by Amos Cassidy
Rose took a step back and almost slipped again, she glanced down to see a smear of red. “What, what is this?” She took another careful step back, instinct driving her to put more distance between her and her friend.
Faye studied the floor. “Oh that. That’s blood.” She shrugged. “Shouldn’t stain, its laminate flooring, lucky the hallway’s not carpeted. Now that would be a bill.” She giggled.
Rose was backing away toward the front door but suddenly Faye’s eyes were on her, rooting her to the spot. “Now, now, Rose. Don’t be rude, you’re invited to a party and you must attend.”
“Whose blood is it?” Rose asked through gritted teeth.
“You know what, I forget. I think it’s a bit of everyone’s actually.” She shrugged unconcerned, then strode toward Rose, grasping her by the upper arm.
Rose tried to pull away but Faye’s grip was like iron. Rose stopped struggling, realising it was futile.
“You’re obviously not human. So what are you, some kind of demon?” It was all coming together in her head. Whatever Faye was, Rose was almost certain that she was responsible for the attacks that had taken place over the last few weeks. She was also almost certain that her so called friend was crazy. She needed to tap into her powers, she needed to stall. She fixed her eyes on the blood stain, calling upon her rage, imagining Roman, Flo or Erin hurt and bleeding. She felt the stirrings of the heat that was her power, allowing it to build on a subconscious level. She turned half her attention back to Faye.
“What gave it away? The drop dead gorgeous looks, the glowing skin or the incredible strength?”
“No, just that having breath that bad can’t be humanly possible.” Rose smirked. She knew it was stupid to aggravate a crazy person, but sometimes her mouth just ran away with her and it was worth it to see Faye’s expression. The woman looked horrified.
Bringing her hand up to her mouth she exhaled then sniffed. “Bitch! You almost had me there.” She yanked at Rose’s arm twisting it painfully. “Now enough of the chit chat. I admit we have tons of catching up to do, I mean you and Roman…Oh my God! After all this is over we really need to have coffee. Oh, who am I kidding? That’s not going to happen is it? You can’t have coffee with a dead person.” She shook her head, making a sad face.
“And what if I refuse to go with you?”
“Er, have you noticed how strong I am?”
“Strength isn’t everything, Faye.” Rose’s lips curved in a smile of promise before her arms lit up with an intense inner fire.
“Fuck me sideways!” Faye dropped Rose’s arm and stumbled back a step. “I heard about it but…well, maybe you inherited it after all,” she finished cryptically.
Rose stood poised, her arms out to her sides, ready to blast away if needed. She needed to get away from insane Faye and call for help, Richard or Maxwell… someone.
Faye took another step backwards until she had her back against the large ornate mirror that hung in the hallway. “Everyone’s at the party, Rose, and you’re running out of time. I know what you’re thinking, Rose– that you’ll call for help. That the pack will come save you, that the warlock will provide aid.” Faye laughed cruelly and for the first time since their encounter had begun, Rose glimpsed the true face of Faye. Her eyes lost all warmth and became hard, unforgiving orbs of ice. Her lips thinned and twisted into a mirthless smile.
“You pretended to be my friend.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“A means to an end.”
“Your family, your dad?”
“I have my abilities just as you have yours. The human mind is such a fragile thing.”
“You never did answer my question. What are you?”
“One of the fey folk.” She looked almost smug as she flicked back her crimson hair. Typical, the only race they hadn’t considered being involved.
“Everything was a lie.” Rose stared at the face she had loved for the past six years. The person she had confided in, turned to, laughed with, her best friend. She allowed these emotions to roll through her, nostalgia, loss, regret, and then turned them into something much more productive– anger. There was no Faye, there never had been, it had all been a lie. What stood before her was the truth and she had a feeling she was about to find out the reasons for the charade pretty soon.
Faye took another step back and Rose’s eyes widened in shock as her body began to melt into the glass. “The portal will close in a few minutes, long enough for you to follow, not enough time for help to arrive. Not that it would do you much good. Your friends are waiting, Rose, and there is plenty of blood to spill while we wait. So what are you going to do?” She cocked her head inquisitively before disappearing into the mirror altogether.
Rose stood staring at the mirror. Reaching in her pocket she pulled out her phone and sent a quick text then tucked it back into her pocket. Finally, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she ran toward the mirror.
42.
MIDNIGHT SUNSET
Rose landed on her knees on hard packed earth, she gasped hungrily for breath, her head spinning like a top. She panted, her eyes fixed on the brown earth. The characters on Stargate made the portal stuff look so easy. If she’d realised it would feel as if she was being pulled apart and then reassembled she would have taken a moment to brace herself. After allowing herself a few more seconds to acclimatise, she stood up, brushing the dirt off her knees. Turning to look the way she had come, she found only a craggy rock wall.
There was no going back. The portal had closed, just as Faye had promised.
Gathering herself she looked around. It seemed that she had been transported to some kind of underground tunnel. She sensed that she was deep underground and that it should be pitch black. But the walls either side of her glowed weakly with an eerie greenish light. There was only one way forward and no way back.
Okay, Rose, she told herself, there’s a party to go to. Squaring her shoulders she set off down the dark corridor.
The corridor ended abruptly in a roughly cut arch, leading into a cavern, lit by some sort of lights fixed to the rocky walls. Rose blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust, and then stifled a gasp at the sight that met her eyes.
Five figures were crouched in a semi-circle, three of which she recognised instantly– Thistle, Raven and Erin. The other two were strangers to her, a plump woman and a gaunt looking middle-aged man.
“Ah, our special guest star, everyone!” Faye’s melodious voice echoed around the cavern. “Thank you sooo much for joining us at such short notice, and welcome to Emain Macha in the quaint little city of Ard Mhacha…oh, sorry, Armagh.”
Rose noticed that she had added an accessory to her earlier ensemble– a thick silver rope belt.
Nice to see she still has time to accessorise, she thought sarcastically.
Raven’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in shock then dimming in dismay as they settled on her. Erin whimpered, calling out her name. Thistle’s head remained bowed– the only indication that she was affected by Rose’s presence was the curling of her hands into fists at her sides.
Faye stepped forward, her heels tapping on the hard ground. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist playing hero.” She smiled smugly.
“What the hell is going on here?” Rose asked perplexed.
“Why don’t you take your place?” Faye indicated a small raised metal platform beside Erin, and Rose realised that all the other captives were also perched on similar platforms. “All will be revealed,” Faye promised with an enigmatic flourish of her hands.
Rose’s glance moved from the platform back to Faye. She didn’t have a clue what was happening here but she knew, from the eager look on Faye’s face, that whatever it was, Rose herself was an important part of making it happen. Rose drew on her bravado reserves. “If you wanted an audience all you had to do was ask. Isn’t this a little extreme?” She cocked an eyebrow.
Faye glared at her, not amused. “Sit!” All playfulness was
gone from her tone.
“Er, no.” Rose folded her arms across her chest. “Make me, bitch,” she said levelly.
Faye’s lips curved in a sadistic smile. “My pleasure.” Raising her arm she waved it toward the lights closest to Rose.
Rose frowned. What the hell was Faye doing? Her question was answered a second later as the lights detached themselves from the wall, rising away from the rock in a swarming mass. They headed toward her. She waved her arms to ward them off as they surrounded her. “What the fuck!” Her hand connected with something firm, dry and fleshy. She heard a high pitched scream and the mass surged toward her with renewed vigour. Her eyes caught the flash of tiny razor sharp teeth, and large bug-like eyes.
“I wouldn’t aggravate them if I were you”’ Faye said conversationally. “They love the taste of blood, one cut and they’ll go crazy. And I don’t know if even I could call them off before some damage was done.”
“Rose, listen to her!” Raven called. “They’re dangerous!”
Rose stilled immediately, her chest rising and falling with restrained panic as the psycho Tinkerbells dug their tiny claws into her clothing and tugged her toward the platform. Once she was appropriately positioned they surged downward. She heard the clang of metal and felt its grip on her ankle. Then they were gone, back to their positions on the walls.
“You have no idea how gratifying it is to finally have you here.” Faye knelt before Rose.
“Excuse me if I don’t burst with honour.” Rose was well aware that she was in exactly the position she shouldn’t be, well aware that she had played right into Faye’s hand, and had the sneaky suspicion that if she hadn’t followed Faye then whatever Faye was planning would not have succeeded.
“Oh, but you should be.” Faye’s eyes widened in surprise. “You managed to evade me quite thoroughly. The demon, the wolves, not to mention all the other little summoning’s I had to perform to keep the council on their toes.”
“That’s not possible. You couldn’t have done the summoning’s. You don’t have that kind of power.” Raven said.
She shot Raven a sly look “Let’s just say I know a guy, who knows a guy.” She shrugged. “Convincing him did take a bit of work, but he caved…eventually.” She sighed. “It’s all been such hard work. Not to mention the juice that goes into taking over a pack mind,” she pouted.
Raven looked up. “So the other attacks were smoke screens?”
“Certainly had you chasing your tails.” She giggled. “Pardon the pun.” She dismissed Raven turning her attention back to Rose. “You were a nuisance but then you did have a little help.” Her gaze slid to Thistle. Then she smiled. “But then I thought why not kill two birds with one stone, but unfortunately my little wolves failed. I just had to bide my time until I knew you two would be apart.” She stood taking a step back. “Of course you have a little power of your own, and I knew that it was there somewhere, the mugging when you were fifteen didn’t bring it out but I knew it was only a matter of time.”
Rose felt herself go cold. “You…the mugging…that was you?”
“Not personally, although that would have been fun.” She sighed wistfully. “No, I merely orchestrated it. I needed to know what I was dealing with, and you…you were such an unsuspecting soul, completely unaware of what you were.”
Rose felt the anger rising within her, the familiar rush of power coming easier than it had ever come before, urged on by her desire to smash Faye’s smug face.
“Now, now, Rose, I think you should calm down.” Faye was staring at Rose’s hands, which had begun to glow. “You wouldn’t want anything to happen to your godmother would you?”
The blood drained from Rose’s face. Flo. How could she have forgotten about Flo? And Roman, where was Roman?
Raven’s head snapped up, his eyes narrow slits of fury.
“At the risk of sounding clichéd, you hurt me and Flo gets it.” Faye giggled.
“Roman, where’s Roman?” Rose asked.
“Oh, he’s around, I’m sure he’ll be partying with us later.” She winked.
Rose took a deep breath, reigning in her power– she hid her fear behind sarcasm. “Some party.”
Faye’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. “Oh yes, blood fear and power, this party will have it all!” She raised her hands to the roof in a dramatic gesture.
Rose waited for the thunder and lightning that, in a movie, would have accompanied the gesture. None came and she had to make do with Faye grinning like a maniac. A poor substitute but then you couldn’t have everything because, if she could, then she’d be asking for a semi-automatic, the knowledge of how to use it and killer aim.
Erin whimpered again and Rose shot him a reassuring look.
Faye turned and walked toward the wall behind her. As she approached it there was a flash of light and a door opened within it. She turned back to the group. “Now I have some last minute preparations to make, why don’t you lot catch up?” Tossing her hair over her shoulder she turned her back on them before disappearing through the door.
“We have to get out of here.” Rose pulled on her ankle restraint. “Wherever this is.”
“Ireland,” Raven said. “We’re in Ireland.”
“I want my mum.” Erin began to sob softly.
“I know, honey, I know. It’s going to be okay.” Rose tried to reach for him but the distance between the platforms was too great.
Raven sighed. “Even if we could get out of these chains, there’s no exit. This place is locked tight.”
“What about through there?” Thistle spoke softly pointing toward the still open doorway Faye had created.
Rose held up her chain quirking an eyebrow.
The curvy woman sighed in exasperation. “It’s a simple enough spell to release the chains but I can’t seem to get any spell to work, I think these restraints are charmed, they’re blocking my magic.”
“And I assume that if it were that easy to escape we would never have been left alone.” Raven pointed out. “Besides they have Flo and Roman. We’re not going anywhere.”
“We’re not alone,” the gaunt man said in a raspy voice, “don’t forget the crazy lights.”
“Wait, you’re a witch?” Raven addressed the woman.
“Yes, sorry. My name is Liza and this is Henry.” She indicated the scrawny man to her right who nodded weakly in response to the introduction as if speaking a moment before had tapped out his last reserves of energy. Liza frowned. “I think he’s been here the longest, he’s really weak. They’re not too big about feeding us.” Her frown deepened. “Henry is a warlock– I’m a witch, what are you lot?”
“Werewolf,” Raven said.
“Vampire,” Thistle whispered.
Rose studied her friend. Her face was as white as a sheet, almost translucent. It was obvious she hadn’t fed for a while. How much longer could the vampire go without feeding? Raven caught her eye and they shared a worried look.
“I’m not sure.” He answered her unspoken question. He turned to address Henry. “The council thought you were dead.”
“And me?” Liza asked.
Raven shook his head. “I don’t think you’ve been reported missing yet.”
Liza grimaced. “Tom, my fiancé is away on business, I work mainly from home…I guess it would be a while before I was missed.” Her gaze flicked to Erin whose eyes had gone as wide as saucers. “What about you, honey? What are you?” she asked, wanting to involve him in the conversation.
“A boy.” Erin’s tone was wary.
Liza frowned looking confused.
Raven and Rose exchanged a worried look. With everything going on they had completely forgotten that Erin was oblivious to their true natures.
Thistle emitted a choked laugh. “Talk about throwing him in at the deep end.”
Raven made a shushing motion with his hand wincing in pain as his shackles chafed against his skin. And for the first time Rose noticed that unlike the rest of them, he was bound hands
and feet and that his shackles gleamed brightly in the light.
“Silver,” Thistle said. “The only element to hold a werewolf.”
Erin shifted backwards on his platform as if subconsciously trying to distance himself. A pained look flitted across Raven’s face, this time it had nothing to do with his shackles. “Erin I…” Raven looked warily at the little boy at a loss for words.
“Do you eat people?” Erin asked in a small voice.
Raven looked taken aback but quickly composed himself. “No, most definitely not,” he said firmly.
“Okay.” Erin bit his bottom lip. “Witches and warlocks and werewolves and vampires…they’re all real?”
“Yes.” Rose looked him steadily in the eyes trying to gauge his reaction.
After a moment he nodded, lifting his small chin. “I can handle this, don’t worry. I know I’m only little but I’m strong for my age and I’m not…I’m not scared.”
Rose smiled at this show of courage– he really was a remarkable boy.
He smiled shakily back at her. “She has my mum and brother.” He blinked rapidly as if to hold back tears. “She put this silver stuff on her and she…hurt her. What is she?”
Rose glanced at Raven.
Raven leaned toward Erin. “You’ve heard of fairies, right?”
Erin nodded slowly.
“Faye is one of the fey people. She is what we call a fairy.”
Erin looked confused. Everything he knew about fairies would have come from fairy tales and cartoons.
Rose licked her lips. “I don’t know much about them, but you can see their nothing like the fairy tales, they’re a lot bigger and nastier.”
“I guess the stories got it wrong, huh?” Erin smiled wryly.
“Yep, something like that.” She grinned.
Liza was studying Erin and looking a little perplexed. “So he’s just a little boy?”
Erin glared at her indignantly. “I’m going to be a fireman when I grow up!”