Prolouge <> Blood in the Night!

A Chapter by Anene

A hunter chases his desired prey. The prey makes a last ditch effort to win, and an unscrupulous priest and his nuns become a fodder in their game.

Under the high half moon, the hunter crept through the shadows like a phantom, silent as a graveyard. his deep ember eyes closed as his nose followed her alluring scent. Her almost as enticing scent, like that of HE. Almost...Even so, her scent radiated undeniable promise that made him shiver in anticipation; especially knowing of the magnificent gift she was carrying.

Yes! Before the night ended and the sun rose, he would claim the treasured prize that would alter reality as he knew it.
His prey was most certainly bold venturing into foreign territory. Knowing her, she would most certainly fight to her last breath and he greatly welcomed it. A little game won’t hurt between old friends. He grinned at the thought. There was no one to fight by her side. What a thrilling feeling to know he had her all to himself. Oh yes! What a thrilling feeling indeed.

~~~

Kahina Lucan glided through the deserted streets of the quite middle class neighborhood; her hair flying in the breeze, her gossamer-like shawl clutched between her fingers with her pregnant belly protruding underneath the black Victorian gown. She didn’t know how long this chase would go on. She hadn’t anticipated the dispatching of him. Only he of all her enemies had been able to whiff her scent at a moment of weakness. She needed to destroy him to prevent others from seeking her by following his scent. Fighting was so much in her blood that her every will urged her to do so. The only thing stopping her was growing in her womb. The fear of losing her beloved unborn child was like a sword cutting out her heart. It must never happen. She must do all she can to protect it.

As she flitted like a ghost by dimply lit street lamps, she sensed the numbing sensation and stopped. Without looking, she knew instantly that it was no less than two miles ahead. Hallowed grounds; God’s house. She could see it now. Two marble carved archangels flanked on either side of its bronze gated entrance. Colored glass shapes that defined the Catholic savior Jesus Christ and his journey to his death at the hands of his people and his resurrection. The looming cathedral towers were lit like a lantern; a haven. She took a step back and instantly froze as she smelled him. He was catching up to her. At once, she knew what must be done if she wished to save her child. She moved forward at a faster pace with a newly formed resolve. In ten seconds, she was at the gate to the church. Her head was beginning to ache. With a deep inhalation that told her he was close, she went through the bronze gates, past the archangels Gabriel and Michael and into the inner sanctum of the church.

~~~

The numbing sensation had multiplied by a thousand folds. Kahina’s head felt like it was going to explode. The effect was something she’d never witnessed before but had heard from survivors. No one of her kind was ever the same after an experience on hallowed grounds. Her kind weren’t welcome in the house of God. A true house of God. She was in one as a last refuge for her precious one. A place where her kind were powerless, if only for a moment. The church smelled older than a century. It also looked older than a century in architect. It was quiet large and bared sings of an original cathedral design. Humans were present. Some were sitting in wooden pews while others stood chatting with each other in small whispers. It was a little over half an hour before midnight. Perhaps it was a night vigil. about to take place she decided. She strolled through the gathered parishioners and stole into one of the preparation rooms in a recess before the pulpit.

It was a mediocre room. The only furnishment present were a lounge couch, a desk, a flower pot with daises on the window sill and a cross nailed to the wall. She flitted across from the door and laid herself down on the lounge. She felt herself waking by the moment. The numbing sensation remained. It was unbearable but she endured. “just for a while” she whispered.

~~~

Several emotions hit him at once. The hunter felt surprise at what he had just seen. Admiration at her bold move. Disappointment that they may not be able to play after all. Fear and loss of his mission going uncompleted.

He would fail his goal. he would fail because she had taken refuge upon hallowed grounds. If the tales that passed down the generations didn’t keep him away, the genuine numbness he felt at the moment was all too telling.
He was hidden in the shadows of an oak tree five miles form the church. Curse her and the vermin responsible for all this to begin with. Somewhere in his sub-consciousness, he wanted to applaud her victory but he hated him more than he cared about her and wished to see him suffer. The boiling anger surged through him and he shook off his desire to give up. He couldn’t loose to him. Not if he could help it. After all, this sort of chance wouldn’t come again. He just had to out smart the situation. He stood there contemplating for what seemed like hours to him before he noticed the sound.
The hunter smelt the priest before he saw him.
It was then the answer to his predicament sparked in his head and he smiled in the darkness.

~~~

The priest who was indeed a Reverend Pastor, unaware that his life was forever changed when he decided to stop at his favourite bakery, braked hard in his Mercedes. He was annoyed that he was barely four miles from the church and here he was faced with golden light streaming from down the sky to the ground in front of him. He wandered whether the military was conducting some sort of test and if they were, why they were doing so in a populated area before his mouth formed a surprise Oh!

In a blink of an eyes, a man with golden hair, draped in white toga and a sword appeared from the golden light that had caused him to nearly jump out of his suit. He stared dumbfounded at the apparition. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
The man with the golden hair pointed his sword at him and he swallowed hard.

“Father Philipi.” The golden haired man sing-songed in a most beautiful voice.

Father Philipi didn’t know what to say so he asked the only thing that came to him.

“Are you an angel?”

The golden haired man smiled in reply.

~~~

The Reverend Pastor Philipi nodded and blessed the woman and her little children and watched them as they departed through the double doors representing the last of the parishioners. He was a man a bit on the heavy side, especially around the middle with average height and a receding hair line. that left him bald in the middle. No one except himself and his stylist knew this because at the moment, he was wearing a toupee that god forbid had been there ever since the first hair fell off. The fact that it didn’t do to be fifty and look sixty had been his motivation. But baldness was the least bit of worry in pastor Philipi’s mind right not. There was a pressing matter of the utmost importance that he had to take care of. He consulted his Gucci watch hidden under his cloak to confirm that the time was indeed 1:40am. The sound of light footsteps made him gaze towards the door and witness the entrance of the three nuns who taught Sunday school.

Sister Marie was the youngest and stood out because of her youthful beauty. She was twenty-one and was completely devoted to worshipping God by following the wishes of his servant.

Sister Montclair was the oldest and considered herself the closest to the Reverend Father since she had been serving the church for almost 10 years. She was fifty-seven and proud refusing to entirely hand over the position of teaching to the younger nuns who thought they knew everything. It infuriated her so much that she wished sometimes they would have an accident and die. Later she would punish herself for having such thoughts by reciting three hundred hail Mary’s and fasting for a week. She was in lead of the group and gave the other two disappointing stares because they were lagging behind.

The third nun, Sister Mesa was perspiring as if she had just run a marathon. She was overweight and on her period. Coupled together with the situation at hand and the possibilities of repercussion made her a total wreck. She didn’t know if she was wrong to harbour such doubts since the Reverend Father had graciously assured them that they were doing God’s work so they needn’t worry. Looking at the other two Sisters, she realized that she was the only one with hesitation in her heart. Sister Marie she noticed had been a little on the pale side for quiet a while now but looked completely out of it today. She had been eating more than usual for the last month and spending more time by herself that’s for sure. Sister Montclair on the other hand looked like a woman on a mission with a badge on her chest. She doubted the Sister would ever think twice or even doubt a single move the father were to make. Sister Montclair believed wholeheartedly in the man as if he had been God picked to lead his followers on earth. Sister Mesa sighed and tried to keep up.

The Reverend Father was silent as the three nuns lined up in front of the altar, apprehension apparent on their faces for different reasons.

The Father nodded one to indicate he received them before he proceeded to pace the altar.
“My dear sisters, the hour has come to carry out the holy task that the Lord has seen fit to anoint us with. Let us not fail him.”

“Yes Father!” the nuns chorused in agreement.

“I assume you made the preparations like i requested Sister Montclair?” the Reverend inquired.

“Yes Father!” Sister Montclair replied with passion in her eyes while Sister Mesa rolled her eyes.

“Very well then. I shall lead the way.”

to be continued....