Wellie’s low whistle cut into the silence. “Look ahead, in the road. See it, Bon Amis?”
Romer’s free hand grabbed his mojo bag, his whispers filling the car. “High John, repel this demon from us, protect Jasper, and keep us moving.”
“Gonna hit it!” Wellie yelled, and a sickening thud rocked the Taurus. The demon sailed over the hood, landing across the windshield with a twisted grin. Clawed hands ripped at the Taurus, yanking trim and the wipers off, flinging them into the darkness.
The car compressed for a long moment, then expanded with an audible boom, blasting the mangled demon into the air. He landed, bouncing along the edge of the road as they rocketed away. An unearthly howl filled the night.
“Not bad, Ms. Lacey,” Wellie muttered. Eyes drilled onto the road, he stomped the gas pedal to the floorboards.
“Hope we get to thank her in person,” Jasper muttered, skin crawling with the proximity of evil.
“Focus on me,” Romer replied. “My energy keeps the darkness from affecting you, but it is an active interaction. You’ve got to want the clarity and protection. Big Daddy plans to divert you from me to weaken the bond.”
“Understood.” Jasper closed his eyes, concentrating on the energy sensation in his arm. I wonder if I can make it move? He turned his attention to his chest, surprised by the energy flow emerging there.
“Good,” Romer nodded. “Keep going. Try for full body.”
Jasper focused on his fingers, and the tingling sensation moved. He sent energy down his legs and into the toes of each foot, feeling the coursing throughout his system. As he relaxed into the seat, he pulled it through to the crown of his head, vibrating as they hurtled through the desert.
“Within this focus, you are hard to see. Big Daddy is looking for you but it’s no longer simple.”
“Thanks Romer. I don’t know how this all works, but I’m grateful.”
“Don’t talk, Jasper, just concentrate,” Wellie shouted. “We’re getting away! If we put enough distance between us, the connection will grow unreliable. We’ve got a chance.”
Across the desert, the darkness turned, tuning, searching.
Wellie barely missed the wolf whose snarling snap at the car yanked Jasper out of his concentration. Shades of when we first got here.
The demon’s head turned. Ah, there you are, Son.
He materialized in the middle of the lane, raising a hand and stopping the car, causing the back end to lift into the air before tipping nose over tail several times, bounding past him. They landed with a series of bounces, Lacey’s protections preventing the chassis from crushing. Wellie shook his head, woozy, and scrambled for the door handle, struggling to get his feet under him. Hands jammed into his front pockets, he pulled the dust and ran around the car, careful to build a full, closed circle.
“We are behind the graveyard dust, Bon Amis. Safe for now.”
Romer’s hands were on either side of Jasper’s head. “Wake up Jasp. Pull back into the energy.”
“I’m trying… so hard. Burning… brain is exploding.”
“Concentrate on my palms sending the power through your temples.”
Jasper’s hands shook; his sudden inhale buoyed Romer. “That’s it! Breathe in and douse the fire with energy. You can do it. Concentrate on the change.”
The red in his head fading, Jasper opened his eyes. Romer’s calmness flowed, pushing out the heat.
“It’s working, Romer. I can think again.”
I am weaker though. He’s pulling it through so fast.
On the other side of the line of dust, Big Daddy roared, “I will have my son.”
Wellie reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small bag. Eyes never leaving the demon, he dumped the bones into his hand. Fist to his lips, he murmured, feeling the bones warm, then wiggle.
“Destroy this darkness!” His voice cut through the roar and he threw the bones. They landed in the dust with a puff, and Big Daddy threw back his head, his laughter scratching down the spines of the men he faced. His huge malevolent head, one with the night, turned to look again at the bones. The mighty swipe from the bear caught him unaware, sending him flying across the sand.
“Kill it,” Wellie commanded. “Tear it to pieces.” The enraged bear chased the demon into the night.
“I don’t think it will be this easy, Bon Amis. We need to give this to High John.”
Romer, pale from the energy drain, nodded.
“High John,” Wellie spoke to his bag, “We are in desperate straits and need your help. What trick do you hold for this demon?”
Wellie’s bag moved on his palm as though packed with beetles. He waited, patient, for the answer.
The cold desert air carried the sounds of the raging battle, punctuated by roars and shrieking anger. All too soon there was silence. Heavy steps returned to the car, and the demon threw the dead bear at the protective line around the battered Taurus. The carcass bounced off the line and landed in a skidding thud, pushing the sand in dusty protest.
You fought well, frère bear. Thank you for your bravery.
Big Daddy looked at the men and hissed. “What trickery is this?”
Staring back at him were three identical Jaspers.
Romer stood six inches behind Jasper. If I hold his hand it’ll give him away. Instead, he kept three fingers splayed along Jasper’s spine. Focus, Jasper. High John’s trick is good.
A glare traveling from one face to the next, Daddy paced. The three Jaspers stared back, silent.
A cowering witch appeared next to Big Daddy. He grabbed her throat and she cried out, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. “Get... rid... of... it…,” Daddy hissed, tossing her to the ground.
That’s the witch that repaired the ceiling in the bar! Romer kept his face neutral. She must have added the mirrors at the same time. He’s controlling her.
She pulled herself to her feet, strips of charred skin hanging off her neck, and cast the spell, whirling the sand into a swirling dust devil, destroying Wellie’s line of graveyard dirt. As the protection whipped away, Daddy moved forward, staring at the Jaspers.
“You’re too light,” he growled, snatching up Romer and smashing him into the ground with a sickening thud.
Oh, shit, it’s on. High John, make him see me. Wellie felt hot fire coursing beneath his skin and darkness unlike any he’d known covered his body. Is this what Jasper fights against every day? Holy hell, Bon Ami, you strong.
Daddy’s head swung from Romer’s brokenness and stared at the remaining two Jaspers, sensing. After a long pause, he nodded, reaching out and grabbing one. “You are mine. Time to learn what that means, Son, and cover the world in darkness for centuries.”
Glaring down at the witch, he growled, “Send us, and bring the child within you. I’m finished here.” In the shadows, the final three demons moved.
“I care not, you may feast,” Daddy snarled at them as they cowered.
With a pop, Wellie, Big Daddy, and his witch disappeared.
Chapter 14
Muse, come, banish the darkness. Romer lay twisted in the sand, watching the approaching demons, despairing. He looked at his jeans, white bone poking through on the right side. I cannot keep Jasper centered, heal myself, and fight them at the same time. The only thing I can try is to heal myself and hope I survive the mauling before they turn on him.
“Do not stop them. I have a plan,” he rasped, knowing it was a lie but hoping Jasper did not. “Stay on the energy, don’t lose it.”
Romer applied his remaining focus into his bones, untwisting and knitting as the demons savaged his arms and legs.
Melia shot bolt upright. “The daimon calls. Take me to the desert, Theo. Now!”
Lyra helped Melia up onto Theo’s back, pulling herself up behind her as he unfurled his wings.
“I don’t see them yet,” Theo called, swiveling his head, searching for the men.
Melia closed her eyes as she glowed. A silver thread shot out pas
t the long neck and great head, pointing the way. With a bank, Theo stretched out, flying hard as Melia burned in a white fire on his back.
“Dive. Now!”
Theo dove and Melia wrapped the injured demon hit by the car. It writhed and hissed, fighting the silver binding as the emanating light seared its skin. Theo flew on, the demon bouncing in his tail wind. It slammed into his tail and bit him.
Not today, crapweasel. Theo whacked the demon with his tail, jostling his riders.
“Sorry, Ladies. He chomped me.”
Lyra glanced behind them at the motionless form. “He’s out cold now, Theo. At least, he’s stunned. Keep going.”
“There!” Theo dropped like a rock, flinging his hind legs forward and running out of the sky. The feasting demons backed away, snarling mouths bloody. They turned to flee as Melia sent lines to grab them. With slicing claws, they evaded, running for darkness. Lyra ran to Romer, quaking and standing next to Jasper, hands on his spine. After knitting his bones to the point of supporting him, he’d managed to stand with Jasper, feeding his final energy into him.
Eyes within his mother’s, Romer fell, bleeding, into the dust.
“Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no,” she cried, frantic in her effort to push life back into his body. Melia turned, still connected to one demon, intent on extracting information. She looked at Romer, eyes burning blue.
We see the loyalty, Muse, but the effort to bypass the simple solution perplexes us.
Simple was not the way of light. It is not I who am lost, but the collective Muse. Light is light, and we exist to preserve it.
We will save the daimon for you, Muse. Give him to us.
From the crown of Melia’s head, hundreds of brilliant blue threads emerged, growing and flowing to Romer, binding his wounds and refilling his blood. Several entered his body, encircling his heart and mind and bringing back the consciousness. As he jerked to life, the bindings turned to white, filling him with light. He floated off the ground, entwined within the threads, aura expanding.
I see an angel; I stand before power. Theo shook his head, dumbfounded. This is way beyond my scope. Way. The hell. Beyond. Magic blows my damn mind. Theo snorted, sparks flying across the gritty sand. I gotta clear my head.
From his suspension, Romer’s eyes opened, blazing blue.
Holy shit. I’ve known Romer for fourteen years. His eyes are brown. What the actual hell? Jasper stared as the threads unwound and returned to Melia while Romer returned to earth. She did this. She blew life into him. Maybe, if I’m lucky, she can save me too.
Alma stared at the tableau on her table. Those four are in the Muse’s sight but not destroyed. I would not want to be those djables. Dat Muse is on fire. Her attention turned to Big Daddy. You got my boy, and now you pay.
Selecting a long pin, she picked up the largest doll and drove it straight down the center of its head. How dat do you, djable? You like? Plenty more coming. She reached for another pin.
Wellie felt High John with him as he watched Big Daddy stagger, jerk, and shuffle again. Ah, Chere, you bring the hot sauce to the party. The muttering, growling and stumbling grew as the pins slid through the head of the doll. Shrieking, the demon turned and lay a hand of fire on Wellie’s forehead, burning three fingertips into his skin, to brand him. Within Wellie, High John hummed and laughed, keeping the Jasper facade in place, holding the line.
Melia turned from Romer, rising into the sky, white hot. Ribbons of silver shot from her chest, and three grew taunt, yanking the powerful demons back toward her. Their snarls echoed across the desert as they bit with ferocity at the bindings. Two severed the lines, shucking the rest and turning toward the endless desert night, and safety.
Theo rose, watching them lope as Melia fought to subdue the remaining one. These are stronger than the others. She needs a little firepower. High and silent, Theo flew, banking with the wind. With it at his back, he rocketed down and skimmed the sand, drawing a bead on the closest demon.
The blast of dragon fire lit the night. Lyra looked up from where she’d taken over tending to Jasper, building his energy, and gasped. The demon danced across the sands in a crescendo of pain.
“How,” Lyra murmured, almost to herself.
“Theo is light, therefore his fire is light. Many dragons aren’t, but this one is special.” Melia watched the demon flee before the blast, running blindly back to her. Her line shot out, catching the burned body as Theo banked hard, heading back for the final minion.
“Well done, Son of Bravian,” Melia murmured, eyeing the half-cooked babbling shriekfest dangling in front of her. “You think you hurt now? Tell me what I want to know, or suffer. You are not of this world and I am your balance. You will surrender your secrets.”
Lyra turned back to Jasper as the howls echoed in the far desert, laying a tempo as Melia’s attention to her captive, and the information within his crispy head, began.
“What is the Father, from what source is his power?”
As he struggled in the bonds, the demon hissed, “Never!”
A single white thread shot from Melia’s head, driving through its third eye-space. Time stopped. Lyra watched in amazement as Jasper, the demon, and Melia stopped, the latter floating in slow, sensuous waves. She is reading the creature’s consciousness. In this pause she will know everything. She excluded me to save my energy. I’ve never seen a Muse operate like this. She is moving beyond tradition.
As quickly as the thread entered, it slipped out and time unwarped. Jasper’s breathing returned to normal, the demon howled and Melia looked at him.
“Give my regards to Hades,” she said, her tone mild. The lines squeezed before the silver ball ricocheted across the night sky. Theo’s fire drove the remaining minion to Melia. He leaped in horrific brutality at her, and they rolled in the air.
Jasper reacted but Lyra pushed on him. “Focus! This is for you. Do your part.”
Melia pierced the beast with hundreds of tiny threads, pulling his knowledge and binding him as he snarled and bit her, a claw drawing blood from a deep scratch across her neck and collarbone.
Jasper jumped again and Lyra forced her hand over his eyes. “You’ll get everyone killed if Big Daddy senses you. Concentrate. Help us, Jasper.”
He nodded, falling back into the energy body.
Melia pushed away from the attack, silver blood flowing, slowing as the wound closed. The demon thrashed as a wide glowing ribbon wrapped around his head, forcing it to face her. Blue fire erupted from her eyes and into the demon’s eye sockets, whose body shocked into rigidity before going limp, catatonic as it floated in the sky.
“Better.”
Reducing him to a spark, she paused, sending a final feeler into the glowing bit, checking for life.
“Dead?”
“There is nothing left.”
“You are greater than a normal Muse.”
“I am as the world needed. The balance, created for this place in time.”
“That too.” Lyra checked Jasper and moved to Melia. “Are you strong?”
“Stay with Jasper. I am what I need to be. The ancients returned.”
Across the plane, Daddy paused, sensing time and space between the hated pins. After a long pause, the huge head made a slow threatening turn to Wellie, the scent of sulphur overpowering.
“I see.”
Chapter 15
High John turned up the heat, and Wellie struggled not to scream at the surging darkness. Don’t stop, High John, even if I beg for mercy. Grant me no reprieve. This fate is my choosing.
“I smell deception,” Daddy’s stench befouled the air, filling the space between them. Wellie stood in silence, drowning in High John’s noisome deluge and said nothing.
“Dark permeates you, but more comes from beyond this place. Is this a trick? Did you think you could fool me? I am immortal evil. The reason for the yang. I bring the true balance. From the first dawn, when the world shimmered with anticipation, there was no drive to become more.
Life retracted, aimless and degrading. I became, from nothing, birthed from life’s apathy with the light.”
Wellie stared straight ahead, heart slowing. High John is killing me. I hope this gift is enough.
“You don’t care? You should. Every single accomplishment in time and space is because of their fear of me. Only in the knowing of loss is there gain. I am the only thing that mattered, always, to these life forms. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Hurt or be harmed. Take or become the lost ones, the enslaved, the raped. I am everything; I am forever.”
Wellie turned and looked at him. I can hold his gaze thanks to the blackness within me. “You masquerade, marauding as a god, but you are a child throwing tantrums. You can’t even get laid without coercion. Freedom of self mocks you, because your elaborate construct is folding. You think I’m your answer? None surround you, a forgotten god of one. You know this truth as I do.”
Wellie spat. “I pity you.” His head turned from Big Daddy, and he resumed his blank stare. It was a good run. I knew love and friendship, and today, I know valor. If this is it, High John, do what you can to preserve my friends.
Big Daddy turned, snarling at the witch. “Reveal him.”
The witch’s despair ran across her face as she waved at Wellie, murmuring the spell. Wellie felt a change, a chill deep in his bones, and stared at her.
“I saw it, he changed,” Daddy roared. “Where did he go? What did you do?” His backhand sent her sailing.
“I did nothing,” she hissed back from where she sprawled. “You can’t see him? That’s his work, not mine. Perhaps your warlock son is a step ahead of you.”
“Not my son, but the other one, disguised. He can’t be far. Find him or die.”
“Then your spawn dies too. Do it! Kill us both.”
Daddy threw his head up, pent frustration exploding. “Find him!”
Wellie blinked, realizing High John’s trick. The vibration within is his laughter. Dats some fine hoodoo there.
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