Intuition

by Jennis Slaughter

  “It first started out with me in a room hearing someone being beaten...I could never get through the door to see who it was for the longest time, but when I finally did I found that it was Delaney. She was tied to a chair and some men were taking turns hitting her,” tears flowed easily down the brunette’s face.

  Kasey swallowed the lump in her own throat and reached up to hold Raelin’s face in her hands. “We are going to find her and Ariel before they get that far. We have to stay positive. Delaney is smart and sneaky as all hell. She’ll find a way to be okay.”

  Raelin shook her head. “No, if she was drugged she would wake up tied to the chair. In Ariel’s dream, they were in the back of a van and Delaney was out cold. I could never tell where they were being held. It looks like a basement. There are pipes overhead and the walls are made of concrete. It has a stark feel.”

  “Okay, that’s good. Every little bit helps. Do you remember anything else?” Kasey asked encouragingly.

  Raelin leaned her head against her table, trying to remember every detail of the dreams. “There’s a closet adjacent to the room,” she raised her head back up. “That’s all that I remember.”

  “Okay. That’s great. It’s better than nothing,” the Deputy would have said more when Raelin’s phone started ringing.

  Raelin’s eyes went wide as she reached for the phone. “Hello...”

  “Mrs. Delacroix, I know we only spoke moments ago, but a few things have been brought to my attention in the last little while,” Mr. Bisanti’s smooth voice came across the line once more.

  Closing her eyes Raelin took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice as calm as possible, “And what would those few things be, Mr. Bisanti?”

  “Well, you seem to have lost a couple of things and I seem to have been delivered a few extra pieces of cargo myself,” he said, and the distant sound of a child crying could be heard faintly in the background.

  When Raelin opened her eyes Kasey could see that they were completely black and the hairs on Raelin’s arms were standing straight up.

  “You hurt either one of them, and I swear to everything that you hold holy, you will regret it for the rest of your life,” the witch’s voice was as of hardened steel.

  “Now, now, let’s not get threatening. It’s fairly simple really. You give me what I want, and I’ll return your lost goods. I’ll even give them back mostly whole,” Bisanti chuckled. “Here, just so you know they are okay, I let you have a few words with your wife. If she can string that many together. Go ahead and say hi.”

  There was a pause before a slurred voice came across the line. “Raelin?”

  Raelin sat up straight, her free hand over her heart. “Delaney...are you okay? Is Ariel alright?”

  “I’m okay, I think? I don’t know where I am,” Del slurred, stuttering over the sentence. “Ariel is here too. Why aren’t I at the house? I was going to cook you dinner.”

  “Babe, where are you? Can you see where you are?” Raelin asked, hoping that she could tell them something to help them find her and Ariel.

  “Uhh, I can’t see very well everything is kinda moving a lot. I see ducts and cement walls I think. I can’t move. I woke up tied to this chair, but I don’t know Raelin I’m sorry I just don’t remember,” she stuttered, her words running together as she tried to think through her drug fogged brain.

  “Did you hear anything unusual?” Kasey mouthed the words so Raelin asked.

  Del started to say something but the phone was ripped away before she could.

  “I’m sorry, she’s getting very tired,” Bisanti said in a threatening tone. “Now, all you need to do is sign the shares over to me and I’ll return them. “

  He was interrupted by Del voice, “Don’t let them bully you, Raelin. It’s a bluff, you know who they are. They can’t do anything without bringing themselves down.”

  “Shut her up, will you?” Bisanti said and the distinct sound of someone being struck was heard, followed by a pained groan.

  “You just signed your own death warrant Bisanti. If you hurt her or that child any more, I swear to the Goddess that you will die before they can put you in jail.” Raelin had leapt to her feet at the sound of her wife being hit.

  “I don’t think you want to anger me Raelin. Now, I expect signed documents on my desk in the very near future. You will be further contacted with instructions on how to get them to me. Goodbye for now,” Mr. Bisanti hung up with a merry chuckle.

  It took all of Raelin’s will power not throw the phone against the wall. Her hair began to float off her shoulders while her eyes began to slowly glow red. The air seemed to thicken with electricity.

  “No Rae, tearing your house down is not going to fix this. I need you to calm down and talk to me. What did Del describe to you?” Kasey said, trying to get Raelin calmed down by having her concentrate on nothing but simple facts.

  Raelin’s voice was deeper than usual frightening the former agent with its power. “Get out of my way, Kasey. Move now.” She tried to walk around the taller woman.

  “So, where is it you plan on going anyway? Huh? Going off the deep end is not going to bring your wife back here,” she said, hoping Raelin wouldn’t fry her ass where it stood.

  “I’m not...I need to get outside to release the magic. I brought it up too fast.” The witch concentrated on controlling the power that was rolling through her.

  Nodding, Kasey stepped out of the way to let the witch pass. She watched as Raelin walked out the door, making the edges of the note still pegged to it burn. She watched curiously from the porch to see what Raelin would do next.

  Raelin knew that she couldn’t force the power back through the ground, as it would disturb the lines; she needed to let it flow back. Suddenly it hit her and she shouted to Kasey that she would be back soon, and she started running towards the spring. When she had heard Delaney being hit she pulled from the lines automatically. She had let her heart and emotions overrule her head and now she had too much power bottled up, but if she could get to the spring she could let it flow from her and back into the lines.

  As the spring came into sight, Raelin tossed her phone that she still had in her hand to the sandy bank and dove into the cool water. Swimming to the deepest part that she could the witch then floated in the water and slowly released the power.

  The water began to shimmer with the power and Raelin was now surrounded by it and it wrapped her in a warm cocoon. As she floated to the surface she remembered what she had said to herself in the dream. “Where life ended, life can be saved. What surrounds you can fill you and bring you home.”

  The spring was where her mother had died, and it was surrounding her now. It was something that she could drink, so there was some way that she could use it to bring Delaney and Ariel home.

  Gasping for air at the surface, she thought of the teleportation spell that she had read just before Bisanti’s first phone call and mentally ran through the ingredients that it used. Smiling, she realized that everything was in her altar room at the house, and the dream showed her that it worked.

  As she swam towards the shore the witch realized that she didn’t feel drained like she usually did after pulling that much power from the line, and knew that the water was even more magically charged. Reaching the bank she found her phone and called Kasey.

  “Hey...”

  “Raelin? Jesus, where are you? I tried to follow you when you took off, but I lost you in the woods. It’s not safe for you to be wandering around alone,” the Deputy said with worry, cursing mildly when a branch she was holding swung back and smacked her in the head as she let it go to answer her phone without thinking.

  “Kasey, go back to the house and get as many empty bottles as you can and then come to the spring. I need as much spring water as I can get.” Raelin knelt down to cup her hand in the water and took a sip. She smiled at the sweet taste and at the hint of the power as it made its way through her body.

  “Okay. I’ll be right there then. Anything
else?” Kasey asked as she made the short trek back to the house and began to retrieve the bottles.

  Running her free hand through her hair, Raelin sighed. “Yeah, a towel.”

  “Okay, will do,” Kasey said back. She hung up her phone and made a second trip for more empty bottles, grateful that Raelin and Delaney recycled and there was a large stockpile to choose from. She grabbed a couple of coolers to put them in and make them easier to take back to her truck, and then she grabbed a couple of towels before she headed for the spring.

  On the way she got a call from Jenny with an update on Rori’s status and before she knew it she was at the spring. She piled the two coolers with the empty bottles stacked them on top of each other, and along with the towels draped over her shoulder made the trek to the spring.

  Kasey entered the clearing and it took her a minute to spot Raelin sitting a little ways from the water, soaked, and sitting on a log with her head in her hands. “Here, I brought you a couple towels,” she said, her cheeks flushed as she wrapped one around her friend’s shoulders and held the other out for her to take.

  Raelin lifted her head for Kasey to see tears running down her face. “I’ve got to get them back Kase...I can’t live without Delaney, and Jessie will fall apart if something happened to her daughter.”

  “I know. We’re going to do everything possible to get them home safely. You’re not alone, Jenny and I will help any way we can,” she said softly, sitting next to the witch and wrapping an arm around her.

  Sniffing, the witch looked at her friend. “I think I know a way to get them back, but I’ve never tried it before, and it’s very risky. Would you do me a favor and take a sip of the spring water and tell me what you feel?”

  “Sure, just a sec I’ll be right back,” she grabbed one of the empty bottles from the coolers she’d brought and filled it at the water’s edge. She took up a seat next to the witch and sipped. She didn’t feel much at first, but a few seconds later she felt a jolt travel the whole way down her spine. “Whoa, I feel like I just drank a bunch of extra-large coffees.”

  “I released the power into the spring and that added another level to the already natural energy that it already had. Now, right before Bisanti called the first time I found a spell for teleportation in the journal, and with that, I think I can get Delaney and Ariel back here. It matches what I dreamed about.” Raelin turned so that she was facing the Deputy. “Like I said, it’s risky, but I know I can do it.”

  “Okay, when do you plan to try?” she asked.

  “It will take me at least a day to get things ready.” Raelin held the towel over her face for a moment as she drew in a deep breath. Putting it down, she hung her head as she spoke. “I need to call Jessie and let her know what is going on.”

  “Yeah, you should. I’m going to go start filling these bottles for you while you do that,” she said, squeezing the witch’s shoulder and then drug both coolers to the water’s edge.

  Nodding her head, Raelin found her phone on the log and hit Jessie’s speed dial.

  “Raelin, hi.” Jessie greeted, sounding both stressed out and exhausted at the same time. “Sorry I haven’t called in a while, this trial is kicking my ass,” she sighed.

  Raelin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Jessie...I have something to tell you. Are you sitting down?”

  “Yes I am. Raelin what is it, is Ariel okay?” the lawyer asked, panic welling in her chest.

  “There’s no easy way to say this. She’s been taken...Bisanti took her and Delaney from the house. He wants the casino shares,” the witch waited for the outburst to come.

  It took a few minutes for her friend’s words to sink in and when they did Jessie felt stone cold terror grip her heart and squeeze. “What do you mean she was taken? You guys were supposed to watch her. How does she get taken if she’s being watched by someone?” she yelled into the receiver.

  Raelin knew how her friend felt and wished that she could calm her down. “As far as we can tell, they were outside of the house playing when Delaney was shot with a tranquilizer dart and they were taken. I got a phone call from Bisanti telling me that he wants the shares and he’s going to call back to tell me where he wants them delivered. I’ll get them back Jessie...I swear.”

  “You damn well better. If anything happens to her...” trailing off, Jessie let the sob she’d been holding back come out, her anger draining off and being replaced with sadness and fear. “I can’t lose her, Raelin, that little girl is my life. I’m driving out there. Fuck this trial; I’ll have every goddamn cop in the state on their asses.”

  “NO Jessie...don’t call the police...not yet. We don’t know where they are being held. I have an idea, but I need to be sure. If you have to call anyone, call Director Jacobs of the FBI. She’s helped us out before, and Kasey will also call and give her a heads up. You can come here, but give me a chance to get them back. I can do this Jessie. I swear I can,” the witch pleaded.

  “Fine, I’ll be there later tonight. I need to go and get some things together and give my second chair the news that I’m dropping my place in the case. I’ll see you tonight,” she said promptly hanging up without a goodbye.

  Putting the last bottle into the cooler, Kasey winced. “I going to assume she didn’t take it so well.”

  Hanging her head, Raelin ran a hand through her damp hair. “No...to say the least. You about finished?”

  “All done. Let’s get back to the house. Jenny called me when I was on my way over here and she said they took Rori in right away. They should be back anytime by now,” she said hefting one of the coolers up onto her shoulder.

  Raelin picked up the smaller cooler and the two women made their way back to Kasey’s truck. After putting the coolers in the back Raelin got in the passenger side and buckled up. Turning to her friend she waited until Kasey looked over to her. “Thank you for believing in me Kasey. I know that you don’t have any reason to, but I know that I can get them back.”

  “Raelin, I consider you and Delaney my closest friends. I’ve seen you do some amazing things, especially in the name of protecting Delaney. If you say you can get them back, then I am going to let you try,” she said with a soft smile, wrapping an arm around Raelin’s shoulders in an awkward hug.

  Suddenly, Raelin started sobbing and couldn’t stop. All her pent up emotions and fears let loose.

  Scooting over to the middle seat Kasey wrapped both arms around the sobbing witch holding her close and offering any comfort she could to the distraught woman. She rested her chin on the top of Raelin’s head letting her cry out her anguish.

  After a few moments, Raelin sniffled and pulled away wiping her face with the towel. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to get your shirt all wet.”

  “It’s no problem. That’s what friends are for,” the Deputy gave Raelin’s forehead an affectionate kiss before scooting back to the driver seat buckling in, and heading for the house. “I know the merits of a good cry. It might not feel like it, with the stuffy nose, but it tends to clear out your head sometimes.”

  Laughing softly, Raelin shook her head. “I love it when you get flustered. Bet Jenny does too,” shaking her head; she closed her eyes to get her thoughts in order. “You need to call Jacobs and let her know what’s going on.”

  “I know, I’m going to as soon as I get to the house. She’ll at least give us an opportunity to try before she sends in the cavalry,” Kasey said, blushing lightly. “Jenny says she does, but personally I think she’s just biased.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Jessie barreled through the front door of the house and stopped when she came across a napping Kasey, sprawled out on top of Jenny as she lay on the couch, her fingers running through the Deputy’s hair. “Where is she?” She asked, her anger back.

  Jenny looked up from her fiancée to an angry attorney. “She’s in the altar room, but I don’t think you want...”

  The attorney was already storming down the hallway and finding the door she remembered wh
en Delaney had given her a tour on her first visit and began pounding on the door. “Raelin, come out here and tell me what the hell happened and how you plan to get my daughter back.”

  Opening the door Raelin calmly answered the woman. “I will answer any question that you ask, just please calm down. Why don’t we go into the kitchen and I’ll explain everything that I can,” she held out her arm towards the kitchen.

  Nodding shortly, the attorney marched to the kitchen and began pacing the length of the table. “She’s a defenseless toddler Raelin, she has no way to defend herself. At least Delaney has that much.”

  Raelin tried to keep her emotions under control as she felt Kasey and Jenny at her back at the entranceway of the room. “Delaney would give her life for your daughter. You know that, but she was knocked unconscious and couldn’t do anything.”

  “She fought as hard as she could, even as the drugs were knocking her out. I found signs of a struggle on the porch, some blood. Not a lot, but enough to know that Delaney didn’t go down without a fight. She will never let anything happen to that little girl,” Kasey said quietly from her place at the door.

  “That’s fine and dandy, but Del’s not much help if she’s drugged, is she?” she snapped, and then regretted it immediately. “God, I can’t lose her. She’s my baby,” she sobbed as she slid into a chair, her anger once again pushed away by the grief and fear.

  Reaching out to wrap her arms around the sobbing woman Raelin whispered against her hair. “I promise you that I will get your daughter and Delaney back to you.”

  “I’m so scared. How can you be so calm?” she whimpered into Raelin’s shoulder. “I don’t understand, why take Ariel? She’s just a little girl; she’s certainly no threat to them.”

  Raelin closed her eyes before she answered the attorney. “I believe that they thought that she was Delaney’s daughter.”

  The hurt that shot through the attorney at those words sucked wind right out of her and she gasped as the pain of it settled over her. “Oh God,” she choked out, clutching at Raelin’s shirt. “We need to get them back, I need her back. What is your plan Raelin, tell me and I’ll make sure you have whatever you need to get it done. We’ll do it tonight the sooner the better.”