Ch 8: Brides of Apollyon Part III

I decide that the best thing to do is stare at my feet as if they are the most interesting things in the world. I pretend that if I avoid eye contact with Ulyssa, she might just drop it and move on.

No such luck. "Leon, it seems like the offerings I bring to you displease you. I apologize for these poor options. After your long life, you must only enjoy the company of the rarest jewels." She says.

My head shoots up as I panic. I wave my hands to emphasize my words. "No, no! That's not it. I am… not displeased. I guess-." I can't finish the sentence.

Ulyssa quirks her head, giving me a curious look. "Are you telling true? It will not offend me if you have higher standards."

I shake my head. "You misunderstand why I am reluctant. You see, I-." Again, I find I cannot finish my thought. I am too ashamed.

Ulyssa nods her head, seeming to come to some sort of realization. "I think I see what is going on here."

I look at her, pensive. "Uh, what do you mean?"

Ulyssa paces over to me, her hips moving in a way that makes my breath stop. She comes right up to me. I back up a few steps, feeling very hot all of a sudden.

She keeps coming and I keep backing up. Then I hit the shelf of a console. I have nowhere else to go as Ulyssa presses herself against me. She forces her thigh between my legs, pushing them apart. I am very, very hot now!

Her hands slide up the sides of my body and her breath is hot at the nape of my neck. When she speaks, her voice is husky and dripping with teasing desire.

"Leon." She says, her hands caressing my back, my shoulders and then sliding down until she comes to my rear and gives it a firm squeeze. It makes me jolt upright. I am becoming quite uncomfortable in my crotch region.

"Uh, y-yes?" I manage to whisper.

"Do not lie to me now." She says, bring a finger to brush against my lips.

"I-I won't." I say.

"I can tell when a man has no experience with women." She says with a knowing smirk.

"I-is that s-so?"

"Yes." She says, raising herself on her toes and wrapping her arms around my neck. Our lips come dangerously close to meeting. I tremble in her embrace.

"Leon." She says, directly into my ear, sending a thrilling chill down my entire body. "You have yet to know a woman. You are still a virgin. Am I right?"

I can't move. I can't speak. I hate when people learn about my inexperience. It makes me feel pathetic and inadequate. They always give me the same mocking look.

Yet as I look into Ulyssa's eyes, I see no mockery or scorn, or disdain. She is teasing me, but I also can tell she is understanding.

"You want to know a secret, Leon?"

"U-uh, sure." I say, still barely able to breathe.

She gets close to my ear again, whispering. "I have never known a man."

I look at her, my eyes wide with surprise. Can that really be so? She can tell that I find this hard to believe. The Zero Night Church, let alone the culture of the Eldar has never been shy about sexual expression. Their blood is wilder than Man's. Even when the blood is diluted through inter-race coupling, the tendencies of the Eldar are still very strong.

They do not conform to the restrictions that other faiths and societies live by. Though they are not overtly sexual either without cause. They are creatures of both nature and reason in ways that Mankind is not quite attuned to.

When a godling, or anyone descended from the Eldar discover their desire, they will pursue it to the end. This can be a strength and a weakness.

"It seems like you think I am not telling you true." She says pouting. "Am I that untrustworthy?"

"I-I can't say." Even being overwhelmed by this beauty, I can't admit that I fully trust her yet.

"How admirable." She says, impressed. "You keep to your gut feeling even when you are under so much-." She gives my crotch an intentional rub with her thigh. "Pressure."

"My gut tells me to trust you, but experience tells me to be cautious." I say, gaining more of my awareness now. "I've been too trusting in the past."

She nods and steps away from me. I gasp as I feel I can breathe again without her being so close in my personal space.

"Yes. I have also been betrayed. I guard myself more now." She says. "More so now that I have so many under my charge and protection."

"But why have you gone to all this length to acquire my genes for a stronger generation?" I say. "Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered, and I think I understand, at least in part, the opportunity you are giving these women." I pause for a moment. "But I don't think you are telling me everything."

Ulyssa nods, her countenance returning to being serious. "You're right. This harem I have assembled is not simply to be used as your plaything. It has a purpose."

"What is that purpose?"

Ulyssa pauses. I can tell that she is conflicted on what to say next.

"I guess first I should show you why I made this sect in the first place. I think you may be able to piece together the reason yourself."

"Okay." I say. "Show me."

Ulyssa changes the screens and now displays the sigils of the three Blood of Eden clans. The Margraves, which is the symbol for the Zero Night Church. The Ashwaters, which is the symbol of their company, Neo-Eden. Then the Pyros's, displaying the symbol of their private fund, The Godling Foundation.

"These three families have been branching out their operations all over the globe, acquiring assets and building capital as quietly as they can for centuries."

I interrupt her. "Yes, but what is so mysterious about that? Aren't they expanding their operations in order to help people?"

"I thought this to be the case." She says. "And I think that many of the people in each organization is working to that end. And yet…"

"And yet?"

"I fear that the upper echelons of the families have been leading us all astray."

"In what way?"

"The godling clans are forbidden from taking any part in the affairs of Man. That is the oath that our forefathers bound us to. The Appointed One was supposed to assure that balance is kept."

"Yes." I say, wanting her to get to the point.

Ulyssa pauses, nervous and biting her lip. "I don't believe that the families are honoring that oath any longer."

I raise an eyebrow. "I have not noticed any overt infringements from the clans collectively. There are always individuals who want to change the status quo. I deal with them. Are you saying that the clans are secretly undermining the will of King Solomon?"

It takes a while for Ulyssa to answer, and I can tell that what she believes to be true about these truths are devastating to her. "Yes, that is what I'm saying."

"You said that they only care about amassing power. What power are they trying to attain?" I say, though I can guess the answer.

"Each family has been spreading their influence and acquiring military power." Ulyssa says. "I only recently discovered that the church has nearly all high-end mercenary groups at its beck and call. It didn't take long to uncover the fact that the other families have the same contacts."

"What do they need mercenaries for?"

"I am also wondering the answer to that question." Ulyssa says. "Actually, I hope to know soon."

"Oh? You have a way of gathering that intel?" I say.

Ulyssa bites her lip again. There is a deep concern in her eyes. "Had, I fear." She says.

I raise an eyebrow. "You infiltrated one of these groups?"

"Yes. Sister Isabelle." Ulyssa says, bringing up her file on one of the screens.

The girl has an almond complexion and dark hair with pretty, light brown eyes. She appears to be of Latin descent and 100% human.

"If you sent her to infiltrate a mercenary group, she must be from that world." I say, folding my arms across my chest. I can tell that I am right. While Isabelle is beautiful, her face, arms and her neck are covered in scars. She also has some tough looking tattoos. Her eyes have the dead pan stare of any trained and experienced killer.

Ulyssa nods and confirms that my instincts are correct. "Sister Isabelle, she prefers 'Izzy', is an ex- freedom fighter from Columbia. She got caught up in a scheme by some BE defectors and I rescued her."

Ulyssa slams her fist on the counter. "I never intended for her to go back to that life. Yet when she volunteered and wouldn't take no for an answer, I let her go. Now I've lost contact, and I don't have anyone else with her experience to send after her." Her fists clench. "I would go myself, but I cannot leave the sisters unattended for too long."

"Ulyssa, all you need to do is point me in the right direction." I say. She looks at me, grateful but also reluctant.

"I am asking so much of you already."

This time I step to her, and I lay my hands on her shoulders. Our eyes meet.

"This is my purpose." I say. "I will bring her back to you alive." Then I harden my tone. "Or I will punish those who are responsible for her death."

"Thank you." She says.

"It will be better if she is alive. We will need her intel. She may have gotten close to the truth and had to go into hiding, or they eliminated her." I say.

Ulyssa nods, grave. "I agree."

"So, what group did you send her to and who was the contact that got her set up?"

Ulyssa changes the screen again and a man's file appears this time. He is rugged, handsome, but with an evil look in his eye. He is definitely criminal scum. I know most people don't like to think about this, but the criminal element is often the quickest and most efficient way to help law enforcement.

"Oleksandr, codename 'Sasha', Koval." Ulyssa says. "He's a Ukrainian national and black-market dealer. He is well connected and is perfectly suited to make introductions for anyone trying to network in the underworld."

"Izzy approached him as a private contractor looking to join a new outfit. She gave some options and eventually convinced Sasha to introduce her to the intended target."

"Who is?" I say as Ulyssa brings up another profile.

"Bakari Thiam. A warlord from the Ivory Coast. Once he became tired of slaughtering his own people, he expanded his sights to the whole world and now leads a mercenary group named, The Grim Hounds on missions around the globe."

I can tell from the cold stare in Bakari's eyes that he is only human in form. He has long abandoned his humanity and become a monster in human skin.

"Why The Grim Hounds?" I say.

"Because they have been contracted for more jobs than anyone else by the three clans. By far." Ulyssa says.

"So, when the dogs need to be unleashed, they call on the hounds to do their bidding." I say.

"Essentially, I believe so."

"But who could build this network and keep everything quiet?" I say, trying to piece it all together. "This takes enormous amounts of cash."

"Yes, but from what I have found in the records, no amount of money is actually directly funneled into their hands. They must be using an intricate system of shell companies to do this. I don't have the expertise to untangle this and all the usual help I get might be in on it, unwittingly or willingly."

I put a hand to my chin, thinking. "All of this makes for a delicate situation. You speak to the wrong person and that could trigger a domino effect that would ruin everything. Then they would disappear."

"Exactly." Ulyssa says. "So, what will you do first?"

I turn to her. "Rescue your operative. If she is as experienced as you say, she is still alive. At least as long as she has information to trade."

"Okay, I'm sorry I can't join you. I have to keep things running here."

"Not to worry. I am used to working on my own." I say with a small smile.

"One day that will not be true."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Because soon you will also be building your military might."

"Huh? How?"

Ulyssa smiles again. Even though I think I'm used to it, it still makes me catch my breath.

"You haven't pieced it together, yet?" she says. "Apollyon will also need his own army. When you return from your mission, your duties to build that army will begin. Zero Night is coming, after all."