---

Chapter Five – The Silver Winged Oracle

From the novel Stained Waltz (2019) written by JCS

⚠️ Mature Content ⚠️

Sacha let Alicia sleep, it was still early in the evening. He could run in and out. No one at Waltz cared, even though they took extra measures to have him sign out at the front doors. As Sacha walked along the eerie green grass in front of the mansion, two massive great-danes skipped at his feet, lapping up his half shot affections.

Tonight, he decide to make a trip to one of the best oracles in town. She was odd, always covered by sheer fabric, and did not take appointments. Everyone needing her guidance would gather around the front room, all nervously hoping she would pick them. She would then call out a random name, usually only one person. Everyone else was ushered to leave by her massive clip-winged angels named Theo and Grant.

This evening, Sacha was among them, hands stuffed in his trenchcoat, anxious and hoping she would call his name. He looked over the crowd, spotting Idris glaring at him. It seemed he wasn’t the only one who needed answers. He smoothed part of his waves out of his face and tucked them behind his ear. When he looked to the other side of the room, he saw Maria glaring at him as well.

Everyone in a high position belonging to a coven took up space in the waiting room, and when Theo and Grant came out, gleaming as such- arms crossed, eyebrows heavy…everyone settled, staring quietly at them.

“The one with no origin known as Sacha,” Theo announced, instantly spotting Sacha.

Everyone else complained as Grant began ushering them out, leaving Sacha standing in the middle of the room, eyeing a very tall, menacing looking angel.

“She awaits you,” he said, gesturing towards a sheer, metallic, curtain.

Sacha nodded, walking past, still feeling slightly inferior to Theo – Sacha stood at 6’2”. Admiring everything else took his mind off of what he really came to do. He needed to know the likelihood of Alicia surviving-and, the possibility of attacks among all of the other covens.

The set up was as described. A woman sat on the floor with a pillow under her, a long silver curtain covering the upper most parts of her body. She pointed toward the cushion in front of her, then adjusted her long silver, blue hair, most of it covering her body. It was so long and thick, in fact, that it curled in front of her, as her ends were neatly placed in a bowl of rose water.

           Sacha seated himself, maneuvering his jacket for comfort, then he stared longingly into the curtain.

          “Say no more,” she said, in a sensually unsettling voice, “I know what it is you seek…”

          Tantalized and confused about his attraction, Sacha didn’t realize Theo and Grant had locked the doors from the other side, and were listening for any signs from their master. Sacha hadn’t been captivated by a woman he’d never seen before, and was beginning to feel anxious.

           “I desire a straight answer, O’Wise One-Aria. I need it lifted from my conscious.”

           “Never that, it will never concede. Your love for her will only keep her in danger while she is mortal. And even as the being you are now, many will crave your position and her hand. She is beautiful…” Aria cooed. 

          “So it would be better if she’s turned, then…” Sacha said softly, “what of Idris?”

          “He can and will successfully stage a war. Everyone knows you’ll choose Waltz especially since they’ve come out of the darkness like a needed apparition. No need to question his next move.”

          “The streets fangs, as someone I know affectionately calls them. My decision hurts them.”

           “Dearest Sacha, I cannot fathom why you bothered coming to see me,” Aria spoke, “it is time to pay so that you may leave.”

          “How much?” he said, now pulling out his money clip.

          “I do not except money. I take things others may not be able to obtain. So from you…I want what only one woman has…”

          “You’re better off with cash on that one,” Sacha said, sitting back and grinning to himself.

          “You are afraid to touch her because you cannot resist the urge.”

          “That,” Sacha hissed sitting straight up, “is none of your business.”

           “But it is true…” Aria continued, “you are afraid of loving her the way you did before. That penetration comes with a price…”

            “I can manage. I have antidote. Besides. She’s being turned. Why on earth does that matter!”

             Sacha leaned forward, snatching away the curtain to reveal the most beautiful being he had ever seen. Aria’s eyes alone were an eerie shade of green, large and almond shaped. Her skin was a light bronze, her lips were full, and seemingly lucius-she also had a button nose to set everything else off. And…she was bare, staring blankly at him. Then she stood, slowly attempting to push herself on him, her crotch close to his face.

           “Take me…” her cooed in a seductive tone, “that’s all I ask. Do to me what you wish to do to her.”

          “What of your guards?” Sacha said, his jacket off and his shirt being unbuttoned against his will.

          She grinned, then ripped at his dress shirt, now admiring his define yet pale stomach and chest. Aria looked into his eyes, then finished surveying his body, her hands everywhere he did not want them. When she pressed her lips against his, Sacha snatched his head away still scooting away from the impressively strong oracle.

          “I ask that you refrain from continuing your act and let me find another way to pay you….” Sacha said, slightly crumbling under her nibbling at his neck, “I do not wish to hurt all that I have.”

          She did not suppress, but smiled as if he meant to tease her. Until at last she had stripped him bare, and mounted him, releasing a strange and inexorable amount of pleasure that even a prude could not resist. Sacha’s eyes widened and for fear of not being able to manage, his mouth gaped open with Aria’s steady motions.

            He was now scooting on the floor, yet gripping her hip. Running, but afraid that tearing away would kill him. And the moment he thought she was done, she kept going, digging her long nails into his chest. Until at last, she was weary. And he, thinking he was all mighty and powerful…was plundered by an oracle seeking attention. 

            When she laid down on her floor, unclean but happy. When she buried her face into the cushions and began snoring, Sacha dressed as quickly as he could, and exited the premises, with no one asking questions. He had just been raped by an oracle, and he didn’t think he would recover from that. Nor…could he face Alicia. 

          As he walked back to the manor,  thoughts swirling about. When he thought it couldn’t get any worse…

          He sat straight up next to Alicia, realizing that perhaps it was a dream. Alicia rolled over, smiling in her sleep. Sacha surveyed his surroundings then looked at the time. It was about the time he had left, or so he thought. 

          Now he was confused as to if he should leave, understanding that perhaps he got his answers as he slept. 

           He decided to check himself in the mirror before going back to sleep. As soon as he turned on the light, the nail marks from Aria showed as if they were brand new. Sacha flicked off the light and laid down next to Alicia, double checking that it was her. 

           Sacha now began to see why everyone felt she was the best Oracle. She told him want he wanted to hear, yes. But then took a piece of him he could never get back.

*

          Idris was more than happy to oblige to Aria’s whim, but was disappointed when she refused to tell him what she told Sacha.

          Aria was damn near grinding Idris, but when he asked the question, she stopped mid-stroke and glared down at him.

          “No!” she said childishly, suddenly changing positions by bending over.

          Idris, being greedy…did not hesitate, but upset when he finished…Aria noted she wanted more. 

          She pushed him to lay back, then proceeded to sit on his face when a knock came to her door.

          “I’m not done!” she said as best she could, “give me a moment!”

          Maria was on the other side, glaring Theo and Grant down.

          “Knock again,” she insisted, holding a relativity device at Theo’s face.

          Grant, instead, opened the door and guided the way, only to find the revered and respected oracle suffocating Idris, her head cocked back and her mouth open. She saw Maria walk in, and had hoped she would witness her climax.

           And as soon as she did, she rolled over onto her cushions and laughed.

         “Aria…I have a portal gun and I’m not afraid to use it. Idris has asked you about Sacha. The rule is to kick him out. Instead…you decided to feed your desires. And you’re messing with the wrong person’s head,” she said pointing at Idris.

          “Lure. When will you learn that there are no rules,” the Oracle spoke, now walking around naked. 

          Maria was disgusted with her. It had been a few days since everyone saw Sacha being chosen. Nothing truly stirred in the streets or anywhere for that matter, and Lure was becoming restless from horrific rumors that the police were helping Lint stage an attack.

           As Maria watched the ditzy deity now walk about in her sheer lavender robe, her mind turned to how quickly the police force put alicia on administrative leave. Once she was out of the way, they were able to access the most dangerous thing ever invented to kill and ward off vampires.

          During the time Alicia was made aware she was on the top of the kill list, she took to the lab and came up with a unholy invention to insure her safe passage while she was out at night. Maria had seen the lights work and knew the consequences of allowing Idris to think attacking covens would get him any power. 

          He would have to physically fight Sacha…and more than likely lose. In which case, whatever covens Idris brought up under him would go directly to Sacha…where he would solely decide their fate. And here the perpetrator was, having leisure time with a sex fiend goddess.

          “Idris,” Maria said, watching him dress, her mind dancing to when they too had shared a bed, “Idris, I heard a terrible truth the other day. More so because of the field tests being conducted on a handful of homeless vampires…”

        “Iridescent Radiation Initial Supply. IRIS. Created by our beloved Alicia. What about it?”

           Maria drew in a sharp breath, grabbing heavily at his free arm.

          “Who do you plan on attacking! No one wants to fight! Not your own-”

          “Aria, remind her of what you just said…”

          Maria looked to a decadent placement full of pillows from every shade of purple, with silk sheets and oversized blankets. Aria lay there, nude and breathtaking as usual, downing a glass of Malbec.

           “There are no rules,” she said boldly before pushing out an innocent giggle.

            The leader of Lure showed that she had her fill, and as Idris began to leave, Maria calmly walked to the edge of Aria’s luxurious bed, smiling sweetly at her.

          “I hope the next Oracle is old and ugly,” she said, pressing the relativity device.

          Aria stood quickly, stammering as one foot caught her long hair. She clawed at the relativity device, hoping to close the portal, but it was too late. The moans and screams of her doom began sucking at her, and she attempted to grab at her sheets and blankets for leverage. Every little scrap of beauty slowly ripped from her flesh, revealing what she really was.

           A soul sucking, mind controlling, scaled succubus. As the portal closed and the room stopped vibrating, Maria took a deep breath, knowing Aria’s guardians were watching her in fear.

          “Make note to tell everyone what happened here,” she said sternly, turning quickly to face them, “and I suggest you leave before all hell breaks loose.”

*

Alicia sat in the same beautifully embroidered chair most of the day, staring helplessly out of the window. Sacha always knew what was best for her in most cases, however, this time he didn’t want her becoming involved because the transformation itself was painful. Then, of course, her mother shows up as a vampire while explaining the family history.

Alicia had gone digging through the coven’s library, finding articles and chapters on the Benevido family. They were one of the purest bloodlines on the earth, with the exclusion of those who had been genetically altered. It seemed as though the thing that humans feared the most was manipulation of the process…or whatever underlying protocols governments cooked up. 

She couldn’t decide how she felt about everything, so Alicia preferred being left alone. Aside from that, Sacha was acting weird…more so than usual. He mentioned seeing The Silver Winged Oracle, but from the text Alicia gathered, the being didn’t exist on earth’s astral plane. She had to be conjured up, and convinced in which case – you weren’t allowed to ask a question. You would be given an answer, and it was up to you on how it played a part of your life.

When she showed Sacha the text, his face went blank and he stood and walked out, not saying a word. 

Alicia stood, now hoping to find him. Even if they didn’t speak, she knew something was wrong and hoped he would confide in her. Alicia walked quickly through the main hall, until she came to the window at the end. Sacha was sitting in a chair, staring directly out of it, quiet as he had ever been.

“I know someone who can contact this oracle if you really need her…” Alicia said quietly.

She kneeled down to scan her lover’s face, when she saw his eyes were red from crying. Sacha made steady eye contact, and smiled sweetly as he always had done when he was upset. He cupped Alicia’s face, a few tears still trickling down his cheeks.

“I was created from nothing, turned against my will. Cast out, sought after. Then I was lied to and raped,” he started.

“Who…” Alicia said, catching herself.

“If this oracle is as you say, then I request you speak with her,” Sacha continued, “I’ve had enough of beings and their attitudes. I can see the fall of man came before they were even created.”

“I understand your dismay, but this oracle doesn’t speak with humans. She doesn’t trust them. It also says she has to be summoned. So her spirit will be answering, she won’t be present in the flesh. It is forbidden for Earth’s realm.”

Sacha liked the odds of what Alicia just told him, but the specificity he sought after may go ignored again. However, he was positive this time, he wouldn’t be used against his will. Alicia had never seen him so upset, but had come to the conclusion that everything going on had finally gotten to him – at least a little bit.

The young vampire stood, straightening out his deep red velvet blazer. He smoothed his hair out of his face, and moved Alicia to the side to put his loafers back on.

“Find the text, I’ll find your mother…” he spoke, beginning to walk down the hall, “get in contact with your friend…”

“Sacha,” Alicia beckoned.

He stopped then turned around, heading towards her, and without hesitation, swallowed her into a passionate kiss than many passing by either admired or loathed. When their lips separated, he smiled and continued on his path, still leaving Alicia helplessly worried.

What occurred the evening he met with Aria did not matter, given the certain circumstance. Nothing that occurred-good or bad-could be mulled over for too long. The Luxe Ball was in nine days time, and in six days, Alicia would have to be turned. Sacha needed to take that question out of his mind and focused on how to handle Idris. 

Idris could be easily explained, but Sacha didn’t have sturdy relationships with all the top vampires from the other covens. He was sure, however, that Idris always did things in a way that jeopardized relations. What he needed was a written word from all covens, including the street fangs, that would be something of a treaty of sorts. A document that would tie them back together, as Waltz once held them before.

Waltz, one of the first European covens that was hard to dispatch by vampire slayers back then, and the Prism Elite now. The Prism Elite formed military divisions globally to keep sectors with humans safe, but it fell apart once Manifesto attacked.

After Manifesto failed to take over and destroy Earth, Mavin – the angel of fire – disappeared with them…leaving a terrible gap between what could and couldn’t be done. So a lot of humans were being turned thinking that’s how they could stay safe. And Waltz disappeared off of the radar. They were traditional and had enough propriety to see the campaign was to take over the world. Sacha believed just as Waltz did, that a one world order would never be possible.

The Prism Elite kept their forces intact, but only to guard portal entrances and to keep certain beings out of certain sectors. In an effort not to step on the toes of one of the oldest beings on earth, The Prism Elite created Beings Alike and Sorts for welfare, food, resources and a witness protection plan as well. So far, their efforts helped. But they were also only willing to help genetically modified humans jumbled up in the chaos that was Earth.

Because this brandishing being-created military force decided not to intervene, cities with large amounts of the undead relied upon their police forces. However, Danesville, most of the officers had now been turned to take on the gangs and the covens that would not fall in line.

Which left Sacha and Waltz with a bigger mess than they deserved.

In the end when the smoke settled, Idris would have to barter his life to stay. There was a high likelihood Sacha would not allow it. It would be the first time in nearly four hundred years that the neighboring covens would go to war and experience an uprising because of human manipulation.