

She looked up defiantly. “His name is David E. Not David.”

“I don’t give a shit… Look, Wix. You’ve done a good job and you’ve come this far. Don’t fuck it up now. As soon as I get back to Command, I’m promoting you to a level five.”

Wisty looked at her, dead pan. “Fuck you Lilith Primus.”

“Right back at you, Babe. I have a car waiting outside, so listen up. I’m only going over this once, then I’m outta here.”

**********

With the garage back in order, Wisty set two trash bags by the barn door and headed wearily towards the house. Oh no! Why was Doreen’s Corvette still there? Wisty ran.

The front door was demolished. She frantically searched the house and was horrified by what she found upstairs. Just below the collar bone, a Samurai sword went completely through Doreen and had her pinned to the hardwood floor. She was naked and badly bruised on her body and face. Lucuis did this. He raped Doreen just as he had raped her. “Oh Mother Earth! Doreen!” Wisty shrieked. Wisty struggled pulling out the sword and slung it aside. Doreen groaned and tried to move. “Easy Baby. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” Wisty put her on the bed and said, “Meta call 911. We need an ambulance.”

Meta’s response was short. “No, not at this time.”

Lucuis again. “That son-of-a-bitch,” she said under her breath. “I’ll kill him. I’ll kill Lilith. I’ll kill that motherfucking Draugr. I’ll kill them all for this.”

“Mother wait.”

“Not now Mon Petite, this doesn’t concern you.” She went to the bathroom. She would need towels, antiseptic, something for sutures, bandages. Oh they would pay. Goddammit they would pay.

“Mother. You’re wrong. Listen to me.”

Wisty stopped. “What?”

“Father did this for us, for you.”

“No, that’s nuts. He raped her, left her for dead.”

“No momma. He gave her a child. Like he gave you, with me. Aunt Doreen would have never accepted me. You know that. Father didn’t mean to hurt her. It’s just his way. He can’t help it. Think. Doreen will be with us now. You, her, David E. together, raising us as brothers. You know I’m right. Think about what we could have. A loving family.”

In some convoluted way he was making sense. The anger began to subside. “I will Mon Petite. I’ll think about it. First things first. I have to help her.”

**********

Wisty kept a vigil next to the bed dozing on and off for a couple of hours. She was dog-tired and hungry but couldn’t bring herself to leave Dorey alone just yet. She had been thinking about what Mon Petite told her. He was right. She and Doreen were linked now by blood and Karma. They could spend the rest of their lives together as mothers, sisters, lovers, and wives to David E. It all made sense. Doreen opened her eyes and moaned as she raised up. Wisty eased her back down. “Easy D. Don’t try to get up yet. Just rest.”

Doreen touched her left shoulder and grimaced. Then the tears flowed. “He raped me Wisty. He hurt me.”

Wisty stroked her hair and spoke soothingly. “I know Sweetie. But we’ll get through this. I’m here for you. I’ll never leave you again.”

“Wisty, he said he impregnated me.”

“Yes Honey. I know. It’s a great honor.”

“Wisty, that’s not funny. I need to get one of those morning after pills or something.” She tried to get up again and the pain held her back.

“Doreen. Stop. You’re in no condition to do anything right now. You need rest.”

“Yes, your right. I can get an abortion as soon as I’m better. But I don’t want this thing in me. Wisty, you’re a Witch. You must know some spell or herbs or something that will induce a miscarriage, don’t you?”

Wisty sighed heavily. “Doreen. I know it all seems bad right now. But this is actually a gift. A chance for me and you and David E. to have a life together. You just need a little time.”

“Wisty why are you saying this. You sound crazy.”

“Just let me explain. In only a few more hours his sperm and your egg will have formed a zygote. Then you will understand. Then you will see the truth of it.”

“Oh Lord.” It all came staggeringly together in Doreen’s mind and she realized that she had very little time left. “He raped you too. That’s his baby, not David E’s. He has some kind of hold over you now. And this baby would give him control of me too.” Determined and with a cry of pain, Doreen started up again. Wisty held her but she struggled and wouldn’t give up. Reluctantly, Wisty choked her until she passed out.

Doreen came to and saw Wisty standing at the door watching her. She tried to get up and realized that her right wrist was handcuffed to the bed post. “Wisty. I love you. If you have any feelings for me, please for God’s sake, don’t do this.”

“This is for the best D. I’m right, you’ll see. I gave you a Syrette of morphine for the pain. You must be hungry. I’ll go make you some lunch.” Doreen’s pleading screams followed Wisty through the house as she headed down the stairs to the kitchen. As Wisty put on some soup, the wailing faded. After some thumping and scraping noises there was silence. “Finally. She is a stubborn woman Mon Petite.”

“Yes Momma. Strong-willed, like you.”

Wisty backed open the bedroom door with a tray of chicken soup, a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee. What she saw froze her blood and the tray crashed to the floor. Doreen had managed to drag the bed over to the closet. There she lie on blood soaked sheets, a straightened coat hanger still up inside of her.

“Oh my God Doreen! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

**********