CHAPTER EIGHT

THE MEMBERS OF the Hell Fire Club convened another meeting to discuss the fate of their fellow member Leopold Taub. Needless to say Olivia Jerome wasn’t invited for all knew she had betrayed Taub to Damian Smith. Once again, Ryan Chamberlain was the rabble-rouser trying to stir up his fellow demon’s ire against Damian being appointed the Dark Master. “I think we all know by now that our brother Leopold has sentenced to the dark pit of hell because of that bitch Olivia Jerome.” Ryan spat venomously. “The question is what are we going to do about it?”

“I don’t know about anyone else.” Lily replied. “But I have no intention of joining my father in the pit. Just leave me out of this from now on.” She headed for the nearest exit as fast as she could.

“Anyone else want to turn chicken and run.” Ryan taunted the rest of the members gathered around him. Nearly everyone in the room decided to get out while the getting was good. “Fine, be that way. But when the rest of us defeat Damian don’t expect to play any part in the new power structure that arises.”

Ryan complained to the handful of members that still remained. “I can’t believe they were so willing to give up the rebellion this easy.”

“When you consider the way things are.” Harlan Barrett spoke up. “We’ve got it pretty good up here. It’s heaven compared to the pit. So I can understand why they wouldn’t want to risk being sentenced to it. You know Damian will sentence everyone who is a part of this plot to the pit.”

“That’s only if we fail.” Ryan replied. “So, is everyone that’s still here committed to the rebellion? To the overthrowing of Damian Smith as the Dark Master? Even though by doing so we all risk being sentenced to the pit if our rebellion fails?” They all nodded yes. “Good, what shall we do next.”

“I think Taub had the right idea.” Bill Eckert spoke up. “The simplest way to stop Damian’s plan is to kill the two vampires. Unlike the witches, Sonny and Carly are the only two vampires who have mated with each other.” He added. “The future of the vampire community and what happens next hinges on what they see happen when two of their own kind mate and breed. If the experiment fails than vampires will continue to consider mating with their own kind as taboo.”

“Well.” Harlan Barrett interjected. “If the vampires knew what was going on more of them might hook up and try to breed together the way the witches have.”

“And why would they do that?” Mikkos Cassadine asked. “The vampires have nothing to gain in this deal with Damian, only the witches do. The witches are using the vampires as little better than breeding stock. It’s no different than a horse breeder putting a stallion and mare in heat in a corral together and watching them mate and procreate then taking and using their offspring for whatever purpose they please once its born.” He snickered. “Do you honestly think if the vampires knew the truth they’d participate in this? Hardly. They’d be more likely to refuse and without them the witches can’t succeed. They need the creatures of the night they cast-off as weak, inferior embarrassments that resulted from them mating with mortals. The vampires hate the witches because it’s their fault they’re born the way they are. Vampires are cursed from the day they are conceived because of a witch’s determination to mess with forbidden fruit by mating with a mortal. If they knew the witches were now trying to victimize them again by using them as nothing more than breeder stock they would rise up against the witches and try to slaughter them even if they knew they were doomed to failure.”

“You’re a witch, Cassadine.” Ryan replied suspiciously. “In fact, we’re plotting against your wife and grand daughter. How do we know we can trust you. We already had one traitor in our midst with Olivia Jerome. How do we know you’re not the same.”

“I was a with, Chamberlain.” Mikkos spat back. “But when I died I became what you did. A demon. If I were alive I’d be doing exactly what Helena is doing. Trying to make a grab for power. But I’m not. I’m dead. And I agree with you. I was here before either you or Damian Smith and I will not be ruled by Damian Smith.” He added. “Smith’s whelp got the position out of pure nepotism. And I will do whatever it takes to take that position away from him.”

“Glad to have you on our team, Cassadine.” Harlan Barrett slapped him on the back. “And so should you, Chamberlain. If not for Luke Spencer this man would have succeeded in controlling the world.”

“Can we get back to business?” Bill Eckert asked. “Are we all agreed that the two vampires must die?”

“Agreed.” Ryan nodded his head. “Now who wants to take on the job of assassinating them?” He held up his hand before anyone volunteered. “Before anyone volunteers you have to know the risks you’re taking. This could be considered a suicide mission. The vampires are under the witches protection because they need them to succeed in their plan. You also need to know if the witches succeed in stopping you you’ll face the same fate as Taub did.” He paused to give everyone time to think. “Now who wants to volunteer?”

“We will.” Pierce Dorman and Harry Silvers raised their hands with wide, evil smiles on their faces. “If it weren’t for Sonny Corinthos we both would still be alive.” Pierce Dorman spoke for the both of them. “I was murdered to set up Corinthos’ bimbo for the crime.”

“And I died because I was trying to avenge Lily’s death.” Harry added. “It was Sonny and Brenda’s fault I died. They killed me and they both lived. Brenda finally got punished for her crimes against Lily, but Sonny is still breathing.” He added. “It’s time for Sonny to join us here.”

“Excellent.” Ryan smiled. “There’s no better assassin than one with a personal grudge against his intended victim.”

While Ryan went over the plans for Sonny and Carly’s execution with Harry and Dorman, Mikkos Cassadine and Victor Jerome slipped off to a corner to discuss their own plans. “Everything is going just as we hoped, my friend,” He said with glee.

Mikkos looked over at Ryan. “Yes, it is, Victor. We’ll just sit back and let them do all the work for us. Then when the time comes we’ll take over.” He added. “Chamberlain is a fool. If I don’t want to be ruled by Damian Smith, does he honestly think I want to be ruled by him, either?”

“My Olivia will be a valuable asset when the time comes.” Victor said with pride.

“As will my son, Stavros.” Mikkos replied. “And once Olivia and Stavros produce a child together he will be the true ruler of the underworld.” He sneered. “Chamberlain is such a fool. He wonders why I would plot against my wife. He has no clue that I have much bigger plans than Helena being appointed supreme ruler of the witches. That’s nothing compared to what I have in mind.”

“No, indeed, my friend.” Victor looked over at Ryan. “But if he was as smart as he thinks he is he would guess considering your past history. as a witch you wanted to rule the world, but as a demon you want to rule the universe.”

“And I shall succeed, Victor.” He said with a meglo-maniacal glint in his eyes. “This time, I shall succeed.”

Across the room in another corner Ryan was gathered with his brethren glaring suspiciously at Victor and Mikkos as they continued to have their heads together. “I don’t trust, Cassadine.” He declared with a razor-sharp instinct for trouble born from his insanity. “He’s not one of us. And I definitely don’t trust Jerome. I think Olivia Jerome may not be the only demon we’ll have to dispatch once we succeed with our rebellion.”

A TRUCK DRIVER let Sonny and Carly off at the Port Charles city limits. Once the sun went down they made their way out of the forest and on to the highway. Then they hitched a ride with the first vehicle that came their way. “It was very lucky that the first person that passed us by was kind enough to stop and give us a ride.” Carly said.

“Luck had nothing to do with it.” Sonny replied.

“Are you saying you made him stop?” Carly asked in shock.

“Let’s just say I put the idea in his head.” He told her. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Where?” Carly was tired and she wanted nothing more than to go back to the penthouse, check on Michael and soak in a long hot bath with Sonny with him doing all the things to her that drove her wild with passion for him. But they had to find out if her mother had really been kidnapped by sorel and if she was they had to find a way to rescue her.

“Sorel’s people usually hang around the docks at night.” Sonny explained. “If I can find one, I’ll be able to get him to spill his guts to us about Bobbie and where she‘s being kept.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” Carly asked. Sonny gave her a speaking look. “Oh, you’re going to pull some more of that mental mumbo-jumbo of yours on him, aren’t you?” She added. “When we get home you’re going to start teaching me how to do that stuff.” She grabbed him by the hand. “Let’s go.”

Once they got down to the docks it didn’t take them long to find one of Sorel’s people. “There’s our victim.” He told her. “I want you to distract him for me.”

“Why?” She was perplexed.

“I’ve never done one of sorel’s people before.” Sonny explained. “Sorel has a mental link with all his slaves. Sorel may have warned him about me. If he sees me before I do my stuff he might send a mental image to Sorel, then Sorel will show up here and everything will be ruined.”

“All right.” she said as she began to unbutton her blouse.’ “Whatever you say.” Then she hoisted up her skirt so her long skirt became a micro-mini.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sonny asked angrily.

‘You asked me to distract him.” She smiled. “I’m going to distract him.”

“By showing him things that should only be for my eyes only.” He snapped.

“Why, Sonny.” She smiled. “You’re beginning to feel as possessive about me as I do about you. We may be ready for that vampire marriage ceremony sooner than I thought.” She gave him a hot, passionate kiss to distract him. “Now wish me luck.”

Sonny started spouting Spanish curse words as he watched Carly flaunt herself in a very sexual manner in front of Sorel’s slave. He felt a murderous rage over the way the way the man was ogling his woman. That was exactly how he’d begun to think of Carly in his mind. She was his woman and no other man had better ever touch her or even look at her for that matter or he’d tear them apart limb from limb. With an effort he managed to get control over his unruly passions as he made a mental link to the man’s mind. Within minutes he had all the information he required and he signaled Carly to return to his side.

“Well,” She asked as she came back over to him. “What did you learn.”

“Sorel wasn’t bluffing.” He told her. “He had your mother, but somehow he lost her. She just vanished from the room he was holding her in and nobody knows how. Right now, Sorel has his people out looking for her.” He added wishing he didn’t have to tell her this. “While Sorel had your mother he did something to her?”

“What?” She asked suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.

“He began the process to enslave her.” Sonny told her. “It’s not too late to stop him. He has to feed on her twice more for her to be totally under his control. But he’s developed a mental link to her mind and he can make her come to him where ever she is.”

“Then we’ve got to find her before he can summon her to his side, again.” She declared.

“That’s going to be easier said than done.” Sonny retorted. “Neither one of us has a mental link to her the way Sorel does.”

“Cant you use your stuff to find her?” Carly asked desperately.

“This was the first time I’ve ever linked my mind with a vampire slave.” Sonny told her. “And I needed you to keep him distracted so I could invade his mind and take out of it the information I needed without him being aware of what I was doing. I don’t think I have the ability to mentally hone in on someone’s mind when I have no idea where they are. I’ve only ever linked my mind with someone who was right in front of me.”

“But you said this was the first time you did your mental thing with a vampire slave.” She reminded him. “You had no idea if you’d be able to do it but when you tried you were able to. Maybe if you try to link with my mother’s mind you’ll be able to do it, too.” She egged him on. “Come on, Sonny, give it a try.”

“All right.” He closed his eyes and focused all this thoughts on Bobbie but he drew a blank. “It’s no use. I get nothing. “ He decided to toss Carly a bone of hope even though he didn’t believe a word he was saying. “When I do my mental mind thing it kind of drains me. I’ve never tried to do it twice in a roll. Add to that I’m pretty exhausted from our little adventure. So maybe if I get some rest I’ll be able to make contact with your mother.”

“So, you’ll try later?” Carly wanted to be reassured.

“Yes, I’ll keep trying.” He promised. “And maybe we’ll even get lucky and your mother will contact us.” He took her by the hand. “Let go home.”

HELENA WAS PURRING like a cat as Andreas gave her a full-body massage. “Oh, Andreas, your touch is magic. You know just how to touch me and where.” She looked up impatiently as Faison stormed into the room. “Faison, what are you doing here. Can’t you see I’m busy.”

“Get rid of your towel boy.” He ordered. “Now!”

“Fine, if you insist.” She turned to Andreas and caressed his cheek. “Andreas, dear boy, will you leave us while I deal with this so rude interruption. Then when Faison leaves return to me.”

He turned his face into her and kissed her palm. “Your wish is my every command, Madam.” With that he left.

“Now, what is this all about, Faison.” She was shocked when Faison grabbed her by the throat. “What is the meaning of this, Faison. I am your Queen. You will release me at once.”

“How long have you known?” He asked as he tightened his grip on her throat. “How long have you known Ned Ashton was my son.”

“Let me go, Faison.” She gasped. “Your killing me.”