Chapter 1

Lewis Zachary “Zach” Black
I descended the stairs in the Governor’s Mansion with the governor on my arm.

Governor Christine Locke was a blonde MILF who clung to my arm. I wore a tuxedo, and she wore a blue evening dress. She looked quite stunning in it. It was low-cut to show off her large breasts. She had a great figure as she clung to me. She had spent the afternoon dominating me.

I had to play along. I was supposed to be under her domination spell, a slave to her will. I had to play my part, or she could destroy me. I wasn’t ready to go to war with the Governor of Washington State yet. I was still building my power base.

This confrontation had come too early.

I had attracted the notice of Ba’al Zaphon, the Lord of the North. The Cloudrider. Her patron god. He was the one who seemed to control Washington State’s highest echelons of power. That would be who was here at the party.

“Is your husband here?” I asked as people waited below. I didn’t see her husband in the crowd waiting for us.

“Of course not,” she said. “He’s a good man. Too good for this. He doesn’t see what he doesn’t want to. It’s easy to convince him to go camping. Fishing. A simple man. Much like your girlfriend. Susannah Augustine. Preacher’s daughter.”

She was doing more research into me.

“She’s involved in this church revival you’re in,” she continued. She was investigating me because she was worried about me. I had to confess to her that my sister was a witch to explain some things.

Like my father.

If she found out who my father was, she might realize that Charles Swartzenburg, currently in jail awaiting his trial for trying to kill me, was my half-brother. He was building our forces through the prison system along with my cult.

The revival.

“Religion is the opiate for the masses,” I said, quoting some dumb saying I had heard. Something that would appeal to her.

“Indeed,” she said. “Power comes from a different sort of activity. It comes from sacrifice, bargaining, and obedience. Through those come rewards.”

“Like being the President of the United States.”

She paused as we were almost down the sweeping stairs. “No one has become president of this country without serving Marduk or Molech. Sometimes Dagon. Why do you think no one has ever been president from some states?”

“They’re not popular states,” I suggested.

“Twenty-one states have produced presidents,” she said. “Including seven from Ohio. Only Virginia, at eight, has produced more presidents. California has only produced a president, Nixon. Yes, Reagan was the Governor of California, but he was not from there. Texas has produced two, and Florida has produced none. Those are the three most populous states. States that are not controlled by Marduk or Moloch. It is ... difficult.”

“And you’ll be the first?” I asked her.

She nodded as we continued descending down the stairs.

She was afraid of Marduk’s power. That was not who my father served. I knew that to be Moloch. Interesting. The governor was afraid of my power, too. That was why she had weakened me. She saw me as a threat.

I didn’t want to be her threat. I wanted to have Mayor White take over as Governor while I took Tacoma from her. By the time I was ready to be governor, I planned on getting now Governor White elected to the presidency.

Marduk controlled America, though. This was new.

“Now,” purred Governor Christine as we reached the bottom, “let me introduce you to those who truly matter in our state.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” I said, saying those embarrassing words for anyone to hear.

“Perfect,” Nisha said. My thought form was beside me, unseen by anyone. She appeared as a tan-skinned and busty woman in a black party dress. It fit her body perfectly. “You will survive this night if you keep up this attitude. No defiance.”

I had to remember that. I had to suck up my pride and play the game. They just had to think I was the governor’s boytoy. It didn’t mean it was true. This was for the greater good. Finally, destroying the system of these terrible gods controlling the powerful. The ones who ruled from the shadows.

Who wanted to keep people poor, divided by political factions, and poorly educated so they could be easily manipulated. To be used as weapons against their own interests without even realizing it. Frankly, it was impressive if it also wasn’t so horrifying.

I would end it all.

“This is Speaker of the House, Dave Rossi,” she said, pointing to a black-haired man with graying wings. He was the leader of Washington State’s House of Representatives, a Democrat like the Governor. That was the party that controlled the state.

“Son,” the man said, extending his hand. I noticed a serpent branded on the back of his hand. “Good to meet you.”

“And you, sir,” I said, smiling with just the right amount of naïve eagerness. “Pleasure to meet you.”