This two chapter excerpt from Unholy Testament - Full Circle reveals how power for one, Dr. James Bannion (The House on Blackstone Moor) was accomplished!
MATURE READERS - GRAPHIC CONTENT!
From demon, Eco's journal:
Chapter 30
I got to know Dr. Sutton before I murdered him. I will, of course, elaborate on this, leaving out nothing I feel you should know. I just wished to state that first. With regard to James Bannion, I found him to be an interesting young man as I have said. We did indeed see promise in him, a propensity for evil as it were. Naturally, Satan was thrilled by the pact which he asked James about.
“What do you seek, young James, that you wish this pact?”
“I want power and wealth. Dr. Sutton says I will go far and I intend to!”
That quite excited Satan and fueled his desire for souls and new entrants to Hell. I think though, in retrospect, James’ avarice surprised even Satan.
Of course, Eve would play a great part in getting James off on the right track; although really, he was already there or almost there. While he was learning medicine under his mentor’s tutelage, much was happening with Louis and Eve. It began with Louis’ so called brainstorm involving clubs. Private clubs obviously patterned after my brothel which would in time be known as the Crimson Clubs. I could hardly believe Eve when she told me about it. He was opening one in London ‘to test the waters’, he told her.
“Truly, he means to do it.”
“But it goes against his principles, doesn’t it?”
She shrugged and said she didn’t know what was behind it. I thought she did and didn’t want to say. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t all that surprised. I suspected Louis was not quite as holy as he liked to think he was. Throughout the course of my existence, I have found many instances that proved this and not just with Louis. Many so-called saints and others had amazing faults and other sides to them that were never revealed.
Such is Louis, I think. He is demon spawn just like me, Rose. He drinks blood and he has been debauched many times. I have seen it with my own eyes. He is no saint. He may drink that rubbish tea, but what he is, he cannot change. And since we are on the subject of Louis Darton’s less than saintly past, let me tell you of some things he might have neglected to mention.
Louis never turned down a good vampire orgy. Did you know that? He fornicated his way through the Dark Ages for one thing and truly, he must have created thousands of vampires along the way.
I have seen him so satiated with blood that he was not able to rise or function for days or weeks on end.
Oh yes, in between he might have stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong, but really—he has also been a naughty boy. His father, Tulle, Tibet’s favorite monk acolyte, began to single his son out for lectures. Oh yes, he had tried it with me as well, but I proved impossible to influence. I’ve always been proud of that, whereas Louis immediately caved in. Satan told me all of this by the way. He was there at the time and witnessed the entire thing. As a matter of fact, he was in his human form and dressed as a monk!
Can you imagine such a thing? Not only that, he wasn’t noticed, or as he says, if he was, they were too polite to ask him to leave! Not that he probably would have left. Tulle was adamant and repetitive: “If you don’t do this and you don’t listen, Louis—I will be so disappointed in you…”
On and on he went. Apparently, it always worked with some rare exceptions. In time, that became the focus of Louis’ behavior—this need to prove he was better than he ever could be!
I mean, the mind boggles! I always thought it would be far healthier if he didn’t put himself under such a strain by pontificating about his damnation. It is difficult and because it is, he periodically gave in and wallowed in sin. Hence the clubs. You see what a hypocrite he is! When it is convenient, he forgets about the saintly advice and tries to outdo me! I asked Eve exactly where the clubs would be located as I didn’t wish to have one nearby. She told me he opened one in Richmond. Then she added that he had gone to Manchester and one or two other towns to see about setting some up there.
At first I thought it stupid, but then I changed my mind as Manchester had a growing merchant class by this time. Surely there were some who would enjoy such activities. In order to see if this was so, I had taken a few of my whores up there and we had quite a time. The railway magnets and mill owners loved my wenches. One or two nearly perished from vampiric orgies. I told Eve he’d probably do well there. I can be honest.
However, Eve said she was troubled by Louis’ intention to have a residence in Manchester.
“I shan’t like it at all, Eco. I will be away from London and I’m so used to it.”
Louis didn’t care, he did as he liked. He said he wished to have a townhouse in Manchester but when Eve wrinkled her nose, he agreed to a country retreat. It was Eve who suggested Blackstone Moor. Knowing Eve, that is understandable.
Yes, that which was Bloody Stone Moor was eventually known as Blackstone Moor. I had been there quite a bit throughout time. Well, the druids loved cavorting around naked and offering up bloody sacrifices so naturally, this appealed to me. Thousands had been offered up on Bloody Stone Moor.
Odd that Louis built his grand house there for himself and his family. I suppose he wished to please Eve. But I think also he felt damned and wished to abide amongst the demons that haunt that place and always shall.
Another Louis trait: feeling damned and letting it make him miserable, something I try to avoid as much as possible. Eve said the children quite liked the moors. Well, you recall they did. They enjoyed the wildlife and took mischievous joy in trying to frighten you about the legend. I know that for Eve told me.
I kept up with the whole thing, all their plans coming to fruition. I saw Blackstone House being built there. Eve showed me. We spent many a chilly afternoon standing atop the rise there. Louis was, of course, never present at such times, busy man that he was. Well, he was a man with prospects, was he not? A merchant now, dabbling in the business of brothels and vampiric ones, to be precise.
They started to do well immediately. And since that was so, he wished to live as he felt he should. He began drawing from his own coven a staff of servants. People like Tom and Molly and Dora; vampiric beings he had raised up were arriving to be employed as servants.
Eve didn’t mind. She had her children and the hope, tragic as it was, that Louis might love her once again—and if nothing else, she had Sternwood’s attention. But what she could always count on was my affection for her. And in time, she could also count on young James Bannion’s attention for truly it became an obsession for him as I have rarely seen.
*
Yes, James. I saw he was aroused the first time he laid eyes on her. He tried to move in such a way as to hide this rather amusing fact, this obvious give away protruding from his trousers. Eve was at her most seductive. The light in her eyes would grow brighter as his eyes swept over her décolletage.
We were dining there at the brothel. Dining elegantly, too, I might add. James had been trying to show off about his studies and Eve was delighted to listen.
“I study under the tutelage of Dr. Sutton…” he said, sounding boyish and so proud.
On and on he went as Eve dimpled and twinkled and simpered—and with every coy movement of hers it seemed her breasts were being exposed ever more.
Later on, when we retired to the parlor, I sent for some wenches who began to pleasure him, yet all the while he continued to stare at Eve. Yes, Eve was there watching, looking more beautiful than I have rarely seen her.
If you are wondering what all this was about, aside from Eve getting to seduce young James, it was about the devil pact. The devil rites hadn’t yet begun in full or seriously at this time. But they would.
At one point, James pushed the whores aside and rushed toward Eve, pulling her dress down to bare her breasts With a cry, he fell upon them and began to suckle first one and then the other. This quite excited Eve, and I could tell she was not acting.
Honestly, I have rarely seen such a marathon of sex take place after that. Every position was tried. All of it lasting so long I actually fell asleep and was only roused by James’ cries of delight. Eve is very adept at what she does.
I quite knew the subject of the pacts would soon be mentioned and I was right. She mentioned it at a most peculiar time, engaged as she was with her young lover. Truly, I could not wait to tell Satan.
*
I was somewhat on guard later, when James asked me about them. “I can have whatever I wish, even the lady Eve?”
Yes, that does sound funny; Eve thought so, too. I answered in the affirmative. “I think really she is already yours, James.”
He looked so proud of himself and jumped at the chance of attending one, although we had to schedule it around his exams.
“Sunday, say, in a fortnight?”
I always liked Sundays as Satan gets a special kick out of appearing on that special day.
And so we all looked forward to it, especially James, who seemed so excited he said he hoped he’d be able to wait until then.
Chapter 31
The two weeks passed and James arrived looking haggard but excited. His eyes looked feverish. Clearly, he couldn’t wait to get started. I couldn’t either for there are all manner of intriguing possibilities with regard to devil rites. And truly, it had been a very long time since I last saw one. I believe it was nearly a century.
Initially, James had asked a great many questions when told about Satan and Hell and so on. He wasn’t a fool. Well, he was if you think about it, but not as in one who can be tricked. It was more a question of ‘why should I believe you, this sounds like utter rubbish.’I told him we did not expect for one second anyone to accept the truth of what was offered without some sort of substantive proof. Therefore, Satan spoke to him for a while, telling him he would show him whatever he wished. This he had done by zipping James away.
“Yes!” he cried. “I shall show you Hell. Surely you would enjoy that!”
He gave him a guided tour, similar to one I had been given eons ago. Young James was shown the many levels and chambers. And yes, the early medieval writer, Dante came very close in his description of Hell, but there were reasons for that. Dante had also been a skeptic, not a Satanist by any wild stretch of the imagination, but he had been curious. So curious, in fact, he actually conversed with Satan about Hell.
Satan can often be surprisingly helpful and not the monster he really is (the pot calling the kettle black, I know, but I am making a point). He offered to show him Hell as he wished in order for it to be pictured accurately. Dante was fearful but he was actually more fearful of winding up on some cleric’s list of heretics, eventually winding up on the rack.
Of course, there was always that other delightful possibility—being burned at the stake. Dante was lucky, for unlike many of the curious, he did not wind up forever burning in a place he wasn’t sure even existed! But we are talking of James now.
Satan did indeed see promise in James and was fair with him, not a typical occurrence. “Well, come then,” he said in his booming voice. “You shall see it for yourself.”
I saw them leave in a cloud of smoke and I rather wished I had gone along, for I would have wanted to see James’ reaction to everything.
They weren’t gone that long, but time ticks differently when one journeys so far afield.
As for our James, suffice it to say, when he returned he looked ashen and weak. He looked as though his legs couldn’t support his weight.
Satan turned him over to Edmund. “See that he rests, he’s had quite a journey. I have never seen so much fornication. Truly, it will be remarkable if his cock doesn’t fall off, as it looks quite purple and overused.” Then, turning to James, he smiled. “It’s alright, lad—you’ll get used to it. So accustomed you will be that you will eventually think of it as your second home, only meanwhile I would suggest cold compresses.”
Poor James, he hardly reacted, only to nod weakly.
*
A fortnight later, he was about to witness his first devil rite at Blackstone Moor. He had already told me pompously that he’d managed to pass his exams and would be taking a position at an asylum in the north. Marsh, he said it was. Marsh, you are familiar with that, are you not, Rose?
“I feel my work lies there with those unfortunates.”
I told him he would be a credit to the place. He looked pleased and gratified. At last, it was time and I motioned him toward those dark cellar steps that would lead to the pact creation. Blackstone House was nearly finished at the time.
You remember the cellar there, Rose. That was where you discovered the food store; you see, it isn’t just me or my vampires that feed off living humans!
“Down there?” he asked.
“Yes, son.” I smiled as I followed along.
The cellar looked most sinister as well it should have. If you really want to know the truth, we always endeavor to provide as creepy a mood as possible. And I must say we succeeded. The cavernous cellar was the perfect setting. The shadows seemed to have their own shadows; great unknown sinister depths abounded.
Eve had done the altar up beautifully for there were great black candles that surrounded it. Their wavering flames flickered and hissed, adding to the tension. Neither James nor I said a word, we just waited.
Poor James jumped when a black cloaked figured suddenly emerged from the shadows.
“It is only Edmund,” I whispered. “He must be here.”
Edmund was assisting as ably as ever. He carried a large cut glass vessel, like a big soup tureen. Actually, it was for the blood as it’s all a bit messy—but that is really the whole point of it. The vessels are used at the most exciting moment of the rite, when the blood flows. Neither Satan nor Eve were there yet. They would come later. In truth they were in another room fornicating like mad in order, as Eve later put it—‘that we might better get into the right frame of mind.’
I shrugged at her statement, although I did feel the slightest bit jealous. As we waited, James confessed how frightened he was. I smiled for it was so typical of a human being. These people, who covet all sorts of wealth and privilege and promise away their souls, are always the same.
When it comes down to the nuts and bolts of the pact, they always seem holier than though (if you’ll excuse the expression)—not only do they seem fearful, they look as though they’d run away if permitted to. But alas they cannot. A pact is actually sealed upon request. Ask for one and you have already lost your soul for it is claimed immediately by Satan.
I have found most supplicants to be completely unaware of this. Actually, there is so much they don’t know. For instance, did you know there is light in souls? Yes, actual light. Still, most of those who bargain have the darkest souls of all and never notice when their own is gone.
When it came time for James to be asked about his decision, he was certain or at least he tried to sound as though he was. “I know what I am doing.” he said, lying to me and to himself. “I understand the gravity of this pledge and what it will entail.”
Yes, that’s right—he didn’t yet realize it had already left his being. I said nothing; I merely smiled as I always do, then I said what I always say: “Come, James and witness the blessed rites of the kingdom of his Satanic Majesty!”
Another hooded figure appeared then. I knew it was Eve and sure enough when she stepped closer I could see her face. She was beautiful, her skin looked so white against the black hood; James was entranced.
She nodded toward the altar and then took her place at the side. A young girl, not more than sixteen, was brought out, carried in on a litter. Several of my coven were helping with this, each of them cloaked as well. Naked, her pale body struggled, but so securely was she fastened, she could barely move.
And then, different perhaps from what you think you know about devil rites, she began to be molested, first by Eve who dropped her cloak and climbed atop the girl.This took a rather long time for I thought Eve was enjoying it a bit too much. Then, suddenly, she stopped and with arms raised, she called upon Satan for his mercies.
Satan floated in as I have seen him do like a black mist. He was in his demonic form. Young James nearly bolted. I grabbed him. “You can’t leave now, this is all for you!”
He nodded and I swear I think I saw tears in his eyes.
I led him to the altar where the girl was again ravished, this time by Satan.
At last it was over and at that moment, her throat was cut. Satan did it with one of his claws.
She was then gutted and disemboweled, her guts being held up high as a sign for James to know it was time for the actual signing. A parchment appeared and Satan nodded:
“Sign!”
That was all he said as there was no reason to add another word. With shaking hands, James signed the document. And the girl’s intestines were shared by all and we feasted, even James.
Her blood was passed around too, but it was laced with an opiate so that James soon looked numb, which I suppose was a mercy.
Satan began to praise his young acolyte but James was barely conscious. He was led to the altar, where each of the coven members, including Satan, sodomized him.
Eve did as well, for she wore about her waist the replica of an erect penis. Odd perhaps, but true nevertheless. This is by the way how the pacts are sealed, whether the supplicants are men or women.
When it was over, James was led to a specially arranged orgy for the members of the satanic cult. Some of the brothel’s most important clients are members. The orgy carries on for days, weeks sometimes. It is a veritable sexual marathon with the most recent pact signer being the star repository, if you know what I mean.
James eventually came to his senses, and I promise you as on so many occasions of these rites, he looked to me far more evil than before. I could see it in his eyes, the hunger for evil.
If you think he was in shock, that shock had passed for Satan had successfully demonized another human being, a being who would do great evil. And that evil would begin in a few years, Rose, when your own father let James Bannion watch him mistreat you in your own home. And because of this, James would desire you even more.
Indeed, the James that emerged after this rite was a predatory being, covetous of sin and evil in the extreme. No sin was too deviant, no perversion too despicable; he was corrupt and as poisonous a being as he could have possibly been."
End of excerpt.
THE HOUSE ON BLACKSTONE MOOR:
I for one found this gloriously gothic, refreshingly brutal, honestly horrific and a great read.
~Taliesin Meets the Vampires
eFestival of Words 2014: Best Villain, Eco/ Best Horror,The House on Blackstone Moor
"The figure of the gothic child was there. Stoker's horror was there. Along with the romance! At the heart of her writing one stumbles upon a genuine search for that darkness we lost with the loss of Stoker."
DR. MARGARITA GEORGIEVA ~ Gothic Readings in The Dark
Top 10 Books - 2013
Aoife Marie Sheridan - ALL THINGS FANTASY
Publisher, Ultimate Fantasy Books
"92 Horror authors you need to read right now"
Carole Gill -- the Blackstone Vampires series
~Charlotte Books - EXAMINER
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