With Cross & Charm

by D.L. Miles

  Chapter 25

  Demons are naturally curious creatures, Beth told me. She insists that when Vetis sees me going into the basement of the church, away from her and Delilah, and away from all prying eyes, he will not be able to resist following. She also says that he will most likely try to take me then, even on holy ground.

  She is not sure if the church is strong enough to protect me. I choose to risk it, if it means there is a chance to rid Hollow’s Point of Vetis.

  I take a deep breath and look back at the group, none of them notice me leave. Beth and Delilah have already started to pretend like they don’t see me go, and Vetis is watching. I pretend not to notice him as I push the door open.

  The hallway towards the basement is short and bright. An angel statue sits in a pool of sunlight, it’s wings hidden behind. I look only for a moment before hurrying down the hall. I’m slow to open the door to the basement, because I’m not sure if Vetis is actually following me. I can’t hear any footsteps, nor can I hear breathing. Only my own heart beating in my ears, and my quick, shallow breaths.

  A hand covers my mouth as I’m pulled against a hard chest. I try to scream, but a second hand grips my throat, almost crushing it.

  “Ah-ah,” Vetis says, “scream, and anyone who comes running might have their insides splashed across an angel.”

  As much as I want to scream I can’t; I can barely breathe now.

  “It’s cute that you didn’t think I would know,” he goes on, “about your little plan in the basement of the church.” I can hear from his tone that he’s rolling his eyes. I’m struggling to get out of his grip, but it’s too tight. My vision is darkening.

  I choke on my words, and attempt to open the door to the basement. If I don’t get him down there all of our work was for nothing, and soon Beth and Delilah will be coming down the hall. The thought of them dying here makes me cold, and gives me enough strength the throw open the door.

  Vetis laughs. “Fine, you want down so badly? Go ahead.”

  I am thrown down the stairs so hard that I miss the first half of the steps. My shoulder hits the edge of a step, and I twirl and tumble to the bottom. Each time a strangled cry escapes my throat, causing even more pain. I lay at the bottom of the stairs, Vetis’ shadow engulfing me.

  Struggling to get up, all I can do is raise my body onto my elbows. My wrist feels as if it has fractured all over again. There is blood in my mouth, and I realize I bit my tongue on the way down. I look up as the stairs creak under Vetis’ weight, each step bringing him closer.

  The twisted pentagram that Delilah painted on the ceiling is still there, and I dare not look at it. If I do, Vetis will surely notice. So I crawl backwards as best I can, hoping he will walk under it and lose most of his power. If Beth is right, this will give us time to weaken him further with holy water.

  My sides ache. All of me aches, actually. I’m only a few feet away from the pentagram and the other symbols on the ceiling. It’s tempting to look up, to make sure they’re still there. I don’t even know what they mean, nor can I even begin to describe their strange lines and crosses, but I want to see them. I close my eyes and try to crawl faster.

  Vetis is watching me, a half smile on his lips. Once he was amused by my pain, now seems to be getting bored with it.

  “I almost don’t want it to be over,” he tells me. “Centuries of hunting you down…it makes me a little sad to see it end.”

  I am directly beneath the pentagram, and my body gives up. I fall backwards and find myself staring at the black and red lines. They’re blurry now, and I fear I am about to pass out.

  “What is this?” Vetis curses. I roll onto my side, wincing with a sharp stab against my ribs. Blinking the fatigue away, I see that Vetis has stopped moving, and is now sneering at the symbols above me. His eyes fall to me.

  “You’re supposed to be trapped,” I mumble, blood sputtering from my lips. Why isn’t he trapped?

  His sneer turns into a smile. “You fools,” he says, “these aren’t the right charms.” Vetis bursts into laughter.

  I can barely breathe after he crushed my throat, and each breath is like a blade to my body. The stairs creak, and two shadows appear.

  “Oh,” Vetis says, looking over his shoulder, “why don’t you join us?” He waves his hand in the air, and both Beth and Delilah come flying down. The don’t hit a single step, and land hard against the dusty floor. Delilah is not moving while Beth manages to stand.

  She holds a cross up to Vetis, a futile attempt at protection. She mumbles something in Latin, but he doesn’t even flinch. Lazily he turns to face her.

  “Hunter,” he says, “you aren’t even worthy of the name.”

  Vetis is ignoring me. Our plan to trap him within the church has failed, and instead trapped me. Should I leave the pentagram I will surely die, but I don’t think of that as Vetis steps towards Beth. I stand, my entire body shaking.

  “No,” I whisper, and I’m not sure what it means. Maybe it is denial that we used the wrong symbols, or maybe it’s denial that any of this is happening. I like to think it is denial that Beth or Delilah or I will die today.

  I rush forward, not nearly as fast as I need to be. With weak arms, I shove Vetis, distracting him long enough for Beth to try and get in the circle. She doesn’t move, and while Vetis sends a growl at me I yell, “Get in!” And point towards where I was.

  Beth pauses. Vetis grabs my throat again and tosses me backwards. I land on a stack of boxes, the pain not nearly as bad this time. My ribs begin to feel numb, and there are stars when I close my eyes. I force them open, the stars lingering too long.

  It takes a lot of strength just to lift my head, but I’m glad I do. Beth has dragged Delilah into the circle, and they are safe. She still holds the cross towards Vetis; his jaw is tight with irritation.

  “When I am done with her,” he tells Beth, “you and your family are next. I will destroy every hunter in this damned town!”

  Beth doesn’t even flinch, she only glares. My head rolls back unwillingly, the pendant from Beth falling into the gap behind my back. It’s so hard to keep my eyes open.

  “Willa,” I hear my voice say, “look at me.”

  I blink a few times and look to my left, to the source of the sound. It is my voice calling out to me, but deeper, stronger. Darker. I look at myself in a mirror, see the bright green irises, and know it is not me. I can’t remember who it is.

  “Take it off,” I say. “Take of the cross, and I can save you.”

  “No,” I mumble. “Ithinara, no.”

  The sound of shattering glass erupts. I look over too see Vetis stepping into the circle with Beth. I don’t know how he was able to walk in, but Beth and Delilah do not have much longer.

  “Take it off,” Ithinara says.

  The last of my strength is spent tearing the chain away from my neck. The pendant falls into the dust that surrounds me, making the faintest sound as it hits the floor. I suck in a breath, no longer pained.

  Get to him, Ithinara orders. I cannot take control within these walls.

  I’m terrified. I’m terrified that I won’t make it in time, because Vetis is already raising his hand towards Beth. I’m terrified that when I do, we will all die. And I’m terrified that if we manage this, Ithinara will not leave.

  I shake my head, trying to remove all thoughts. I take a step, and then another, and another. I can’t blink, because if I do I think my eyes might not open again.

  “Vetis,” I growl, my voice not my own. “You will burn.” He is inside the pentagram now, and I look to my friends. Delilah is still unconscious while Beth clings to a cross she knows does not work. “Get. Out.”

  My breath is heavy. Ithinara is struggling to stay with me inside the church. I’m not sure how’s she managed so far; I think it might be sheer will power keeping her there. And complete hatred for Vetis. I try to use some of my own to give her st
rength.

  Vetis is laughing loudly while Beth drags Delilah out of the circle. “What is this? What can you possibly do to me, Ithinara? You low-class demon. You are nothing compared to me; a peasant next to a King.”

  My lips curve upwards, a small laugh escaping my throat. Vetis adds, “You could never send me to Hell.”

  “No,” she says, “I never could.” She laughs, a throaty chuckle. “So I’ll bring you there myself!”

  The cold that once encompassed my entire being vanishes, and it is as if I am basking in sunlight. The lights overhead flicker, the foundation shakes, and suddenly Vetis is screaming. It wasn’t the scream from Cain’s voice; it was something an animal would make.

  My vision blackens as the lights give out, and I cannot tell if my eyes are open or shut. I can hear Beth praying in Latin, and as the lights come back on she looks at me. Her eyes fall to where the pendant should be. “The cross,” she says, “hurry, put it on!”

  I frantically nod my head and run to grab the pendant. The clasp is broken, so I tie it in an awkward knot and let it dangle from my neck. Having it there again gives a large amount of comfort.

  I am kneeling near the boxes I fell on, and risk a glance into the mirror. I see myself, just me. I am covered in dirt and blood, my clothes are torn but my eyes are my own. The mirror shakes, and the lights flash again, and I see Ithinara.

  The real Ithinara.

  She is not me now, though she wears my clothes. Her hair is black and long, tied in a braid that drapes over her shoulder. She struggles to keep someone beside her; a man no older than twenty. His hair is white, and his eyes a shocking blue. The image flashes again, and he bangs on the surface of the mirror, another scream erupting through the air. I jump back and fall on my tailbone, pain shooting up my spine. Lightning flashes over the mirror, and a pair of pale hands pull at the man.

  Vetis is gone, and only Ithinara is there.

  She grins at me, a satisfaction to show how her centuries old anger has been sated. I blink, and the same set of hands yank her hair, her clothes, her limbs. I know she is being pulled back to Hell with Vetis, but she never loses her grin.

  I blink again, and am staring at myself.

  “Willa?” Beth calls. Her voice is hoarse.

  “Yeah,” I whisper, then louder add, “I’m here!”

  I run beside her just as Delilah begins to wake up. “Did we win?” she asks.

  Beth doesn’t answer, so I do. “We did.” My voice cracks. “We did it.” I grab them both into a hug. Surprisingly, Delilah is first to pull away.

  “Is he dead?” she asks, her eyes on Cain’s body. He is lying in the middle of the pentagram, completely still.

  As I go to check on him Beth wraps a hand around my wrist. I can feel her shaking, and her eyes plead with me not to go. “It’s fine,” I say, “it isn’t Vetis anymore.”

  I’m slow to approach Cain, despite what I just said. I saw both demons get dragged into Hell, but I’m still nervous. I wipe at the blood along my chin, finding all my injuries healed. I don’t know how I’ll explain that to the doctor on my next checkup for my wrist. I doubt demon possession would go over well.

  I kneel beside Cain and check for a pulse at his neck. It’s weak but it’s there.

  “He’s alive,” I say without looking away from him. “Cain?”

  His eyes squeeze shut, and his pulse quickens. I move his head back and forth, checking for any injuries. He seems fine. “Cain?” I ask again. “Can you hear me?”

  He groans, his eyes fluttering open. He sucks in a breath. “Angels?” he asks.

  I furrow my brow. “Not…quite.” I’m the furthest thing from an angel, really. I smile at him and say, “Welcome back.”

  My hand strokes down his face, an involuntary motion. His own hand reaches up and covers mine; it’s warm but shaking. “Thank you,” he says. He moves my hand over his mouth, and gives it a gentle kiss.

  “We should get him to a hospital,” Beth suggests.

  I look to her. “Agreed.”