Prophecy

by C. Marie Bowen

  Alyse smiled at her uncle and struck the match. Fire ignited in her hand and jumped into the pit.

  “Gunmen and Miss Kline, there are no assigned places. We stand now in the elements each of us will represent, but we are not limited to those elements. As we are free to move about the circle, so will you be. These are but our starting positions.”

  Nichole hid her trembling hands in the folds of her skirt. Bernard had taunted Amy with being the weak link, but deep inside her heart, she knew herself to be the untrained weak link.

  Be brave, a voice whispered. When the time comes, you will know what to do.

  “Those of you on the porch will bring the items from the library and place them in the center, here.” Bernard indicated the large open area in the middle of the star. “Catherine, keep the bag of salt and pouring bowl with you, in the center. Keeping the circle secure will be our best defense.”

  Cat nodded. Her wide-eyed stare caught Nichole’s, and they gazed at one another for several moments.

  “This could be a long fight—I don't know. I believe we’re as prepared as we can be.” Bernard crossed the pentagram and stepped over the salt circle. “We should try to get some rest.” He turned back to the circle. “Oh, Alyse, if you would lower the flames and bank the coals before you come inside?” He smiled at his niece.

  The rest of the casters in the yard stepped carefully over Bernard’s ward and followed him inside. As they passed the library, Sam stepped inside. He had been assigned first watch.

  Chapter 34

  Alyse James

  Unable to sleep, Alyse slipped from the room she shared with Cat. She tiptoed down the hall, past the closed doors where Amy and Nichole slept with their husbands. Fully dressed in her dark blue skirt and jacket, shoes in hand, she padded down the stairs and paused outside the library door.

  Although a lamp burned in the main room, the library remained dark. No reflection in the windows would impede the watchers’ view. The water keg and food basket were stacked inside the door. Beside those were the weapons and ammunition they would take into the circle. In the center of the room were two chairs and the man she’d come to find—Jimmy Leigh.

  Jim ran his hand over his face and stared out into the darkness.

  She’d never met anyone like Jim before. Although, she’d be the first to admit the customers her brothers brought to the farm were far too old, and their sons too young, to spark her interest. This man though—his first glance had made her soul sing. He acted as though he knew her, made no secret of the fact he had recognized her, even though they had never met. Given—she looked just like Amy—and perhaps that’s what he meant. Yet, her familiars allowed his touch. That, alone, she found shocking.

  How do I know this man?

  Her gaze caressed his profile. He wore his hair trimmed at the collar, but longer on top. His nose was long and straight, with a strong chin she longed to touch. Although handsome, in her mind, what set him apart from the rest was his height. Nichole’s husband was a tall man, but Jim stood a good five inches taller still. A giant of a man with sad, ancient eyes.

  “I know you’re there,” Jim said softly. “Come sit with me.”

  Thankful the darkness covered the heat that bloomed in her face, Alyse crossed to the chair beside him and took a seat. She bent and slipped on her low-heeled work boots and laced them. Sitting beside this intriguing man, she wished she were dressed like her sister, stylish and elegant, instead of practical and boring.

  When she sat up, she could see the reflection in his eyes as he watched her.

  “Did you sleep?” His voice touched each part of her—his words a gentle hand along every nerve in her body.

  It took all the control she could muster to nod and respond. “Some, yes. Cat still sleeps. I didn’t want to wake her.”

  Jim turned back to the window.

  In the darkened room, she could see the outline of his hand. His elbow rested on the arm of the chair, his palm open and facing up.

  An invitation.

  Her breath caught. By slow degrees, she lifted her hand from her skirt and slid it onto his palm. His fingers closed softly over hers, and she exhaled. Neither spoke as they stared at the embers in the yard. The quiet and the dark would have been peaceful, had she not known what stalked the night.

  “It feels calm.” His voice came, soft and low in the dark.

  “It does. Still, the storm approaches,” she whispered.

  “It’s as though you read my mind.” He chuckled.

  They fell silent and watched the banked embers in the fire pit flare and die back.

  “Could I ask about your name?” She glanced at him and then back to the embers.

  “Of course,” Jim replied. “You can ask me anything.”

  “Should I call you Jim or Jimmy? I’ve heard you addressed both ways.” Could he hear the tremor in her voice? Would he think her frightened by the coming battle, or would he know the touch of his hand made her tremble? She looked up at him and found his gaze on her.

  He didn't answer. Instead, they studied each other’s silhouettes in the dark. He raised his other hand and ran his knuckles down the angle of her jaw to her chin, then tilted her head back and lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were warm. A soft pressure. A question.

  Alyse responded with a question of her own. Her hand explored the side of his face as she tasted his lips this time. The threat was too eminent for passion to ignite. Instead, they exchanged a promise. One more taste, and the kiss ended.

  Jim raised his head and looked down at her face. “Call me anything you like,” he whispered. “I will always answer.”

  The sudden howl of wolves inside the house startled them both.

  “It's here.” Alyse rose to her feet.

  “How did your wolves get inside the house?” Jim grabbed his rifle and two boxes of ammunition.

  “They’re not always wolves, and they go where they please.” Alyse rushed out of the library and opened the front door. Both wolves ran past her. Their howls echoed long after they disappeared into the darkness.

  Alyse yelled toward the main room, “Bay? Bern?”

  “Right here.” Bay stepped into the library and picked up the grimoire and the keg of drinking water, then followed Jim out the door.

  * * *

  Nichole Harris-Shilo

  The baying shocked Nichole awake. She and Merril rolled from the bed at the same time. Fully dressed. She slid her feet into her shoes, pulled the strings tight, and knotted them.

  Merril opened their door and buckled on his gun belt in the dark. “Let’s go.”

  Nichole rose and took his hand. There was enough light from the room below to navigate the stairs. As she followed Merril down and out into the night, flames blossomed in the fire pit. She paused at the edge of the porch.

  Outlined by the blaze, Alyse stood before the fire, hands raised to the night sky.

  From near the door, Jason called to Amy, “Go ahead and take your place. I’ll be there in a moment.”

  Then Amy was beside Nichole. Together, they stepped over the salt circle and took their place in the pentagram.

  Jason carried weapons out the door, handed Merril several rifles, then went back inside for more.

  Merril stacked them near the center, then helped Cat step over the ward.

  Cat moved to the center of the circle and arranged the guns, ammunition, and precious salt containers to be within easy reach.

  Jason stepped over the ward with several boxes of ammunition in his arms. He set them where Cat pointed, and backed toward Amy, checking his rifle.

  Bernard came last with the basket of food. He closed the door of the house, then stepped into the circle. He placed the food between Nichole and Amy and stepped forward to take his place beside his brother.

  “Check the ward.” Bayard pointed to the circle they had all just crossed. He spoke over his shoulder to Alyse. “Lower the flame—conserve your fuel.”

  Cat walked the circle and ret
urned to her place. She crouched beside the food and extra rifles, her head turned in nervous twitches from side to side.

  The couples grouped together. Sam stood beside Cat in the middle. He leaned down to whisper to her, and she nodded. The brothers took their stand alone in front and stared into the night.

  “Where are the wolves?” Jim searched the shadows to his left.

  “They’re here.” Alyse looked up and scanned the night sky. “Somewhere.”

  A sound alerted Nichole, and she cocked her head. “Do you hear that?” To the west, beyond the bunkhouse, a buzzing approached. “What is it?” A black cloud flowed over the building and took aim at the circle in the yard. The bunkhouse disappeared behind the cloud.

  “Get down,” Merril said to Nichole and stepped in front of her.

  “Insects,” the brothers spoke in unison. “Alyse.”

  “Yes.” Alyse thrust her hands forward and pushed a wall of air at the swarm. The insects divided around the air burst. Most diverted away from the group, but their sheer number overwhelmed the wall of air and dozens of bugs flooded into the circle.

  Alyse sent a burst of flame overhead, but the flame did little good. Cinders and bits of wings fell all around.

  Cat jumped to her feet and screamed as she pulled locusts from her hair and threw them into the fire.

  The brothers ignored the pests to stare into the darkness. “A distraction.”

  Except for a few lingering flies, the insects disappeared as quickly as they came.

  “They’re out there.” Nichole pointed across the corral. At the edge of the fire’s light, countless silvery eyes reflected. More joined as she watched, then crept forward.

  Merril turned and searched in all directions. “Jim—the road.”

  Nichole looked where Merril pointed. Dozens of shining eyes circled in the dark.

  Jim cocked the lever action on his rifle and moved forward. “Step back,” he said to Alyse. He touched her arm and put himself between her and the growing threat. He dropped to his knee, steadied his arm against his leg and looked down the barrel of his rifle.

  “Trade me places,” Merril said close to Nichole’s ear.

  She looked from Jim to Merril, nodded and moved toward the center.

  What now?

  Merril knelt in a stance similar to Jim, the barrel of his rifle pointed down the other side of the house.

  Jason and Amy traded places, and Sam stepped between the brothers and knelt in front of Cat.

  “They’ll rush us,” Bay and Bern said. “Drop them before they reach the circle.” As though their words released them, the animals rushed in from all sides.

  Horror engulfed Nichole’s senses as she turned in every direction. Everyone around her fought against the onslaught except her. She observed.

  Terrified animals of all types—deer, skunks, and coyotes—raced away from a threat, rather than attacking the group with rage. At the edge of her vision, shadows moved. A dozen of them wormed among the frightened beasts.

  More than one demon?

  Gunfire erupted, and the scent of gunpowder filled the ring. Alyse threw missiles of fire at the largest animals while Amy released dozens of ice darts. Bay and Bern used fire as well, and their attack filled the corral with flaming light.

  Coyotes, badgers, and whitetail deer were among the animals that raced at the group. Some changed course at the last moment, and some fell as they charged toward the circle.

  Catherine passed forward loaded rifles to Merril and Jim, then reloaded their empty weapons.

  A red fox raced past Jason as he exchanged rifles with Cat. The small animal hunched down near the ammunition supply, panting with fear—confused and frightened.

  “Salt!” Bay and Bern yelled.

  Cat picked up the salt boat and stepped over the fox. She knelt beside Jason and repaired the circle. The animal had barely smudged it, but she filled the impression of its footprint, mounding the salt to match the line on either side. When she returned to her place in the center, the fox had fled.

  “Cat.” Jim motioned to her. “He ran this way.”

  Cat inspected the circle and shook her head. “It must have jumped over the line.” She returned to the center and reloading weapons.

  “Southwest, between the bunk and the corral.” Nichole pointed. Shadows moved from mound to mound. “Do you see them?” Then, the ground began to shake.

  “Damn,” Jim swore. He stood and looked in the direction of the rumble.

  Dawn approached. The fire pit’s brightness dimmed as the gray half-light filled the yard.

  Funneled between the bunkhouse and the corral came the horned animals.

  “I can see them. The demons,” Nichole screamed. Spaced throughout the cattle, hunched shadows urged the animals forward.

  “Stampede,” Merril shouted and shoved Nichole behind him as he came to his feet and took aim between the brothers.

  The animals were panicked, their eyes wide and rolling with terror. They brayed in fright and ran toward Bay and Bernard.

  Fire rolled from Bay, Bern and Alyse toward the front of the stampede, but it only served to terrorize the animals more. They were packed too tightly between the bunkhouse and the corral to swerve and were pushed forward by the scared animals behind.

  “Get down!” Sam shouted as he continued to fire into the herd, dropping several beasts that disappeared beneath the hooves of the oncoming horde.

  The front of the stampede passed the corner of the bunkhouse as a sheet of water blocked the view of the animals in front of Bay and Bern. The water formed into an angle outside the circle, the liquid pointed forward with water extending to either side of the circle. In an instant the fluid hardened to ice.

  Amy fell to knees, eyes closed, her arms extended. Her hoarse cry filled the pentacle as power flowed from her to strengthen the ice. The hand pump exploded from the top of the well, pushed upward by water pressure, and the ice wall thickened.

  Bay and Bern paired their ability with hers to harden the barrier and repair the cracks as cattle, unable to turn, were driven into the ice structure.

  Divided, the stampede channeled along the side of the group.

  Alyse stretched out her palms to the air and created a shield of flame where the ice wall ended. The large beasts pounded their hooves into the ground as they turned away in fright.

  Amy fell forward onto her hands. Her hair, escaped from her braid, fell in waves around her face and hung in the dust.

  Jason wrapped his arms around her as Nichole reached down and touched Amy’s shoulder.

  “She’s exhausted,” Nichole said to Alyse. “She pushed too hard.”

  Alyse held out her hand.

  As Nichole grasped Alyse's hand and Amy raised her head. “That's better,” Amy said softly as Alyse echoed the same words.

  Jason pulled the hair from her face, brushing at the tears and dust on her cheeks. “Are you injured?” He looked from his wife to Alyse, helped Amy to her feet, and exchanged a look with Nichole. Assured by all his wife was well, he stepped away from the women to check his ammunition.

  Nichole released Amy’s shoulder and took her hand.

  The ice and fire were gone. The rumble of cattle faded in the distance.

  Cat finished reloading another round of rifles and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She glanced up at the three women linked behind her and smiled.

  Movement in the swirling, gray dust caught Nichole’s attention. A dark figure approached between the bunkhouse and corral. She pointed. “Someone’s there. Straight ahead of us.”

  A woman’s voice called across the yard. “No need to fret, dear hearts. My beloved twins. My dear, sweet granddaughters. We’ll be together soon. Very soon.” Chantal's voice echoed in the silence.

  “Bay, it's not her!” Bernard yelled at his brother.

  Bay nodded. “I know.” Tears streamed from his eyes. “But it means she’s gone.”

  “That we stand with Amy means her plan succeeded,” Aly
se shouted at her uncles, tears scored lines in the dust on her face as she gripped Nichole's hand. “It's not her we hear. It’s the demon.”

  “It mimics her voice,” Nichole said. She stared at the figure as it walked toward them through the cloud of dust. In a whisper she added, “But she’s there. I can feel her.”

  The man continued forward. He walked around dead animals and stopped near the end of the bunkhouse. Broad shouldered, he wore a dark suit coated gray with dust. As he took another step, light touched his face.

  “Son-of-a-bitch,” Sam swore as the man moved from the dust cloud into the light.

  “Hunter?” Cat whispered, then jumped to her feet and tried to rush past her brother. “Hunter!”

  Sam caught her around the waist and lifted her from her feet before she came close to the edge of the circle.

  “It's not Hunter,” he said with regret into her hair. “Not anymore.”

  Catherine didn't fight her brother. Instead, she crumpled to the ground at his feet. Her hands covered her face. A scream tore from her chest and echoed from the buildings across the yard.

  Sam wrapped his arms around her and nodded toward at Hunter. “How the hell did this happen?”

  Hunter’s legs trudged forward with a slow, faltering step. His eyes reflected the fire’s red glow as they peered up through his long, tangled hair. Parched lips cracked and bled when he smiled. His knees dripped blood through holes torn in his trouser legs. He staggered to a stop and laughed. “My darling Cat. So sweet. So innocent, and oh, so curious.” Morago unbuckled Hunter’s belt and gave a hoarse, rasping laugh. “Would you have me now, sweet Catherine?” He lurched forward another step and grabbed his crotch as he thrust his hips toward her.

  Jimmy Leigh cocked the lever action on his rifle and stepped forward, taking aim at the man in the yard.

  “Jim, wait,” Merril said

  Jim looked at Merril in confusion.

  “We can't kill him,” Nichole murmured.

  Save him. Don’t let him pass into the light. A voice whispered into Nichole’s mind.

  Nichole shook her head. Who are you?

  No answer.