by Jill Cooper
Amanda turned the Ruby Heart over in her hands. Funny, how such a beautiful thing could control her destiny, but she wouldn’t let them use it. Try as they might, the demons would never let her go. Times had changed. Amanda saw now that she was born to save people by taking charge of the underworld.
So it was time to join them.
She smashed the Ruby Heart against the wall and Gwen’s shrieks of terror drowned out the crash and tinkling sound it made as the shards fell. The sound of a dove’s call came from the magical Ruby Heart. It fractured to a purple glitter as it fell to the ground, except its heart. A silver shard, it shined as it fell against the bed. Amanda felt nothing from it. No magical pulse or a beckon of power, so she left it.
She stepped away and Gwen fought to grab her ankle as she walked by. “What have you done, Amanda? That was our only chance to save you.”
The pain in her eyes was palatable. It gave Amanda pause. She bit her lip and stared down at Gwen and Mike’s crumpled face. “I’m sorry you don’t see how perfect this is. To have me in the underworld. I can stop the demons. I can free the souls.”
Mike shook his head against the stasis field. “It’ll never work, Hon. I know you want it to, but if you don’t govern the demons to destroy, they’ll turn on you. It’s only a matter of time.”
Amanda raised her eyebrow. “We’ll see about that.” She continued on. She dropped the stasis field once she hit the elevator. Gwen and Mike would chase after her, Amanda knew they would, and that was part of her plan.
The casino had been evacuated and she needed Mike and Gwen to leave the casino too because Amanda’s work wasn’t done. Sin Town needed to be destroyed and to do that; she was going to destroy the casino.
It was lights out for the Wild Aces.
****
Amanda stood in front of the casino. The police barricade held back the citizens and the police trained their guns on her, calling for her surrender—but she paid them no mind. She focused on the revolving door of the casino and saw two souls charging out toward her, screaming her name.
Her Aunt Gwen and Mike, someone who tried to be her friend. It was bitter to think on them and how they refused to give up on her. Sweet as they were, they were fools. She was beyond saving and maybe that was hard for them to accept, but for Amanda, it was child’s play.
She still was able to feel flickers of their emotions—pain and desperation, mostly from Gwen. Mike was still unreadable, but Amanda understood why now. He suffered great loss in his life, but soldiered on, even when there was no hope. Even when his heart was nothing but a bottomless pit.
Because he had to. Because it was the right thing to do.
Now, that was Amanda’s job. She understood it. She embraced the pain not for herself, but for everyone else.
“Freeze young lady, or we will shoot you!”
“Amanda!” Gwen shrieked as she got closer. Mike lunged for her aunt, a look of terror on his face.
He thought Amanda would hurt her? Never. All Amanda wanted to do was get away. Why couldn’t he understand that?
She glanced at the police and something about her face caused them to fall back. Amanda didn’t have to look at all of them to repeat the effect. A flick of her fingers pushed them away and pulled their weapons from their hands.
Amanda turned her attention back to the casino. She squeezed her hands into fists and with one giant motion, tore the giant antenna from the top. It sailed down toward where they stood. “Stand back,” she warned the gathering crowds.
“Gwen!” Mike pushed her out of the way and they both tumbled into the police barriers, but they would be all right. Maybe a bit bruised or sore, but they’d survive. It was more than Amanda could say for Sin Town.
Turning her back to them, Amanda gazed up at the sky. Where the power had been funneled into the Wild Aces Casino, red clouds formed and tumbled through. Bolts of red electricity shot through the darkness and hit the casino. It traveled downward and the portals surrounding it flexed like open doorways.
In that space, Sin Town could be seen. A gray place where the rain always fell and the builds were smashed together in squalor. Nothing good could come like a place like that. Nothing at all. It caused sorrow and despair. Amanda needed to put it out of its misery.
Through that portal, With a light heart, Amanda smiled to see Duncan—her old friend—and her sister Jessica jump through back into Vegas, but they weren’t alone. They brought some of Vain’s girls with them.
More lives were saved because of what Amanda did. That was never more apparent than right then. It gave her what she needed to soldier on. What she was doing was right and just. Her family would never see it and maybe she was a fool to expect they would.
They loved her. Just as she loved them, but she it was time to let them go. No matter how bad Amanda felt about it, it was time. Maybe she was never destined for this world. Maybe she was simply meant to pass through.
Jessica ran straight for Amanda. “Mandy!” Her legs pumped hard and Amanda couldn’t bring herself to look at her sister. “We got out, okay? I have Duncan. We’re safe. You can stop whatever it is your doing.”
“I really can’t.” Amanda tried to make eye contact, but the horror on Jessica’s face made that impossible. Her insides cringed, folding on top of themselves to feel the pain that Jessica herself was feeling. “It’s time for me to go, Jessica. My thirty-six hours are almost up.”
There was so much pain in Jessica’s eyes, her soul cried out with a wail. I can’t lose my sister. My God…look at her…Even her dress is changing.
Amanda gazed down and saw it was true. The tattered blue dress was shaded black upon the hem and the darkness was slowly creeping up.
“Keep each other safe. Love each other.” Amanda’s lip trembled and felt the flux of emotion riding through them both.
Jessica shook her head. “Mandy, baby, please.” She gritted her teeth and extended her hand toward Amanda. “Take it and let us help you.”
Duncan stood behind Jessica and he vexed with confusion. “Whatever this is, let us help you stop it. C’mon, girl.”
“You’ll understand. Later, you’ll all understand.” Amanda lifted her arms to decimate the casino, but she was hit in the back by a gust of wind. What had happened?
Gwen. Amanda was so distracted by her sister, she allowed herself to get caught off her guard.
Her body flailed and Jessica caught her torso and dragged her away from the casino. “You can’t save me, Jess,” Amanda fought against her, but wasn’t expecting the pinch she felt at her neck. It was a mistake to engage Jessica. A mistake to allow herself a good-bye that now might cripple the world.
Ludicrous, she gazed around and saw Mike’s stonewall face. In his hand was an empty needle. “It helps,” he barked in a gruff voice, “to always be prepared.”
Amanda moaned as Jessica stroked her face. She felt her sister’s love. “You’ll bring destruction to us all. Let me go, Jess. Please.”
“Never gonna happen.” Jessica whispered as Amanda’s mind slipped into a cold unconscious state that was neither of Hell or of the Earth.
Chapter Nineteen: Jessica
With Amanda collapsed in Jessica’s arm the stasis field that held the police back faded, but Jessica couldn’t worry about that. All she could do was cradle her sister, and stroke the once soft skin of her face.
Baby girl in her pigtails afraid to hurt a fly.
The sweet little girl who cried after stubbing her toe. The young woman who would give anything to save one person. One soul. Nursing injured birds back to health and one day, even using her power to heal a puppy’s paw.
Now what had happened to her? What? Jessica would hold her. She would protect her until her dying day no matter what that meant for her. The world.
“Police!” They were all around them, and the sounds of them scrambling for their weapons echoed through the open space of Vegas, but Jessica couldn’t be jarred out of her trance. She’d save Amanda. She would.
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If she didn’t, why even bother? Nothing would be worth doing. Nothing.
“Freeze or we’ll shoot!”
“She’s sick. Highly contagious. You can’t take her from us,” it was Duncan’s voice that reached Jessica. Deep inside of herself she hid, but his voice drew her out. Hugging Amanda close, Jessica blinked and was drawn back into the present. This was his play, seriously?
Who was going to buy a word he was saying?
Duncan stood, his hands splayed. “CDC, we’re here to obtain patient zero. If you guys come any closer--.”
Two police in the front exchanged glances. “You really expect us to believe that, you bum? When was the last thing you looked in the mirror?”
Jessica knew it would never work. Sweet loving fool that he was…she was thankful he tried, but the police were going to haul them away. This time, they might strap Jessica down so tight with their chains and straps, she’d never escape.
It was Mike’s turn to stand. He raised his hand while he reached inside his inside pocket and produced a billfold. Flipping it open for a one or two seconds, he shut it again. “We are CDC and I am on special assignment from the Vatican. You don’t really expect to second guess the pope, do you?”
“Father…” The officer blinked.
“Where’s your van?” The other cop asked, clearly unconvinced. “Ambulances? Cars? How come we don’t see anything?”
Gwen nudged Jessica and spoke in a rushed whisper. “You need to be ready to move and fast, girl.”
Jessica gathered Amanda tighter in her arms but she didn’t look at Gwen. She could feel her aunt bearing down on her with her eyes and she felt blamed for all of this. Somehow it had to be her fault, right? She was supposed to protect Amanda.
She failed. Oh God, how she had failed.
Gwen touched Jessica’s hair. “It’s not over yet. Be strong, Jess.”
As if she wasn’t? As if she hadn’t been for years? Tears filled Jessica’s eyes as she heard someone’s voice break over the horizon.
“Van is just over that embankment. We didn’t want to spook the prisoner. She’s hallucinating and needs help.”
Jessica’s skin chilled. It was Ron. Ron Wax. She gazed upon the man she framed for mass murder under Lourdes’s orders. Wearing a bad black wig and a fake mustache, he was in a business suit and from the way his arms hung, you could tell it didn’t quite fit right and wasn’t comfortable. As he flashed his ID to the police, he glanced at Jessica, and she turned her head away.
Couldn’t face him. Not after everything she had done and he came now? Well, that had to be a bad omen.
“Now, if you could please get everyone inside and stay there for twenty-four hours. The air purity out here is being compromised. Me and my co-workers here, we’ll get her where she can be treated and hopefully create a vaccine for you.”
The officers raised their eyebrows. “For us?”
Ron coughed into his fist for effect and Jessica had to give it to him, it was effective. The police started driving the crowds back as Ron approached. Jessica couldn’t look up, but she knew she had to. She was embarrassed beyond belief as the police spoke to Ron. “Being sick doesn’t explain what she did. Our weapons, the building. Whatever it was, it wasn’t natural.”
“Supernatural?” Ron chuckled. “You going to put that in your report, officer? You feel like retiring early? We’re experts at this, let us handle it.”
The officer’s face. “That doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to have to drop by the station. We need to make this official.”
“Of course I will. You think I’d break protocol?” Ron asked with the utmost authority. “Let’s get her moving. C’mon!” He whispered to Duncan. “I’m guessing we don’t have much time.”
Duncan didn’t say anything out loud, but he raised his eyebrows. He bent over Jessica. “I’ll carry her, Jess. If you’ll let me.”
Jessica nodded and was grateful Duncan was there. Besides her, Duncan was the only person she’d trust with Amanda. Her sister’s head fell backward and the way her limbs hung, terrified her. Until Jessica saw that the lines on Amanda’s face had retreated, ever so slightly.
“Lourdes’s magic—.”
Gwen nodded as she grabbed Jessica’s arm and helped her up. “She’s unconscious and not accessing her power. Giving her healing ability time to work. It won’t do much, but it might buy us some time.”
So Jessica had to be happy with that? A little bit of time, what would they get them?
“Which way to your car?” Ron asked.
Jessica pointed back down the street. It seemed like forever since they had parked there. She wanted to say something more to Ron, but didn’t know where to start. Apologizing? “Ron—.”
“Let’s just get to your car,” Ron said without looking at her. “I came here for her, not you. Got it, sunshine?” He picked up the pace.
“At least he came,” Gwen said, but she didn’t understand. Not really.
Jessica realized Hannah was following them. “We’ll get you somewhere safe. Trust me, that’s truly not with us.”
“Yeah,” Hannah said, “I was starting to piece that together.”
*****
Duncan lay Amanda in the backseat of the Blood family Chrysler with gentleness and placed his rolled up jacket beneath her head. They kept it safe for him after they discovered it outside the church. Amanda had been the one who wanted to return it to him. And now…
Jessica chewed on her inside lip as she waited and glanced at Gwen and Mike. Something about their stance wasn’t right or normal. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but whatever it was, it was bad.
“Did you get the Ruby Heart?” Jessica asked.
Gwen took a deep breath. “She’ll never make it all the way back to Vermont. There’s another church like that one. New Mexico. Albuquerque. Has a cage. Everything we need. We’ll lead and you follow us.”
That would work, right? They could get there? The drive wasn’t short, but Jessica was confident they’d find a way. “What about the Ruby heart?”
“Get her there. Then, we’ll talk.” Gwen said with flushed cheeks. She wouldn’t look Jessica in the eye and well—that was bad. What was her aunt keeping from her this time? Another dark family secret?
Jessica opened her mouth to answer, but Gwen and Mike were already on their way to her Jeep, wherever that was parked. Jessica wished people would just be straight with her.
Speaking of being straight… “Thanks for helping us back there,” Jessica said to Ron. “And for what I did when I was under Lourdes’s control.”
“Forget it,” Ron sighed. “I tried to stay gone. Keep the hell away from your boat load of trouble, but what I saw out there? Deep shit is opening up and it’s because Lourdes is dead. Because Amanda—But we can’t let her fall. I know that. I don’t want to lose her any more than you do.”
Jessica nodded. Humbled by his words. “Thanks,” she muttered quietly.
“But get this, Blood,” Ron pointed his finger at her. “We are not friends. And if I’m going to help you with this thing, when it’s over, you turn yourself in. You clear my name so I’m not walking around a fugitive. People think I killed my own gang. You think I want to live with that hanging over my head?”
Duncan rose up. “Hell, Ron. She doesn’t need this. She doesn’t need this from you. Do you have any idea—?”
Jessica saw the fire in Ron’s eye. The hurt and pain she had caused. Maybe if she did turn herself in, she could rid herself of her guilt. Maybe she could right the cosmic scale of karma, or the very least be able to sleep at night. Leaving Duncan behind wasn’t something Jessica wanted, but clearing her soul might be more important.
“All right,” Jessica said softly, but she repeated it again louder. “I’ll do it. You help us save her and I’ll do it.”
Ron and Duncan both did a double take, but while Ron’s glance was one of gladness Duncan’s face fell. “You can’t possibly be serious.”
Jessica couldn’t look at him. “Get in the car,” she fished the key out of her pocket and slid behind the wheel. “Hannah, go with Ron. You shouldn’t be in the backseat with Amanda. Ron, no funny business.”
Ron held his hands up. “Wouldn’t dream of it, sugar.”
Duncan slammed the door shut as Jessica started the car up. “We need to talk about this, Jessica. We’re not talking about a slap on the wrist. We’re talking about going away for life for something you didn’t even do.”
Jessica pulled the car away from the curb and wasn’t careful about speed limits or traffic signs as she headed toward the highway. She didn’t want to have the conversation they were about to have, but to shut him out would be a mistake. Jessica needed Duncan more than ever and she didn’t want to wreck whatever it was they had. “You think I don’t understand the terms? You think I don’t know what I’m agreeing to? But if he can play a part and help us save Amanda —I’ll do anything to save her. You know that.”
That was the mission. That was what was most important.
He should’ve known that. It was condition number one.
Duncan snorted and shook his head. “Why does it have to be her or you? Why are you both always willing to give your lives for the other? Maybe instead of thinking of saving just her you should focus on saving us. Her, you. Me. Family, Jess. Family.”
His words put tears in her eyes and Jessica ground her jaw to keep them at bay. He spoke the words her heart always wanted to hear. Family. Was there anything she craved more than that?
“She slew Lourdes and has now inherited the throne. Someone needs to take the queen’s position or else hell is gonna rise, Duncan. It’s already started based on what Ron is saying. Someone has to descend into darkness and it sure as hell isn’t going to be Amanda.”
“So what, you think it’s going to be you?” Duncan demanded with a shake of his head. “No, Jess—No.”
Jessica vexed and blew a sigh. “It’s not open for discussion. It was going to be Vain. That was my bright idea, but Amanda—killed her. Amanda killed her so she wouldn’t be around to take the throne because she wants it, Duncan. Do you understand how messed up Amanda is? She can’t think straight. She thinks she can exorcise the entire underworld and save us all. Thinks she can even save the dead.”