“Death,” he whispered. “Mayhem. Slaughter. Oh, my!” He laughed again before pulling away from her. He performed a jig, a skeleton man flopping about in perverse merriment. When he stopped, he slapped his skeletal palms against his covered chest and exclaimed, “I’m going to kill sooooooo many people!”
“Yes,” Darhoth said, smiling cruelly. “But first you must fall to your knees and accept me as your mistress.”
Mr. Death looked at her, his empty eyes traveling down the length of her body. Once, he’d have wanted her… oh, yes… but now he felt nothing but a distant stirring, as if he’d almost forgotten what her parts could have done for him. In his current state, he was beyond such things. “I don’t think so, sweets. Mr. Death serves pure chaos… and as long as you do, too, then we’re on the same side. But I’m not bowing down before you.”
For a moment, Darhoth looked furious but then the moment passed and she seemed to take on a pleased expression. “Welcome to the other side, Mr. Death.” She held out a hand and, after a moment of consideration, Otto Luther took it. “You’re going to do just fine.”
CHAPTER VII
Gathering of Forces
Sovereign City
It looked like something torn straight from a nightmare—an old house that loomed against the moonlit sky. It was a massive pile of ancient stone, fine woodwork and dark shadows. The impression that it gave was that it was almost a living thing, this isolated mansion known locally as Hendry Hall—a living thing that was just waiting to sink its fangs into the bodies of all those unlucky enough to cross its doorway.
Hendry Hall was known to all in Sovereign as a cursed place, full of mysteries and death. That description was still applicable now that it belonged to Cedric Hendry and was the headquarters for Gravedigger’s war on crime.
With dark hair, deep-set eyes, and a square jaw, Cedric Hendry was a businessman who looked like he could have stepped right off of Wall Street. He had moved to Sovereign in order to inherit the family estate and he had remained there because he’d fallen in love with Li Yuchun. Their relationship was an awkward one because of their varying morality but in the end, they were still together, and that was something that Charity couldn’t help but be envious of.
Of course, Charity had her own romance. She and Mitchell were lovers though neither of them held out any great hope for marriage or children. Not only did their racial differences pose problems for the rest of the world but both were well aware of not only Charity’s time limit to redeem her soul but also the simple, unavoidable fact that either could meet their ultimate end at any time.
Charity watched Li and Cedric’s flirting and was glad that her mask hid her face. If it hadn’t, it would have been all too obvious what sort of thoughts were going through her mind.
As always, the deadline appointed by The Voice took the forefront of her thoughts. How could it not? She only had so long before she’d either be condemned to eternal torment or find a new lease on life.
She turned to look at The Dark Gentleman, who stood at a window. He was staring out of it, digesting all that Gravedigger and Mitchell had said to him. The offer had been simple enough: they wanted him to join their organization. His detective skills were something that they needed and, in return, they could offer him support and a base of operations. It was, they said, time to elevate his status from rabble-rouser to something bigger.
The well-dressed vigilante had listened in silence, nodding thoughtfully every now and then. When the spiel had ended, he had risen from his chair and begun deliberating what his response would be.
When he spoke, his voice was low but quite audible. Cedric and Li fell silent, knowing that this was important.
“I’ve mostly avoided working with others. I like the freedom of being on my own and, to be honest, I recognize the fact that I’m
“Yes,” Darhoth said, smiling cruelly. “But first you must fall to your knees and accept me as your mistress.”
Mr. Death looked at her, his empty eyes traveling down the length of her body. Once, he’d have wanted her… oh, yes… but now he felt nothing but a distant stirring, as if he’d almost forgotten what her parts could have done for him. In his current state, he was beyond such things. “I don’t think so, sweets. Mr. Death serves pure chaos… and as long as you do, too, then we’re on the same side. But I’m not bowing down before you.”
For a moment, Darhoth looked furious but then the moment passed and she seemed to take on a pleased expression. “Welcome to the other side, Mr. Death.” She held out a hand and, after a moment of consideration, Otto Luther took it. “You’re going to do just fine.”
CHAPTER VII
Gathering of Forces
Sovereign City
It looked like something torn straight from a nightmare—an old house that loomed against the moonlit sky. It was a massive pile of ancient stone, fine woodwork and dark shadows. The impression that it gave was that it was almost a living thing, this isolated mansion known locally as Hendry Hall—a living thing that was just waiting to sink its fangs into the bodies of all those unlucky enough to cross its doorway.
Hendry Hall was known to all in Sovereign as a cursed place, full of mysteries and death. That description was still applicable now that it belonged to Cedric Hendry and was the headquarters for Gravedigger’s war on crime.
With dark hair, deep-set eyes, and a square jaw, Cedric Hendry was a businessman who looked like he could have stepped right off of Wall Street. He had moved to Sovereign in order to inherit the family estate and he had remained there because he’d fallen in love with Li Yuchun. Their relationship was an awkward one because of their varying morality but in the end, they were still together, and that was something that Charity couldn’t help but be envious of.
Of course, Charity had her own romance. She and Mitchell were lovers though neither of them held out any great hope for marriage or children. Not only did their racial differences pose problems for the rest of the world but both were well aware of not only Charity’s time limit to redeem her soul but also the simple, unavoidable fact that either could meet their ultimate end at any time.
Charity watched Li and Cedric’s flirting and was glad that her mask hid her face. If it hadn’t, it would have been all too obvious what sort of thoughts were going through her mind.
As always, the deadline appointed by The Voice took the forefront of her thoughts. How could it not? She only had so long before she’d either be condemned to eternal torment or find a new lease on life.
She turned to look at The Dark Gentleman, who stood at a window. He was staring out of it, digesting all that Gravedigger and Mitchell had said to him. The offer had been simple enough: they wanted him to join their organization. His detective skills were something that they needed and, in return, they could offer him support and a base of operations. It was, they said, time to elevate his status from rabble-rouser to something bigger.
The well-dressed vigilante had listened in silence, nodding thoughtfully every now and then. When the spiel had ended, he had risen from his chair and begun deliberating what his response would be.
When he spoke, his voice was low but quite audible. Cedric and Li fell silent, knowing that this was important.
“I’ve mostly avoided working with others. I like the freedom of being on my own and, to be honest, I recognize the fact that I’m
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