Azazael stood with Zoiia in the basement that she used as her sacred space. "I am displeased," he said. "Where is my High Priest? Why was he not present at the Candlemas sacrifice? I sent you to find him Zoiia, and yet you came back alone and Caleb had to complete his role. Explain yourself."

"He has moved since we were together. He no longer lives at his uncle's house and I have been unable to find his new residence. He has placed a ward on his location."

"Indeed? You led me to believe that he was studying, preparing for his role."

"And so he was my Lord, until he acquired a girlfriend, Rosemonde Durand. For the past few weeks, he has spent every spare moment with her, neglecting his duties. It seems I no longer have any influence over him."

"Myrddin Thomas caring for a woman? How is that even possible? Durand, Durand, that surname is familiar to me for some reason... What do you know of her?"

Azazael's last question was barely audible. Zoiia understood this to mean he was angry and so she spoke slowly, carefully.

"Myrddin is powerful, as you yourself know, my Lord. From the moment he invited the girl into his life, he has protected her with his magic. There has however been a shift in the energy surrounding her, over the past twenty-four hours, which has allowed me to locate her. She is currently in a hospital."

"Perfect. She can be eliminated there without much effort. Do it."

"I could my Lord or, if it pleases you, there is another option?"

"Speak it."

"She is a true innocent, untainted. I would obtain her essence for your Children."

Azazael licked his lips as if savouring the idea. "Ah, my High Priestess, you become more like my Lilith with each day." He smiled at Zoiia before pulling her towards him and kissing her rapaciously.

"My Lord, I am not worthy of such attention." She panted, attempting to catch her breath.

"And what would you do to become worthy?"

"Anything you desire my Lord."

"Anything?"

"Yes!" she answered breathlessly.

"Give me your body and let me awaken my consort, Lilith, again."

"Take what is yours, my Lord." She was filled with lust as Azazael ripped the clothing from her body. He carried her to the stone table that she used as an altar, where he took her repeatedly.

They spent hours using sex and the Life Elixir to complete the rite. Zoiia expected to feel depleted. Instead, she felt invigorated. She queried this with Azazael who smiled benevolently at her before leading her back upstairs to look in a mirror.

"Behold," he said.

Reflected at her was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, with coal black hair and eyes like opals, that seemed many colours at once. The woman smiled at her from the mirror. Zoiia took a step back.

"Do you understand what this means?" Azazael asked her.

"Your consort Lilith resides within me?" Zoiia became frightened. "Shall I survive?"

"You are invincible, as long as you feed."

Zoiia began to comprehend, but still had questions. "If I have become a succubus, how can I remain your High Priestess? I may kill those men with whom I lay."

"You can no longer be my priestess that is true, but you may choose the candidate. Be warned Zoiia, choose carefully, or as delectable as I find your body, I will allow my queen to destroy it."

A laugh escaped from deep within her. It was Lilith. "Not so fast Azazael. I think this little one should remain High Priestess a while longer. I am curious to see just how powerful this Myrddin is. She desires his body, and I wish to see how long he will last, particularly as she grows hungry."

Zoiia smiled....

☆☆☆☆☆

Rosemonde had been moved to a private room and Drew had stayed with her. Neither had gotten much sleep. Rosemonde was woken every few hours by medical staff and Drew had wanted to be with her throughout, so he had woken as well. She was thankful and amazed by his attention, but guilty.

"Drew please, go home and get some sleep. You've done so much for me already."

"I'm not leaving you alone, Rosemonde."

"Then call Myrddin, this isn't your responsibility."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Oh no, I didn't mean — I guess I'm just feeling sorry that you had to sleep in a reclining chair in a hospital."

"It was surprisingly comfortable." Drew yawned unconvincingly. "Besides, I wanted to stay. We've really gotten to know one another. I wish the setting was different and that you weren't hurt, but otherwise I've really enjoyed your company."

"You're very kind Drew, and I'm very grateful that you stayed with me but I can see that you're exhausted. Where is Myrddin? Please call him so you can go and get some proper rest."

"Actually, about that..." Drew told Rosemonde what Myrddin and his mother were doing today and how Myrddin had been told to stay away from the hospital last night. He expected her to be angry but instead, she laughed.

"One does not argue with Mairead Wilson," she said, and Drew had to laugh as well.

"I didn't believe he would agree to go, actually," he said quietly.

"My God, if he is the one that finds her, it-it was a big thing to ask of someone really.... Maybe he agreed because he didn't really believe..." Rosemonde couldn't finish her train of thought. She had finally accepted that Summer wasn't coming home, but she really didn't want to think about what that meant, what Myrddin would find.

Noticing that her mood had become sombre, Drew changed the subject. "I need coffee. Want one?" he asked.

"Coffee, oh I wish," she said wistfully. "Unfortunately, it's on the list of foods to avoid, for the moment."

"Alright, I'll get you a juice." He surprised her with a peck on the cheek before turning to leave. Not quite knowing how to respond she decided on fangirling.

"Oh my, Drew Wilson just kissed me!" She pretended to swoon back onto her pillow.

"I kissed a good friend whom I care about," Drew replied with a rakish grin. And I so wish I'd met you before your hot-headed boyfriend did. Three weeks, they've been together officially only three weeks. Still, they are a couple and I must respect that...

A nurse entered the room as he was leaving it. She had the most unusual opalescent eyes...

☆☆☆☆☆

Detective Berg turned the four-wheel drive into the homestead's entrance while Detective Craig radioed their police colleagues at the crime scene to let them know they were following up on a lead. All five of them left the vehicle and began to look around.

Mairead went with Myrddin. "Are you all right Myrddin? I know this was a huge thing to ask of you. Thank you for agreeing to come today."

He nodded mutely, worried that if he opened his mouth to respond, he would throw up. Azazael had been here. He could feel it.

He remembered his last interaction with the demon. They had shared a drink that was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. It was intoxicating. He had wanted to continue drinking, so seductive was the taste.

He could taste it now. He could smell it. He followed the alluring scent. It was strongest towards the barn.

Mairead smelled it too, but her reaction was vastly different. "What is that cloying stench?" she asked.

Myrddin was the first to reach the barn. Stepping inside he noticed several empty vials strewn carelessly on the floor among farm and gardening equipment. The lazy mess meant that they might even be overlooked, but he had seen these before. Con had had them, and Zoiia had given both Paul and himself a vial each, at the art exhibition. Detectives Berg and Craig retrieved several samples for examination.

"Bizarre aroma." Detective Craig sniffed one of the vials. "Vaguely familiar and yet not. I can't place it at all."

Theodora stood at the threshold of the barn. She looked as if she would weep.

"I can't. I'm sorry. I can't. I-I can't enter," she said. It was a warm humid day and yet she was shivering, her skin covered in goose bumps.

"Dora?" Detective Berg rushed out to help her as her knees buckled. "What is it?"

"That smell, it's partly the essence of...of Summer. I mean — literally."

"You can't be serious!" Myrddin didn't want to accept it.

"Are you saying-" Detective Craig almost dropped the vial she was holding.

"Wh-what you can smell," Theodora continued, "What you can smell is...is a-a mixture of-of red and white blood, arousal-induced vasocongestive vaginal lubrication, sperm, saliva and snake venom."

That's what I drank? THAT is what was so enticing? And Con had said, "She was delicious." Oh FUCK! He was being literal... What have I done? What the hell have I done?

He needed to get out of there. He turned to leave and tripped on what appeared to be a discarded handle of some sort. Then he realised it was in fact bolted to the floor. He knew instinctively what it meant and suddenly he did not want to be the one who found what they were looking for.

"Detectives, there's something here," he said. "I think it's a trap door. Ms Wilson, I believe we can change our destiny. I'm not going down there, if-if you get my meaning."

She nodded. "Perhaps Detectives, it would be best if we remain outside while y-you retrieve the body."

They opened the trap door and as Myrddin suspected, it revealed a flight of stairs.

Detective Berg shone a flashlight down the stairs. "There's something here. Call for back up!" He went down the steps carefully before instructing, "Andie stay up there with the others. They don't need to see this. She's here, but...she's not the only one. Make the call. We'll need help. There are more bodies down here."

Unable to hold it in any longer, Myrddin emptied the contents of his stomach.

Mairead could not comprehend what they had learned. She moved to where Theodora still stood, at the barn's entrance. Both women were distressed. "Why? Why would they do such a thing? How could they?" Mairead was horrified.

"Blood and sex have always been associated with power in black magic." Theodora explained. "If you take someone's essence, either sexually or via their life force, you have power over them. The Children of Azazael take both." She shuddered. "Azazael, also known as Samael is the entity described as the serpent from the book of Genesis in the bible."

"So they're not just some cult as I first thought. They're...Satanists." Mairead said.

"I suppose you could call them that. Azazael has been called Satan in some texts. Satan, Samael, Azazael, whatever you want to call the filth, he wanted the blessings that were given to humans. He resented Adam and Eve, and so he tempted them with arcane knowledge. He was one of the fallen angels who took human wives. He taught them witchcraft and encouraged fornication. The book of Enoch describes Azazael as having corrupted the whole Earth through the works that he taught — 'to him ascribe all sin,' it says."

Theodora turned to Myrddin, "And what will you do, now that you finally understand?"

Her tone was non-judgmental, but he flinched, nonetheless. He was reminded again, of what Rosemonde had said to him on the day they had gone shopping. You can choose again. He had told her then, that he wanted to. But could he choose again, or was his life forfeit? Myrddin looked at Theodora seriously, and nodded before calling out, "Detectives, I may need your help."

Suddenly Mairead gasped, loudly and painfully.

"What is it? Did you find something thing else?" Myrddin asked her.

"Rosemonde," Mairead was gasping for breath. "They've taken her."

"NO!" Myrddin roared.