by Sean Stone
“Hello?” Elias waved his hand in her face.
“Can you feel where he is?” she asked.
“Jeez. You’re really scared huh?”
“Can you?” she repeated more forcefully.
“Kind of. Sometimes. He’s not in Cedarstone if that’s what you’re asking. It feels like he’s far away. He hasn’t moved since the connection came back,” Elias said. That was a relief.
Clara took a deep breath. He was still in the sarcophagus. Relax. Breath. Relax. “How can I kill him?” she asked.
“Do we have a deal?”
“When you’re free you never set foot in this town again,” said Clara, pointing her finger at him.
“Done.”
“Then we have a deal.” She should probably have checked that with Sidney first but she was too caught up in the moment. “How do I kill him?”
“The ambrotos dagger. It holds his power and his immortality. One stab straight in the heart and he won’t get up again.”
Clara sat back and smiled.
As Henry had expected their attempts at locating Adam were fruitless and now Toni had dragged him along to yet another excruciatingly boring coven meeting. Eleanor had been unable to hire the function room at such short notice so they were using the community centre. Not all of the coven had turned up, just the ones who seemed to be important. The ones who always spoke at meetings. Henry knew them as the annoying ones because they always made the meetings take longer. There were about ten of them in total. Himself, Toni, Eleanor, Marlon, Brent and the rest he couldn’t remember.
“Adam is missing,” Toni said straight away. Eleanor shot her a filthy look.
“I’ll begin the meeting thank you, Toni,” she said curtly. “Adam’s disappearance is important but there is something I would like to begin with.”
“What could be more important?” Toni said. Opening up with an argument. Perhaps this meeting wouldn’t be so boring after all.
“She probably means the war she’s intent on starting,” Marlon said disdainfully.
“War? What war?” someone else said.
“Quiet please!” Eleanor shouted. “A werewolf murdered one of our own. I have told Eric Royce to hand the culprit over or there will be war.”
“Who’s dead?” Brent asked aghast.
“Cherie,” Eleanor said sadly.
“But it wasn’t murder,” Marlon interrupted. “A new werewolf lost control on her first transformation. It was an accident.” He stared pointedly at Eleanor but she ignored him.
“I think this can wait until we’ve found Adam,” Toni interjected.
“I agree,” said Marlon. “Finding Adam is our priority.”
“I will decide our priority,” Eleanor said. “I am dynast.”
“You’re interim dynast until Adam wakes up,” Marlon reminded her.
“Do you think he is awake?” Brent asked.
“What, you think he woke up and didn’t think to come looking for us?” Toni asked. That was what Henry thought. Nobody would have stolen Adam from his home. Adam was awake and he was hiding somewhere. When he realised how much power he had at his disposal he would come for Henry.
“Perhaps. If he is no longer himself,” Henry said. They all turned to him. “I have heard that after a possession a person can go crazy. And with all the magic Henry put into Adam he might be dangerous.” If he could turn the coven against Adam then he might be able to get out of the mess he was in.
“I don’t think he got up and walked away. All the security footage at the hospital was corrupt,” Toni informed them. “I think somebody took him.”
“Who?” some woman asked.
“Henry Montford,” Toni said at once.
“We need to discuss the werewolves,” Eleanor said haughtily. She was ignored.
“Henry’s gone,” Marlon said.
“We don’t know where he went, though,” Toni argued.
“What if he isn’t gone?” Henry said, seizing another opportunity. “What if he never left Adam’s body. What if he’s still in control and he’s hiding somewhere waiting to strike at us again?” He put a suitable amount of terror in his voice to try and frighten them. It worked.
“Then we need to prepare,” Brent said.
“Enough!” Eleanor shouted. “We have a war to prepare for.”
“You prepare for it,” Toni said, giving Eleanor a look of disgust. She turned to Elizabeth. “I don’t believe Henry is in control. I think Henry took another host and kidnapped Adam from the hospital.”
“You shut up and listen to me,” Eleanor said viciously.
“No. I’m through with you. I’m going to look for our real dynast,” Toni said and strode out of the room.
“How dare she,” Eleanor said.
“She’s right,” said Marlon. “And I”m going with her.” He turned and left the hall after Toni.
The hall was silent for a moment. Henry decided he had no place here discussing werewolf wars and he too turned to leave.
“Elizabeth wait. Your coven needs you,” Eleanor said.
Henry turned. “No it doesn’t. You do. Why is this so important to you? Why do you want Cherie’s death answered for so badly?” Henry asked. He was madly curious.
“It’s an insult to the coven,” Eleanor replied.
“Tell the truth now,” he said softly.
Eleanor looked away and then back again. “I loved her. But I never told her how I felt. And now she’s dead,” said Eleanor, dabbing at her eyes.
Henry nodded in pretend understanding. “Hold a séance then,” he said dismissively and turned for the door. As his fingers touched the handle a surge of energy flew up his arm and sent him sprawling across the hall. He hit the floor and his spine cracked beneath him. He turned angrily to Eleanor but the shock on her face told him that she was not responsible.
“Incoming!’ Brent yelled pointing at the window. Everyone turned and saw a dark shape flying through the sky towards them.
“Together!” Eleanor shouted and all of them put their hands out, forming a barrier to shield the hall from the attack. It rose up outside the building just in time. The only one not helping was Henry. He was too fascinated by whatever it was. The shape hit the barrier and rebounded back into the distance.
“What was that?” a woman asked.
“Not a werewolf,” Brent replied. “That was magic. A pure blast of it.”
Henry thought it might be Adam but then the second attack came. Several smaller black things showered down on the coven’s barrier. Each one exploded as it made contact and with each little explosion the barrier weakened. Adam was not that strong even with the magic Henry had stolen. This was someone else. Henry stood up and backed away from the others, wanting no part of whatever trouble they’d gotten themselves into.
“We can’t hold it!” Eleanor cried moments before the barrier smashed and all of them crashed down to the floor. Every single window in the hall smashed sending a cascade of glass over the coven. Henry had retreated the to the far end and was safely out of the danger zone. He wanted to leave but knew the doors wouldn’t open to him. They were trapped by whatever was out there. Besides, he wanted to know who, or what, it was. Thick black smoke billowed in through all of the windows, flying around the hall. Henry watched in fascination as it shot around, surveying the room. It converged together in one point and organised itself into the shape of a person. As it solidified into a human form Henry recognised the man from pictures he’d seen. It was Nickolas Blackwood. But he was changed. Every one of his veins was filled with pitch black blood and they were clearly visible through his skin, forming a monstrous pattern over his face. His skin was pale and inhuman. The whites of his eyes were totally black but the irises were a fiery red and looked like flames dancing about. When Nick spoke, his voice was fire, a horrible loud roar that bounced off the walls. Henry would never admit it to anyone, but he was terrified. His leg was trembling beneath him.
“Who is the dynast here?” Nick d
emanded in that monstrous voice. Brent pointed at Eleanor without a moment’s hesitation. In the blink of an eye Nick was standing in front of Brent. Henry didn’t see what he did, he moved too fast, but Brent was suddenly on the floor and a pool of blood was running away from his head.
“I loathe disloyalty,” Nick growled. He turned to Eleanor who was shaking like a frozen child. He walked slowly towards her. “Your coven aided my enemy. You stood with Clara Winters and helped her imprison me. I warned you all what would happen.”
“Please…” Eleanor begged. She tried to back away but her legs seemed not to work for her.
“Mercy isn’t a trait I’m associated with.” Nick lashed out at the old woman and her face peeled off in his fingers. Exposed tissue dripped blood all down her front. Henry tried not to vomit as the old woman collapsed first to her knees then right the way down. One of the other sorcerers pissed themselves right there. Nick turned to the rest of them and smiled the most malicious smile Henry and ever seen. It was like a demon was standing before them. He was both terrified of and in love with Nick in that moment. Then Nick killed everyone. It happened in less than minute. The warlock moved so fast they couldn’t even prepare a defence. When the last body dropped Nick stood still. His black veins disappeared. Colour returned to his skin and his eyes turned blue, the whites clearing out. He looked perfectly human again.
“Poor show,” he muttered and then turned for the door. Before he could stop himself, Henry sighed with relief. Nick turned and their eyes met. The blackness filled his veins again and his eyes started to change as he stalked towards Henry.
“Who are you?” Nick asked. His voice was half human - half monstrous.
“Elizabeth Laurent,” Henry said in a surprisingly calm voice.
“No, you’re not. That’s her body but you are someone else.” He stopped mere inches from where Henry stood. Henry knew there was no point lying.
“Henry Montford,” he confessed.
Nick’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve heard of you. The infamous warlock who hates the coven. And yet here you are standing with them.”
“I’m hiding amongst them. Planning my revenge.”
“Do share,” prompted Nick.
“This vessel is dying. I need to restore my body but I don’t have the power,” Henry explained.
“That doesn’t sound like revenge to me,” Nick said.
“Once I am back in my own body I will have my power back and I’ll be able to kill the descendants of those who killed me.”
“And who’s that?”
“This girl who I currently inhabit and Clara Winters,” said Henry. It was nice to be able to tell someone the truth after lying to everyone for so long. It was nice to be himself again even if he was still in someone else’s body.
Nick’s eyes ignited. Then his monstrous form disappeared and he was human again. “Clara Winters? I would very much like to kill her. However, someone who means a great deal to me is in love with her. That poses a problem. A problem you could solve.”
“I see what you’re getting at but I need my body back,” said Henry. Maybe Nick could help him with that. To think that Henry had wanted to kill Nick and take his power. It was quite clear that that was out of the question; he’d simply never manage it. But as an ally Nick would be a blessing.
Nick held out his hand and hovering a centimetre from his palm was a single red spark. It rotated slowly. “This is a Promethean Spark. It will grant you the power to restore your body and return yourself to it. If I give this to you will you kill Clara for me?”
“Oh, yes,” Henry said eyeing the spark greedily.
“You have to make it last, Henry. Her death. Make it long and agonising. I want her to suffer.”
“As do I.” Henry couldn’t take his eyes off the spark.
“Good.” Nick placed the spark in Henry’s hand. “Don’t lose it.”
“Thank you,” Henry said, grinning wider than he’d ever grinned before.
“Thank me in blood. And don’t disappoint me, Henry. You’ve seen how I react to disappointment.” Nick indicated the bodies that lay scattered across the room. Then he disappeared. Henry raced straight home.
Henry wasn’t going to take any risks now. He grabbed his remains from the Laurent house and fled. He had a few preparations to make before he was ready. Certain precautions needed to be taken. He wasn’t going to sit about where anybody could find him. Adam was still out there and he could come for him at any time. Henry grabbed money and a small sample of his descendant’s blood. With the power Nickolas had given him he wouldn’t need any more DNA. He left the house and didn’t look back.
17
Clara spent hours with Sidney and Phil running them through everything that Elias had told her. Elias had been more than willing to answer all of her questions after she’d agreed to his terms. It was odd to think that she’d made a deal on behalf of MI5 and that deal required her killing a man. Could killing Nick be classed as murder? She thought not. With the right person’s consent, it was an official execution. Although, there was no death penalty in the UK. The whole thing was a bit of a grey area but then trying to apply the law to the supernatural always was.
“You did what?” Phil said aghast. “You made a deal without authorisation.”
“I don’t think Elias would have appreciated me leaving the room to get authorisation,” Clara replied snarkily. She was growing tired of Phil’s attitude towards her.
“I don’t care what the prisoner appreciates. You have no authority to offer a pardon to anybody,” Phil raged on.
“Director Gatling is quite right,” Sidney said solemnly. “However, under the circumstances I am prepared to forgive your behaviour. The deal is struck. If his information proves useful he will be allowed to go. Now, this dagger that can kill Nickolas, where can we find it?”
“Are you serious?” Phil hissed, turning his cold gaze on Sidney.
“Quite,” Sidney said and curtly and then nodded for Clara to answer his question.
“Nick keeps it on him,” she said. It was the downside to the good news she’d brought.
Sidney nodded once. Phil’s reaction was less subtle. “You mean to tell us that the one weapon we could use in case Nick ever escapes can only be acquired by releasing him?” he said. He was very nearly shouting.
“Yes,” Clara said. She stuck her chin out defiantly. If this was a school she’d be challenging him to a fight on the playground.
“This does pose something of a dilemma. Not only is retrieving the weapon is a suicidal mission, but it also means that Elias Barren’s claims cannot be tested,” Sidney said quietly.
“He did give us other information,” Clara reminded him.
“Nothing on ancients or jinn, though,” Phil muttered.
“He told me that Alistair is Set. One of the oldest ancients,” argued Clara. That was the second biggest info dump she’d been given this afternoon.
“And what are we supposed to do with that?” Phil demanded. “Alistair — or Set — has left Cedarstone.”
“Elias said that eventually Nick will get out of the sarcophagus. He said he felt Nick’s power this morning. He said that if Nick escapes he will help us get the ambrotos dagger as long as I use it on Nick,” said Clara.
“Elias said a lot,” Phil grumbled.
“That’s enough, Director,” Sidney said. He still spoke softly but it was about as close to snapping as Clara had ever heard him get. “Good work, Clara. I knew you could it.”
Clara’s shift had twenty minutes left when Sidney dismissed her. After checking in with and dismissing Kegan she headed upstairs to holding. She knew she shouldn’t but she just wanted to gloat. She wanted to rub Jamal’s face in the fact that she had what she needed. She blacked out all of the cages expect for Jamal’s and approached with smug confidence. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor staring at his hands.
“Clara,” he said gently as he stood up and approached the glass.
“You were
wrong,” she said.
“About what?” he asked.
Clara realised that she couldn’t tell Jamal anything without giving Elias up. If he was going to help get the dagger then he needed to maintain his position as a disciple. Suddenly her moment no longer seemed as good. She could still tell him something, though. She needed to now. “I figured out how to kill Nick,” she said. She was a little less smug but not much.
“Really?” Jamal raised an eyebrow dubiously.
“The ambrotos dagger,” she said and watched his face fall. “It’s true then?”
Jamal sighed and looked at her sadly. “Why do you insist on putting yourself in his crosshairs?” he said in frustration.
“I’m not in any danger,” Clara said. She was a bit put out that he hadn’t reacted the way she’d intended. He was supposed to be humbled by her news, not fall into some sort of frustrated despair.
“Yes, you are. If Nick didn’t want to kill you already he certainly will now. He can’t have you going around knowing his secrets,” Jamal said. He turned away, his shoulder slumped. “Even I won’t be able to talk him round this time.”
“Nick is locked away,” she replied.
“No, he isn’t!” Jamal shouted, wheeling back round. He took a deep breath and reigned his anger back in.
“What do you mean?” Clara asked. He had to be bluffing. How would he even know if Nick was free?
“Nick isn’t locked up. I don’t know when exactly he got out but he is out. Today I felt his… presence. I hadn’t felt it since you locked us all up. But I can feel it now. It’s been growing for the last hour or so.”
Clara shook her head in disbelief. He hadn’t even been locked up for two weeks. “It doesn’t matter. We have you lot. We can use you against him. He needs you for his ritual.”
“How do you know… It doesn’t matter. You can’t use us because you don’t have us anymore than you have him.”
“What?” Clara had no idea what he meant but that.
“Answer me something; do you think one of these cages could hold Nick?” Clara said nothing. Jamal went on regardless “Maybe, when he first got his powers back after the curse. Since then, he’s consumed the power of a jinni and an ancient. There’s no way one of these cages could contain all that power. And wherever he’s been since escaping from the sarcophagus, he’s gathered power the likes of which I can’t even describe. But I can feel it, Clara. These cages should block the bond we have with Nick. But he’s too strong. If you could feel what I feel you would be terrified.”
