Slowly the fire began to ebb, the high pitched buzzing subsided until he could hear the frantic drumming of his own heartbeat hammering in his ears. His breath was rapid and ragged as he tried to calm his racing heart. He gingerly flexed his fingers and then his arm. The flesh was sore and swollen, branded by fire and magic. Nodding to Olivia who watched him in concern, he flexed his fingers once again and reached for his blade, for the magic that belonged to him. He felt the blue, black, silver and now purple coils slide down his arm like liquid, pooling in his palm and coalescing to form a blade. Theo turned the knife over in his hand and studied it. Before it had been the length and shape of a large hunting knife, the hilt a highly polished onyx decorated with a thin vein of silver interwoven with tiny little silver leaves. The blade itself had been a strange metallic blue black inscribed in a strange language he had not been able to read and when he turned the blade and it caught the light some of the lettering would glow a dim phosphorescent blue and some a pale spectral silver. Now there was additional lettering blazing violet and along the hilt the silver vine of tiny leaves now had delicate purple flames.
Helping Olivia to her feet Logan held her upright as Theo swung back into the saddle and helped Olivia up in front of him. Logan remounted also, watching as Olivia reached out with her hand. One of the dragonflies landed on her palm whilst the other two danced around her head.
‘Find them,’ she whispered to them. ‘Find Hester and her sister.’
The dragonflies shivered and darted off into the trees.
Theo gripped the hilt and felt the weapon pulse with power. He glanced across to his brother whose eyes were now wide with disbelief and his mouth curved into a cool smile.
‘Let’s go hunt a demon…’
‘Abigail! Abigail!’ Isabel rushed into the cabin.
She looked up from where she was brushing Bridget’s long dark hair.
‘What is it?’
‘We have to leave now!’
‘What?’ she stood abruptly causing her favorite rocking chain to clank heavily against the floor. ‘Why?’
‘They’re coming,’ Isabel breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath as if she’d been running.
‘Who are?’ Abigail asked in confusion.
‘Witchfinders,’ Isabel’s eyes widened in fear. ‘I felt them, they are close by.’
‘Witchfinders here?’ Abigail grabbed her girls, unconsciously squeezing them close to her, ‘but why? I don’t understand.’
‘This is all my fault,’ Isabel dashed forward her eyes filling with tears. ‘I should never have stayed here with you, it was just that you were so kind and I’d been alone for so long. I did this, I brought this upon you. I should’ve known Theodore and Logan would not have stopped looking for me.’
‘The Beckett brothers?’ Abigail’s eyes widened in fear. ‘The Beckett brothers are who you are running from.’
‘You know who they are?’ Isabel frowned in confusion.
‘I know of their reputations,’ Abigail swallowed hard. ‘I’ve heard what they did in Salem town.’
‘Then you know we have no choice,’ Isabel grabbed her arms desperately, ‘we can’t let them find us or the girls. We have to run…Now!’
Abigail nodded.
‘Bridget bank the fire,’ Abigail turned and began grabbing things, laying them out on a blanket. ‘Grab what you can Hester but only what we can carry.’
‘Mama?’ she whispered as Isabel turned to grab whatever food she could from the cupboard, ‘what about the book? You said we couldn’t allow it to fall into anyone else's hands. Are we going to go and get it? Will they find where it’s hidden?’
Abigail glanced at Isabel checking that she was too busy to take in what they were saying.
‘Hester,’ she whispered, ‘it’s too dangerous to go to it now, we can’t risk anyone finding it. You and Bridget both know where it is. If anything happens to me you must protect it, that is our most sacred duty. Do you understand?’
She nodded solemnly.
‘Get your cloak then, we don’t have much time.’ She turned to retrieve her own cloak missing the small smile that curved the corner of Isabel’s mouth.
‘Mama?’ Bridget pulled her cloak on as Abigail knotted the corners of the blanket, creating a small bundle of clothes to take with them.
‘Yes my love?’
‘Will we ever come back?’ she asked in a small fearful voice.
‘I don’t know’ she shook her head, ‘I just don’t know, but right now we have to get some place safe. There are some very dangerous men coming this way, we must hide from them.’
‘But Mama’ Hester frowned, reappearing wrapped in her winter cloak, ‘the men that are coming, they’re not what you think they are.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I don’t think they’re coming to hurt us,’ she struggled to explain herself. ‘There is something dark out there but I don’t think it’s them.’
‘Do you sense danger?’ Abigail asked urgently.
Hester nodded.
‘Then we can’t take the risk,’ she stroked her face, ‘we have to run.’
‘But…’
‘Your mother’s right,’ Isabel told her.
Hester turned her whiskey colored eyes on her but chose not to say anything else. Grabbing what they could carry the four of them slipped out of the door and disappeared into the woods.
Chapter 21.
Isabel’s eyes narrowed as she peered further into the darkness. Fortunately, the trees were sparser in this area of the woods and although it wasn’t well lit, the moonlight filtered through the bare trees illuminating the path ahead of them. For the most part the four of them walked in silence, albeit a tense wary one. The two young girls had followed along with barely a complaint but Abigail’s eyes darted about nervously as she clutched the bundle of clothes she carried. Hester had been the most worrying. She’d not said a word yet her gaze had not left Isabel since they’d departed from their cabin. It felt as if she was studying her, trying to come to a decision of some sort. Her tiny face was somber and her eyes filled with sadness.
‘It doesn’t have to be this way you know’ she spoke quietly, appearing beside Isabel.
Isabel glanced behind her to make sure the others were not listening.
‘What doesn’t?’ she questioned.
‘You think there’s no way back’ she clarified, ‘but you’re wrong, there is always forgiveness.’
Isabel’s jaw tightened.
‘Not for some.’
She suddenly felt a small hand slip into hers and squeeze gently. She stopped abruptly staring down into the small serious face.
‘Just promise me you’ll try to remember one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘It’s never too late to do the right thing.’
‘What is it?’ Abigail caught up to them. ‘Why did you stop?’
‘It’s nothing,’ Isabel murmured turning her gaze away from Hester as she released her hand. ‘Where’s Bridget?’ she looked behind Abigail with a small frown, ‘I thought she was walking with you?’
Abigail’s eyes widened in horror as she dropped the bundle she was holding and spun around.
‘She was just here,’ she breathed in a rush. ‘BRIDGET?’ she called out into the darkness.
‘Wait!’ Isabel caught Abigail's arm.
‘Let me go,’ she jerked her arm free and ran.
Isabel swore under her breath and turned to Hester. ‘No matter what happens you stay close to me do you understand?’
‘It won’t make a difference,’ she shook her head, ‘they’re already here.’
‘Damn it,’ Isabel growled and grabbed Hester's hand as they chased after Abigail.
Abigail ran back through the woods calling out to her daughter. Her panic and the desperate need to find her child clawed viciously inside her chest and reached up, wrapping itself around her throat until she
felt like she was choking. She suddenly skidded to a halt in the damp leaves, her heart pounding in her ears and her mouth going dry.
Bridget stood in the path, eyes wide with fear and tear tracks staining her dirty face. A grotesque deformed hand clamped over her mouth and a cloaked figure hunched over her small trembling form, it’s milky white eyes glowing maliciously in the dark.
‘Let her go,’ Abigail’s eyes went flat with anger.
His rotting hand slid from her mouth and encircled her tiny throat feeling her pulse flutter frantically like the wings of a trapped bird.
‘No,’ he replied as his hood slid a little further back revealing the damaged decaying mess that should have been a mouth. It split into a monstrous smile filled with brown loose peg like teeth. ‘She has something I need.’
He pressed his patchwork face to her cheek and inhaled deeply.
‘The blood of a West’ he crooned, ‘untainted and mine for the taking.’
‘If you so much as spill one drop I will destroy you,’ she threatened.
Nathaniel barked out a laugh, a disgusting mucus filled sound which was more likely to inspire a cringe of revulsion rather than one of fear.
‘Pathetic bitch,’ he sneered. ‘Just the same as the rest of your worthless bloodline, you think you’re so superior,’ he mocked. ‘The chosen ones, given the Hell book to protect as a sacred duty.’
Abigail’s eyes widened.
‘The truth is you stole it… thieves you are,’ he scoffed in disgust, ‘nothing more. I will have the book from you but first I need to shed this filthy infested body and your daughter’s blood is going to help me do that.’
‘Is that what you think Nathaniel?’ Isabel’s smooth amused voice cut across the distance between them.
Nathaniel’s eyes moved across to the tall woman striding into the tiny clearing they were standing in, a small girl tucked protectively behind her skirts. His eyes narrowed in blind hatred, his lips peeling back into a snarl as his fingers convulsively gripped harder around Bridget’s neck.
‘Don’t Isabel’ he warned, ‘the second you raise your power against me I will snap her neck like a twig.’
‘Go right ahead,’ she replied coldly, ‘it won’t do you any good. Alive or dead her blood won’t set you free. That’s what you think isn’t it?’ her mouth curved mockingly, ‘that the blood of a West will break the spell I used on you? Who told you that, the other Nathaniel?’
His hate filled eyes remained locked on hers as he watched her in silence.
‘Did you really think I didn’t know you would go running straight to the other version of yourself, whining for help? Thanks to you I have what I want,’ she reached behind her and gripped Hester’s arm tightly. ‘Go ahead, kill them both it will make no difference,’ she shrugged.
‘NO!’ Hester darted around her but Isabel caught her and wrenched her back. ‘I told you,’ she whispered into the little girl’s ear, ‘I told you some things couldn’t be forgiven and that some people don’t ever change.’
‘And I told you it is never too late to do the right thing,’ she looked up into Isabel's eyes pleadingly. ‘Follow this path and you will damn your soul.’
‘It’s already damned’ she replied flatly as she turned her gaze back on the demon.
‘Well Nathaniel, what’s it to be? Are you willing to take the risk? Her blood or Abigail’s…either way it won’t save you and the minute you’re done with them I will make you suffer for your disobedience.’
For a moment time seemed to freeze, even the trees themselves drew up and held their breath whilst watching the witch and the demon locked in a battle of wills.
‘Then make me suffer’ he hissed savagely, as his fingers curled tighter and Bridget’s mouth fell open. Her face started to change color as she clawed at his hands and frantically tried to suck air into her lungs.
‘NO!’ Abigail screamed. Throwing her hands out, the sudden and violent punch of her power knocked Nathaniel back a couple of paces.
His grip loosened just long enough for her to dive forward, ripping her daughter from his grasp and throwing her away from the demon.
‘RUN!’ she screeched wildly.
She turned to follow her daughter but stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened in shock and a thin line of scarlet suddenly appeared horizontally across her throat. A gush of blood spilled down the front of her dress saturating her bodice like a grotesque waterfall. Her legs collapsed under her and her eyes rolled upwards and the last thing she thought she saw was a dragonfly made of pure fire dancing above her.
‘MAMA!’ Bridget screamed.
Nathaniel growled clutching a knife in his hand as the witch folded to the ground. Ignoring the child, he dropped to his knees and sank his teeth into the wound, feeling her weak pulse faltering and the blood slowly oozing from the deep slash.
After a few moments he still felt nothing. He tore his mouth away from his grisly feast., and knowing he didn’t feel any different he let loose an animal howl of rage and frustration.
Isabel threw her head back and laughed.
‘Moron! Her blood won’t do you any good. It doesn’t have enough power to counteract the spell.’
His eyes locked on Abigail's lifeless body, his eyes suddenly narrowing as he processed Isabel’s words. He needed something incredibly powerful and there was only one thing more powerful than blood magic… A human soul.
His gaze turned back to Isabel and smirked.
A warm golden light suddenly appeared above him and they both looked up to see a trio of fiery dragonflies hovering over Abigail, they had run out of time. Turning back to Isabel he saw the exact moment she realized his intention. The cocky confidence suddenly drained from her expression and her eyes widened in alarm.
‘NO!’ She rushed towards him her hand outstretched with a startled scream on her lips but it was too late. As she reached for him he plunged his hand into Abigail’s chest filling the night air with the sickened crunch of rending flesh and broken ribs.
Before Isabel could reach him a burning sphere of sapphire blue and jet black flames streaked through the darkness. It crashed into her, throwing her clean across the small clearing and into the thick gnarled trunk of a nearby tree.
Two horses closed in on the scene, hooves thundering loudly against the ground. Theo threw himself from the saddle, crashing into Nathaniel his burning blade already in his hand. It burst into purple flame and he plunged it into his chest. A high pitched scream tore from the demon’s throat, a shockingly human sound filled with pain and surprise.
Olivia clutched the reins tightly with her good hand, desperately trying to keep control of the horse she no idea how to ride. Placing herself between Theo and the hunched figure of her mother who was still slumped at the roots of the vast tree, her horse danced expectantly in circles.
‘LOGAN! GET THEM OUT OF HERE!’ she yelled desperately.
Logan dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. Nudging the beast towards Bridget he leaned down in his saddle and plucked the sobbing girl from the ground, hauling her into the saddle in front of him. He spun the horse around and headed for Hester who seemed to understand he was their only chance at survival. As she held up her arm he grasped her and swung her up behind him.
‘GO!’ Olivia screamed at him, sensing his hesitation.
Taking one last look at Olivia he took off through the woods at a dead run.
For a second Olivia allowed herself to breath in relief. Whatever happened from this point on at least Logan had gotten the girls away from her mother and Nathaniel. Now she could only pray he managed to hide them safely. Tugging on the reins the way she’d seen Theo lead the horse, it turned under her instruction. Her gaze locked on Nathaniel and Theo who were wrestling across the muddy leaf strewn ground. Theo’s knife sunk into the demon’s body over and over again and each time it did it blazed hotter with Olivia’s Witch fire and Nathaniel howled in agony.
His milky white ey
es blazed in pain and fury as he managed to throw Theo off him. Nathaniel peeled his bloodied lips back in a feral snarl, his expression filled with a desperate kind of madness as he clawed his way across the sodden earth towards Abigail's corpse. Olivia could do nothing but watch in horror, a kind of sick slow motion reel of images as he thrust his hand into the dead woman’s chest. This time he wrenched out a writhing living sphere of blazing white light. Theo rolled over and scrambled back towards Nathaniel reaching for him, but it was too late. The demon threw his head back and crammed the pulsing ball of light into his mouth shoving it down his gullet. His throat lit up from within as the light descended, illuminating his chest cavity with a muted glow. Deep cracks began to appear in his skin like the floor of an arid dried out riverbed, revealing the pure white light beneath. His skin bubbled hideously and began to melt, sliding off him like a sick horror movie effect. He began to claw at his skin, tearing off chunks and peeling back huge strips of flesh. They watched in abject horror, knowing it was too late to stop him and unable to tear their gaze away. It was like witnessing a huge chrysalis breaking apart.
‘What have you done!’ Isabel suddenly screamed.
Olivia turned her head and saw her mother struggling to her feet her eyes blazing angrily.
Unable to spare her mother any attention she turned back to Nathaniel, her eyes desperately searching the dark ground for Theo. She tried to urge her horse forward but the shining light from his body was now so bright she had to raise her forearm to shield her eyes. The horse shied away, instinctively backing away from the sheer luminance.
‘Theo!’ she shouted blindly.
But it was no good, the air was filled with a trill whistle, like a kettle about to boil as the light grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly the sound cut out and for just one second the night was filled with an ominous silence.
Then Nathaniel exploded.
A great roar and Nathaniel’s prison of flesh burst like an overripe cyst. The shock wave of energy exploded outwards with such violence it uprooted trees. Olivia suddenly found herself thrown from the horse. She lost sight of it, of everything, as she hit the ground with a sickening impact. For a moment she couldn’t even breathe from the pain and shock. Then everything roared back with sharp acuity. Pain ripped through her body and she was unable to hold in the scream of agony. Her broken body had already sustained far too much injury to absorb such an impact.
The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum Page 147