The Castrator, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov [free romance novels .TXT] 📗

A BACKLASH AND TURNED THE KNIFE ON HER. IT SOUNDED STUPID AND NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL, BUT IT WAS VERY POSSIBLE IT WOULD WORK. THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEONE ELSE IN THE DARK. YES, THE ROCKERS HAD TAKEN OVER THE ENTIRE MOTEL, BUT IT WAS FAR FROM JUST THAT. ZONER AND ARLO AND I WERE IN THE SAME ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR - SO IF ANYTHING WENT WRONG, SOME PRETTY TOUGH GUYS WOULD BE COMING AND I'D HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO JUMP OUT THE WINDOW IF I DIDN'T GET SHOT FIRST.

I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE WHAT I CALLED A "CONSCIOUS SWITCH" AND I HOPED THAT WOULD SAVE ME.

I REMEMBERED THAT THE ANSWER WAS TO BE FOUND IN MY DREAM - THE WHISPERING OF THE WIND IN LA POINTE CEMETERY. THIS WAS THE KEY TO AWARENESS! THIS WAS SALVATION.

I SAW THAT GUS BENZOUR HAD ALREADY FINISHED REBURYING THE GRAVE AND ...

THEN I INSTANTLY USED THE WIND FROM MY ASTRAL JOURNEY - IT COULD SAVE ME. I FELT MOVEMENT IN MY SOLAR PLEXUS, MAYBE I HAD SUMMONED SOME DEMON OR MAYBE THAT INVISIBLE COMPANION WAS GOING TO HELP ME AND THEN I JUST OPENED MY EYES. THE KNIFE LIKE MORE MAGIC TURNED AND AT THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE ON MY PART STUCK ITSELF IN THE NECK OF ... GUS BENZOUR!

IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

BEFORE HE GASPED, I MANAGED TO READ HIS MIND. "I USED THE SHADOWS TO GET TO YOU, ELIZANDER, YOU'VE LEARNED TOO MUCH, AND YOU MAY SOON DEFEAT THE GREAT DESIGN! AND THAT IS INTOLERABLE. WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING-EVEN IF YOU GET THERE, YOU'LL FIND YOUR PATH LEADS NOWHERE!"

HIS BLOOD STAINED ME AND I LOOKED LIKE A SACRIFICIAL LAMB IN SOME LOW-GRADE HORROR MOVIE. I KNEW THAT THE REAL INCANTATIONS FROM ABRAMELIN'S BOOK INCLUDED VARIOUS TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSFORMING AND BECOMING AN ANIMAL AND SO ON, BUT SIMILAR IDEAS WERE FOUND IN THE TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN CASTANEDA. FOR REAL MAGIC, SOMETHING MUCH MORE WAS NEEDED... FAITH WAS NEEDED, AND THIS FAITH WAS CONNECTED WITH SURVIVAL AND WITH LIFE ITSELF! FAITH WAS NOT TAUGHT - YOU EITHER HAD IT OR YOU DIDN'T... WITHOUT IT, EVEN ABRAMELIN'S GRIMOIRE WAS JUST A PILE OF USELESS PAGES, ALTHOUGH IN MEDIEVAL TIMES, WHEN THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN, ANIMAL SKINS WERE USED FOR THE PAGES, WHICH USUALLY MADE THEM INCREDIBLY HEAVY AND REQUIRED SEVERAL MEN TO CARRY THEM.

GUS BENZOUR JUST COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND WITH A DULL THUD, BUT MAYBE HE'D CREATED A SPECIAL CURSE TO CATCH UP WITH ME LATER. I WONDERED IF HE HAD EVER BEEN A FARMER! THIS BRUTAL TYPE AND FREAK!

THEN I SAW THE IMAGE OF AN ANGEL - HE WAS COVERED IN BLOOD. AND HE HAD TEARS IN HIS EYES. MAYBE THERE WAS SALVATION AFTER ALL... OR MAYBE I WAS JUST GOING TO BE ESCORTED BY A SO-CALLED GUARDIAN ANGEL TO MY VERY END BEFORE I WAS FINALLY SENT WHERE I NEEDED TO GO.

ZONARA AND ARLO SLEPT FITFULLY. I DECIDED TO GET UP, BUT IT WAS LIKE I WAS NUMB. SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY WRONG HERE!

I KNEW THAT THE ANGEL OF DEATH WAS COMING FOR EVERYONE - FOR SOME HE WAS AN ANGEL, FOR OTHERS A DEMON, AND THAT GENERALLY DEPENDED ON HOW RIGHTEOUS HIS SOUL WAS. EVEN THE ALMIGHTY GAVE THE RIGHT OF REPENTANCE AND THE EVENTUAL POSSIBILITY OF SALVATION TO THE REPENTANT.

THEN I WONDERED HOW GUS BENZOUR HAD PASSED THROUGH THE SLEEPERS BELOW WITHOUT EVER BEING SEEN OR FELT. IT WAS POINTLESS TO ASK FOR SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE - FIRSTLY I HAD NO RIGHT TO DO SO AND SECONDLY I WOULD HAVE AROUSED HUGE SUSPICIONS EVEN IF I HAD FABRICATED SOME TAIL LIE.

GUS'S EYES WERE THE SAME AS A BLUEBIRD'S - THEY SEEMED TO BE MISSING AND I FOUND THAT NOT SO MUCH FRIGHTENING AS SAD. SO GUS WAS JUST ANOTHER FALLEN SOUL WHO ...

I TURNED AROUND - ARLO AND ZONARA WERE STILL SLEEPING FITFULLY, BUT THE INTUITION MY ASTRAL TRAVEL HAD DEVELOPED TOLD ME THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT, TO SAY THE LEAST. GUS HAD A HOLE IN HIS HEAD, AS STEALTH KNIVES REQUIRED MINIMAL PRESSURE. I THANKED THE SICK BRAIN THAT HAD INVENTED THEM, THEY HAD ALSO COME INTO USE IN THE WAR IN CHECHNYA - AND WITH PARTICULAR SUCCESS. AND NOW THE SAME TYPE OF KNIFE HAD SAVED MY LIFE.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ZONARA AND THE ARLO? WHERE WOULD THEIR SOULS GO? WE WERE TEMPORARY VISITORS ON THIS EARTH - SOONER OR LATER, THE PATHS OF US ALL PART.

ZONARA SHUDDERED. BUT APPARENTLY SOME FORCE WAS PREVENTING HER FROM WAKING. SOMETHING TERRIBLE HELD HER IN ITS CLUTCHES, AND SHE FELT SOME STRANGE MIXTURE OF EMOTIONS. AND WAS ARLO ALIVE?

I'VE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SEEN SO-CALLED RED EYES IN THEIR SLEEP. MANY CONSIDER THIS A HOAX, BUT I TOO HAD SEEN THEM, AND I SUSPECT THE LATE FELISTER DID AS WELL.

THE NIGHT SEEMED ENDLESS - I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK. EXACTLY 3:15. WHETHER WHOEVER HAD ATTACKED ME WAS THE REAL GUS. I LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM CAREFULLY. THERE WAS NO CORPSE, BUT THE KNIFE IN MY HAND WAS REAL. WHERE HAD IT COME FROM THEN. ZONARA HAD NO WEAPON OTHER THAN THE GUN, BUT I SUSPECTED THE ROCKERS MIGHT HAVE TAKEN IT FROM HER SO SHE WOULDN'T BE A THREAT TO THEM.

BUT KNOWING ZONARA, SHE MUST HAVE PROVIDED SOME BACKUP. MAYBE SHE WAS HIDING SOME KIND OF POISON NEEDLE IN HER HAIR THAT WOULD STICK IN MY CAROTID ARTERY AND I'D JUST DIE. AND ARLO COULD HAVE BEEN THE BIG WINNER. THAT CONFORMIST! WAS ALWAYS LIKE WATER-SPILLING OUT IN VARIOUS FORMS, AND THIS BROUGHT HIM MANY ADVANTAGES AND OPENED HIS WAY FORWARD.

I REMEMBERED THAT BLUEBIRD HAD TOLD ME ONE OTHER THING AS OF LATE:

- NO MATTER WHAT THE PATH BEFORE YOU, YOU MUST WALK IT IF YOU WANT TO...

"HOW MANY LOST SOULS WILL YOU WOO ELIZANDER! HOW MANY LOST LIVES WILL REMAIN BETWEEN THE INDIFFERENT CONCRETE OF THESE BUILDINGS AND THESE STREETS?"

THE CITY SLEPT QUIETLY! I HAD THE VAGUE FEELING THAT ALL THIS TERRITORY HAD LONG SINCE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THOSE WHO SIMPLY HAD NOWHERE TO GO-DOOMED SOULS! THEY CONTINUED TO SHOW NO SIGNS OF LIFE. MY GLOOMY THOUGHTS WERE INTERRUPTED - ZONARA YAWNED! IT WAS ALIVE AND BREATHING- MY LOVE AND MY CURSE! MY FRIEND!

OUR EYES MET.

- HERE, AT LAST, I SAW THE LARGER PART OF THE PICTURE. AND THAT IT DIDN'T KILL ME WAS PART OF THE ORDEAL. ONLY I CAN LEAD YOU TO THE REAL PLACE - WHERE THE RITUAL CAN BE PERFORMED, AND PERHAPS OUR WISHES CAN BE GRANTED. IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO WISH FOR ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD YOU WISH FOR?

HER EYES LOOKED AT ME SLYLY - SHE WAS NEITHER AN ANGEL NOR A DEVIL. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS. ARLO WAS STILL IN MORPHEUS' ARMS[8], SO I DECIDED TO USE THESE FEW MOMENTS TO CLEAR THINGS UP WITH ZONER ONCE AND FOR ALL.

- I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE STRANGE ALIGNMENT OF EVENTS SO FAR IS NO COINCIDENCE AT ALL," I ASKED HER THE QUESTION IN REVERSE, "AND I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT EITHER THIS INVISIBLE COMPANION OR YOURSELF HAD A HAND IN IT.”

ZONARA LOOKED UP AT ME WITH HER BEAUTIFUL GLASS EYES - EYES THAT SPELLED DEATH, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, LACK OF SALVATION.

- IT IS NOT! BUT YOU HAD TO CROSS THE ROAD! IT'S THAT SIMPLE! GOOD OR BAD - IT'S YOUR PATH!

- YOU ARE MINE ...

- "YOUR REALITY DOESN'T EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE," SHE TOUCHED A FINGER TO MY FOREHEAD, "IT WAS DECIDED AT ALMOST THE HIGHEST LEVEL, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU, THAT I WILL BE YOUR OVERSEER[9] UNTIL THE VERY END. AND I WILL BE STRICT. I CAN ONLY TELL YOU NOT TO MISTAKE MY SERVICE FOR IDOLATRY - AND TO MAKE IT ABOUT WORK, NOT FEELINGS OR LOVE."

- MMM...

SHE PUT A FINGER TO MY LIPS TO STOP THERE.

- "IF YOU REALLY ARE ... WHY ARE YOU LEADING ME DOWN THE PATH OF SIN?," I ASKED HER, PUZZLED.

- I ONLY ACCOMPANY YOU IN YOUR PATH BECAUSE YOU SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE. THERE IS AT LEAST ONE OF US ATTACHED TO EACH OF YOU. I HAVE ASSUMED THIS FORM SO THAT YOU MAY PERCEIVE ME MORE EASILY AND HAVE SOMEONE TO "SHARE" YOUR SUFFERING.

I LOOKED TO ARLO.

- "IS HE GOING TO WAKE UP?," I ASKED HER AGAIN.

- "IF YOU WANT TO?," WAS THE REPLY. "AFTER ALL, YOU DECIDE WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE."

- "WHO IS HE?," I ASKED AGAIN.

- YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL ...

I LOOKED AT ARLO - IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ANGELS LOOKED JUST LIKE HIM, BUT I KNEW THAT THEY COULD TAKE HUMAN FORM AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED - AS LONG AS THEY HELPED US SINNERS.

I DECIDED TO SEE IF THE ROCKERS WERE DOWN THERE. YES, THE GANG WAS FAST ASLEEP, BUT THEY'D PROBABLY ALL BE UP SOON - BEFORE THE CLOCK HAD STRUCK FOUR IN THE MORNING. THEY PREFERRED TO TRAVEL IN THE DARK - PARTLY TO AVOID THE HEAVIER TRAFFIC IN SOME PLACES, ALTHOUGH THE ROADS WERE UNUSUALLY DESERTED.

ARLO WOKE UP. HE LOOKED AT ME AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED HIS STRANGE EYES - THEY WERE INHUMAN.

WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY TO LA POINTE, BUT SOMETHING WAS GIVING ME NO PEACE. I REALIZED I HAD MY ANGELS WHO WOULD BE MY COMPANIONS AND WATCH OVER ME, BUT THERE WAS NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION REGARDING GUS BENZOUR. WHO WAS HE?

- 'THERE IS ONE WAY TO FIND OUT EVERYTHING,' ZONARA WHISPERED TO ME IN AN INHUMAN VOICE, 'BUT YOU HAVE TO THINK OF IT YOURSELF.

LITTLE BY LITTLE I BEGAN TO REALIZE - GUS WAS A HIGH MAGE MANTRIC WHO HAD TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING - SOMETHING BIG AND KILL THE OTHERS. WHY ELSE WERE HIS SILENT MANTRAS AND STRANGELY WORRIED EXPRESSION? WHY WAS HE COMPLETELY ALONE? AND WHY DID NO ONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM?

I SECRETLY DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING UNHEARD OF - TO CHECK IN THE POLICE ARCHIVES IF SUCH A MAN EVEN EXISTED.

BUT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE OFFICE HOURS WERE STARTING...

I COULD HAVE DONE IT LATER AND THE RESULTS WERE NOT LATE.

 

[1]  From the Latin it means "Prayer, labour and study".

[2] It's about family camping in Missouri.

[3] Indian martial art.

[4] A famous American action film.

[5] It's about Jack Kerouac's great book "On the Road".

[6] Killology is the science of killing, created by legendary officer Dave Grossman.

[7] Names of various beings inhabiting the thin invisible world and carrying negative energy.

[8] Morpheus - god of sleep.

[9] Author's Note - Usually angels appear in male form to humans, even though they are sexless beings of the spirit world, but in some passages of Holy Scripture, they can also appear as women, for example [Zechariah 5:9-11]

LA POINTE CEMETERY

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: LA POINTE CEMETERY

 

THE STURDY MEN WOKE UP AND HAD A DECENT AMERICAN BREAKFAST, WHICH CONSISTED OF BACON AND EGGS AND WHOLE WHEAT BREAD. THEY ALSO TURNED OVER A DECENT AMOUNT OF BEER. AND JUMPED ON THE BIKES - WE