Silverblood Demons (Daughters of Darkness Book 1) (8 page)

***

We were never allowed to spend any time in Madame Tutella’s room and if we had to clean it, she would always be in there with us, like she was this time. Tonight is different, she’s lying in front of us asleep, drooling, and she has a rope around her feet, the silken one that we forgot in the tree yesterday. Amber was the architect for this tying stint we were pulling. She reached across and handed me one end of the rope and signaled for me to loop-knot-loop one arm and hand it back to her. By the time we were done, Madame Tutella was bound up in such a way that even if she struggled, the rope would just get tighter instead of loosening, my sister is amazing.

I started heading out of the room when I heard Amber. “Psst,” She was pointing at a bag over by the window and I knew she wasn’t going to leave without looking inside of it. I made a vain attempt to stop her from spending any extra time in Madame Tutella’s bedroom but I knew her curiosity would win her over.

There was enough light from the one oil lamp for us to clearly see the contents. Amber reached in and unfolded a towel, inside of it was a mixture of herbs that we didn’t recognize.

“Sleeping meal Ingredients?” I whispered. Amber nodded in agreement. Madame Tutella shifted and we both froze, after she settled back down again I reached in and found something I hadn’t seen in years, it was my silver chain with the tiny little triangle pendant hanging from it. Only the oldest of sisters received one of these and I had wondered where it had gone to and why we weren’t allowed to wear them any longer. Amber took it from my hand and placed it over my head and pulled my hair through the back. The pendant was finally where it belonged again after all this time, I remember being told it held great magik but I was never told what kind.

Something glinted at the bottom of the bag, shiny things always were an allure for Amber, like her glass rocks. She pulled the object out. “It’s a knife,” she whispered. Pulling it out of its sheath the knife was about ten inches long, and its handle had an engraving on it like my triangle pendant. It also had an Amber stone at the top of the handle, no way was she leaving this behind.

Amber stood up and wrapped its leather tie over her head and it sat at her waist. I’ve seen pictures in the books I’ve read of girls adorned by all manner of embellishments on their ears, in their hair, but this was perfect for my sister, it looked like it belonged on her.

We stood up and began making our way out of the room when Madame Tutella’s nose began to twitch, it stopped us in our tracks, she sneezed! Her eyes opened and she was staring at us. “UNTIE ME! You ungrateful sisters of mortals!”

“The bag!” Amber yelled. “Take the sleeping ingredients out, quick!”

“NO! UNTIE ME!”

I handed the ingredients to Amber and she grabbed a handful and shoved it into Madame Tutella’s gaping mouth. “NO! It’s too much, you’re going to kill me!”

Standing over her, the two of us looked at each other in shock, Madame Tutella was spewing green and yellow liquid from her mouth and within a few seconds she had stopped shouting at us, she was dead. No breathing, no drooling, just dead.

We heard Coral from our bedroom, “Where are you?”

“Stay in there Coral,” I shouted. “We’ll be right back!”

“What have we done?” I said. “We have to leave, we can’t stay here any longer.”

“Jade!” I heard Coral’s voice again. “I’m scared, what’s happening?”

“It’s okay, stay there, we’re coming back!”

“We’re going to lock the door,” Amber said. “The old hag deserved it, she was going to do something really bad to us, let’s get out of here before Coral comes in.”

“Why are you awake?” Coral asked.

“We were hungry, but we’re back now,” I stroked her hair and gave Coral a hug. ”We’re going to bed too, go to sleep.”

I tucked Coral into her bed next to Davina who had slept through all the noise, after a while Coral was asleep again.

Downstairs, sitting and staring at the glowing embers of last night’s fire, Amber and I made a plan. We needed supplies and had to get out before dawn. What would we tell Coral and Davina? We knew that our only hope was to make it to Jasmine’s house after her Madame Tutella had gone to her meeting. But we had a big problem. When
our
Madame Tutella doesn’t turn up at the meeting, someone will come looking for her, our only hope was to find Kylar, to find all of them, Elektra, Kira, and Sin-dy too.

Chapter 9

Kira wanted to know what my plan was but I wasn’t certain if it was such a good idea. Sin-dy would be dealing with some of Hell’s nastiest demons, possibly endangering all of us, and any hope that the girls of Sarturas had of freedom.

“We’re waiting Kylar,” Elektra said. “Lay it on us, or did Sin-dy’s ‘kiss of death’ scramble your brain?”

I ignored Elektra’s remark. “This is something only Sin-dy can pull off, but I’m not sure if it’s too much of a risk.”

“I’ll do it, whatever it is,” Kira said. “I came all this way for Davina, I’m not leaving without−”

“We’re all here for the same reason,” Sin-dy cut in. “What is it Kylar?”

Did I really want to put the woman I was falling in love with, in so much danger?

“Do you remember when you said some of Lucifer’s daughter’s closest allies were against her crazy plan?” I asked. “Well what if we could convince some of them that this plan is so insane, that it could actually jeopardize her life?”

“Whose life?” Kira asked.

“I’m saying that Lucifer’s daughter, whatever her name is−”

“Sarine,” Sin-dy interrupted. “Her name is Sarine.”

“What did you just say?” Elektra asked, as she touched her neck. “Satan’s daughter’s name is Sarine?”

“One of his daughters, He has, why are you all touching the backs of your necks?” Sin-dy asked looking puzzled. “It’s kinda weird.”

She was right, all three of us
were
touching the back of our necks,
why?

“Kylar,” Elektra enquired. “Kira and I noticed earlier, when we were outside watching the freak show in the sky that you touched your neck there too.”

“I did?” Sorry I don’t remember.”

“Can I take a look?” Kira asked. “I just want to−”

“Sure,” I cut in. “But why were you two touching . . . ”

“Um, I think this is getting wacky,” Sin-dy said. “Should I be worried?”

“Is that what you and Elektra were whispering about?” I asked. “I saw you trying to shield your mouth when you were talking outside.”

“It’s just a hunch Kylar,” said Elektra. “But our parents told us we had a sibling.”

“Do you mean me? It’s impossible, I would know if I had siblings, wouldn’t you?”

“Dad admitted to having an affair for years,” Kira said. “Mom had a massive blowout with him when we were kids. We never met his mistress, your mom? But there are some coincidences, like Davina being together with your daughters, and you have special powers too.”

“Let’s clear this up,” Kira said. “Look.”

She pulled back her hair and there it was, a small tattoo, but her inscription was different from mine. It read

‘Filia Diaboli Sarine Ūndēcentum’

“I have the same inscription my sister has,” Elektra walked over to me. “May I?”

“Sure.”

She read out loud the inscription on my neck. “
Filia Diaboli Sarine Centum”

“What’s your father’s name?” Elektra asked.

“James Silverblood, how about you?”

“James W Silverblood,” Kira and Elektra spoke together.

A momentary silence ensued where none of us knew what to say or how to act. I guessed we had a connection. Back at Moon Rising’s base we held hands and felt something special between us and again when we were spiraling on the ice platform down to Hell and heard a voice saying, “
Hold Hands”
Was that my aunt? Talking to us
?

“My aunt’s name was−”

“Victoria,” Kira cut in. “You’re our bro?”

“Yeah, it sure looks that way, sis!? Her name
was Victoria
, looks like destiny had a plan for us, and I guess I have a niece too.”

“Hey I’m beginning to feel left out,” Sin-dy said. “Where do I fit in?”

”You’re really special to me Sin-dy, you know I always lov−”

“Well now that we have that mystery solved,” Elektra interrupted. “And if you two are done with all the mushy stuff, I think we need to focus back on the plan?”

“Yeah, the plan, sorry.”

Sin-dy was left hanging, I could tell she wanted to talk but now wasn’t the time and as much as I also wanted to ask my sister’s some questions about who their mother was and why we all had tattoos with Satan’s daughter’s name on our necks, we had to focus hard on some kind of strategy.

“Sin-dy, earlier you said that some of Sarine’s closest allies were objecting to their children being killed after giving birth. Maybe you can convince some of them that Sarine’s plan is endangering her own life, because she may be subject to retribution from other demons,
then maybe she’ll listen to them, and back off?”

“But she isn’tendangering her own life,” Kira said. “She’s going to become stronger after all the girls give birth to more demons, there’ll be millions more of them. The Templars will be overrun an
d－
”

“There are a lot of dissenters,” Sin-dy said. “That’s why she keeps bumping them off, but most of them are afraid to object, they know they’d be on her list.”

“Do you think we can convince her dissenters to send their daughters out of Hell and back home?” Kira asked. “How about if we give them something Sarine really wants, in exchange for letting the girls go. Perhaps then they may be brave enough to approach the subject with her?”

“That better be the best
something
in Hell,” I said. “Otherwise we’ll be up Styx creek, and without a paddle, we’re dog meat.”

“I think I have another idea,” Elektra said. “Maybe Jade or Amber will know something we can use as leverage.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” said Sin-dy. “Did you tell Amber when we’d be returning for them?”

“I told her a couple of days, but I’m starting to feel a little uneasy about them still being there, something in my gut is telling me not to waste any time. Didn’t ‘lexa say she’d be back soon?”

“Yes, you’re right, she did,” Sin-dy said. “But how do we get them out without alerting their Tutella.”

“It’s a chance we’ll have to take,” said Elektra. “Maybe you can wrap her up in that web thingy you like to−”

“Then we have to get them back here before dawn,” Kira interrupted, sensing she needed to head off yet another possible spat. “What do you think Sin-dy? Do we come back here or do you know of a safe house we could head for once we have the girls?”

“I have the perfect place for all of us. It’s where I would have taken you when we first got here, but it would have been too far from the girls.”

After having made our short term plans, we put together some supplies. Then I began to wonder what the rest of this evening had in store for us. I now had two sisters and a niece, I almost told Sin-dy I love her, and we would shortly be under way to remove our kids from harms way.

Back on earth the four of us would make a powerful force to be reckoned with but here in Hell, we wouldn’t stand a chance against Sarine’s army of demons. We were going to need every ounce of strength we could pull together and even then, without the support of our enemy, we were destined to complete failure.

We headed back in the direction of the Yurt that held our kids in open captivity, it was still dark as we approached their home, but there was something different this time. Every light was on in the building and the front door was wide open, something bad was going on.

“NO! Leave us alone!” Jade was screaming like her life depended on it.

Within seconds the four of us had descended onto the building.

An ugly demon was holding Jade in one hand and Amber in its other hand, its mouth was dripping with unearthly colored foam as though it was relishing the thought of eating them. In a blaze of massive power I shot a black ray at its head, Elektra blasted its belly with fire, Kira had created a spear of ice that she thrust in its heart, and using her sword Sin-dy hacked off its head as it stumbled in her direction.

The demon’s grip loosened on the girls who ran screaming toward us, and we watched as the wretched creature’s head hit the floor.

Coral and Davina were crying upstairs. Sin-dy was there in an instant and brought them down covered with a blanket and took them straight out so they never caught sight of the demon. She called out to us. “Hurry! Follow me!”

Coral cried out, “No, I want my tiara!” Amber ran up to the bedroom and returned with both tiaras adorned with their multi-colored glass rocks.

“Let’s go!” Elektra grabbed Amber’s hand, while Kira and I took Jade by hers. The four of us took to the sky as though it were second nature for us. We swooped, soared, and flew above thousands of buildings and cottages until finally what seemed to be an hour later we arrived at a hill. Sin-dy flew right at it but I was confused,
where was our refuge?
We were out in the open.

I should have known better, Sin-dy continued descending and without a moments hesitation she pulled her sword from its sheath and pointed it at the hill, it parted right down the middle and we dove into its black but welcoming embrace.

With the hillside closing in above us we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of candles magikally flickering alive one by one until the darkness was overcome by the flames that lit the walls of our sanctuary.

“Where are we?” Coral asked as she hugged Davina tightly. “Are we going to be okay?”

“Yes of course,” said Jade. “We’re all −”

“Family,” Kira cut in. “We’re your family, and everything’s gonna be alright.” Kira held her daughter Davina tight. “We’re going to take you all home, soon.”

“We’re safe,” Sin-dy said. “I’ve spent many nights sleeping here, in between running reconnaissance for the Templars, the only danger is going to be when we leave, all of Hell will be searching for us.”

“Do you think you and Davina would like to relax a little,” Sin-dy whispered to Coral. “Maybe you could cuddle with her over here.” Sin-dy had several blankets and pillows set aside that she made comfortable for the girls to lie on.

“K bro,” Elektra said. “Back to the plan, should we ask the girl
s－
”

“Yeah, but let’s make sure they’re feeling okay.”

“Amber, Jade, can I get you some water?” Sin-dy asked. “We have a couple of questions if you guys are feeling up to talking?”

Sin-dy was great, she knew just how to put them at ease as she sat between them, a hand in each of theirs. Elektra brought over two terracotta cups of water from a slow stream of water that ran at the far side of where we were seated.

Amber reached up to touch Elektra’s hair. “Can I do that? I want multi colored hair too.”

“Of course, just as soon as we get home.”

“Before you ask us any questions,” Jade said, “we have something to confess. Do you want to tell them.” She was looking nervous and moved over to sit next to Amber.

“Confess what?” Elektra asked. “Are you guys worried about something?”

“We killed−”

“No Jade,
I killed
Madame Tutella, it was an accident, kind of.”

“What do you mean Amber?” I asked. “What happened?”

“We followed her to her morning meeting and found out that we were going to be given a sleeping meal,” Amber said. “We were afraid, so we tied her up while she was asleep, but she woke up, so I grabbed the ingredients for the sleeping meal and put it in her mouth . . . and she died.”

“You were just defending yourself Amber,” Kira comforted her. “Your sisters and Davina were depending on you to protect them.”

“Yeah, don’t
ever
let anyone harm you,” Sin-dy reached up to touch the bullet wound in her chest. “It’s done now, and she’ll never have the chance to hurt you again.”

“Where was the meeting held?” Elektra asked. “Do you know how to get back there?”

“Yeah, it’s easy to find,” Amber replied. “I can take you there anytime.”

Sin-dy and I looked at each other,
was this the opening we were looking for?

“Can you tell
us
how to get there?” I asked. “You’ve been through enough already.”

“You don’t know my sister very well,” Jade said. “She’s going with you whether you like it or not, and don’t bother trying to talk her out of it, it’ll never work.”

“I think we talked enough for tonight,” said Kira. “The girls need to get some rest, I think we all do.”

Kira was right. She took the girls with her and made them comfortable alongside of Coral and Davina. It was the first time she could actually hold her daughter safely in her arms and watch her sleep. Tonight was hers, and surrounded by the girls she fell asleep embraced by all their love.

“I have to go to the meeting place with Amber tomorrow,” Sin-dy said. “I’m a familiar face and if we’re seen−”

“Don’t even go there Sin-dy,” Elektra cut in. “I’m coming too.”

“Me too Sin-dy, there’s no way around it,” I said. “Besides, if we have a problem, we’re going to need each other for protection.”

Deep in the heart of the hillside we had a surreal calm that was destined to be broken by a brewing storm and the world outside was probably raging with a search for the humans that had the power to kill one of their own. Amber had given us a ray of hope and perhaps we could glean some information from the meeting tomorrow that could give us the leverage we were looking for.