The Antichrist thought he had gotten a brilliant idea and on the grass by the pool. he had manifested a sort of four-poster bed but disproportionately large. Where they could lounge pleasantly as a group. Now it was just Elise and himself and their gaze was on Sam, Jules, and Pam who were enjoying themselves in the pool. Along with their Hellcat who couldn't be separated from his flamingo. Jonathan could just feel it coming. He knew that the beast, along with Jules and Samantha, would be responsible for all sorts of mischief in the future. On the one hand, he expected a lot of headaches. On the other hand, he could not wait to find out what kind of mischievous stuff they would get into their heads. Fay and Hope were at the shop with Maggie. The campus had apparently begun handing out tickets. Frank had quickly approached Jon to ask if they couldn't expand the project with the tickets. Not only the Campus students but also the immediate family members of those students. Something the Antichrist didn't have to think long about and had said that if they were going to expand it any way they may as well do it right. Starting with the church communities. They had involved the various priests, pastors, and ministers in order to reach the families who were in the worst need of new clothing, thus kicking off the project. He called Maggie and Claire and told them to put the gathering of stock in a much higher gear. It was not long before it had become noticeably busier at the shops of Clair and Maggie. To the extent that both Clair and Maggie planned to bring aboard one of the white witches brought to Deflin House by Azrael. The first tangible evidence their project was becoming active beyond the confines of the Deflin House. Jon hadn't had his talk with his grandfather, grandmother, and Uncle J and Auntie M yet or had called the meeting together. Getting the new house in order had been busy but absolutely enjoyable and at times hilarious when he had seen the entire troop including Domino, Liz, and Brandon hopping through various stores and dragging out shopping cart after shopping cart. So, they had prioritized that. He knew the conversation was important but couldn't imagine it being that super urgent. Nothing in Heaven or Hell advanced so quickly, or at least he thought so.
Meanwhile, he had resolved to listen to Elise more. She tempered his impatience and his tendency to fly headlong into something rashly or jump to conclusions too quickly. He also thought briefly about the Deflin house where, thanks to the use of his powers, they were way ahead of schedule. The first 102 luxury trailers were already lined up and the next day another convoy would arrive from Texas with the next load bringing the total to 125. Liz and Domino had been the first occupants but soon a few other trailers were also occupied by staff recruited by Tess and Franklin. And even the first five families of white witches had arrived and moved in. He was thinking for the umpteenth time about his problem with Michael and how to put his plan for his reverse UNO strategy into action. Again and again, he came to the same conclusion that unfortunately he would have to wait for the idiot to make a mistake and then strike mercilessly. Something that was only possible because of the presence of his Elise. Without her, he would have long since dragged Casiel out of Heaven, burned Michael out of existence, and left Heaven behind like a landscape from Hell.
The quiet in the yard was suddenly disturbed when Liz showed up with a boy in tow. His PA shot toward them with tears in her eyes after she made it clear to the boy to wait by the seating area. He saw that the boy was particularly nervous and was even shaking a little. Liz began to speak, and the fear was more than evident in her voice:
"Jon, Elise, that boy is David, and you should definitely hear his story! But first Brandon could be in danger."
His eyes lit up gold and he snapped his fingers making him and Elise fully dressed again. Then he closed his eyes for a few seconds. He and Elise slid off the bed and he sighed; he had been so relaxed with her in his arms. At the sitting area, Elise asked:
"Can I bring you guys something to drink?"
"Something strong Elise, rum please?"
The boy said barely audibly:
"Water is enough for me My Lady."
She wanted to correct the boy and say that the title was not hers, not yet anyway, but Jon had put a hand on her arm. The look in his eyes told her to leave it that way for now. He said plainly:
"The Princess asked what you wanted to drink David. Not what you think you deserve. So, what do you really want to drink?"
He licked his upper lip for a moment and said as softly as before:
"Coke, if I may My Lord."
Elise had clearly felt the boy's great fear. Sam and Jules had felt the same thing all the way to the pool. They walked with Pam to the sitting area. He was beginning to get a hunch that the kid was in serious trouble and had been badly mistreated. He knew that what David would have to say, he would not be able to appreciate at all.
"David, how old are you?"
Almost in a whisper, the boy said:
"Fourteen MyLord."
Elise and he looked at the boy for a moment. They knew instinctively that something was wrong here, this boy barely looked twelve. He couldn't possibly be fourteen. Jon ignored it for a moment; that could be addressed later. Jon snapped his fingers and the drinks appeared on the table. The boy was startled by this display of power and cringed. For the three girls Fanta, for Liz the requested rum, for Elise her now favorite Chardonnay, for himself his usual mix, and for the boy two cans of ice-cold Coke. Elise, Liz, and the girls immediately realized that by manifesting the drinks and letting David cringe, Jon was making it clear to David that he was indeed the Prince of Hell and now stuck in that role. They would therefore follow his example. Liz and the boy just about attacked their drinks. The boy emptied the first can just about in a single gulp. Elise, being the mother she was to the core of her being said:
"Easy David, this is how you're going to get a stomachache and possibly nausea."
He stopped drinking immediately.
"I'm sorry My Lady."
"It's no big deal, my dear boy. But you are not in good health therefore you have to be a little careful. So, first drink slowly with small sips and later also eat slowly with small bites."
Jon asked:
"David, why are you and Liz so scared?"
"My uncle My Lord. He's a warlock, a powerful one!"
"Okay, I can understand you being afraid of someone like that. But here you are perfectly safe. This is my home, my family. Nothing can happen to you here."
Liz was too scared that something would happen to her little son and asked with tears in her eyes:
"But Brandon My Lord..."
"Don't worry Liz. Your little genius is still in school, currently nice, and safe in the chess club with Frank, and will be brought here by him. Besides, I had already placed a spell on the school. A five-mile radius within which everything is safe for him and the girls. Nothing of black magic can work or break through there. A moment ago, I also strengthened that enchantment quite a bit. Anyone dealing with black magic within that radius will become violently ill and feel extremely weak. The greater the power they have the more that warlock or witch is going to regret to have come near that school. David's uncle cannot do anything with black magic or physically because he will be too weak for that."
Liz breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"Thank you My Lord for his safety."
"Dear Liz, you know I would do anything for my family."
He looked back at the boy who was indeed now slowly drinking small sips. However, he was about to burst into tears. Pam had leaned closer to Liz and put an arm around her to give her some support because this had clearly been a hard blow for her. Samantha and Jules wanted to unleash their powers on the boy and offer him comfort but Jon cut them off:
"Girls not now, later you may give as big a boost as you can but not right now."
They too had clearly noticed his role as Prince and said at the same time:
"Yes, My Lord."
He smiled at them.
"Thank you, dear girls. Liz, what does this warlock have to do with you and how did David end up with you?"
"My Lord David used to live in my neighborhood. He was always the nice, good kid that made you smile. At some point, his parents disappeared with him and I thought the whole family had just moved away. Today he suddenly showed up at our place in the village out of the blue. He first told his story of what he had gone through to find me to Mark at the gate, who immediately decided that if Davy was prepared for something so major it was indeed important and brought him to me. He told me that Brandon and I were in danger. Apparently, he went to my old residence first where they sent him to the trailer park where we used to live and they in turn sent him to the Deflin House. He did everything on foot and was on the road for almost two full days."
Liz interrupted herself for a moment to take a good sip of rum, and Jon thought:
"Fuck, this is one mentally damn strong kid. Walking mile after mile after mile for two days straight, criss cross through Baton Rouge to reach his goal. Commendable!"
Liz continued speaking:
"Apparently, he had managed to escape after a long time of captivity with that uncle and came straight to me. Somehow the parents disappeared but Davy believes his uncle had something to do with it in a bad way. Something very very bad. He spent some years with that uncle and certainly not in ideal circumstances. As you can see, he is fourteen but doesn't look older than twelve, I only suspect bad neglect but also hunger, unhealthy food without vitamins, no real sunlight, and that kind of deprivation. Before that, the warlock ended up in prison years ago because of me. He stalked me and Brandon, but he is also more than perverted with morbid fantasies. After a complaint from me, the police and prosecutors thought they had enough to apply for a search warrant, which they got. They did a search of his house and found some pretty sickly illegal stuff. Enough to put him behind bars. Unfortunately way not long enough. His fantasy was that he as a black warlock would hold me a white witch as his sex slave and Brandon would be used in some sick sacrificial ritual."
At that last sentence, Jon's eyes ignited with the fire of Hell. The boy saw the fire and immediately threw himself to the ground on his hands and knees, his head bent so far that it touched the ground. He was literally terrified. Crying and whimpering, he mumbled as the fear he endured caused him to lose control of his bladder, thus peeing his pants:
"Forgive me My Lord, forgive me, I couldn't stop him, please don't hurt me, I'm so sorry, please don't hurt me My Lord..."
Swiftly Jon extinguished the fire in his eyes and stepped towards the boy. He gently pulled him upright and hugged him tightly. David without thinking buried his face against Jon's chest and the latter said softly:
"No one is going to hurt you, David, you are perfectly safe here. I'm not angry with you my boy, I'm angry with your uncle. I'm sorry you got scared by my eyes. Sometimes when I get very angry, they ignite because sometimes I have trouble controlling my temper. I'm so sorry I scared you."
The boy stopped sobbing and looked up at Jon in amazement. The latter said with a warm smile:
"Let me guess, your uncle has been telling very strange things about me, hasn't he?"
"Yes, My Lord he has said very bad things. That you drink the blood of children like me and virgins because it would make you stronger."
The boy meanwhile had clung to Jon.
"My little boy I do not need blood to become more powerful for I am more powerful than every Demon and every Angel combined. I am even more powerful than my father, Lucifer."
The boy's eyes grew as big as saucers.
"I don't harm innocents David never, I protect them. And I can get incredibly angry when someone harms children. The things your uncle told you are his own sick perverted fantasies, do you understand?"
Slowly the boy nodded.
"Good, now kiddo, first you need to take a shower in that little building next to the pool. You'll find towels and stuff to wear. Those rags you're wearing are for the trash. You just peed your pants out of fear, and you need new clothes."
Only now did the boy notice that he had indeed peed his pants. He turned red with embarrassment and was on the verge of crying again. Now Sam and Jules unleashed their combined strength on him to comfort him at full force and David calmed down considerably.
When he reappeared a few minutes later in a bathrobe with sweatpants underneath, Jon pointed to the seat. Sam handed him a can of Coke and Jules took his hand ready to use her powers again should the need arise. Jon asked:
"David, did your uncle want to go after Liz and Brandon again?"
"Yes, My Lord. He spoke unclear very often so I was never able to understand him fully. What I am sure of is that he said Miss Liz would come last. That to really hurt her he would do the kids first."
"Boy are you sure he said kids and not kid?"
"Yes My Lord, he always laughed like crazy and said he could do at least ten."
The look in Jon's eyes turned icy cold and his features steely.
"Liz, I know you have no close family left but do you have a circle of friends who have nine children together?"
"Absolutely not My Lord. The Coven is my circle of friends, and you are my family."
"Liz, think hard, at the ceremony, there were eight children present, other than our Jules and Sam, plus Jessie. Was there a child missing?"
Liz got a frightened look in their eyes.
"Yes, Kathy was missing along with her mother Sofie. The little girl was hospitalized a few weeks back, about two weeks before the ceremony. She has a heart condition. It is said to be congenital but never noticed before. They call it a ticking bomb that suddenly goes off."
"A ticking bomb my ass!"
He jumped straight and his eyes lit up gold:
"Elise, Liz start calling the intimate circle now I want the remaining nine children here, one is already here Samantha, so eight more, as soon as possible! But also, all the sisters who were present. If anyone doesn't have transportation send a cab. If necessary, arrange a fucking helicopter I don't give a damn as long as they get here."
The two quickly pulled out their cell phones and began making calls. Jon, meanwhile, had a golden glow in his eyes and was scanning Baton Rouge very closely in search of the black Warlock. To his surprise and frustration, he could not find him. Suddenly, he heard Elise calling behind him:
"Jon!"
He turned to her. With panic in her eyes, she came up to him and said:
"Danny, he was rushed to the hospital this morning. Jessie says he's in very bad shape, but the tests so far have turned up nothing."
He was just about to say something when they heard a pair of large wings. Rather briefly he said:
"Rae Rae what are you doing here? I have some problems at the moment so no time for other things."
The Angel replied:
"I came to warn you, yes you have a problem, more than one even. A boy with your marker, about twelve years old has appeared on the list. A few rooms down the hall in the same hospital there is also a girl, without a marker but the two clearly belong together."
"Which one should you pick up?"
"Both of them Jon."
"For fuck's sake. How much time do I have left?"
"30 minutes max."
"Rae Rae, I want to talk to you tonight, very urgently."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek and was already about to turn around when Rae Rae said:
"Jon, Jo is over there in the cafeteria. She's in bad shape."
"For fuck's sake, of course, that too! I'll take care of her Rae Rae, promise."
She nodded and disappeared again. With Elise by the hand, he stepped back to the sitting area. He looked at Liz and spoke:
"We need to leave urgently Kathy and Danny need us right now. Get Domino here! If Frank arrives with Brandon, you need to tell Frank to stay put until I get back. All your sisters and the kids stay in the yard or inside the house."
He snapped his fingers and suddenly there were thirty comfortable chairs in the garden and a rather large bar. To the girls, he said sternly:
"Samantha, Jules, Pamela, you will stay near David at all times. Pam, call Maggie, I want her and Fay and Hope home now!"
He looked at the kid and said:
"David please stay with the girls for your own safety."