The Darkest Gateway

by Jeri Westerson

  “But not as adverse as cannibalism, right?”

  “You make a good point.”

  “And anyway,” I said. I couldn’t help but walk to the window and peer out again. “It’s only temporary until I kill that thing.”

  “We’ll have to make the potion to work as a fine mist…” He began thinking of the problem and started pacing.

  I was imagining something like a crop-duster, but I didn’t think we knew anyone with a small plane. “Maybe I should just send up the Bat Signal,” I said. I got out my phone and clicked the first member of the coven.

  * * *

  Erasmus paced, and I could’ve sworn he was scorching my floor. I tried once or twice to mention it but there didn’t seem to be a point anymore.

  The door burst open and Nick, our Goth-lite barista with dyed black hair and black fingernails, stood panting in the doorway. “What have I missed?”

  I leaned against the counter. “All of you Wiccans have to come up with a protection spell so Erasmus and I can go to Hell.”

  His gaze flicked toward Erasmus, who was still pacing. “Uh…okay. Why?”

  “Because he and I are going to the Netherworld to ask Satan to destroy the Booke of the Hidden for good.”

  He bit his lip and his brows moved upward. “S-Satan?”

  “The one and only.”

  “Right.” He reached for a chair behind him and sat. “Because this isn’t freaky enough as it is.” He glanced at Ed and did an automatic chin raise toward him.

  “We, uh, also have to stop the cannibalism that might be going around,” I said.

  He wilted. “I spoke too soon.”

  Seraphina, our middle-aged boho witch, hit the open doorway next. “Nick? How did you get here? Your car isn’t in the parking lot.”

  “Oh, I ran. I forgot. Jeez, I hope no one saw me. I think I was on all fours.”

  There were times that I forgot he was a werewolf. A black, Goth werewolf.

  “And Doc? Did you also…run?”

  “No, Mr. Dark brought me in a most unconventional way.”

  She took off her jacket, hung it by the door, and faced us with arms folded. “What’s the emergency?”

  I held a hand up to Doc. “I’ll field this one. There’s a wendigo on the loose and it made me feel a little cannibalistic, so Doc hurried here to give me a potion…before I tried to eat him.”

  Doc smiled and shrugged.

  “Oh my goddess,” she said.

  “But after that, we came up with a plan to destroy the Booke.”

  “I am against it,” put in Erasmus.

  “So noted in the record. He and I are going to the Netherworld to ask Satan to destroy the Booke.”

  She cocked her head, her mouth open. She walked sedately to one of the wingbacks and sat, folding her hands on her thighs. “You’re just going to ask him? And what does he get in return?”

  I took a deep breath. “My soul.”

  “Kylie!” She was on her feet.

  “Everyone, relax! I’m not going to give it to him.”

  “I fail to see how you will avoid it,” growled Erasmus.

  “By some clever maneuvers, spells, and…stuff. Right, Doc?”

  “Right. We’ll have to put our heads together and do some digging to find all the protections we can. And we have to find a way to disconnect Mr. Dark from the book before you go.”

  Nick stood. “Can we do that? Should we do that?”

  “Yes!” I said sternly.

  Doc walked over to Nick and rested his hands on his shoulders. “Son, we’re going to have to. And we’ve got less than a week to do it.”

  “Of course,” he said. “Why not? Everything has a deadline. But we’re gonna need Jolene.”

  “She’ll be here,” I said. Jolene, our teen-aged computer geek. She was also my part time employee.

  Jeff—my ex from California, who was also now a blond werewolf—walked upright and not the least bit wolfy through the door and looked around. “What’s going on?”

  “Kylie’s going to the Netherworld to talk to the Devil,” said Nick in a rush. “I just really had to say that out loud.”

  “What?”

  Erasmus charged him, grabbing his arms. “You have been her lover. Talk some sense into her!”

  “Who, me?” He shook Erasmus off him. “Kylie is her own person. You can’t talk her out of anything.”

  Erasmus growled and bared his teeth. “I won’t be a party to this!”

  “Erasmus!” I grabbed his sleeve before he could tear away. “I’ll be all right. You’ll be there.”

  “Don’t you understand? I can’t protect you. He can wipe me away like a speck of dust.”

  That took the wind out of my sails. “He can, huh?”

  “He is the most powerful being on that world. On nearly every world. That’s why He has the power to destroy the book.”

  “Okay. Well…we’ll take that into consideration.”

  Jeff folded his arms and made a disgusted sound. “What are we doing really?”

  “Mr. Chase,” said Doc, “we are doing as Kylie said. We are looking at finding spells and potions to keep her safe.”

  “From the Devil? Is that possible?”

  Nick waved his hand. “That’s what I was saying.”

  The door slammed opened, the bell above jangling wildly.

  “Did I miss anything?” asked Jolene.

  Chapter Five

  I had never seen my coven so concentrated and involved. Doc had Erasmus fetch books from his house, while Jolene and Doc argued over what spell they could use.

  Jeff was, again, by himself in a corner, much like Erasmus was trying and failing to do. Jolene and Doc kept asking the demon questions, and Erasmus’ long hair was getting messed up from all the wild head-shaking he was doing.

  “So what is this, Kylie?” asked Jeff softly as he emerged from the shadows. “What are you playing at?”

  “I thought you of all people would know that I’m not playing at anything.”

  “I mean…you can do all the spells you want, but it doesn’t sound like Old Scratch is going to fall for it.”

  I tried not to meet his eyes but he wasn’t fooled. We’d been together too long.

  “Hey.” He touched my arm and then his fingers curled around it. “You’re just making them do busy work?” he whispered.

  I did meet his eyes then. I hoped that he understood what I was trying to tell him, because I really didn’t have the words.

  He swallowed hard.

  “Take care of my shop,” I whispered back. Stepping back from his hand, I turned and headed out the kitchen door for some air.

  They could fiddle with all the spells they wanted, but I could see Erasmus bristle, could tell by the sharp posture of his shoulders that he thought it was all nonsense. That nothing could really protect me. I knew that. It was a suicide mission. It always was. Had been for every Chosen Host in every age. But staying and doing nothing was suicide too. So really, why not try? The Booke had to be stopped. It couldn’t be allowed to go on. I’d get there and negotiate for Erasmus’ life. It was the least I could do.

  When I looked back through the window, Jeff hadn’t moved. He wouldn’t say anything. He had his own cosmic problems. He wouldn’t tell them. They needed hope too.

  * * *

  It was a long night. Jolene’s parents called and Seraphina was obliged to take her home, much to her protests. Deputy George arrived after doing his rounds, meeting up with Ed quietly and solemnly. Jeff was conferring with Nick—probably discussing werewolf strategy, and once Seraphina returned, she worked closely with Doc.

  “Attention everyone,” said Doc after a long interval. “We’ve finished the potion, and tomorrow morning, early, all of us will have to do our part and travel throughout the village—even into the hills and down into the hollows—to spray the solution at every home, and I mean get right up to the front door. If people question you, say that we’re spraying for maple beetles on the
sheriff’s orders.”

  “Are there such a thing as maple beetles?” asked Nick.

  Doc smiled. “Not that I’ve ever heard of.”

  “Some of those folks in the hollow aren’t exactly friendly,” Nick continued. “They like to speak with their shotguns first.”

  “George and I will take those people,” said Ed.

  Doc nodded. “Good. Then we’ll meet back here come sunup and get going. Everyone, bring every spray bottle and tank sprayer you’ve got. But before we disperse, I think we really need to discuss this trip to the Netherworld.”

  “I’m against it,” said Nick. “Kylie has no idea what she’s up against.”

  Before I could say anything, Doc held up his hand. “And that’s the point of this discussion. Mr. Dark, could you tell us all you know about…about Satan?”

  George shot to his feet, hands raised as if in surrender. “This is not right. You don’t need spells and potions, Kylie. You need God. You need His help.”

  Nick got up and laid his hands onto George’s arms. “My love, this has gone well beyond crosses and holy water.”

  “Nicky, I just…I just…”

  “I know. Come back and sit down. Just listen to what Doc has to say.”

  It was hardest for George. He was the religious type. It wasn’t as if he could leave it all behind just because of the appearance of a god or two. And with his boyfriend becoming a werewolf… Actually, I was surprised he had kept it together this long.

  Doc patted his hand as he sat down on the chair next to him. “I know this is hard, George, but none of us have faced this sort of thing before. And I’m afraid the Bible, in all its wisdom and eloquence, cannot equip us as we need. So how about it, Mr. Dark? Can you tell us?”

  Wisps of smoke began to feather off his jacket. “I do not wish to speak of Him.”

  “I beg your pardon, of course, but we have to know all we can about him if we are to find a way to protect Kylie. And I know you want to do that.”

  He stared daggers at Doc, his shoulders rising defensively. “You are putting me in an untenable position.”

  I leaned toward him. “They have to know, Erasmus.”

  He wasn’t play-acting. He looked completely miserable. I’d known him only briefly, but this much I did know: he hated looking weak. And talking about Old Scratch, that made him weak.

  His hands at his sides curled into fists.

  “He is…all-powerful,” he began. And then he couldn’t stand still. He paced, smoke wafting off of him, hands flexing. “He…He can destroy simply with His mind. He knows who comes and who goes in the Netherworld.”

  “Have you ever had dealings with him?” Doc asked calmly, as if interviewing a patient to understand his ills.

  “No, and I am eternally grateful for that.”

  “Then how do you know that all this is true?”

  “I have heard the tales from others. They were not His direct minions. I have no reason to suspect that they lied to me. And the Powers That Be fear Him.”

  Doc rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “All we have to go on are the prevalent Judeo-Christian beliefs—”

  “Forget all that you learned. It is much, much worse than that. He is the demon of demons, the omnis terminus omnes, the alpha and the omega. He is no fallen angel. He has no beginning, he has no end. He sits in solitude in the everlasting pit like a stone.”

  “Can he leave the Netherworld?”

  Erasmus shook his head. “It is said that this is the only thing He may not do. He is a prisoner there.”

  “Imprisoned by whom?”

  “By the Ancient Ones. Their names are unknowable. Their reasons lost to time. It is not even known if they still exist, but the power of merely mentioning them strikes fear in the hearts of those in the Netherworld.”

  “I see. What does Satan do with souls?”

  He flicked his eyes toward me once and then fixed his gaze to Doc. “He consumes them…I imagine.”

  “But it is your understanding that he is a demon like you, only much more powerful?”

  He thought a moment. “Yes. But more powerful than a god.”

  Doc nodded. “But a demon…we can comprehend.”

  “You’re playing with fire. You cannot comprehend His like.”

  “Demons are of certain types with certain weaknesses. We can prey on those.”

  Erasmus seemed just as angry as before, except…something dawned in his eyes and he took a step closer to Doc, standing over him. “You are a man of wisdom and…imagination. I will help you however I can.”

  Chapter Six

  They talked. Nick and Seraphina jabbed Erasmus with questions, and he answered each one in a more open fashion than I’d ever heard from him before. This traveling to the Netherworld had only been an idea before, but now it was shaping into a soon-to-be reality. Shit was getting real.

  I saw Ed sitting with the coven, trying to follow, but he finally gave up and flopped down on the sofa next to me. “I have no idea what they’re talking about.” He stifled a yawn.

  “Look, Ed. You’ve had a long day. There’s nothing you can do here. Why don’t you go home?”

  He looked at his watch. “I guess so. I’ll have to be up in less than three hours. I might as well sleep when I can.” He rose, stretched, and waved his goodnights, though no one paid him any attention.

  I laid my head back and closed my eyes. Until I could feel Erasmus presence hovering over me. “What?”

  “Nothing. I have nothing to say.”

  I didn’t bother opening my eyes. “Boy, your nothings are always pretty loud.”

  “I take exception to that.”

  “Are you telling me that you aren’t jealous that Ed was hugging me while we consoled each other?”

  I could see him in my mind’s eye, grumbling, gritting his teeth, looking around suspiciously. He said nothing more, so I assumed he absorbed it.

  When next I opened my eyes, everyone had gone. I didn’t remember falling asleep. I sat up and surreptitiously wiped drool from the side of my mouth. Nice. “Did everyone leave?”

  Erasmus’ rich voice emerged from the shadows. “Yes. They all left an hour ago but will return in less than two hours.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “Doctor Boone said not to.”

  “What time is it?” I glanced at the clock. Four-thirty. “I guess I should get to bed for what little time is left.”

  “I’ll take you.”

  “I can do it—” But he’d already touched my arm and I found myself transported to the edge of my bed. “—myself. Dammit, Erasmus. You could at least ask first.”

  “I’m sorry. Should I take you back downstairs?”

  “No. I’m already here.” I yawned.

  “Get into bed. I’ll stand guard.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” I mumbled, stripping off my dress. So much for our romantic evening. I slipped off my bra and crawled into bed in my underwear and was surprised when the blankets were drawn up over me. Erasmus tucked the comforter up under my chin.

  “I noticed you like it this way,” he said, somewhat embarrassed.

  “If you’re supposed to be evil, you’re really terrible at it,” I murmured. I was smiling when I fell asleep. But when I woke about two hours later, I could already hear Doc and Seraphina downstairs. Erasmus must have let them in. Since I wasn’t opening the shop, there was no need to spruce myself up. I dragged myself into the bathroom for a quick shower, put on a sweater and jeans, and went downstairs to see what the witches were brewing.

  They had obviously been there a while, because they were busily filling all sorts of spray bottles and tanks. I dove in where needed. When Nick and George arrived, there were even more bottles to fill. I looked around at all the containers that we had begun to load up into boxes and wondered if we could ever have enough.

  Erasmus handed me a cup of coffee and I smiled in thanks. He gave me his usual smoldering look and boy. All I wanted to do was cra
wl back into bed with him. I grabbed his arm before he could turn away and planted a kiss on his lips. He stared at me, shocked.

  I rested a hand to his fuzzy cheek. “Good morning. Sorry our date was cut short.”

  He sidled closer, looked around to see if anyone was watching, and said very quietly, “I’m sorry too.” He glanced at the kitchen table once, gave me a knowing look, and turned to get coffee for Jeff, who had just walked in.

  “No time for that,” said Seraphina, giving me an elbow and a wink.

  “Wait a minute,” I said. “Are you warming up to him?”

  She glanced at him as he made his way around the perimeter of the room, glaring at everyone from under his brows. “It’s not what I would have chosen for myself—or you, for that matter—but he seems…genuine. He loves you, that much is clear.”

  It still made my cheeks warm but I accepted it from her. I guessed we’d all had a change of heart in the last three weeks.

  We gathered our sprayers. It was time to get out there and protect Moody Bog. We’d just closed the back hatch to Doc’s Rambler wagon when he turned to me. “Kylie, I don’t think you should come with us.”

  I was taken aback. “Why not?”

  “Because I think your time would be better spent hunting this wendigo with Mr. Dark. We’ll do what we can and you do what you can.”

  Seraphina clutched my hand. “He’s right. Do your thing.”

  Everyone was looking at me, poised by their car doors. I stepped away from the Rambler. “Okay. Looks unanimous.” I raised my arm and the crossbow sailed from the house to land neatly in my palm. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  Like a switch turning on, they started moving again, starting their cars, and driving in opposite directions. The autumn sun on the rise peered between the trees.

  Once they’d all driven away, I turned to Erasmus. “Let’s do this.”

  I don’t know if I’d ever been as anxious to get rid of a creature as I was with this one. These things were affecting everyone now, not just me. And it was only going to get worse. Who knew what the Booke would release next or if it already had?