Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2005 07:43:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: Sean O'Riley <seanriter@yahoo.com>
Subject: Vampire-High Priest: Chap 5

Here is the fifth chapter, Journey to Amenta (Underworld) in the
Vampire-High Priest short story series. I hope you will like it. Please let
me know of your suggestions/comments at seanriter@yahoo.com


Chapter 5 -- Journey to Amenta (Underworld)


I stood on top of this obelisk of the modern world. Even the temples of
Giza were dwarfed by the height of what Johan called a skyscraper. The
night's cool breeze caressed my naked body, I could sense Johan dreaming,
stirring by sub conscious emotions. I really felt on top of the world. I
had it all, love of my life, power over vast lands and an eternity to
cherish it all. I was indeed blessed to serve the king of Gods who was so
benevolent in bestowing such joy to me.

I looked all around me, it seemed as if the star spangled sky was reflected
on earth. Lights of the city in the dark of night seemed like sparkling
diamonds. The cool air was whipping by curly black hair, murmuring, hinting
at the secrets kept around me. Even in this marvelous moment my heart was
plagued by a sense of foreboding. I tried to push these stirrings away from
my mind angrily, but they just kept returning with renewed strength.

"I will not let my imagination get the better of me", thought the Ker Heb
haughtily. He stood erect, his head thrown back, hands balled into fists at
his sides. He stood in absolute defiance, radiating fury against at this
unknown foe. The elders had sent the book of prophecies at last; even after
many readings the Ker Heb could not make any sense of it.

I don't know how long I was lost in my musings. I didn't even realize Johan
approaching me. It was not like me to be so lost in my own thoughts. I
jumped when I felt his hands around me. I relaxed instantaneously as I felt
his mind's touch. A smile crept onto my face and I felt all my worries
brushed aside.

I turned around and we hugged. No words were exchanged mentally or verbally
our eyes and gestures said it all. What Johan and I had was precious. I
would fight the world if I had to, to hold onto it. I held him tightly to
me, as if he might turn into an apparition any second and vanish before my
eyes.

"Miu-Oa I feel your love for me, but, but I also feel you holding back. Why
is that mery?" said Johan.

"Johan, I love you more than life itself. There was but one other whom I
loved like I love you. The pain, oh the pain of losing him was immense". A
pained look crossed the Ker Heb's face. "Johan I am afraid I might lose
you. I could not do anything when Tutankhamen passed on to the
underworld. I lost him forever to the cold embrace of Osiris; I don't ever
want that to happen to us. I don't think I can bare a loss like that again
Johan".

"Mery! Nothing is going to happen to me. I can take care of myself besides
Sebastian and Bastien follow me like shadows where ever I go." Johan
laughed. I could tell it was a forced reaction. He was trying to lighten
the mood. I smiled and kissed him. We hugged each other as if one was the
anchor of life to the other. His hands around me were so warm and the touch
of those sweet petals of lips on mine made me feel intoxicated. We forgot
all sense of time locked in passionate embrace, until a gentle shower of
rain fell on us. Reluctantly we broke the embrace and headed inside. Johan
jerked his head and a splatter of raindrops fell on me, he giggled
mischievously and began undressing facing away form me. I felt tingly and
hot in my loins. Slowly ever so slowly he was undoing his
nightdress. Flawless pale white skin was revealed as the robe slid down. My
man hood was twitching with anticipation, it was a torture to watch such
beauty and not ravish it at once. I resisted, wanting to savor every moment
of the show and every visual of his stunning beauty. My lover looked back,
he took his time looking first in my eyes and then I felt his gaze moving
down to my privates. The heat, the burning heat of his gaze almost drove me
to the edge of orgasm, without even touching. I could no longer distinguish
if I was feeling lust or love, nor did I care.

As the robe slid off and exposed his smooth round globes of perfection, I
felt my heart beat quickening and felt blood rush to my man hood, as if
trying to grow some more even though it was fully erect. He turned around
and his gaze locked with mine. I was completely mesmerized, each time we
made love it felt as if we were doing it for the very first time. He laid
his palm on my chest, over my heart and closed his eyes.

*****

I felt mery's heartbeat quicken, it was an exhilarating feeling to know
that I had such an effect on my lord. My hardness was caressing his. My
lords usually cold body was radiating such heat that I felt beads of sweat
slide down on my naked body. I knew the amount of restraint on the high
priest's part to with hold his maddening desire. I opened my eyes when I
felt my mery's manhood poking into my groin above my own erect phallus.

Johan looked down at my phallus and with a twinkle in his eye said, "I
suppose my lord needs some relief", and he smiled pretending to sigh. I
could not help but laugh out in this most intimate moment and pulled him to
me in a fierce embrace. My crotch squished into his and at once we had each
other's lips on the other. We were groping each other with urgency; my
hands were everywhere on him as if to feel to him everywhere at once.

*****

We lost balance as I was stroking both our love rods and fell onto the
bed. I was on top of my lord, I felt his palms cup my globes whole. I
wanted to devour his body, taste all of him. I was licking my lord
frantically, his pectorals, sucking on his nipples and abdomen, my tongue
snaking down his treasure trail to the bushy island. I stroked his manhood
and licked it all over, soon my lips held it in a vise like grip sucking
out the love juices. I felt my lord's hands in my hair, caressing, ruffling
with building tension. Moans and grunts of pleasure soon filled the night,
even with the loud pitter patter of rain drops the sounds of love making
could be heard distinctly.

Just about when I was nearing orgasm, Johan pulled off of me and moved back
up to kiss me. I stroked his phallus as my impending orgasm was eased
away. The battle of tongues was waging when Johan guided my manhood into
him. Slowly guiding it into him, deeper and deeper. Our bodies and minds
melded in the throes of lovemaking, we felt each other's love and
pleasure. I was stroking his man hood with the same rhythm with which he
was stroking mine in him. Faster and faster until we could not contain the
love juices any longer and we both came at the same time. Johan milked the
last droplets slowing down on my manhood. We both shared a long intimate
kiss.


*********************************************************


The same women I had defeated in the mind battle sat next to me. Gabrielle
was a proud and strong vampire. Even though I had defeated her in combat, I
respected and treated her as my equal, not because of any superior
attribute in my personality; it was just that her whole persona demanded a
certain amount of respect be it an enemy or an ally.

Gabrielle and I were in a conference with Demitri Cierno, an important
vampire in Cincinnati, he controlled a big chunk of North America. If we
could get him to side with us then half the battle in subduing this part of
the rogue world was won. Soon after we arrived in Dallas, the High Priest
had assigned the eleven victorious couples to different areas of the rogue
world. Our duty was to get the assigned areas into our lord's dominion by
any and every means necessary. Gabrielle was involved in a heated debate
with this influential vampire. I knew Gabrielle was only lulling him into a
false sense, that he had any say in the matter, as if negotiating. I had to
admit she was as adept in negotiating as she was in mind control. But I
knew I was special to the High Priest among all of us, ever since the Heb
Sed when I battled with Attila he had taken to me. We could all feel a
vague stirring in us when our lord High Priest Miu-Oa felt strong emotions;
we were after all, like his own children after the blood ceremony. Yes I
was special to our sire; I could even distinguish if he was angry or happy
like none others. I had felt him intensely angry a while ago and now I was
feeling his joy. The feeling of his joy was probably the most intense of
all of his emotions. I was perplexed how anger so easily turned into
intense joy. Our sire was mysterious and an unpredictable vampire. I was
sure Gabrielle could not have missed this strong a stirring and soon enough
she looked at me and we exchanged a knowing look.

Gabrielle stood up and said, "Mr. Cierno this meeting is at an end, this
discussion is not taking us anywhere. Either bow to our lord or face his
wrath."

Cierno was surprised at the sudden turn in the so-called "negotiations". He
stood and almost stuttered, deviating from his previously composed self and
said, "Madam Gabrielle and Sir Helios, I do not understand! I have no
desire to go against the High Priest, but I need you to understand that you
are asking me to give up the power my family accumulated so tediously for
centuries and be no more than common subject to the High Priest in return."

"Mr. Cierno, I am sure our sire Miu-Oa will look upon you kindly for your
loyalty and be assured that our lord is most benevolent to his loyal
subjects" Helios spoke for the first time since the initial pleasantries
were exchanged. Before Cierno could say anything Helios continued, " I hope
Mr. Cierno you would swear fealty to our lord for your own good, we will
see you in a weeks time, I believe it is time enough for you to make a
decision. Until then peace be." Helios walked out and Gabrielle followed.

As soon as they were out of prying ears Gabrielle said, "Did you feel
that?" she was so excitable, even before Helios could answer she continued,
"It was like, like my brain was awash with sensations, powerful sensations
I cannot pin point exactly what kind of sensation, but, but I it was
strong. It came from him, I am sure."

"Yes, it did come from him", was all Helios said, wary of revealing too
much. But his curiosity was perked. He wanted to know more about their
sire, the Ker Heb was enshrouded with so much mystery. His past and his
association with the Elders was a secret, the only people who knew anything
about him were Octavius and Johan. Octavius was seldom seen, he
mysteriously appeared to convey messages and collect reports of their
progress. Johan on the other hand was the closest to the High Priest and
even with the short time he had known him, he found Johan to be very
friendly and trusting. If there was anyone who could help unravel the
mystery that was our sire, Johan was the man for it. "I have to find out
and find out I will", thought Helios.


*********************************************************


Miu-Oa dreams were filled with old feelings and vague stirrings. He could
not quite put a finger on what these stirrings meant. It was disturbing to
say the least. Visions of a life led thousands of years flashed in his
mind. Him and Tut playing hide and seek in the palace gardens then suddenly
that memory was replaced by Tut laughing and splashing water in the banks
on Nile in our youth and that again was replaced by Tut's face screwed up
in pain, a dagger sticking out from behind his neck. Memories, so many
memories both joyful and sad flashed in my mind but always in the end the
haunting image of Tut's face in the final moments of his life came back to
me. I woke up with a start when Johan brushed my sweat drenched hair off of
my face.

My eyes were wide, seeing everything looking for the familiar environs of
my past, but none were to be found. Only blank walls with alien looking
paintings hung here and there greeted my searching gaze. Johan's caring
ministrations relaxed me a little, but when my gaze fell on my own image in
the mirror, I was furious. Such a disheveled appearance, such behavior was
unbecoming of a High Priest of Osiris. I felt ashamed; Johan felt all that
I was feeling. I knew his sympathy was born out of love and concern for me,
but it only seemed to enrage me more to know that I must appear such a
weakling to my love. I forced myself to calm down and climbed off the bed
facing away from Johan to compose myself.

"Why does he push me away? Push me away when he needs me the most. Am I not
for sharing both pain and love? Why does he not share his pain with me?"
thought Johan.

Sensing the questions in Johan and the pain he was feeling I was felt
obligated to explain myself, "Johan, mery! My past is full of pain and
tragedy, you know the events that happened, but, but the images, the images
of the past still haunt me to this day. I have you, yet I feel in some way
incomplete. Tut was, no, is an inseparable part of me. I miss him Johan. Do
not mistake me love, you are the same as Tut to me. "

"But just not him, I understand Miu-Oa. Know this my lord, if there was
some way, anyway I could bring back your Tut to you, I would. I would do
anything to please you my lord, anything."

"I know, I know my darling but it is beyond my powers to bring Tut back to
life. I just have to live with it, but with you beside me I can face any
pain." I embraced Johan tenderly.


*********************************************************


Later in the day I descended lower into the bowels of earth, the basement
of the towering building. Here in the cavernous room, on the center a black
marble platform, were the remains of the Tutankhamen's mummy. The room was
only lit by oil lamps and I tended to them personally.

With the desecration of his tomb and his mummy, I knew Tut's after life in
the underworld was disturbed. The pain of his loss was still fresh in my
heart and so many other emotions were flooding my mind, all at once. Pain
of his loss, sorrow due to the knowledge that he was roaming the halls of
dead eternally disturbed and angry because I could do nothing, nothing at
all to help, then when he was dying and now in his disturbed after life.

Here so near to the remains of Tut I could feel as if he was trying to
reach over, I could almost hear the mournful wails echoing in the dark
halls of the underworld. I could just be imagining it, but it felt so
real. I decided this time around I would not stand by doing nothing when
Tut needed me. I stood up and decided to knock on the doors of the
underworld to find out the truth and some how help Tut.

I sent a mental message to Johan to let him know what I was about to do. He
was worried but like a true Khenemet he bravely bid me farewell for a safe
journey.

I sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, eye closed in concentration. My
whole being was focused on the central spot in my forehead. It began as a
throb, a slight pressure in my temple. Soon I felt it spread to the whole
of my brain, it was as if my brain was throbbing against my skull. I began
intoning the spell of death trance in my minds voice, the connection to my
children was severed and even the link between Johan and me became faint. I
could feel a black swirling vortex forming right inside my brain and my
soul was being sucked into it. My consciousness was leaving my body into
the realm of the dead, I was feeling nauseated by the speed at which I was
moving and suddenly it all stopped and I stood or rather floated in the
inky darkness. There was no sign of light here or that of life.

I felt a movement at my sides; it was like a hands grip. They led me into
what seemed to be like a circular chamber, at the center a pentagon shaped
alter contained a cold fire. The fires leapt high in the air and the keeper
of the dead spoke from within the fires.

"Ker Heb Miu-Oa, be welcome in the kingdom of Osiris. I am aware of the
reason you are here, but what you seek is beyond your reach."

I knelt on one knee, "Praises to the keeper of the dead, enforcer of
Osiris. Great one, I am aware that I cannot meet Tutankhamen but if it is
true that his after life in the underworld has been disturbed then I, as
his cousin and as Ker Heb have the right to make the necessary atonements."
For several moments the keeper of the dead did not speak, finally in a
booming voice he said.

"Never in the past has such an atonement ever been performed, however Ker
Heb you do indeed have the right. So hear me well, on the night of the
darkest moon call upon the guardians of the gates of the underworld. Summon
the spirit of Tutankhamen into a mortal and drink of him until the last
drop of life is drained. Turn him into one of your own. When the first rays
of Ra fall on the fledgling vampire and burn him to dust, the undead
mortals essence along with your bond shall rejuvenate Tutankhamen and he
shall rest in peace. The consequences of any deviations are unknown and
might be presumed to be dangerous, be warned."

Before anything else could be said I was abruptly thrown back into my own
body. I almost fell back with the speed with which I was returned back. I
stood up unsteadily and thought back on what the keeper had said. At once
Johan rushed into my mind, full of questions and concern. I explained to
him all that I had learnt.

My lord had finally learned how he could help Tutankhamen and it would
probably help to heal some of his emotional scars. I was not sure if I was
jealous of Tutankhamen or loved him as much as Miu-Oa. Nothing, nothing was
a secret between us but today when he traveled to the underworld I felt for
the very first time severed from him. It was very frightening for me to not
feel my mery in me, even if it was a couple of moments. He felt so distant
in those agonizing moments of separation; I can only imagine what it felt
like for him to be separated from Tutankhamen. But soon, I hoped all would
be well. Tutankhamen would be returned to eternal rest and the Ker Heb
would be finally free of guilt and pain. We would be whole, him and me
complete together.