Chapter 19: Rachael
I almost couldn’t believe they hesitated - fearful creatures humans - but still these two I had been developing a growing respect for. Small steps. I had time on my side after all, and any contacts were inevitably invaluable for a place to stay, an alibi, cash or resources in a pinch. After giving each other a re-assuring look, they followed me surely enough.
The house was dark and quiet. But I could feel it. I sensed the presence of both magic and evil here. It smelled sweet and familiar, making my body tingle. Life Leeches were a foot soldier of my kind and I held them in low regard to be honest, though still, taking its head would bring me no real pleasure. These rules and deals should come with stipulations. As they stood we were locked into obeying the instruction of anyone who possessed our tokens, with the exception of taking our own lives, or acting against the wishes of another token owner, for the duration of their wish. We were mandated not to owe humans either, hence the token system. To balance everything out. I owed Sabian, I was paying my debt. I reminded myself to focus on that. Usually though, humans didn’t know to watch their language so closely. Any room for movement on our part could mean a token was more a curse than a favour for the human using it. A common favourite was in the case of wealth – wishing for riches might mean we organise a death, and they inherit the money; wishing to win the lottery, might result in a fraud case against them; more creatively, true love wishes might end in making the worst possible matches – where they love a person causing them pain, abuses them, or worse. Sabian had done his research though, double checked himself well. The fact his request was verbalised so specifically, I didn’t have room to move – and I had racked my mind for a loophole.
On entering the house, I couldn’t see any overt signs of magic, but then, so many people had become good at hiding it. I had used to think it strange given the recent resurgence of pagan mysticism, but then, after a while I realised, it doesn’t matter what era, someone somewhere would persecute you. I saw it when I first walked the earth, I saw death and war and terror, then I saw so called understanding and tolerance – the age of reason – and along with it, exactly the same behaviours, people turning inward on each other, and still after all this time, nothing had really changed. There might be a shift in people reporting their free will choices, but at the end of the day, the undercurrent prejudice and bigotry always managed to express itself.
The house itself was well kept – no sign of kids stuff anywhere but a few displayed photos charted a happy looking family. One child – with a graduation photo indicated said child was probably far away pretending to study while drinking too much and contracting some kind of STI. No one but the thing we were stalking and the victim. I loved these kind of hunts. The kind you hold your breath over, creep about, but ultimately know you’re going to come out on top of. Plus, I really wanted to see Sabian’s face when he saw me kill the leech. I saw his amazement, his awe, back at the bar. Horror struck as it was, I recognise the look well. I was right, he was a good investment.
Having swept downstairs, and finding nothing we traipsed upstairs in single file. Not that I expected to find anything downstairs, but then you never know when someone might have decided to get up early. Nothing like finding a stunned creature in the kitchen half way though a coffee or piece of pie. Not as if that hadn’t happened to me before.
Sam followed me up the stairs, followed by Sabian. I left them to search quietly in the other rooms, but I knew where I was headed. The main bedroom was ahead and the feeling of magic, thrummed through me, feeling like divine music. At the door I paused, savouring the moment.
Inching forward I saw it. She was upright in bed, hovering, poised over the man, Patrick, as he slept. As she sensed me, she looked up, red eyes glowing like dark coals in the moonlit night. A low growl came from her throat, and I felt myself smile. She – It – knew why I was there.
Sam had come up behind me, and I heard his breath grow shallow as the Leech and I stared at each other.
Patrick opened his eyes, gasping. Giving Patrick a hungry look, the Leech licked it’s lips and jumped on him out of instinct, hoping to take his life before I stopped it. That was what I meant about foot soldier – predictable, following orders at all costs, even if it meant their own lives.
I took three quick steps, covered the distance between us and picked up the Leech with two hands, tossing it into the mirrored cupboard, that promptly smashed in to large shards. The creature, inhabiting Patrick’s wife jumped into a low crouch, moving like an animal rather than a human. Patrick, drew himself up in the bed, standing, poised.
“How dare you aid them!” Hissed the Leech.
“Amelia?” Inquired Patrick. We all gave Patrick a warning look.
“Don’t take this personally.” I drew out a blade from my boot.
“Lormorian might.” Came the reply before it pounced back on the bed and took Patrick by the head. Patrick looked torn, but darkened. I felt the energy build in him. It felt almost more power than the usual half walker manifested.
With a quick flash of light, Patrick let a burst of energy free from him, and the Leech landed back at my feet conveniently. Where was Sabian? I thought to myself. He was going to miss this – how irritating.
Leaning down, I took it by the hair, blade to throat and cut, but before I could drag the blade the full section of her neck, I was knocked off my own feet. Patrick stood over me. I was furious.
“Don’t you recognise a rescue when you see it!” I accused, standing to my feet.
He looked confused, torn. “I just. She’s my wife. I love her. Don’t kill her.”
“Yeah well when you mess with Lormorian you have to expect a little sacrifice.” I added.
“He’s right. There has to be another way.” Sam added, stepping forward.
“There is no other way. Even if I wanted to lie, I couldn’t. I made a promise.” I pointed out. Sam seemed to understand. He was young, he would learn. If I bothered to give him the time of day after this. The whole human thing was getting nauseating all over again. My patience was thin. Kill it but don’t kill her, find out but don’t hurt anyone. No wonder they all seemed so perplexed all the time.
“What’s a Lormorian?” Asked Patrick. He didn’t even know why he was on the hit list. Shame. Not everyone believed in letting people know you were coming as I did. I thought it helped to give me a sporting fight, and it seemed only fair. If I took a life, they knew it – no surprises. I didn’t like surprises.
“Doesn’t matter. Big nasty thing in the dark that sent this thing to such the very life from your body…one of many.” I lifted the woman’s head again, readying to finish what I started.
“No please. Patrick, help me.” It pleaded in her voice.
“Let her go.” Demanded Patrick, powering up again.
I was out of patience. I threw the knife I held and it hit him at the soft spot between the eyes. Sam smashed his fist into the door, and stomped out. I turned my attention to the Leech, picked up a piece of the broken mirror and finished what I started.
It was a wonder the neighbors hadn’t called the authorities but it seemed we were home free and I had kept my promise. They were safe, I had helped them, and I was going to be on my way. It had occurred to me that maybe I should take Sam with me. He was so close to breaking it was delightful. Then again, I had made a deal, and a deal was a deal for me after all. I cleaned my blade as I contemplated where to go next. There was a warring faction building an army of souls through a cult in Istanbul. That could be fun – cleaning that up. Then again, it was cold this time of year, and I did prefer the heat. There was a prodigy child coming in to his years of fame down in Mexico. I had intended to go do some mentoring. Then again, I would have to move on my own to do the Mexico job – mentoring aside, whereas if I took the cult one I would have lots of company until it all went pear shaped and I had to wipe them out. Maybe I could ask them to come with me. That would solve the problem of company. I doubted Sa
m would say yes – he had looked petrified when I had tried to kiss him earlier at the motel. Sabian might, but then, he was probably more useful where he was now. I would have to work on them both some more before they would be ready to spend any kind of real time with me. As I downed the stairs I made the final decision that I would make time for the two of them after the next job, which would definitely be the cult.
As I emerged in to the living room, I spied Sam and Sabian who stood on the other side of the French doors, in the enclosed entertaining area. They both wore anguished expressions. Yes, I would definitely make more time to teach them the skills and strength to make them valuable assets to me. I smiled as I strode towards them, and that’s when I felt the burning inside me. Like a familiar flame, drawn up through my intestines, incinerating my capacity to move or think clearly. I had only just passed the entranceway, and I was overcome, falling to the ground where I saw the markings.
Bastards had done more than their fair share of homework. I looked down to find a thick line of copper nails set in the ground, in the shape of a circle around me. I had been so busy being pleased with myself and planning I had missed it. The ground was scattered with rock salt as well. It burned my knees and hands as I was sprawled, immobilised on the floor. I looked around. Four clear quartz crystals marked points of reference and a blessed banishing candle burned at the wall behind me, out of sight of the doorway until you were through it. I should have smelled the Tibetan oil, but then the last time I smelt it had been over 400 years ago. The candle rested, not surprisingly, on a candle holder next to the damned mirror box. I wished that had been something I had recalled when I had lost my memory – or at least if I had retained enough healthy fear of the thing I might have at least destroyed it when I had the chance. The shop owner I killed must have already sent it back to Sabian by the time I made it there. I wondered if Sabian had known when I had questioned him about it the last day I saw him.
What angle I played would determine my fate at this stage. I decided to approach gently. “I can’t believe you are doing this to me? Why? I helped you. Please Sabian. You can let me go, don’t worry about Sam. He doesn’t think like us. Let me go, and we can spend some real time with me. I had thought I saw a flicker of something promising until Sam Spoke.
“Rachael, it was Sabian’s idea. All of this.” Here was a side of Sam I would have liked to have seen earlier – without me at the centre of it all however.
“Was it now?! Clever Sabian.” I came back. “And here I thought it was you wearing wrath so beautifully Sam. Shame.”
Sam produced the Stiletto blade from his sleeve. Maybe gently wasn’t the best approach. Anger grew in me so I ran with it.
“You let me go Samuel.” I roared. “Or I am coming for you, your sister, and anyone I think I’ve seen you cast a fond eye over since you opened your beady little human eyes!”
Sabian finally spoke. “Rachael – there’s no point. It’s done.”
“It is not done. Neither of you have the guts. You know what I’ll do to you if you don’t let me go.” I protested.
“We know what you’ll do if we let you go now too.” Sabian added.
“No. Wait.” Sam said stooping down to me. “What is it you are going to offer me? Offer us?”
“What do you mean Sam, you can’t be blackmailing me?” I said surprised at the turn. Maybe there was a way out.
“No, but it’s the next stage in the grief cycle. Shock, Denial, Anger, and now Bargaining. Depression is next, so if you feel the urge to slit your own wrists, don’t let me stop you.”
I growled in response to Sam’s taunting. Forget breaking him, turning him. I was going to flay him alive when I got the chance.
“Last chance to change your mind.” I gritted, knowing I had no aces up my sleeve.
Sam stood up again and moved to my right side. I watched him carefully. “You can say anything you want, but we have been running through this for a very long time. So in the interest of being transparent – I know you appreciate that - I’ll let you know what our plans are. I’m going to stick this in your neck, release you from Rachael’s body… then Sabian is going to bury you in the foundations of a brand new skyscraper that hasn’t a chance of being knocked down for 1000 fucking years.” Sam played with the Stiletto blade as he spoke. He reached down and took grasp of the back of my hair and moved my head so my neck was clear. He raised the blade.
Knowing there was little else I could do, I played to my strengths. Divide and conquer – hopefully. “Would this be the same Sabian that helped me stash 2 bodies off a pier earlier this year. Is that the Sabian that you know so well?”
Sam froze his hand snapped his head back to look at Sabian. “She’s lying Sam. She’s desperate.” I smiled to myself. Lying to save himself, Sabian was a changed man. I looked at his face, his serious, and stoic expression, unphased by his deceit. I saw myself reflected back in his eyes. I thought I saw Sabian smile back at me before he turned back to Sam before he said the words. “Sam. Finish it…..”
Post Script……Sabian
I sat across from Natasha nervous about seeing her after all this time. She had agreed to meet with me at a park outside one of the new hotels she was building in the states. It was going to be a small venture, but one that reeked of old-time decadence and historic theme. Even though we had barely spoken since the divorce had become final, I had never lost an opportunity to discuss her with a mutual friend, a known contact. I missed her badly, and even though I think part of me had always suspected that we wouldn’t always have been able to get along, that we would eventually have grown apart, I regretted that it had actually happened. I had wished for a long time to find a way to make amends, and have it so we could be together again, inspired by each other again. When her car had pulled up and dropped her off before leaving to give us our privacy I had stood to great her, putting the gift I had brought for her down on the ledge of the fountain I had been sitting on while waiting for her. When she arrived, I was heartened that she actually gave me a hug, before looking me over. She still looked amazing.
“Thank you for seeing me.” I extended as she smoothed the back of her dark blue dress to sit on the fountain ledge.
“That’s fine Sabian. It’s good to see you after so long. I think it would be good if we kept in touch you know. I realise I didn’t respond to your messages or emails before, but I wasn’t in a place where I could do that then. You understand?” Her delicate features and smooth voice soothed me further.
At the risk of coming on too strong, I wanted to be transparent with her. “I know…..I really needed to see you. I miss you Natasha.”
Her eyes narrowed and she gave me a sympathetic but distant look. “I…miss you too, but you know I have set up on my own now. I have a space of my own, new friends.” Natasha was pointing out there was nothing further happening here than a meeting of friends.
Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I lied. For the best of course. “I’m not intending to influence you in to doing anything you don’t want to.”
Seeming to relax again, Natasha smiled “Alright,” She nodded and leaned back a little on the ledge. “OK. Have you been well? You look much better than last time I saw you. I was…worried you know. Especially after speaking with Gavin with all the stuff he was saying about delusions…. And when you didn’t come to pick up your things and I had to meet you at the hospital. You looked so….”
“I was going through a rough time, wasn’t sure what was real, what was not.” I acknowledged for her. Surprisingly she took my hand with one of hers.
“What we went through was difficult. It was hard to process, how close we came to being killed. Losing Amber that was just horrifying. I am glad you are doing better.” When I looked down at her hand resting over mine she immediately withdrew it as though regretting that she might send me the wrong message.
I decided now was the time to help change the subject to something a little more suitable and comfortable for both o
f us about the future. Taking a deep breath and encouraging myself to beam at her by focusing on how good I knew things would be in just a short time from now, I brought out the velvet bag from behind me and handed it to her. “I brought you something for old times sake Natasha. No obligation, just me, thinking of you. ”She dusted her hands off from the grit on the fountain and took it, looking at me curiously. “Open it.” I urged.
Natasha put the bag on her lap and slid out the contents. The mirror box. Sans Stiletto blade of course.
“It’s lovely. It looks very old.” She remarked.
“It is. You should look inside….it’s an incredible work of craftsmanship.”
“Thank you Sab.” Natasha gushed, legitimately touched. I forced my smile somewhat.
“Just a token….” I enthused. Any part of me that felt bad, was appeased by the fact that the result would be enough for me to live with.
Natasha opened the lid and the light reflected off the mirrors within. Within just a millisecond, I heard a screech like a banshee, and Natasha’s eyes went white. I knew then Rachael was finally with me again.
The End
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