Sam Spade 09: Case of the Lady in White

"Friend..." she said looking up at me in surprise and wonder. "I never had a friend."

"Well you do now," I heard a sound behind me and turned quickly. It was everyone else. Looking back to Maradith I said, "Just rest, we will get you out of here." Turning to the others I said, "I found Maradith... check the other boxes." As Jason hurried to her, I turned towards the throne. Moving forward I thought to check behind it for any clues.

"Oh my, its Timmy..." Lady's voice broke the silence.

Turning round I saw her looking down into one of the coffins. It was one of the ones where the stone was dark. I could see my girls opening the other coffins and shakes from all around. Maradith was the only one still alive. The stench of carrion reached me. It took a moment for me to realize the stench was coming from behind instead of in front. Turning around quickly I saw a beautiful blond woman, dressed in a flowing white gown.

Her voice, when she spoke, reminded me of snake scales sliding over stone. "Well, well, well... It seems my little Pasht has come back home." She looked over room and settled on Kitten, "And have you brought friends home sweet ums? How nice."

Kitten mewed and hid behind me. "You must be Carlita," I said looking at her.

"Yes I once had that name, but you can address me as Goddess."

"When hell freezes solid," Jade spoke up loudly behind me.

"Such manners," she said. Pausing a moment, she added, "Kill them."

A gasp of shock behind me caused me to glance back. From the shadows, a good hundred men and women stepped forward. We were outnumbered four or five to one. A gunshot rang out and I saw the bullet appear in about six inches in front of the woman. Plucking it out of the air, she smiled sweetly.

Launching myself at her, I could hear sounds of battle behind me. I did not dare look back to check on them, all I could do was hope for the best. Reaching Carlita, I gagged on her foul stench. She may have looked beautiful, but she smelled like death. She made gestures and I felt a tingle but nothing more. The look of surprise on her face gave me hope. Again, she gestured, I felt tingles and my suit started to smolder.

Then we were fighting hand-to-hand. "What are you," she hissed in anger as we fought.

"Death," Slowly I was able to bring my pistol into play and fired. She looked at me in surprise and pushed me away. As I fell back, I saw a red stain spreading on her white dress. I fell down off the raised platform hitting my head as I struck the floor.

Carlita touched the spreading stain on her chest and looked at it in wonder. Kitten, passed by me at a run, scooped up the pistol and reaching the woman brought it against her head. Pulling the trigger, the pistol flew out of her paw as the woman's head exploded. All around the room, the sounds of fighting stopped as the minions realized Kitten had killed their goddess. Like rats fleeing a sinking ship, they broke off combat and ran.

Kitten hurried to me and said, "Momma, alright?"

I tried nodding and standing, but found I was unable to move. "How is everyone else?" I replied calmly. Alvin had warned me against head blows. I might end up destroying the already fragile connection between my brain and body.

Kitten looked around, "They are ok Momma... Why are you laying there?"

"Just a little tired is all baby," I replied softly.

Alvin walked up and looked down at me frowning. He quickly dropped to one knee and asked, "Oh damn Sam. How bad is it?"

I met his eyes and said softly, "All of it Alvin."

"Momma broken?" Kitten asked as she looked at Alvin. He nodded not speaking. "Fix momma!" she demanded loudly.

"Kitten, baby, Uncle Alvin cannot fix me." I said. By ones and twos, everyone else came to circle around me. I could see for myself that while they were torn and battered, everyone seemed to make it out without anything major wrong.

"NO!" Kitten replied like a spoiled child. She looked at Lady, "Lady fix momma?"

Lady kneeled beside me and caressed my cheek. "I'm sorry Samantha. I cannot turn you. You are not human," she said as a bloody tear rolled down her cheek.

Kitten let out a howl of abject misery. She suddenly looked at Jason holding Maradith up. "You fix!"

Jason shook his head, "I'm sorry Kitten, more then you know..." Maradith staggered away from him, collapsed next to me and stroked my face. I could feel her vast age and weariness as her mind slid over mine. A look of profound sadness filled her features as she stood up.

"Forgive me Samantha," she said not looking at me. Standing slowly, she went to Jason's arms.

Kitten looked at her and jumped up "Someone fix momma, please..." Everyone found great interest in their feet and other parts of the room. Kitten reached for Maradith and pulled the succubus to face her. "You can..." her voice trailed off when she saw black tears rolling down Maradith's cheeks.

"I'm sorry Kitten..." Maradith said and tenderly stroked Kitten's face. With that said, she wrapped Jason in her wings and they both disappeared.

"I would like a moment alone with Kitten, Lady, and Arianne please," I said. I knew what I had to do and had to follow through before my courage failed me. When the others had exited the building, "Lady, will you take care of Kitten please?" Both started to sputter their objections. Ignoring them I said, "Kitten deserves a proper mother and home."

I'm sorry Samantha," Arianne said. I looked up at her and she continued, "Kitten is your responsibility. She would no more leave you then mother would take her away." Lady nodded in agreement with her daughter.

Reaching out I grabbed Kitten's hand, "You deserve..." It dawned on me I moved. Lifting my head, I looked at my hand in shock.

It was Lady who broke the silence, "It seems you do not need fixing after all Samantha." Smiling she bent down and kissed me gently before turning to Arianne, "Come along dear. I bet Blaine is having a calf and the house is in a shambles by now."

Arianne smiled, bent down and rested her hand on my chest, "I am glad you are well Samantha." She looked at Lady, nodded and both disappeared.

Sitting up I hugged Kitten hard, "Please grab daddy's pistol." She ran over to the platform, grabbed my .45, hurried back and held it out to me. Holstering it, I let Kitten help me stand up. As we staggered towards the door, two questions remained. How did I heal myself after the blow to my head and more importantly what does it take to make a demon cry?