by Mara Lee
The bars shook and seemed to melt right before his eyes.
“Too much…” Tina groaned and jerked in pain.
“Hang on sis,” Griffin pressed forward and strengthened his energy bonds, “We’re almost there.”
Sass reached out, but Henrietta’s sharp voice stopped her.
“Don’t you dare … you can’t,” Henrietta bit out.
Sass pulled her hand back and watched as the bars in front of her twisted and magically opened.
Sass blinked. “Oh my…”
“God.” Griffin finished for her. He released Tina and Henrietta’s hands and stumbled back. He was exhausted, absolutely drained.
Sass jumped through the bent bars and rushed Griffin. She threw her arms around him.
Griffin chuckled. “Gently … gently there, love … I’m feeling…” Griffin blushed, “less than one hundred percent.”
Sass smiled tremulously. “You’re amazing, beyond amazing.” She kissed his hands. “And I’m so proud of you, darling.”
He grinned. “Actually, I’m pretty proud of myself as well.”
“You should be.” Tina gave her brother a hug.
“For a low level … that wasn’t bad.” Henrietta cleared her throat. “And now that we’ve all congratulated Griffin on his growing powers … do you think we could split before Carrie arrests all of our asses?”
* * * *
“You realize I’ve made you all criminals,” Sass said.
Griffin waved her comment away. “Don’t be ridiculous, Saskia. We’ve made ourselves criminals.”
“Oh, well, now I feel so much better,” she said sarcastically.
Griffin chuckled. “Hope you know where you’re headed.”
Sass nodded curtly. “The only place where we’re going to get any answers.”
“And that would be where?” he asked.
Sass frowned. “The den of terror.” When she saw Griffin’s raised eyebrows she sighed. “Tabitha’s house. We’re going to Tabitha’s house.”
Chapter Twelve
Tabitha Spencer’s house was a grand monstrosity. Four stories high, it rivaled Mrs. O’Leary’s mansion. Sass had always thought the Spencer house to be a creaky, freaky trap for nightmares. But Tabitha had been supremely proud of her family home—nightmares and all.
“Addams Family move out?” Griffin’s voice was dry.
Sass wrinkled her nose. “Awful, isn’t it?”
“I could think of another word to describe it.” His eyes swept over the turrets and dark stained glass. “God … someone lived here?”
She nodded. “A family lived here, remarkable isn’t it?”
“What’s remarkable is that this place is still standing.” Griffin walked slowly up the drive and cast furtive looks around. “I think Tina and Henrietta got off easy.”
Sass said nothing, but was thinking that Griffin was right. Tina and Henrietta had taken themselves off to the morgue. The two of them were going to inspect Tabitha’s body. They were all to meet at the public gardens later. It was the most neutral place that had come to Sass’s mind at the time.
“Well…” Sass hesitated at the front door of Tabitha’s home.
Griffin grinned. “Please … ladies first.”
She tossed him a disgusted look and tested the doorknob—locked. “Okay, stand back.”
“What are you going to…” Griffin’s words were cut off in a haze of shocking smoke.
He coughed and waved the thick haze out of his eyes. The door was now hanging open.
“Okay, effective,” he said.
Sass shrugged and pushed the door until it swung open. “Could have picked the lock, but this was easier … and faster.”
They stepped into the house and were instantly engulfed in darkness.
“I think we could use…” Griffin’s words dropped off and he shook his head when a large ball of light appeared. “Show off.”
Sass chuckled. “Sometimes.” She moved slowly through the first hall until she reached the living room and stopped in her tracks. “Oh God.”
Griffin came to stand by her side. He grit his teeth and tried not to flinch at the sight that met his eyes.
The once white carpet was stained a deep copper. And the river of red ran the length of the room.
It was horrifying.
“She didn’t deserve this.” Sass leaned against him and pressed a hand to her mouth. “God, she didn’t deserve this.”
“No one does.” Griffin steadied her. “Are you going to be all right, love?”
Sass swallowed and nodded slowly. “I think so, yes. I … I can do this.” Sass pushed away from Griffin and skirted around the thick pool of red. She fought back mounting nausea and forced herself to study the blood trail and pattern. The broken furniture, blood splatter, and amount of bloodshed seemed to indicate that Tabitha had struggled with her assailant.
Sass’s forehead knit. There was something in the air, a distinct smell—not blood. Sass followed her nose and came to stop at the giant fireplace at the far corner of the room. “Ash … and hemlock…” She sniffed, “the smell…”
“What about it?”
“Very distinct … the smell…” Sass’s brow furrowed. “There was a cauldron hung here recently … the grooves on the inside of the fireplace…”
“That would make sense,” Griffin said. “It was her home. She would have used the fireplace.”
“But why,” Sass frowned, “would she use hemlock and ash?” She dipped her finger into the ash and tasted the dry, dusty substance. “A potion. A good one.”
Her skin began to crawl. There was evil here, and it was eating at her skin.
“Saskia … love … I hate to say this,” Griffin looked around, “but this house is freaking me out.”
Sass nodded, her gaze turned quizzical. She ran her hand across the rough surface of the brick and stopped suddenly. “I’ve found something.” Sass dug her nails into the loose cement and gently worked the brick free.
“What?” Griffin leaned over Sass’s shoulder to have a look.
Sass reached into the exposed space and drew her hand out slowly. “It’s … a photo.” Sass’s eyes widened. “It’s a photo of my mother … and…”
“You.” Griffin’s eyes narrowed. “It’s a photo of you. Why would Tabitha have a photo of you and your mother stashed in her house?”
“As a reminder.” The voice washed cool and heavy through the room.
They turned around and found themselves face to face with Tabitha Spencer.
Sass smiled tightly. “You look good—for a dead woman.”
Tabitha smiled evilly and gestured toward the shadows. Two large spiders crawled forth.
Griffin groaned.
Sass shuddered. Spiders, God, she hated spiders.
Tabitha floated gently forward. Her spiders broke off and skittered to either side of the room.
“You…” Tabitha narrowed her eyes, “are rather difficult to dispose of.”
Sass stepped back, only to find herself pressed against the fireplace. “And you’re totally psychotic.”
Tabitha laughed. “Now that, that would be too easy an explanation … don’t you think?”
“The hemlock,” Sass whispered.
Tabitha grinned an eerie grin. “Necessary to stop the flow of blood … I’m afraid my de-animation spell only worked in conjuncture to the potion I imbibed.”
“You killed yourself,” Sass said grimly.
Tabitha’s lips curled. “No Riley, you killed me. At least that’s what everyone believes.”
Sass shook her head. “You are nuts.”
Tabitha reached into her cloak and withdrew a glimmering wand. Her smile was radiant. “Sturdy wood, Riley.”
Sass inched her way to the side. She saw, from the corner of her eye, Griffin eyeing the advancing spiders warily. “Why a de-animation spell, Tabbie? You could just as well…”
“Used a death spell?” Tabitha smirked. “Always so short-sighted, and
not so good with your studies, either. Don’t you remember what Professor Tilken always said?”
Sass hesitated and then breathed out, “Complications always arise when falsifying death.”
Tabitha nodded. “Yes. There are always too many factors to be aware of when one tries to die. It is much easier to just de-animate. Not to mention … there are fewer words to the spell.”
“And my prints?” Sass asked, hedging for time.
Tabitha smiled broadly. “A lifting spell, very, very simple.”
Sass stiffened. How could she have been so stupid? Of course … a lifting spell. Tabitha had merely lifted her prints off of the broken wand she had retrieved. It would have been extremely easy to get a clear set of her prints from that wood. And once she had the prints she needed only to plant them on her person. Tabitha had pulled out all the stops.
Clever … how very, very, clever of her.
Sass gasped when she heard Griffin’s sharp intake of breath. She quickly turned her head and saw that Griffin barely dodged the strike of a spider.
Tabitha snapped her fingers and shook her head. “Not yet, darlings.” She watched with glowing eyes as the spider obeyed her. “Aren’t they lovely?” Tabitha floated over to one of the spiders and ran her hand down its furred back.
“Question.” Sass moved to Griffin’s side, clasping his hand within hers. She didn’t miss the flinch as it moved through Tabitha’s body.
“Oh fine, what?” Tabitha smoothed one hand down her hair and tapped her foot impatiently in the air.
“Is there a reason that you’re trying to kill us?”
Tabitha’s eyes narrowed into fine slits. Her mouth tightened and her body seemed to quake with a terrible build-up of energy.
“You, Riley, I’m trying to kill you.” Tabitha sniffed, “I would have spared him, I had uses for him, you see.” She clenched her hand into a tight fist. “Do you know how long and hard I worked on that lust spell? And then you ruined it.” Tabitha growled. “Didn’t think I knew about that, did you? Who else could it have been? I stewed over it for months … trying to discover what went wrong. The potion was perfect. My potions are always perfect. Griffin drank it and collapsed within moments. Everything was fine … until you entered the picture. You ruin everything. I don’t know how you did it, but I know it was you, you conniving, little…”
“Hey! You bitch. You’re the one that drugged me?” Griffin shouted.
Tabitha threw out her hand and watched with satisfaction as Griffin doubled over in pain. “Careful what you say to me, pet.”
Sass whipped her wand out of her pocket and snarled. “Don’t you touch him!”
“Oh, but I plan on doing all sorts of touching, Riley.” Tabitha ran her wand over both of her giant spiders and laughed with joy as they grew larger. “I will get what I need from him Riley, and then I’ll dispose of him.”
Sass powered up her wand. The energy and power built slowly, until it broke in a crescendo at the tip of the glowing wood.
Tabitha laughed. “You’re going to come up against me? You think to match wands with me?”
“You’d better believe it.” Sass flicked her wand in Tabitha’s direction and the other witch stumbled back.
Tabitha recouped quickly, flashing her wand and sending a bolt of lightning crashing down upon Sass’s surprised head.
Tabitha grinned as she watched Sass’s hair burn.
Sass doused the fire quickly and grimaced, she smelled gross and her hair was singed.
“Lightning, neat.” Sass caught movement from the corner of her eye and stiffened. She didn’t have to see Griffin to know that he was fighting with one of the giant spiders. “Let’s try this one.” Sass chanted quickly and transformed into a giant panther.
She tackled the spider attacking Griffin.
The spider hissed and threw out one of its long legs, catching Sass’s front paws. Sass stumbled and barely had time to roll before the spider’s mouth, full of deadly sharp fang-like teeth, came down. As it was, she felt a sharp nick hit her throat.
“Sass?” Griffin landed a solid roundhouse kick to the second spider.
Sass growled.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Griffin grabbed the spider’s front legs and held onto them as he slid right underneath the huge arachnid. Ah, success. He could see the spider’s cushy underbelly … now for a weapon. One good thrust and he could spear the spider’s soft flesh and get rid of this freak show.
Griffin frowned. There was no weapon at hand. “Oh give me a break!” Griffin shouted—rolling to his right side as the spider tried to pin him with its leg. “Who doesn’t own a fucking poker? You own a poker,” Griffin rolled again as the spider kept trying to stab him, “I’m sure Henrietta owns a poker. I know my sister owns one.” Griffin grunted and scrambled out from underneath the spider. “But we choose to break into the one crazy witch’s house that doesn’t have a poker in it. A fireplace, yes, but no poker.” Griffin grunted as two of the spider’s legs lashed across his face.
“I’m tired of watching the play.” Tabitha cast her spell and transformed into a huge tiger.
Sass slashed at the spider that was attacking her and managed to rake her sharp claws down its side. The spider spat and snarled but jumped back as blood poured from its wound. She turned to help Griffin and Tabitha took that moment to attack.
Tabitha leapt from the air and landed squarely on top of Sass. The two of them rolled around, a tangle of claws, fangs, and deadly intention.
Sass growled and roared when Tabitha’s fangs sunk into her shoulder. She used her hind legs to push off the ground and grunted when Tabitha hit her in the stomach. She tumbled back and flinched when she heard and felt the shattering of glass.
Sass lay on Tabitha’s lawn, panting. She shook her massive head to clear it of shards of broken glass. Great. She had just been pushed through a window, and now her forehead and ears were cut and bleeding. Her head was killing her, her stomach was bruised and aching and her shoulder was bleeding something fierce. Could this possibly get any worse?
Tabitha snarled and charged.
Sass groaned, chanted, shifted quickly and took human form. Staying in animal form was draining too much of her power. “GRIFFIN!” She levitated and jumped over Tabitha. “MY WAND!” She screamed. Sass cursed as Tabitha pawed the air, trying to get to her. Damn Tabitha and her natural ability. It didn’t look like she was having any problem maintaining her animal spell. “What the hell is taking you so long? My wand, Griffin!” Sass screamed as she felt her levitation spell start to lose some of its strength. She needed her wand. She needed to re-charge.
“Cut me some fucking slack!” Griffin, seeing his chance, grabbed a shard of broken glass and gouged out one of the spider’s giant eyes. He leapt to the side when the second spider rushed him. “I sort of have my hands full.”
Sass saw Tabitha’s tiger form shimmer and knew that she was going to need to take human form any second. She took that moment to land a powerful punch to Tabitha’s head. She was gratified to see, even in tiger form, the bitch witch’s head rock back.
Tabitha shook off her animal spell.
Sass swore and cast a quick look in Griffin’s direction. “My wand, quick, or would you rather sweep me up with a broom and dustpan?”
Griffin growled but concentrated on getting his bearings together.
Sass elbowed Tabitha in the chest and let out a ‘hallelujah’ when her wand floated into her hand. She threw out her hand, her wand glowed, and she watched supremely satisfied as Tabitha went flying back.
Now that was more like it.
* * * *
Griffin had had enough of giant fucking spiders and the psychotic witch. Just because he had announced to himself and the twisted fates who listened to all, that he was ready to accept his nature and Sass’ … did not give those above free rein to play havoc with his life and try to kill him and his girlfriend.
Enough was enough!
Griffin felt rage surge thro
ugh him. His hair was fairly standing on end, there was so much energy rushing through his body.
He didn’t even realize, until the house began to shake, that he was creating the turmoil. He watched with stunned eyes as the last standing spider stumbled and fell, as the very floor it stood upon began to fall away.
What the hell was happening to him?
The house continued to tear apart.
Griffin escaped the house by exiting from the now destroyed window. His body was shaking and thrumming and his head was pounding furiously. He tried to temper the power down but nothing he said or did seem to work. How the hell could it? He wasn’t even sure what he was doing … or how he was doing it. How then could he stop?
“Griffin?” Sass puzzled voice broke through his haze.
Griffin couldn’t speak. He was still watching with stunned fascination as the roof to the house began to fly apart and the walls began to shake and shiver.
“NO! NO! NO!” Tabitha shrieked, right before she jumped on Griffin’s back. Magic was forgotten in her rage-filled state. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and began to pummel and pound him. “My house!” She was still screaming as Griffin shook her off.
Tabitha got to her feet, unsteady now, and her eyes burned with inner fire. “I’ll kill you!”
Griffin rushed to Sass’s side and grabbed her hand. The moment they touched, electricity rushed between them.
Sass smiled, lifted his hands to her lips and kissed his white knuckles. “Thank you,” she breathed.
Griffin answered her smile with one of his own. “Don’t mention it. Just do me a favor and end this already.”
Sass nodded—her expression now tight. She drew on Griffin’s power, his energy and fed off of it. She allowed their power to meld and be channeled through her susceptible body. Each of her nerves felt alive and each breathed the word … power.
She welcomed the earth and its magic.
The earth and its magic welcomed her.
Tabitha’s eyes widened; there was fear in those depths now. She raised her wand, meaning to strike, but suddenly found herself caught within a powerful force-field.