The Hidden Path

Fresh Blood

Lilith brushed her long, rich brown hair, watching her own movements in the large oval mirror that sat atop the low, wide dresser. It felt unnatural being back in Leviathan's manor now, felt too quiet and too still. With a heavy sigh, Lilith set the silver brush down on the wooden dresser top and ran her hands over her black, gauze dress. Deep bronze colored thread ran along the neckline and the hems of the gown, the shoulders pinned together similar to a Roman chiton. It was subtle and reserved, much unlike the King of the realm the color represented. Turning toward the door, she froze. Her heart ached and a small whimper escaped her as she willed her body to move. Lilith had played out this day in her mind over a hundred times since Alpha had told her about it. Trying to picture herself stepping into the chamber again, remembering the smell of hot iron and the stains that were etched between the stones on the floor.

Lilith left the room and walked down the hall. At the end she saw Samantha, her eyes nervous but she still wore a stunning smile. Omega stood at her side, just as he had stood at Lilith's nearly two years ago. She wore a golden gauzen gown, round bronze medallions holding the fabric together at the shoulders and a bronze rope cinching the waist. Omega was draped in the familiar black robe she had seen him in on other occasions. The thought sent a chill through her, remembering how gentle he was with her that bleak day.
Cain stood facing the pair, his hands in the pockets of his black slacks, a small upturn on his lips. Lilith had found out in the days prior that a King needed to essentially sponsor a potential clergy member and attend their ritual. This sponsorship would ensure the newly admitted member a place and a purpose, though that had not been the case with Lilith.

"Lilith! Come, we are about to leave!" Cain called, waving his hand to her. Forcing a tight smile, Lilith joined them in the vaulted entryway. Omega was reserved, his hand resting loosely on Sam's lower back. Though Cain's smile was as bright as ever, in his deep brown eyes was the same apprehension. It made Lilith's stomach turn, her hands growing clammy but she maintained her plastered on smile, for Sam's sake.

"Lets go then." Lilith said, her eyes falling on her friends. Lilith had not attempted to talk Sam out of going through with this. She had confided in her friend, telling Sam of her own ritual with excruciating detail. Lilith figured Sam knew what she was doing; she certainly seemed calmer than Lilith did. Cain rested his massive hand on Lilith's shoulder and the group moved from the warm protection of the Portland manor to a small, shallow stone chamber. The space seemed as though it was perpetually damp, mildew thick in the cold, stifling air. Lilith's entire body tensed beneath Cain's grip which moved from her shoulder to her upper back.

As if her nightmare was playing out in waking day, the weathered wooden door swung silently on its wrought-iron hinges. As the torch lit room came into her view, Lilith moved to her friends side and took her hand. She grasped it firmly, drawing Samantha's eyes to her. Her wide, panicked eyes.

"We will be right here." Lilith whispered. With Omega at her other side, they entered the chamber. So much of it was familiar, the smell of smoke and blood, the low pressing ceiling. But instead of iron shackles in the center Lilith saw some kind of alter. Skirting the perimeter of the ritual space were black cloaked figures, eight in total. Hoods shrouded their faces, only glowing red eyes peering at the new arrivals. As they moved further into the chamber, Lilith's heart pounded against her sternum and muffled her hearing.

Sam gripped her hand, her friends strained breaths the only sound above the crackling fire spotted around the chamber. A figure moved from the edge of the room to meet them, her face aged and hard. A face Lilith would never forget. Bile burned the back of her throat as the elderly matron moved to Samantha, not meeting Lilith's eyes. Samantha looked over to Omega with a very familiar, pleading gaze.

The woman now stood before the trio with an emotionless face. She reached her boney, alabaster hands out and carefully unclasped the medallions and handed one to Lilith. She gave the other to Cain as the fabric of Sam's dress fell over the metallic rope at her waist.