Three days had passed since he’d fallen into the River Thames and been thwarted in his attempted vengeance on the Templar that had taken his hand. He’d managed to save himself. For a time, though, he’d feared that Merihim would finish what the Templar had not.
But the demon’s wrath had passed and Warren had received further instruction. He was amazed at how quickly his power continued to grow.
Walking through the graveyard, Warren didn’t worry about the demons prowling through the area. He was marked, to their senses at least, by Merihim’s protection and knew they would give him a wide berth.
Demon-claimed, they called him. Warren wore that name willingly. Demon-claimed was demon-protected. Here, with the power he had and the demons in control of the city, he was a lord.
And he was getting stronger.
He walked through the graveyard, looking for one marker in particular. When he found it, he sat on crossed legs and unleashed the spell that Merihim had given him to use.
An electric-blue fog rose up from the frozen ground, providing a foot-thick layer of cover over a large section of the graveyard. Then, after a long time, the dead began to crawl from their graves.
Since the cemetery was hundreds of years old, the zombies Warren awakened stood in all manner of dress, from knickers to modern khakis. Some were soldiers and some were slackers. Dead and mindless, they were just a force Merihim could use to build his army.
But the one Warren waited on took a bit longer, as if reluctant. But then that zombie too rose and stood before him.
The mortician had done a good job of putting the dead man’s head back together after he’d shot himself, but Warren could still see where the bullet had gone through.
Standing, Warren extended his demon’s hand toward the corpse of his stepfather. “Not you,” Warren said softly. “You’re not going to come.”
Flames jumped from Warren’s fingertips and wreathed the zombie. It howled and beat at the flames. Sinew popped and cracked as it exploded from the heat.
Warren held his hands out, warming them in the heat given off by the demon. Then it fell. Warren stood there, watching as his stepfather’s body burned down to ash on the frozen ground.
When the last ember had flickered out, Warren turned and led the undead army from the cemetery. It was time to get on with his master’s work. Warren was looking forward to it. The more power Merihim gathered, the more that Warren got as well. Being independent, being strong and powerful, was worth every dark and dreadful thing Warren had to do.
But part of him still burned for vengeance against the Templar. He wouldn’t let that need go unanswered. He would find the Templar, and he would kill the man in the most painful manner he could manage.
Soon.
THE HELLGATE: LONDON SAGA
CONTINUES IN BOOK TWO:
GOETIA
About the Author
Mel Odom lives in Moore, Oklahoma, with his wife and children. He’s written dozens of books, original as well as tie-ins to games, shows, and movies such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Blade, and received the Alex Award for his novel The Rover. His novel, Apocalypse Dawn, was runner-up for the Christie Award.
He also coaches Little League baseball and basketball, teaches writing classes, and writes reviews of movies, DVDs, books, and video games.
His Web page is www.melodom.com, but he blogs at www.melodom.blogspot.com. He can be reached at mel@melodom.net.
