CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

STEFAN ENTERED DAMIAN’S private chambers and watched with a sneer on his face as Damian and Olivia Jerome wrestled in the sheets together. “Smith,” He spoke up. “Do you have any idea what your demons have been up to while you’ve been diddling your concubine.”

Damian pulled away from Olivia in shock. “Cassadine!” He roared. “How dare you invade my private sanctum.”

“Harry Silver and Pierce Dorman tried to murder Sonny Corinthos, last night.” Stefan continued on not cowed in the least by Damian’s rage at being interrupted.

“Big deal.” He sat up as he realized Stefan had no plans on leaving him and Olivia to continue where they’d left off. “Corinthos has served his purposes. Just as your vampire daughter will have served her purpose once she’s given birth.” He added. “It’s the child that’s the only important one.”

“I know why you want a child born of a full-blooded witch and vampire.” Stefan told him. “You intend to use the child to get yourself control of the universe. But how do you expect to rule the universe if you can’t even control your demons.”

“How dare you question my authority.” Damian snarled as smoke came out of his nostrils and his eyes began to glow red.

“I dare.” Stefan retorted. “Because while you were helping a lowly vampire like Sorel try to enslave Barbara Spencer two of your demons were in Port Charles running amok.” He added. “In fact, they’re still in Port Charles posing a threat to Sonny and Carly and that child you need so badly to obtain your lofty goals.” He challenged. “What I want to know is what you’re going to do about it.” With that Stefan disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Damian turned his rage on to Olivia. He grabbed her by the throat roughly. “I allowed you to get away without naming names before, but now I want to know the name of each and every demon who is plotting against me. And I want to know now!”

NED AND ALEXIS were eating breakfast when they continued the conversation they began at the crack of dawn. “So, how could we dethrone your grandfather and Helena?” Alexis asked as she munched on a piece of toast.

“We’d have to start by working on our powers.” Ned replied. “Neither one of us are very strong in that area. Sure, if we get mad we can use our powers...”

“I know.” Alexis admitted miserably. “When Stefan told me what he’d done I threw him across the room, but I did it without thinking. It was just second nature to me.” She added. “I don’t even know how to astro-project myself from one place to another the way Stefan and Helena can.”

“That’s why we need to apprentice ourselves with Grandfather and Helena.” Ned replied. “Then we can learn all they know.”

“Are you mad?” Alexis exploded. “Me apprentice with Helena? She’d never go for that. She’d as soon as kill me as look at me.”

“I wasn’t thinking of you, Alexis.” Ned told her. “I don’t want you anywhere near that maniac especially in your condition. I was thinking that you would go to Grandfather and ask him to teach you the craft, while I would do likewise with Helena.”

“Forget it, Ned.” Alexis interjected. “I don’t want you near that maniac, either.”

“Yes, but of the two of us I have the best chance of making in-roads with her.” Ned pointed out. “I’m a man and Helena is as man-hungry as they come. If I set my mind to it, I’m sure I could get her engine purring.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me, Ned.” She quipped sarcastically. “Why is it necessary for one of us to apprentice with Helena.”

So we can undermine her, Alexis.” He explained. “If we’re going to bring Helena down, one of us needs to be able to infiltrate her covenant and plot against her. Of the two of us, I’m the obvious choice.”

“And why would Helena want to let you apprentice with her?” Alexis threw back at her.

“To get control of our child.” Ned threw back. “Just like Grandfather will let you apprentice with him because he thinks through you he’ll be able to get control of our child.” He added. “They both want the same thing. If we dangle our child under both their noses, it’ll be the first step in the two of us bringing them down.”

“And once we do that?” Alexis asked. “That’s if we manage to succeed. What happens next?”

“We tell Damian to stuff it.” Ned answered. “We tell him the deal is off. Our child will not be breeding with any vampire, but especially not the offspring of Sonny Corinthos and Carly Benson.”

TRACY LOOKED AROUND to make sure no one was following her before she entered the dark alley somewhere near Pier 36 on the docks. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. If Daddy ever found out he would have her hide. But she was the one who had given birth to Ned, not Edward, and if anyone should profit from his offspring it should be her. She took out the note that was sent to her and compared it with the address in front of her. They were one in the same. With a look of distaste she entered the building and climbed the litter-ridden stairs until she reached the third floor. Then she walked down the hall until she found apartment 333 and knocked on the door.

The door crept open but no one was there. Tracy took a deep breath and entered the darkened room. “Faison? Are you here?”

The door slammed behind her and the lights suddenly came on. “Did you come alone?” Faison asked from the vicinity of the bed.

“Of course.” Tracy answered. “That’s what your note said to do.”

“And you’re sure no one followed you.” He continued his probe.

“Yes,” Tracy sighed in impatience. “I made sure I wasn’t trailed.”

“I can’t be too careful.” He replied as he went over to the window and looked down on the street. “Helena is looking everywhere for me. And if she finds me she’ll kill me.”

“What do you want from me?” Tracy asked.

“You know what I want.” He countered. “If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have come here to meet with me.” He added. “Ned is our son, and if anyone should profit from his child it should be you and I. Not Helena and Edward.”

“Just what do you have in mind?” Tracy asked.

“Many of the demons in hell are against Damian Smith.” He told her. “I’ve been in contact with a few of them. We could broker a deal with them and cut Helena, Edward and Damian completely out of the equation.” He added. “Are you game?”

“If my father were to learn about this there would be hell to pay.” Tracy stalled.

“You didn’t answer my question.” He reminded her. “Are you in or out?”

She thought about it for a moment. She didn’t like the idea of Edward gaining more power from the deal than she would. If she hadn’t given birth to Ned, Edward wouldn’t be in the position to gain power from Ned’s child. So considering all that there was only one answer she could give him. “I’m in.”

HELENA WATCHED AS Ned entered the main salon of her yacht. She’d never really given him much notice before. He was in love with Alexis. He was Edward Quartermaine’s grandson. That was more than enough for her to hold him in low esteem. But now that she knew he was really Faison’s son, not to mention a full-blooded witch, he was worth a second look. And what she saw she liked. How amusing it would be if after all these years she could even the score. When she was pregnant with Stefan, Alexis’ tramp mother had stolen her Mikkos from her, and now that Alexis was pregnant how amusing it would be to steal Alexis’ man from her.

“I was surprised to hear you wished to see me, Mr. Ashton.” Helena purred. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m sure you’re aware up until now I haven’t really immersed myself in my heritage.” Ned began. “That’s one of the things that’s attracted Alexis and I to each other, although at the time we weren’t even aware of it. The fact that Alexis and I didn’t want to embrace what we are.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Helena asked impatiently. “What does it have to do with why you came to see me.”

“Last night my grandfather told me the truth about my child.” Ned informed her. “He confided in me how he intends to use my child to gain power for himself. And I can do nothing to stop him because I don’t even know the rudiments of my craft.”

“You’ve come to me to teach you?” Helena laughed.

“Who else.” Ned flashed his dimples at her. “Who better.”

“And just why do you think I would help you?” Helena asked.

“Because you want my child to mate with your granddaughter’s vampire offspring some time in the future.” He retorted. “If you help me oust my grandfather as King of the Warlocks and help me take over his title, I help you when the time comes.” He added. “I think that’s a fair deal, don’t you?”

WHILE NED WAS trying to strike his devil’s bargain with the she-devil herself, Alexis went up to the main house and tried to do likewise with Edward. She found him in the living room going over the financial section of the Wall Street Journal. “hello, Edward.” She addressed him before sitting down next to him on the couch.

“Alexis, my dear.” Edward smiled at her. “What can I do for you.”

“You could leave my child alone.” She told him abruptly. “But I don’t suppose you will. Nor will Helena for that matter.” She added. “According to Stefan the only choice I have to stop the two of you is to destroy my child.”

“What!” Edward gasped. “Did that monster you call a brother actually suggest that?”

“Yes.” Alexis admitted. “He wanted me to take some herbs to bring on a miscarriage. But I refused. So that just leaves me the choice of trying to make the best out of a bad situation. That’s where you come in.”

“As I told Ned last night.” Edward replied eagerly. “The best thing is for you and Ned to move into the mansion. That way you, Ned and your child will be under my protection.”

“I agree.” Alexis shocked him by replying. “But that’s not enough, Edward. A cobra is still a cobra unless you defang it. Helena will be a constant threat to my child until she’s defanged. And that’s where you come in.”

“How, my dear?” He was totally confused to where this was all headed.

“Edward,” Alexis explained. “If you could teach me everything you know I could dethrone Helena as Queen of the Witches. Edward, she’s old. She’s had her time in the sun, now it’s time for her to retire into the shade.” She added. “With me as Queen of the Witches, I could feel secure that my child was safe.”

“What about Ned?” He asked.

“Well, as soon as you become Supreme Ruler of all the witches.” She smiled. “Ned could take over your position as King of the Warlocks.”

“You know what destiny your child must fulfill for me to attain that title.” He pointed out. “Ned is against it. Are you telling me you’re for it?”

“Let’s be honest shall we, Edward.” She sighed. “Ned and I may not like it, but one way or another my child will one day breed with Sonny Corinthos’ child. Either you or Helena will make it so. So I’m willing to go along with it under the condition it can be by my terms.” She added. “With me, you and Ned in control of all the witches, I’ll feel safe and secure in my child’s future. But that can only happen if you teach me everything you know so I can dethrone Helena as Queen of the witches and take over her position.” She paused for effect. “So do we have a deal? Will you teach me all you know so I can grow strong enough to overthrow Helena as Queen?”

FOR THE LAST hour Harry and Dorman had been roaming around the catacombs searching for Sonny and Carly. So far they had come up empty. “Maybe we took a wrong turn and were walking in circles.” Harry suggested.

“My sense of direction is perfect, Silvers.” Dorman retorted. “It’s just going to take us awhile to find them. The catacombs cover the entire city of Port Charles. Come on, let‘s keep going.”

They walked for another ten minutes when Harry suddenly stopped. “Did you hear that, Dorman?”

“What?” He asked impatiently.

“Listen.” Harry ordered. The sound was at first faint, but then it became stronger. It was the sound of footsteps. Harry and Dorman ducked around the corner and watched as Leticia came into sight carrying Michael.

“Your mother and Sonny will be waking up soon.” She told him. “I think we’ll give them a little privacy.”

They waited until she passed safely by before heading in the direction she had just come from. Less than five minutes later Dorman and Harry were standing three feet from Sonny and Carly as they continued to peacefully sleep in each other’s arms.

“Don’t they look sweet.” Dorman sneered.

“How are we going to dispose of them.” Harry asked wanting to get it over and done with.

“I think a bullet in the head will do the trick.” He took out a gun and aimed it at Sonny and Carly. “You choose, Harry. Which one do you want to shoot first.”