Morgaine and Asmodeus Read online

  "Jesus ... H ... Christ,” she panted, “can't you tell. There's ... goddamn ... madman out there trying to get at me. He ... has a knife."

  "Should I keep him out?"

  "Shit, yes."

  The robot pushed the bench out of the way and shoved the door closed again. It leaned against the door while Flebert pounded and slammed to no avail. Melody sat down and caught her breath, dabbing at the perspiration on her brow with a lace handkerchief. The robot, however, even with its metal bones, slowly lost ground to the madman.

  There was a small electric furnace in the laboratory for melting metals and baking ceramics. Leaning against it was a steel paddle with a wooden handle similar to a pizza paddle for placing items into and removing them from the furnace. Melody picked up the paddle and, holding it like a baseball bat, stood near the door. She called to the robot, “Let him in now."

  It did not move. “What are you going to do with that object you are holding?"

  "Smack him in the head when he comes through the door. What do you think?"

  "I cannot allow you to do that."

  "What? It's self-defense.” Melody stared incredulously at the robot. “The man has a knife. He intends to do me great bodily harm."

  "Even so, I cannot allow a human being to come to harm if I can possibly prevent it. I will hold this door shut to keep you and he apart."

  "But he's going to shove the door open any moment even with you holding it. Look, he's pushed you back a couple of inches already.” Melody's voice rose to a hysterical pitch.

  "I know. It surprises me. He seems to be much stronger than the information I have about human strength would indicate. I must correct that data in my memory banks."

  "Yeah, yeah."

  Suddenly the door flew open bowling the robot over. Lance Flebert tore into the room like a mad dog, frothing at the mouth, a wild insane look in his eyes, screaming with rage and thrashing wildly with the knife he held. Because Melody had been distracted by the robot and was no longer ready, she only hit him a glancing blow on the shoulder with the wooden paddle as he passed her, just enough to throw him off balance.

  As he stumbled Melody tried to squeeze back out the door, but he grabbed her left arm and pulled her toward him. She tried to hit him with the paddle again, but he was too close for it to be effective. Kicking him in the shins was also futile. He was so strong that with one arm he was able to encircle Melody's torso and pin both arms.

  He whispered in an unearthly voice, “I have you now, Melody Trent. This time you won't escape.” He tightened his grip until Melody could hardly breathe.

  "Lance,” she cried, “what's got into you? Why are you doing this?"

  "I must deliver you to my mistress."

  Melody's knees turned to Jell-O. Tears ran down her cheeks in great streams as she struggled uselessly. Flebert's arms around her were steel bands. Holding her in an iron grip with the knife pressing against her jugular, Flebert cakewalked her through the door into the underground office room. “We'll wait for her here,” he growled.

  * * * *

  Morgaine paced back and forth, chain smoking and glancing every few minutes at her clock. She knew something had gone wrong. Flebert should've been back with Melody in tow long ago. Finally she threw on a thin cotton robe and went out into the hall. First she went to Flebert's room. As she surmised, he was gone, hopefully to carry out the mission she had assigned him. From there she went to the suite that Melody and Michael shared. No one was there. The big double bed was made up. It had not been slept in. Morgaine rubbed her chin and thought, Where in blazes could Melody and Flebert be?

  She recalled that the last place she had seen Melody was the library. She scurried down the steps as quickly as possible, her high heels clacking loudly. When she entered the library, she saw that the book that hid the iron ring was lying on the floor. She opened the secret door and rushed down the spiral staircase. She reached the bottom just as the robot yanked Flebert's hands away from Melody and forcibly restrained him. Melody stumbled forward. Meanwhile, Flebert fought the creature like a maddened bull and bellowed out a stream of curses and horrible profanity.

  "Please do not hit him again with that blunt object,” the robot said to Melody.

  "Okay, but you've got to keep him secured. He's gone nuts. Can you hold him until I find something to tie him up with?"

  "I believe so."

  Morgaine stepped off the spiral staircase. “What's going on here?"

  Melody stared daggers at her. “Lance has gone nuts. He tried to kill me."

  "Ohmigosh,” she said innocent as could be, “I was always afraid he would pop his cork. But what were you and he doing down here?"

  "It's a long story, but right now we've got tie Lance up before he hurts someone."

  "Right. There's rope in the lab. I'll get it."

  Morgaine went into the laboratory and retrieved a length of rope. Between her, the robot and Melody, they managed to tie Flebert to a chair, but not before she and Melody got several bruises and scratches from his struggles. While in the chair, Flebert howled like an animal until Melody gagged him.

  "Now what?” Melody asked Morgaine. “Should we call the police?"

  "Oh no, don't do that. I think I know what is wrong with Lance. He's possessed by an evil spirit. He was into necromancy. He was probably trying to contact the dead and didn't take proper precautions. I warned him about that before."

  Melody squinted at Morgaine suspiciously. “So what do you suggest we do?"

  "I'll get Father McGuillicuty up. He can perform an exorcism."

  "If you think it'll do the trick. But Morgaine, if it doesn't work, I'm calling the cops. And, before you get the priest, tell me something. You seemed to know all about this secret lab and the robot. How?"

  "Oh Melody, I'm sorry Michael didn't tell you about this place, but you can't blame me for that. He and I use it for experiments in alchemy and other arcane arts. I'm sure that now that you know about it, Michael will let you watch what we do. As for the robot, I stumbled on the thing by accident, as I'm sure you did. Although I must say that I had already guessed that it was here. Jack Westcott was always dropping hints."

  "And why did you show up here tonight—this late?"

  "I went to the study to get my Tarot cards and saw the book that hid the iron ring that opens the secret panel on the floor. So I investigated. But I could ask you the same thing."

  "I was playing a game with an unknown riddler. Don't kid me, Morgaine, I know you put that note in that box for me to find."

  "I don't have the least idea of what you're talking about. But, since you're married to Michael, I guess you've a right to be anywhere in this house you like.” She turned away and said, “I'm going for McGuillicuty. If you don't want him to know about the robot, you'd better hide the ugly thing.” So saying, she quickly moved up the spiral staircase.

  Morgaine returned fifteen minutes later with a sleepy Father McGuillicuty.

  "Top o’ the ... whatever you call this time of the night, Melody. Now and what is this about Lance Flebert being possessed?"

  "I don't know whether he's possessed Father. That's Morgaine's idea. But he has most certainly seems to have become a raging maniac."

  CHAPTER 6

  THE EXORCISM

  "I see,” replied Father McGuillicuty and crossed himself. “This may be a long process. I must make certain tests for the presence of one of the dark angels. It would be better if we brought him upstairs and placed him on a bed."

  "I agree,” Melody said. “But that'll be difficult with just three of us. That spiral staircase is awfully narrow. We need help from the other men."

  "No,” cried Morgaine. “No one else must know about these rooms. Michael will be furious that we even let McGuillicuty in on the secret."

  The priest said, “I think we three can manage. We'll put poor Lance to sleep first so he won't thrash around.” He took out a hypodermic needle and a small bottle from the satchel he carried.


  Melody was horrified. “You're going to drug him. Do you think that's wise? We're not doctors."

  "Don't worry. I've had nurse's training. Before I became a priest, I worked as an aide. This is a mild sedative. It'll just put him to sleep for a while. By the time he wakes up it'll be out of his system."

  While they discussed what to do, Melody picked up the fancy silver dagger with Morgaine's initials on it that Flebert had been wielding. After she examined it, she slid it into a pocket of her slacks. Morgaine cursed inwardly and glared at her, but said nothing. She wondered whether there was anyway she could get the incriminating dagger away from Melody.

  Moments after McGuillicuty administered the drug, Flebert fell asleep. Using the chair he was tied to as a stretcher, Morgaine and Melody each took a leg, and Father McGuillicuty grabbed the top. Luckily, Flebert was a small thin man. With several struggling, false starts, bruises, tight squeezes and lot of profanity, the women and the priest managed to get Flebert up the staircase and into his room. McGuillicuty unfastened his bonds, laid him on the bed and tied his wrists and ankles to the posts. He did not gag him.

  "Now we must wait until he wakes up,” McGuillicuty said. He placed several items from his bag on the dresser. “Meanwhile, why don't you tell me exactly what happened, Melody?"

  She told him about the attack. Morgaine was relieved that she left out how she knew where the secret doorway was located and everything concerning the robot.

  "How in the world did you two manage to subdue Flebert?” he asked.

  Melody said, “As he came through the door, I ... uh ... hit him with an iron paddle I found down there.” She glanced at Morgaine as she told this bold-faced lie. Morgaine nodded approvingly. The existence of the robot had to be kept from McGuillicuty, or there would be hell to pay.

  "I hope he doesn't have a concussion. I wish you would've told me this earlier."

  "I'm sorry, but I'm so shook up by the whole ordeal I wasn't thinking straight."

  "I understand. Is that all that happened?"

  "Everything except that Morgaine arrived right after I hit him. She helped me tie him to the chair. Oh, I want you to see this. It's the dagger Lance threatened me with."

  Morgaine bit her lip as Melody handed the weapon to him. Her heart went to her throat. If Michael learned of Morgaine's athame being in the hands of a possessed Lance, he would know exactly what she had done. Luckily, as he started to look it over, Flebert stirred. The priest laid the athame down and pulled his chair by the bed. Morgaine and Melody stood nearby watching.

  "Lance, how are you doing?” McGuillicuty said softly.

  Flebert's eyes snapped open and gave the cleric an intense look of hate. He let out a stream of profanity and blasphemy. McGuillicuty made the sign of the cross over the stricken man. The curses grew louder and more horrendous. The priest asked Melody to hand him the bottle of holy water on the dresser. He sprinkled a few drops on the actor's head. Immediately, boils and sores appeared as though the bottle contained acid. Flebert let out a yowl of pain.

  "It's definitely a case of demonic possession,” McGuillicuty said, shaking his head sadly. “Before I proceed with the exorcism, we must wake up the other men. I may need help subduing Lance."

  Before Morgaine and Melody left to fetch the men, Morgaine made McGuillicuty swear not to reveal the existence of the secret passage and the rooms below.

  Jack Westcott was already up and dressed and almost sober, although he reeked of alcohol. Sylvan Macrome was difficult to rouse and gave Westcott a wide berth. Corinn Jasper insisted on accompanying her husband. The couple thought the whole thing a great lark. Rhami Deju and Robert Longfeathers were enthusiastic about viewing an actual exorcism. They all crowded into Flebert's room. The actor was quieter but was wild-eyed and muttering under his breath.

  McGuillicuty began the exorcism. “In the name of the Blessed Trinity, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in the name of the Crucified Savior..."

  Before he could say another word, Flebert gave a terrific yank on his bonds, broke free and with lightning speed did something hardly credible. He crawled up the wall like a spider.

  No one was more horrified than Morgaine. Oh God, what have I done, she thought. It was all she could do to keep from bursting out in tears.

  "Pull him down,” cried McGuillicuty. Westcott, Deju and Longfeathers grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him off the wall. Although the three were fairly strong men, they had a terrible time wrestling him back to the bed. While they held him down, the other men bound him to the posts again by wrapping the rope around his wrists several times and doubling it up in the hope that it would be strong enough to hold the possessed man.

  McGuillicuty resumed the exorcism. As the only other Catholic present, he asked Melody to pray with him to free Flebert's body and soul from the evil one. While he performed the ritual, Flebert howled like a beast in terrible pain. “Silence evil one,” cried McGuillicuty but the yelling and howling continued. The sounds were completely unearthly, unlike anything that could be made by a human or animal throat.

  Worse things happened. Flebert vomited. But not ordinary vomit. It was bloody and full of ugly, vile things, excrement, worms, cockroaches, animal parts, even a human eyeball. A horrible stench issued from it that made Morgaine gag. Melody ran to the window, opened it and gasping leaned out to take a deep breath.

  After this stopped, Melody and Morgaine cleaned the mess up as best they could. By then the sun had come up. As the light fell on the possessed man, his howling changed in tone, resembling such animals as lions, hyenas, cats, dogs and even the bellowing of cattle.

  McGuillicuty questioned the demon within Flebert. “In the name of Jesus and His most Blessed Mother, Mary the Immaculate, tell me the truth. What is your name?"

  "Sheydim."

  "Who sent you to possess this man?"

  "Asmodeus, my master."

  "For what purpose?"

  "A human sacrifice was required."

  Morgaine became completely frightened and began to weep. She prayed that the demon wouldn't reveal her part in the possession and what she planned to do to Melody.

  "Was sorcery involved?"

  "Of course, you stupid priest."

  "Who performed..."

  Before the priest could discover the truth, as a diversion Morgaine pretended to faint. Westcott and Deju went to her aid, taking her out of the room. Through the walls, Morgaine heard the demon refuse to reply to McGuillicutty's questions. It howled and cursed again.

  Morgaine returned to the room where the possessed man lay, after a quick recovery that Melody remarked upon. A change had come over Flebert. His face was distorted and his body horribly disfigured so that he no longer seemed himself but a pale, dead rotting corpse with red glowing eyes.

  McGuillicuty continued the ceremony with the recitation of the Litany of All Saints. Melody knelt and answered the prayers with the responses whispered to her by the priest.

  "God the Father of Heaven. God the Redeemer of the World. God the Holy Ghost. Holy Trinity one God."

  Flebert thrashed around and gnashed his teeth.

  "Holy Mary. Saint Michael."

  The thrashing subsided. Flebert murmured and groaned.

  "From the persecution of the devil."

  Flebert's body jerked like an epileptic with a grand mal seizure.

  "From the spirit of uncleanness."

  He moaned and vomited again.

  McGuillicuty brought over a wooden cross with the figure of the crucified Jesus painted in garish colors. “Look at the wood of the cross. Begone ye powers of hell. The lion of the tribe of Juda shall conquer."

  Flebert screamed, “Stop it. I cannot bear it. It is torture."

  "Mary, the Immaculate Conception. I command you in the name of the Immaculate Conception, in the name of she who crushed the head of the serpent."

  Flebert became quiet and relaxed. He seemed stunned.

  "Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend u
s in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Restrain him, O God, we humbly beseech Thee and do Thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast him into hell with the other evil spirits, who prowl about seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

  Flebert spoke in the vile unearthly voice, “Thou wilt suffer for this."

  "You do not frighten me with your threats. Almighty God protects me."

  Nevertheless, McGuillicuty appeared shaken as though he didn't believe his own words.

  A strange thing happened. Flebert's face became completely relaxed and assumed its normal good looks and healthy coloring. He seemed to be peacefully asleep.

  "I think its all over,” McGuillicuty said quietly as though exhausted, large beads of sweat on his brow. “The demon has departed.” As he bent down to listen to Flebert's heartbeat and breathing, an almost invisible vapor rose from the resting actor. McGuillicuty jerked back and stared around wildly.

  Melody placed her hand on his arm. “Are you okay, Father."

  "Uh ... yeah. I'm fine. Just tired.” He wiped the perspiration from his forehead with his sleeve and gazed around the room as though looking for something. His eye focused on the dresser. He got up and slowly walked over to it.

  Sylvan Marcrome screamed, “Stop him somebody. Don't let him ... Oh My God! No!"

  McGuillicuty picked up the dagger and stabbed himself in the heart, blood spurted from the wound like a fountain as he crumpled to the floor.

  Morgaine covered her face with her hands. She became overwhelmed with guilt, a guilt that she dare not reveal. She ran from the room and collapsed on her bed.

  * * * *

  The next day an ambulance picked up Flebert to bring him to a mental institution for evaluation. After the police had investigated the McGuillicutty's death, asking everyone questions and finally ruling it a suicide, the priest's body was taken to the local parish. Michael was informed and made arrangements to come home immediately. The police questioned Melody in another room. Morgaine worried and wondered how much she had told them. After she came out, the cops merely sent her out of the room to call in the next witness to be interviewed. The next day the headlines in the local daily screamed: PRIEST KILLS SELF DURING EXORCISM followed by a story which started, “Father McGuillicuty, local priest, allegedly committed suicide while doing an alleged exorcism on Hollywood actor Lance Flebert, who sources said suddenly went insane and threatened to murder Melody Ellul, wife of Michael Ellul, the well-known astrologer and mystic. These events occurred at Ellul's estate where it has been rumored that the psychic was leading a Satan-worshiping cult...” And so forth.