A Dubious Curse (A Colton Banyon Mystery Book 8) Read online

  Banyon said they were done for now, but he gave Wolf one more task to do and said he would talk to him later about the results.

  hen Banyon returned from his outside terrace, the first thing he heard was Lisa talking. She was sitting at the head of the table and smiling at him proudly. She was giving a lecture on history.

  “So, I believe Hitler was searching for an ultimate weapon, something that no one else had; something that could change warfare. That’s why he commissioned the building of the saucers. His strategy was to collect as many new weapons as possible. Vril was only one of many possibilities he was looking into. The Nazis actually worked on the saucers until the very end of the war.”

  “I know the Germans were building many advanced superweapons,” Loni admitted, flapping her hands. “We have seen some in our adventures. But why weren’t the Allies building superweapons too?”

  “The United States was doing the exact same thing you know,” she qualified her statement. “Ever hear of the nuclear bomb or radar?”

  “But how is a flying saucer a weapon?” Loni asked. “It is so small.”

  “It could be a weapon of the worst kind,” Lisa shot back. “Vril, if used in a certain way, could power a time machine. Hitler wanted go back in history and change events. The second World War could have had a different outcome if he changed just a few bits of history,” Lisa explained,

  “We can’t let that happen,” Loni exclaimed. “I might not have met Colt. We must find the book and protect it.”

  “It sounds like Hitler based his philosophies on a book of early science fiction,” Maya pointed out.

  “Well, you are partially right. In actuality, he was heavily influenced by the Thule Society, although there is no evidence he was an actual member. They were the real occult connection as well. Many Thules later became ranking Nazis. They tutored him on many things and provided money for his politicking, at least in the beginning. He, of course, later disbanded the society and declared it illegal. But the Thule had merged with the Vril Society in 1919. Hitler became aware of Vril and its powers very early in his career.”

  “We know Hitler believed in the occult. Now, you are saying he believed in science fiction too,” Previne recapped.

  “Isn’t it the same thing?” Loni asked.

  “Except that Maria Orsic was able to provide messages and drawings which proved to Hitler’s followers that Vril really existed,” Banyon added. “It wasn’t science fiction to him or his followers.”

  “That’s right. My great-grandmother was right in the heart of it. The difference was she was seeking a utopia— a world of peace— and they were seeking a weapon. She abhorred violence, and that was why she was kept captive until she escaped in 1945. But yes, the book was part of it all, even though the author was a true pacifist.”

  “She hid the book, which contained the design of the saucer and the formula for Vril,” Loni now understood.

  “That’s why we must find it and keep it out of the hands of today’s Nazis,” Previne vowed with fire in her eyes.

  “And why we must perform the séance,” Banyon added. “I know it will be hard to be naked, but it is the only way. The instructions were quite specific.”

  “I don’t know if I can do it,” Lisa acknowledged, looking around the crowded table. All the people were complete strangers to her.

  “I’ll do it, if you do it, Previne,” Loni dared.

  “Well, of course I’ll do it. We need to find the book,” Previne reasoned, turning to her sisters for support.

  “I’m in,” Maya said, patting her slightly round belly.

  “Me too,” Pramilla added cheerfully. “Lisa, you don’t need to be shy. Colt and Eric have seen us all naked before. You’re just another naked body to them.” Banyon wondered when Eric had seen Loni nude before, but let it go for now.

  “I don’t know,” Lisa was troubled with the thought. “It’s not like I’m shy around people… it’s just that this is all going so fast. I just met all of you, and now, you want to be completely naked with me and be part of my deepest secrets.”

  “Where is your utopian spirit?” Previne cut right to the core. “All you have to do to find the book is give up a little modesty. To me, that’s a no-brainer.”

  “If you want, Eric and I will leave the room,” Banyon offered.

  “Speak for yourself.” Eric muttered, giving Banyon a sly look.

  Previne would not be put off. “Besides, we don’t have much choice. There is a lot more at stake besides the book. Remember there are a bunch of brutal Nazis after us. I’d rather be nude than dead.”

  “I suppose you are right,” Lisa said out loud to no one in particular. She stood up and began unbuttoning her dress.

  Loni yelled “wahoo,” and she immediately pulled off her small top. She twirled it with her arm and sent it at Previne. Previne retaliated by tossing her top back at Loni. Soon, there was a full-fledged clothing fight as the women disrobed. Eric moved over to where Banyon stood by the wall, just as a bra hit Banyon in the chest.

  “This is more fun than it should be,” Eric remarked. “But I like it.”

  “When have you seen Loni naked?” Banyon asked suspiciously.

  “Oh, ah…you weren’t home,” Eric replied sheepishly.

  “That’s not an answer,” Banyon growled through gritted teeth. He knew Eric and Pramilla had an open marriage, and Eric was sometimes confused by which Patel sister got into bed with him, but he wasn’t happy if Loni was a part of it.

  “Not what you think, Colt,” Eric quickly replied, throwing up his arms in the stop sign. “I was at your house with Pramilla and the rest of them. We wanted to go swimming in your pool. When we got to the pool, Loni was asleep on a lounge chair. She didn’t have on a bathing suit. Pramilla woke her, and she got up and put on her suit. I never touched her Colt. I swear.”

  “Sounds like Loni,” Banyon agreed, feeling a little relieved.

  “Colt, I respect you and Loni too much. I’d never do anything to harm your relationship,” Eric assured him sincerely.

  “Let’s keep it that way,” Banyon said with a hint of threat in his voice.

  Soon, the dining area was covered with clothes, and all the girls were laughing and giggling. It all stopped when Lisa pulled down her panties. Situated in the middle of her pubic area was the tattoo of the disk the Vril Society once wore. The other women leaned in for a closer look.

  “See why I am reluctant to take off my clothes,” Lisa complained. “All anyone wants to do is stare at my crotch.”

  “Well, I have a tattoo on my ass,” Loni announced, standing up for everyone to see as she turned around. She pointed to the small butterfly tattoo.

  “I have a mole shaped like a heart,” Pramilla said as she stood up and pointed between her legs.

  “What about you, Previne? Surely you have something hidden under your clothes,” Loni asked.

  “Just perfection,” Previne replied with a smile as she looked at Banyon.

  “And I’m pregnant,” Maya remarked, patting her belly.

  As Lisa turned sideways, everyone immediately noticed her profile. Her hair hung down almost to the floor. “I do also have this feature,” she said.

  “That’s pretty noticeable,” Eric admitted.

  “Can one of you help me take off my horse collar hairband?” Lisa asked. Several people moved towards her to help.

  o, are we ready to do this?” Previne asked impatiently. Lisa had arranged everyone in such a way that she was at the head of the table, Loni and Previne were on one side, and Pramilla and Maya were on the other side. The white tablecloth was a stark contrast to their darker skins.

  “This is so exciting,” Loni exclaimed, fidgeting in her seat. “I’ve never been part of a séance before.”

  “Well, we usually have the lights turned off and have a candle in the middle of the table. Sometimes, we have rose petals spread on the table,” Lisa said. Loni immediately sprinted into the bedroom and returned with a
large, round candle.

  “From my bathtub,” she explained as she centered it on the table. She then told Banyon to pull some rose petals from the roses on the terrace. He was back in two minutes and spread them on the table while lighting the large candle. Lisa now looked satisfied.

  “There is just one more thing,” she said. “I need someone to fluff out my hair for better reception.” Eric immediately volunteered for the task with a smile on his face.

  “I need mine fluffed too,” Loni quickly said, eyeing Banyon.

  “Me too,” Previne pleaded.

  “You do those three, and I’ll do these two,” Banyon said to Eric. They all laughed at his innuendo. Lisa’s face turned a shade of red. The men went around the table running their fingers through each woman’s long hair. When they were done, the men returned to their position against the wall.

  “This is making me hot,” Loni admitted.

  Lisa extracted a pencil and a piece of paper from the bag at her feet. She placed it in front of her and took a deep breath. “I guess we are ready. Colt, turn off the lights,” Lisa told him.

  “Okay,” he responded and hit the switch. The room went dark.

  “Now, we need to hold hands and make a circle. Pramilla, you grab hold of the hairband, too.” Lisa held it in her left hand, and Pramilla grabbed it with her right hand. The circle was complete. The room was in eerie darkness, except for the candle flickering in the middle of the table. The five women darted their eyes at each other— none were sure of what would happen. Banyon and Eric continued to lean against the wall.

  “This is better than a movie,” Eric whispered to Banyon.

  “We need to close our eyes and chant,” Lisa announced. “The chant was developed by my great-grandmother. It is simple. Repeat it with me. Olabyu.”

  Immediately all five women were chanting in rhythm. “Olabyu…Olabyu…Olabyu.” It sounded more like a song than a chant to Banyon.

  After a minute the chants grew louder and more intense. The air in the room seemed to grow thicker, and it seemed that there was no sound other than the chanting. The candle seemed to brighten and the rose petals seemed to waver from the intensity. Soon, Banyon felt a force-like wind in the room, but nothing moved. Then, it happened.

  Lisa’s eyes rolled back into her head. She stiffened, as if shocked by electricity. Her left hand broke the circle and went to the pencil. She began to write. Since the circle was broken, everyone watched as Lisa wrote words on the paper without looking at it. Her eyes were still rolled back in her head. She wrote quickly and in straight lines.

  “That’s odd, she’s actually right-handed,” Banyon whispered to Eric.

  Lisa suddenly dropped the pencil and slumped backwards with her head hanging over the back of the chair. Her breathing seemed labored. Her chest rose and fell, taking in huge amounts of air. Banyon figured that she was in some sort of post-communication recovery and moved to her side to prevent her from falling off the chair. He stood behind her, with his hands on her bare shoulders. No one moved. They just stared at Lisa with fascination.

  “Wow, that one was really intense,” Lisa suddenly said as she opened her eyes and looked straight up at Banyon. He could see her eyes were now green. They had been light blue before the séance.

  “Your eyes have changed color,” Banyon noted softly, staring into her now-darker eyes.

  “That means I have received the complete message. They will change back by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “So… let’s look at the message?” Loni suggested from the end of the table. She didn’t like Banyon looking into Lisa’s eyes.

  Lisa quickly straightened up and looked at the paper. “It’s in German, I think,” she told everyone.

  “Let me see it?” Maya asked, reaching out her hand. Lisa passed it to Maya, who quickly scanned the message. Eyes darted from one person to the other. No one knew what to expect. Banyon could feel the excitement in the room.

  “Well, what does it say, Maya?” a slightly irritated Loni barked. She wanted action, not people staring at each other.

  “Yes,” Maya offered. “This is precise directions to the location of the book of the Vril Society. It is in Germany. We’ll have to go there to retrieve it. There is also a message from Maria Orsic to Lisa.”

  She looked up and was suddenly shocked. Lisa was once again rigid with her eyes rolled back in her head. Her arm reached out and picked up the pencil— in her right hand this time— and began to write on the white tablecloth. Again, she wrote quickly and in straight lines.

  Banyon returned to the possessed woman and stood ready to catch her if she fell. He looked over her shoulder to see what she was writing. It just looked like symbols to him. No one else moved a muscle. Loni sat with her mouth open.

  Soon, the pencil dropped, and Lisa slumped in the chair. When she opened her eyes this time, Banyon could see that they were nearly black. She took a little longer to focus and seemed surprised that Banyon was, once again, standing over her.

  “What happened?” she asked him.

  “You received another message,” Banyon replied and pointed to the scribbling on the tablecloth. Lisa quickly leaned forward and studied the symbols.

  “It’s Sumerian,” Lisa blurted out. “I can read it.” After a few seconds, she exclaimed, “Oh, my God!”

  “What?” Loni asked.

  “There appears to be only three words,” Lisa explained, clearly nervous. “But there can be more, I’m not sure.”

  “What are the three words?” a frustrated Loni inquired.

  The message says, “Someone will come.”

  A gasp escaped from Pramilla. “Is it from the others?”

  “It could be, but I’m not sure,” replied a perplexed Lisa. “There are actually two more words, but they don’t make sense.”

  “Now I’m really confused,” Loni exclaimed, throwing her small arms in the air. “What are the other words?”

  “The other two words are ‘from Earth’,” Lisa explained.

  “They’re already here?” Loni asked.

  “Well, it could mean they are coming from underground,” Lisa nervously replied.

  eanwhile Barry Bass sat in his lounge chair in his nearly empty house in Henderson, Nevada, sucking down his sixth beer. He was contemplating the changes in his life, and he was not happy about them. His only mentor, his oppressive father, was kind of dead, but now haunted him. While he could ignore the old man, he was sure he would be tormented into doing what the old man wanted. He was not free of him.

  Not only that, but his father wanted him to capture the only woman he had ever cared about and torture her to reveal where a book of secrets was kept. He had actually hoped that she would see him as her mate one day. He wanted nothing to do with hurting her, but he realized his father had told the Effort about the book. That meant if he didn’t go after Lisa, he would be deposed as the leader of the Las Vegas Effort, and someone else would step in. Barry was sure they would be far more brutal with her then he would be. Barry had to suppress his desires and get the book, or all hope was lost for him and his future plans.

  On the other hand, if he could get the book, he could bring his father back to life, help the Effort and the Third Reich, and become very rich. Then, surely, Lisa would take notice of him and run to his arms for protection. It could happen, he thought.

  “Tell me what I need to do, Father?” he said out loud. There was a slight slur in his voice.

  “Not now,” his father’s spirit replied. “I’m busy.”

  “Busy doing what?” Barry exclaimed.

  “I’m reliving my life right now and won’t be done until tomorrow afternoon,” his father responded with excitement.

  “But what about the book?”

  “It can wait.”

  “And what about me?”

  “You can wait, too.” Barry now realized his arrogant father thought only of himself.

  ack at the Banyon condo, there were several discussions going on about the
séance and the messages they had received.

  “But I thought you said they lived on a planet far from here!” Loni said. Her eyes were wide with confusion.

  “It’s far more complicated than that,” Lisa responded. “It will take some explaining,” she added.

  “Now would be a good time to explain,” Previne said sarcastically.

  “Alright,” Lisa replied. “Today, we know several things about the Sumerians. They lived in Mesopotamia, on the southern end, at the tip of the Red Sea. However, the Red Sea was formed only about 6,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. We are pretty sure the Sumerians had a thriving civilization long before the Red Sea was created. Archeologists have found writings that are about that old. It’s called Cuneiform. This message is written in Cuneiform,” Lisa told them.

  “So, if this message was written in the Sumerian language, do you think it came from a Sumerian?” Loni quickly asked.

  “The current speculation is that the real heart of the Sumerian civilization is actually under the Red Sea valley. It was there before it was flooded. Many believe that while the rest of the world was still hunting and gathering, they built great cities and were very advanced.”

  “Yes,” Banyon interrupted. “Some people believe the area was the ‘Garden of Eden’, as described in the Bible, written several thousands of years later. Some also believe ‘Atlantis’ was one of those cities and that even the ‘Noah’s Ark’ legend took place when the seas rushed in.”

  “Perhaps you’d like to tell the story?” Lisa said sarcastically. She then attempted to flip her hair, but it didn’t move, as it was too long.

  “Sorry,” Banyon replied. “Please continue.”

  Lisa gave him a look of reprimand but continued. “Anyway, over time the Sumerians became regionalized. They broke into factions; some regions were more hostile than others. In his book, Vril, The Coming Race, Lytton suggests that when Vril was discovered, they fought over control of the energy source. One group built a spacecraft and left this world. They were the true utopians and the ones who the Vril Society followed. According to Lytton, another group decided to go underground and still live there today. The ones who went underground were given the name ‘Vril-ya’.”