Cast of Characters
Warlocks
Mark Glassner -- Mary Sullivan
Sex Slaves "The Sluts"
Alison -- Desiree Fitzsimmons -- Xiu -- Korina-- Violet -- Lillian -- Chastity (deceased) -- Karen (deceased) -- Jessica St. Pierre -- April
Servants
Samnag "Sam" (Holy Vizier) -- Candy (Sam's Girlfriend) -- Dr. Willow WolfTail -- 51 (Chief Bodyguard) -- Rachel -- Leah (Chauffeur) -- Jacob -- Monique -- Lize -- Lynda (Pilot) -- Joslyn (Pilot)
The Living Church
Daisy & Rose Cunningham (High Priestesses)
Demons
Lucifer -- Lilith -- Marduk -- Molech
The Cult of Lilith
Lana -- Chantelle -- Babylon -- Crystal -- Starlight -- Nurse Thamina -- Fiona -- Tir (monster) -- Lamia (Monster) -- Cora (monster) -- Ziki (monster)
Sisters of Mary Magdalene
Doug Allard -- Tina Allard -- Azrael (Angel)
Other
Chase (Mark & Mary's Daughter) -- Antsy (Mark's Sister) -- Alice -- Sandy (Mark's Mother) -- Sean (Mary's Father) -- Tiffany (Mary's Mother, Sister Theodora Mariam) -- Shannon (Mary's Older Sister) -- Missy (Mary's Younger Sister) -- George (Shannon's Husband)-- Damien (Missy's Fiancee) -- Avialle (Antsy's Girlfriend) -- Agent Noel Heinrich
Chapter One
After the death of Dagon and the end of the Great Eclipse, the followers of the demoness Lilith were rounded up. Lana and Chantelle, High Priestesses of Lilith, were vociferous in their praise of their dead goddess. They went to the gallows for their crimes along with many of the 'Coven'--the first group of women to worship Lilith. The most notable pardons went to Fiona and Thamina, who raised Lily, the daughter of Lana and Chantelle. The pair spent their lives rebuilding Seattle and aiding the victims of Lilith's tyranny. To this day, they are remembered fondly in Seattle where a statue was raised in their honor at Pioneer Park.
--excerpt from The History of the Tyrants' Theocracy, by Tina Allard
Chasity "Chase" Alberta Glassner
I was born three minutes after midnight on May 2nd, 2014 by the old calendar. My parents always said I was the most beautiful baby in the world, fitting for a newborn Goddess. I've seen the pictures; I was a squalling ball of pink, no different from any other babe. They named me after Chasity Sarah Vinter, the Holy Martyr who died protecting my mother before I was ever even conceived.
My earliest memories are of my dad, the God Mark Glassner, staring intently at a map. I was maybe three, toddling about inside an iron room, the
Matmown,
in the mansion's basement. I now know he was plotting the final push against the demoness Astarte, who ruled Western Europe. It has always stayed with me how focused he looked, his blue eyes hard with determination.
I didn't see much of my parents during those first eleven years of my life. The Demons of Hell had been loosed when I was only six months old, and Mother and Father spent a decade prying mankind out of their clutches. By the time I was five, Dagon, Chemosh, Astarte, Baal-zebub, and Asherah were all slain by Father. When my parents were around, they loved me fiercely. Mother would scoop me up, her green eyes flashing with love, and cover me with kisses, while Father would tickle me until I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe.
"Well, at least there's one woman in my life I can win a tickling contest with," he joked as I gasped for breath, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Daddy!" I laughed, such joy in me. Then I would smile while Mother would sneak up from behind.
"Got you!" she cried out and tickled my father from behind.
I giggled and clapped my hands while he laughed on the bed, the seriousness in his face vanished. Only mirth filled his expression. A delight that made me feel so warm inside. Mother would smile just as much as she pressed him down.
"Enough!" he cried out between laughter. "Mare, that's enough. You win."
"Good," she said, smiling down at them. She kissed him.
They always started kissing after their tickle fights. One of the many maids who lived in the mansion would pick me up while my parents loved each other. They'd take me to go play with my half-siblings while Mother and Father did "adult stuff."
Since Mother and Father were so busy, I would often spend time with the other children in the mansion: my half-brother Silas, half-sisters Delilah and Andrea, and my uncle Michael. We were all born within a month of each other; Silas was the oldest, then Andrea and Delilah, then me, and finally Uncle Michael, the son of Mother's youngest sister, Aunt Missy. I tried to play with them, but there was a gulf between us. I was the daughter of both Mother and Father, a Goddess, while Micheal was merely a mortal, and Silas, Andrea, and Delilah were only demigods. Michael had the maids' and bodyguards' children to play with, and Silas, Andrea, and Delilah were inseparable, always getting into trouble together.
I envied them.
It was Grandfather who sensed how lonely I was. He was Mother's father and was old. One of the oldest
appearing
persons in my life. The mansion was filled with young, beautiful women who served my parents, their youths frozen by the
Zimmah
bond. There were a few men married to various maids, cooks, or bodyguards, but it was mostly women in the house.
"Here, Chase, why don't you come read with your grandpa," he said one day, a twinkle in his green eyes--the same shade as Mother--his graying, red hair pulled back into a ponytail.
I was never lonely after that. Grandfather introduced me to the magic of books. I read every day, transported to wondrous worlds. Whenever I finished a book, Grandfather and I would discuss them; he would point out what the book meant, the themes, and what the author was trying to teach me.
"But it was just a story," I objected. "It wasn't a lesson."