Diego looked somewhat disappointed and the priest shrugged. “I guess the bishop will just have to deal with a cranky old priest.”
Diego smiled. “I’ll put on the coffee.”
CHAPTER FORTY
They waited until Diego was gone before approaching. They knew he would recognize them for who they were. The priest was the same as Diego but his knowledge of creation and his experiences in the entirety of existence was still somewhat infantile. They knew he could be deceived.
Three of them came to the cathedral as simple people of faith who would pray to the God that had long ago turned from their ancestors. It was true that they were not as ethereal as their grandfathers or even their fathers for that matter; they were definitely human but aspects of them were ethereal.
The three took the road to the church and left behind hundreds that waited in the shadows, waiting for the moment to show their selves to the world.
Some of their kind had turned their back on who they were, choosing to fall into the human way of life (or other ways of life depending on the planet). Others had forgotten who they were entirely. But they could not stall their plans hoping to lure the lost back onto the path that was destined for them.
They waited for creation to calm back down. The death of the Watchers was unknown to most people except in their deepest subconscious. All of existence knew something had happened but could not recall what it was. What they did know was that as the veil of fear lifted, they found life better than it had ever been. The tensions between peoples of various worlds shifted and for the first time in perhaps ever, there was a peace among creation.
Those in the shadow waited for everyone to overlook the dangers that lie in the forgotten realms. Now that only a few remained who could stop them, it was time for the revealing.
It was late when the priest walked into the chapel. Before he went to bed he would visit the chapel to make sure all was well and that fresh candles were placed for the following day’s prayers. It was not unusual to see people in the later part of the evenings but it was nearly midnight when he entered the chapel and saw three men spread among the pews.
It struck him odd that the three men would be there so late but it struck him as more odd that they were spread out. He found it unlikely that three men who did not know each other would come to the chapel so late. He detected something was not quite right.
“Do you gentlemen require anything?” the priest said aloud. “Stay and pray as long as you like. I’m here to make ready for the morning but please don’t let me disturb you. Let me know should you require me.”
None of the three men turned towards him.
The effect of being ignored sent a chill through him. These men were dangerous. And although he knew because of who he had become they could not harm him that did not belay any of the fear that was slowly creeping towards his heart.
As if sensing his fear, the three men turned towards him. The priest saw them clearly and recognized something familiar about them. They stood and began walking in unison. He backed out of the chapel towards the front doorway and his hand felt the doorknob. With a twist, the door was open and he turned to step outside.
Outside in the courtyard were hundreds of people, all very similar in height and build and all with a unique but analogous appearance. He started at the unexpected mass and did not notice that the three men had come up behind him. He felt their presence and turned to face them.
The man in the middle smiled at the priest. “Don’t worry, Father. We only want what you want.”
The priest summoned his courage. “And what is that?”
“Why, to rule over creation, of course.”
This angered the priest. “How dare you! Of course I don’t want that.”
The man widened his simper, exposing straight white teeth and tilted his head as if he was considering the priest’s words. If possible, the smile grew. “It’s a shame. You would have been welcome among us.”
“Who are you?”
“You already know that answer, Father.”
The priest drew a blank but then a name came to him. He knew who they were. “You are the Elioud.”
Part Two
MORE ANGER THAN SORROW
CHAPTER ONE
Baltimore, Maryland – November 1921
She saw the blood. Through the tears that blurred her vision, she could barely discern the crimson but it was there; the blood in her eyes was the foundation of her tears. She tried to cry out but a sturdy hand over her mouth only caused the words to release in a low muffle.
Jack had kidnapped President Libby Williams without as much as a single shot being fired. He took her to a remote location, just outside of Baltimore. He knew he had some time. The public alarm would not be raised as quickly as with other abductions because the White House handlers would not want the general public to know.
The blood lust ran deep as he looked into her frightened eyes. The steel in her eyes just below the fear – the steel that also ran through her spine, allowing her to serve successfully as President – pushed that blood lust over the edge. It was almost sexual. But he did not have plans to assault her in that way. If any part of him was to violate her, it was the blade concealed in his pocket.
When he finished, he looked down at his work (something of which he
