Crushed (City of Eldrich Book 2)

by Laura Kirwan

  “And you’re the only one who can do that.”

  “Exactly. If we don’t stop them here, it won’t matter whether I know what they really look like because we’ll all be dead anyway. But even if we do stop them this time, they’re going to keep trying. Think of the advantage we’d have if I knew what we were really dealing with.”

  “But they’ll kill you,” Annie said, her eyes shiny with tears.

  “Maybe. But they can’t do it with magic. And if they’re like the rest of these jerks, they won’t believe it at first. Which gives me an advantage. Every magical bad actor I’ve encountered has tried to take a shot at me because they’re all egotistical enough to believe the rules don’t apply to them.”

  Owen was nodding.

  “But they can still kill you,” Annie said, looking panicked. “Marnie was doing a pretty good job before Owen saved you.”

  Meaghan nodded. “Yeah, she was. But she wasn’t doing it with magic. And Owen got her off me with a Taser. A human-engineered, completely non-magical weapon.”

  Annie glared at Owen. “You can’t possibly believe this is a good idea.”

  Owen shrugged.

  “Maybe I can hurt them,” Meaghan said. “Maybe without magic, they’re as fragile as any of us.”

  “Aren’t you scared?” Annie was crying now.

  “Terrified,” Meaghan said. “It doesn’t matter. I have to do this.”

  Owen gave her a hard, appraising look. “And you know about the prophecy.”

  Meaghan nodded. “Yeah. I do. And I still don’t believe in it.”

  Owen grinned. “Of course you don’t. Where do you want us to be?”

  “You won’t be smiling in a minute. I want you in there with me.”

  “I kind of figured. To do what?”

  “Sneak people out, interfere, whatever you can do to keep Cooper and the witch off balance.”

  Owen nodded. “I can do that.”

  “And us?” Brian put a comforting arm around Annie’s shoulder.

  “Downstairs with the witches.”

  Brian sighed. “Yeah, I kind of figured, too. They won’t be happy.”

  “Too bad,” Meaghan said. “I’m in charge. And you can tell them I said that.”

  Annie sobbed.

  Meaghan hugged her. “Don’t wuss out on me, lady. We’ve been kicking ass together since this thing started. We need to finish strong.”

  Annie nodded, wiping her eyes with a grubby hand. “That’s what Welland says. He says Cooper is evil to the core, but vain and petty.”

  “You found him. What else does he say?”

  “He says the witch is Cooper’s weak spot.” Annie pulled away. “And if you don’t make it, he and the other ghosts will be honored to have you join them.”

  Meaghan shook her head. “Tell them thanks, but not today.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Meaghan smiled and waved as Annie and Brian headed downstairs. When they were out of sight, she sagged against the remains of Natalie’s desk.

  “The whole second front thing is a load of crap, isn’t it?” she asked Owen.

  He nodded. “Yeah. If we don’t stop these things here, we’re done.”

  “I’m tired,” Meaghan said. “And out of ideas.”

  “Then make up some shit,” a voice said from behind her. “Like you did last time.”

  Meaghan, her heart pounding, spun around.

  Sid stood in the remains of the doorway. He smiled at them. “What? You think I’d miss the big finale? I’m way too much of a diva for that.” He gave Owen an appraising look. “You know, you are awfully cute despite your many sins. Which, if we survive, you will be disclosing to Meaghan.” Now he looked at her. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough to tell you everything. It doesn’t matter what I promised Matthew. He’s gone and you’re the one who has to do the job.”

  “Where the hell did you come from?” Meaghan finally managed to squeak.

  “Emergency stairs.”

  Owen shook his head. “No, you didn’t. I was the last one up those stairs. They were collapsing as I climbed.”

  Sid rolled his eyes. “No.” He pointed across the landing. “The emergency stairs.”

  Meaghan shook her head blankly.

  “On the other side of the building? Don’t you people ever do fire drills? There’s a big red exit sign—” He craned his head to look. “Well, there would be one if the lights were on.”

  “I don’t care how you got in,” Meaghan said. “I’m just happy you’re here. Come on. We have to go back into the lion’s den.”

  Sid nodded. “Yeah. I thought as much. Any ideas on what we’re going to do?”

  Meaghan smiled. “Get our people back. Kick everybody’s ass.”

  Sid smiled back. “It worked last time. Maybe lightning will strike twice.” He smirked at Owen. “And if we fail, I won’t have to be the shortest one to die.”

  Owen rolled his eyes. “Troon.”

  “Do I have to separate the two of you?” Meaghan asked. “Come on. Bad guys, ultimate evil, end of the world.” She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. “This way.”

  They climbed back over the wreckage in the hallway to the file room.

  “You got any weapons?” Sid asked, his voice an octave higher than it had been in the front office.

  Owen held his Taser out to Meaghan. “Take it.”

  She shook her head. “You can do more damage with it. They won’t see you coming. Or Sid. Hide him with you.”

  “But—”

  She held up her index finger. “Not one word, Sid. I’m in charge. Do what I say. That Taser’s not impervious, and I don’t want them to know we have it until they’re flopping around like electrocuted fish.”

  Meaghan looked around the remains of the file room. “I need something made out of steel. Something heavy, but small enough to handle.”

  “Like your saucepan,” Sid said morosely.

  Meaghan shifted a pile of sodden paper aside and smiled. “Or this.”

  On the floor sat the large stapler Kady referred to as the Mangler. It was the one they used for court filings, the budget, and other huge documents. Anything less than about forty pages and the thing jammed, leaving no choice but to pry the offending pages loose with a screw driver. The Mangler had inspired some truly creative swearing from both Kady and Natalie in the short time Meaghan had worked with them.

  Meaghan examined it. The Mangler had a lever handle that she could easily grip. It was heavy, but not so heavy that she couldn’t swing it or throw it if she had to. But was it made out of steel?

  She grabbed the handle and pulled it from the debris. She flipped it over. There was some printing on the bottom, but too tiny for Meaghan to see clearly. “Can either of you read this? Does it say anything about steel construction?”

  Owen and Sid leaned in from either side.

  “No,” Sid said.

  “Let me try something.” Owen took the stapler from Meaghan, closed his eyes, and stood there. Nothing happened.

  Sid gasped. “How did you do that?”

  “Do what?” Meaghan asked. “He’s just standing there.”

  “No, he isn’t. I see a stapler, floating in the air.”

  Meaghan grinned. “Sweet. That means it’s steel right? It’s impervious?”

  Owen opened his eyes. “Yeah, like you. You really could see me?”

  “Plain as day.”

  “Damn.” He thought about it a moment. “Because the spell doesn’t actually change me. It changes your perception of me.” He nodded. “Which is why it doesn’t work on you.”

  Meaghan took the stapler from him. “See? Even you don’t quite believe your magic won’t affect me, and you know better.”

  “What are you going to do with that thing?” Sid asked.

  “Probably not stapling, but you never know. I’ll probably chuck it at somebody. And miss. It’s been that kind of day. But at least I don’t feel so helpless.”

  S
he smiled down at her companions. “Gentlemen, shall we?”

  They stepped into the attic.

  Meaghan surveyed the room.

  Natalie still stood, her eyes shut, concentrating. Meaghan could see her lips moving as she muttered incantations.

  Patrice, next to her, was on all fours, head down. The golden light had shrunk again to a small circle, but Meaghan feared it wasn’t a trick this time. Patrice was fighting against the power being thrown at her and losing.

  Marnie now kneeled in front of Cooper, eyes shut, an ecstatic look on her face, as he waved his hands in an intricate pattern over her. Jamie lay in a heap nearby, convulsing.

  Jhoro, no longer faking, curled in a ball in the center of the floor. He gasped in pain as Orinda flicked spells at him. With each moan, she laughed. Her face was flushed, her eyes bright with malice.

  A hand grasped Meaghan’s ankle. Her heart lurched as she looked down.

  John, his face bloody, looked up at her. He reached for her wrist and pulled her down on the floor before Cooper or Orinda noticed her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Saving you,” Meaghan said, pulling him into a rough hug.

  He winced.

  She let go. “What did they do?”

  “Threw me around a little,” he rasped. “Broke a rib, I think. What do we do now?”

  Meaghan looked for Sid and Owen. They were creeping toward Jhoro. Patrice had said something about thinning out parts of the floor to reinforce others. If they weren’t careful, they’d go right through.

  She glanced over at Patrice and Natalie. “What’s happening to Patrice?”

  I’m working on the floor. Patrice’s voice sounded clear in Meaghan’s mind. Let’s get Jhoro out of here first. He can help from downstairs. I’m not as helpless as I look.

  Meaghan nodded, relieved to find out she’d been wrong.

  “I don’t know,” John said. “She’s been kneeling like that since you left.”

  Orinda threw another spell at Jhoro. He cried out and tried to crawl away.

  “Oh, no you don’t, pet,” Orinda said, a leer on her face. “You’ll never get away from me.”

  Jhoro looked up at her and gave her a bloody grin. He rolled to his left. Something cracked and Jhoro fell through the floor, leaving a cloud of plaster dust behind him.

  Orinda shrieked with rage. “Bring him back!”

  “No, you snotty bitch,” shouted Natalie. “You want him? Go get him.”

  Orinda’s eyes widened, and she stepped next to Cooper. “Did you hear that? Are you going to let her call me that?”

  “I’m busy,” Cooper hissed through gritted teeth. “In case you haven’t noticed.”

  She pouted. “What am I supposed to do now?”

  He grunted, “Light the witch. I’ll get the other one.”

  Orinda smirked. “That’s even more fun.” She waved her hands and fashioned a ball of flame similar to what the wizards had conjured earlier. “Has she been—” she giggled, “anointed?”

  “Not yet,” Marnie said. She picked up a dusty jar filled with clear liquid.

  It was a Mason jar. More of the Miller’s moonshine.

  She opened the jar and took a swallow, then poured the rest over her head.

  Orinda looked positively gleeful. “Now?”

  “Now,” Cooper said, smiling too.

  “Fire extinguisher,” Meaghan shouted, panicked. “Where is it?”

  John pulled it from a dark corner.

  Orinda flicked the ball of fire at Marnie.

  Meaghan grabbed the fire extinguisher and ran, John right behind her, hoping like hell that the floor wouldn’t collapse beneath them.

  There was a flash and a scream.

  Meaghan pulled the pin on the extinguisher and sprayed Marnie.

  Patrice shrieked, there was a flash of golden light, and a dark cloud erupted from Marnie and flew toward Orinda.

  John tackled Marnie, wrapped his arms around her and rolled away from Cooper. The suddenly unreinforced floor gave way and he and Marnie were gone.

  Orinda dropped to her knees screaming, and then abruptly stopped. She looked up at Meaghan, her eyes glowing orange. In a deep hoarse voice, she cried, “Last time, bitch. Last time you fuck with me.”

  Meaghan hurled the spent fire extinguisher at Orinda. The witch snarled, waved a hand, and the canister crumpled.

  The Power had found a new host.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  Cooper rushed to Orinda’s side, his face contorted with fury. “Not her,” he roared. “Not her. Ever. Get out!”

  “Where would you like me to go?” Orinda hissed. “Not a lot of choices at the moment. Your whore was the only one available. If you’d listened to me and we’d used the other witch, the prophesied one, they’d be here by now. You don’t want to test them. Trust me on this.”

  Cooper paled. “Can you enter the other one?”

  “Give me a minute,” Orinda grunted. “She’s well shielded at the moment. A little help? If you’re not too busy?” She stood up and ran her hands over her body. She smiled. “This one is strong. Now we’ve both been inside her. Something we can share.”

  Meaghan’s fear evaporated, replaced with disgust. “You are the most disgusting pair . . . trio . . . of . . . Gah.” She lifted her lip in disgust and shook her head. “How vile can you get? You’ve both been inside her? Ewww. You deserve each other. Ménage-a-ewww. The end of the world is worth it if means getting away from you creepy assholes.”

  Cooper and Orinda stared at her, mouths open.

  “When did evil get so tacky? So low rent?” Meaghan asked, her mouth now way out ahead of her brain. “Look at yourselves. You’re ridiculous.”

  Orinda recovered quickly. “I’m going to kill you.”

  “Great,” Meaghan ranted. “If that’s what it takes so I don’t have to endure another nanosecond with you repulsive freaks, have at it. I’d rather be dead than have to listen to any more of this. You’ve both been inside her? It’s not even original.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sid and Owen creeping towards her. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. They were up to something. Cooper and the Power were still focused on her. She needed to keep distracting them.

  “So now what are you going to do? Now who are you coming after? It’s me, the well-protected witch, or the . . . whatever the hell Patrice is. All that estrogen, Cooper. Sure you can handle it?”

  “She’s not that well-protected,” Cooper snarled as he conjured a ball of fire larger than Orinda’s, even larger than the flames the wizards had conjured when they’d ignited the bonfire outside. He threw it at Natalie.

  It exploded about a foot away from her, but instead of dissipating, the sparks formed a flaming lattice. A burning cage now surrounded her. She screamed. The flames weren’t touching her physically, but terror was unhinging her.

  “Satisfied?” Cooper said to Orinda. “Takes a little longer, but it gets the job done. Now, get the hell out of there. Take the Fahrayan. We have work to do.”

  “Fine,” Orinda said with a pout. The dark cloud oozed from her and rolled across the floor toward Jamie.

  Meaghan felt a small hand grasp her wrist and pull her hand behind her back. Something cold and metallic slid into her grip.

  The Mangler.

  Meaghan felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her as she listened to Natalie’s screams. Her sister was dying. The man she loved like a son was about to die. Something unthinkable was about to be unleashed into the world.

  And she was holding a stapler. That was her big plan. Throw a stapler at somebody.

  Jamie stood up and stretched. “Wow, this feels kind of nostalgic. Been a while since I ate Fahrayan.”

  “He’s human now,” Orinda said, a sour look on her pale face. She looked at Cooper, hurt in her eyes. “You promised you’d never let that thing have me. You promised me.”

  Jamie strolled over to her and grinned. “Now, I can be inside you the other
way, too. I know you want it.”

  Orinda screeched in rage and swung her hand towards his face. He grabbed her wrist and snapped it. She squealed with pain.

  “Will you please get your woman under control?” Jamie said, eyebrow raised.

  Cooper’s face was white with rage. “You go too far.”

  Jamie smirked. “File a complaint with the new management. When they get here.” He ran a hand over the sigils on his chest. “Very soon now.”

  Cooper said nothing, his jaw clenched.

  Meaghan could see the anger on his face. The ghost of Welland Eldrich had been right. Orinda was Cooper’s weak spot.

  “Get the rest of the spell set up,” Jamie said, walking toward Patrice and Natalie. “I’ll check on the witch.” He glared at Patrice, who crouched on the floor, eyes shut tight in concentration, sweat dripping down her face. “Try anything tricky with the floor molecules, love, and I’ll keep him ambulatory long enough so I can beat you to death with his fists. And maybe do a few other things. Would you like that? Some special moments with your husband’s rotting corpse?”

  Patrice ignored him, then opened her eyes for a moment and stared at Meaghan. Now.

  Meaghan nodded. “Hey, Cooper,” she shouted. “Catch.”

  She flung the Mangler at the wizard with all her strength.

  Cooper waved a hand, but the stapler kept coming. It hit a glancing blow on his left shoulder and the side of his head, enough to make him stumble and fall backwards.

  Meaghan turned toward Jamie.

  “Too late,” he said, smiling. “They’re here.”

  Meaghan turned back toward Cooper. The shadows behind him were growing. He scrambled away on all fours toward Orinda, breathing in a high thready whine, but wearing a triumphant look on his face.

  Dark red light began to throb within the shadows, growing brighter.

  Behind her, Jamie threw his arms wide, an exultant look on his face, the sigils glowing red on his chest. He began chanting in a guttural language, with Natalie’s anguished high-pitched shrieks serving as a horrible counterpoint.

  Meaghan wanted to run like hell, but she stood her ground. This was her job. To see. To see with clear eyes what no one else could truly see.

  The red glow coalesced into a circle, like a tunnel.