Facing the Priest

As she stepped into the hallway of the first floor of the house she heard a muffled moan from the direction of the kitchen. First though she checked the front room and entrance to ensure no one was waiting to ambush her from behind, then slowly she crept to the door at the end of the hall, a light visible beneath it. Placing one hand upon the knob she prepared for whatever might be waiting on the other side.

Twisting the knob and yanking the door open and off the hinges she froze at the sight before her. A table had been flipped and laying against one wall as a middle aged woman was strung up by her ankles, her bound wrists hanging down just inches from the floor. A crimson veil covered her face and soaked her hair from a smooth slit across her neck. The blood dripping from her body to form a puddle on the floor with two young feral vampires lapping it up as they giggled uncontrollably.

Seated next to the back door was an intense man dressed in a tailored black suit, with a clergy collar. Four other soldiers stood behind him at attention, just awaiting their master’s orders. With a young woman bound and gagged kneeling at his feet tears running down her face.

The man smiled seeing Hekate burst through the door, clapping his hands as the two vampires paused to look up at who had interrupted their meal, offering a growl in her direction.

He laughed, “Crim, Rose to my side now, that is no way to treat our guest. So I was hoping the Infernals would send someone to check on these pitiful sinners. What tribe are you from girl, which realm?”

The twin vampire siblings dressed only in leather bands crawled over to sat at either side of their master’s chair, still glaring at the demon standing in the doorway.

Hekate frowned, she could feel the danger this man offered, “Who are you? You’re not a human, and I don’t think you are a Celestial, so Who are you?”

The man chuckled as he reached and drew a thin dagger from a sheath on his leg. “Oh, how rude of me, little girl, I am the one known as the Priest, I am the bane of your kind. Destroying all your kind as the abominations that your kind are. Children that were never meant to be by the creator.”

She frowned, “Oh a religious nut, I hate you hypocrites and preaching all love and mercy all while killing and torturing any that don’t fit in your limited little view. How many more innocents have to suffer for your selfrighteous ego.”

The man moved the tip of the dagger to the young bound woman’s throat. “Be careful little girl, you might not be able to save her after all if you test me. Now about how we started, which is your realm and what master do you serve?”

Hekate frowned, not daring to move closer, gritting her teeth as she hated having to talk to this man. “I am from Gehenna, and I willing serve King Belphegor. I am Hekate.”

The man laughed, “Hekate so you were named after that demon witch. Fitting her namesake would come from the slug king’s kingdom.”

She tensed, wanting to make this fool pay for disrespecting her father, but with the hostage and something tells her he is more dangerous than he seems.

He continued to smile, “Smart girl, I would have killed you and this sinner if you had attacked. So instead I want you to take a few messages back to your realm for me.”

She snarled, “What messages?”

One of the soldiers leaned in, “But sir, that is a monster, we must destroy her.”

The Priest frowned for a second, “It’ll be fine, but I find your faith lacking, Christopher.” Spinning the dagger in his hand and driving it up, beneath the man’s chin and through his mouth into the brain killing him instantly. Then looking back to Hekate he shook his head, “First, do you know that Zazela? Tell her I still remember it was her that made me this way, a monster instead of a Celestial this soul was meant for.”

A cats grin crossing his thin lips, “Also after this I will be leaving you, but tell that bastard Aiwass I am still waiting for our rematch and he still can’t protect his women.” Then rising to his feet and lifting his hostage up by the hair, he stabbed her in the side. “Choose child come for me and you both die, or perhaps you can save the filthy sinner.”

He and his companions filed out the door as Hekate rushed to the injured girl, cradling her in her arms, “Don’t worry, Catalina, I have you, don’t die, please don’t die, I will get you help.” Pausing only long enough to collect the souls of the hanged woman and the fallen soldier. Lifting the young woman in her arms she rushed back to the basement, the portal still shimmering as she stepped through it.

Calling out as she reentered the Shrine of Dawn, “Someone help me, she’s been stabbed, we must save her.”

Sherida turned pale as she witnessed Hekate stumble back through the portal covered in blood and cradling a young woman, “What happened?”

Two acolytes ran over taking the young woman from the succubus, “We will take her to the healers at once Mistress.”

Hekate growled dropping to her knees and slamming a fist on the marble floor, “Damn it, I was too late, he had already killed them. If only….”

Sherida had leaped from her altar and knelt next to the demoness wrapping her arms around her, “Are you hurt? You are covered in blood,”

Hekate just shook her head, “no, no, I’m fine, but I failed. I failed father, I couldn’t save them.” Her shoulders slumped as she leaned against the woman, tears flowing down her cheeks, her usual confident body trembling.

The Priestess just held her stroking her hair as she held her, allowing her to grieve till she was ready to see Belphegor.