Dead Souls Volume Four (Parts 40 to 52)

by Amy Cross

  “He's leaving,” she whispered. “It's working, Ashalla is leaving.”

  “No!” Edgar shouted, trying to get up before Kate pushed him back down. “I must stop him!”

  “You have to let him go,” she said firmly. “He'll end up going to the vampire war, and he'll die there. This is how things have to be!”

  “No!” Edgar screamed, pushing her aside and staggering to his feet. “Face me!” he shouted, looking up at Ashalla. “Are you a coward? Is the great Ashalla too scared to face a warm-blood?”

  “I fear nothing,” the voice replied.

  “Edgar, please,” Estella said, stepping toward him, “just -”

  “Face me!” Edgar shouted again. “I dare you!”

  “I will not face you,” Ashalla replied, as the vast red eyes turned to him. “I will destroy you.”

  A wall of fire burst from Ashalla's body, crashing toward Edgar. At the last moment, before he could react, Estella stepped in front of him, turning her back against the inferno and shielding Edgar's ravaged body from the worst of the blast. They were both instantly thrown through the air, dashed against the ruins of the church as flames filled the air.

  Crying out, Kate tried to reach Edgar, but the ground was shaking too much and she quickly dropped to her knees as more ripples of pain burst from her shoulder. All around, the island seemed to be shaking apart, and finally all she could do was close her eyes and wait, feeling the immense forces of heat and destruction building in the air until it seemed as if all life was about to be extinguished. She tried not to scream, to stay strong, and finally she reached up with her right hand and took hold of the silver necklace, squeezing it tight in her palm.

  “Not today,” a voice whispered in her ear. “Not for a long time.”

  “Amanda?” she replied, recognizing her sister's voice. She opened her eyes, as the trembling sensation began to subside and the vast heat faded. Turning, she looked around and saw that the ruined church was burning now, but that the pit was empty and Ashalla was gone.

  “They've stopped,” Madeleine said after a moment, getting to her feet. “The creatures, the ones that were trying to put everything right... They've retreated.”

  “That must mean destiny is back on course,” Nixon said, looking up at the starry sky. “Ashalla's on his way. Next stop, the plains of Gothos, where he'll die.”

  “Where's Edgar?” Kate asked, looking around but seeing only flames amid the ruins.

  “Over there!” Madeleine shouted, running past her and making her way toward the edge of the pit.

  Hurrying to catch up, Kate saw to her horror that Edgar's bloodied and broken body had been smashed against the remains of the church's stone walls. She dropped to her knees and, with Madeleine on Edgar's other side, she stared in horror at the thick, glistening wounds that had been torn into Edgar's body, bringing sections of broken bone tearing through the flesh. For a moment, she had no idea what to do, before finally she placed her hands against him and felt that his body was warm.

  “He's alive,” Madeleine said, with a hint of shock in her voice. “I don't know how, but he managed to survive two direct blasts from the heart of a cold-blooded vampire god. Not bad going.”

  “He's hurt, though,” Nixon added as he joined them. “It'll take a while before he's properly up on his feet.”

  “But how -” Kate began, before spotting a smoldering body nearby. She paused, before she felt a punch to the heart as she recognized the figure. “Estella,” she whispered, getting to her feet and taking a few steps forward. “She jumped in the way at the last moment. She sacrificed herself to save Edgar.”

  Looking down at the remains in front of her, Kate felt tears welling in her eyes. All that remained of Estella was a burned husk, its flesh having been destroyed to leave little more than a collection of steaming bones held together by fragments of charred skin. The body's head was tilted back and its mouth was open, as if she'd died screaming.

  “I guess that explains how Edgar was able to survive, then,” Nixon said, stepping over to join Kate. “If she hadn't done that, he'd be dead now.”

  “But she can come back, can't she?” Kate replied. “I mean, she has powers, she's a witch, she can't just die like this!”

  “There are limits,” Nixon said with a shudder, “even for her.”

  “She can't be dead,” Kate continued, as tears ran down her face. “Please, we have to be able to do something for her.”

  “There's nothing,” Nixon replied, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I'm sorry, Kate, but Estella's dead. If it's any consolation, there probably wasn't any time for her to feel pain.”

  Kneeling next to the body, Kate reached out to touch Estella's burned face, before holding back. She found it hard to accept that Estella could truly be gone, but finally she felt a sense of heavy anguish in her heart as she realized it was true. Bowing her head, she took a deep breath, before heading movement nearby and turning to see that Madeleine had managed to get Edgar to his feet.

  “She's dead,” Kate told him. “Estella gave her life to save yours.”

  Limping forward, Edgar looked down at the corpse. “And Ashalla?” he asked after a moment. “Where is Ashalla?”

  “Gone,” Kate said, getting up and stepping toward him. Although she was glad to see him, she couldn't shake a sense of anger. “If you'd listened to me, Estella would still be alive.”

  “I thought I had to...” He paused, staring in horror at Estella's body. “I thought I had to stop Ashalla at all costs. I thought I had to keep fighting the war, I was so consumed by anger... I should have realized that the war was won a long time ago. It's over.” He turned to Kate. “The things I said to you... I'm sorry. I was wrong.”

  “Can you bring Estella back?” she asked, wiping more tears from her eyes. “Edgar, please, I know you have powers that can help.”

  “Not with this,” he replied. “Her death is final.”

  “Edgar -”

  “There is one thing I can do, however,” he continued. “I think the time has come for me to relinquish my hold over the dead souls that inhabit this island. They should be free, but... There is one final gift I can give.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kate asked. “Edgar -”

  “Look!” Madeleine said suddenly. “Over there!”

  Turning, Kate saw nothing at first apart from the ruins of the church and the flames that burned all around. After a moment, however, she realized she could just about make out two spectral figures walking away.

  “Is that Estella?” she asked, taking a step forward.

  “Let her be,” Edgar said, putting a hand on Kate's arm. “She's dead now. She's free of this life.”

  “Who's she with?”

  “The man she spurned a long time ago,” Edgar continued. “He died long before her, but even in death he loved her.”

  “But -” Kate froze as she saw that Estella had been reunited with Doctor Paul Lassiter. They were talking and laughing, and after a moment they faded into the night. “She cast a spell on him,” Kate continued, turning to Edgar. “She made him forget her.”

  “For the rest of his life,” Edgar pointed out. “After he died, the spell wore out. Now they're free to be together again, to walk the island the way they walked in their younger days before... Well, before Estella began to make her mistakes. They'll be happy now, they'll be together.”

  “We need to stop the evacuation of the island,” Madeleine said after a moment. “Even though a cold-blooded vampire god just burst up through the ground, I think Thaxos might just keep from sinking into the Mediterranean.” She looked around at what was left of the church. “We should probably rebuild this place, too. I mean, personally I don't give a damn, but I know the humans like this sort of thing, and... Well, Edgar, we should probably try to do a few more things for them.”

  “I also need to rebuild my home,” Edgar replied, looking up toward the spot on the hill where his house had once stood. “The Le Comptes will not be
leaving Thaxos. Now that Ashalla is gone, I think there's a chance we might be able to live a less eventful life.”

  “Don't get too ambitious,” Kate told him. “Rebuild the house, but...” She looked around at the flames, and after a moment she saw faces in the darkness as some of the islanders began to make their way closer, having evidently realized that the danger was over. “I think,” she continued, “that there's a long way to go before anyone can live an uneventful life on Thaxos.”

  IV

  Two years later

  Holding the silver necklace in her hands, Kate couldn't help smiling slightly as she saw the name Elspeth engraved on one side. She still remembered her grandmother wearing the necklace, and her sister too, but there had been a time when she'd thought it was lost forever. Now, thanks to Edgar, it had miraculously re-entered her life.

  “Can I help you with that?”

  Turning, she realized she hadn't heard Edgar entering the room. Stopping behind her, he took the necklace and put it in place, before taking a moment to fasten it securely.

  “I know I'm probably getting ahead of myself,” she said after a moment, “but...” She turned to him. “If we have a girl, then... Well, I'd like to name her after my grandmother.”

  “Elspeth is a fine name,” Edgar replied. “The decision is made. When we have a girl, she will take that name as her own.” He looked down at her belly, which had finally begun to swell slightly as her pregnancy continued. “Perhaps I should have mentioned this sooner,” he continued cautiously, “but lately I've begun to detect... Well, I could be wrong, but I believe there might be two heartbeats in there.”

  “Two?” Her eyes opened with shock. “You mean twins?”

  “It would appear so.”

  “Oh.” She paused, before smiling. “Well, I guess we're going to be busy, then.”

  “I could tell you the genders if you wish.”

  “You could? How?”

  “I have very strong intuition when it comes to such things.”

  She took a deep breath. “Okay, tell me. No, wait, don't.” She paused. “Okay, go ahead. Tell me.”

  “One is a boy,” he replied, “and the other... Well, let us just say that there will be a new Elspeth in the world in about six months' time.”

  Biting her bottom lip, Kate felt close to tears for a moment. Hearing voices outside, she headed to the window and saw that the lawn outside the rebuilt mansion was filling up now.

  “It's so great that all these people have come up here today,” she said, turning back to him. “I remember the last time you tried to throw a big event here, Edgar. I mean, no offense, but it wasn't exactly a roaring success. Then again, plenty of people came to our wedding last year, and the fact that the island is going to witness another wedding so soon... Well, I can understand why a lot of the locals are starting to sense that we're entering a new era.”

  “Some wreckage was found last night in the harbor,” he replied. “I believe it came from my boat.”

  She turned to him. “What about Didi and Fernando?”

  “Part of the wreckage was from the lifeboat.”

  “But they might still have...” She paused, shocked by the news. “Is there any chance at all that they might have survived?”

  “The boat was ripped apart by the storm. Even if they could have lived through that, they would have had to fashion some kind of makeshift raft, with no supplies, no food or water. And then, in the middle of a huge storm, they would have had to cling to life, and then once the storm was over they would have had to somehow found a way to shore. Even then, they would have most likely lost all their possessions and resources. The odds of either of them having survived all that... The odds are low.”

  “It's so horrible to think of them dying out there,” Kate replied with a shudder. “They deserved better.”

  “I underestimated the strength of the storm,” Edgar said darkly. “I blame myself.”

  “You mustn't do that,” she told him. “You did your best.”

  “Then I must strive to ensure that my best becomes better,” he continued. “The people of Thaxos need me, and I will not let them down. Today will mark the start of a new period in this island's life, and I will ensure that the name Le Compte will never again strike fear into the hearts of the people here.” He paused. “I used to worry that I was a bad man, and that I would remain so forever. Now I'm starting to think that it's within the grasp of anyone, man or woman, to become great, if they just keep striving.” Another pause. “Of course, I had a great head-start over other men, but still, some effort is required.”

  “Things have changed,” he replied, joining her at the window. “I can only assume that this is due, at least in part, to the fact that the family has expanded.”

  “It's not just that,” she told him. “You've changed too, you know. You've shown them despite your rough edges, you're a good man.”

  “I have?” He paused. “Perhaps I have,” he added, putting an arm around him as they watched more and more people arriving on the lawn. “Wait,” he said, turning to her. “What rough edges?”

  ***

  “With the power vested in me,” Father Pierce added finally, “I now pronounce you man and wife. Mr. Lazare, you may kiss the bride.”

  As Lazare and Suzanne kissed, applause erupted from the crowd. Whereas a year earlier there had still been a few holdouts who'd refused to venture up to the mansion and witness Kate's wedding to Edgar, now the entire population of the port town had come to see Inspector Daniel Lazare, the new permanent head of the police force, marry Suzanne Corvey. Making her way around the back of the crowd, Kate had to wipe tears from her eyes as she watched Suzanne throwing her bouquet, and finally she stopped for a moment and put a hand on her belly, feeling a kick from within.

  “Have you thought of a name for the boy yet?” Ephram asked suddenly, making his way over to join her.

  “Not yet.”

  “You should choose something that fits with the traditions of the island,” he continued with a smile. “Something local. Something sturdy and strong, something that indicates a good man.”

  “Ephram, perhaps?”

  “It's one possibility among many,” he replied, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a battered envelope. “I found this the other day. I was clearing out the cellar beneath my store, and suddenly Gertrude came clucking over to me with something in her beak.” Turning the envelope over, he revealed Kate's name handwritten on the front. “The things down in that cellar haven't been disturbed for decades, so I don't have a clue how it got there or whether it's really for you, but... Well, the coincidences seem a little too great, don't you think?”

  “Thank you,” Kate replied, taking the envelope and tearing it open. As Ephram made his way over to speak to Elise Corvey, Kate pulled a letter from the envelope and unfolded it, and her heart missed a beat as she saw the name Jennifer Kazakos signed at the bottom. With trembling hands, she began to read:

  Dear Kate,

  I can't be sure that this letter will ever reach you, but I'm writing it because I think there's a chance. The year is 1969 now, and somehow I've become an old woman. How did that happen? Every so often, I find myself wondering if you'll one day walk through the door, but I've come to accept that such a thing won't happen, at least not in my lifetime. The doctor says there's nothing much he can do now for my cough, so I feel that my time is running out. Soon, I'll be reunited with Adam, and although I love life, I have no fear of death. For that, I owe you a debt of gratitude.

  Besides, I already died once before. Everything since then has been a bonus, and life has been good to me.

  Anna has taken over the store. She's a smart girl and she had a man of her own now, and a child. There's a sense of sadness in her eyes sometimes, and I feel that even though she remembers none of the business surrounding you or Raven's Briar, perhaps she senses that something is wrong. When she was a child, she was so keen to travel the world and see everything, but now she sa
ys she never wants to leave Thaxos. She is happy, I can see that, but I wonder if a part of her is lost forever. Still, when I think of what might have been when she was taken by that Eversham woman, I am thankful that I got her back at all.

  Edgar Le Compte left Thaxos some time ago. Some believe he and his family are gone forever, but I know from what you told me that he will return. Madeleine too, I imagine. And then one day, you will show up. I'll be dead by then, but Anna will hopefully still be here. I'm sure she won't remember you, and I have no idea what you'll find in the Thaxos of the future. No-one has ever really explained why the lighthouse was destroyed, or why the Le Comptes left, or what happened to Estella. Although I'm an old woman now, I sometimes miss those days. I heard recently that there are rumors of a house full of vampire girls on the mainland, near Parios. I can't help but smile at the thought that Raven's Briar has become something more positive, something that actually helps people.

  It's almost as if Thaxos has become a normal island. Almost. I think people have fooled themselves into believing that we can become a happy, safe place, but I can't shake the feeling that there's more trouble on the horizon. The Le Comptes will never truly be gone, and I could tell the last time I talked to you that you felt the same way. I miss talking to you, Kate. I miss the way you helped me understand everything that's happening on the island. When I think of everything that happened, I sometimes wonder if it was all some kind of dream, but of course I have a few scars still from those days, so I suppose it must all have really happened.

  I don't mean to make this a long letter, Kate. I have terrible arthritis now and my hands hurt just from holding the pen. I just wanted to speak to you one final time and thank you for everything. I remember the night I came downstairs and found you in the store. It's so strange to think that, over time, you became the greatest friend anyone could ever hope for. I just hope that, whether you get to read this letter or not, you'll survive all of the drama and be happy. You deserve that, but then we all do, every one of us. Even Edgar, even Estella. I miss you, and now that I don't sleep much at night I find myself thinking of you a lot. Good luck, Kate, wherever you are.