Dark Angel
A Drake Dallas Adventure
Published by PNC Publishing at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 N.C. Pennington
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Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Cover photos by: © Andreas Meyer - Fotolia.com and John Nyberg, SXC.
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Dark Angel
A Drake Dallas Adventure
Chapter 1
Drake rolled over in the tent. “Alex?”
No answer.
He reached out and patted the sleeping bag next to him. It was empty. He grunted as he crawled out of his bag. Putting his shoes on took too long. When he got them on, he unzipped the flap and crawled outside into the dark.
Alex was near a small fire. Drake pushed the light button on his watch. It read just before five in the morning.
“What are you doing?” Drake asked.
“Making coffee,” Alex said softly.
“We don't drink coffee!”
“Shh.” Alex pointed to the small tent. “Trinity is still asleep.”
“We don't drink coffee,” Drake said quieter but still emphatically.
“We're camping. You drink coffee when you camp. Besides I want to try some.”
Drake snorted. “Why get up so early?”
“I woke up . . . a spider was on my face.”
Drake shivered. “Did you kill it?”
“Well—”
Drake stepped closer. “What did you do with it?”
“I flicked it over towards your side,” Alex said.
Drake went into convulsions, pulling his flannel shirt off. Alex slipped off of the rock he was sitting on trying to laugh silently.
“I'm kidding,” he gasped. “I'm kidding.”
Drake put his arm back into his sleeve and kicked dirt into Alex's face. “Not funny.”
Alex got up spitting and wiping his face. “Yuk. Knock it off. It was just a joke.”
Drake sat down on a smaller, flatter rock also near the fire. He held his hands out to it. “Feels good.”
Alex took the lid off of the coffee pot. There was soft bubbling noise coming from the pot. “It's ready. What some?”
Drake shook his head. “No. Go ahead.”
Grabbing the handle with a cloth, Alex lifted the pot off of the fire. He poured a cupful into a camping mug.
“Smells good,” he said.
“It always does.” Drake nodded his head towards the cup. “Go ahead; drink it.”
Alex blew the steam that was rising off of the liquid. He put the mug to his lips and sipped.
Drake waited.
Coffee squirted from Alex's mouth. He spit it all out.
Drake smiled. “I guess you found out why we don't drink coffee.”
Alex grabbed the pot and emptied it out next to the fire. “That was really gross.”
The sky was turning charcoal gray as day approached. Noise from Trinity's tent zipper made Drake turn around. She stepped out wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. Her blond hair was everywhere. Drake kind of liked her that way.
“You guys are up early,” she said.
“Want some coffee?” Alex asked. “Oh sorry, too late.” He pointed to the soggy ground. “All used up.”
She tilted her head and squinted at him.
“Don't mind him,” Drake said. “He was bit by a spider.”
Her eyes got wide.
“You do know that there's spiders out here, don't you?” Drake asked.
“Like the small one on his leg.” Alex pointed at Drake's pants.
Drake jumped up and looked down.
Alex chuckled. “Gotcha again.”
Drake pointed his finger at him and looked stern. “Not funny.”
Trinity smiled. “Maybe it was, just a little.” She sat on the ground. “What's for breakfast?”
“Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee.” Alex cocked his head. “No,” he said. “Scratch the coffee.”
“Somebody is trying really hard to be funny,” Drake said.
Trinity smiled politely. She'd grown used to their silly competition when she was around.
“I'll get the food,” Alex said. He climbed up the nearest tree. A minute later he came back down with a large canvass bag. Inside was a cooler that had been strapped shut with tie-downs. Opening that up, he took out a package of bacon, a dozen eggs, and a loaf of bread. A camping griddle was also in the bag.
Alex snapped the stubby legs out and put it over the fire. He put some bacon on one side and cracked some eggs.
The bacon crackled and smelled great. Alex expertly folded the egg whites over themselves and sprinkled in some salt and pepper.
“He's good,” Trinity said.
“Yeah,” Drake said leaning back. “Some of us can cook; the rest of us are men.”
Alex pointed the spatula at Drake. “I'll put a chopped spider in your egg.”
“You do and I'll . . .” Drake paused. “I'll do something awful.”
Alex's face fell. “Oh, no. Please don't,” he mocked.
“Watch it,” Drake said.
“Anything for you, buddy,” Alex said.
“You guys,” Trinity said.
Alex put the bread on the griddle. Shortly the food was done. Alex passed out paper plates, and they ate.
The forest lightened up more.
“Well,” Drake said. “We should get moving.”
“We could stay out here,” Alex said.
“Why?” Drake asked.
“No school.”
Drake nodded. “Good reason.”
“I promised my mom I'd be home by tonight,” Trinity said.
Alex looked at his cousin. “Girls always ruin the fun.”
“What do you expect? They're girls.”
Trinity cocked her head and stared at him.
“Well, we like you. You're like only half girl,” Drake said.
She leaned forward. “What?”
“I don't think that came out like I meant it.”
“So how did you mean it?” Alex asked.
Drake gave him a look.
“Yeah, I'll start packing the tents,” he said turning away.
Drake took out a compass and laid a map on the rock he'd been sitting on. Trinity moved closer.
“So, where are we?”
Drake put his finger on the paper. “Here.” He moved his finger slightly to the right. “Middleton is just about two miles south of us.”
“So we're actually pretty close to town,” she said.
“We've always been close.” He traced an arc around Middleton. “I've taken us around the northern perimeter. We'll continue to walk around to the west side of town by this afternoon. That's where my mom will pick us up.”
“Maybe we'll run into a bear today.” She sounded excited.
Drake shook his head. “Probably not.”
“Maybe we'll find something . . . I don't know, something exciting.”
Drake shrugged. “Or maybe not.”
She pretended to pout. “Don't you want to have any fun?”
“Aren't you having fun?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I want to have more fun.”
“Careful what you wish for, because—”
She interrupted. “Because it might happen? I hope so.” She grinned at him.
Alex threw a duffel bag at him, and he caught it. “Tents are packed. Let's go.”
They started to tramp through the forest.
“I hope we see a bear today,” Alex said.
Drake stopped walking and stared at him.
“What?” Alex asked.
“What's with bears?” Drake muttered to himself.
Alex shrugged. “What?”
But there were no bears.
Slowly the morning progressed. When the shadows disappeared, Drake held up his hand.
“It's noon. Let's have lunch.”
The three of them plopped onto the ground. “I'm exhausted,” Alex said. He slid the pack off of his back. “Sandwiches are in the cooler. So are the water bottles.”
Drake passed the food around, and unwrapped his. His sandwich was limp and soggy. He held it up, and it drooped down.
“Trinity,” he said. “Your sandwiches . . .”
“I know.” She shrugged. “Sorry.”
“It's all right. They go down easier this way,” he said.
“I'm so tired,” Alex said. He threw himself backwards to lie down. “Ouch.”
“What is it?” Drake asked.
Alex held up a black lump. “This. I'd laid down on it.” He tossed it to Drake.
“It's burnt wood,” Drake said. “Someone must have had a campfire around here.”
Alex looked around. “I don't see anything like that anywhere here.”
Drake got up. “So you just lay down and landed on this?”
Alex pointed to the ground. “Right here.” The ground wasn't scorched, and there was greenery.
“What's the big deal?” Trinity asked. “So it's a piece of burnt wood.”
Drake shrugged. “True.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Alex said staring intently at the charred wood. “What kind of trees do you see around here?”
Drake looked around. “Oak, maple, and birch I think.”
“Don't see any pine?”
Drake shook his head. “No.”
Alex tossed the piece back to him. “Look at the grain. It's pine.”
“You're right,” Drake said thoughtfully. “That's odd. It's also illegal.”
“Why?” Trinity asked.
“Can't bring fire wood in to an area. You have to buy locally,” Drake said. “Why wouldn't you buy local firewood?”
“Maybe you don't want the attention of DNR employees,” Alex said.
Drake nodded. “Something like that, I'd guess.”
“You know,” Alex said pointing further west. “That looks like a depression in the ground over there. Maybe that's where they had the fire.”
Drake shrugged. “Maybe.”
Alex got up. “I'm going to check it out.”
Drake laid back. “You must be bored,” he said to Trinity.
“Why?” she asked.
“Nothing exciting has happened.”
“You found the strange burnt wood.”
“Oh, please,” he said. “Don't make fun of me. I can dish it out, but I really can't take it.”
She smiled and lightly punched him. “Yeah, sure.” She looked out after Alex. “Look! All you can see is his head.”
Drake squinted and then nodded. “Like his head is sprouting from the ground. Cool.”
His head disappeared as he walked further down.
“Hmm. That must be deeper than it looks,” Drake said.
“Think he'll find anything?” she asked.
“I'm not really sure.”
A while passed, and Alex still hadn't returned.
Trinity looked at him. “Do you ever think of us?”
“Huh?” he asked.
“You know, like, us.”
“Like what?”
“I don't know. Like us together. You know, hanging out. Going to movies together and stuff,” she said.
He looked at the ground. Most definitely he had. “No, not really.”
“Well, what do you think about it?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe we could go somewhere after school together. You know, see a movie or something.”
He shrugged again. “Sure.” He breathed slowly trying to calm his racing heart. This was cool. Very cool.
Alex reappeared walking stiffly. When he got to them, he sat and swallowed hard.
Chapter 2
“Well?” Drake asked.
“We shouldn't be here,” Alex whispered.
“But—”
“Let's go around it,” Alex said.
“What's in it?” Drake asked, his interest growing.
“Nothing. Nothing we need to see.” Alex's voice became urgent. “Let's go!”
Drake spoke softly, “What's down there, Alex?”
Alex spoke softly too. “Something demonic, I think.”
“Demonic?”
“What do you know about devilish rites and rituals?” Alex asked.
“Not much.”
“I know enough about it to know when I see it. I saw it,” Alex said.
“Let's go see,” Drake said.
“You really don't need to see, you know, what's down there.”
“I have to now.” He stood up. “You've got me morbidly curious.”
“She should stay,” Alex said.
Trinity stood up. “I'm coming.”
The three looked at each other. Then without a word they walked towards the pit.
“Not good, not good,” Alex muttered.
The three came to the edge of the miniature valley. In the center of it, the ground was totally scorched all black. Misshaped black and red candles surrounded the burnt ground. Various things were scattered around inside the candle ring, but their eyes were drawn to the center of the ring.
There was a build-up of blackened wood.
“Is that an altar?” Drake asked pointing at the pile. He turned around. Alex bit his lip and turned away. Drake took his shoulders and turned him to face him.
“Is that an altar?” he asked again.
Alex nodded.
“That thing on top. The black thing. What is it?”
“It was a dog, I think,” Alex said. “The only things not burnt are the teeth.”
Trinity moaned and sank down. She covered her face.
Drake spoke quietly. “Let's go.” He looked over at Alex. “I'm glad the sun is still up.”
“Me too.”
They helped Trinity up and walked away quickly.
It was a cool day. Crisp and fresh. Not a day that you would sweat. Drake was sweating. Alex was still biting his lip, and Trinity wobbled a little as she walked. Drake dried the back of his neck.
“What are you going to do?” Trinity asked after a while.
“Get a night light,” Drake said.
“Not me,” Alex said.
“Macho man?” Drake asked.
“I'm going to sleep with my bedroom light on.” He nodded at Drake.
“No,” Trinity said. “I meant what are you going to do?”
“You mean like tell the police?” Alex asked. “Yeah sure. We'll do that.”
“So you're going to do nothing?” she asked while looking at Drake.
“Why are you trying to drag us into this?” he asked.
“You have away of getting to the bottom of things,” she said. “Remember that terrorist guy who was your neighbor?”
“He kidnapped us and almost killed us in a foreign country,” Drake said. “No thanks to doing that again.”
“And you were the one who got us started in that last time,” Alex said. “Not again.”
“Do you know Austin Sago from school?” she asked.
The boys shook their heads. “No,” Drake said.
“He's involved in Satanism.”
“And you know this guy?” Drake asked.
“Sort of,” Trinity said. “Maybe you could talk to him. Find something out.”
“He probably doesn't know anything. For all we know, this isn't even related to Satanism,” Drake said. “I mean—”
“We'll talk to him,” Alex said.
“We'll talk to him?” Drake raised his eyebrows.
“Yeah,” Alex said. “It will be . . . informative.”
“It can't hurt, I guess,” Drake said.
The three walked on. The day progressed, and slowly the sun began to set.
They broke from the trees into a paved cul-de-sac. The roads had been put in, but no houses yet built. As arranged, Drake's mom was there sitting on her car's bumper. She smiled and waved.
Drake faked a smile and forced himself to wave back. Trinity shivered and hugged herself.
“Glad to be out of there?” he asked.
“I don't think I want to camp anymore,” she said.
The ride home was quiet.
* * *
The next day as school was ending Drake's shirt was grabbed from behind. It was Alex.
“I found this Austin Sago kid. And whoa! He's out there,” Alex said.
“So you talked to him?”
“No,” Alex said. “That's your job. He's over here.” Alex walked off, and Drake followed.
Austin was a year older and was much taller. He wore a black turtle neck. A pentacle was tattooed on the back of his hand. It looked like an amateur had done it.
“Hi,” Drake said. He held out his hand.
Austin took it and shook. His grip was soft, and his hand was cold. “Hello,” he said. His voice was soft and calm. “Your friend Alex said that you were interested in Satanism.”
Drake looked at Alex. Alex shrugged. “He said that? I mean, of course he said that,” Drake said. “Yes, of course.”
“Would you like to get a cappuccino?” Austin asked.
“A cappuccino?”
“It's fancy coffee,” Alex said.
Drake leaned towards him. Through clenched teeth he said, “I know what it is.”
“Sound good?”
Drake nodded.
“Great. A good coffee shop is across the street.” He started off.
“You're doing good,” Alex said to him when Austin was out of earshot.
“I'm interested in Satanism?”
“I got him to talk to you,” Alex said.
“He's not like I expected,” Drake said.
“I know. Kinda creepy smooth.”
They joined Austin at the coffee shop and ordered. The hot drinks were served, and the three found some seats.
“So,” Austin said. “What do you know about Satanism?”
“Not much other than that it involves burning dogs in the woods,” Drake said.
Austin chuckled softly. Alex joined in the laughter, but dug an elbow into Drake.
“There are a lot of myths surrounding the true religion. However, true Satanists are law abiding. We don't condone animal abuse, or any other kind of abuse. There are a lot of misnomers about us,” Austin said.
“Really? Because I—”
“Tell us more,” Alex interrupted. “I've heard you have a holy book like the Bible.”
“Oh yes. The Al Jilwah.” He took a small, very thin book from his pocket and pushed it across the table to Drake.
Drake took it and flipped to the first page. Silently he read. The Black Book Of Satan. Chapter I.
I was, am now, and shall have no end. I exercise dominion over all creatures and over the affairs of all who are under the protection of my image. I am ever present to help all who trust in me and call upon me in time of need. There is no place in the universe that knows not my presence. I participate in all the affairs, which those who are without call evil because their nature is not such as they approve . . . I allow everyone to follow the dictates of his own nature, but he that opposes me will regret it sorely.
He pushed the book back.
“We are having a meeting later this evening. If you are really interested, you should come.”
“It's Monday. A meeting tonight?” Alex asked.
“Monday is the day of Satan,” Austin said.
“Where is it?” Drake asked.
“Basement of the Civic Center at 10 PM.”
“I'll be there,” Drake said. He and Austin shook hands, and Austin left.
“I was all for talking in broad daylight at a coffee house,” Alex said. “But a meeting at night in a basement? I don't think that's a good idea.”
“Scared?” Drake asked.
“Actually, yeah.”
“Me too.”
“Then why are we doing this?”
“'We?'” Drake asked.
“Reflex. I meant 'you'. Why are you doing this?”
“You're coming,” Drake said.
“You live for this kind of stuff,” Alex said.
Drake smiled and nodded. “I do.”
“What are you going to tell your mom?”
“Nothing.”
“What about me?” Alex asked.
“Just tell your parents you're going to a black mass. They'll understand.” He winked.
Chapter 3
At a little before ten that night, Drake and Alex stood outside the Civic Center. Alex looked up.
“It's a full moon tonight,” he said.
“Your point?”
“I don't want to go in.”
Drake grabbed a handful of Alex's shirt from the back. “I'm not going in there alone, and I am going in.”
“There are Satanists in there.”
“They won't hurt us,” Drake said.
“How do you know?”
“Because of our guardian angels.”
“That's a fairy tale,” Alex said.
“You might change your mind after spending an evening here,” Drake said. “Let's go in before I freak myself out.” He pulled the side door open. A weak overhead light sort of illuminated the landing. White terrazzo stairs led down.
“Why does everything seem creepy?”
“Keep walking,” Drake said.
They walked down the hall at the bottom of the stairs. Their footsteps echoed.
Several doors down, there was a sign. It said “Meeting Here.”
“I'd guess this is it,” Drake said.
He started to open the door, but someone from the other side pulled against him. Then a person slipped out—wearing a white mask.
Alex clamped his hand over his mouth. A weak sound still escaped.
“Uh, hi,” Drake started.
The person poked his head back in the room. “Two,” he said. Two masks were handed to him. “Put them on, and enter in the peace of Satan.”
Drake ran his hand over the mask. Very smooth. Two eye slits had been cut out. There was also a slit cut under the nose for breathing. No mouth. No expression. Just smooth, hideous plastic.
Drake fit the mask over his face. He snapped the elastic in place behind his head.
He looked over at Alex. “You look interesting.”
“You too.”
The person who had given them the masks pulled the door open. “Enter in the joy and peace of our father.”
They walked in. Dozens of white masks turned to gawk at them. Solid black draperies hung off the walls. Blood red cords were hung in between them. A flag with two black strips, two red strips, and a middle white strip hung limp at the front next to the American flag.
In the front they found some vacant seats.
Drake leaned closer to Alex. “What are you mumbling?” he asked in a low voice.
“The Lord's Prayer,” he whispered back.
A person, masked in the same white mask, walked to the front. He gazed out at the crowd.
“Welcome, children of Satan. His blessing upon you,” the leader said.
“And on you,” the crowd murmured back.
“Kneel,” he said.
Everyone slid off of their metal folding chairs and got on their knees, except the two boys. The leader stepped off of the platform and stood in front of them.
“Kneel.”
Alex started to slide to his knees, but Drake caught him by the hair and pulled him back into his chair. Alex squawked.
The leader bent closer to them. “You must kneel to father Satan.”
“We're new. Just observing today,” Drake said. His voice quivered just a little.
The leader walked away and began praying to the devil.
Alex leaned close. “Thanks,” he whispered.
Drake put his hand on his cousin's shoulder. He tried to hold it steady.
Alex leaned closer. “My heart is pounding so hard my shirt is vibrating.”
The leader finished his prayer. Two bowls of incense were lit up front. The smoke filled the room.
Alex leaned in close again. “How does this go on here without there being trouble with the public? This is a public building. You’d figure there’d be an uproar.”
“Shh,” Drake said. “Not now.”
“Cursed is the Nazarene, fiction of liars,” the leader said. “Lies have led us astray as a people. We have suffered at the hand of the church far too long. It is time for us, the people, to take back our powers. The power that was given to us by Satan, our creator.”
Drake raised his hand.
The leader stopped and looked at him. “Normally, we don't allow interruptions, but you are new.”
“Who do you mean by 'the Nazarene'?” Drake asked.
“Jesus,” he said.
“Oh. So you deny his existence?”
“There was no such person ever. He was invented by occultists to fool people and hide knowledge from them. They were trying to keep all the power for themselves.”
“The existence of Jesus Christ is well documented. It is not a subject that is in dispute.” Drake was starting to feel bolder.
“Only those, who have been blinded by the lie, believe what is obviously false.”
“The gospel of Jesus has spread far and wide since its inception. Despite powerful opposition it grows and spreads every generation.”
The leader stepped off of the platform. “And we must stop this!”
“Who is the most powerful god?” Drake asked.
“Satan.”
“Is he very powerful?”
“Very,” the leader said almost in a whisper.
“How is it that the lie of Jesus keeps spreading and getting stronger if your god is so powerful? Where is his power?”
Drake pulled his mask off and dropped it. Slowly he lowered his foot on it. It crinkled and crunched as it smashed.
“Seems like Satan isn't so very strong. He's losing to a made-up man. He's losing to a supposed group of human occultists. What's his problem?”
“What do you mean by this?” The leader's voice was cold, very cold.
“Perhaps Jesus is just made up. Perhaps Christianity is just a lie. Maybe the God of the Jews doesn't exist. That actually makes you look even more foolish.”
“And how is that?”
Drake stood up to his full height, chest to chest with the leader. “Because my pretend God is beating your real one. That's embarrassing, don't you think? At least if you admitted the truth, that He's real, you could save face. At least then you'd be losing to a real opponent.”
“I think you should leave, now!”
“I think we should too,” Drake said. Alex stood up. They walked to the back of the room, and Alex dropped his mask on the floor.
“You'll be sorry,” the leader said. “Because, he that opposes Satan—”
“I know, I know,” Drake said. “'. . . but he that opposes me will regret it sorely.' Straight from your holy book. Guess what?” He waited for an answer.
“What?”
“My God is bigger than your god. My God made your god.”
The leader nodded to two near the door. The boys were thrown out, and the door locked behind them.
Drake leaned on the wall, and wiped sweat from his forehead.
“I thought you were going to get us killed!” Alex said.
Drake smiled weakly. “Told you there are guardian angels.”
“Let's get out of here,” Alex said.
“We're not done yet,” Drake said.
“You're going back in there? I think your guardian angel is saying that's a bad idea. I'm going home.” Alex started to walk away, but Drake grabbed him.
“Didn't you notice that little door behind the platform? It was about three feet tall.”
“I didn't see anything.”
“I bet one of the doors in this hall lead to a back hall or something. We've just got to find—”
“See ya, man,” Alex said.
“I'll tell your mom where you were if you leave now.”
“That's blackmail!”
“And pretty effective,” Drake said. “Let's find the back way into that room. I want to know what happens next.” They walked down the hall. Drake stopped in front of a solid wood door. It was on the same side of the hall as the meeting room. The knob was locked. He gave the handle a hard twist.
The lock snapped, and the door opened.
“We are breaking the law,” Alex said.
Drake walked into the darkness without answering. Alex flipped the light switch on. There was a door at the back of the room. The room itself was lined with bookshelves and filled with classroom desks.
Drake tried the door at the back. It was unlocked and opened to a hall that ran parallel to the main hall. This area, however, was obviously used for storage. Boxes, many showing signs of age, were packed haphazardly here and there.
“I think we hit the jackpot,” Drake said. They entered the hall. Grime covered the floor and left perfect footprints. Huge dust balls swirled along the baseboard as they walked by.
Drake stopped in front of a door. He whispered, “This must be right where the meeting room is. I paced it off.”
Quietly as possible, he opened it. Inside it was a utility closet. Furnace filters were leaned up against the wall. A hot water heater sat in the back.
“Look,” Alex said pointing.
“What?” Drake asked and stepped sideways to see where he was pointing. “Oh.”
There was a little, three-foot door behind the hot water heater. Drake went over to it and knelt down. He couldn't hear anything.
He pressed his ear against the wood. Maybe he was hearing something. He wasn't sure.
Gently he pushed against it. It scraped quietly as it opened. Light didn't flood through the crack as he opened it.
“Bummer,” he mumbled. “It must be the wrong one.”
Alex knelt down next to him. “Open it more.”
He pushed it open more. Then he realized why light hadn't flooded the crack. The door opened up to a tented area.
Now he understood. The table with the incense had been pushed back against the wall. He was under the table. The table cloth was hanging down covering him, and now he could hear the leader clearly.
“Samhain, known to the deceivers as Halloween, is almost upon us. Samhain is most holy to us. The celebration of death.”
A ripple of agreement went through the crowd.
“We cannot allow the unbelievers to push us around anymore. We must all, everyone in this room, must purpose to work together to do what we can to bring Satan's truth back into the minds of people. And I have a practical solution.”
There was a long pause. Drake could here the man pacing the stage.
“We must claim Middleton. We must take over Middleton. Middleton will be the first Satanic city in the blasphemous state of Wisconsin.”
This was followed by the sound of applause. It stopped. The leader picked something up from directly over top of Drake on the table.
“I hold in my hand a chalice. Engraved on the sides of it is the symbol of Azracul, the demon of oaths. We will all put our blood into the cup.
“I will pass the chalice around. Cut your hand as I am doing, and drop your blood into the heart of Azracul.
“Swear that you will do what is necessary to have Satan recognized as the only true god by Samhain.”
Drake pulled out. “Okay. Let's get out of here,” he whispered.
The two of them walked home in the chilly darkness.
“I've got to tell my parents,” Alex said.
“I don't think that's a good idea,” Drake said.
“But this is serious.”
“You tell your parents that you crept out at night without permission, and they won't trust you again.”
“I'm going to tell them, Drake. You can't blackmail me out of it. I've got to tell them.”
“Not good,” Drake said.
“See you at school tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Chapter 4
During lunch the two boys met.
“Talk to your parents yet?” Drake asked.
Alex bit an apple. “We're going to talk after school.”
Trinity sat down next to Drake. “Hi,” she said.
Drake looked over. “Hi.” He looked at Alex, started to say something, and stopped. His eyes went back to Trinity's left hand. There was a small, pink bandage on it.
He took her left wrist and pulled her hand to him. With a deft move he removed the bandage.
“Fresh cut,” he murmured.
“My hand caught on the screen door this morning,” she said carelessly as she pulled her hand back.
Drake looked at Alex. For a moment Alex stared back empty. Then his eyes widened as he got it.
“You cut your hand on your screen door?” Drake asked.
“Yeah,” she said and tossed her hair over her shoulder.
“Did it bleed much?”
“No. Why?”
“Did you squeeze the blood into a chalice?” Drake asked.
She froze for just a second. “A what?”
Alex got up. Drake got up and followed him.
“Hold up, Alex.”
He went back to Trinity and sat down next to her again and leaned close. “Where were you last night?”
“Home,” she said.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said, but he could hear it in her voice. She hesitated, and she was lying.
“You were at home?”
“Yes.” There was even less conviction in her voice this time.
“Happy almost Halloween . . . I mean Samhain,” he whispered. Her eyes got wide.
“What?” she asked weakly.
“Who is Azracul, anyway?” he asked as he stood up.
Their eyes met. “Keep the white mask. It will go great with a Klu-Klux-Klan costume.”
“I cut my hand on the screen door,” she said.
Drake got up and jogged to catch up to Alex in the main hall.
“She was there,” Alex said.
He nodded. “Let's skip the rest of school and go talk to your parents.”
“Really?”
“Your dad is level-headed, and this is serious.” Drake said.
“You don't want to tell your mom?”
“No,” Drake said. “I think that would be a really bad idea. She worries enough as it is.”
* * *
Uncle Lenny and Aunt Ginny were both home. Uncle Lenny had gotten a supervisor for his pizza shop and suddenly had lots of free time. He still had yet to find a hobby.
Drake and Alex walked into the den at Alex's home. Uncle Lenny was writing an email. Aunt Ginny was painting detail on a replica model of a pre-Columbian Central American village. It covered a four-by-eight sheet of plywood.
Drake paced around the model. “Very good,” he said quietly. The children playing in the center of the village looked so realistic it seemed like a still-shot from a movie.
Uncle Lenny looked up at the clock. “Home a little early. Did you boys get kicked out?”
“Funny dad,” Alex said. “We left early.”
“I don't think you are supposed to do that,” he said.
“We have something important to talk to you about.”
“Go ahead.”
“No,” Drake said. “We really do have something important to talk to you about.”
Uncle Lenny looked at him. “About what?”
“Satan.”
“What is this all about?” Aunt Ginny asked. She put her paint brush down.
“Last night Alex and I attended a Satanic service,” Drake said. The words hung in the air. Aunt Ginny put her hand over her mouth.
“There are no Satanic services in Middleton,” Uncle Lenny said.
“Monday nights, ten o'clock, basement of the Civic Center,” Drake said.
Uncle Lenny picked up the phone. “The Civic Center, please.” He stared off into space. “Uh, yes, did you have any meetings scheduled last night?” More staring into space. “I see. Thank you.” He put the phone down.
“Well?” Aunt Ginny asked.
Uncle Lenny looked straight at Drake. “You went to it?”
He nodded.
“And you?”
Alex nodded too.
“I don't remember giving permission for that,” Uncle Lenny said. His voice was calm, unnaturally calm.
“It's not the kind of thing you ask for permission for,” Drake said. “But we need your help. Perhaps you could talk to Trinity's parents.”
“Trinity who?”
“Trinity Lance. She was there—for the whole thing.” Drake explained the entire evening, the sneaking around to the back, the blood oath to take over Middleton, all of it.
“You didn't talk to us first? You just did this?” Uncle Lenny asked Alex.
“You wouldn't have given permission,” Drake said.
“You smart-mouth brat,” Uncle Lenny yelled at Drake. “Shut up! You are a terrible . . . no, no. I'm not going to yell at you. I'll let your mother do that.” He picked up the phone and dialed. Quietly he talked into the receiver.
He held the phone out to Drake. “She wants to talk to you.”
Reluctantly, he took the phone. “Hi, mom.”
“Come home now.”
“I'll be right over.” He handed the phone back. “Gotta go,” he said to Alex. “Catch you later.”
He halfway expected his mom to meet him at the front door. She didn't. She was sitting at the kitchen table staring at a pine cone in the center.
“Um, I'm home,” he said. She didn't say anything. So he pulled out a seat across from her.
“What do you think your father would think?” she asked.
Drake was taken back. She never brought up dad, especially like this. “I . . . I don't know.”
“Do you think he'd be happy?”
“I guess not,” he said.
“No!” She stood up hard and knocked her chair over. “Drake! What is it?” She was screaming. “What have I done wrong? Why do you have to walk next to the edge? Why do you want to play with fire?”
“I'm sorry, mom.”
“Do you know that you're not allowed to see Alex anymore?”
His head snapped up. “What?”
“It's not my rule. My brother will not allow you to see his son anymore. He says you're a bad influence. You have really embarrassed me.”
“I'm sorry, mom.”
“Sorry isn't enough. What do you feel like you are missing? Why do you do the things you do? You're acting just like your dad.” She paused. Her chin quivered and a tear ran down her cheek. “It got him killed, Drake. He's dead because he just had to see how close to the line he could get.”
“He died hunting criminals in Iraq. He was doing good,” Drake said.
“He was doing it for the thrill and the money,” she said. “There was nothing altruistic about it.”
“Dad was a good man,” Drake said.
“He was a fool!” she said. “Thought he was invincible. You do too. He died and left us all alone here.” She sat down and put her head in her hands. Her shoulders began to shake as she started crying.
Drake moved around to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned closer. “I love you, mom.”
She clasped her hands on his. “I love you too, Drake. I don't want to lose you.”
A shiver ran down his spine with those words.
* * *
That night Drake sat in his room. He dialed Alex's number. After it rang one-and-a-half times, he hung up. Just moments later the phone rang.
“Alex?”
“I'm not supposed to talk to you,” he said.
“So, hang up.”
“I think you were right. It was a bad idea to tell our parents.”
“They sort of missed the point. It wasn't about us. It was about Trinity,” Drake said.
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I want to know who the leader was.”
“How do you expect to find out?” Alex asked.
“I think I'm going to go visit that Sago kid tonight,” Drake said.
“Why not at school tomorrow?”
“I got a feeling.”
“Like what?” Alex asked.
“Something big is going to go down.”
“Tonight?”
“Maybe,” Drake said. “I just feel that I need to talk to him now.”
“Do you even know where he lives?”
“Trinity does.”
“So you're going to visit her too?”
“I've just got this feeling, bad feeling,” Drake said.
“That's not a good sign. Are you sure it's a good idea to go out tonight? Aren't you in enough trouble?”
“Well. . .”
“No,” Alex said. “I'm definitely not going with you.”
“I wasn't asking that,” Drake said.
“I would. It's just my dad.”
Drake didn't answer.
“Hello, Drake?”
“Sorry, it's just I was thinking about my dad.”
“Oh. Sorry man.”
“No, it's all right. Wish me luck.”
“Don't need to. You've got a guardian angel,” Alex said. They hung up.
Drake slid his bedroom window open. Then he shut it again. He tiptoed downstairs. His mom was on the couch reading some Danielle Steel thing.
“Mom?”
She looked up.
“I'm going out for a bit.”
She looked at her watch. “Where?”
“Trinity's and some other kid named Sago.”
“Why?”
“I feel the need to.”
“Are you asking me?”
“I guess.”
“What if I say no?” she asked.
He shrugged.
“Then you'll go out your bedroom window anyway?”
“You know me pretty well.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.” He left through the front door. The air outside was refreshingly cool. The streetlights didn't seem to be at full intensity, and it was somewhat foggy. Microscopic droplets of water hit his face as he walked.
Trinity only lived about a quarter of a mile away. He needed answers to what in the world was really going on, and he was going to get them. Placing his knuckles in his other palm, he cracked them in anticipation.
This was going to be . . .
A bright light shined on him. Then red and blue lights swirled around. He turned around to see a cop getting out of his car. The policeman shined his flashlight in his face. Drake held his hand up to shield his eyes.
“Where are you going?”
“Home,” Drake said. All he could see of the policeman was a mustache.
“Do you know about the curfew?”
“I'm eighteen,” Drake lied.