Page 123 of Caressed By Sin
“Did he?”
“And he taught me tricks.”
“What sort of tricks?”
“I don't like to show the trick. It might hurt you.”
I opened my mouth in shock. I calmed myself. “How could it hurt me, little one?”
“When I do it around him, black liquid spills from his eyes like he is crying dark tears. Sometimes, he falls to the ground and shakes.”
Zoe gave me a worried look.
I gritted my teeth. “Can you tell me more about the trick, instead of show me?”
“I scream, but in a special way.” She frowned. “And when I do, the dark liquid leaves his eyes and he begs me to stop. Once I do, he gives me candy and leaves.”
“This is scary.” Zoe shook his head. “We should go to the Outer Realm.”
“I won't go without Azar—”
“Jade is a weapon, Fatou. Adae and this vampire must have been training her—”
“She's not a weapon. She ismydaughter—”
“If she can drain vampires just from a scream, Adae will never stop searching for her.”
I pursed my lips and hurried on.
“Fatou?”
“I hear you, Zoe.”
“He won't stop searching—”
“And I won't go anywhere without helping Azar.” My heart ached.
Zoe was about to speak and then paused at the sight before us.
My father's castle loomed and sparkled several feet up ahead. It was made from obsidian stone and had existed so long ago that no one knew who created it first. Many legends pointed to God as the builder.
On the left side of the castle was the Paps—two hills that resembled a woman's shapely breasts. It had been said long ago that huge gods would come to this area to masturbate to those hills because they were so turned on by the nature. This was to explain why the land was so fertile with magic.
The right side of the castle showed a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Goree Island—a place haunted with the blood-filled memories of human slavery.
Usually, the castle lay quiet and covered in mystical mist.
Tonight, thousands of yumboe—men, women, and children—stood outside waiting. They wore the classic robe ofWelcome—the festival to greet a guest of royal nature.
They knew I was coming, before I did? They. . .must have felt it days before. . .
Zoe gasped. “Oh my.”
We walked forward.
All of the robes shimmered in the moonlight. They were sewn from a single piece of fabric around fifty-nine inches wide and ran 117 inches long, stopping past the ankles.
The robe was made by folding the shimmering fabric in half, fashioning a neck opening, and sewing the sides halfway up to make flowing sleeves.
