Eternals Book 2: The Raven Mocker: The Eternals, #2

By Vincent Roberts

The Eternals are a superior race of supernatural beings that have roamed the earth for thousands of years in search of peace. These vampire-like creatures don't need blood to exist. Instead, they absorb the life forse from their human victims in order to remain young and powerful.

Once again, life unravels for the Eternals as Selene is faced with puzzling glimpses of the future and a mysterious redheaded woman. Paris is struck down with debilitating headaches that can't be explained. Paulo vanishes into thin air and can't be found.

Soon enough, the Eternals are forced to face off with the Raven Mocker and the Scarlett Witches of Savannah, culminating in a horrifying final battle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vincent Roberts
• Release date: Jan 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781393520047

Book preview

1

Lucy entered the basement of the manor around midnight and watched her prisoner of several weeks, Peggy Tripp, as she slept in her cold steel cage.

She noticed the other four captives that Paulo had brought back from his journey across the state. There was a young, confused woman who was also sleeping. Sitting in another cage was a middle-aged man who rocked back and forth in his chair. In the remaining two cages were a couple of younger men who were also asleep on metal cots.

No words were spoken between the captives. The four of them had had their minds erased by Selene, making their captivity a matter of complete confusion.

Paris always found it to be a safe alternative, especially after the unexpected disaster that had transpired with Grace. He had decided, if their minds couldn’t be erased, they were to immediately be put to death and the others knew his laws in the house were to be obeyed without any argument or alternative suggestions.

Lucy clutched a metal goblet and pounded it against the sturdy bars that encircled unfortunate Peggy. The clanging that it produced was taxing and all-pervading to her ears.

Peggy leapt from her bed before she hurried to cover her ears with her hands. Lucy shouted, Time for you to wake up, Peggy! It’s almost midnight again! Time for another night of fun and games with Lucy!

The horrified woman stood near her bed as terror mounted in her eyes once again. Peggy knew what was going to happen next. She appeared haggard and shabby and much thinner than she had weeks before. The continual nights of being tortured and starved had taken an obvious toll on her body and mind. No, not again! Please, Lucy! I’m begging you! Not again!

Lucy smirked as she responded, It’s what you deserve. I have no mercy for the cheap whore that would sleep with a married man.

Peggy fell to her knees and begged, Please, Lucy, just kill me now! End it! I’d rather be dead than have to go through this every night for the rest of my life!

Since the transformation, Lucy seemed to have come back in her new life with a vindictive and angry streak. She was both entertained and pacified when she observed the emotional and physical pain that she was inflicting on Peggy. She was single-mindedly and methodically extracting her revenge.

Your life won’t end so quickly, Peggy. You’ll eat when I tell you to eat and you’ll sleep when I tell you to sleep. You’ll die only when I say that you should die. But that won’t be tonight or anytime soon.

Peggy slowly stood back up. She smiled as she reached through the bars and gently stroked Peggy’s cheek and whispered, Oh, poor sweet innocent Peggy Tripp has to wait until forever before I put her out of her misery. From this moment forward, you’ll have to deal with me every night of your miserable existence. You’re going to pay for your many corrupt sins. You’re going to pay for them tenfold.

The other captives became alert and anticipated what was about to transpire. They witnessed the same torture every evening like clockwork and knew better than to stand up and tell Lucy to stop her bizarre injustice. Naively, they believed that their silence was the key to their survival. They knew that Lucy’s night of suffering meant that they’d be awake until the sun came up, listening to sniveling cries of Peggy Tripp.

Lucy gazed into Peggy’s eyes. Suddenly, Peggy could feel that strange tingling on her skin again. She saw hundreds of bugs crawling up and down her lower body. She brushed her skin at first before she resorted to slapping the pests away as she always tried to do on the previous evenings. She flinched and stared at the insects before she released an ear-piercing shriek.

Lucy crossed her arms, leaned against the wall and watched in delight while the cruelty and anguish continued non-stop for many hours.

Peggy couldn’t rest or keep still for any length of time. When Lucy noticed that the sun was rising, she’d stop everything abruptly. The imaginary bugs would disappear and Peggy would fall to the floor and faint from exhaustion. Lucy stared at her. Then Lucy glanced at the other captives that were still watching the suffering. They were filled with terror.

Lucy left the basement and sauntered up the stairs to the first floor. She walked into the dining room, saying, Good morning, to Paris and Selene who were already seated and eating breakfast.

Lucy flopped down in the chair next to Paris and said, That was quite a demanding night. I don’t understand why I’m feeling so fatigued all of a sudden.

Selene reached across the table and poured another cup of coffee. She offered it to Lucy and asked, Are you feeling more tired than you usually do, Lucy?

Yes. It seems to be getting more noticeable each day, especially this morning. Is that normal for our kind to feel like this?

Paris turned to Lucy and explained, Let me attempt to enlighten you, Lucy. As an Eternal, you have an array of new gifts that are in your new body. You’re still a very young child in our realm and you have to learn to take smaller steps before you burn yourself out. You’ve been using your new powers far too much and far too often. This is exhausting you and beginning to inhibit your true potential.

You’re saying that’s why I’m feeling like this? I’ve been over exercising my powers before they’ve had a chance to fully develop?

Yes, Lucy. Exactly. You have to find a balance of when it’s appropriate to use your gifts and when it’s not. Our abilities weren’t meant to be used twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I know you have a score to settle with that girl downstairs but, at the same time, you have to learn to preserve what you’ve been given. It’s very important to find a way to store up some of your energy just in case you ever really need it in an emergency situation, and we’ve seen plenty of them throughout the years.

Selene clarified further. We’ve all had bad people in our lives who have tried to do terrible things to us. Remember, I had an axe to grind with the entire roman empire after they murdered my queen and my closest friends.

Yes, I remember when you told me that story, Selene.

Our power allows us to wage revenge on our enemies like no one has before but we can’t let that be all that we are. You can’t let your husband’s affair control who you truly are or who you have the potential to become. That’s all over now. He’s gone away forever and you’ve been given a second chance at life. We created you because we saw, in you, something very special, very honest and brave and strong.

You did? What else did you see?

Paris added, In you, we saw the birth of a great peacemaker and an exceptional problem solver and teacher. You have a soul that can gather up and guide our kind to the utopian society that we’ve desired for eons.

Lucy was honored by the comments and compliments that Paris and Selene gave her. She frowned and dropped her head. You’re right. I know that I should listen to you. I just need to let my revenge go. It’s made me bitter and I never wanted to be bitter. Besides, when he was with Peggy, he was leaving me alone.

Paris saw that Lucy’s disdain for Peggy was softening. He added, That’s right, Lucy. Think about it. When he was there with her, you were safe. That woman’s sins created a momentary safe haven for you.

She agreed with everything Paris and Selene explained to her. After careful consideration, Lucy decided it would be a better goal for her to become a teacher and a peacemaker. Still, something had her perplexed.

Selene asked, What is it, Lucy? You seem torn about something.

I still have one problem. If my little game is over, what do you think I should do about Peggy? What’s the next step?

Paris stated, You only have two choices Lucy. You can leave her in the basement to be cared for, which wouldn’t be good for you or for her, or you could show some mercy on the girl and just end her life quickly. It will be easy. You just have to go the basement and snap her neck. It would take but a few seconds and, I promise you, she won’t feel a thing or even know that it happened.

After what she’s done to me, she deserves so much more than to die a quick and painless death, so much more.

Paris wiped his mouth with his napkin before he rose up from his chair and stood behind Lucy. We’ve all gone through what you’re experiencing but we can’t let the human world turn us into the animals that they are. Remember, we’re the evolved species and they’re the devolved species. At best, we should simply feel sorry for them, each and every one of them. Sadly, they don’t know any other way as we do. They’re selfishly trapped in within themselves, in their own brand of darkness.

All at once, Paris shuttered and quaked as he fell to the floor. He knelt down with his hands over his ears. The painful buzzing noises had returned to plague him again. This time, the reverberations were higher pitched and even more excruciating. Lucy and Selene attempted to help him to a chair but he couldn’t find the strength to stand up. He thrashed about as he squawked, Leave me alone! Don’t touch me!

He remained on the dining room floor on his knees. His head was bowed toward the ground as he cried, It won’t stop! But we killed the witch! I know we did! I watched you eat her flesh! She can’t still be alive!

He could feel the power being drained from his body as he eventually fell over and laid on the plush golden carpet. The women observed as he rolled around trying to make the racket in his head cease. Selene shouted, You killed the witch! I know this!

Lucy turned to Selene and asked, Are you absolutely positive that she was a witch? Could something else be causing this?

Selene kept one eye on Paris as she replied, To the best of my knowledge, there is no one else who could do this. It’s the work of a very powerful witch and her coven. She must have cast a spell on Paris before she was exterminated.

Lucy posed the question, Selene, what if it wasn’t her? What if there are some other forces of evil at work in this house? Don’t you think that it’s possible?

Selene responded while still watching Paris, It’s strange but I thought about that too. But Paris assures me that this is the evil actions of a witch and nothing more.

Paris rolled around the dining room floor until he finally slipped into unconsciousness. Once in that state, the women found it much easier to lift him and carry him upstairs to his bedroom.

As they placed him on the bed, he awakened for another minute and began writhing and kicking in anguish again. Paulo heard the ruckus and raced into the room to investigate the problem. Selene watched him as he ambled around the bed. I heard a loud commotion from my bedroom. What’s happened to Paris?

Selene informed him, It’s that damned ringing in his head again. He’s getting weaker and weaker. I don’t know what to do for him, Paulo. I’ve never seen Paris in a state like this. We have to find out what’s causing this. For all we know, we could be the witch’s next target. After all, we did eat that girl’s body after Paris killed her.

But the witch is dead. What kind of sorceress has such power that her magic can linger even after she’s dead and gone?

Selene said, We have to find the source of this madness. If that girl was a witch, she may have cast a spell or charmed an object inside the house. Perhaps, the entire house itself has been enchanted with sorcery.

Lucy interrupted their conversation. "This is lunacy. At first, I thought you were joking when the two of