Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:10:35 -0600 From: Jason Gordon Subject: Things That Go Bump, Ch. 13 Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction which will include t/t and m/m relationships, and probably some sex too. If it is illegal in your area to read this, or if you are not old enough to read this (you know who you are), stop here. Otherwise, please enjoy. Things That Go Bump, Chapter 13 "Under Siege" "Horatio, Roman, grab Avery.... James, help me with Richard.... To the safe room...." The four men helped the two men down the stairs, and were almost knocked off their feet by a rumbling in the ground. "Explosion, close by," Sebastian yelled as he dragged his friend to the door of the safe-room and led the men inside. He sealed off the room and then activated the house's magical defenses. "Two of my men are dead.... The rest have drawn into the house and will defend it from the inside.... But they'll never penetrate the walls," he said. Entering his code, he activated his access point to the Council subnet and typed in a quick message: "CODE BLACK ... Private residence of Sebastian van der Meer under attack ... CODE BLACK ... Human associate of Sebastian van der Meer, Peter Lively, abducted outside residence ... CODE BLACK ... Avery Salazar wounded ..." A moment later the phone in his pocket began to buzz as his highest alert went out to consuls the world over. Within ten minutes, most of the consuls were online. "Are you alright, Sebastian," Americ asked as soon as he was connected. "We're safe for now, my friend.... But the attack is ongoing.... Avery is unconscious.... Richard is ..." he looked over at his friend, who was staring off into space "inconsolable.... The boy they've taken was ... his...." Americ looked away and nodded. "What can we do?" "Not much, I fear.... If they don't break the walls, help will have time to arrive.... IF they do, well, they'll never get in here, but they'll destroy everything.... Except ... Christen Wheeler just came online ... Christen? "Sebastian! What's going on?" "A hit squad is at my home.... Could you contact the Queen and ask her to deploy battle wizards?" The woman thought a moment, then nodded and her screen went black. A moment later she returned. "The Queen thanks you for your friendship and is instructing the nearest squad to engage with extreme prejudice. Help is on the way," she said, hopefully. "Thank you Christen.... Brothers and sisters," he said, somberly addressing the assembled group, "the council has been betrayed.... Avery Salazar was not wounded in this attack. He was able to return to me from the Oracle just before the attack began. And Peter Lively was taken at least thirty minutes before the attack.... There is a well-ordered plan afoot...." Musa interjected, "The Oracle wounded Salazar?" "No, my friends.... The Council has been betrayed! The Oracle is dead, and Avery barely escaped with his life.... Someone silenced the Oracle before we arrived...." Ivan Breslov, consul of Western Russia, a shapeshifter of the rarest sort, a dragon, leaned in -- "The Oracle cannot be killed! This is a lie...." "No, Ivan, I'm sorry.... She is dead, and this could only be because of our resolution to seek her guidance.... Where is Chang?" Americ interjected, "Now wait.... I know he opposed your plan, but...." "I am presently harboring two men who have been on the run from Chang for months.... One of them has brought me information that indicates that Chang is behind the attack on my home, and I have no doubt that if that is so, he is willing to do anything...." Silence fell. Pedro Salazar picked up a landline and called a number. "The phone at Chang's compound has been disconnected, and they are currently off the subnet. They have cut communication with the Council...." Ivan smashed his fist into his desk and spat, "That bastard.... I'll tear him apart...." "I agree, Ivan," Sebastian said grimly as he felt another explosion through the ground. "But Chang isn't powerful enough to challenge the Council on his own.... And whatever his plan is, it can't be ready or he wouldn't have needed to eliminate the Oracle.... Horatio, his former agent, tells me he's been practicing a lot of serious ritual magic, and all the strange occurrences that have been happening...." Horatio stepped forward. "Based on what I know, Chang has agents in most of the consuls' staffs, some high level, some low level.... I believe he has struck here first, not only because of our arrival but also because Consul van der Meer is the most ancient active vampire in power, and so is the person most likely to challenge his plan.... I believe he always intended to come here first.... At least, he's always hated the consul that much...." "Thank you, Horatio.... I don't yet know what's going on, but, with the tremors in the valley of Kings, the zombie cruise, and theft of the Etruscan funerary jar...." "The theft of what," Roman said, interrupting. Americ answered, "An Etruscan funerary jar was stolen from a museum in Rome...." "No.... No.... No...," the man shouted as he punched the wall. "Was the jar Grigore no. 141?" Americ sat back and nodded. "That's why they were taken?" "Why who were taken," Americ asked. "The two strega," Sebastian said, breathing out a long breath. Roman nodded, "They were no ordinary strega, but priests of the death-cult.... They specialize in resurrecting the dead...." Pedro gasped. "The zombies...." "If only it was just that," Roman said, as all eyes focused on him. "There's something in that jar ... that was never meant to see the light of day...." The room was dark, damp and smelled of rot. Peter opened his eyes and put his hand to the back of his head, wincing as he felt the bump. His arms were shackled to the wall, and he noticed that his feet were cold.... They had taken his shoes. There was almost no light in the room.... He felt something move at his foot, but he dared not look. It was furry. "Fuck," he yelled, kicking as it nibbled at his toe. So they knew he was awake. The door swung open and a woman turned the light on. Her eyes were like those of the rat at his foot and she sneered. "Don't like your pet? You should make friends with him.... He's the last you'll ever have...." She was tall and blond and looked a little anorexic, and her face was as cold as ice. "You're pretty.... What's your name, little boy?" "Blow me!" She smiled a crisp smile, and he gasped as he saw her fangs and her terrible eyes. "I could.... You'd really enjoy it too.... Name!" "Peter Lively," he stuttered. "Good.... Now we're getting somewhere.... What is your relation to the consul?" "The what!?" She saw he had no idea. "Sebastian van der Meer!" "He's my friend.... My friend James is his boyfriend...." "What else?" "Richard, Richard is my boyfriend...." She shook her head, standing to leave. "Faggots...," she spat over her shoulder, leaving Peter in the dark. He dropped his head to his chest and cried. "Richard," his mind called out. But he got no answer. Outside, the woman explained, "He's nothing.... Just a human.... The consul is his friend, and the boy is the plaything of the consul's man, Richard...." "Can we use him?" "We could, perhaps.... But how much sway does Richard have? It's more trouble than it's worth...." "We'll see.... Let's hold on to him for a while.... If nothing else, he'll make a nice meal.... He's a big boy," the man in the shadows said, laughing. The woman nodded, laughing. "I get the cock...." "Don't you always?" "Just because you are a rapist pig, Martin," she laughed, shaking her head and walking off. Inside, Pete heard every word. Roman stood in front of Sebastian's computer and addressed the council and shook his head. "What is in the jar," Ivan demanded. "An arm...." "Excuse me.... This can't be over an arm...." "It can be if you ask the right question," Roman demanded. "The right question is, 'whose arm....' The why is answered by the use of resurrection magic -- the darkest and most draining of all magic...." "Whose arm?" Roman closed his eyes. "It is the arm of a vampire.... This vampire was dismembered, his body scattered over the world.... One piece ended up in Etruscan hands, and was placed in a normal funerary jar, hidden in plain sight...." "A vampire?" Sebastian leaned in. "They are trying to resurrect one of the old ones...." "That's right! And this one's name was...." But Sebastian cut him off with a wave of the hand and rested his head on his fist. "Which one," Ivan demanded, and before Roman could answer, Sebastian pounded his fist. "God damn it! They are trying to resurrect Resheph!" "That's a myth," Pedro said, confused. "No, damn it all, it isn't.... Resheph was a vampire who managed to get the people to worship him as a god.... His story is mythic, but he was no myth!" "What are you saying?" "He was real, and they're trying to bring him back, and God help us all if they do...." For a moment there was a general murmuring, but they were interrupted by Richard's sobbing. "Richard?" Sebastian hurried to his side. "What's the matter?" "Peter," he whispered. "I can feel him.... He's so ... afraid...." "Can you tell where he is?" "No, they're cloaking the location with powerful magic...." Sebastian nodded and returned to the monitor. "My friends, I need a favor.... The boy Peter Lively is a very important person to me.... I ask you each to charge two of your most powerful seers to try to pinpoint his location. I believe he's still in the city...." "Of course," and "Immediately," was the general response. "Please also announce that the ones responsible for finding him and returning him to me safely will be rewarded with a reward of," Sebastian paused and looked over at Richard, tearing up at the thought of James being missing, "$50,000,000 and a personal favor from me...." The consuls immediately began sending orders to their agents and seers. "I'm sorry," Ivan said, "but can we return momentarily to the campaign currently underway.... I'm still trying to get my mind around the idea that Resheph is not a figment of the humans' imagination...." "So many of the ancient gods were merely ... us.... Imagine it -- a world without technology such as ours, relatively simple people, and our kind roaming, deathless, powerful, bloodthirsty.... The people made gods out of them, sacrificed to them to control the destruction.... And it worked.... Why wreak havoc when the humans are providing for your every need.... We have a new way.... A better way.... But apparently not everyone sees it that way.... Some among us would see themselves worshipped again...." Musa smiled and sat forward. "I understand that you are wise and old, my friend, but how do you know so much? How did you know, for instance, that the tremors near the Valley of Kings was coming from a temple complex unseen for ... who knows how long?" James put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder and squeezed. "How do you know so much about the old ones, and their lives?" "You all know I am older than every one of you.... But only one person, my partner, James, knows exactly how old.... Resheph, the Canaanite 'god' of plague, was my sire, my lover.... And it was I who, some time later, bore the sword that cut him limb from limb.... It was I who ordered his body parts be sent to the corners of the world...." Silence reigned for seconds before the session collapsed into chaos. "Ladies, gentlemen," Musa yelled into his microphone. "Please!" Pedro finally asked, "Why have you kept this from us?" Sebastian looked away and began, "My friends, I wanted this Council to spread power between individuals, to be a more democratic way of making rules for our world.... If you had known, you would have feared me, deferred to me, and yes ... targeted me.... I did it for myself, and I did it for us all.... I didn't mean to deceive you...." "I understand, my friend," Musa said. "But now, we need a strong leader.... Will you step forward?" Americ and Pedro both seconded that motion. Christen Wheeler took a call and then raised her voice. "I suggest that we enact the emergency office of High Consul, appointed for one year at a time in a state of emergency, the holder of which may exercise extraordinary authority during that emergency and who steps down at the end of the year unless his tenure is renewed...." Ivan laughed, "You want us to appoint a dictator!" Christen nodded, "A classical dictator, yes -- temporary, powerful, bold...." Sebastian shook his head. "This is unnecessary, friends! Please.... Let's continue our democratic...." "We need the ability to make decisions, Sebastian, even when we can't meet.... What happens if the network is disrupted? What happens if some of us are abducted.... We need a leader," Musa pleaded. "Very well," he sighed, and listened to the other's outline his new authorities and privileges and install him as High Consul.... "Your Excellence," Christen finally announced, with a twinkle in her eye, laughing when Sebastian pointed his finger at her. "Sebastian, I have word from Wizard General Vlaclav that the attackers outside your home have been subdued...." "Do any remain alive?" "Two...." "Have them brought inside for questioning.... Will the Queen allow these wizards to remain at my disposal?" "All wizards are now at your disposal, Sebastian," she said with a silly salute, logging off. "Alright.... Please forward any pertinent information to my staff, and I'll relay any information to consuls directly.... Thank you...." Only Pedro Salazar remained. "How is Avery?" Sebastian looked over at him. "Beaten up, but nowhere near as bad as he was by the prison staff.... He does have a terrible wound in his back though.... He'll be fine.... We'll look after him til he's well.... He's free now...." "Free? He'll remain at your side until the end," Pedro laughed. "Let me know when he's up...." "Will do.... I love you, my friend," Sebastian said with a smile, causing Pedro to do a double take. "And I you, little Sebastian...." He laughed and disappeared from the screen. Martin put the phone down and looked at Veronica. "The attack on the compound was crushed. No one's coming.... What's worse, there's a huge bounty out for the boy.... We've got to kill him and go...." The woman shrugged and the man followed her down the hall to the dungeon. "How much was the bounty," the woman asked. "$50,000,000.... Alive and safe...." "No shit.... We should turn him and leave him to be found.... It's not like he can tell them anything, and it would really piss them off.... You know how Sebastian feels about turning humans, and this one is a friend...." The man laughed. "The boss, he'll like that.... You or me?" "I'll do it.... You never finish til they're dead," she laughed. They walked into the room and the woman roughly undid Peter's chains. He started to struggle, and the woman slapped him so hard he almost went black again. Then she looked deep into his eyes. "Don't resist...." He sort of went black and she ripped his clothes off with her claws, which she dragged across his bare chest, drawing thin bloody lines which she licked. Getting one her knees in front of him, she took his penis in her mouth and he began to harden. But however addled his mind, he whimpered, "Don't...." "This one's strong minded," the man said as he unzipped his pants, stepping in behind Pete. "That always makes it more fun...." With a little spit, he lubricated himself and drove in painfully. Pete cried out in pain and hatred and tried to struggle, but he couldn't control his body. The man raping him grabbed his muscular hips and began pounding him mercilessly. Using one hand, he dragged Pete's upper body up enough to tear into the back of his shoulder with his fangs. At the same time, Veronica drove her fangs in deep into his cock. With blood being sucked vigorously from both ends, he wouldn't last long. Soon, Veronica stood and slit her wrist, putting the bloody arm to his mouth and laughing as the blood dribbled in. Pete was so tight, being an anal virgin, and so resistant, that Martin actually came inside him before he slipped away, and stood watching Veronica feed the boy more and more blood. When he collapsed, they laughed. Veronica grabbed his feet and Martin took his shoulders and they tossed him in a van. They'd dump the body in front of the hospital before they fled the country. Richard screamed a bloodcurdling scream, shocking them all. Sebastian fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around the man. "Shhh, shhh.... We'll find him!" "No," Richard sobbed. "No ... he's gone.... Pete's dead.... I can't feel him anymore...." They were all so focused on Richard that they only heard the thump, as James's head hit the floor. "Shit, he passed out," Roman said, cradling James's head while Sebastian kept dealing with Richard. Horatio stood by helplessly as the battle wizards outside waited for the doors to open.