"It's kind of peaceful. I feel more at ease here than I did in my old home, but there are some things that will take a while to adjust to." She nodded, staring at the bedding around my feet. I wondered if she felt bad about her reaction before but didn't want to make her feel worse by bringing it up.
"There are some things that are impossible to adjust to." Kali spoke in whisper; her voice held an antique quality which made it seem as if she spoke from the past rather than from the girl directly in front of me in the present. For a moment, I wondered if I heard her correctly, until she finished her thought. "Some things just get worse or you learn to mask your emotions better. Then others think you have accepted them."
"Are you okay?"
Kali shook her head and smiled at me, as if she had never let her guard down. "That's right, you're probably anxious for your gift!" Her smile brightened. She jumped up and ducked beneath the branches of the willow tree. Opening one of her drawers, she pulled out a large box and carried it over to me. "Here you go."
The green box was lighter than I thought it would be given its size. It was shaped like a rectangle, large enough to contain two or three pairs of women's shoes. It felt like she had sewn fabric onto a cardboard box and slid some cotton in before stitching it up. The lid had silk flowers arranged in the style of a corsage pinned to it.
"It's lovely," I said, confused at her care with making the container, which I doubted was meant for anything more than holding my gift. Lifting the lid, I found large bunches of fabric within. I pulled out a piece of red lace to find that it was a sheer chemise and blushed. "Um, thanks?"
She giggled. "Keep looking and one day you are going to thank me for those."
"There are more?" Shocked, I pulled out an entire collection of lingerie that I didn't plan on using in this lifetime. The box was beginning to remind me of those clowns who kept an endless stream of handkerchiefs tied together and stuffed up their sleeve. The lingerie would not stop!
"I'm not saying you have to wear them for anyone, but sometimes it's nice to look pretty for yourself. Who says you can't have beautiful nightgowns?"
Finally, I reached the last nightgown and discovered it was actually a handkerchief. The laughter and tears that followed were erratic, but the irony of finding exactly what I was comparing the lingerie to was hilarious. I brushed the evidence of humor away from my eyes and lifted the black silk hankie. It revealed a large, jeweled vial.
Kali's voice took on a husky tone, as she raised her eyebrow. "Surprised that I didn't just get you lingerie?"
She plucked the vial from the box and turned it full circle to reveal the intimate touches of sapphires, diamonds, and painted glass. The silver filigree caught my breath with its perfection.
She took the cap of it and handed it to me. "Smell it."
Dumbfounded, I stared at her. "It's perfume made from plant extracts and a few ... secret ingredients."
Her secretive grin shook me from my reverie. Lifting the vial to my nose, I took a cautious sniff. It was intoxicating. The scent was pure ecstasy, with hints of devotion, nostalgia, and hints of carefree daydreams. It wasn't the embodiment of floral scents, but the liveliness of unadulterated emotion.
Kali placed the cap back on. "Just be careful when you use it. Men go crazy for it."
I nodded absently. I was still immersed in the aroma. "Huh?"
"Think of it as a love potion. It draws men to you, and when you're wearing it you can pretty much get your way with everything.”
My visit with Kali was short but sweet. She didn't want me to be late to my initiation and rushed through the proceedings. She told me that her Hellhound name was Vixen and ushered me along until we stood in the library beside the common room.
Confused, I searched the room for other occupants, but found none. "Aren't we supposed to meet the others?"
Kali bit her lip, examining the books on the far wall. "We are." Grasping a leather-bound tome with gold etchings along its spine, she tilted it towards us.
When the book was triggered, I could hear corroded mechanisms churning on the other side of the wall. I cringed when it sputtered, died down, and began again. Obviously, it was rarely used and beginning to short circuit.
Kali pulled aside a plum-colored runner, revealing a section of the floor that was receding. Through the opening, I could make out a circular staircase wrapped around a pillar. I wasn't sure I wanted to discover where it led, especially with shadows consuming all corners.
"Please tell me that you don't expect me to go down there?" I pleaded.
Kali shook her head with amusement and peered into the depths. A draft gave life to her dress; its skirt coiled about her legs, hugging them as a small child would when frightened.
"Don't worry, it's not as bad as it looks, and I’ll protect you if you're afraid of the dark." She looked up, smirking at me, and grabbed two lanterns from an end table. I wondered why I hadn't noticed them before, but quickly abolished that thought. I had more important things to concern myself with.
Kali disappeared down the staircase with only her lantern for a guide. I grabbed mine from the floor beside the opening and steeled myself. Part of me wanted to run to my domain and go through the threshold to find sanctuary in my friends. However, I knew it would be childish, and I would be breaking my deal with Death.
The staircase seemed sturdy despite its decrepit appearance. Grasping the railing with all my strength, I followed Kali to the underworld. It was a slow descent, but I reached the bottom to find her waiting for me.
"You okay?" she asked with a concerned tilt to her eyebrows.
"Yeah, just please tell me there aren't more stairs."
Kali held her lantern away from the staircase towards an incredible corridor. Muted lights hung from a cathedral ceiling, while the floor and walls curved as one, like the ribs of a large whale. When I drew closer, I was pleased to find that they were made of wood that swept across the floor. Though the architecture was visionary, it wasn't practical with the jutting logs making our steps precarious.
Kali walked ahead through the whale-bone corridor and turned right. This section was less deadly with flat floors and plastered walls with carvings on them. The bookworm in me wanted to examine the art and learn its story, but responsible Willow could never be late.
At the end were two enormous doors out of the dark ages. They belonged in the castle from Frankenstein or a museum. Any place would have been better than here, giving me the willies and making me reconsider our entire endeavor.
The handles were statuesque heads protruding with eternal screams engraved across their faces. The door was solid iron, embellished with carvings of souls frozen in terror, trying to claw their way out. I stood back, waiting for Kali to take the initiative.
Once the doors had been eradicated from my path, we saw what Kali called the temple. The horror of it would be imprinted on my mind for the rest of my life, which, now that I was a Hellhound, would be endless.
I walked through the threshold into a room that could only be called a temple. It was in the shape of a polygon; the only exit was the doors behind me. The room would have been pitch black if not for the circle of lit candles on the cement floor.
Death stood at the head of the circle, Echo at his right hand, and Scrye at his left. Whisper was on the other side of Scrye; Vixen had taken her spot next to Echo, and Poison stood opposite Death. It felt strange to think of them in their Hellhound names. I had grown too used to their human ones, Echo as Aria, Scrye at Calla, Whisper as Bay, Vixen as Kali, and Poison as Ivy.
Without looking at me, Death motioned to the circle surrounded by candles and Hellhounds. "You stand in the center."
I did as I was told, looking around the room. It had seemed more frightening when I’d first walked in. Now it reminded me of a sweat lodge. The ceiling dipped down with giant ledges connecting the walls, resembling bridges. I hoped the place had been renovated because I didn't relish one of those falling on top of my head.
"
Give me your hand."
Death reached out, waiting for me to place my palm in his. It was an improvement since normally he would have grabbed it without warning. "Do you accept the duties of a Hellhound and vow to place them and your sisters above all else?'
"I do."
He grabbed a hunting knife from the table behind him and faced Echo, who was holding a large chalice. My stomach began to do cartwheels, which turned to full-blown flips as he slit one of her wrists and filled the chalice with her blood. The sight made me queasy, but she smiled at me in reassurance. He followed the same action with all of the Hellhounds until the chalice was filled with their blood and I was beginning to realize what he intended to do with it.
"Drink." Death placed it in my hands and I swallowed back bile. The idea of drinking their blood, especially so much, was revolting. However … I knew it was part of the deal I had made and I resigned myself to the task.
I gulped back the blood, forcing myself not to vomit, concentrating on any thought that stood a chance of distracting myself from my current predicament. I reached the bottom and handed it back, covering my mouth to keep them from seeing the grimace that would be permanently cemented there.
When Death turned to place the dagger and chalice on the table behind him, I couldn't stop myself from sticking my tongue out in disgust at the blood left behind on my tongue. Scrye smiled at me in understanding, with a silent promise not to say anything.
Death faced me once more. "Do you vow to protect innocents, avenge those who have been wronged, and condemn unholy souls?"
"I do." I was beginning to feel like I was in the middle of a wedding ceremony and I was the bride.
"Will you take the darkness within you in the name of all that is good?"
Darkness? No one said anything about darkness. "Yes."
Death smiled, making me uneasy.
"It's time for the naming ceremony. Normally I would do it, but you have a soul, which prevents me from seeing your true name. Scrye, on the other hand is talented that way."
The Hellhounds removed themselves from the circle, leaving me alone with Scrye. "Don't worry, this won't hurt." She looked deep into my eyes and grabbed my skull with both hands.
I fell into Scrye's eyes, like Alice down the rabbit hole, and found myself in a place that was most decidedly not Wonderland. It felt like I was standing on a precipice; the nine circles of Hell lay beneath, catatonic in its solidarity, the inhabitants maiming and killing one another. Though I couldn't hear the screams of torment, I seemed to have empathic abilities in this vision. Emotions overwhelmed me, drowning out true thought, as I was forced into the minds of tainted souls.
Those below were filled with selfish longing, pain, and anger. I was sickened by their arduous pursuit of their wants, coupled with memories of past acts. The murderers were the worst, replaying their handiwork like their most cherished dreams, only, to any sane person, it was disturbing. Suddenly, I had sunk into those deeds, looking through the eyes of the murderers, feeling their excitement at the chase and the satisfaction of their kills.
Anger spread through my bones, trickling deep into my stomach, making my muscles ache with despair. I wanted to rampage against them; death was too easy, and after seeing the way some of them killed ... they deserved far worse. Although, I had to acknowledge that some of the Hell dwellers didn't deserve the level of punishment they’d received.
Thrust from the vision, I stared into Scrye's opaque eyes as they crinkled with mirth.
"What?"
Her smile widened, "I've seen your name, it's Fury." Electricity coursed through my veins and my skin tingled, as if awakening from a dream. The Hellhounds repeated my name and I was flushed with power.
Death stood, watching me, before stepping from the shadows. Scrye joined the other Hellhounds. A silver aura surrounded Death, leaving me transfixed. I felt paralyzed, unable to react when he leaned forward to whisper, "Accept me within you and this won't hurt."
His lips captured mine, not a kiss, but something that pre-dated sexual affections. He pulled me to him roughly, holding my back with one hand and my face with the other, fusing us as one.
His aura began to blend into a single thread transferring from his mouth to my own, funneling down my throat to reach my core. Gut-wrenching pain took over as my essence was altered and the original part became diluted.
The Fury within me was taking over my Willow aspects, eliminating my humanity. Death grasped my numb lips more firmly when I tried to pull away, but moments later he released me. My voice disappeared as Death examined me and I choked on the piece of Death within.
Each Hellhound took their original space within the circle. Echo's voice lifted into a wolf-like howl. The others joined, and soon I found I was following. My body shook, mimicking a seizure, and I grew worried. Had something gone wrong? The shaking accelerated, bringing a bone-crunching agony with it. I sought the others to find their forms distorted. I screamed and blacked out.
I came to. I was lying on the ground with terrifying creatures standing around me. I opened my mouth to yell for help, but only a whine came forth. When I tried to stand, I slipped. Looking down, I spotted the cause of my problem: I was no longer human. My hands had been replaced with furry paws. Finally, I got my legs beneath me and backed away from the group of creatures staring me down.
Fury, you need to calm down. You're one of us. We won't harm you.
The voice sounded like Echo's. She was an abnormally large creature, resembling a wolf. Her teeth were longer than an average animal’s, her canines protruding from her mouth much like a saber-toothed tiger’s. Her fur was thick, but looked downy-soft in shades of white and black. Her tail was long and curved up and towards her back like an Alaskan Malamute. The rest of the Hellhounds looked similar, though they were various sizes and colors.
Who is who? I asked through our telekinetic link.
The largest Hellhound answered, the one whose fur was the blackest of black. It was the rich, deep voice of Death. Scrye is the gray Hellhound, Whisper is the tan one. Poison is gray and white, and is Vixen is the auburn Hellhound.
Are you ready to embark on a wild hunt? Vixen asked, excited.
I thought that Hellhounds only did that to hunt down escaped souls? I was confused, but beginning to enjoy my new form.
Whisper took up the mantle. We do, but we are making an exception since we need to welcome you to the pack. To become one, you must run with us.
Scrye walked forward to sniff me and licked my neck. Had I been in my human form, I would have been disgusted, but I understood that in this form I followed a different set of rules. This was a kind of affection and acceptance. I butted her with my head and walked to the others.
Have at it. I wanted to get out of this room and see what I could do.
Death sounded the call. It was a mixture of song, howl, and pure emotion, which we all answered. He took the lead with Echo directly behind him. Vixen stayed in the back with me.
Where were we going to run to? There weren't a whole lot of possibilities within the lair. Racing up the staircase, we made a beeline for the threshold. Once we were through it, I realized that Death had brought us to the Divine, where we could have free reign.
We ran until our bodies dripped sweat, and laid down in a clearing beside the water. Belly up with my paws stretched to the sky, I looked sideways at the others. They were content, and I felt free. For the first time in my life, I didn't worry about everyone else. I was just me.
The others stood, ready to walk back, but I held still. I think I'm going to stay for a while, if that's okay? Death's head bobbed up and down in what I took as permission.
Poison Ivy sat back on her hind legs. I'll stay with you. I'm not anxious to embrace my natural skin.
Um, sure. I was astounded that she was choosing to remain with me. Poison Ivy avoided others. It was her thing. She tended to be a loner and disliked everyone.
The rest of the pack left, with Death and Echo leading them. Pois
on Ivy and I remained behind to watch them be swallowed up by the vortex.
Come on, Poison Ivy sounded.
Huh? Come where? I'm still a little confused about why you would want to stay with me in the first place. I was beginning to think that there was an ulterior motive involved and I had no plans to delve into the craziness that was her life.
She rolled her eyes, allowing attitude to seep into her inner voice. Please. I just want to show you around.
Where?
She ignored me and began pawing through the tall grass. I followed.
CHAPTER 12
Savannah's Journal
Blood had always been a conflict within me, both a source of life and a source of death, reminding me of the sacrifices my parents dealt out, but also that it coursed through the veins of all. It was what kept us moving, focused, and as it pumped it would provide a path to our future or demise.
Many people falter with queasiness if they spot blood, but I had grown immune to it. Being exposed to it many times throughout my life gave me a bizarre perspective on the milky red substance. I wouldn't enjoy seeing it pooling beneath a loved one, but I understood that it told stories that the ears couldn't hear. In a sense, the world was deaf unless they examined it beneath a microscope. It had the ability to keep secrets for a lifetime that may not be revealed until death.
SAVANNAH
It took a while to descend to the ground, but we were soon immersed in the bloodshed. I shied away from the bodies littering the ground, afraid for them and for myself. Our group, with Maloc at the head and Liam guarding our backs, made its way through the haze of the battle. It was as if the blood spatter and cries had morphed into fire and smoke. Deep down, I knew lives were being lost, but I walked in shock. The only conscious thoughts in my mind were to escape, and to find my family.