Judith Ward looked out over the city. It was her city, she thought. She had earned
it. Starting from nothing, she had done everything the seedy,
miserable, cruel entertainment industry demanded. They had tried to
belittle her, demean her, crush her spirit over and over but she had
clawed her way up. Yes, she had left her share rivals broken and
bleeding in her wake. Yes, she had betrayed friends and lovers to climb
up one more wrung. That was the price and she had paid it. She had
fought her way to top and nothing... nothing... would take that from her.
Now Cassandra Goth, the self-styled Raven Witch, wanted to throw her down.
Others had tried and failed.
Oh, she was making a fair effort....
She had tried to steal Judith's fans, turning one of those dreadful Meet-and-Greets into something about her and not Judith!
She had stolen the Tartosa Charity Gala.
Worst of all, she had stolen Judith's movie!
The studio fawned over her. Cassie this and Cassie that!
It was too much. There had been stubborn rivals, who wouldn't go back into their place without a little encouragement.
Well, Nick Alto had always been reliable for that... but this time... this time was different. The Raven Witch wasn't just an act. Her powers were unnatural. Evil. To defeat the unnatural, Judith needed the unnatural herself.
She had tried to steal Judith's fans, turning one of those dreadful Meet-and-Greets into something about her and not Judith!
She had stolen the Tartosa Charity Gala.
Worst of all, she had stolen Judith's movie!
The studio fawned over her. Cassie this and Cassie that!
It was too much. There had been stubborn rivals, who wouldn't go back into their place without a little encouragement.
Well, Nick Alto had always been reliable for that... but this time... this time was different. The Raven Witch wasn't just an act. Her powers were unnatural. Evil. To defeat the unnatural, Judith needed the unnatural herself.
She
styled herself Miss H. Her cheap street clothes and coarse manners
didn't fool Judith for a moment. Judith recognized the cruelty and
strength that came from a woman who has fought for long years against
those who take what was rightfully hers. She recognized the ruthless
power born of darkness and hunger.
That made Miss H a dangerous tool of course... one to be used with care, so that it did slip and cut the hand that held it. Judith understood that and understood that to win everything, everything must be risked.
Oh, Miss H would help. She wanted to take down the Raven Witch herself. She hid it well, but the hunger was there in her cold eyes. Of course, she demanded a price. A price so high, so terrible that for a moment... just for the length of a heartbeat... Judith hesitated. For a moment, her dazzlingly smile hid her own doubt.
But only for a moment.
That made Miss H a dangerous tool of course... one to be used with care, so that it did slip and cut the hand that held it. Judith understood that and understood that to win everything, everything must be risked.
Oh, Miss H would help. She wanted to take down the Raven Witch herself. She hid it well, but the hunger was there in her cold eyes. Of course, she demanded a price. A price so high, so terrible that for a moment... just for the length of a heartbeat... Judith hesitated. For a moment, her dazzlingly smile hid her own doubt.
But only for a moment.
All of this was hers. She had fought for it, bled for it, destroyed lives and traded souls for it. She would pay any price to keep it.
Any price.
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