Stalking in Shadow: Chapter five

Chapter five

I came to with a scream of pure agony, as it slowly dulled into a throbbing nothingness Faolon’s face swarm into view, his molten gold eyes glinting in amusement.

“Welcome back hunter.” He said in the annoyingly growling voice of his.

I groaned, looking up at the heavy weight on my wrists to release that I seemed to be the new extremely unwilling sacrifice for tonight, well now; my life just seemed to be getting better and better.

The Roalver on the other hand seemed to be in silent argument with his hellhound that seemed to include a lot of hand waving, low growling and snapping of jaws. From where I was it seemed that the mutt was winning.

The high priest was watching me with an evil grin; upon noting that I was paying attention to him his grin grew wide enough to show teeth. “Don’t worry hunter, I’m sure Faolon has a rather painful death awaiting you in the abyss, I’ve heard his mistress has a rather incentive way of making people’s lives hard.”

Oh, isn’t that sweet. Apparently all the Roalver and priest needed to make up, was to catch an unsuspecting innocent and sacrifice them to the demon. “I just bet she does.” I growled, trying to flick my wrist enough for my spring action wrist sheath to work.

Faolon kicked the stone alter I was tied to in annoyance. “Mutt here,” He said in obvious anger as he mentioned to his hellhound, “Isn’t allowing me to kill this hunter, thinking that since my mistress is looking for a new slave having a VCOA dog under her thumb will help her reputation greatly.”

Ok, why did the hellhound give a crap wither I lived or not? Maybe the Roalver was actually insane? Thinking that his companion could actually talk to him?

And, where the hell was Zac? If I was dragged into the abyss while he dragged his heels back to base I was going to kill that cocky little bastard, even if I had to come back from the dead to do it.

“Looks like you lot will get to see your goddess after all.” Faolon muttered with a small frown. “But this will be the last time I’ll let you get away with trying to summon her early.” He warned before turning and facing the alter I was restrained on. Making complicated hand motions he murmured softly under his breath in Latin.

I jumped violently in surprise as a female wearing a skimpy blood red dress with long lanky light brown hair that brushed the top of her shoulders stepped out of apparently nowhere next to me. Her prefect pale skin seemed to resonate, its own soft light in the darkness of the clearing as her unnatural black eyes skimmed over the silently waiting crowd before resting on her nervous looking servant.

“Faolon, why did you call me here?” She demanded in a sultry tone as she ran her fingers slowly down the unatoned side of his face, her talon like nails leaving four bleeding cuts on his cheek.

Leaning slightly into her nails, he closed his eyes. “I’m sorry mistress. But, Mutt is convinced that this hunter will make a good addition to your dwindling stables.”

Ornias looked at the hellhound briefly when Faolon mentioned its name before looking back up at her Roalver. “And what do you think my pet?”

“I think he’d make better fodder for the lesser demons mistress, it has been a long time since you’ve given them anything to play with.” The servant replied frankly, causing me to think that he was highly regarded over her other servants and slaves.

“Of course you would.” She said sharply, resting her hand lightly on the hellhounds head. “Now I remember why I kept your humanity.” She muttered almost thoughtfully to herself. “Whilst Mutt thinks with his heart, you do whatever takes your fancy.”

Well now, that was an interesting titbit. I couldn’t help but wonder what sort of person Faolon had been before he’d pissed off the wrong demon and had his ability to feel and give compassion stripped and placed into the hellhound, a punishment for both parties.

“What is your name hunter?” She demanded, her eyes alone letting me know that she would be ultra pissed and that my punishment will be long in ending if I lied to her.

“Tor Desmond.” I replied, winching slightly as he eyes shone in recognition.

“Tobias Leon Desmond.” She simpered in delight, “VCOA dog and son of Paul James Desmond. Did you know he was a real thorn in our sides?” She asked as she casually slid her hand down Faolon’s chest. I shook my head slowly in confusion, unable not to feel sorry for the Roalver, as her touch seemed to be anything but pleasant.

“Yes.” Ornias muttered softly as she stroked her servant in an idle manner. “I didn’t think you would know what your father was up to in the cult. Very secretive he was, though it seems to be an inheritable thing by the looks of you.”

I frowned at her, trying to get my head around what she was hinting at. But she turned her attention to the silently fascinated crowd. Leaning her weight onto one leg, she rested her hand lightly on her hip and flipped her hair over her shoulder, appearing even more seductive; something I would have said was impossible three seconds before.

“Why have you called me two moons early cleric?” She demanded of the high priest in a sultry voice filled with deadly warning.

The priest shifted his weight nervously; seemingly to have lost all the bravado and contempt he held for her servant, Then again, Ornias was a mite bit scarier.

“I, uh, your loyal followers merely wished to show you our fellowship and offer you a sacrifice.” He stammered, keeping his eyes lowered in either shame or fear or both.

Ornias frowned as she waved her hand subtly, Faolon and Mutt were instantly at her side, and his molten eyes started glowing slightly as he looked at the priest, “Mistress?” He asked in a soft obedient voice.

“What do I do to those who disobey my direct orders?” She asked in a thoughtful tone, leading me to believe that she honestly didn’t remember.

Faolon on the other hand, grinned grimly. “Kill them of course, mistress.”

“That’s what I thought.” She muttered, before looking back at the priest with hard eyes. “Since you are a loyal follower and a lowly human, I’m going to give you a chance to talk your way out of your death.”

The priest paled considerably under his mask as he shifted his weight with a nervous lick of his lips. “Well.” He began slowly, clearly thinking furiously. “I’ve served you loyally for the past twenty years, working my way up the…”

Ornias made a frustrated noise under her breath; raising her left hand she clutched her fingers tightly into a ball. I couldn’t look away as the priests face went bright red, then purple before exploding into a bloody mess of brains and bone fragments. Faolon leaped forward with a small circular glass vial, resting it over the bloody mess the clear vial turned a slight green colour before he stepped back and slipped it into a pouch that rested on his belt. I felt the blood rush out of my face as I realised that the Roalver had captured the poor man’s soul. Something told me that he would be spending the next few decades in the lower circles of hell.

“Let this be a warning to the rest of you!  I will not tolerate disobedience from followers no matter how loyal and irreplaceable they consider themselves!” She called loud enough for the entire congregation to hear.

Whatever else she was going to add to the speech was cut off by the welcoming sound of choppers swooping in low over the treetops. I couldn’t hold back a slightly hysterical laugh as the VCOA helicopter hovered above the clearing, ropes appearing as shock troops hurried into the clearing to round up the cultists before they could vanish into the surrounding bush.

Ornias snarled, her enlarged canines standing out vividly against her blood red lips. “We’ll meet again Tobias Leon Desmond.” She threatened as Faolon hacked down a trooper that got too close to his mistress with twin blades that were pure black which seemed to suck up any light that got near them. “I’m not even close to being done with you.” She shouted, as she clapped her hands firmly, vanishing in a swirl of flames, taking the Roalver and hellhound with her.

“Tor!” An annoyingly familiar voice shouted as the rope vanished from my wrists. “What the hell happened?”

I sat up slowly, smiling tiredly at Zac with a small shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine mate.” I muttered, staring thoughtfully at where the demon was standing half a minute ago. Thinking that it was high time I talked to my dad about his position in the cult.