from. Just for kicks, the Serpent tiptoed around to the other side of the handcuffed man. “Oh Johnny…” he said. He couldn’t help it. This guy was just too easy to mess with. And, besides, with as much trouble as Burke had given him over the past weeks, the Serpent figured the man had some teasing coming to him.
Well, Master, what now?
You have done well, my son. However, Chemosh was not much of an opponent.
Compared to you, Lord Denizen, who would be?
The Serpent heard grim laughter. Do not grow overconfident, my son. True, I am powerful, but you are still human. While I may vanquish my enemy, I cannot guarantee that you will survive.
I live but to serve you.
More laughter. You are very special, for a human.
The Serpent swelled with pride at his master’s rare compliment. It meant much to him. He felt Lord Denizen begin to speak again for a moment, but then he fell silent. The Serpent pulled his mind away from the intimate contact and sent it out away from where he stood. There. He sensed what Denizen must have felt already. The servant of the Ancient One was near. The Serpent did not know just what this servant was. It seemed different from his master and the others. He had never sensed anything like it until the previous morning when it had ruined his experiment to see if John Burke could kill himself. Whatever it was, it was an enemy. The fury that coursed through Denizen at its presence told him that much.
We can do no more here. Leave…now!
The Serpent jumped to obey Denizen’s harsh command. The rage in his voice commanded immediate action. The Serpent could not hide his uneasiness. Something lingered just beneath the maddening hatred radiating from his master; something he had never sensed before.
Fear.
B urke breathed a sigh of relief as the footsteps faded and he heard the door open and slam shut once again. He lay in complete darkness, his own breathing loud in his ears. The old church building felt ominous, like a living thing hovering over him waiting to pounce. He had hated this place since the night of the disappearances. What had brought him here now? Something unnatural.
The sudden squeal of the door hinges announced someone’s arrival. Burke forced himself to quiet his breathing and listened as soft footsteps entered the building.
“Burke, you in here?” came a familiar half-whisper. Officer Martinez? Burke saw a flashlight click on and move around the room before settling on him. Martinez hurried to his side.
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. I remember you yelling at someone in my house. The next thing I know I’m being shoved in a car with another lump on my head.” He looked around. Except for Martinez’s flashlight pointed at him, the room lay in darkness.
“We’ll talk about your house later. There’s some weird stuff going on here.” He started to rise. “Can you stand?”
Burke shifted on the floor, but without his hands he was helpless. “It would be easier without the handcuffs.”
“Forgot about those.”
Martinez helped Burke to his feet and turned him around. Burke felt a couple of tugs on his wrists, and his hands were free. He rubbed his raw wrists. “Oh, that feels so good.”
Martinez grunted and swung the light to the body lying about ten feet away. “You couldn’t have done that with cuffs on.”
Burke glanced at the body before turning away. “There was someone else here. They seemed to know each other.”
“Catch any names?”
Burke thought back. “Her name was Kayla, but the other guy called her something else, too. Chemosh, I think. Kayla called the guy Denizen, or something like that.”
“Ever see either one of them before?”
Burke shook his head. “Never. How’d you know where to find me, anyway? Kayla said she lost you on the way over.”
“Long story. I’ll tell you about it in the car. Need to get someplace where I can call these bodies in.”
“What exactly do you plan to tell them?”
“Haven’t
Well, Master, what now?
You have done well, my son. However, Chemosh was not much of an opponent.
Compared to you, Lord Denizen, who would be?
The Serpent heard grim laughter. Do not grow overconfident, my son. True, I am powerful, but you are still human. While I may vanquish my enemy, I cannot guarantee that you will survive.
I live but to serve you.
More laughter. You are very special, for a human.
The Serpent swelled with pride at his master’s rare compliment. It meant much to him. He felt Lord Denizen begin to speak again for a moment, but then he fell silent. The Serpent pulled his mind away from the intimate contact and sent it out away from where he stood. There. He sensed what Denizen must have felt already. The servant of the Ancient One was near. The Serpent did not know just what this servant was. It seemed different from his master and the others. He had never sensed anything like it until the previous morning when it had ruined his experiment to see if John Burke could kill himself. Whatever it was, it was an enemy. The fury that coursed through Denizen at its presence told him that much.
We can do no more here. Leave…now!
The Serpent jumped to obey Denizen’s harsh command. The rage in his voice commanded immediate action. The Serpent could not hide his uneasiness. Something lingered just beneath the maddening hatred radiating from his master; something he had never sensed before.
Fear.
B urke breathed a sigh of relief as the footsteps faded and he heard the door open and slam shut once again. He lay in complete darkness, his own breathing loud in his ears. The old church building felt ominous, like a living thing hovering over him waiting to pounce. He had hated this place since the night of the disappearances. What had brought him here now? Something unnatural.
The sudden squeal of the door hinges announced someone’s arrival. Burke forced himself to quiet his breathing and listened as soft footsteps entered the building.
“Burke, you in here?” came a familiar half-whisper. Officer Martinez? Burke saw a flashlight click on and move around the room before settling on him. Martinez hurried to his side.
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. I remember you yelling at someone in my house. The next thing I know I’m being shoved in a car with another lump on my head.” He looked around. Except for Martinez’s flashlight pointed at him, the room lay in darkness.
“We’ll talk about your house later. There’s some weird stuff going on here.” He started to rise. “Can you stand?”
Burke shifted on the floor, but without his hands he was helpless. “It would be easier without the handcuffs.”
“Forgot about those.”
Martinez helped Burke to his feet and turned him around. Burke felt a couple of tugs on his wrists, and his hands were free. He rubbed his raw wrists. “Oh, that feels so good.”
Martinez grunted and swung the light to the body lying about ten feet away. “You couldn’t have done that with cuffs on.”
Burke glanced at the body before turning away. “There was someone else here. They seemed to know each other.”
“Catch any names?”
Burke thought back. “Her name was Kayla, but the other guy called her something else, too. Chemosh, I think. Kayla called the guy Denizen, or something like that.”
“Ever see either one of them before?”
Burke shook his head. “Never. How’d you know where to find me, anyway? Kayla said she lost you on the way over.”
“Long story. I’ll tell you about it in the car. Need to get someplace where I can call these bodies in.”
“What exactly do you plan to tell them?”
“Haven’t
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