The Second Covenant

At the Dells, we sat atop a cliff, looking down on the beach. Bonfires were going, costumes were silly, expensive, slutty, goofy. It looked like fun. But we were here for a purpose.
”I’m sorry we weren’t there for you Cherish.” Peyton said from my right, I could hear the guilt in his voice and sought to comfort him. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re here now.” He smiled slightly and then his face turned grim. “And he’ll pay.”
“We have to find him first.” Tristan said. “Not a problem, stick to the plan. No deviation, this has to be perfect or we’ll get caught.” Riley made a face. “Yeah right. You did hear about how our father’s made Uncle Tyler’s Hummer fly, right?” I ignored the comment, but yes I did know the story well. We wound our way down the bluff to the beach, hidden in a copse of trees. “This prank will trump all of theirs.”

I closed my eyes and cast a glamour over myself. Blonde, blue eyed and buxom, I made myself into Taylor ’s perfect victim. Riley catcalled at me as I walked away and I flipped him off, hearing his laughter as the predator, became the prey. I asked a few people and finally found someone who knew Taylor . “He left about ten minutes ago, drove one of the Freshmen home, she looked a little sick.” His smug smile said that he didn’t believe that for a second. Neither did I. I pouted though and made a pretty show. “He was supposed to meet me here.”

Angrily I turned and left. Winding my way back to where the guys were waiting. I swung up onto my horse and wheeled around. “He’s not here. According to one of the seniors, he drove some freshman girl home.” Peyton cursed the air blue. “So now what?” I dropped the glamour realizing that Riley had his eyes glued to my imaginary boobs. When I did, he pouted slightly, but looked up, his eyes widening when I smiled a slow and very evil smile. “When you go to the dark side, you really go well.” He said, his horse shifting uncomfortably under him. “Yeah. Follow me boys.”

I called my power and turned my white mare around, letting the magic lift us both into the air as she began to gallop. “Oh hell.” I heard Tristan say. But soon they were right beside me, flying through the air on our horses. “Horses beat the Hummer.” I called to Peyton and he grinned at me. My breath caught as he flew through a shaft of moonlight, he was so handsome. But it was Druex’s face that popped into my head, wondering what would happen, what colors would sparkle in his hair if the moonlight touched it like this.

I turned away before Peyton could see the heat flare to my face and looked down for the POS blue Ford pick up that Taylor was driving. It didn’t take us long to find him. He was driving along one of the isolated bluff roads. “Perfect.” I murmured to myself and headed for a long stretch of road about two miles ahead of Taylor .

The horses hooves made sparks when we touched down on the pavement, standing in a line, waiting for Taylor to come around the bend. I could see the girl in his truck, asleep with her head against the window and the purely evil smile of triumph on Taylor ’s face. I flicked my fingers and the engine of his truck died. The girl didn’t wake up. She must have been drugged.

Taylor saw us and stopped the dead truck, he shook his head slowly, bracing his arms on the top of the steering wheel. If he hadn’t been a rapist, I might have thought him handsome. At first meeting, you might trust that pretty smile, his handsome face, but right now he looked evil. And I wanted to scare the shit out of him. Without having to ask or intimidate him, Taylor got out of the truck. Idiot. “Cherish darlin’ I knew you couldn’t stay away. You look good in leather.”

I had made all three of my guys promise not to stray from the line of our little farce, but beside me, they all radiated fury, a rage that I had never felt from them before. “You call this body Cherish, is that it’s name?” I said, putting a note of haughty contempt into my voice. Taylor laughed. “I’ve called that body lots of things. What’s the deal, you high or something?” Peyton’s red gelding stomped the ground, fire flying from the strike with his rider’s help. Taylor ’s eyes went wide. “You dare to speak to Conquest in such a way, mortal?” Peyton hissed, layering his voice with a sound like a thousand writhing snakes.


Oh it was good, I let my lips curl in a sneer as I rode forward and circled my horse around Taylor , looking down at him icily. “Conquest huh, you going to conquer me?” Taylor drawled, it made my skin crawl just to have his eyes on me. But I played my part. “Those are some weird costumes, you all going to some Goth party?” Tristan joined me in circling Taylor , like a shark. “It does not know us.” Taylor gave a laugh, but his bravado was failing him. “I know you alright. You’re Tristan Simms. Nice contacts.”

Tristan didn’t need to, but he held out his hand and Taylor was jerked off his feet, his face now level with Tristan’s. “Foolish mortal.” I whispered in his ear. Taylor flailed enough that I had to move my horse to avoid his limbs. “What the fuck is this!” He yelled. Riley laughed, a wicked sound. “He shall be the first.”
”The first fucking what? Do you know who I am, who my father is, you four are going to see the inside of a jail for this…” Peyton rode forward and drew his sword, making the blade glow an evil red. “We know who you are. Taylor Hodges, liar, sinner…” He slid the blade along Taylor ’s throat. “Rapist.”

Taylor began to shake in Tristan’s hold, his feet trying to find solid ground, but meeting only air. “I am not a rapist, that stupid bitch and her parents lied to the cops. Put me the fuck down!” Riley and Peyton now joined our moving circle and we once again rose into the air, Taylor in the center of our circle, it took all of us but we took him higher until the ground disappeared beneath the clouds. Wouldn’t do for anyone to see us. He screamed a high pitched sound of terror. “Who the hell are you people!”

I laughed, a seductive sort of laugh, the kind that makes men think of sex. “I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.” I quoted. Peyton went next. “Next came a red horse. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.” Taylor was such a white color he might have been green.

Tristan had a thin line of sweat on his upper lip and I took control of holding Taylor , his black eyes flicked to me and he winked in thanks. “I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.” Taylor was shaking uncontrollably, trying to reach out and grab one of us. Riley sneered, he was rather good at it. “They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Do you know us now mortal?”

Taylor made a choking sound but didn’t answer. “Death has asked you a question human, answer or I will drop you.” I told Taylor and he screamed. “Please, please don’t drop me. I’ll do anything you want, please.” He was crying, terrified, as I had been. “Answer the question asked and we shall decide what your fate is, who are we?”
“The F-f-four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Please don’t kill me.” I looked at Peyton and he sighed wearily. “It is not our job to kill, human. We come to make man repent.” He said. “This body that I inhabit, she does not like you. Why?” I asked, turning Taylor to me, he didn’t answer and I let him fall a little before catching him, upside down by the foot with my power. His scream made the hair rise on my arms. “Why?” I asked again and he spilled like a bag of beans. “I tried to rape her, but I didn’t I swear I didn’t.”

Tristan leaned over and grabbed Taylor ’s thick hair roughly, making him meet the pitch black of his eyes. “But there are others that you have.” There was white foam beginning to form at the corners of Taylor ’s mouth but he nodded. “How many?” Tristan’s voice, if there was a way to describe it, it sounded like dying things, the rasp of a man dying of thirst. It was horrifying. Perfectly so. “S-seven.” Tristan’s lip curled and he pushed Taylor away viciously. “You disgust me, you are not worth redemption. Drop him.” Tristan told me, and he was dead serious. Taylor wailed and pleaded until I started to feel a little sorry for him. “No, please, please I’ll do anything.”

Riley hmmed, looking at Taylor from under his lashes. “Be careful human, lest we accept.” Peyton had his sword resting across his lap, elbows on the pommel of his saddle. “I agree with Famine, drop him Conquest.” Taylor ’s eyes were impossibly round, terror so great that he pissed himself. “No!” He wailed, just like I had. I wanted him to suffer for the rest of his life for what he’d done to me and to seven other girls. “He has pledged to do anything we wish War. I have chosen.” In unison they sat straight in their saddles and said. “Then it shall be.”

I lifted Taylor until the black of my eyes were inches from his face. “The human girl in your truck, what did you give her?”
“A rufee?” He squeaked and I shook my head in disgust. “Filthy swine. You will go now to the police, take the girl too and you will confess. To each of the crimes you have committed and you will accept the punishment. If you disobey, we will return and take you ourselves.”

He nodded until I thought his head would fall off. “I swear!” I was the one holding the circle now, and I lowered us all to the ground. But before Taylor could gain his feet, I threw him against his truck. He sat there for a moment, on the hood and then fainted dead away. My guys were looking at me like they’d seen the devil. “Oops.” I said. Riley gave a short, nervous laugh. “Who are you and what did you do with my Cherish?” I smiled beautifully and batted my lashes. “I am the Conqueror.”