The Turning (The Forsaken Series Book 2)

by Phil Price

  “Hold on,” Jake said as he gently twisted the throttle, propelling them towards their destination.

  Thirty-Three

  Katherine popped her head around the kitchen door, smiling at Doug. He was sat reading the paper, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. “Would you like some coffee Doug?”

  He looked up, smiling at his daughter-in-law to be. “Why not? Did Alicia go down okay?”

  “Out like a light. She will probably wake in a few hours for her late feed.”

  Doug looked at the clock on the wall. It had just turned eight. The sky outside the kitchen window was pitch dark, the temperature balmy for the time of the year. “I can’t remember Jake and Rick’s feeding times. It was that long ago.”

  Katherine chuckled. “Did Alison give both boys the breast?”

  The question took Doug by surprise. It took a second to regain his thoughts. “Err, yes, she did. It was a different world back then. We’d only just started using disposable nappies. Formula wasn’t as available as it is now either.”

  “I must say. Disposable nappies are a god send. Back home we either use nothing, or woven hessian. Not very comfortable for the little ones, as you can imagine.”

  “I guess not,” Doug said as he flicked the kettle on, grabbing two mugs from the kitchen cupboard.

  Katherine pulled open the fridge, reaching for the milk. “Oh. We’re almost out,” she said shaking the plastic container. “There should be some in the fridge in the garage.”

  “I’ll go,” Doug said as he headed for the kitchen door. An icy blast blew into the house as he made his way across the car port to the garage. The weathers on the turn again, he thought as he noticed the dip in temperature. The fridge was just inside the garage. He opened the door as light spilled out across the concrete floor. Doug reached into the door compartment, pulling a large plastic container out. He thought he heard Katherine’s voice from the kitchen door as he closed the fridge. “Did you want anything else?” he said as he walked to the garage door. Katherine was stood at the kitchen doorway, looking to Doug’s left. She was staring at something, her lips mouthing silent words. She looked to Doug like she was in a trance, gaping at something in the darkness. It was then that he noticed a red hue in his peripheral vision. He turned to the left to see what was there. Then blackness.

  ☨☨☨

  Jake and Wilf sat on the forest floor eating ham and drinking ale. “I need to lay off drink,” Jake said. “Once we’re back at my car we have a long journey ahead. The last thing we need is to be pulled over by the police, especially if I’m over the limit.”

  Wilf nodded, not really understanding the implications. “Let’s us pray to whoever is listening that the doorway still opens.”

  That was one scenario that Jake did not want to consider. If there was no doorway, there was no route home. He would be stuck here, unless another doorway could be found. He pushed the thought aside, trying to be optimistic. “Hopefully we’ll be home just after three. You will love Alicia. She is already quite the little princess.”

  Wilf smiled, although inside he was full of turmoil. “I cannot wait to see them both. I miss Katherine. She was a light in my life for a long time. I loved her like the daughter I never had. Cedric loved her too. We both knew that she would become a fine woman. Alice was different,” Wilf said, fondly remembering Katherine’s younger sister. “She was full of mischief. She was scatty and unorganised. I loved her, but most days I just wanted to put her across my knee.” Jake smiled. “Even when she was murdered, she was up to no good. She should not have taken the path through the forest at that time. Always had her head in the clouds.”

  Jake remembered the story that Katherine had told him. How Alice’s death had started the chain of events that led Jake from his world to hers. He would have loved to have met her, scatty as she was. He knew that Katherine missed her deeply. “Looks like we’ve all had our share of loss. Let’s just hope that it is behind us. Let’s get home and make sure,” Jake said as a smoky wind blew through the remains of Amatoll.

  ☨☨☨

  “Ugh,” Doug said as he rolled over onto his back. He was cold. His jaw was throbbing. He scrambled to his feet, looking towards the kitchen door that was left ajar, the lights on inside. Red eyes, he thought as he remembered the moment before the world blinked out. Leaving the milk container on the floor he stumbled across the car port, stepping into the kitchen. “Katherine.” He said anxiously. “Are you there Love?” No reply. As he walked into the hallway he noticed with dread that the front door was open a few inches, the wind from outside buffeting it gently. “Oh no. Please no!” Doug said as he made his way upstairs. He burst into the nursery, hoping to see Katherine and Alicia sat in the rocking chair, sharing a cuddle. Nothing. The room was empty. Tears sprang from his eyes as he stared to cry. His breathing became ragged as he checked each of the bedrooms. The house was empty. One wardrobe door had been ripped off its hinges in the master bedroom. It lay on the thick carpet, the mirrored panel reflecting the moon from outside. Doug raced downstairs skidding on the kitchen floor in his slippers. He checked the clock on the wall. “Nine thirty. Shit,” he said as he looked for his car keys. Doug knew that he would be cutting it fine to get to the doorway now. But he had to try. He grabbed his keys, watch, and wallet from the window ledge before making his way to the front door. He kicked off his slippers, slipping his loafers on before grabbing his jacket from the bannister. The kitchen door, he thought as he headed back to the rear of the house, locking it. Securing the front door, he headed out into the cold night, fumbling for his car key. The driveway was bathed in bright light as the security light sparked into life. His already sinking heart was finally sunk as he noticed the front tyres of his car. They were flat. He checked the back tyres too, cursing when he saw the same applied to each of them. Each tyre had a ragged slash in the rubber wall. He knew who had done this. He was beaten. He had been outsmarted. I’m so sorry Jake. I tried to protect them. But I failed, he thought as he slumped onto the wet driveway, tears flowing down his face.

  ☨☨☨

  “Okay. Get ready,” Jake said as the wind kicked up, sending ash swirling around the blackened trees around them.

  Wilf was slapping at his behind, trying to get the remnants of the fire from his clothing. He blew out a breath as a faint blue glow appeared between the two trees in front of them. “Thank the gods for that,” he said.

  Jake also blew out a breath as he steered the bike towards the doorway. “Let’s move.” The doorway pulsed gently in the forest, its interior an impenetrable black. They crossed over, back into the Lickey Hills. “Follow me Wilf,” Jake said as he pushed the bike towards the track that would lead back down to the main road. A minute later, Jake started the bike, leaning it against a tree as he made sure his pack was comfortable.

  The wind was whistling through the trees, chilling Wilf to the bone. His clothing did little to keep out the January weather. A thought hit him, stopping him in his tracks. “Wait!”

  Jake stopped, looking at the older man. “What?”

  “Elias. What if he has Katherine and Alicia? What if he is here and wants to pass through, back to Amatoll?”

  Jake’s stomach turned to stone as he looked back towards the doorway. “Fuck! How could I have not thought of that?” he said as he raced back towards the two trees. Wilf followed, struggling to keep up with the younger man. Jake saw the last few blinks of blue light before the doorway disappeared in the darkness. The route back to Amatoll sealed off.

  ☨☨☨

  Elias saw them appear through the doorway. He was crouched a hundred yards away. Next to him lay the woman and baby. They were under his spell. They had been since he’d bundled them into the car a few hours before. Once through the doorway he could release them from their sleep. He watched and counted as Jake and Bathurst made their way to the track. His ears picked up the noise of a bike being started. Now was the time. He picked up Katherine and the baby, holding them close. H
is other hand picked up the bag that he’d taken from the house. It was her bag. He knew that it contained items for the baby, opting to bring it along, just in case. His keen eyes picked out the first blink in the doorway’s outline. It was getting ready to close. Elias headed towards it, holding the bag and humans tight. He saw that the two men were talking about something as he came within feet of the doorway. He felt the slight resistance as he passed between worlds. It was only for a split second, before he was through, standing in the charred remains of Amatoll. He turned as he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He would fight if needed. He would kill without hesitation. The giant vampire smiled as the doorway blinked out, closing the void between the two worlds. “You lose Jake,” Elias said as he headed west towards Monks Passage. Towards their new home.

  ☨☨☨

  “What do you think?” Jake said.

  “I think we’d have seen him pass through.”

  “You think so? I can’t believe I never thought of that possibility.”

  “Forget it now. It’s done. Let’s get to your home and see how things lie.”

  Thirty-Four

  A noise outside the front window stirred Doug from his troubled sleep. A few hours before he’d dragged himself from the driveway, stumbling through tear-soaked eyes to Jake’s sofa. He’d lay there until exhaustion had mercifully taken away his pain. He’d fallen into a deep sleep, with clouded dreams. His eyes opened slightly as he heard two car doors slam. “Jake. Is that you?” he said groggily. A rattle of keys in the front door made Doug almost leap from the sofa.

  “Hello.” Jake said.

  “Son,” Doug said, crossing the lounge to embrace Jake.

  “Dad,” Jake said, flicking on the main lights. He noticed Doug’s dishevelled appearance and blood shot eyes. “Oh no.”

  “I’m sorry Son. He was here. Last night. He’s taken them.”

  Jake slumped against the wall as an older, grizzled man in strange clothing walked into the lounge. He looked at Doug, extending his hand. “Hello again, Jake’s father.”

  Doug shook his hand. “Hello again.”

  Wilf walked over to the sofa and sat down heavily. He rubbed at his face before addressing the two men. “We need to finish this Jake. Once and for all. It will never end until we’ve done for them. All of them.”

  “What about Katherine and Alicia?” Jake said as his emotions spilled over. He started to cry. Doug placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, pulling him willingly into his embrace. Wilf let the two men do what was needed to be done. He sat there patiently, looking around the strange room. Finally, Jake broke away from his father, wiping his red eyes. “What do we do?”

  “We all go back,” Doug said. “I’m not sitting here waiting for you this time.”

  “Sit down Dad. I need a drink,” Jake said, wiping the tears from his eyes. Doug sat on the opposite sofa to Wilf as Jake headed into the kitchen. He returned a few seconds later with three bottles of San Miguel. He handed them out before sitting next to his father.

  Wilf took a heavy pull on his beer, his eyebrows raising in appreciation. “Good stuff.”

  “What happened Dad?” Jake said as he wiped his lips.

  “It was about eight last night. I was coming out of the garage with some milk. Katherine was stood at the kitchen door. She looked like she was in a trance. That was the last thing I saw. Before he hit me, I think I saw his red eyes. It was Elias, wasn’t it?” Both men nodded. “I woke up on the floor in the car port an hour or so later. When I knew they were gone I grabbed my keys to go after them. He’d slashed all my tyres though. I’m so sorry Son. I let you down.”

  “No Dad. There was nothing else you could have done.” A thought hit Jake like a thunderbolt. He looked at his father. “There is something else you need to know. Doug looked at him expectantly. “It’s Mom. She’s one of them too. She’s a vampire. Elias must have taken her during the storm. And Father Stephen is still there somewhere, although we think he’s probably dead.”

  Doug took the news in his stride, already emotional spent. “You’ve seen your Mom?”

  “Yes Dad. Or what’s left of her. There was a fight. I managed to escape to Shetland. The two men who tried to help me are dead, along with that Policeman, Tony Oakes.”

  “Huh? What was a Policeman doing there?”

  “When Father Stephen went through doorway, Oakes followed him. He’s leading the investigation. Or he was. He was also the one who gave me all that shit when Darren died.” Doug nodded, remembering the events of last year only too well. “They were both captured. When I got there with Mungo and Bertie, all hell broke loose. I know this is a lot to take in Dad.”

  “I’m getting used to it,” Doug said as he took another swig. “Although what we’ve done to deserve all this is anyone’s guess. Poor Alison. I know she was hard work over the years, but she did not deserve an ending like that.” Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of his wife. He pictured her, young and carefree. The woman he had fallen in love with decades before.

  Jake nodded before continuing. “Before I got to Father Stephen and Tony I was attacked by another group of people, who live to the west. They also turned up during the fight. It was a bloodbath. How I managed to get out alive is beyond me Dad. I took my bike to get Wilf. When we came back, the forests were on fire. Elias must have done it. In hindsight, it looks like he did it to keep me from getting back home.”

  “He’s sly as a fox,” Wilf said. “We need to skewer that fox. Soon.”

  “Why’s he doing all this?” Doug said.

  “When he killed Daz, he said that I’d interfered in his work. We also killed is master and the rest of his clan. Maybe this is his revenge. Maybe he wants a new clan. He’s already got quite a following. And now he has our family too. We can’t let him turn them Dad. We need to fucking stop this. I’ve already lost one family. I can’t lose another,” Jake said, his voice choked with emotion.

  Doug placed his hand on Jake’s leg, squeezing it. “We will Son.”

  Jake breathed deeply, trying to remain calm. He checked his watch. “It’s almost four. What do we do? I won’t be able to sleep.”

  “We could finish these and get some breakfast on the go.” Doug said.

  Wilf burped loudly on the other sofa. “Breakfast sounds good. I could eat a bison. Don’t fret Jake. They are alive. We will get them back. If he wanted to kill them we’d have found them dead in this very house. He must have plans for them. Plans take time. I’m sure Elias will not rush into anything.”

  Jake smiled at the older man from another world. Despite the dire situation, Wilf always seemed to be in control. “I hope you’re right Wilf. I really do. Okay. Breakfast. We don’t have bison. I think a fry-up will do.”

  ☨☨☨

  Elias placed Katherine and Alicia gently on the straw mattress. The vampires stood in a semi-circle in the dark shack. They were all thirsty, the scent from the two humans almost unbearable. The giant vampire could sense their growing hunger as he turned towards them. “No one is to hurt them. Whoever breaks that rule will lose their head, I promise you that. Alison. This woman is your daughter-in-law. Her name is Katherine. The baby is your granddaughter. I want you to stay close to them when they wake. The baby will need her mother. We must make sure they are both cared for.”

  “Why?” Karaa said.

  “The child has the blood of Reggan in her veins. He was my former master’s brother. Jake destroyed him, but not before Reggan took a bite out of him. Jake also has Reggan’s blood in his veins, although somehow he keeps it controlled. He is smart. This baby is going to be part of our family.”

  “And the woman?” Eddie said.

  “No. Once the baby is no longer reliant on her mother you can do with her as you wish. Rip her to pieces for all I care. We can wait for years until we turn the little one. We are not governed by time like humans. But in the meantime, we need a safe place. A place where we can get food for the mother, as she is feeding the baby.” Katheri
ne stirred in her sleep, making the vampires look down at her. She pulled the infant to her breast and started snoring steadily. Elias looked at the boy. “Coop. Welcome to our family. What do you remember before you were turned?”

  Coop’s yellow eyes glistened in the darkness as he addressed the giant. “I don’t know.”

  Elias nodded slowly. “We will travel west before the sun rises. The forest, Mantz, was your home.” He looked at Karaa. “Yours too. I know the forest well enough. I know that it will shelter us from the sun. I know that it is big enough to remain hidden while we ready our family. Most of the Cravens were killed during the battle. But there will be some left. The forest falls away towards the coast the further west we travel. There are places there where we can set up a new home. Boats come and go from across the grey sea. The supply of humans should never end. But we need to make haste and be on our way.”

  “Why?” Eddie said as he leant against the wooden wall.

  “Because when the doorway opens, Jake will return. And he will be dangerous.”

  “I’ll stay here to welcome him. Karaa can stay with me. If he heads this way he will be mine. I’ve waited a long time for this.”

  “So be it. The two of you stay here until you’ve taken care of him. Once you enter the forest, keep heading west. You will find us soon enough.”

  “I look forward to meeting him again. This time. There will be no sport. No fun. I will tear his head from his shoulders and drain him.” Eddie said, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

  ☨☨☨

  The three men sat at the table, finishing their mugs of tea. Three plates sat in front of them, smeared with egg yolk, brown sauce, and the remnants of chopped tomatoes. Wilf placed his elbows on the table top, wiping a hand across his mouth. “That was hearty food Jake. I give thanks. What do we do now?”