Fighting Destiny (Central Coven) (40 page)

“I’m sorry I won’t judge.  Hell, I actually wanted to do it myself.  God Chlo, my parents…well all four of them…they are in rough shape.  They’ll live, they are healing already, but still…she cut them, and cast spells so they wouldn’t heal and would continue to bleed,” Finn confided, and shuddered.

“I’m so sorry.  I’m sorry she is my sister. I’m just sorry,” I rasped.  “Shh…don’t do that.  Don’t apologize for this.  You didn’t cause this,” Finn said lovingly.  With his hand he tipped my chin up so I had to look him in the eye.  “Say it,” Finn insisted.  “But…” I protested.  “Chloë, say it,” he said repeated.  “I didn’t cause this,” I said softly.  He smiled his crooked smile, and gently brushed the side of my face with the back of his hand.

“Chloë, has your nose been bleeding?” Finn asked concerned.  I gulped, and nodded.  “I can hold on a bit longer.”  I stumbled a bit, and he held me up with an arm around my waist.  “Don’t over do it.  We need you.  I need you,” Finn begged.  I gave him a half smile.  “Only to protect my friends,” I parroted his promise from earlier.  “Let us protect you too.”  “Oh I will,” I smirked, “as long as it won’t put you in danger.” 

“Uhmm, I appreciate you two are having a tender moment alone and stuff, but I’ve got two witches down here.  So when ever you get around to it…” Anita said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. 

“When did she?” I paused and thought for a second, “How did she…” “Get Simone down there so fast?  You weren’t my only entertainment.  It was really too bad you didn’t get to see it.  Anita showed off her fangs, and Simone took off running.  I guess with you taking out her partner, she just wasn’t as confident as she usually is,” Finn explained as we descended another one of his temporary staircase pathways.  “Yeah that, and there is a demon waiting to drag them to hell,” I added.

“How did you defeat that demon anyway?” Finn asked.  “By turning myself into a glow stick.  I think he decided to claim the ones that conjured him instead of fighting me.  Now that you have destroyed the altar he doesn’t have much time left before he gets cast back to hell.”  “I think we need to reign in Countess Dracula down there,” Finn said smirking. 

“Are you two going to get your asses down here? This red headed bitch is bleeding and it’s making me hungry,” Anita hollered. “Maybe you shouldn’t have bitten her,” Finn yelled down to Anita.  “Yeah, well you deal with bloodlust.  Besides she
totally
deserved it,” Anita shot back.  “You bit her? But doesn’t that do something to you?” I asked concerned.  “No, supes are different, apparently.  Luckily too, because I
didn’t
exactly know that before I did it.”

When we made it to the bottom I noticed Dean and Grey still hadn’t returned.  “Where’s everyone else?” I asked.  “Dean is taking my parents, Carlos and Cooper to a safe spot that he knows.  Carlos is nearly healed, and he will be able to defend the others once they get there.  Afterwards, Dean will come back here.  I haven’t seen Grey since he chased after Alexander a couple of hours ago,” Finn replied.

“Let’s get this done, and go find Grey,” I urged.  “Are you sure? There has to be something we can do.” Finn said concerned.  “I wish there was.  I hate this.  I want to go find him now.  He could be in danger, but what good would it do him if we let those two conniving bitches go?”  I asked, hoping Finn had a solution that would let me go after Grey.  Instead Finn shrugged.  I sighed. “That’s what I thought.  No, we do what we have to.” 

Finn and Anita drug Simone and Angeline into the center of the circle.  Once they were in place Eli reappeared from the spirit zone where he was protecting the ceremonial jar.  He put it in place, and the circle began to hum.  The lines of magic connecting each artifact became visible, and created an inescapable cage.  I walked over to the jar, took the ceremonial dagger from my father, and pricked my finger.  I added drops of my blood to fall onto the blood added by Grey and Anita. 

Eli began his chant, low, almost inaudible. Anita and Finn each grabbed one of my hands.  We levitated a foot off the ground, and began to chant in unison.  “Take from them what has been misused, protect those they would abuse.  With our blood we bind thee.  With these elements we return you to humanity.” The words flowed through us, like we were fated to cast this spell at this time.

Angeline and Simone began to glow, bright like lanterns.  Then their magical essence began to trail away from them, and seep into the jar. Angeline’s auburn hair became streaked with strands of silver, and tiny lines appeared on her face.  Simone’s bright red hair dulled to an orange.  A multitude of freckles appeared on her face, and small wrinkles also appeared on her previously youthful face.

Eli placed a lid on top of the jar to prevent the magic from escaping.  He looked me in the eye to prepare me for what he was about to say.  “Chloë, I must go into the spirit realm and leave this with other originals where it can be guarded for the rest of Angeline and Simone’s lives.  I’m sorry I will not be here for the rest of this miserable evening, and that this is not yet over.  Go and find Grey, he is going to need you.”  He kissed the top of my head, and dematerialized into the spirit world.

Simone got up and tried to run away.  I knew what was waiting for her out there.  I could have been kind and stopped her.  I’m sure the hell of living the rest of her life in the
Council’s
prison was much better than being dragged down into the actual Hell.  However, sometimes we have to face the consequences of our actions.

I saw the black wings of the demon snatch Simone away.  The last sound I heard from her was her scream as he pulled her down with him into the underworld.

A thundering crash echoed through the canyon.  Trees snapped, and boulders crunched.  The whisper of quickly racing bodies mingled into the clatter.  A blaze of white raced past the rim.  Grey leapt from the other side of the basin and landed on top of Alexander.  The impact was violent, sending a shower of rock shards into the basin below. 

“Anita, please go help him,” I begged.  She turned to leave, but stopped and asked Finn “Where is Dean?” Finn looked around concerned. “I don’t know. He should have been back by now. I can help Dean better than I can be of any use to Grey.”  “Alright,” she said hesitantly, “but only if you bring him back.”  Finn looked her straight in the eye, and said, “I promise.”  Anita, squeezed Finn’s hand and ran off in a flash.

Finn looked at me worried.  “Come on, don’t look at me like that, you don’t need me.  I’d just slow you down,” I encouraged him to leave me behind.  It didn’t work.  He grabbed my shoulders, and pulled me in close, “You’re right, I can do it without you, but I would like you to stay in one piece. I know you are worried about Grey, and Anita is worried about Dean, but can you just accept I worry about you?  You don’t want me distracted, do you?”  “Now you are just playing dirty,” I replied.

“Be reasonable, I can’t just leave Angeline here unguarded,” I reasoned.  “I’ll take care of that,” a voice said from behind us.  I jumped, even though I immediately recognized the voice.  “Mother. I can’t say I am happy to see you,” I said as I turned around.  “You knew and you didn’t tell me.  Is this why you didn’t want to get involved?  God, and to think I bought into your line about
my destiny
, when really you couldn’t or wouldn’t get involved in a dispute between your children.  You let me walk into this blind.  I won’t forget that,” I warned.

“Regardless, you did what you were supposed to do.  I am proud of you.  You showed you would make the right decision, no matter how unfortunate the situation,” Marguerite responded without feeling.  “Well that explains why one of your daughters turned into a traitorous bitch, and why this one never wants anything to do with you again,” I responded dispassionately. 

“Why do I feel like you are still trying to work this situation to your advantage?” I asked suddenly skeptical.  “What advantage could I possibly gain?  Think of our legacy, Chloë.  My own child tried to overthrow me.  I realized
I
was the leak.  I didn’t know it, but that hardly matters. I trusted her Chloë.  I’m sorry, but her betrayal and my ignorance to it cast a stain over our family. The only way I was going to maintain power over the
Council
was if another one of my children solved this problem,” Marguerite explained. 

I became aware of a thin stream of burning orange light, still close to the horizon.  “She is wasting time,” I blurted out.  “Go to Dean now!” I urged.  Finn ran up the side of the cliff, aided by his abilities. 

“Take her and go,” I demanded.  “There is a very orthodox group of witches and wizards that believe we should separate ourselves from the other supernaturals.  They are quickly gaining influence within the
Council
.  It is difficult for me to remain neutral on this topic, especially when you insist on carrying out such a flagrant affair with a vampire,” Marguerite admonished. 

“Is that all you care about?  Is everything about control over the
Council
?” I asked in disbelief.  “I keep the balance.  I make our world possible.  You think I’m cold and unfeeling. I would apologize to you, but I don’t see the need.  I do what I have to do, and I don’t look back.  You’ll understand someday,” Marguerite defended.

“That is where you’re wrong.  I will never understand.  You have wasted enough of my time.  If any of my friends are hurt because of your political maneuvering, you’ll have to face me too,” I warned.  “Tell Grey I warned him,” Marguerite said cryptically. I shook my head at her disgusted, and walked away.

The sky continued to brighten, and I was separated from all of my friends, left alone with my thoughts and my mother. I knew she wanted me to join her on the
Council
, but I never suspected how far she would go to ensure it.  I never felt more alone.  I finally understood why my father insisted on leaving the ceremonial jar with originals.  I could only imagine what my mother might do if she could access that power. 

I looked behind, and saw Marguerite look up at the sky. She smirked. Obviously satisfied she delayed long enough. She disappeared with Angeline.  I scanned the cliff, and hoped that the heavy shade created by the trees would be enough to give Grey time to find cover.  God save her if it didn’t.

Finn called down to me, he and Dean stood on the edge of the cliff, also nervously scanning the quickly brightening sky.  Dean appeared to be exhausted.  He was back to his human form, hair drenched with sweat, clothes haphazardly put on, and limping slightly. 

I was
getting worried he might be more seriously injured, the way he was leaning on Finn for support. Well, until his infectious grin pulled at the corner of his mouth.  I should have trusted Dean to be okay.  That kind of confidence has to be backed by an equal amount of skill. Otherwise, it begins to seem arrogant, and no one would call Dean arrogant.

I teleported up to the top of the cliff, and fought a wave of dizziness.  Once I joined them Dean asked, his voice uneven with concern, “Where is Anita?”  “She went to help Grey.  I think we need to go too,” I said and glanced toward the sky. “When did that happen?” Dean asked, truly worried now. 

I opened my mouth to reply, but I was interrupted by the violent sounds of a struggle.  Finn crouched down and touched the ground. He stretched his fingers out, and concentrated.  His head snapped up, and he pointed toward the last remaining refuge of shadows.  “There, but we have to hurry.  There is blood on the ground,” he cautioned.

We began to run, with Dean in the lead, tripping over roots, branches and rocks in our way.  Finn tried to get out in front to clear the path for us, but Dean was far too impatient too wait.  Abruptly, he stopped and stood in front of a tree.

I was worried he hurt himself, and needed to rest, until I saw it too.  The trunk of the tree had a fresh swath of bark stripped from it.  Gouges dug from the wood further marred it.  Above was an indentation, with jagged wood cracked away from it, a smear of dried blood and several long strands of chestnut brown hair tangled in the splinters.

Dean’s eyes began to change color, and his pupils began to elongate into the characteristic slits of a feline.  “Dean, no.  You won’t help her by changing now.  You’re too tired. You’ll end up getting hurt, and Finn and I will have to save all three of you by ourselves.”  Dean growled in frustration at me.  “We save Anita first,” he demanded.  “Of course,” I agreed, without hesitation. 

We ran along the path of destruction, afraid of what we would find at the end of the trail.  Anita laid slumped into some bushes, coated in dirt, twigs, and blood.  She appeared not to be breathing, until Dean scooped her up, and she moaned very quietly.  On the right side of her neck there were two deep puncture marks. 

“I’ll be fine,” Anita insisted in a raspy voice.  “Help Grey.  Hurry, he’s running out of time.”  Dean pulled Anita close to his chest, and began to wipe the dirt and blood away from her cheek.  It was then I noticed her eyes begin to glow their hypnotic shade of bronze.  Her fangs began to slide out, and her nostrils flared as if she smelled something appealing. 

“Put her down now!” I screamed.  Dean saw her face, and did as I said.  I started to push up my sleeve on my left hand.  “What are you doing?” Finn asked in disbelief.  “I’m saving my best friend.  Can’t you see the veins darkening in her face?  I won’t let her make the change,” I said indignant.  “Is that even possible?” Finn asked.  “Do you want to take the chance?” I shot back.