Underbelly (69 page)

“
I think so.”

“
Say it.”

“
Octavius,” Germaine said, her voice wavering halfway through. Saying it made it more real and more terrifying.

“
And you understand that this shell does not begin to show the real me. Don’t be fooled by this; I am a God. And you will be silent while I sleep. I will untie you when I wake, if you make no sounds in the night. Obey me and you will survive this. Disobey me and you’ll die in a heartbeat.”

“
I understand. I can’t feel my hands.”

“
You wouldn’t, they’re bound. It’s only discomfort, woman, not pain. Now be still.”

By the morning Germaine’s bladder had given way and when Octavius untied her he commented on this. “Clean yourself up, woman, you stink.”

Germaine’s hands ached as the blood was restored and she looked around the hangar and said, “Where do you want me to go?”

“
Nowhere. Take off your damp clothes.”

“
I have nothing else to wear.”

“
Stop being difficult.”

“
I’m not. I’ve done everything you asked because I am very, very frightened. I don’t have anything else to wear.”

“
I’ve seen the naked female form before more times than you can imagine.”

“
I know that you had many lovers...”

“
Thousands,” Octavius boasted.

“
And that’s fine. It...it’s your life and up to you how to live it and I respect yo...your choices,” Germaine stuttered nervously. “To see married women naked is different, isn’t it?”

“
I suppose it is. Next time you need to go to the toilet say something,” he said, coming across as slightly more reasonable than before.

“
I will. Where should I go? Which corner?”

“
Whichever one I tell you to,” Octavius said, reminding her that he was in complete control of her. “Do you remember what I said yesterday about never repeating a command? Do you need me to educate you on my past, give you a quick lesson in what happens to those who don’t do as I say?”

Germaine stood up and was about to reluctantly comply when Octavius picked up Grey’s coat from the floor and threw it to her. “That should cover you while your dress dries.” He walked around the hangar as she dressed, giving her the privacy she needed. Germaine’s bump meant the jacket fit tighter than was ideal though she was just able to button it and it covered her upper thighs though she knew she had to remain standing or everything would be on show.

“
Is that so bad?” Octavius asked as he finished his lap around the hangar.

“
I...what are your plans?”

“
The same as that bitch, Laura. Dominion.”

“
I don’t know what that means.”

“
English isn’t my first language either but I seem to have grasped it better than you. It’s time for my second reign.”

“
Why did you take me? I’m nothing, Octavius.”

“
I’m not expecting you to be my optio. Those two little gnats think they’re so clever. Taking you was my first step in proving them wrong. Once they’re dust, you’re free.”

“
Who do you mean?” Germaine said, hoping she was mistaken.

“
Woman, don’t expect me to say what you already know. Who else could I be talking about?”

“
They’ve done nothing to you.”

“
They used me as a source of amusement, and tried to raid my secrets. Cassius, Logar and Chesmu are all tied to me and they embroiled themselves in my affairs. History has shown that never goes well.”

“
What can I say to dissuade you?” Germaine asked desperately, pleading for her husband’s life again so soon after the last time. Knowing she was not in any real jeopardy (Octavius was capable of killing her but not eager to do so, and she felt that she knew enough about him to keep things that way) helped her loosen up and hate herself a little more. The fact her husband was in greater danger than her should have made her more tense, not less. It was far, far better that she died than him, yet with that possibility very real she had quivered, and tortured herself for her weakness.

“
Nothing, so don’t waste your breath.”

“
I’ve lost too much already. I can’t lose him. We can’t lose him,” she said, clasping her hands on her bump.

“
Attempting to appeal to my sentiment proves to me that the rabbit misled you when he recounted my history.”

“
The rabbit?”

“
Again, you know who I refer to so don’t play ignorant. I lose patience with fools and even more so with those who play to be fools, to play me as a fool,” he said, quick to temper at what he perceived as Germaine’s machinations. He could see her mind ticking over, trying to find a way of persuading him to spare his killing hand. While he was disinclined to harm her, he was prepared to make her captivity uncomfortable if she crossed him.

“
I know you mean James. It was the rabbit comment that confused me.”

“
Don’t question. I allow you to speak to show you I’m not quite the tyrant I’m portrayed as. Insolence is another matter. Don’t think that because this body is weak that I am weak.”

“
Okay, I’ll be quiet. I was just saying I doubt I’ll survive long without him.” Trying to make Octavius feel guilty was a fruitless mission yet she had nothing else in her empty arsenal.

“
That’ll be your weak-willed choice. One of my century came back without arms or legs. He lived six more years and he never complained once. We kept him in the army; he wasn’t much use from that point forward but we kept him in. If you want to throw your life away because things haven’t gone according to how you’d like, don’t expect any sympathy from me.”

“
I don’t,” Germaine said and she walked away from him to the wall and covered her face with her hand.

“
Crying again?” he said, taunting her a little.

Germaine instantly moved her hand to disprove this and she said, “I’m not, actually. I have nothing to say so I would rather my thoughts were elsewhere.”

Octavius chuckled. “A little sulk. Maybe I’m wrong to call you woman. Maybe you’re still a little girl crying for her mother.”

“
She died a brutal death so crying for her won’t make her come,” Germaine said sadly. “Anyhow, I’d best be quiet before my comments antagonise you. Sorry if I already have.”

“
I’ll show you what I mean about the rabbit later. The rabbit and the snake will be used tonight in a spell, and provide us dinner. I’ll go out hunting when it gets dark and we’ll see how well this body can perform spells. You’re a farm girl; you can skin a rabbit?”

“
I never have before.”

“
Never mind. Your next husband may train you better.”

Meeting James Grey had begun Germaine’s introduction to the occult. A man who could talk to the dead was a highly unusual person, yet he had quickly calmed her down and made this palatable. Almost at once she discovered this gift could be used for good and this practitioner was too good to ever abuse such a gift, an angel sent from Heaven (not that she believed in any of that religion bunkum anymore) to save her in her darkest hour. She understood that Laura was another occultist with darker traits – Laura was complicated but harboured good intentions towards them and generally kept them out of her business, her rites and rituals. As Octavius demonstrated a spell in front of her, despite her associations and limited knowledge of such antics, Germaine felt nauseous. The animal sacrifice made it very difficult to watch as he bisected the snake which survived to crawl a few metres. And the baby rabbit, which he placed on her lap while he despatched the snake...He’d done something to it to stop it being able to escape, so all it could do was try and jump down from her before he came and disembowelled it. Octavius gave a commentary as to how the real snake and rabbit, Laura and James, would meet similar fates soon enough, the curse attaching itself to the representations of these animals. They were linked now, in this magical sacrifice. Killing the rabbit alone now would be sufficient to slaughter the snake too, and vice versa. As Octavius ate the snake he forced Germaine to eat some of the rabbit, which she somehow managed to keep down. This was the ugly side of witchcraft that made Germaine understand why history was littered with witch hunts and trials.

As the days dragged on her despair grew and when he left her alone she silently pleaded for someone to come and rescue her only to have her spirit crushed as he returned and untied her from her bonds. Despite her fragile condition he had bound her severely as though she were a warrior and the indentation marks from the rope were very pronounced on her wrists, which she rubbed. Octavius reached into his bag of shopping and handed her a sandwich to eat. She had threatened a hunger strike two days previously and he had informed her coldly that he would have no compunction about force-feeding her which instantly changed her mind. Plus she felt very weak and needed the sustenance and she was quick to finish off the sandwich, even eating the crust, something which she never did usually. He delved deeper into the bag and threw her a carton of orange juice.

“
You’re famous,” Octavius said amusedly. Noting her puzzled expression he unfolded a poster and held it up for her to see. She was now a missing person with a $10,000 reward and her picture was there for the world to see. “That’s a lot of money.”

“
That picture was taken last year, in Ravensbeck. We’d only just started seeing each other and James had just got out of the chair and was getting used to his crutches. He pestered me to be his model,” Germaine said, trying to humanise them to Octavius and make him see what he would be destroying. On a personal note she was unhappy with the shot and wished that the photo had been from the Detroit trip onwards from when she had lightened her hair, yet before the battle of the bulge.

“
It’s a good picture. It captures the moment well. Yours is truly a love union,” Octavius said. In the picture Germaine leaned against a balcony in a drab, plain dress and beamed at the cameraman rather than the camera.

“
Pictures are new to you.”

“
They are. Films sound interesting. That’s something for me to explore later.”

“
Are you thinking of acting?”

“
Don’t be stupid. Actors are the lowest form of human life. Once the snake and the rabbit are killed I will have to see some more of the advancements.”

“
How strange is this for you? To see cars and skyscrapers,” Germaine said levelly, able to converse with him. As monsters went, she had known worse.

“
It’s not as alien as you may think. I derive from Ancient Rome, and I thrived until the fall, after which I functioned until 1642. In that time I saw too many changes to be shocked by anything. This is the new Rome, I surmise. The centre of the world. These things here fly, don’t they?” he said, pointing at the two biplanes in the large hangar. He looked forwards to seeing such sights.

“
They do. These are very old-fashioned. These look like they may have been the first wave of planes. I think it’s only this century that man has took to the air.”

“
You’re wrong. In my time I came across two men who could fly, both of whom I quickly brought down to earth,” he said gleefully. “And there were hundreds more who I made fly. You shuddered there. Don’t look so nervous. Your husband entertained you with tales of my legend. I like that. The legend continues and now you’re a part of it.”

“
Siena loved you and there were other women who wanted to be with you. You could find another lover now. You still have a tremendous aura. I love another.”

“
Have I sullied you? I could have so easily, if I desired to.”