By Moonlight Wrought (Bt Moonlight Wrought) (54 page)

         “But who is it?” the man called after
them as they ran out.  They did not answer.  The guardsman was ready to have
them arrested, but they just did not seem to be guilty.  The young man exuded
that inexplicable air of a Stormweather and the guard prayed his instincts were
right, letting the strange trio walk out.

         “Let’s take everyone back to the villa,”
Selric said when they reached Bessemer’s and found all was well.  “We’ll be safest
there, and then we can work on a plan.” 

         Dirk fetched Tallow and her most basic
requirements and escorted her to the Stormweather’s.  Selric sent the men with
Fiona to take Bear and Aldren, as well as the dogs, to the estate.  Dirk needed
to go with them, since the dogs would only listen to him or Bear.  No one said
a word about Melissa’s fate.  They even tried not to think about it, but it was
impossible, especially for Fiona.  Dirk and Selric had never seen her unnerved:
 never.

         Melissa’s whole body ached, it was as if
she was one bare nerve ending.  She hurt when It dropped her, when It dragged
her, and when It chained her hand and looped the steel over a hook in the wall
above her.  The Fiend left her there for hours and she dozed, finally waking to
the sounds of an argument.

         “What I do is none of your business,”
said a deep, rumbling voice; Its blackness could be felt even through the door.

         “Did you kill the one named Cinder?”
another voice asked; this one also deep, but melodic, gallant.

         “Yes, but what I do is up to me.  That’s
why I was sent here,” said the Fiend.

         “Yes, you were sent here.  But now you’re
distracted.”

         “Go and tell him.  You never will.  You
would never make it to him alive.”

         “I should have killed you that night this
summer when I caught you, you despicable, pitiful monster.  I don’t care how
much your behavior furthers my goals.  You are causing more pain than just
leaving the situation as it is.  If you harm another one of those people, I’ll
kill you.  Togs are bloody bastards and I’ll be in on your downfall too
someday, I swear it!  Don’t come any closer.  I’ll lop off your arms and beat
you to death with them.  Try me!” he bellowed tremendously, as great a man’s
voice as Melissa had ever heard.  The Fiend hissed in response.

         “Do not associate me with those Togs...”
It said lowly. “...and if you press me, we’ll soon find out who is stronger.”

         “You are no match for me, Fiend.  Not
even close.  There’s no woman here; no sleeping man.  No one susceptible to
your fear.  I don’t fear you.  You hold no power over me.  And as a warrior, I
overmatch you tenfold!”  There was a long pause.  “Make peace with these
people.  They’ll kill you when they find you.  You’ve angered them.”  Melissa
tried to jiggle or kick the wall; make some kind of noise.  She kicked her
heels against the floor.

         “What’s that,” the second voice asked. 
“Another one?  Let her go.  I hope they catch you soon.  If you get anymore off
track, I’ll be back and kill you myself.  You work toward destabilizing the
government and ridding us of that king, or I’ll bring you down, hard.  Quit
preying on the weak and the innocent.  It only works for so long and you’ve
overdone it.  No more citizens.  Do you hear me?  Kill the King’s officials
like you told me and start tomorrow.  If you take even one more innocent, you
are finished!”

         “That is an official in there,” the Fiend
said hurriedly as Melissa heard footsteps coming toward the door.  The steps
stopped and she kicked more frantically.  “I am working on the plan.  Maybe I
did
begin to enjoy their soft flesh too much,” the Fiend said wickedly.  “Snapping
their delicate bones.”

         “Good,” said the other.  “Then get on
with it.”  Melissa continued to flail, trying to scream through her gag. 
“He’ll kill me,” she thought, “just like Cinder.”  She pulled furiously on the
chain that was nailed into the wooden wall, but the poison still left her
weak.  Again the footsteps approached and her heart leapt as the door opened,
but it was the Fiend that walked in, a broad, disgustingly evil grin upon Its
face.  The look alone scared her.  She scampered up against the wall under her
chain.

         Selric, Dirk, and Fiona were all out the
next day, futilely searching for anything.  They even split up, though they
knew it was dangerous if the Fiend found them apart, in order that they could
cover more ground.  They half-expected to find Melissa’s mutilated body at any
moment, but they kept on looking, hoping against hope that she was still
alive.  They were all to meet at three bells.

         Dirk arrived and was greeted at the door
by Alanna.  “Here, Dirk,” she said excitedly.  “This note came for you this
morning.  Guards have been looking for you all day, but no one could find
you.”  Dirk ripped the note away from her.

         “Dirk,” it said, “I may be able to help
you.  Meet me where we first met.”  It was signed, “Your Friend.”  Dirk thought
hard on who it might be.  “Why the hells didn’t he sign it.  It can’t be too
hard to give your name.”  Then it clicked, “Unless you don’t have one!”  He
raced to Thegoric and then off south to Bessemer’s.  Dirk knew this was no
trick by the Fiend...not in broad daylight anyway.

         He stopped outside the store and leapt
down from his horse, running inside expecting to see the stranger waiting for
him.  He looked frantically among the shelves but found nothing.  He realized
that it must be another trick and he started back to his horse.  Then he heard
the familiar voice.

         “It’s about time, Dirk.”  Dirk turned and
saw the blonde, stoic stranger.

         “I’ve been busy,” Dirk said.  “How can
you help me?  I don’t have a lot of time.”

         “What could be more important than
finding the Fiend?  You needn’t worry about him anymore.  He is straightened
out,” he said.

         “The hell I don’t!  You know where he
is?” Dirk asked, stepping forward.  “Why didn’t you kill him?  You know what he
did to Cinder, now he’s got Melissa.”  The stranger looked shocked.

         “Melissa?” he asked.

         “Yes.”  The stranger held his head. 
“Where is he?”  Dirk asked urgently.  “Why didn’t you kill him?” he asked again.

         “I can’t...just know that I can’t, but
now it is time someone did.  He and I are not allies, know this first, and I do
not agree with his killing, nor did I ever know his plans for you or your
friends.”

         “Get on with it,” Dirk said angrily,
losing all faith in the man he had once so admired.

         “His actions are...
were
furthering
a private goal of mine, to which I have been working ten years, and which I was
planning on informing you about later.  It has to do with overthrowing the King
for crimes he committed in the past.  I thought you would help me.  If I had
known he had Melissa, I would have released her from him, forthwith.  He…”

         “Where is he?” Dirk screamed impatiently.

         “He’s on Falchrist Street, an old sewage
building near the harbor, where they used to burn off the sewage before it
reached the water.  It’s a big, gray building.  You can’t mistake it.  I’ll
inform your friends, but,” he said most urgently, “do not go in without them. 
Dirk, do not succumb to your fears.  That is his power.  He is not what he
seems, either way.  I will come as soon as I see some others.”

         Dirk went to rush out, but stopped.  “I
don’t understand at all, but I do believe you.  I know you didn’t want my
friends hurt, but I wish you would’ve helped.”

         “As do I, Dirk.  My pride has hurt many. 
That is another burden I must carry alone.  Now hurry.”

         After checking Melissa’s bonds, the Fiend
left her alone again and many hours passed before Its return.  By the light
that crept in between the shutters, Melissa could tell that it was near
sundown.  “What a fool he was,” It said.  “Next time he comes, I’ll kill
him
. 
You heard him, didn’t you?  You were trying to call him.”  The Fiend shook Its
head and laughed.  “Didn’t work.  I have to go out soon and see your friends. 
By now, they think you’re dead, or worse.  Nighttime is for work, but we have
some time for pleasure before dark.”  It approached and Melissa felt her
sickness growing.  When It touched her breast, she vomited, but had to keep it
down or choke because of her gag.  The Fiend pulled back.

         “What?” It asked humorously.  “Still a
bit woozy?  You’re friend didn’t get sick when I touched her.  She liked it. 
That’s what we’ll do!” It said as if a revelation had occurred to It, pulling
back Its twisted claw and grinning to show Its mouth full of sharp teeth. 
“We’ll have many, many days for me to rape you...and you’re so strong, I bet
you’ll outlast all of them.”  Melissa glared hatefully at It.  “I will tell you
a story.”  Melissa wondered what kind of demented creature It was, seeming so
human yet impossibly so, and what kind of story this would be.  She thought
maybe It would tell her why It was doing all the terrible things It did, but
she was wrong.  She was very wrong.

         “This,” It said, “is a story about...Cinder.” 
It snapped the last word with a strange, twisted smile.  “She wanted it so
bad,” It laughed.  “She actually gave me the things to tie her up.”  It laughed
harder, Its voice crackling with an evil that was not of that world, seeming to
sizzle and hiss with some form of energy.  “I threw her down and ripped off her
dress, and do you know what she did?  She liked it.  I tied her up and she
looked at me with those big blue eyes and you know what she said?  Yes you do. 
You knew what she was like.  “Take me,” she said.”  The Fiend stopped smiling
and became dark, sinister, Its face calm and haunting.  “So I did,” It barked
viciously, Its mood changing in an instant, snarling like an animal beaten and
tortured until it becomes thoroughly wicked.  Melissa pulled away from the
Fiend’s twisted, demented visage in fear.

         “But first, I took my knife,” the Fiend
said, drawing the long curved and black blade from its sheath, “and I put it in
her soft belly.”  The Fiend slammed the blade into the floor, burying the tip
deep into the solid wood.  Melissa jumped from Its ferocity and tears filled
her eyes as she shook her head in denial, knowing full well how such a blow
would shred Cinder’s delicate body.  She tried to cover her ears with her
suspended arms, but she could not block out the booming voice, nor keep the
visions out of her head, repeatedly seeing her friend butchered by the Fiend.

         “But I did it too hard,” It said as if
disappointed.  “She was very soft and it went through her.  You know how I
knew?  When I dragged the blade down, I heard it ripping the bed as it went.” 
Melissa began panting heavily, unable to catch her breath, struggling to
breathe through her nose.  “So I looked under her, and yes, just as I expected,
the mattress was torn open and was filling with red, delicious blood.  She
arched her back and I could see the blade behind her, buried to the hilt in her
belly.  So,” the Fiend sighed as if the story were boring to tell, “she lay
there, afraid to lie back, you see, the knife would have carved more of that
tender flesh if she had relaxed and lay back on the blade.”

         “Since she couldn’t move, I got on top of
her and I slowly,” It said, taking Its time, “had my way.  Are you looking
forward to when I rape you?  It felt good.  In my pleasure...you know the hard
steel, it cut more of her pretty little elfin body as she pulled away from the
pain I caused her.  Or maybe it was ecstasy.  You know, Melissa, how much our
Cinder liked pain.”

         “Well, by then she was getting weak, like
you now, but hers was from the blood loss.  She was fragile to begin with, but
the loss of blood really fatigued her,” It said as if genuinely concerned.  “So
I held her and I tasted her.  I bit her too, for some of her intoxicating
immortal blood,” the Fiend said matter-of-factly.  “She bled and I drank it. 
She was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted and if it had not been for
your hunting of me, I could have kept her longer.  But no!  You had to chase me
and I had to teach you a lesson, through Cinder!”  It slammed Its immense fist
down onto the floor, shaking the entire room.  Melissa’s nausea grew just at
hearing his voice pronounce Cinder’s beautiful name.  “But I suppose she
wouldn’t have lasted long anyway.  I would have lost control on one so lovely
and delicious.  I would have ripped her apart!” It bellowed, the sound so loud
that it rang in Melissa’s ears and she shuddered uncontrollably. 

         “I wasn’t sure until I tasted her that
she was elven.  And later, I felt the magic inside me as I savored her blood.  I
got these images in my mind, and my lust increased.  That’s how I know she
liked it; she must have used her magic to increase my desire for her.”

         Melissa pictured Its huge, hulking form
dominating Cinder’s timid, tortured, once-beautiful body.  Melissa grew ill
again as she thought of poor Cinder for the first time; how she was there
alone, afraid, no one to help her or comfort her while the Fiend did the most
awful things imaginable, worse than anything Melissa ever believed possible. 
“How could there be a creature like this?” she wondered.  “Why wasn’t it me?”
she thought, but she knew that soon it would be.  Would It be worse to her? 
Would It try to keep her as It promised and drag out her torture for months? 
Would she be able to take the pain?  She pictured Cinder’s eyes full of fear,
the tears of pain on her face.  The Fiend kept on with his horrid tale.

         “I couldn’t control myself.  My feelings
were incredible.  Normally I feel their fear, but with her I felt it
intensified, and I felt the terror that I exuded, as if she were a mirror.”  It
paused.  “Did you know she could do these things?  No, I don’t suppose.  When I
was done drinking her blood she kept shaking her head and mumbling, as if she
had something important to say.  So I asked her, “We’re not going to scream,
are we?” and she shook her pretty little head so fast I thought it would come
off!”  The Fiend laughed as if It were at a comedy show, then began to rub
Melissa’s thigh. 

         “I took off the gag, and you know what
she said?”  It imitated her feminine voice wickedly.  “Please don’t kill me.  I
don’t want to die.”  The Fiend laughed again uproariously.  Melissa sobbed for
her innocent friend all alone, no longer caring that the Fiend’s hand moved
very near her crotch.  “She said, “Take me if you want, or hurt me, I don’t
mind, but please don’t kill me.  I want to live,” and then she began to cry.  I
didn’t have the heart to tell her that even if I had wanted to save her, which
I did not in the least, it was too late.  She was dying as I raped her.”  Its
eyes flared each time It mentioned Its lust, and then a calm would return to
Its face.

         “So I kissed her nice and deep in her
sweet mouth, letting her taste her sweet blood before I gagged her again.  And
then I shoved and I shoved and I shoved, and the knife started ripping and
tearing because it was stuck in the bed.  But I couldn’t stop...I just
couldn’t,” the Fiend said rabidly, before calming only slightly, Its face, Its
green glowing eyes so near that Its visage filled Melissa’s sight.  “By the
time I was finished with her body, she was quite a mess.  But I guess you found
that out when you got to her room.”  Melissa shook her head and began to
panic.  She wouldn’t hear anymore.  She was wrong to not have cried for
Cinder.  She would gladly die to change what had happened.

         “But the magic in my blood gave me
visions.  I saw disgusting things that I wanted to tear apart, or tear my head
off to stop:  trees and flowers, Cinder singing, and animals that I’d like to
chomp to bits between my teeth.”  The Fiend gnashed Its powerful jaws again in
midair, as if the visions were dancing about Its head and It would chew them
all away; the Fiend seemed to be losing control, as if reality were not quite
so clear to It anymore, insanity running rampant through the twisted being,
unable to comprehend the evil It contained any longer.  It was yelling Its
words as if forcing Itself to talk, fighting for control of Its body as the
evil surfaced in the Fiend.  “When I looked down, her eyes stared up at the ceiling
and she let out this sigh,” It paused, “and died.”  The Fiend said the last two
words in a most evil, cold manner, Its voice dying away and Its demeanor
relaxing.  It sighed.

         Melissa knew what the Fiend had seen: 
Cinder so traumatized that her thoughts, like she had told her friends, were
projected in her distress.  She was thinking the pleasant thoughts of elven
things, of things when she was young and innocent, before the wicked world of
humanity.  Melissa could take no more and the most violent cries erupted from
her stomach and she wailed into her gag, uncontrollably shaking her head in
useless denial.  The Fiend laughed hysterically, then suddenly calmed once
more.

         “Now it’s your turn,” It said wickedly
with finality, Its eyes flashing as It leaned in.  “Let us begin.”  It eyes
were aglow now, and seemed to stare through her, not at her, as the Fiend bent
toward Melissa, sliding Its hand off her leg and firmly grasping her crotch. 
It was not the body of Olaf Svenson any longer looking at her, It was the
Fiend.  With all her might, she kicked It in the stomach and the knife wounds
from Mendric’s strong hand—though quickly healing—were painfully ripped open
and the Fiend fell to Its knees.

         Melissa cried for Cinder, alone at Its
mercy, no friends to be found.  She kicked for Cinder, and this time her boot
caught It in the throat.  The Fiend fell to Its back, gagging and sputtering. 
With all the strength she could muster, Melissa pulled on the chain again and
again.  She turned and put her feet against the wall and tugged.  The nails
loosened, then popped free and she fell backwards as the chains dropped from
her wrists.  When she rose, the Fiend was on Its knees, in front of the door,
trying to prevent her escape.  Melissa ran straight at It, but instead of
leaping over or around It, she jumped and again kicked It with her low-heeled,
heavy boot, this time in the forehead.  The Fiend fell backwards holding Its
head and bellowing Its rage.  Melissa hit the ground running, her athleticism
had saved her, for the moment.  But as she neared the stairs, even the
adrenalin could no longer keep her weakened body going.  She heard growling. 

         Melissa looked around and found several
broken crates; hurriedly she ripped a board from one and ran on feebly to the
stairs.  The dog was crouched in another pile of crates near the stair head,
and as Melissa attempted to get by, the Fiend’s pet lunged, catching her behind
the left knee.  But only its top teeth sank in behind her large outer tendon. 
The tendon ripped and the dog lost its grip, spinning painfully into the wall
with a yelp.  Melissa, however, was no longer able to run and tumbled all the
way to the turn in the steps, and down the next short flight to the landing
below, bashing her face and injuring her shoulder.

         The dog, its claws tearing ineffectively
at the wooden flooring, came running down out of control after Melissa where
she had landed on her back.  At the first turn in the stairs, it leapt and
Melissa held up the piece of broken crate.  Though the blunt end was driven
painfully into Melissa’s chest, bruising her sternum, the other jagged end
pierced the dog, killing it instantly.  Then, with a floor shuddering “boom,”
the Fiend leapt from the top of the stairway to the first turn, only eight steps
above her, mouth open and vicious teeth bared, bellowing like a wounded
behemoth, shaking the stairwell in Its rage.  Just as It crouched to leap
again, Melissa rolled down the three steps to the next floor below.  The Fiend
landed heavily where she had just been lying; so heavily that one foot broke
through the landing floor.

         Melissa scrambled to her feet, but fell
again, her left leg totally incapacitated.  She hurriedly dragged herself
across the floor to the stairs down to the first and ground floor.  Just then,
she heard a crash down below and thought that it must be helpers of the Fiend. 
She sat back against the wall and gave up, but no longer crying.  She would die
bravely, at least as bravely as Cinder had.

         “Missy!” she heard the call go up and her
heart leapt.  She tried to call but had forgotten all about her gag.  The Fiend
freed Its leg and jumped down the final steps just as she pulled the gag from
her mouth.  Melissa almost wet her pants in fear, the look on the Fiend’s face
so horrifyingly hateful, so far from human that It no longer looked like the
creature that had just relayed the story to her.  It must have looked much like
that horrifying beast before her during Its rage on Cinder.

         “Dirk!” Melissa screamed, sounding more
like a woman than she could ever remember.  The Fiend stopped as if It realized
It now had to fight and It dejectedly drew out Its sword.

         “Now we’ll have to wait to punish you,”
It said, Its face once again softening and taking on a human appearance, albeit
a hopelessly evil one.  Melissa’s heart froze, but she heard Dirk then at the
top of the stairs as he nearly tripped over her in his haste.