Fury From Hell (40 page)

The demon within Pettijohn peered through the hedges at the gathering of white-robed women.  It spotted the original host in the center of the grouping of witches.  The ceremony seemed to be in full swing, complete with several whirling dervishes.  Their ritual dancing had already called the Goddess down.  There was a vortex of white light descending from the heavens towards the gathering of women.

With a grunt, the Fury came to the fore and made Tabitha dump the man on the ground as it growled inaudibly.  It was too late!  The Goddess was already coming to protect the Jennifer host.  Abatu’s mind raced to think of what could disrupt the ceremony knowing that it had only seconds left.  Staring down at the man, the Fury decided it would use him in a rather unorthodox manner.  It grabbed him and with a grunt heaved him several feet in the air and threw him towards the original host just as the vortex touched Jennifer’s forehead.  A blinding white light engulfed Jennifer and Chad and arced out spearing each of the white-robed women but…
it flickered.

With a roar of pleasure the Fury beamed.  Its plan was working!  Tabitha’s human visage dissipated and the Fury came to the fore in full force.  It dove through the hedges straight for the original host as the white light flickered in psychedelic fashion across the entire field.

Snarling and foaming at the mouth the Fury ran into the discordant light and was within six inches of the original host when a solid shaft of solid white light arced down and speared the Fury through the heart.  An unearthly scream rent the air as the Fury tried to leave its human vehicle.  To Abatu, the previously comfortable corporeal body felt as if it was lit by the rays of a thousand suns.  The heat was matched by one hundred million needles of cool white light that pierced Abatu’s black heart simultaneously.  The pain these opposing double sensations created within the Fury was indescribable.  It was full, heavy, chilling, bright, hot and searing. The demon had no idea if it was alive or if it had been obliterated until it heard the most gorgeous soothing voice it had ever heard.

You cannot have this one, Abatu.  This one is mine.  Take this as punishment for daring to entrap one who belongs to me and those that love her.  I will leave you your life, but you will always know that you’ve been touched by the Goddess…

The Fury lost consciousness but it knew that it had been separated from its latest host and was being flung back from whence it came.  Abatu screamed the entire way down raining a cacophony of rage and pain on all of the souls it passed on its way.

The Goddess held all the women in Her light and healed the pain and fear emanating from those in the coven, and all nearby souls.

The coven witches came out of their trances and gazed about with shock and apprehension.  Only Jennifer was fully awake and stood holding a moaning man.

The High Priestess hurried over to the pair and took the man from Jennifer’s grasp. “Do you know this man?”

Unable to speak, Jennifer nodded mutely as wonder crowded her mind.

Betty raced over and helped the High Priestess lay Chad flat against the ground. “This is Chad Fosdick — a man Jennifer met a few days ago,” explained Betty.  “What’s he doing here?”

Lady Ariella’s brow knitted as she gazed down at the man and then up at Jennifer.  After a moment, she looked at Betty. “Tell me more about this man.”

Looking a bit sheepish Betty gave the shortened version of the instant attraction Jennifer felt for Chad and how she and Babs had egged Jennifer on.  Then Betty related how she had encouraged Jennifer to tell Chad the whole truth.

Jennifer had slumped down on the grass.  She was staring at Chad with a look that Lady Ariella knew well.  The High Priestess began to understand.  She also recalled Jennifer sharing that this man had done the infernal reading that had almost broken the woman’s fragile spirit.  She tilted her head to the side. “What was his name again?”

Betty looked at Lady Ariella curiously and responded immediately, “Chad Fosdick.”

“Fosdick…I wonder.”

“Wonder about what, my Lady?”

Lady Ariella pulled herself out of her reverie and refocused on Betty. “Chad Fosdick is the Goddess’ gift to Jennifer.  He was a necessary part of this ritual one which I did not expect.  But, such is the way of the Goddess.”

Yes, I could not have done it without him…

Lady Ariella looked skyward and thanked the Goddess.

Betty looked up and back down at the High Priestess, “What is it?  Is the Goddess speaking to you?”

Lady Ariella smiled and patted Betty’s cheek and nodded, “Yes, she used this man to give even more power to the ceremony.  Mr. Fosdick has very strong feelings for Jennifer even though not much time has passed.  It’s the only answer.  It was his concern for her that amplified the power of what we put in place many-fold.  The Fury thought that by bringing him here he would disrupt what we were doing and cause confusion.  However, he brought the balance and the extra edge we needed to save Jennifer.  Without him…who knows what would have occurred.”

“That can’t be!”  Betty sputtered.  “The Goddess is all powerful and doesn’t need the assistance of anything, or anyone, for Her will to be accomplished!  She —”

Lady Ariella put up a hand and stopped Betty’s tirade. “Child, the ways of the Goddess are not for you to understand.  But I will tell you this: there are forces more powerful and evocative than even the Goddess’ powers.  Love is one such force that can transcend time and space and create balance where there was none.  The Fury underestimated this power.  Will you?”

Jennifer looked over at the High Priestess and mumbled, “Love?  What are you saying?  That this schmuck loves me?” Jennifer stared down at unconscious Chad and wondered if that was the same emotion that was building within her for this almost stranger.

Betty just stared mouth agape at Lady Ariella who began to laugh low, rich and deep.

***

Tabitha Pettijohn’s eyes fluttered open and looked up into a sea of faces staring down at her.  She screamed and tried to scramble away but didn’t get very far.

The High Priestess came forward as two of the women grabbed Tabitha’s arms to keep her from running.  Lady Ariella dabbed the brunette’s forehead with a thick paste and chanted in the old language.  Tabitha’s eyes rolled back.  Her head lolled and she lost consciousness again.

“Good.  We will let the Goddess clear her of any residual negativity.  I don’t know if we can protect this one from being repossessed if the Fury returns but she will have good fortification.”

“She’s a colleague and works in the same precinct as Jennifer and I.  Is she going to remember anything?”

Lady Ariella shrugged nonchalantly, “Of that, I cannot say.  She will probably recall things that will not seem normal or rational to her mind but she may decide it was all a dream, or a passing illness.  Let’s see how the Goddess plays this hand.  All we can do now is watch and wait.”

“Will we leave her here?”  Jennifer asked still not fully grounded in the present.

“We have no choice, Child.  We don’t know how she came to be here.  If she has a car here, when she arises from this sleep she will go to it.”

“But we can’t just leave her here!  She probably won’t know where she is!”

“What do you suggest Jennifer?”  Betty asked just as nervous.

“Why don’t we take her to the park’s entrance and put her on a bench by a street lamp?  This way, when she wakes up she’ll be on a street that, hopefully, she’ll recognize and can get to her car, if she drove one.  If not, the train’s not far.  We could also call a cop and tell them her location —”

“Nope, not a good idea, Jenn.  If they trace that call back to you?  That would be bad news.”

The High Priestess listened and nodded.  “I agree with Kamali.  Calling anyone would be unwise but taking her to the park entrance, we can, and will, do that.  Thank you for that.  Now, let’s get our male charge and get going.  There’s still much to do.”

Jennifer stood up and frowned. “What’s left?  The Fury’s gone.  I’m not repossessed.  You’re all fine and in one piece.  And, I may just have a boyfriend.  I’d say we’re done.  Right?”

Betty shook her head woefully. “What about your IAD case?  What about the death of Derrick Palmer and Clift?  What about the damage to your apartment?  You still have the Barnes case to solve. Well, that is, if you still have a job…”

As Betty spoke Jennifer recalled the rest of her life and the turmoil the Fury had created.  The certainty that all was right in the world was fast evaporating as the realities of her post-Fury life slammed home.  Jennifer knew no magical ceremony that would make the IAD disappear other than an illegal trip out of the country — permanently which was not an option she was willing to entertain.

With a feigned strength, Jennifer squared her shoulders.  She lifted her chin and remembered the Goddess’ words. “Ladies, my life isn’t over.  It’s just beginning.  Yeah, I’ve got a lot of loose ends I gotta figure out and I may, or may not, have to do jail time.  But, I’m alive.  I am willing to fight to try and clear my name.  No matter what, I still want to be a cop if at all possible.  My only real loose end is — will I have your friendship behind me?”

Lady Ariella and Betty stilled, shock evident in their visages.  The High Priestess recovered first and smiled broadly.

“Now there’s a child of the Goddess speaking!  You have my full support and friendship…what’s mine is yours.”

With tears of joy in her eyes, Betty jumped up and hugged Jennifer.  She picked up the younger woman and spun her around until the two of them were dizzy.  The other women in the coven looked on, smiling.  Some even clapped.  All merriment halted when a groan was heard from the middle of the clearing.  Chad sat up and blinked several times before asking, “What the hell is going on here?”

***

The Fury’s descent to Hell took an eternity.  It fell through souls in limbo.  It fell through the specters still haunting the earthly plane.  It fell through the beings that were in between lives, living comatose in their hospital beds.  Abatu fell through the various demon kingdoms passing the domain of the yellow-eyed demons, the army of the Underworld.  The green-eyed demons, the ones who wielded magical spells no human could resist.  Abatu fell through the red-eyed demons, the lieutenants of the Ancient One.  And finally, Abatu sailed past the domain of the most hated and feared of all demons, the black-eyed demons that answered to no one other than the Dark One himself.  These demons had almost every one of Lucifer’s powers and capabilities.  Still falling, Abatu raged at all it passed, both the holy, and the unholy as it plunged ever downward.  The descent towards Hell was a menagerie of pain that rivaled the punishment of the Goddess.  The Fury crashed landed onto the burnt out wilted fields just outside His flaming gates.  As Abatu stomped out of the crater its fall had created it felt His presence.  The Ancient One stood there tapping His foot impatiently.

“You failed me.  You lost me the soul you bargained for!  Barnes’ soul shot back to heaven!”

The Fury cringed putting its claws in front of its face.  It said nothing knowing better than to speak.

“You owe me a soul.  Do you not?”

The Fury gulped, and nodded quickly.

“And whose soul do you suppose I would accept after this fiasco?”

“The original host’s.”

“That is correct.”

“But — but she’s protected by the Goddess herself,” the Fury whimpered cowering and darting out of the way of His long tentacles.  The searing burn came a second later as the tip of one of the tentacles caressed the Fury’s forearm.  The Fury hadn’t moved quickly enough.

“Do I care about the details?”

The Fury vigorously shook its head as it held in its scream from the scalding pain the brief encounter with the tentacle engendered.

“I’m glad you understand me.  Now, go back and get me my soul.  And, if anyone becomes an obstacle — bring them to me as well.  But first, let me help you to succeed.”

Three tentacles snaked out simultaneously wrapping themselves firmly around Abatu’s neck.  An inhumane wail rose and filled the Lowest Domain.  Pain shattered Abatu’s reason and broke the demon’s will.  The ephemeral body exploded and morphed into something much more sinister than the Fury had been.  The Dark One removed its touch and withdrew leaving the transmogrified demon quivering upon the scorched fields.  Eons of time passed before the demon could rise.  When it did climb to its powerful feet it shot itself back up towards the Earth plane steeling itself against the expected onslaught of pain.  As the demon gained altitude and passed the various demon domains it felt…nothing.  There was no pain.  It opened its eyes — all twelve of them — and stared at its thick leathering wings and sturdy hairy body that was not insubstantial.  Abatu wondered what it now was, because a Fury it was not…

The End

Acknowledgments

Since this book’s inception in the spring of 2012, I’ve had a lot of life happen to me and around me.  However, as many of us do, we work around these obstacles and create a trifle from the imperfect cake of life.  This book
is
my delectable trifle,
which I was able to bring forth with

the help of many people and for that I say a heartfelt…
THANK YOU!

These are the people to whom I wish to extend my thanks – for their insight, support, love, time and energy in the creation of this story.  Without these people,
Fury from Hell
would not exist.

•     
  Kyra Cook – my friend and NaNoWriMo mentor,
  
•     
  Jacqueline Lichtenberg – my writing guru mentor who taught me how to plot,
  
•     
  Jean Lorrah – Jacqueline’s partner in crime & the ‘gentle’ mentor,
  
•     
  Karen MacLeod – the editor of all editors! THANK YOU,
  
•     
  Leevan Wong – for being supportive, nurturing and tough when you saw the need,
  
•     
  Dawn Everline – for being patient, attentive, kind and empathetic,
  
•     
  Sharon O. Tai – for her never-ending ‘tough love’ writerly support,
  
•     
  Michelle McCloskey – for being my very first beta reader,
  
•     
  Marco Palmieri – for providing actionable constructive critique,
  
•     
  Denise and Austin Camacho – for being untiring and uncompromising in their pursuit