by Hadena James
And found Magnus. He was standing maybe 20 feet from Gabriel. Sunglasses on his eyes. He was staring at the ceiling, watching it burn.
The other Witches seemed to be in battle stances. They held their bodies rigid. Words forming on their lips.
“Get the Witches!” I shouted. More beings were pouring in around me. Magic began flow. Spells were being cast. I watched an Elemental jerk. Hit by something, he spun and fell to the ground. Dust wafted up from the floor, the Elemental disappeared.
“Magnus!” I shouted, bringing everyone’s attention to me. I didn’t actually have a plan. I rarely did.
“Magnus!” I shouted again.
“What?” Magnus finally spun around and looked at me.
“This has to end.” I told him pointedly.
“You don’t have enough magic left to make me,” Magnus glared. “If you come any closer, I turn the Angel to dust.”
“Fine, I’ll stay right where I am,” I opened up my mind. Daniel’s fiery hail was now leaking through the burning roof. Kagutsuchi and a few other Elementals were controlling it, keeping it from burning any of the Elders. It raced around the feet of Leviathan.
Rachel walked inside and began to drain the light from the room. I felt darkness overtake me. Gabriel, Rachel, and Daniel were all glowing.
Eli began to glow. I heard someone scream in the dark. Eli’s glow intensified.
“What the hel…” Magnus started. Then Magnus screamed, my own hands began to glow.
“Let Gabriel go, now,” I told a Witch that I could see in Gabriel’s glow.
“Or what?” He sneered at me.
“Or every wound I’ve ever healed will be inflicted on not just Magnus, but every Witch in this room. Eli will continue to call your blood. His powers will let him drink of it. He will grow more powerful. Rachel will continue to spread despair. And the fire, well, Daniel and the Elementals will get a lot better at getting it where it needs to go.”
“You’ll do it anyway.”
“I might, but…” I turned my power on him. He screamed. The air filled with the smell of blood.
“You can’t do that,” some woman yelled at me.
“Did you forget? I’m not just a Witch. I’m also a Demon and of the same Bloodline as the Brother’s. Who’s to say what I can and cannot do?”
She screamed and fell to her knees. Someone began moving in the dark. The magic encircling Gabriel was suddenly gone. I felt the light touch me and whatever skin I had left, was burned.
I didn’t scream. I couldn’t find the air. Others did though. Lots of others began screaming. It took a moment, but Gabriel finally fell to ground. His light vanished.
The light returned to the room. Rachel was curled into the fetal position. She was protecting herself and her baby as best she could. Olivia was screaming. Lucifer next to her, his hand on her, trying to calm her.
Chaos erupted. Magnus stood up. Blood dripped from his mouth, nose and ears. There was a large gash on his chest.
“Don’t do it, Magnus.” I told him, finally finding my voice again.
“Fuck you, Brenna,” Magic slammed into me. Another spell. The Demon in me struggled to the surface, magic spilled from me, uncontrolled. Magnus screamed again.
“Someone get the box!” I heard Anubis yell.
He got a growl in response. I fell to my knees, trying to pull the magic back into me. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t kill Magnus, it didn’t matter whether he deserved it or not.
A cool hand touched my shoulder. I inhaled. Magic came with it. Magnus stopped screaming. I looked up into the eyes of Anubis.
“Small breaths, Bren,” Anubis said quietly. “We’ve won the day.”
“Have we?” I asked him wearily.
“We have Pandora’s Box, we have Magnus, we have his Coven. All of them are still alive. I would count that as a win.”
“Good does that mean I can pass out?”
“If you so desire,” he gave me a funny smile. One that only his muzzle would allow.
“How is Gabriel?”
“Cursed, but alive.” He answered.
“We can deal with cursed.” I took another breath. “Help me stand.”
With Anubis’s help, I stood up. He limped me over to Magnus. He was still on the ground, blood coming from several places.
“I don’t know what the Witches’ Council will do with you, but I hope it is fitting. To turn on us, all of us, and for what?”
“I stopped aging.” He spat at me.
“So?”
“So, I’m going to watch everyone in my family die and why? Because some Elder has a genetic condition that requires me to be their mate. I have a family, a life and I’m just supposed to replace all that when whatever Elder comes along. How’s that fair?”
Chapter Fifty-One
Magnus’s reasoning haunted me on the drive back to our house. He had betrayed the Elders because he had become immortal, the mate to some Elder he had yet to meet. I wasn’t sure what I thought of that reasoning.
I could understand the not wanting to watch your family die part. And I could understand not wanting to be immortal. What I couldn’t understand was blaming Elders for your destiny. That didn’t make sense. Yes, he was going to be mated with an Elder at some point in history, but we hadn’t reached that point yet. He could have really loved her. She could have been his end all, be all, like my parents were.
Instead, he had stolen Pandora’s Box, created a coven of dark Witches and tried to kill as many Elders as possible. Elders and Humans alike had died. I remembered the Oath I had taken just three months ago. The goal had been to protect Humanity. I knew why Magnus’s design had been considered a breach of the Oath. In doing what he did, he had unnecessarily put Humanity at risk. He could have called anything from the box. And that something could have run amok.
The car I was in rolled over on its roof, interrupting my thoughts. It flipped again and smashed into a tree. I couldn’t see anything other than the tree.
Shouting and yelling were coming from somewhere outside. Inside, everyone was deathly quiet. Anubis turned from the front seat, tearing the airbag to adjust. His eyes met mine for a second. He was ripped from the car through the window.
“Holy…” Eli said. He began yanking at the seatbelt that held him. It tore in his fingers. He ripped through mine. I grabbed his hand and Daniel’s. The three of us pushed our way through the wreckage.
Gabriel, the other passenger in the SUV, tore off the roof and came out the top. My eyes adjusted to the change in lighting.
There it was, standing over Morgana, the demon of Christianity. He was at least 18 feet tall, with horns nearly double that. He had a long tail that ended in a fork. His skin was the color of molten metal. His face was distorted, twisted with rage. His tongue forked as it darted in and out of its mouth.
In some respects, it did look like my father. But my father liked to smile and laugh. This thing didn’t. He liked only pain and anguish. Someone had opened the box. Again.
Lucifer screamed as the thing snatched Morgana. One of her wings broke in his grasp. My uncles flew into motion. They moved around it, encircling it.
The four of us watched in horror as it dropped Morgana, trading her for Berith. Berith jammed his horns into the underside of the demon’s jaw. One of them broke, fire shot from it, bathed the demon.
The demon took no notice of the fire or the horn stuck in its chin. He opened up and tossed Berith into his mouth. He chewed twice and then swallowed.
My feet felt frozen. I couldn’t move. I could only watch as my uncles and father took attack stances. It grabbed at Leviathan. Levi moved out of his way just in time. The demon’s fingers tearing a piece of his clothing.
“Get away!” I finally shouted. The sound of my voice seemed to break whatever rooted me to the ground.
It was my turn. I took off running and slammed into the demon. He looked at me, growled and his fingers grabbed at me.
I didn’t have time to wond
er if it would work. My hands upon the thing, I focused my energy into inflicting wounds. The blood was black, thick as tar. It flowed faster.
Eli was there, helping me. I felt his power surge through it. I opened up a large wound in its stomach. The same one I had healed on Cerebus earlier in the week. Anubis, Berith, Kagutsuchi, Azreal and Magnus fell out. Their bodies looked broken and partially digested. Anubis groaned. They were still alive.
“Help me!” I screamed to someone, anyone. Demons began to drag the injured away.
The demon began to really scream. It was high pitched, deafening. I felt my ears begin to bleed. My eardrums were going to rupture. There was nothing I could do about that.
“I have the box!” Gabriel’s voice floated to me.
“Open it and put this nightmare back,” Eli shouted to him.
The Box let out a brilliant light. I took my hands from the demon. I turned, watched. The demon began to dissolve, the color changing inside the box. Gabriel turned, looking away.
Someone tackled me. Took me to the ground. A hand covered my eyes. The screaming was growing distant.
Then it stopped. The world was silent. The hand over my face was green. Not a normal green though. I tried not to scream. I tried to remain calm.
“It’s safe,” a voice whispered. The body over me adjusted. Sonnellion held his hand out to me.
“How? What?” I frowned at him.
I took it and stood up. He felt warm.
“You cannot look directly in the box, it will drive you mad.” Sonnellion told me.
“Thank you,” I said it as though the words were foreign.
“You’re welcome,” Sonnellion smiled at me.
“Sonnel?” Lucifer’s voice came to us.
“Luc,” Sonnellion turned to look at his brother. “Lucifer, I am so sorry, please forgive me.”
“How did you get here?” Lucifer asked what I had wanted to know.
“Him,” Sonnellion pointed towards Magnus. “He and his coven wished me from the box.”
“They brought you back to life using Pandora’s box?” Mammon said, his voice sounded as stunned as I felt.
“Yes, the box can do that.” Sonnellion looked back at me. Without warning, he threw his arms around me, hugged me.
I didn’t protest, but I didn’t hug back. I was too shocked to do either. He held on for longer than I would have liked. When he let go, he turned to Gabriel.
“Angel,” he said the word with remorse in his voice. “Gabriel, please forgive me.”
“Sonnellion, I forgave you centuries ago.” Gabriel took the initiative and hugged Sonnellion. The world suddenly seemed lighter, better. Tension was lifted from the air.
“I think this should ride in a car without someone hell-bent on destruction,” Gabriel handed me the box.
“I don’t want this,” I handed it to Eli. “It can bring back the dead.”
“It wasn’t just the box,” Sonnellion gave a sheepish look. Several of us turned to Nick.
“Sorry,” he blushed.
“This is what you meant by raising the dead?” I asked.
“No, not really, but when the box brought him forth, it just kind of happened. His soul was here, I gave him back his body to inhabit. I didn’t mean to! Honest!” Nick’s eyes were wide and wild.
“Nick, it’s fine.” Mammon told him, wrapping an arm around the teenager.
“We know that things sometimes happen,” Levi assured him.
“Besides, now he can’t be resurrected as one of the Horseman.” I considered that to be a good thing.
“No, I can’t, I didn’t see this coming. I don’t think anyone did.” Sonnellion frowned. “We’ve changed the course of history.”
“No, we haven’t. Just because it isn’t Sonnellion, doesn’t mean they won’t resurrect someone else.” Daniel answered. “Someone more evil.”
“There is someone more evil?” Sonnellion asked.
“Yes, many. You found love in your heart. It took several eons of being dead, but you did.” Daniel answered.
“This is too weird.” I leaned against the car. “I can’t decide if this is one of the worst weeks of my life or one of the best.”
“Go with both,” Anubis finally rejoined us.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Most of the Great Houses were already assembled at my house when we arrived. A couple of beings screamed when Sonnellion walked into the room.
“You would have had to be there,” Lucifer told them. He took hold of my mother, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lightly.
“Ah, so cute. I hate to interrupt, but can we get on with this. I need a shower, some food and about seven days worth of sleep.
“Of course,” one of the Great House Witches answered. “We are almost all assembled.”
“How many left?” I asked.
“Pendragon is grabbing the last three now,” my mother answered.
“Good.” I plopped down on the couch. My eyes instantly found Sonnellion and I stared at him.
“Niece?” Sonnellion asked.
“Uncle,” I tried to think of something to say. “You begged me to kill you. Now you’re in my living room and alive. I’m conflicted.”
“Don’t kill me,” he answered.
“Is it really that simple?” I asked him.
“No, but the alternative isn’t simple either.” He came and sat down next to me. “I know you are going to need an adjustment period. We all are. I don’t know about being alive anymore. I wouldn’t have guessed Pandora’s Box could do this or that my nephew would be able to help it along. I am just as unsure as you are. What I do know, is that the hate I have felt since time can only remember when, is gone.”
“I believe you,” I sighed at him.
“Sonnellion,” Fenrir came forward. “Until you figure out what you intend to do with your new life, I am extending you the invitation to stay here, with your brother’s and their families. I believe you have some time to make up for.”
“No formalities, Fenrir. You, Anubis, Gabriel and Ba’al are also my family now. You love my niece. She loves you. My brother’s love you. Their families love you. That makes you my family, if you will have me.”
“Of course, Sonnel.” Gabriel broke whatever reservations we might have had. If he could accept and forgive Sonnellion, then the rest of us could too.
“I’m glad she figured out a way to undo what I had done.”
“She’s special, there’s no doubt,” Morgana had tears in her eyes.
Pendragon popped into existence with three very reluctant Witches. They acted like blinking in and out of existence was abnormal. But I was sure it beat the hell out of flying.
“Oh wow, Brenna, you look awful,” one of the Witches said to me.
“Thanks,” I gave her a dry smile, or tried to.
“Don’t do that, it looks unnat… Oh heaven help us all!” Her eyes found Sonnellion.
“Never fear, he isn’t dead anymore and he doesn’t seem intent on destroying the world either,” I gave her a look.
“Long story,” Eli gave her a grin. “But the gist is, Magnus called forth Sonnellion’s soul from Pandora’s box and my brother, Nick, gave him a body. Somehow, that made him alive. We’ll figure it all out, later. Let’s deal with Magnus and his coven now.”
“Of course,” she looked around the room. “There is only one problem.”
“And that is?” I asked.
“The Witches that should take the seat…” she spread her arms.
“I know, we’re biased. I don’t want a council seat. Ever.” I told her.
“Don’t look at me,” Elise said as the Witch’s eyes moved about the room.
“Count all the Strachan’s out,” Eli told her. “I think we have enough to deal with without being an Overlord.”
“That would mean that the house would go to,” she pulled a book out of her pocket. “Magnus’s grandson.”
“That doesn’t work,” Fenrir grabbed the red-head fro
m the back of where we were holding the coven.
“Oh,” she frowned harder. “Are you sure you don’t want the Council seat?” She looked at me.
“Positive.”
“Ok, that means I’m next,” she closed the book and frowned even harder. “I don’t want it either.”
“Really? The only Witches that want the Council seat are evil?” I asked.
“Well, sort of,” she gave me a weak smile. “You see the problem is that most Witches aren’t just Witches anymore. Aside from a few of us older Witches, most of them are half-breeds.”
“Damn,” I looked at Daniel. He shook his head at me. Instead, he stood up and walked over to Rachel.
“Rachel should sit on the Council.” He said.
“Oh good, that would do nicely. Are we ready for a vote?”
“I didn’t agree to that!” Rachel protested.
“I vote yea,” I said, ignoring her.
Several others agreed with me and whether Rachel wanted it or not, she got it.
“Shit,” she gave me a look that would have caused a shiver to run up my spine if I hadn’t had such a rough week.
“Go Rachel!” I congratulated her, despite her look of malice.
“How many voting members are here?” The Witch asked.
“Several,” Rachel moaned.
“Enough to consider it a done deal though?” She started counting heads.
“Ah, yes, representatives from each Great House, plus Elders. That should be enough. Now, Rachel, if you’ll just sign your name there.” She pointed to something. Rachel looked at it like it was Cerebus about to eat her.
“Just sign it, Rach,” Daniel told her.
Rachel took the pen and signed. For a moment, the ink glowed on the page. There was a whooshing sound and a sizzle. All our magic returned. I could see it dancing around us again. I turned it towards Sonnellion. The sickly yellow color was gone. It was a vibrant green.