Cassie (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #3)

by Virginia Hunter

  Cassie gagged, and pulled away.

  A grisly hand wrapped around her neck. “Why shy away, Sweetling?” the thing whispered, as it dragged her back. “We have unfinished business, or do you not remember that day in Mr. Garber’s classroom?” Its other clawed hand ran along her body in a twisted attempt at tenderness.

  Cassie couldn’t stop the surge of power that bubbled up from her shock and revulsion. How does it know that?! She curled up into a ball, and kicked out at the creature as best she could. “Get away from me, you sick fuck!”

  The creature knocked her clumsy attack aside. “It’s always better when you fight,” it breathed, while continuing to paw at her. The truck suddenly came to a halt, giving the creature pause. The doors swung open, and crisp sunlight filled the compartment.

  Cassie reeled from the brightness, closing her eyes again.

  “Carreau! Come,” someone commanded from outside. There was a moment of quiet, then the trailer jostled, as the monster moved away and climbed out.

  Relief washed over Cassie. Whoever had called the monster, no doubt, must be a villain as well. He had, however, saved her from the creature’s affections, at least for the time being. She cracked her eyes open to let them adjust to the light. When she could finally see, there was a man squatting between her and Caleb.

  “Hello Cassie. I can’t express how happy I am to see you.”

  “What the hell?” She was taken aback by the man’s appearance. He looked just like the monster before it had changed into a monster back at the restaurant.

  The man smiled. “You must have many questions.”

  “No shit,” she retorted. “Like, who the hell are you?”

  “J’onn,” he answered.

  “That’s great. Do you turn into an ugly meat stick like your twin out there?”

  J’onn shook his head. “No. Carreau is a demon, I am...well, something else entirely.”

  That explained a few things. Like the fact that she was going crazy. Things had been bad enough in her life, but this shit right here took the cake. “What do you want, J’onn?”

  He flashed his pearly whites at her. “Your power, my dear. I want your power.”

  “You can have it. It’s been more trouble than its worth, trust me.”

  “Oh, I think I can make use of it. I’m glad you feel the need to unburden yourself of such a gift. Though it won’t make this any easier for you I’m afraid.”

  Gunshots went off outside. The demon roared, and a woman screamed. J’onn appeared unconcerned. He stood and motioned toward the doors at someone she couldn’t see. “Take them to the barn.”

  Men dressed in black winter jackets climbed into the trailer, and took hold of her and Caleb.

  “Be wary of that one,” J’onn pointed at Cassie. “She is stronger than she looks.”

  Cassie and Caleb were dragged out of the trailer. Snow covered the ground as far as the eye could see. Groupings of trees spotted the landscape, most of which were near a two story farmhouse. The men carried them toward an old red barn not far from the house. As they passed the front porch, she could hear a slurping noise, and saw the demon gorging itself on some poor person’s innards. She couldn’t make out the body being devoured in the deep snow, but there was a woman sprawling on the porch steps, convulsing, as her life’s blood spilled from the wound on her neck.

  A surge of anger and fear brought Cassie’s power back to the surface. She was ready to tear free of her bonds, but the demon looked up from his meal. Blood covered its face in a crimson mask, his dark eyes shone against the white snow, as it glared at her. The demon slowly shook its head.

  How the hell does it know when my power is up? She looked back at Caleb’s unconscious form. She knew she wouldn’t be able break free of the chains, and reach him in time. Between the demon and J’onn’s flunkies, there were too many. Caleb would die. She eased off of the power, and let herself be taken into the barn.

  There were two more men in black already in the barn, making the count six in all. The extra two were busy at work cleaning the main thoroughfare of the building, while the other four dropped Cassie and Caleb off to the side. One of them stayed near Caleb, as the remaining three went to help with the cleaning.

  J’onn sauntered in with a bucket of blood, and set it just outside the bustling ring of workers. “We’ll need more. Slaughter some of the horses,” he directed his minions. “And start some fires. I want more warmth in here.”

  Cassie had no idea what was going on, but it didn’t look good. Panic clambered against her control. She’d been in rough spots before, though nothing like this. Keep cool, there still may be a chance. Just wait for it.

  “This is the fate of all your kind, you know,” J’onn said, as he moseyed over to her, and leaned against the wall. “It’s just the natural order of things.”

  “My kind?” Cassie wasn’t sure if she cared what he was saying, but talking was better than sitting there waiting in silence. “What are you talking about?”

  J’onn chuckled. “Like shooting fish in a barrel”—he shook his head—“None of you seem to know what you are until it’s too late, hardly seems fair. I’m not complaining mind you. I, for one, am glad of the ignorance—”

  “Is mocking someone who has no idea what you’re talking about satisfying for you?” she interrupted. “Seems kind of pointless to me.”

  He continued to chortle. “You’re a witch.” He glanced down at Caleb. “And a slut, but that part doesn’t matter. Your power will be mine, and I will go on to hunt another.”

  The slut comment didn’t bother her, she’d been called worse, but a witch? Now it’s official, I am going crazy, she thought. There was no doubt this guy and his cronies had the motivation to do some heinous stuff, and she couldn’t deny the “demon” was not of this world, but that didn’t make this whole situation any less ludicrous. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to stop whatever it was they had planned from happening. “How many of ‘my kind’ have you hunted?”

  “For me?” J’onn began, “Just you. My brethren, however, have hunted thousands over the centuries.”

  “Poppin’ your cherry then, huh?”

  He looked down at her, affectionately. “You don’t know how fitting your words are, my dear.”

  She’d meant for the comment to be a slight to build her confidence, but his reply caused the exact opposite. She fought to repress the memories of Mr. Carson. Don’t lose it now. Keep yourself together.

  Caleb finally stirred with a low moan.

  “Ah, your hero awakens,” J’onn said. He came away from the wall, and kicked Caleb in the gut. “Wake up, sweet prince.”

  Caleb recoiled from the attack and coughed, as he tried to regain his breath.

  “Secure him,” J’onn said to his flunky.

  The dark clad guard pulled Caleb into a sitting position, and then put a blade to his throat.

  J’onn leaned down next to Cassie while still looking at Caleb. “Hey, hero! I think you’re going to enjoy this.” J’onn grabbed hold of Cassie, and licked her face.

  “Get off me you sick—”

  “Ah, ah,” J’onn interrupted, motioning to Caleb and the blade. “His life depends on your cooperation.”

  “Bullshit,” Caleb spat, snapping out of his stupor. “He’s going to kill me anyway. Break free and run Cassie.”

  “Not true,” J’onn retorted. He slowly began to fondle Cassie’s breasts. “I have uses for a Guardian. He may not be free in the traditional sense, but he will most definitely be alive and well.”

  Guardian? Another term Cassie was unfamiliar with. Not that she could really focus on much when sicko was getting off rubbing her tits. “You’re pushing your luck, pal.”

  “Oh?” J’onn replied, “You think you have some control here?” His fist smashed into the side of her face. “Go ahead then. Break out and see what happens. But, I think we both know how pointless and wasteful that would be.”

  Spots distorted Cassie’s vision, a
nd her ears rang from the blow. As tempted as she was to break her bonds and tear J’onn’s head from his shoulders, she couldn’t. She had to wait. And hope.

  The demon came into the barn, its appetite apparently sated. It slammed the door shut, and scanned the room, until its dark eyes fell on J’onn.

  “Come, Carreau.” J’onn motioned for the demon. “Keep an eye on that one.” He pointed at Caleb. “We are almost ready. I must finish my preparations.”

  Cassie glanced at the men who had first been busy cleaning away debris, and then slopping blood everywhere. She hadn’t noticed the death of the horses at the back of the stable, but it was obvious now with all of the blood. Several fires blazed in tin buckets around a circular pattern J’onn’s minions had painted on the floor. Bloody, geometrical shapes, came together with squiggly characters to make some kind of weird symbol. When she turned back to J’onn, he was leaning over her with a wicked, black dagger.

  She jerked away. “What the—”

  J’onn grabbed her shirt, and sliced it open with the dark blade. “Don’t struggle or you’ll be cut.”

  “Screw you, Asshole!”

  “Have it your way,” J’onn said, as he struck her in the temple with the pommel of his dagger.

  Once again, lights exploded across Cassie’s vision, joining the mind numbing pain. She blacked out, but for how long she couldn’t say. She remembered someone tugging at her clothes, and then being dragged across the floor. Caleb’s voice was in there too, but she couldn’t make out what he was yelling. When she came back around, a wave of dread washed over her.

  J’onn had changed into a black, silk robe that was parted in the front, and nothing else. His hands were raised with the black dagger in one of them. He was chanting some gibberish, while his cronies backed him up like a twisted church choir. Cassie herself was completely naked. The chains were still wrapped around her wrists and ankles, but her arms had been pulled over her head, and her legs were spread wide. Caleb wasn’t yelling anymore because the demon had clamped a gnarled hand around his face.

  “I offer this sacrifice to you, O’ Lord of dark, that I may become a more useful servant to your cause!” J’onn yelled. He edged forward eagerly, angling his throbbing erection, so that he could plunge it into her. The black dagger was still raised in one hand, poised to strike.

  A mixture of anger and despair rippled through Cassie. If she broke free, Caleb would be killed. If she let this happen, she had no doubts that she would die, horribly. The choice.

  Something reflected off of the firelight up in the loft. Just as Cassie spotted the tiny sparkle, a gunshot rang out. J’onn’s shoulder erupted in a spray of blood, and he screamed, as he toppled to the side. Another shot sounded, and one of the men in black dropped to the ground. The third shot ushered in chaos among J’onn’s followers, and set the demon into action.

  It was in that instant, time seemed to slow around Cassie. Her endorphins must have kicked in because she saw everything unfolding all at the same time. The demon turning to leap into the loft, the black clad men scattering for cover, and J’onn crawling away from her, leaving a bloody trail. This was the moment she’d been waiting for.

  The chains around Cassie’s wrists shattered, as she pulled them apart, broken links flying in every direction. She roared in triumph and sprang to her feet, as power surged to every muscle in her body. The chains around her ankles were still attached, but the men who had been holding them were running for their lives. She sprinted toward Caleb.

  One of J’onn’s flunkies moved to block her.

  She smashed a fist into his face, and felt the bones collapse under the force of her blow. The man didn’t make a sound, as he tumbled to the floor, sliding out of her way. She continued forward, until she reached Caleb.

  “Thank God,” Caleb said. “Are you okay?”

  “Give me your hands!”

  He did so.

  She tore the ropes apart, careful not to crush his wrists in the process. She did the same for his ankles, and then hauled him to his feet. “C’mon!”

  They made a break for the door.

  “Die, you murdering bastards!” Someone yelled, as bullets continued to rain down from the loft. “You killed my family. Die!”

  Cassie didn’t look around to see who had given her the chance to escape. She knew whoever it was would be dead once the demon got a hold of them, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  “Stop them!” J’onn screamed.

  There was only one flunky between them and the door. He had a knife, which Caleb took from him in two smooth movements, and then slammed it into the guy’s neck. He fell to the floor, gurgling his last breath. Caleb jerked the barn door open, and ran out.

  Cassie hopped over the dying creep to follow Caleb, when her feet were suddenly ripped out from under her. She hit the ground hard, her head smacking on the floorboards. Before she could turn over to see what had happened, she was yanked across the floor back toward the bloody symbol.

  “No escape for you, Sweetling,” the demon hissed.

  Cassie glanced over her shoulder. The lengths of chain that hung from her ankles were now wrapped in one of Carreau’s fists. In his other hand was the lifeless body of some boy that couldn’t have been more than fourteen years old.

  The sight brought tears to her eyes, and anger to her heart.

  The demon dropped the boy, and continued to drag her ever closer, until she was near enough for it to clamp a steely grip around her arms. She was lifted off the floor so that she dangled face to face with the creature. “You will remain, to fulfill your—”

  She head-butted the monster in mid speech. She’d had enough fear for one day, it was time to cause some of her own. As the demon stumbled back from surprise, she wrestled an arm free. The monster tried to regain his hold, but missed, as she jabbed her thumb into its eye. She gagged, as blood and ichor sprayed up her arm and across her face.

  An unearthly bellowing came from the demon. In a fit of rage and pain, the monster threw her across the barn. She slammed into one of the horse stables, breaking several wooden beams from the impact. Pain rifled along her side and shoulder, but she didn’t give in to it. Cassie got to her feet and bellowed at the demon. Power surged through her, following the rage that burned in her veins.

  She charged.

  The demon came at her, roaring its own battle cry. Just as they were about to collide, the demon spun to the side, and slashed Cassie’s back with its hooked talons.

  She screamed, arching her back in agony. She stumbled around in time to block the demon’s next attack with her forearms crossed in front of her. The force of the blow knocked her to her knees, but she held her ground. Another fist hammered down. This time she shifted to the side, grabbing hold of its wrist, and twisted as hard as she could.

  The demon’s bones cracked under the strain. It roared in pain, and lashed out with a vicious kick to her stomach. She folded over the massive foot, releasing her hold, and flew back against the wall.

  Pain once again cascaded across her body. She struggled to remain focused through the haze, and managed to dive out of the way, before the demon’s club-like fist crashed into the wall behind her.

  J’onn’s surviving flunkies were starting to regroup, as they ran to cover the exit.

  Her options were thinning. She couldn’t take much more punishment. She had to get out of there and fast. C’mon, you can do this.

  Her legs were yanked out from under her again, as she ran for the exit. The demon had grabbed the cursed chains once more. The muscles along its sinewy arms flexed, slinging the chain and Cassie, into the air. She soared over the demon’s head, and then plummeted with the speed of a falling star, crashing into the floor. Boards snapped and broke apart beneath her. Darkness closed around the edges of her vision, threatening to rob her of consciousness.

  “Don’t kill her!” J’onn commanded.

  She coughed, and the taste of iron filled her mouth. She couldn’t bring herse
lf to move, there was just too much pain.

  “Help me,” J’onn motioned to the demon. He was leaning up against one of the stable walls. It looked like the boy had managed to shoot the cultist bastard in the leg as well.

  Kudos, kid. She was so hurt and tired, it was hard to concentrate. At least Caleb got away.

  The demon lumbered toward its master. One of the remaining three flunkies closed the barn door, which sounded like a death toll, as it slammed into place. The other two were sauntering her way, when the door suddenly exploded into splintered shards. An old work truck plowed through the three flunkies, and then crashed into the demon as it was almost to J’onn. The gangly monster went flying, and crashed through the wall on the far side of the barn.

  The driver’s side door opened, and Caleb hopped out. He ran over to Cassie, concern turned the corners of his mouth down. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, as his blue eyes scanned over her injuries.

  “Had to use the car again, huh?” Cassie choked out weakly.

  “Hey, if it works...” He scooped her up in his arms, and took her to the truck.

  “We need to stop meeting like this,” she said with a cough.

  “Whenever you’re done with the whole occult groupie thing, I’m there.”

  She chuckled, even though each laugh brought on another spike of agony.

  After setting her in the seat, Caleb jumped in and slammed the truck into gear. He took off, crashing through another wall of the barn.

  Cassie couldn’t fight the darkness any longer. She yielded to its call, and drifted away happily, in spite of all the pain.

  Miranda jolted awake. Sweat had soaked through her nightgown, dampening the sheets. She was panting as if she’d been running through the grove. It must be the spell, she thought while throwing the covers off. It’s becoming more powerful.

  The vision of the petite, black-haired girl was so vivid, Miranda could have reached out and touched her. The danger she had felt was just as real.

  She quickly slid out of bed, stripped out of her gown, and went to the bathroom. The cool water of a shower helped calm her nerves, as it cleansed her body. The vision of this new girl was much stronger than what she’d experienced with Alix. The details much more vivid. She needed to speak with Hannah.