If she allowed Kara and Selene to maintain the higher ground, she would always be at a disadvantage. It was time to level things out. Charlotte flashed a sequence of gestures as her two adversaries advanced on her, then she planted her hand on the bottom step. The staircase crumbled into dust beneath Kara and Selene’s feet. Kara gasped in astonishment and the two of them tumbled to the floor. There was no time to break their own fall and they hit the ground hard. Charlotte laughed an evil laugh.
Kara groaned as she pushed herself back up to her feet.
“Are you okay?” Selene asked.
“I’m fine,” she replied. Kara never took her eyes off Charlotte as she held her sword before her with her feet staggered. Selene held her katana at the ready, her face bathed in its red glow. Charlotte circled them like a panther about to strike.
“You killed Professor Chang,” said Kara. “How could you do that?”
“Because she was being a stubborn mule. It was annoying,” Charlotte replied. Kara’s brow crinkled in anger. “Don’t worry. It was quick and relatively painless,” she said with a shrug.
Kara slashed with her sword as Charlotte parried with her blades then spun and thrust her elbow into Kara’s back. She groaned and stumbled forward. Selene raised her katana and swung down at Charlotte’s head, but she crossed her blades and blocked up high. Ripples of blue and red light exploded from the impact. Kara swung at Charlotte from a downward angle and she drove Selene’s blade down to block it. Suddenly, Selene headbutted Charlotte in the face and she staggered backward, momentarily stunned. Selene blasted her with a shockwave that knocked her back several more feet. Charlotte struggled to maintain her footing but soon didn’t have to worry about it when Kara drove her heel into her gut. Charlotte collapsed on the floor completely winded. Kara stood over her and held the point of her sword at Charlotte’s throat.
“Yield!” she exclaimed.
“I don’t do surrender!” Charlotte sneered. Then she raised her hand and a cloud of blue flames exploded from her palm. It was almost too late when Kara dodged the fireball. The flames singed her dress and seared the flesh of her arm. Charlotte sprang to her feet and inhaled as deeply as she could, then, as she spread her fingers before her lips she blew a steady stream of fire that cut through the lobby. Kara and Selene dove to the floor as the column of fire passed over them. The intense heat burned them from above and the furniture and plants were set ablaze. Terrified bystanders saw the blue flames from outside and looked on in astonishment.
Daniela Gomez District of Columbia, Present
Daniela and the other guests had taken shelter in the hotel lobby next door. She could hardly make sense of anything that had transpired that night. An ordinary exhibition had dissolved into chaos. How had Kara managed to defeat the giant bat? What was her connection to this Charlotte Grey? Now the guests were saying that Kara and Charlotte were clashing next door. A cold weight sunk in Daniela’s stomach. How could Kara fight this woman? Charlotte had flung Armand Santos across the room like he was nothing!
Then there was Daniela herself. When the bar crashed through the window a cloud of glass tumbled toward her. She shrieked and threw her hands up to shield herself. But the glass never touched her—because it fell upon a magical barrier that surrounded her. Daniela opened her eyes and saw a dome of green light above her head. Glowing ripples spread across its surface as the dagger-like shards bounced off and tumbled to the floor. Daniela gasped as she felt the warm energy coursing through her arms. Then the dome faded away and she swept along with the fleeing crowd.
She sat on the couch and gazed at her hands. Where did this magic come from? she wondered. Suddenly, she remembered Terry had not retreated with the other guests when the demon arrived. She stood up and swiveled her head as she cast her gaze about the room urgently. Then she saw him across the room. Terry sat by the window and stared at his right leg. Daniela weaved around the other guests until she reached him. When she was close enough, she saw a vertical tear in his pants. It was tinged with blood but his leg appeared unscathed.
“Terry, do you know what’s going on?” she asked in a quavering voice.
Terry looked up as if he noticed her presence for the first time. His wide eyes locked with hers. “She healed me,” he said. “Kara healed me with magic.”
“What?” Daniela exclaimed.
Selene Radcliffe, Paradigm Gallery, District of Columbia, Present
Kara and Selene rose to their feet and charged at Charlotte amidst the flames of the burning room. Their weapons cut through the air as the three women clashed fiercely over the marble floor. Selene slashed diagonally as Charlotte slipped the blade and stomped down on her knee. Her leg collapsed beneath her right before Charlotte kicked her in the face. Selene’s head snapped backward and she fell to her back. Then Charlotte knocked Kara back with a shockwave which hurled her into the wall. Her back slammed into the marble façade before she crumpled to the floor and groaned. Selene looked across the room and saw Kara down on her side. She turned her piercing gaze on Charlotte and kicked up at her from the floor, turning to her side and thrusting her heel at her stomach. She groaned and stumbled backward. Then Selene sprang to her feet and attacked Charlotte with renewed fury. Her sword strokes rained on her from every angle and Charlotte could barely keep up. Many of her parries were almost too late as Selene closed in for the kill. She moved in a constant blur of motion while her katana traced deadly arcs through the air. Although Charlotte ducked and blocked her attacks, Selene’s crimson sword grazed her hair and torso. She slashed at a diagonal and Charlotte met her blade with both of hers. Ripples of light exploded from the impact as the two adversaries panted through gritted teeth. Then she side-kicked Selene in the stomach and hurled a fireball at her. She leaned to her right and let it streak past her arm. It exploded against the wall behind her and they were engulfed by a new wave of heat.
Kara Hartman Paradigm Gallery, District of Columbia, Present
Kara rolled to her back and looked across the floor. She saw Charlotte and Selene clashing before a wall of blue flames, their figures silhouetted against the azure glow. Sweat trickled down her face as she began to rise.
Visions of her dead brother flashed through her mind overlaid with the Dean’s voice when he told her of Professor Chang’s death. She remembered how she wept at Anthony’s funeral and all her melancholy visits to his grave. Kara herself had almost died tonight and now the life of the woman she loved was at risk. No more! Kara frowned and reached for her sword.
Selene Radcliffe, Paradigm Gallery, District of Columbia, Present
Charlotte leaped and twirled her blades and Selene slipped the attack. The heat of the glowing swords touched her face as she spun and raised her katana high. She slashed downward at Charlotte’s head but her strike was halted by the edge of her twin blades. Charlotte drove Selene’s katana to the floor and swung at her throat. She fell to her knees and leaned backward while she watched it pass over her face. Selene turned and slashed at Charlotte’s leg. She screamed as the searing blade tore at her flesh. Blood seeped from her thigh. Selene rose to her feet and blasted her with a shockwave. The air rippled and Charlotte was hurled across the floor. She hit the ground and rolled several feet. Selene advanced on the enemy, her face lit with the ominous glow of her sword. Charlotte hastily rose to her feet as Selene battered her with another flurry of attacks.
Charlotte spun and parried a straight thrust then slashed at Selene’s head. She ducked beneath it and thrust her elbow into Charlotte’s gut. Selene rose to her full height and knee kicked Charlotte in the face. She moaned and stumbled backward. Blood leaked from her nose. Selene flashed a gesture and Charlotte’s weapons burst into a cloud of embers.
“You tried to take her from me!” Selene bellowed.
Charlotte stood there and trembled as she closed in for the final blow. Selene strode forward and raised her katana, ready to cleave Charlotte’s head from her shoulders. But before she could, a white blade protruded from Ch
arlotte’s torso. She looked down, her mouth open in a silent scream as the glow of Kara’s sword illumined her face. Charlotte collapsed and fell on her side.
Hot tears streamed down Kara’s cheeks as she gazed upon her former friend who lay dead at her feet. Selene released her katana and embraced Kara. She stood before the roaring flames and wept while Selene consoled her.
“Shhh, it’s okay. We’re okay now,” she said soothingly. “It’s all over, Kara. Shhh…”
John and Amelia entered the lobby and stood over Charlotte’s motionless corpse. Their dark coats were rent with bloody gashes and they looked exhausted. “The Council will expect a full report on Charlotte’s death,” Amelia said grimly. John nodded and levitated Charlotte’s body off the floor. Amelia cast an Invisibility Spell over them and they vanished from view.
Selene could see the flashing of police sirens and the blaring horn of a fire truck in the distance. “C’mon. We need to get out of here,” she said to Kara. She nodded and wiped the tears from her face. Then they left the lobby together as it burned with Charlotte’s flames.
Moments later, police arrived at the scene. Their sirens flashed and blared in the night as officers stepped out of their cruisers. Fire engines pulled up to the gallery and began to douse the flames in the lobby. They directed traffic around the dead creature and cars slowly trickled out of the clogged street. Animal control showed up and puzzled out what they were going to do about a giant, four-winged bat. Bystanders gathered on the sidewalk with their phones out as they shot video and photos of the macabre scene. They uploaded to social media and the internet was on fire in minutes. Footage of Kara and Charlotte’s battle was everywhere. Local news outlets caught wind of what had transpired and their trucks scrambled to the scene of the dead creature. News anchors from every station arrived with microphones in hand and cameramen following closely behind. The breaking news interrupted normal programming for the night with headlines that read: “Battle at the Gallery” and “Mysterious Monster Assaults Exhibition.” City dwellers at home and patrons at the bars stared in awe at their televisions as footage of the monster and the following battle played on their screens.
Saba Qureshi District of Columbia, Present
Saba watched through the eyes of a demon as Charlotte collapsed on the floor and died. She moaned in exasperation. Stupid girl! Now that Charlotte was off the board, she could not move forward with her designs as she originally planned. But not all was lost. While Charlotte was having it out with her former best friend, Saba paid a visit to an old acquaintance. She got what she needed and now she had to get going. Saba released her spell on the demon then flared the engines of the jet.
Kara Hartman District Wharf District of Columbia, Present
Later that night, Selene dropped Kara off at her apartment. She parked her bike on the street and walked her to the door. Kara was about to step through when, suddenly, she stopped and turned to Selene. “Selene, would you…stay with me tonight?”
“Of course,” she answered quickly. They entered Kara’s apartment together and she closed the door behind them. Once inside, they entered the bathroom where they wiped off their makeup and took off their jewelry. Then they changed out of their dresses and crawled into bed. Kara lay on her side and she fell asleep with Selene’s arm wrapped around her.
Chapter Eleven
Kara Hartman District Wharf, District of Columbia, Present
The next morning, Kara awoke to find her arm still there. She reached down and grasped Selene’s hand firmly. She had fought valiantly the previous night and Kara knew she could not have vanquished Charlotte without her. She tried to save her twice now. But Charlotte had simply fallen too far. Kara was overjoyed that Selene was still alive but would always be haunted by her choice to end Charlotte’s life. Even as she slumbered in Selene’s embrace, her dreams were filled with blood and fire.
Kara turned carefully toward Selene. She caressed her arm with the back of her fingers, touched her face. She leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Selene’s slumber was undisturbed by the contact. For long, quiet minutes she lay there and gazed at her serene countenance immensely grateful that they were both alive and together. Slivers of early morning sunlight shone through the blinds as the sun rose over the city.
Suddenly, her phone chimed on her nightstand. Kara looked and saw John’s name appear on the screen. She reached out and answered the call.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Good morning, Kara. How are you?” John said.
“I’m okay. A little shaken…but I’m fine,” she replied quietly.
“Good, good. Listen, I’m sorry about last night. I tried to get there sooner, I really did but…”
“I know. I saw you dueling the Hounds. It’s okay,” Kara interjected.
“Amelia and I would also like to have a chat with you and Selene later this morning if that’s okay?”
“Sure.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.”
“See you,” They hung up.
Kara returned her phone to the nightstand, then sat up and stretched her arms. She gently yawned and gave Selene another fond look before she quietly rose from bed. She strolled into the kitchen and got some coffee started. Then she switched on the television and turned the volume low. She sat on the couch and watched as a clip of last night’s battle played on the news. Last night, D.C. saw a massive spike in paranormal activity when demonic creatures attacked an art exhibition followed by an intense battle among several mystics which ended with the lobby in flames. said the anchorwoman. What you see on your screen is a video captured on a bystander’s phone of a giant bat getting struck by lightning which was uploaded to social media sites mere hours ago. This we have along with unconfirmed reports that Kara Hartman, one of the artists featured at the exhibition, was the one who killed the monster. Minutes later, witnesses reported bursts of mystical energy from the lobby as three magic users clashed on the street level. The origin of the monster, the reason for last night’s attack, and the identity of the other magic users all remain unknown at this time. Coming up next, viewers and witnesses weigh in. Kara flipped through several channels and found the same thing everywhere. She rose from the couch and poured herself a mug of coffee. She sipped it as she walked back to the living room.
Presently, Selene entered in a pair of Kara’s pajamas. She heard the news report and glanced at the television. Her eyebrows shot up and she smirked. “Looks like we’re famous,” she said.
“Indeed,” Kara replied over her coffee. Selene leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Then she went to the kitchen and poured some coffee for herself. She replaced the pitcher on the coffee machine when there was a gentle knock at the door. Kara looked over her shoulder.
“I’ll get it,” Selene said. She went to the door and opened it to find John and Amelia standing in the hallway. “Hey. Come in.”
They greeted her good morning and entered Kara’s apartment. Kara heard the door close and greeted them from the couch. “Good morning,” she said to John and Amelia.
“Good morning,” they replied.
“So, what happens now?” she asked.
“Now we fly to New York and brief the Council on Charlotte’s defeat,” Amelia replied.
“What’d you do with the body?” Selene asked as she sipped her coffee.
“We turned over Charlotte’s remains to the morgue at the D.C. branch. Her closest relatives will be informed of her passing so they can make funeral arrangements,” John said.
“What about Charlotte’s accomplice, Saba?” Selene responded.
“Saba remains at large. We don’t know where she is or what she’s planning but we’ll do whatever it takes to bring her to justice.” Amelia answered.
“Do you guys have to fly out right away?” Selene asked.
“I suppose we could tarry a while,” replied Amelia with a shrug. “Why?”
“Why don’t we all get breakfast together? Psycho bitch is dead; our favorite g
irl lives, crisis averted. Let’s savor the victory.” Selene said.
“Well, we don’t really need to take off for another couple of hours yet. Sounds fine to me. John?” Amelia replied.
“I could eat,” he said.
“Kara? You onboard?” Selene asked.
“I don’t have work until tomorrow. Let’s do it!” Kara said with a soft smile.
Later that evening, after John and Amelia had left for New York, Kara and Selene pulled up to the curb before a cemetery. Selene killed the engine and they dismounted. Then the two of them walked through the gate hand-in-hand.
Their footsteps crunched along the gravel path as they made their way past rows of graves. The fiery glow of the sinking sun illumined the tombstones and cast long shadows over the grass. Kara’s hair fluttered in the gentle breeze while she traced the steps she had taken many times before.
They climbed a hill and arrived at a gravestone in the shade of a tree. Golden slivers of light poked through the foliage above and fell upon the engraving. The epitaph read:
ANTHONY HARTMAN
Beloved Son and Brother
2002 – 2017
Selene gave Kara’s hand a gentle squeeze.
Dreams of Fire Page 20