by L. A. A. Law
As the footsteps retreat, the overwhelming fear of all of the children overwhelms me and I have to fight to keep our connection.
Nicholas’s voice is strained. “We need to stay calm.”
“How can you say that? They want us dead!”
“He didn’t say that.” Nicholas retorts.
“They want dad to suffer, and won’t do anything to us, at least not know. Once they reveal themselves to dad, he’ll find us. Our family will find us.” Despite Jacob’s whispered tone, he sounds confident. “In the meantime, it doesn’t look like they want to do anything with us but keep us here. They are even sending down food or water, but we need to stay calm or we will get ourselves in trouble and maybe hurt.”
I can’t believe how well Nicholas and Jacob are thinking. They sound wise beyond their years.
“It sounds as if no one will be back down here for a few hours. Maybe we should try to do the spell that uncle Damian told us about.” Nicholas notes.
Kayla interrupts. “You know how mom feels about spells. We aren’t supposed to use them unless we are in school.”
Jacob’s responds confidently. “Mom wouldn’t mind, she probably even told uncle Damian to tell us about it. Otherwise, how would he know? He’s not a witch. Besides, he said it would help us keep track of each other in case they took one of us somewhere else.”
Nicole interrupts him. “Even if we did it, what good would it do us if we can’t get out of these chains?”
Nicholas replies. “We can’t think that way. From the look of this room, these are not very nice people and we need to do anything and everything we can to keep each other safe until someone can reach us.”
“I don’t think I remember all of the words.” Kayla murmurs panicked.
“I’m not sure if I remember either.” Nicole chimes in.
“It’s alright, I think I remember what he said and I can tell you what to say.” Jacob utters calmly.
Listening as Jacob instructs Kayla and Nicole in the spell, I’m amazed that he remembers it exactly considering his young age and the unbelievable stress and fear they are under. I feel Kayla and Nicole’s joy as they watch the stars fall upon them. Each breathes a sigh of relief as they complete the spell without getting caught.
My senses bounce and I connect with Jacob as his eyes slowly scan the room taking in every detail. The windows are high up, almost touching the ceiling. They are not covered by glass, only rusted bars. The walls are actually huge concrete type blocks and the entrance way is secured by an ancient dungeon door that you would see in old movies. That’s it! They are being held in an old creepy dungeon.
Opening my eyes, Andrew is next to me and we are alone. “Where did everyone go?”
“They went to comb the area where we caught sight of the car. There are several estates in the immediate vicinity and they are seeing if they can catch the children’s scent. They know you felt the children traveling after the car passed there, but staying around here was making everyone nervous and they’re hoping we might get lucky.”
“How will they know?”
“Reginald’s friend took scents from the clothes the kids wore. Although they masked the room with ether to cover their trail, Catherine retrieved the kids’ clothes from the hospital. What did you learn?”
“I think that the kids are being held in some kind of a dungeon.”
Andrew interrupts me, probably to keep me focused and get as many details from what I saw as possible. “What did you see that made you think that?”
“The windows are odd shapes with no glass. They have rusted bars across them and are up high, almost to the ceiling. Also, the oversized wooden door is ancient with a large metal ring and an old metal and bar window within it. The walls look sandy colored, like large cinder blocks and they have chains and shackles on them.” I stop talking as my anxiety increases at what I need to tell him next. I grab his shoulders. “I heard them fighting again. One of them couldn’t understand why he didn’t want you to see them grab the children so that you would suffer knowing who had them. Andrew, Jonathan is back!”
“Are you sure?” In those three words, I could hear the tension of five hundred years straining against his vocal chords.
“Whoever they are, they are working for him. Who else would want to see you suffer by grabbing the kids?”
“Did you hear him say that?”
“Yes! I heard a man’s voice, it may have even been him, but I’m not sure.”
“Mia, are you sure they’re with Jonathan, because if it is him, remember Reginald put a trace on his energy.”
“Andrew, we need to find out how to follow the energy because he said...” I can’t push the words past my lips as his words scream in my ears.
Andrew’s face becomes more anxious by the second. “What did he say?”
“He…He said that he didn’t… want the kids to… die before their time.” Forcing down a deep breath, my voice becomes slightly clearer. “He is planning on killing them!”
“Mia, stop. I don’t think he will kill them. He may be only saying that to placate the vampires’ blood lust, they are more useful to him alive. What else did he say? Is there anything that he said that might clue us in to where they are or how long we have until he moves on to the next part of his plan?”
“He said that he wanted you to suffer, first not knowing who had the children and then he was going to let you know that he had them because that would make you suffer more. Andrew, please we have to find them! I’m afraid of what he is going to do to them to make us suffer. He talked about how you know what he was capable of doing and that his love for carnage has only increased. He has things well planned out and the kids are going to get hurt or killed!” As hysteria rings through my words, Andrew lightly grasps my chin, ensuring that my eyes do not leave his.
“Mia, we will find them. They will be alright, they are very strong, we just need to make sure who he has helping him so that we can get them the right spells. I’ll call Reginald and see if we can trace his energy or if we need to wait for Reginald to arrive. I know that he is about three hours out from the last time someone spoke to him.” The tension from his grip alerts me that Andrew too is becoming fearful for the fate of our children, despite his trying to speak in a reassuring manner.
Taking the telephone from his pocket, his hand moves around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. He dials Reginald. “Reginald…” Waiting a moment so that he recognizes it’s Andrew, “Mia says Jonathan is holding the children, would you be able to walk Emma or Mia through tracing his energy so that we could find him?”
Andrew’s features become more intense. If only I had his hearing, I would know what Reginald is saying.
“From what she could hear, she is afraid that he is going to hurt them or kill them. The ones he is working with sound pretty unstable.”
His features freeze, stilling my heart. After a beat, his deadpan tone sends my mind freefalling. “I will let her know.”
As his eyes meet mine, he can no longer hide his fear and concern. “We can’t trace Jonathan’s energy anymore, can we?” I mutter.
Releasing me and taking my hands, his response is barely a whisper. “It’s not that we can’t trace it anymore, it is just that Reginald got no indication that he is on this plane so if he is, someone must be blocking him. Reginald thinks that we should wait for him because he is older and has more tricks. If Jonathan is here and detects someone is trying to find him, he will use whatever tricks he has masking himself until finding him wouldn’t matter and...” He closes his eyes and stops talking.
His sudden silence screams to me the information I cannot bear as the image of our children gone and trapped the way I had envisioned Andrew was all those years ago flashes violently through my mind like a nuclear explosion. Getting up, I can’t stop my wild pacing. A tidal wave of grief envelops me as I see our children being tortured behind a clear immovable wall while we are helpless to save them. My heart seizes, if we had only let J
onathan destroy us the many times he came for us or the night in the woods, Kayla and Nicholas would be safe in Stephan’s arms and Jacob and Nichole would not be suffering. Unaware that I voiced my thoughts out loud, I’m frozen as Andrew grabs my arms and my eyes meet his anguished expression.
“Mia, you can’t think that it would have been better for you to be destroyed. Our children, all of our children are strong, wonderful and powerful. You need to remember that. Jonathan failed in all of his attempts over you when you were just human and did not even know about your powers. Our children’s souls are stronger that even ours. They will survive this. They will be back with us.”
I interrupt him. “I know they are strong. That is why the darkness wants to claim them now, before they become so powerful that they cannot be held and manipulated. If I had only allowed Reginald to train them earlier, maybe they would be powerful enough now to at least escape or let us know where they are!”
Andrew’s arms tighten around mine. “Mia, we did the right thing in not letting them use their powers when they were little. Each year, the light around them grows stronger and brighter. It was a good decision to make them work for what they want and to learn that there are consequences to everyday actions so that their understanding of the repercussions that could result from their utilizing their powers without thinking resulting in unwanted consequences is ingrained in them now. They would have been more susceptible to the temptations of the darkness if they were not developing into the wonderful and caring individuals that they are!”
“But at least they would have been able to fight back, what if...”
His fingertips touch my lips, silencing me. “Mia, I know that you are worried. I am too, but we have to have faith that their goodness and love will lead them home to us, the way it led you back to me all those years ago. If Jonathan is involved, he won’t kill them.”
“What makes you so sure about that! He said he didn’t want them to die before their time.”
“That may be what he said, but think about it, if he wants us to suffer most, he is going to want to turn them, not kill them.” As he utters the words, his facial features twist in agony.
Kissing his fingertips, tears cascade down my cheeks. “Andrew we just need to find them. If you are correct and he won’t kill them, hopefully that will give us enough time. I don’t care what it takes but I will not let him keep them or let them suffer for being our children! If you say we should wait for Reginald, fine, but in the meantime, we need to get Emma here and see if there is any type of protection that we can have them utilize until we can reach them.”
As he reaches for his phone, the realization of the children’s souls being stronger than ours crashes over me like an avalanche. I can’t breathe. This situation is not as before when I could bargain my essence. What could we bargain with to save them? With our children, Jonathan has four young souls who, if he can manipulate, would be very strong and powerful forces, two of which have celestial powers that could be used to bring carnage to this plane throughout eternity. We have nothing he could want more than that not even our suffering alongside him in hell would be worth giving them up. Turning them over to him will ensure that his past follies are not held against him and he will not only advance in the ranks of his army, but will enjoy the icing on the cake. He could watch us suffer knowing that he was the one who converted our children to serve the darkness. Even if he fails to turn them, his consolation prize is allowing the darkness to destroy them over and over again.
My head spins wildly as I cannot escape the horrific images of my children consumed in the fiery abyss. I’m falling and feel my head crash against the corner of the table. As I regain consciousness, I feel Andrew’s cool fingers taking my pulse and the couch below me. Emma voice rings through the silence, she is speaking with someone on the telephone.
“How are you feeling?” Andrew helps me sit up.
“I’m sorry. How long have I been out?”
“Just a few minutes” He kisses me on the head before heading toward the minibar. Returning, he hands me some juice. “Mia, we will find them! Reginald will be here soon. When Damian returns, Reginald wants Emma to tell you about a spell that may help the children.”
“What do you mean may help them?” My eyes dart between the two of them.
Emma moves toward me. “Do you remember when we grabbed Abigail how Reginald kept the demons back?”
“Yes, but wasn’t that because we were in some type of other realm.”
“No, the alternate realm had nothing to do with his being able to use the shield.” She hesitates but then her features turn stoic and she continues. “However, I think that you should know that it only works on demons, it acts as a barrier to them.”
“Where’s Damian, if we could get them to do that spell at least he would not be able to get to them and drag them anywhere or hurt them!” My heart leaps as a spark of hope lights within me that they will not be lost to him.
Emma sits before Andrew and I and I can now see that her eyes are full of concern. “Before we do anything, you have to understand what I’m telling you.” She speaks slow and deliberate. “This spell only works on demons. You said that you thought vampires had the children, if they are not also demons, the spell won’t work and it will reveal that they have powers.”
“But Jonathan knows that they have powers. I’m sure that he has told them.”
“Mia, all I’m saying is maybe if you could just hold on for a little while longer and try to wait for Reginald, we could see if we find Jonathan and we wouldn’t have to put the children in a position where they would have to try and do this.”
From her tone, there is more. “What is it that you’re not telling me?”
Her eyes bore into mine. “Mia, please don’t take this wrong, but I have this feeling that it is not Jonathan that has the children. I know that you said it’s him, you are their mother and I am not doubting your talents, it is just a feeling I have and I can’t really explain it other than there is something telling me that things are not adding up to what we fear. I also know that because of Jonathan’s warning and Reginald’s affection for you and Andrew that Reginald put very powerful spells on Jonathan’s energy so that he would know immediately when Jonathan returned to this plane. It just seems strange that he would not have known Jonathan was back even if he could block his energy, I believe that Reginald would have detected traces because he would have to corporealize first.”
Knowing how preconceived notions have influenced past situations in my life, I sit mute desperately trying to detach myself from the situation as I rerun each and every detail in my head from the perspective of an observer rather than a terrified mother. Is there anything that confirms that Jonathan has them or could this be something else, a demon Andrew crossed in the centuries he’s occupied this plane?
“Mia, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to upset you more. Reginald made me promise to tell you about the spell and I will. It’s just that I can’t seem to shake this feeling that it might do us more harm than good at the moment.”
“You’re not making me more upset, I was just thinking about what you said.” Turning to Andrew, how much longer until Damian returns?
Getting out his phone, he calls him. “He’s five minutes out.”
Turning back to Emma, “Will you channel with me again to protect Damian, he needs to tell the children…” Her jaw drops. “I’m not going to have him tell them the spell. I just want them to know that we are working very hard on finding them and to hold on to hope.” Her features relax slightly.
As hard as waiting is, I know she’s right, any hasty decisions could cause them more harm. We strived to teach them that despite their fears, they always need to try and think calmly and make good decisions, I have to do the same and not let my fears of Jonathan returning for his revenge cloud what is happening now. What if I’m wrong and some other enemy has them who is not aware of their powers and worth to the underworld, I could be placing them in more dan
ger if they reveal their hand. Andrew is right they are very strong, smart, and caring children. Closing my eyes waiting for Damian, I pray that their goodness, strength, and wisdom beyond their young years will be enough to give us time to get to them.
The door creeks and my opening eyes meet the strained facial features of Damian and Serena, their search turned up nothing.
“Was there any indication at all near the site?” Andrew’s anguished voice reveals he knows the answer even before voicing the question.
Walking across the room, Serena places her hand upon his shoulder as defeat rings from her words. “There are several farms and estates in the immediate area. We left the others still checking, but so far there is no trace of the children or the car.” As Andrew’s features darken, she strains to make her voice sound hopeful. “Some of the locals were going to follow the road further up. Don’t get discouraged yet, we’ll find them.”
Damian sits next to me. “Are you ready to go again?”
“I am and I need you to get a message to them if you are still willing.”
Grasping my hand, “like I told you before, they are our family and I am ready to go whenever you are.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, I’m as anxious as you are to have them safe and at home with us. They bring joy not only to your life, but to ours as well and I will do anything to make sure that they are back at Sanctuary soon being tucked in their beds.”
After telling Damian what I need him to say, I close my eyes in concentration and am surprised that the connection is almost instantaneous and hope that it means that I am getting better and not that the one I connected to is in greater danger! I hear a voice, but it’s not one of the children. Squeezing Emma’s hand, I hope she knows not to let Damian appear.
The children are still feigning unconsciousness as two female voices ring close to them.