The witches soared through the air, bearing the sisters with unnatural speed to their home, high up in a range of jagged red mountains. Among the peaks had been constructed a series of cottage sized buildings, built from twigs, cloth and hair. Haphazard walkways linked the various small homes which filled every crevace in the rugged terrain. As the women came in to land, orange lights sprang to life from within the various windows and more naked women swarmed out to greet their sistren. A tall, regal looking woman of age near to the flight's lead cast her eyes over Kate and Kitty who were carefully taken by a number of younger witches to be cared for in one of the larger huts.<br/><br/>"The daemons have completed their ritual then, Aurora?" she asked with concern.<br/><br/>"They aren't sure themselves," the ancient crone laughed. "One of their ingredients decided to hop through the new portal, fried himself up real nice. It's a shame you missed it.  The stupid bugger has them all doubting now, Labby's been keeping my head full of their voices," she tapped her forehead.<br/><br/>"Be careful your pussy isn't swallowed up by one of the lynxes," the taller woman gave a lopsided smile. "So their doorway is useless, after all their planning and plotting. Serves them right, it was trouble from the start."<br/><br/>"Useless? No, no, don't think like them Vesper. It was a condemned soul to tried going through, sinners like that can't get easy passage. We'd be in for as much pain if we tried, but a fiend of hell itself? One of their puppies would have an easier journey. Or Maven Blacktalon, if she ever wanted to leave the nest. Absalom and his lot will figure it out eventually, there's already a daemon itching to go through, Labby says. One that our new toys ought to know about by all accounts."<br/><br/>"Yes, and what about these girls? It might be better to end their misery now, it's their blood which opened the way and their bodies which keep it."<br/><br/>"Don't be daft!" snarled the older witch. "You think taking the lives of two innocents here would go unnoticed? We'd have more trouble from that than we're sure to see from the daemon's short sightedness."<br/><br/>"They won't be innocent for long," Vesper retorted, rubbing her thumb and fingers together. "None stay good in the land of temptation, you and I both know that."<br/><br/>"Not for us to decide either way, they'll be freshened up by the girls and our Maven will see to them."<br/><br/>"I do hope we get to watch<i>that!</i>" They both cackled at the thought.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>"Professor! Professor quickly!"<br/><br/>"What is it, boy?" Reynold grunted as he hurried down the stairwell into the dim basement. His eyes adjusting to the gloom, he realized his student was standing over a sickeningly burnt, skeletal body.<br/><br/>"Is it... do you think one of the women we sent over...?"<br/><br/>"This is hardly the reward we were promised," Reynold huffed indignantly. He moved closer and prodded the smoking form with the tip of his cane. A blackened hand reached out to grip the staff with an unnatural strength, causing the university teacher to stumble back in shock.<br/><br/>"Freeeeee..." the word hissed from Galan's empty mouth. He'd done it. Escaped hell itself. And now it was time for all the sinful pleasures of the flesh he'd been so long denied.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>