The Fury sensed no movement inside the large home. The Fury extended itself and moved its consciousness into the home and searched each floor thoroughly. There were traces of a hasty exit but no one was in the home. Stopping in the second floor bathroom, Abatu noted a foul smell and discovered leaves and twigs still in the tub from the bath the witches had made the original host climb into. The Fury seethed. This bath was potent and would be difficult to overcome. The Fury returned its consciousness to Pettijohn and gave the order for the young woman to leave.
Back in the car, Abatu ordered Tabitha to head towards the original host’s apartment. The Fury had no other options. It figured the only place to go was to the starting point.
***
Jennifer folded her legs under her in the back seat of the High Priestess’ Altima and waited patiently for either Lady Ariella or Betty to tell her what was next. They were so busy jabbering between themselves and pulling others in on one or both of their cells that communicating with her was clearly unnecessary.
She tried to piece together the conversation but all she could gather was that the rest of the coven were going to meet that night and conduct a protection ritual to keep the Fury from repossessing her body and preserving her soul. How that was going to be done was still a huge mystery, at least to Jennifer.
“Holly, Oak, Witches’ Broom and Cedar leaves — yeah. Dana, gotta have those three, the other two are not as important. Get to the supply shop quick, then! Oh — okay. Call Teresa and see if she’ll open the shop for you. She’s only upstairs…I hope,” Lady Ariella said into the speakerphone before clicking off.
“Can’t we swing by and pick it up, my Lady? We’re not far —” asked Betty.
“No! We go straight to the site. No stopping for us. We have no idea where the Fury is, and I’m not taking any chances. Besides, the bath may only be good enough for one or two hand taps. I don’t know if it will hold up against that demon trying full frontal force —” Lady Ariella stopped and glanced back at the silent but attentive Jennifer and didn’t complete her thought. Betty kept her gaze averted and didn’t dare turn around. They both knew where Lady Ariella was going.
Sighing, Jennifer quietly asked, “So, how much protection will this ceremony actually bestow on me?”
The High Priestess nodded at her in the rearview mirror. “Yes, you worded it well. As for the amount of protection…?” She shrugged and her bright eyes dimmed with a tinge of sadness. “The Goddess hasn’t shared that with me. I don’t know. You could be protected for one hour, 2 years, or for only one attack. There’s no way to know ahead of time.”
Shock hit Jennifer squarely in the gut knocking the air out of her lungs. She doubled over and had to take deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating. Her mind was awhirl.
Betty found her voice first. “So, what’s the use? Why go through all this trouble if we don’t know the end result? We could do this and she could still get repossessed?”
“Calm down, Kamali. We will protect her.”
“How?” both Betty and Jennifer asked in unison.
Lady Ariella slow blinked and turned her eyes to the road and kept them there. After several tense minutes it became clear that the High Priestess wasn’t going to answer.
***
Tuesday, November 13th, 10:05 P.M.
After an hour of debating with himself, Chad was still uncertain of what he should do. He had been waiting outside of Jennifer’s building wondering and watching. Hoping to catch sight of her he wanted to confront her and hash it out then and there. But, as Murphy’s Law would have it, she hadn’t showed at all. He stopped his pacing as a thought hit him. Didn’t she say something about a safe house? Could any of that stuff actually be true?
Shrugging off the strange quiver that worked its way down his spine Chad looked up at her dark windows. He pursed his lips and wondered if he dared to ring the bell again. Or, if he should wait until someone came out and slip in. Then, he could wait by her door inside out of the chilly night air. He continued to pace back and forth on the sidewalk across the street still pondering how best to proceed, when a dark car pulled up and a young woman with bouncy dark hair got out. The woman purposefully strode to Jennifer’s building door. With brute force, the woman pushed against the metal. It groaned and gave way. Chad saw that the door had bowed inwardly around the doorknob. However, the woman entered the hallway as if she had gained entry the legal way.
Mouth agape, Chad closed it. He jogged across the street and darted past the wrought iron gate. He hurried up the stairs and through the damaged door moving quietly far behind the petite She-Ra. His mind raced trying to figure out how such a small woman could exert so much force with so little effort.
Keeping silent Chad waited on the landing below Jennifer’s apartment as the brunette forced her way into the apartment. Chad stewed a few moments his mind whirling through various scenarios. He had no weapon on him, and from what he saw, his strength was paltry compared to the woman in Jennifer’s apartment. Something akin to fear crept up his spine and paralyzed him. A loud thump made him look up. A split second later he knew he had to move. He heard the woman stomping her way toward Jennifer’s front door. Chad took the stairs two at a time and went down to the first floor and found a door that led down to the basement in the back of the narrow hallway. He waited with his heart pounding in his chest. The brunette’s tread on the stairs slowed as she got to the first floor where he was hidden some six feet away behind the closed basement door.
“I know you’re there. You stink of the original host. But, I also sense strong emotions in you for her. How intriguing.”
Chad froze as his eyes bulged. How did she know I was here? Strong emotions? Sure, I want to know why she lied to me… He knew it was impossible for anyone to know where he was. He was not visible and had not made a sound.
“Yes, you do have strong feelings for her…this could be useful. It’s settled, then, you will come with me. If you don’t come willingly it will not go well for you.”
Still in shock he said the first thing that came to his mind, “What are you?”
He heard a short barking laugh drift down the hall towards him. It sounded too old and evil to have come from the pretty young brunette.
“Very astute of you. I am not of your world. I am here to find justice for a woman that was murdered by a fiendish man. While you, too, are male you do not possess the stench of evil that attracts me. You will be safe with me. You do want to see the original host again…is that not right?”
His brow quirked. “The original host?”
“Yes, I must speak more clearly. The original host is named Jennifer. I grow tired of this talk. Come out, now.”
Chad’s brow furrowed. Okay, there’s a whole lot of crazies in this damn borough.
“The only one who is suffering from madness is you.”
Chad’s back went rigid. That thing out there was reading his mind. In that instant, he knew that everything Jennifer had told him was legit and that she was in deadly trouble.
“I grow tired of waiting for you to make your appearance. Come now. This is your last warning before I come and retrieve you, myself.”
The firming up of the already rough and guttural voice made arguing a moot point. Chad hastily moved out of his hiding spot and came into view of the demure-looking woman whose face now appeared to be covered by some sort of animal mask. The woman’s hair was coming out in tufts behind large pointed ears atop her head, and her eyes were blood-red. The hand that reached out towards him was anything but human. It had a feral quality to it and the talon-like fingers had dangerously sharp nails at their tips.
“Move faster. We must find the ceremonial site. I feel the energy gathering and pulling me back to a similar spot as before. But the energy is…different. It is lighter. They are trying to protect the Jennifer host with ritual against any attack from Fury Abatu.”
The thing’s red eyes glittered as a ferocious smile spread across its weathered leathery
face. The yellowed fangs seemed to grow as Chad edged nearer against his will but he knew he had no choice.
“What are you?” he asked as the creature’s foul breath made him gag.
“Would it not be more prudent to inquire about your fate?”
Unable to fault the thing’s logic he asked the question it wanted to answer. “What are going to do to me?” he asked when he was a scant foot away.
“You will make the Jennifer host come to me. I will not have to do anything.”
At that Chad scoffed forgetting he knew not what he stood in front of. “Then your plan’s already shot. She’s not interested in me. She’s been pushing me away. Dangling me as bait won’t do you any good —”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he paled realizing he just signed his own death warrant. He looked into the thing’s eyes and glimpsed what looked suspiciously like humor.
“Humans. You are so smart, yet imbecilic at the same time. The Jennifer host has feelings for you and was only trying to protect you. No matter! It did not work because your feelings for her made you seek her out and lead you directly to us — this new host, and Abatu.”
The Fury grabbed Chad’s upper arm and pulled him along as it left the building.
Chad stumbled behind the animal-woman thing almost falling on top of it but the strength in the arm that held him kept him from falling.
Throughout the short walk all Chad could think about was how the creature thing referred to itself in third person. His brain snagged on that fact and he had the urge to laugh. He refrained because he knew once he began he would never stop the hysterical laughing. It was all too surreal.
Back outside, he saw no one. There would be no help for him. He wasn’t even sure if anyone could help him. The thing shoved him in the back seat of its dark car and got in the front seat. Moments later they drove off. Chad lurched at the door, got it open and tumbled into the street, rolling rapidly.
While scrambling to his feet to begin to run, he heard the car screech to a halt. The sound of incredibly fast footfalls headed his way. He made the mistake of turning around to look behind him and saw the woman-creature a foot and a half away. He screamed and ran faster but she latched onto him seconds later and dragged him back, yanking his shoulder out of place in the process. The sickening crack came a second after the pain seared Chad’s right shoulder and sent white hot shafts into his brain blanketing out everything else. With his last seconds of consciousness, he felt himself being picked up and shoved roughly onto the back seat. The car lurched forward once more as Chad’s world faded to black.
***
Tuesday, November 13th, 9:20 P.M.
Taking the longest most circuitous route possible, Lady Ariella knew she had confounded any possible tails.
Jennifer peered out the windows apprehensively at the dark trees swaying in the cool night breeze.
The High Priestess put the car in park and pulled the key from the ignition across the street from Prospect Park. She released the locks and both Lady Ariella and Betty climbed out of the car. They motioned for Jennifer to come out but she shrunk back not wanting to go knowing that her fate would be decided one way or the other by the end of the night.
“We don’t have all night, child. Please, I know I have not been forthcoming with all of the details you might want but believe me — the Goddess wouldn’t have brought you this far to let you be taken by the Fury.”
The words were spoken quickly but with such compassion that Jennifer’s reticence thawed enough to allow her to swing her legs out. She stepped into Lady Ariella’s comforting hug and took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever was to come. She wondered what her life would be like in the morning and an errant tear fell. She hastily wiped it away and in that moment thought of Chad waking up in bed with her a lazy smile on his face.
Jennifer gasped at the intensity of the feeling that surged in her abdomen at the thought of the bartender in her bed. She shook her head and wondered at the mind’s capacity to dream even when one was staring death in the face. With a grim smile she wiped her face as she pulled away from Lady Ariella’s embrace.
“Are you ready?” Betty asked, softly touching Jennifer’s shoulder.
Jennifer turned and gave her a hug as well and nodded into her shoulder. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Betty pulled back and kissed Jennifer’s cheek blinking several times in succession. “We’d better head over to the ball field.”
The High Priestess took one of Jennifer’s hands and squeezed it. She pulled her along beside her as Betty made her way across the wide street.
The park loomed large in front of them and Jennifer’s heart beat faster just thinking about what was about to occur on her behalf. She couldn’t imagine people who didn’t know her going through all of this trouble to protect her from a force that wasn’t even human. Her mind swam with the enormity of it all. She had no doubt, that the love she felt from Lady Ariella and Betty was just a sample of the love that existed in the world; a world she had shuttered herself from for most of her life. And now, when her life was almost over, she found out what true love was all about.
Child, your life is not over. It is just about to begin. You must believe in yourself and those around you. If you don’t believe — all will be lost.
The soft warm white energy of the Goddess surrounded Jennifer’s mind and thoughts. It was only in that moment that she realized that she believed she was about to die. Jennifer gasped and looked around wildly slowing Lady Ariella’s forward movement.
“What is it? Do you sense something?
“The Goddess! She just spoke to me — in my mind…but — that’s impossible! She doesn’t exist!? I’m an atheist! Things like this don’t happen to me! I must be dreaming. This is all just a really vivid nightmare. It’s probably still Halloween and I’m dog tired after being at the Barnes murder scene all night. I’m going to pinch myself to wake myself up!”
Jennifer pinched, punched and slapped herself soundly. She looked around and only saw the majestic trees of Prospect Park and the bemused faces of the High Priestess and Betty.
Lady Ariella stifled a chuckle and beamed at Jennifer. She stepped closer to the scared woman and clasped both of her hands in her own, larger ones. “It is a good omen that the Goddess has spoken to you! She is already present and is watching over these proceedings — excellent! The words she spoke are for you, and you, alone. You don’t have to share them with anyone but know that the message is for you right now, and for your use in the future. Don’t forget what She told you.” The High Priestess patted her hands turned and began walking into the dark park with a certainty that left Jennifer feeling much less afraid.
It was clear to Jennifer that Lady Ariella had done this type of thing — at night — before. Sighing and rolling her eyes, Jennifer came to grips with the reality and gravity of her situation. This was no dream. She had to jog a bit to catch up with her new mentors. She did not want to be left behind.
The trio walked across a large field down a narrow dark trail and under an overpass. They walked for what seemed like miles before stopping in a small clearing where several other women in white cloaks were already gathered.
“Dana, that was really quick! Did you get all of the herbs?”
“Yes, my Lady. I did. Everything. Is this the young woman?”
“Dana — this is Jennifer. Jennifer, Dana. Dana is the one I turn to for all things herbs and folklore. Her memory is impeccable, and her faith in the Goddess, unshakeable.”
“You honor me, Lady Ariella. Thank you.”
Turning to Jennifer, Dana embraced her for many long seconds. Jennifer was overwhelmed at the kindness and loving acceptance with which she was greeted.
“Dana, I want to thank you for taking time out of your life to help me — someone you don’t know —”
“But we do know each other! We are sisters linked by the Goddess, herself.”
“What?”
Dana smiled at Jenn
ifer’s confusion. “We are all sisters because of the Goddess. The Goddess has chosen you to be one with Her before you migrate back to the other plane and that is a true blessing. It is a shame that you also have a force from the other side that is also enamored of you. But, one can also look at that as a disguised blessing as you must possess many gifts and talents that make you desired by both sides.”
Wrinkling her brow, Jennifer grinned through her uncertainty and asked, “Was that a compliment?”
Lady Ariella and Betty laughed, and Dana simply smiled.
Betty drew her away and introduced her to the other women present. Someone helped her into a white robe and began slowly spinning her in a tight circle.
“My Lady?” Jennifer asked uncertainly.
“It’s all right. We are beginning, and the others will join in as they arrive. We don’t want to wait a moment longer. There is strength in numbers but where a sacred few gather with belief, the Goddess will come! Go with what feels right to you. While you may have stopped trusting your instincts tonight that’s the only thing you must rely upon.”
A soft keening sound began and Jennifer panicked until Betty began to sing in her alto voice. Jennifer’s fears began to ebb away as the serenity in her friend’s voice soothed her conflicted emotions and filled the empty spaces within her with light and love.
Sighing with heartfelt pleasure Jennifer relaxed and let go of her fears and inhibitions. In that moment, she decided to step back from her past and allow space for something different and new. She offered herself up to the ceremony with no expectations, except one. Jennifer allowed herself to hope that she would, indeed, wake up in the morning. And, if she did she promised herself she would call Chad no matter how early it was.
***
Tuesday, November 13th, 10:15 P.M.
Pettijohn was fully ensconced in her human form. She hauled the unconscious man from the back seat and slung him over her shoulder fireman-style as she jogged across the street into the park, with an evil grin on her face and blood red eyes where the whites should have been. All of Pettijohn’s senses were humming because of the demon’s manipulations. Abatu followed the trail of Goddess energy unerringly and paused at the outskirts of the field.
Fury From Hell Page 30
