a shrine of blood novel: Bloodlust

chapter 2

I had been awake for what seemed like days and as I awoke I could hear the crackly voice of a person on the radio "tonight the police and family of Owen have declared him dead or lost and never to be found alive that is all for now on the subject we will now have a minute silence in his honour" there was silence and then another voice took over "the time is 11:11 and we wish you a good night if you have any information that may involve Owen or you have seen any suspicious activity near his home in Cairo over the last couple of years please call the police" then the 1st voice came back on  "Owen is the 7th person over the lat 3 years to disappear and 8 more have followed after him if you know where any of these children may be please contact us" the radio turned of. I thought over what I had just heard had all of those children been taken by sekhmet. The burning in my arm had come back and I arched my back in pain egging that nobody noticed I was awake. It passed and once again I decided not to check my shoulder.

"So your awake" a voice penetrated the silence and as I opened my eyes I saw her. Her hair was the same colour as the sand on which I had died on and it must have been the memory my death that struck me and I realised the horrific truth I had been gone years.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked the question hoping the fear in my voice was unrecognisable.

"3 years if you were just be glad your not dead" she answered casually but as she turned around I realised that there was genuine fear in her eyes as if a ghost had stepped into the room but she quickly covered that fear with an obviously fake concern for me.

"High priestess, should we check him for set" she bowed to the high priestess I didn't know what they were talking about but I knew who set was and I wasn't going to just lie there and be checked for signs of the devil.

 "Whoa, whoa, whoa you get your grubby hands of me" I shouted as a person dressed in grey robes stepped towards me "will some one please tell me what the hell is going on!" I screamed the question at the high priestess wondering if they would answer or sedate me and continue their search.

"I am Angela high priestess of the temple of the blood god. This is my high prophetess Gemma she will be taking care of you until you feel ready to how the humans say, 'take a wonder', and welcome to the blood shrine" her eyes were mesmerizing more than death and sekhmet but I knew her appearance was the flower while her personality was the viper under it. For as long as I would live in this form I knew that her beauty would haunt me. I had dealt with evil schoolteachers before that would bring back the cane without a second thought and I knew she was something far more sinister.

Gemma made sure that Angela had left before her usual stern faced appeared back and she asked me the strangest question I had heard all day.

"Take of your shirt" she asked the question quickly as if someone would walk in at any moment

"Wait I don't even know you plus is this really necessary?" I was shocked she would ask such a question until she explained her reason

"Sekhmet has obviously given you a gift what it is, is usually described in your tattoo." She asked the question quickly clipping each word carefully.

It was then that I realised what I was wearing. It was certainly unfashionable (and that's the dork saying that) but surprisingly comfy looking in a mirror opposite my bed I realised I was wearing a goatskin and fur long sleeved top with snake scales dotted around on it. I slowly took it of revealing a vest made of ox hide but concentrated on the tattoo that was situated on my upper shoulder.

"T-that's impossible" she stuttered and when I looked at the intricate tattoo I knew why she was so shocked where hers was blood red mine was pure gold.