The Banshee's Embrace

by Victoria Richards

  Why had he been able to get her so easily? What trick did Derek have up his sleeve?

  Turning off the shower, he grabbed a towel and dried off.

  In some ways, it didn't matter. He had Jacqueline back and nothing was going to get to her. Not Derek. Not Gabe. Not even the Brotherhood. Yes, they could present a problem, but he was ready. He'd made up his mind.

  Jacqueline was not going to die.

  Not if he could help it.

  ****

  The bar was still busy even though it was close to closing time. When Toby walked in, a collective groan had gone up. No one wanted to go home.

  "Hey! I thought you were gone for the night!" Angela shouted at him. There were several one dollar bills sticking out of the top of her shirt. When she saw him looking at them, she added, "That's where I keep my tips! No change-jar for me."

  Her expression changed when she saw Jacqueline step in behind him.

  "Jackie!"

  She came around from behind the bar, brushed past Toby, and gave her friend a hug.

  "Are you alright? You left so suddenly I was worried."

  "I'm fine. I just had a headache," Jacqueline said, giving her a tight smile. Looking over Angela's shoulder, she could see Toby going behind the bar.

  "Don't forget our arrangement."

  The voice in her ear was not Angela's.

  It belonged to Derek Spark.

  Startled, Jacqueline pulled back. Angela smiled at her but her eyes--those eyes belonged to another person.

  "Are you ready to do as I command?"

  It was weird seeing Angela's lips move but Derek's voice come out.

  "Are you ready, Jacqueline?"

  "Please…I don't want to hurt him."

  "It's what I want that matters. I let you go free because I knew Toby had feelings about you. I certainly hope you showed him a good time. A man needs to have sex one last time before he dies. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he finds out that once again, his lady love has betrayed him." Derek gave her another hug. "Get ready for some fun, my dear."

  With that he pulled away and still looking like Angela, sauntered back towards the bar.

  Jacqueline's heart pounded. Toby was so close to his enemy, and she was powerless to tell him the truth. Stricken, she could only watch them interact and wonder what she could do to stop Derek.

  "Something wrong?" Matilda had walked up to her, unnoticed. "You look worried."

  "I am."

  "Want to talk about it?"

  "I can't."

  "Is it about my son?"

  "Yes."

  Matilda studied her and Jacqueline tried to think of a way to convey the danger that Toby was in. She just had to find the magical loophole that would allow her to talk about what was happening.

  "What are you thinking about, Jacqueline?"

  "A loophole. I need one."

  "I don't understand. Are you talking about like a legal loophole or something?" Matilda wrinkled her nose. "I hate law shit."

  "Yeah, but sometimes in law people don't go to jail because of legal loopholes." She turned so that she faced Matilda.

  Maybe this was her chance to get help.

  If she could just get Matilda to understand…

  "Matilda, did you ever talk to Gabriella after she had the baby?"

  The other woman's eyes narrowed.

  "How do you know about Gabriella? Did Toby tell you about her?"

  "Yes. He told me the whole story about how the wizard bloodlines aren't supposed to mix and how the Brotherhood wanted your husband to kill the baby. Only it came out stillborn." Jacqueline watched Matilda. The old woman seemed surprised to hear that her son had shared part of his painful past. "Afterwards, Gabriella rejected Toby, but I think there was more to it. I think something else happened."

  "Like what?"

  "What if Gabriella had been under a command spell, one that would not allow her to have anything to do with Toby?" Jacqueline paused. "It also wouldn't let her talk about who took her newborn baby."

  "The baby was born dead."

  "No. I don't think so. I think it was very much alive, but her brother Derek took it."

  "Toby didn't make her give the baby away?"

  "Of course not!"

  What was Matilda talking about?

  "My theory is that Josiah put a spell on Gabriella. She could remember everything, but couldn't talk about it," Jacqueline explained. "Maybe that's why she killed herself."

  Tears filled Matilda's eyes.

  "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive, Matilda. I know that was your grandson." Jacqueline rubbed Matilda's arm. "But you see, he's still alive. He could be part of your family."

  If he isn't completely evil because of Derek's influence.

  Jacqueline kept that thought to herself.

  "Part of the family? After what this family put him through?" Matilda jerked her arm away. "I was better off being raised by strangers than with Toby."

  Shocked, Jacqueline could only stare at Matilda.

  The truth hit her. This wasn't Matilda. Just like Angela, the real Matilda had been replaced.

  "Gabe?" she whispered and glanced at Toby who was busy counting receipts.

  "Come with me," Gabe instructed. "Unless you want to kill the two women Derek and I stashed in the back office."

  Angela and Matilda. At least she knew they were alive.

  She followed Gabe to a booth in the back corner, one just out of Toby's sightline.

  "What are you planning to do?" Jacqueline asked.

  "Use you to kill Toby, of course." Gabe rolled his eyes at her. "Don't tell me you hadn't figured out that part yet, Nancy Drew. Honestly, you and your little friend, Angela are so dumb. I'm shocked that I got away with pretending to be Derek during the last half of that miserable dinner I had to share with her tonight. But she never suspected a thing."

  "Toby is your father. I don't know what Derek did to you all these years, but Toby had no idea you were alive."

  "Don't lie to me. Derek saved me from the Williams clan. Josiah was going to kill me!" Gabe leaned forward. "What the hell kind of grandfather does that? And he had my father's blessing. Derek told me everything."

  "He lied to you. Toby knew nothing."

  "If it weren't for Derek, I would have died. He snuck me out of the hospital and made sure the Harrington family adopted me. He would visit me from time to time, and when my parents were killed in a car accident, Derek became my official guardian. That's when he told me the truth about my father, how Toby killed my mother, took away every chance I had to grow up normal." Gabe's Matilda persona dissolved as he got angry. Good. Maybe if his guard was down, Toby would catch wind of what was going on.

  "These are all lies," Jacqueline whispered. "Derek only took you because he wanted to hurt Toby. He didn't even care about his own sister."

  "You weren't there!"

  "But I've seen it!" An idea came to her. "Listen, I saw a memory of that night. You can't fake a memory, Gabe. Can't you use your own wizard powers to see it?"

  Gabe contemplated the request.

  "What do you have to lose?" she pressed.

  "Give me your hand."

  She did so and felt a sharp jolt go through her as Gabe closed his eyes and rifled through her brain. It was an odd sensation, but one she hoped would be worth it. Around her, the bar was starting to shut down. People were stumbling to the door as the usual Mumford and Son anthem of Little Lion Man began to play.

  Soon Toby would come to check her on.

  Would she be commanded to do something beyond her control?

  Gabe's eyes opened, but she couldn't quite read the expression in them.

  "This proves nothing. The Williams family still wanted me dead."

  "But not Toby." She squeezed his hand gently. "Please, Gabe. Help your father. He wanted you desperately. I don't know who put the spell on your mother, but I do know that Derek has been lying to you."

  The bar was almost empty to
now. Her heart pounded. Whatever Derek's plan was, the time had come for it to unfold.

  However, she wasn't going to wait for Derek to make a move.

  She was going to use a little magic of her own.

  Jacqueline stood and took a deep breath. Gabe didn't notice. He stared at the table, deep in thought.

  Toby wiped the counter of the bar in slow circles, a slight frown on his face while Angela stood slightly behind him. She smiled at Jacqueline.

  "Something wrong, Jackie?"

  "No." She let the power she tried to keep in check the last year build within her. Derek hadn't given her any commands yet. Maybe there was still time for her to exert her free will.

  Jacqueline could feel the hum begin deep within the core of her being. Her banshee blood flooded her mortal cells, giving her an incredible rush of power as she let her supernatural side take over. It felt so good to surrender to the urges she'd been struggling to repress the last year.

  A song began to come from her, soft and low.

  Jacqueline could see the outline of Derek's life essence surrounding him. She concentrated on pulling that glow away from his body.

  "Jackie. What are you doing?" Derek had dropped his Angela voice. "It's not time for the big show until I say so."

  "It's time for my show," she muttered, sending all her energy at the pulsating glow.

  Toby flung out his arm. The action caused Derek to slam into the coolers behind him. His Angela façade disappeared.

  "Thought that was you, Derek. I like Angela, but if she were still running the bar, all the wine would be gone. What did you do to her?" Toby asked. "And what kind of spell did you put on Jacqueline? I thought her escape came a little too easily."

  "Doesn't matter." Derek lifted his hands. A fireball glowed between them. "You should be worried about what I'm going to have her do to you."

  But the threat was weak.

  His face grew pale as more and more of his life essence was pulled away.

  Toby walked over to him. Summoning a great breath, he blew out the fireball.

  "I think my girl has everything under control," he said.

  "Does she?"

  Derek gave him an evil smile.

  "Jacqueline, I command you to kill Toby."

  Immediately, Jacqueline felt the change in her powers. Her intention shifted though she hadn't intended for it to. She let Derek's essence go, watching it bounce back into him. But she couldn't stop the energy, couldn't stop the haunting melody that sprang from her lips, pulling at the soul of the man she loved.

  "Isn't she beautiful," Derek murmured. "Her song is absolutely hypnotic. She'll make a lovely banshee when the time comes. Once my family has no further use for her, we'll give her a magnificent death. But until then, she and I are going to have some fun times together."

  Toby sagged against the wall. His face contorted with pain, but his eyes---oh how they begged and pleaded with her to stop. It was as if she was another person and this new persona didn't care about anything but reaping souls.

  "Fight it," Toby gasped. "Fight it!"

  Tears streamed down Jacqueline's face.

  "Jacqueline, I love you. I know you feel it. Please… fight the spell. You can do it," he encouraged even as his strength faded.

  His words pulled at her heart. She had to get control over her powers, had to break the spell!

  But it can't be done. Think about what it did to Gabriella, her mind whispered.

  There was movement in her peripheral vision, but it didn't distract her from what she was doing. Little by little, Toby's soul pulled free of his body. Her song grew louder, full of lament.

  A hand clamped down on her mouth while another reached across her eyes, blinding her. The urge to sing continued, but it was lessened without a target.

  "Derek, before I allow this woman to kill my father, I want you to explain a few things," Gabe said. "Jackie, remember how you were able to control the power earlier this morning? You can break this spell. There is hope."

  "What are you doing? Let her finish Toby! This is what we've waited for. "

  "Did you put a spell on my mother?" Gabe asked, still holding tight to Jackie.

  "Of course not. She was my sister!"

  "Did she know that I was alive?"

  "Who has been telling you these things?"

  "Gabe, I don't know what happened to Gabriella. My father intended to kill you, but it didn't happen. I don't know why, though I'm very glad." Toby's weak voice reached his ears. "The only way to know the truth is if we work together."

  What was happening? Frustrated, Jacqueline wished she could see the action.

  This was so ridiculous. Why couldn't she just control her powers? She was a half banshee after all. The other half of her was mortal and still in control of her free will.

  I AM in control, she thought. I have to stop this spell. There is hope!

  She pictured Toby's soul going back into his body, fighting the stabbing pains in her head as she worked against the command spell.

  To her delight, Jacqueline heard Toby say, "The spell. She's breaking the spell. I can feel it."

  "Impossible," Derek sneered. "If the hag couldn't break free, than this little half-breed certainly can't."

  "Release her, Gabe," Toby urged.

  Gabe removed his hands.

  Toby stood at the bar, a smile on his face. She no longer had the urge to reap his soul.

  Derek stared at her, open-mouthed, while the other two wizards in the room turned their attention on him. As if one, they closed in. He attempted to make a break for it. Darting around the bar, Derek headed for the door.

  "Oh, no you don't!" Jacqueline called out. Her power blazed to life and she yanked at the edge of Derek's life essence. He staggered and she pulled harder, amazed at the strength of her skills. "Quickly, boys, before he has time to come up with a spell."

  Gabe and Toby rushed to him and both began chanting.

  They were sucked into the past.

  "I can't do this." Josiah Williams stared down at the small baby Gabriella held in her arms. "My grandson must live."

  "What?" Derek looked stunned. "You would go against the Brotherhood? They won't allow a wizard of mixed blood to be born. They'll kill you."

  "Then we need them to think the baby is dead." Josiah looked at Gabriella. "And you must never tell the Brotherhood or my son any different."

  "What are you going to do?" Gabriella clung to the bed, trying to protect her baby as best she could. "I won't let you murder my child."

  "No. We'll tell everyone the baby was stillborn." Josiah quickly chanted a command spell. Gabriella's eyes dulled and she sobbed uncontrollably as the older wizard took the baby from her. "Derek, will you protect our families or do I have to spell you, too?"

  Derek stared at the wizard, the hate in his eyes obvious. A lesser wizard though, he didn't dare fight Josiah.

  "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

  "Take the baby and find it a home. Let it grow up far from our clans, never knowing about its powers or heritage. This is the way to protect it and our families from the wrath of the Brotherhood." Josiah handed the baby to Derek. "If you speak a word of this to anyone, I will personally hunt you down and exact my own brand of punishment."

  Derek took the baby and disappeared into the corridor.

  Josiah bent over the weeping woman and stroked her hair.

  "It is for the best, my dear. You and Toby may love each other, but the Brotherhood doesn't understand such things. All they see is the potential for our powerful bloodlines to cross and create something that they can't control." He got up and headed towards the door. "Toby really loves you though. Take comfort in that even if you can't be with him."

  Gabriella only cried harder.

  The past rushed away, returning them to the Merlyn's Bar.

  "You lied," Gabe whispered, staring down at his uncle. "You lied from the moment I met you."

  "I was protecting you," Derek said.

&nbs
p; "No, you wanted to punish my father. So you bided your time didn't you?" Gabe shook his head. "That's what this has always been about."

  "Why did you kill my husband?" Jacqueline asked. "What does that have to do with revenge?"

  "I told you the truth about that. We were tracking Eric because he had been looking for us. Derek was excommunicated from his family. They kicked him out and wanted him dead." Gabe said.

  "But why Eric? Why would they hire someone outside of their family?"

  "Eric must have been part of the Spark family," Toby said. "A cousin, maybe?"

  "That's what Derek said." Gabe kicked at his uncle who remained silent on the ground. "We needed to kill Eric so he'd leave us alone. Only thing is, we hadn't counted on the wife getting in the way. I thought he was in the car that night, not you Jacqueline. And who knew he'd married a future banshee? I knew his job was protecting supernatural beings, but to marry one? He must have really loved you, Jacqueline. Once we realized what we'd unleashed with Eric's death, Derek thought he had a way to get revenge on Toby and have something that would get him back into his family's good graces."

  "Revenge? Because he loved your sister?" Jacqueline shook her head, meeting Derek's defiant gaze. "You're really a jerk, you know that?"

  "Toby brought shame to my family," Derek said.

  "Oh, please." Jacqueline rolled her eyes. "He did no such thing. He loved your sister."

  "It doesn't matter," Derek said to Gabe. "You were still rejected by your father's family. I was the one who found the Harringtons. They were good to you and when they died, who was there for you? I was. I helped you along the way. I even taught you how to assume the forms of different people. If I hadn't done that, you would have been caught by Toby the night you killed Eric."

  "You were the man in the bushes," Toby said to Gabe. "I saw you, but you didn't look like this."

  "I taught him well," Derek laughed. "Williams wizards can't even begin to assume other identities with the ease that a Spark can. Lucky for me, they boy has at least some of my sister's genes."

  "Did you kill my adoptive family?" Gabe asked. "I always thought their deaths were suspicious. It seemed too convenient to have you swoop in at exactly the right time to help me out."

  Derek said nothing, but the way his eyes shifted guiltily was proof enough for Gabe.