by Linda Creel
Damned visions, why can’t I be like you, and see them before they happen?
Chapter 54
Paul and the others landed in the grass. Some of the residents who resided in the countryside had already gathered with their children. Several dozen oil lanterns illuminated the ground, casting a shadow over the closest homes.
Henry and Arthur were running towards Richard, who was still cradling Renatta in his arms. Seeing the Guild had arrived, Richard gently handed Renatta to her father, who gasped when he saw the deep gouges in her face.
“You can change the weather for a wedding, but you can’t give us enough light to see?” he asked Adam.
“He may be able to send away the clouds, but no one can change time,” Rita yelled.
“Then what good are you?’ Richard muttered. If the sun had been out, he would have seen Rita’s nostrils flare as she came barreling towards him.
“Do you want to see how good I am, because I would be more than happy to show you,” she said through clenched teeth.
Paul grabbed her arm and pulled his daughter back. “This is not the time. Your friends are going to need you.”
He pointed to a buckboard, not ten feet from them. In the back were several sheets, covering, what appeared to be dead bodies. “Those are Will’s parents.”
Her eyes drifted from the wagon to Will. Before Rita could stop her friend, he walked over and lifted up the blood-stained clothes. Staring at the lifeless figures of his parents, he felt a sour taste in his mouth as he stumbled back, holding onto the wooden rails of the wagon for support.
Aside from the other deep jagged wounds they suffered; his mother had been disemboweled and his father’s neck was partially severed from his body. Judging from the brutality and ferociousness of the attack, whoever did this couldn’t have been human.
Rita walked up behind Will, and when she placed her hand on his shoulder, he flinched. That’s when she noticed the rancid smell – the same vile odor that came from the small vial she found near the fire.
“I’m so sorry,” she apologized.
He dropped the sheets, and they slid to the ground, leaving his parent’s bodies exposed for everyone to see. Some of the children screamed, and their mothers pulled them close, shielding their eyes.
“Where’s my brother? Where’s Arian?” Will asked.
Renatta was still trembling, but after adjusting her scarf, she walked over to Will. Arthur kept his arm around his daughter’s waist. “Arian was watching the woods. When it got dark and he hadn’t come home yet, we went to look for him. That’s when the wolf-creatures attacked us,” she mumbled.
“Wolf creatures?” Joshua said.
“Yes, they looked like wolves -- well not exactly like wolves -- they were much larger. But the strange thing is -- they walked like men. There were two of them. Then Richard came, and they ran off.”
Paul and Adam shared a knowing glance, but remained silent. “Where did you find the bodies?” Paul asked.
Richard pointed to a wet spot in the grass.
“Why didn’t you send for us sooner? We may have been able to track them.”
Richard jerked his head towards the angel. “My first concern was Renatta. There was nothing I could do for the Crestwells; they were already dead. As far as tracking anyone, if I had some light, I could look for Arian.”
“We’re on that kick again?” Rita shouted. “You want light? I’ll show you light!” She held up her hands, but before she could call for Gabriel’s swords, the sky opened with a thunderous crack, and the Archangel Ariel descended, wearing a white ceremonial robe trimmed in gold.
“Grandmother,” Jessica whispered.
Joshua stared at Jessica, who looked identical to the archangel. From the long curly, blonde hair, to the vibrant blue eyes, they could have been twins.
Ariel kissed Jessica on the forehead, and then approached Richard, who took a few steps backward. “My son may not have the power to change darkness into light, but …”
Richard watched the sun rise on the horizon.
“You will have one hour before night returns. I trust you will make good use of that time,” Ariel warned.
She turned to Rita and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You see – there was no need of your light, but there will come another time.”
Ariel opened her arms. “Come children. It is time for you to go home.”
Jessica looked at Rita who shrugged her shoulders causing Ariel to laugh. “No – no, you misunderstand me. I’m speaking about Robert and Catherine.”
Will turned around to see his parents climb down from the wagon and walk past him to the archangel. Their wounds were healed, and they looked as they did when he saw them earlier. He called to them, but they ignored him.
“They can’t hear you,” Ariel whispered. She took the Crestwell’s hands and began her ascent towards Heaven.
“Wait,” Rita shouted. “Do you know what happened to them?”
The Archangel hovered above her and smiled. “My sweet child -- if we told you everything -- how would you learn? Follow your instincts. They will lead you to the truths you seek.”
“I know you need time to grieve,” Adam said, as he watched Ariel fly out of sight. “But you should take comfort knowing your parents are home. My mother doesn’t often come here; that should be a testament to Robert and Catherine’s goodness.”
“Thank you,” Will said. “I just want to find my brother.”
“Paul and I will conduct our own search.” He clapped Will on the back and went with Paul in the direction of the other homes.
Angel-bloods didn’t grieve like their mortal neighbors. Most ascended to Heaven privately, with their bodies fully intact when they died. Afterwards, a small, informal memorial service was usually held.
Will was glad Ariel had come to personally guide his parents to Heaven. He would think about that after he found Arian.
Rita and Jessica walked over to where Will and Joshua were standing. “We only have an hour. I suggest we look for Arian in the woods,” Rita said. “Did anyone else smell that foul stench when they were standing next to Robert and Catherine?”
“Are you insinuating my parents were involved with that fire?” Will demanded.
“No,” she said. “Why would you think that?”
Will hung his head. “I’m sorry.”
“What Rita meant was she believes the stench has something to do with those creatures. That’s why we could smell it when we got close to your parents,” Jessica said. “Whatever was inside of that vial she found had the same putrid odor.”
“We’d better hurry,” Joshua said. “Wait -- where’s Jade?” I hope she didn’t go off by herself to look for Arian.
As they headed towards the woods, Jade came running out her house. Breathing hard, she knelt to the ground, taking a minute to catch her breath. “They were there. Those beasts were in my house. They trashed the living room.”
“We could go check it out,” Joshua said.
“No, you’re going to look for Arian, aren’t you? I’m coming too. Mom will wait for Paul and Adam. I don’t think the wolves will be back tonight.”
As they were talking Henry and Richard approached.
“Did I hear you say the beasts were in your home?” Richard asked. He turned to his father. “We should move Analie and Jade back to the house. Axel isn’t here and I want them protected.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll tell her now,” Henry said.
“Don’t bother,” Jade said. “I’d rather take my chances with the beasts, than be around Grandmother. I’m sure Mom feels the same way.”
Rita had to turn away to keep from laughing, albeit the circumstances were not at all funny. Well, except they were all still wearing their Halloween costumes. “We should get going. We only have about fifty minutes left,” she said.
“Where are you disappearing to?” Richard asked.
“We’re going to the woods. Renatta said that’s where Arian was headed.”
Richard grabbed Rita’s arm, but quickly dropped his hand to his side when he saw her jaw tighten. “I just don’t think you should go there tonight. It will be safer if we wait for daylight in a few more hours.”
“I have to agree with my son,” Henry said. “We have no idea if those creatures are still nearby. Paul would never forgive me if I allowed something to happen to you or Jessica.”
‘Yeah – well, if Richard’s brother was missing, maybe he would understand the urgency of the situation.” She gazed at Joshua. “Then again, maybe not,” Rita said as she turned her back and scrambled away. You don’t have to worry about us, but if your son was part of this, I’d be real worried about his future.
Whether it was his greasy black hair or his superior swagger when he walked, Rita couldn’t stand being around Richard. She wouldn’t go so far as to say she hated the governor’s son, but yes, loathing came pretty close to how she felt about him.
Will and the others hurried to catch up to her. “Wait – we need to stay together,” he warned.
She turned her head to look at Richard, who was still standing next to his father. “Sorry, but I still think Richard knows more about the attack than he’s saying. Did you notice his jacket was covered with blood -- on his right shoulder?”
“That might belong to Renatta,” Joshua said. “Or maybe he loaded the Crestwells into the wagon.”
“Renatta didn’t bleed that much, and when have you ever known Richard to get his hands dirty?” Will said. “Don’t you think it was odd those creatures supposedly ran away when he showed up? Why didn’t they attack him too?”
Joshua was at a loss for words. He knew his brother was sleazy, but to think he would stoop so low as to kill the Crestwells, knowing Will was his best friend -- he wasn’t sure. Still, this was Richard they were talking about Richard.
Chapter 55
As they approached the entrance to the woods, Rita looked around to make sure they weren’t being followed before she addressed the small group. “I’ve been doing a little reading in Aura’s library.”
“You read?” Jessica asked before Rita jabbed her in the ribs. She was just trying to lighten the mood. They had no idea if they would find Arian’s body -- and if they did -- what condition it would be in. “Sorry, I’ll let you finish.”
The others moved in closer. “A long time ago Lucifer made some beasts using the blood of hellhounds,” Rita said. “Not many survived, but those who did, were vicious monsters. I think that’s why my father didn’t want to say anything until he spoke to the High Council.”
Jade’s eyes widened. She lowered her voice to a whisper; afraid the creatures might still be out there and would hear them. “Why would they come to Utopia?”
“According to the book, it says the Abyvir stay close to the person who made them. It also says they look similar to wolves, except they have massive heads with sleek black fur, long, sharp teeth, and lethal claws. They also walk like men, and with practice, can change back to a human at will.”
“The what -- what kind of book is this, a fairy tale?” Joshua asked.
Jessica gave him a scathing look. “Aura’s library is full of ancient texts. She doesn’t read fairy tales to the children. They need to be educated to all sorts of dangers.”
He chuckled. “Yeah – I don’t really see Bren and Tracy being the fairy tale type either.”
“Shh! I want to hear Rita, not you two!” Jade said. “That must be how the rumors about werewolves started.”
“It would make sense; the Abyvir lived almost a thousand years ago,” Rita said, as she stopped suddenly. They had already passed the ashes from the fire, but the same horrible odor she smelled on the Crestwell’s bodies was becoming more obvious.
Joshua jumped as he heard something skittering in the woods.
“Relax it’s just a squirrel.” Rita smiled and pointed to the fuzzy little magpie climbing one of the oak trees.
“Sorry – I guess I’m just a little nervous. Why did you stop?”
Jade knew why Rita stopped. The odor was getting stronger. “Can’t you smell that?” she asked.
Joshua shrugged his shoulders, but Will recognized the scent and gave her a knowing nod.
“The farther we go, the worse it’s getting,” Jade said. She wasn’t watching where she was walking and tripped over something on the ground.
Will walked over and stared at the broken lantern. “This belonged to Arian; my brother was here.”
The group started searching the woods frantically, looking for any signs of Arian, but there were none. Rita looked at the sky and saw the shadow of night just beyond the horizon. “We need to get back.”
At first, Will was reluctant to leave, but Joshua finally convinced him that under the current conditions, they weren’t going to find Arian.
As the teens came to the edge of the woods, Eve came running towards them. Her long, ebony hair was blowing in the wind, but it was the ominous expression on her face which alarmed them.
A knot formed in Rita’s stomach. Eve wasn’t one to show emotion -- well – unless you considered her little tirade with Meredith at the wedding. But that had been justified. The old bat slapped Reaghan.
“What’s wrong? Has something else happened?” Rita asked.
“There has been another death. Your sister needs you. Quickly, we must find your father and return to Aeden.”
“I—I think he’s still at the houses,” Jade said. “Follow me and I’ll show you.”
They ran towards the country, and saw Paul and Adam leaving the Crestwell’s home. Seeing his wife, Paul knew something terrible had happened.
Paul tried to persuade Will to remain in Utopia, but Will wasn’t having any part of it. If Joshua was going to Aeden, he was going too. There was nothing to be done. His parents had already ascended to Heaven.
Jade called to her mother, and told Analie she would be going with the others. Paul didn’t want to waste time arguing, so he and Adam instructed them to join hands, and then transported them back to Auras house.
Richard thought no one saw him hiding in the shadows, but Eve locked eyes with him just before she disappeared. Does she know that I ordered the attack? Why hasn’t she said anything to her husband?
Rather than go back to his father’s mansion, Richard planned to stay at the estate he inherited from his deceased wife, Guinevere. Though her untimely death had been ruled an accident, Richard knew he had a hand in her demise.
“I think you should come home,” Henry said. “It’s not safe here, and your mother would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”
“I would rather stay close to Renatta in case she needs anything,” Richard argued. He turned and walked away.
Desiree had been running towards them, but after listening to Richard speak about staying close to Renatta, she stopped in her tracks.
Henry spotted his daughter-in-law and began to chastise her. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Desiree was so upset about Richard’s decision to remain in the country; she could barely find her voice. “You’re right of course. I just wanted to make sure everyone was safe.”
She turned to walk back to the governor’s mansion, when Henry caught up to her. “I’ll walk with you. It’s been a horrific night and I don’t want you out here alone.”
She nodded and tears began to flow down her face.
Are you crying for the Crestwells, or someone else? Henry offered his arm and the two of them walked past the village square until they arrived at the house. Desiree walked up the stairs and closed her bedroom door. Sliding off her slippers, she stretched across the bed.
How could I have been such a fool? Richard doesn’t care about me; he is just using me as one of his little toys. I could have had a good life with Caspian, until I threw it all away for him. I hope it’s not too late to make things right with my husband.
Pulling a pillow over her head to muffle the sound of her tears, Desiree cried herself to sleep.
Peeling off his robe and slippers, he slid into the bed, being careful not to awaken the sleeping monster.
Chapter 56
There was nothing wrong with Stella’s car, but she needed an excuse to draw Father Ryan away from Aura and her family.
She already knew about Bren and Tracy’s powers, and didn’t need a confrontation with them before she completed the task her father, Samhael, had given to her.
On one side of the dirt road, where Stella left the black sedan, was a pasture owned by a farmer which he used for grazing his cows. On the opposite side was the entrance to the park. Ryan had suggested they meet there since Aura’s house was only a few minutes away.
Stella reached into her pocket and allowed her fingers to wrap around the two pens Samhael had given her. Each of the tiny weapons held a lethal dose of Witches Bane – the same poison used to kill Gregory Godwin.
Samhael had also given his daughter a small, jewel-encrusted dagger, in case Father Ryan fought back. Stella had no trouble overcoming Mehri’s father, but Samhael reminded her that he was one hundred and four years old.
She slipped the knife into the pocket of her costume. While everyone else decided to adopt a Renaissance theme, Stella dressed like the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, going so far as to even paint her skin green.
Relying on a lone street light and a pair of metal flashlights to pave their way, the two women began their walk towards the park.
Mehri was busy chattering about her new best friend, Shanna. She was looking forward to the party and finally having the opportunity to meet Aura.
Stella did her best to tune out Lucifer’s wife. She had other things to worry about, like hoping none of the Guild’s children accompanied Father Ryan.
