Conquest Of The Fallen: Dark Dominions

There was a scarlet sun in the skies when Rafel and Cora breezed out of the cathedral. It was a nice, alpine evening, dimming wonderfully into night in the countryside. They had spent nearly four hours cooped up in there. Cora turned as the carriage man they'd left behind hailed and brought his buggy over; the man was still waiting. It made Cora wonder just how much Rafel had tipped him.

As the carted vehicle rumbled up to the sidewalk, Cora petted the mane of the first Chestnut horse in front and said with a whimsical look behind to the grand gray dome of the church.

"I'm not gonna miss this place."

Rafel glanced with her to the majestic turrets and folding eaves, and the crowblack steeple; he held the door open for her. "Me neither."

Considering what the duo had encountered in there, it was a safe bet. The Highfather of the entire holy fucking church was gay, and a pedo. And now, he was Rafel's fucking bitch. The demon in Rafel felt the urge to rip out fucking horns and blow up some shit. He settled with a gratuitous smile. Rafel heard the reins slap and the carriage started forward.

Cora lowered her head onto his shoulder and Rafel looked down her pale features.

"Dinner."

Witchy blue eyes raised to light at him. "You read my fucking mind." She added. "—but none of that canteen order. I want a real spread."

"As you wish, mi Corazón."

Rafel spoke aloud to the carriageman. "Head on to Spinazolla's."

"Yes, sir." The driver hailed back.

Cora chuckled. "You want to spend some more money? That place is pricey."

"I know," said Rafel, "I own it."

Cora abruptly sat up. "Since when?"

"Since I found out the manager was a Hyde serial killer, and killed him for it. Speaking of, I might have to change the name of the place." Rafel paused when he caught Cora staring up and smiling at him. He knew she admired his savagery. He leaned in close. "You can kiss me later."

Cora pushed at his chest. "You wish."

She dropped her head back into his shoulder, but her lips were already tingling in promise. The rest of the ride was silent until the marvelous glass doors of the uptown restaurant, bringing with it the mouthwatering aromas of intercontinental cuisine.

Rafel and Cora got another surprise when they walked in.

His friends had booked a table.

"Hey!" Aya Naamah stood and waved to get his attention. With her were Percival, Ravenna, and Rosa. "Please, join us." She beckoned them in. Rafel also spotted Brunhilda and Miss President Erika with a couple of their [Griffin Gold] buddies on another booth close by. They waved too. And he nodded back.

He guessed he and Cora weren't the only ones thirsty for a real menu.

Rafel held out a chair for Cora, and three pairs of eyes leveled on her. He introduced—and not for the first time.

"Corazón, everyone. And yes, she remembers."

"Oh my gahd! She does?" Ravenna's accent came out thickly.

Cora was soon folded in hugs and wet kisses, platonic. Her BFF, Aya remained a warm presence at her side. Ever since she had opened that door that day at Emberfall to the Apollyon and his Succubus, Cora had found that her mundane life had grown more interesting, case in point. Cora settled back into her seat. "It's so nice to be back with you all," she was holding onto Aya's hand.

"It almost feels unreal."

"It is real." Rafel hardened; he would have it no other way. His long arm was slung over the back of the booth.

The spot Ravenna had chosen before their arrival was in a shadowed corner; almost private, locked all from all eyes except the ones in it. Like she knew the Lord of Shadows was coming. Ravenna said, "I can believe you died. It was..." She choked.

"Yeah. We all felt it." Rosamunde finished for her. "—a certain ginger brogue most of all."

When she waggled her eyebrows in Rafel's direction, he picked up the menu card and hid his face in it. The girls laughed. Percival joined in. "The bloke did cry once." Rafel hid his face more. "I know I speak for all when I say we all are ebullient at his miracle, Cora. His Eminence does not speak it, but we all know he shows his emotions in other ways."

Percival made googley eyes, and if Rafel's yellow eyes damn near burned through the page.

What ways? Many may ask. Those ways involved a very enticing body and all the ways he could use it.

—which every beautiful female on the table had seen and considered divine.

"Yep," Ravenna chirped, "he does know how to show 'em."

Rafel cleared his throat. "Moving on. . .what are we ordering?"

Everyone in the swanky booth looked to the sexy tomboy. They were clearly keeping the ball in her court. Cora reclined and smiled, flashing perfect white teeth. Her voice danced melodic with her words. "How about the finest in the house?"

"Hear! Hear!" Percival drummed the table.

It wasn't long before a prim waitress came on and took their order. And a cart was wheeled in. The server announced their spread: glimmering pans of swelled pizza, stainless pots of noodles and ladles for broth. Potatoes and mutton so soft it'd make the kindergarten none the wiser. Bread kissed with the perfect jam. Crunchy chips and caviar that cost about a total of the rest.

Finishing with a bottle of wine normally restricted for festivals, or the impromptu stop-by of a Noble.

"Have some more steak sent in," Israfel said. He kept an eye out for Rosa, his half vampire.

"Yes, boss." The server bowed and left.

As the reunited circle ate, they traded stories of events that had passed since Titans Landing. It was all they could do not to grab hands and do the feet tap together.

Everyone avoided the topic of Cora's funeral; how they had performed a pyre ritual on Sekhmet's paradise island, as in the custom of trueblood witches. How the flames had glowed blue: a sign of her pure bloodline, and the fire leaping like shards of crystals. And the urn Israfel had kept close in his closet even after Aya had convinced him to toss the ash into the ocean.

"So, to end the story, I am now officially a revenant. If you see me floating in white robes at some point, don't be alarmed. I am no longer restrained to this mortal coil."

Cora sat back and patted her belly.

Rafel didn't know which he loved more. The satisfaction of spoiling her. Or the fact that he got to watch her eat. He did like women with a healthy appetite.

"We love you either way," Aya cemented.

"Right as raindrops in Castamere!" Ravenna said, and the whole booth smiled.

It was night outside when their plates were cleared away. Through the fine glass walls, Rafel could spot the stars in the dark. He didn't know much about constellations, but that really did seem like a phallus. "Is it just me, or does that milky way look like a giant dick?"

He brought more laughter to the booth and he, Rosa, Aya, Ravenna, and Percival soon forgot there was a literal ghost seated at their table.

They were drinking several minutes later in silence when Ravenna leaned in. Most of the patrons had left the restaurant. The lush area was mostly empty, but the expensive touch remained. The air smelled like fine wine. Ravenna put forward her question to the entire group. "So, what's new?"

"Mhmm." Percival shrugged. "It's test week."

"As a Second Year, I will happily coach you anytime. Just say the word." Ravenna offered again. All in the booth nodded, except Rafel. Her leafgreen iris locked on him. "What's wrong?"

Rafel raised his own yellow pupils and met her trusting gaze. He decided to tell all. "Cora and I were at Vallon-de-Grâce today. We met the Highfather."

"Really?" Rosa's face lit so bright.

Rafel shared a look with Cora; Rosa had such a pure fire within her he didn't want to tarnish it with the ill reputation of the holy man. So he kept the real gossip to himself. He continued, avoiding the scandal upon the church. "Yes. He was. .

.quite the man. Anyway, our meeting ended with him in our red book. He owes me now—a whole fucking lot. I asked for a piece.

Remember the shitstorm at the Guild?"

Percival scrunched his nose. "Oh yeah, when the sewage pipes exploded."

Cora chortled. "Yes," Rafel quickly went on. He didn't want to remember drowned in brown turd. Gods! The shit he'd done to save that mortal's life. "I called in one of the Highfather's blood debts to me.

I asked about the basilisk. He said we'd have to refer to another. A powerful woman in the realm."

"Whom?" Rosa asked.

And it was Cora who finished Rafel's speech.

"The Countess of Avila."

• ¢ •

A halfmile away from the neon-lit restaurant, the shrouded figure of the same noble woman whom the friends sat in a circle and spoke about loomed large in a gothic suite of the Grand Tourniquet Inn. Dark eyes stared down a crystal ball from above. In the glowing orb, the booth was revealed, and those staring dark eyes lit on the man at the head of the table: the redhead.

Standing like a sentry above the occult ball, the high Countess of Avila D'aqua whispered to some one beside her, the only other shadow in the grim suite.

"We have a problem. This. . . Apollyon is close to figuring us out."

The shadow she talked to moved—but just an inch.

"Send in Persuada."

And out from the gory darkness of the grande hotel room, a third shadow emerged. It's mighty and furious size dwarfed the others, and everything else in its path. It made the chamber look small.

This new entity was not like the others who had summoned it. It was neither person nor spirit. It was a monster. In the most gruesome possible use of the word. This creature was forged of the blackest arts. Knit from a hundred different parts of beastly nightmares.

It's haunted face and hollowed red eyes sprouted fright and death. It stood 12ft and appalling. The only part of its face open to the scrutiny of the purple lighting was a twisting mass of tentacles. There was no skin whatsoever below. The face of a squid, the body of a giant. .

.and who the fuck knew what else.

This, was the [Persuada].

A most evil conjuring, known among the society of wizardry as one of the darker gods. As the monster of Frankenstein was made of deceased human parts, sewn together and granted electric life. So was the fright of Persuada. But the energy that flowed through this horrifying creature was dark and twisted.

And so, came the second voice again, giving order to this deathly beast-man made of a hundred monster cadavers.

"Find them. End them."