The Darkest Gateway

by Jeri Westerson

  “Well, while you’ve got them there, you’d better warn them about the latest Booke creature. It’s a headless horseman with a spine for a whip.”

  Doc didn’t speak for a moment. I looked down at the phone, wondering if I’d lost our connection when he suddenly said, “I’m sorry. I thought you said it was a headless horseman.”

  “I did. The Dullahan. Have Jolene look it up. But tell anyone who encounters it to get away immediately. If it calls your name, you’re dead.”

  “They must cover their ears,” said Erasmus, leaning toward the phone and talking loudly. “So that they cannot hear their names. That should suffice.”

  I turned toward him. “And thanks for telling me.”

  He shrugged. “I knew you couldn’t be killed.”

  I got back on the phone. “Another thing for Jolene and Nick to look up. I’m…not. Dead, that is. And it called my name. Erasmus thinks it’s either my new tattoo or…or, um, exposure to the, uh, Netherworld. Through him. Contact with him.”

  “Oh. I see. That’s…interesting.”

  “So tell them to beware.”

  “Sounds like good old-fashioned ear plugs will do the trick. Nick is forming everyone into patrols, four at a time. They are very anxious to help. We’ve made charm pouches for all of them and taught them some simple protection spells. I think it’s the book’s influence making it possible for them to be able to perform simple craft.”

  “These Moody Boggers. I’m impressed. Listen, I have to go, but I want someone—maybe Ed or George—to find out what happened to Ruth. She didn’t look the least bit scared when Baphomet showed up. I think it’s time we lock her down.”

  “I am reluctant to do so, but I think you may be right. Good luck, Kylie.”

  “Same to you.” I clicked off and stuffed my phone into my jacket pocket. I climbed back into the Jeep, all squared away and positioned correctly on the road, and started it up. Erasmus sat beside me, chuffed to the hilt.

  “Thank you, Erasmus,” I said and punched my foot on the gas. It squealed forward and we were on our way to Hansen Mills and Doug’s place.

  The sky lit up even more the closer we got. Hellfire, I supposed. But when I turned the corner, it was just plain old houses on fire. Damn that Baphomet. I could see the charred streaks on the highway where he’d shot his beams of power. Karl Water’s little museum was ablaze. All those archives and documents were going up in smoke. I could kill Goat Guy for this.

  Yup, that’s exactly what I planned to do.

  I burned rubber up the road but had to slow when a firetruck with siren wailing came up behind me. I pulled to the side to let it go when I saw another burst of a fireball above the trees.

  “Holy shit!” I punched it once the firetruck zoomed by. I passed the charred remains of Mike’s Roadhouse and hoped there had been no one in there. It looked like some triage was going on in the parking lot, with volunteers and paramedics.

  It was all-out war.

  I headed for Doug’s mobile home. When I got to the driveway, I saw what Shabiri had been talking about. There were holes blown in the dirt road up to his place. The barn had been reduced to cinders. The mobile home was dark but seemed okay…until I pulled around to the other side. That half of it was gone.

  I killed the motor, reached back for the crossbow, and jumped out, scanning the skies and letting my Spidey sense help me out. I stood out in the yard and thought it might be better just to yell.

  “Doug! Dean! Bob! Charise! Anyone home?”

  At first all was quiet. But then the front door whined open. I waited. A figure appeared on the porch. It stood against the rail. “Come to gloat?” said Doug.

  I lowered the crossbow. “No. I came to help.”

  He laughed, but it was a sour one. “You came to help. That’s a good one. Why the hell would you?”

  “Because…we’re fighting something bigger than all of us.”

  He stood slumped, face still in shadow, until he finally turned back toward his door, waving me through. I ran up to the porch, Erasmus close behind me.

  When I got through the door, I didn’t recognize the place. The kitchen end of the mobile home was completely torn away, as if a giant hand had cracked it open. Maybe it had. Maybe Baphomet had grown to horrible proportions, clamped his taloned hand over it, and snapped it off. None of the lights were on and I assumed there was no power, but a few camping lanterns around gave off an eerie glow. When Doug turned to me I could see that his eye and half of his face had been slashed by what looked like claws. Crusty blood had dried on the wounds.

  Without thinking, I lurched toward him. “Doug…”

  “Don’t even bother.” He turned toward the living room.

  Charise was on the sofa, cradling Bob in her lap. There was blood spattered all over the wall. I put my hand to my mouth in shock.

  “Where’s Dean?” I asked.

  Doug lifted his hand. “In there.” He waved vaguely toward the bedrooms. “What’s left of him, anyway.”

  “Oh no.”

  “Yeah. Looks like Lord Baphomet was pretty angry.”

  I swallowed past a hard lump. “I’m not taking the blame for something you summoned.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I know. Baphomet’s, uh, not with us anymore. I guess he never was. So you were right all along.”

  “I’m sorry, Doug.”

  He looked at me, flicked a glance at Erasmus, then dropped his gaze back to me. “I know you are, darlin’. I think…well, there’s no other way to put it. I think we messed up.”

  “Look, Moody Bog found out in a big way about my coven and the Booke. Some have washed their hands of me. Probably still plotting how they’re going to burn me down. But a whole lot more are now joining us. You should too. We’re going to fight.”

  “You can’t fight that.”

  “I think we can. If two strong covens join together, we’ll have the power.”

  “It’s too late for Dean.” Charise’s voice was hollow, not even whiney anymore. She seemed in shock. Her black mascara had run down her face in an Alice Cooper sort of vibe, but I didn’t think the dark pouches under her eyes were from makeup. “I don’t want to end up like him.”

  “You won’t,” I said. “Let’s get you all in my car. We’ll go to Moody Bog, to my shop and strategize. Doc will fix you up, okay?”

  It flashed through my mind for a second that this might all be a ploy, that Shabiri had set it up and that they were playacting. But I smelled the blood on the wall and, probably, from the other room. And I didn’t think Charise was that good an actor.

  “Erasmus, could you help Bob?” I had meant if he could help him up. What I didn’t expect was for him to lean over him, place his hand on his face, and heal him in a bright yellow glow.

  Bob snapped up, eyes wide. “What? What did you do?”

  “Oh.” I hefted the crossbow over my shoulder. “Well…Erasmus can heal…”

  Charise jumped to her feet. “How come Shabiri never did that, Doug?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I don’t know as much about demons as I thought I did.”

  “I can heal because I am in love with Kylie,” he said matter-of-factly.

  Doug barked a laugh of surprise. Some of the old sparkle was back in his remaining eye. “Oh, is that all? I guess I should have cozied up to Shabiri then.”

  I gestured toward them. “Come on, Doug. Bring whatever stuff you’ll need. Charm pouches, spell books. We should get out of here.”

  “We haven’t got much. Charise, how about those spell books?”

  “I’ll get ‘em,” said a spry Bob. He gave Charise a tender gaze. I guess Charise finally figured it out, that it was Bob paying attention to her all along, not Doug.

  Bob lumbered into the hallway to a bedroom, slowing and staring into another as he passed. It must have been where Dean was.

  Erasmus made sure Doug and Charise were in the car and I escorted Bob when he came back with several books under his arm.

 
They all buckled themselves into the back as I started up the Jeep. I maneuvered around the blasted-out holes in the driveway and onto the main highway. No one said anything during the ride to my place. When I pulled in front, a lot of the cars had dispersed. Perhaps the deputy Wiccans were out patrolling.

  I walked in with Doug and company in tow. Nick made a squeaky noise and pulled up short when he saw them.

  “Dean’s dead,” I said, and set down the crossbow.

  It was just Doc, Nick, Seraphina, Jeff, and Jolene. They stared at the remaining Ordo members until Seraphina drew forward, took Charise’s hand, and led her to a chair. “How about a nice cup of tea, eh, Charise?”

  Charise nodded, didn’t say anything, just looked at the floor.

  “C-coffee for you boys?” said Nick charitably.

  Doug dropped into a chair. “Yeah. Thanks.”

  Doc came over to Doug with his doctor bag. “That looks nasty, Doug. Let me take a look.”

  “Why doesn’t her demon just fix him?” said Charise in a small voice. Must have been that voice that had attracted Ed in another day. He sure had varying tastes.

  Doc looked toward Erasmus. “I…didn’t think to ask.”

  Erasmus, face a blank, strode toward him. He looked Doug over, narrowing his eyes, perhaps reminding Doug whom he had menaced and that he didn’t deserve this help. But when he reached for him, Doug grabbed his wrist. “No. I’m through with magic. Besides, chicks like scars. Just fix me up, Doc, so I don’t get infected.”

  “That eye looks mighty bad, Doug. You should probably get to a hospital. See a specialist…”

  “There’s worse happening in Hansen Mills right now. Just…fix me up.”

  Doc set to work. Seraphina brought tea in a cup and saucer for Charise, while Nick put on his best barista performance—helped by Bob of all people.

  I took that moment to pull Jolene aside.

  “Jolene,” I said quietly. “I need you to research like you’ve never researched before. Forget about all those protection spells. We’ve got to find something that Satan wants other than souls. Is there something that only humans can get him?”

  The light went on in her face. “Got it. I’m on it.” She rushed behind the counter to her bag and grabbed her tablet.

  “They’re going to need a place to crash for a while,” I said to no one in particular. “I guess they can use this room, maybe borrow some blankets…”

  “Why don’t they stay at Grandpa’s place?” offered Jeff.

  “Then what about you?”

  “I’ll be there. Patrolling.”

  Doug winced at the antiseptic Doc was dabbing at his wounds. “That’s fine. We can take a werewolf or two after this. But Doc, I want to help. Put us to work. As a coven.”

  Jolene looked up. Seraphina turned to stare at Doug. And Nick stopped mid-pour.

  “You want to work with us?” said Nick. He set down the coffee pot. “I don’t know that I trust you.”

  “Nick,” I began.

  Doug held up his hands. Doc had taped some gauze over his eye, which made him look more like a pirate than he already did. “That’s okay, Kylie. None of you have any reason to trust us. I get it. But my place was trashed, my barn destroyed, and Dean was…he was pulverized by Baphomet.” He pointed to his face. “I got this little number from him too. I was one of the lucky ones. We ran for our lives from Mike’s. It’s gone. There were fires all over the town. It’s like Kylie says. It’s war now. I think we’ve learned our lesson. At least I have. I’m done. Except for this last thing.”

  “Two last things,” I said. “We have to stop Baphomet, but my priority is stopping the Booke, and we have to do it before Halloween.”

  “Why Halloween?” He waved in the air in front of him. “Never mind. I guess I can figure that out. So okay. What do we have to do?”

  We all hesitated. I knew what everyone was thinking. Should we tell him what we were planning? He was the one trying to get the Booke for Baphoment. In for a penny, in for a pound.

  I straightened my stance. “I have to go to the Netherworld and make a trade with Satan to destroy the Booke.”

  Doug stared at me and huffed a silent laugh. “Sure. Why not? I love this plan!”

  “I’m not kidding.”

  “Yeah, girl. I figured that. Better you than me. It’s a book thing, right?”

  “Right. Only I can go. And Erasmus.”

  Doug poked gingerly at the gauze Doc had taped to his face. “What about Shabiri?”

  “Do you think she’ll help us? I mean, she came and got me when you were in trouble.”

  He seemed surprised. “She did?” He glanced at his fellow Ordo. “I never asked her to.”

  “I surmise that she was frightened,” said Erasmus.

  “Shit,” said Bob. “If she was frightened…”

  “Gods and demons don’t generally get along,” Erasmus explained. “Whatever deal he struck with Shabiri…well. He never intended to keep it. I’m surprised she didn’t realize that.”

  Doug gave a wincing smile. “It wouldn’t be the first time a demon’s plans got derailed…eh, loverboy?”

  Erasmus sneered and stalked toward him. I grabbed Erasmus’ arm and pulled him back. “Look, it’s been a long night. How about some food?”

  “If it’s all the same to the group,” said Bob, “I’d just rather turn in. Where are we going?”

  “I’d better take you,” said Jeff. “Doc, can I borrow your car?”

  “Keys are on the dashboard,” said Doc, thumbing through one of his books.

  A car pulled up out front. Ed and George jumped out and came through the front door without knocking. The sheriff pulled up short when he saw the Ordo.

  “What’s going on?”

  “A bit of trouble out in old Hansen Mills,” said Doug. “Baphomet on the rampage.”

  Ed stared at Doug and took two steps closer. He gestured toward the gauze on his brother’s face. “You all right?”

  It was the first brotherly utterance I’d heard Ed express toward Doug. Doug shrugged. “I guess I’ll live.”

  “What happened?”

  “Baphomet came to town. He, uh, wasn’t best pleased with us. You’ll find what’s left of Dean’s body at my place in the spare bedroom.”

  “Jesus.”

  “Yeah. If you don’t mind, we’re going to take advantage of Kylie’s kind invitation to camp out at her grandpa’s house. My place isn’t exactly five stars at the moment. And don’t worry. We’ve switched sides, so there’s no need for any surveillance. Besides, Wolf Boy here said he’ll keep an eye on us.”

  Ed looked at me for confirmation. “Well…if you need anything, you have my number,” he said. “If you want, I can swing by Moody Bog Market and pick you up some stuff, toothbrushes and what-not.”

  “That’s nice of you, bro. Come by later. Maybe, uh…it’s time to talk.”

  “Okay.”

  “Come on, people.” Jeff gestured toward the door.

  Doug stood and they faced each other. Jeff, werewolf blood surging through him, wasn’t afraid of the larger man anymore. In fact, all the bruises that Doug and his gang had given Jeff had disappeared when he’d turned wolf that first time.

  Doug looked Jeff up and down, no doubt trying to see the wolf inside the man. “Hey, I’m, uh, sorry about the…you know.”

  Jeff, looking like the surfer I had known and been attracted to all those years ago with his floppy blond hair and lopsided grin, just gazed back at him. “Yeah, I know. Karma, dude.” He walked out the door without looking back, expecting Doug to follow. Doug looked around the room, at what remained of his gang, at Jolene on her tablet, Nick clearing dishes, Seraphina lighting a stick of incense, Ed, and finally me. He gave me a small smile and a chin raise, and headed out the door.

  Ed slid his hat off his head. “I didn’t know. We never got any calls.”

  “I heard on the radio,” said George, “but there was no point in bothering you. Paramedics and
Fire were there.”

  Ed fell into a chair and just stared at the floor. “It’s pretty crazy out there.”

  “We have a new one from the Booke,” I told him. “A headless horseman with a spine whip. If you encounter him, just get out of there and stuff your fingers in your ears. If he says your name and you hear it, you die.”

  “Weird.” And that was all the reaction he gave. I guessed he was full up with weird today.

  “I suppose it’s time we all get some rest,” said Doc. “We all have jobs for early tomorrow. Nick’s patrols are out there and they’ll need relief by morning.”

  “It’s all scheduled,” said Nick. “And I alerted them already about Kylie’s new headless dude.”

  “Looks like I’m temporarily without transportation,” said Doc, pulling on his jacket.

  Seraphina was already in her alpaca wrap. “I can take you all. Shall we? We’ll be here bright and early, Kylie.”

  “I promise to get that research done,” said Jolene, putting her stuff in her bag.

  As they headed toward the door, Ed rose. “I guess that’s my cue too.”

  “You look beat, Ed,” I said in sympathy.

  “We’ll have to head to Doug’s before we go home,” he said to George. They were both in for a long night.

  George nodded wearily and gave Nick a significant look. And suddenly everyone was gone. It was just me and Erasmus.

  I wondered why Baphomet hadn’t destroyed my place, but Doc and his crew must have stuffed the rafters with protective charms. And looky there. Up in said rafters, I could see lots of charm pouches.

  I walked around the room shutting off lights. Scrubbing my hair, I heaved a sigh. “This has been a weird day. But I guess it’s no weirder than the rest of this month.”

  “I have never been awake this long at a time. It’s interesting.”

  “Interesting.” I paused at the banister. “Is that high praise from a demon?”

  “Possibly.”

  I yawned and started up the stairs.

  He stood in the dark. “I suppose I’ll patrol…”

  “Don’t be an idiot.” I waved him up.

  “I’ll…come up the stairs then, shall I?”

  I don’t remember if I answered. Just trudged to my bedroom to start my nighttime routine. Brushing my teeth and looking at myself in the mirror, I realized I looked pretty beat myself. A little moisturizer on my face, a brush through my hair, and I came back out. Erasmus was standing in the middle of the room, waves of discomfort pouring off of him. I tried to break the ice. “It was quite a day, wasn’t it?”