The Devil's Heart

The astronomer stalked from the upper platform, carefully climbing down the ladder to the lower level. He walked to the door, his back stiff with anger. There, he paused, turning around. 'They all claim to have seen … the face of God.'

He slammed the door behind him.

Ralph looked upward, at the stars that twinkled high above him through the open roof. He said, in a voice that held the utmost respect, 'I never had any doubts.'

TWELVE

'Do you want introductions?' Roma asked the young couple.

'I imagine we'll all get to know one another very well before the next eight days are up,' Sam answered.

The den was crowded with young people, and Sam knew Nydia felt as he did: somewhat edgy and very much alone. The young people, the kids they had seen being forced into the house were not present. Sam supposed they had been drugged and put to bed. Most of the men in the room were hard-looking types, with craggy faces and savage eyes. The women were attractive, in a sultry, evil way, with unreadable eyes. A couple were beautiful. Several young people no older than Sam were present, standing off to one side with the people from Nelson and Carrington College. They all wore smirky expressions, cocky looks, their eyes bright and shiny with depraved confidence.

'Members of the older Covens in this country and the United States,' Falcon said, gesturing at the new group. 'Your God broke the rules. We saw no reason to maintain our standards.'

'Why are you telling us this?' Sam asked.

'So you can make your choice, naturally,' Falcon replied. 'Live or die … the latter being rather hideously, I might add, should you foolishly choose that course.'

'The choice has been made for us,' Sam said, glancing at Nydia.

'That was yesterday,' Roma said. 'I assure you both, you may leave this area if you so desire.'

'Our God would prefer we remain,' Nydia said, the words blurting from her mouth.

Falcon laughed as his eyes mentally undressed the young woman. Of all the females present, Nydia was by far the most lovely and desirable, and Falcon was looking forward to the moment when he would spread those lovely legs and position himself inside the wet heat of her. 'My, Nydia, how brave you have become with your newfound religion. Are you looking forward to servicing half a dozen men—at one time?'

'I don't believe that time will come. Falcon,' she told him, a set to her chin that was alien to him.

'We'll see,' the reply was spoken softly, filled with menace.

One of the new men opened his trousers and brazenly exposed his penis, long and thick. He stroked his manhood and grinned nastily at Nydia. 'I am certainly looking forward to the time.'

'Put it back in your pants, Karl,' Roma told him. She cut her eyes to Sam. 'Don't you see your position is hopeless?'

'If that is the case, why not just take us now?' Sam asked. 'What are you afraid of?'

The room filled with laughter. 'Afraid?' Roma said. 'My dear, we are not afraid. Put that out of your mind. If, or when, the time arrives, we shall take you both by force. But why so soon? Why risk personal injury when there is always the chance we can convince you—both of you—to come to our side?'

'You will be tempted.' Balon's words in the letter filled Sam's head. 'And you will fall to some of those temptations.'

Sam remained silent.

'I'm Toni,' one of the young women said. 'And I have a question: why would you want to resist us? I don't understand. I was once a Christian; raised in the church. A few years ago my mother was dying of cancer. I prayed to her God—my God, then—to save her, spare her, or at least allow her to die mercifully. He did neither. She died a long, slow, horrible death—unforgivably agonizing. Don't hand me the bullshit of your God being a good and just God. Yet, after I joined the Forces of Darkness, my father was struck by a car and lay dying in a hospital. I asked our Master to save him, and he did.' She moved to Karl's side. 'This is my father. See, he is alive and well.' She put her hand on his crotch and caressed his penis. She giggled. 'Very well, I can assure you both of that.'

Neither Sam nor Nydia had anything to say about the incestuous relationship. But both of them wondered about their own.

'Your God offers you nothing,' Toni continued, her fingers rubbing her father's crotch. 'The Prince of Darkness offers everything. And really, our Master demands so little, as compared to the rules your God expects you to follow. Don't you agree?'

'We serve our God,' Sam said. 'Our God serves us.'

'Double-talk,' Toni said. She looked at Nydia, open envy in her eyes as she gazed at her beauty. 'I hope your man fucks with more conviction than he talks.'

Nydia's smile was sweet, but tinged with hot anger. 'Odds are, dear, you'll never know. You'd better stick with dear old dad.'

Toni flushed with rage, moving toward Nydia, her fists balled. No one made any attempt to stop her. When she got within swinging distance, Nydia, to Sam's surprise, gave the young woman a solid shot to the jaw with a hard right cross, sending her sprawling to the carpet. Toni landed on her rump and sat there for a moment, a glazed look in her eyes, her jaw beginning to redden and swell.

'You have all discovered,' Roma spoke to the room, 'that my daughter is very capable of taking care of herself.' She gave Falcon a hot look. 'Thanks to him. He insisted upon teaching her the rudiments of self-defense when she was a child.'