TAKEN: Book Two

by Abel, Charlotte

  “I know.”

  Momma was still working on Abby. Channie pulled the knife from her back pocket and held it in both hands as she crept behind Momma, ready to plunge it into her heart the instant she either healed Abby or gave up trying.

  Time stood still as Abby’s fingers curled into claws, then relaxed and opened like the petals of a flower. Her skin grew even paler. The cartoon music from the TV in the adjoining room provided a surreal soundtrack as Abby’s eyes dimmed.

  Channie was all too familiar with the indignity of death. She recognized the final humiliation and lifted the knife above her head as a puddle of urine formed beneath Abby’s thighs.

  She’s gone. Channie hesitated for less than a second as grief exploded out of her chest, but it was too long.

  Momma whirled around and blasted Channie across the room before she could strike. The knife fell out of her hands.

  Momma pointed at Channie and screamed. “This is all your fault!”

  Rage supplanted grief. Channie pointed to the Book of the Dead on the floor. “None of this would have happened if you weren’t so obsessed with that damn book!”

  Momma jerked her head towards the book. Her face shifted from fury to ecstasy as she gazed at it. She brought her fingers to her lips, then lowered them to her heart and smiled. “It’s glowing!”

  “Abby’s dead and all you care about is that evil book!”

  Diego pushed even harder on Abby’s chest. Her ribs popped and cracked under the pressure. But it was far too late. Her heart would never beat again.

  Momma crossed the room to the book, but sucked air through her teeth, hissing like a snake, as soon as she touched it. She blew on her fingers, as if that would quench the pain.

  So, the book isn’t going to cooperate. Good. Channie didn’t even try to hide her smile.

  Momma marched back to Channie, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the room. She shoved her onto her knees in front of the book and said, “Open it.”

  “No.”

  Momma slapped her then hit her with the same burning spell she’d used earlier. “Open it, or I’ll kill you right now.”

  Channie panted as she wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. “Go ahead.”

  Momma turned towards Josh. He was still unconscious but his body arched off the floor as Momma blasted him with pure energy.

  “No! Stop.” Channie would do anything to protect Josh, but that book was her only bargaining chip. “I’ll do it. I’ll open the book … if you swear a death-pledge to never harm Josh again.”

  Momma narrowed her eyes and continued to blast Josh. “Open the book, Chastity.”

  Channie gritted her teeth. If she showed even a hint of weakness, Momma would call her bluff. “If you kill Josh, I won’t help you. You’ll never know what secrets lay inside that book.”

  Momma blasted an extra burst of power into Josh’s twitching body then released him and tore at her hair, ripping fistfuls of grey fluff from her scalp as she screamed obscenities. When she finally calmed down, she stared at Channie for a few moments, obviously measuring her resolve.

  Channie fought the urge to glance at Josh and lifted her chin as she glared at Momma.

  Momma sighed then said, “All right. But I expect a death-pledge from you in return.”

  Channie nodded. Then closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to remember what Aunt Wisdom said when she bound Hunter with a death-pledge. The exact words weren’t important, but it was crucial that she didn’t leave anything open to interpretation.

  Momma’s hands felt like chunks of ice as she placed one over Channie’s heart and gripped her wrist with the other.

  Channie completed the binding grip before Momma could change her mind and said, “Do you, Prudence Belks, solemnly swear to never harm Joshua Abrim, also known as Valor Veyjivik, by direct or indirect means, upon pain of death?”

  Hatred radiated off Momma. She trembled with obvious rage, but she didn’t try to reword the pledge or escape the binding grip. She dug her nails into Channie’s wrist then said, “So long as you, Chastity Belks, also swear upon pain of death to do everything I command from this moment forward, I do so swear or my life is forfeit.”

  Channie bit her lip to keep from smiling as Momma’s magic flowed over their clasped wrists and up their arms. She was no longer Chastity Belks. Any promise sworn under that name could not bind her. “I—”

  “Wait!” Momma’s magic stopped its forward progress and pulsed, waiting for the final word to seal the spell. Momma smiled and shook her head then began again. “Do you, Channie Abrim, also known as Chastity Belks and Enchantment Kerns, swear upon pain of death to do everything I command from this moment forward?”

  Channie’s head bowed under the weight of her disappointment. She was prepared to make any sacrifice to save Josh, but the moment of false hope was worse than no hope at all. She closed her eyes and said, “I do.”

  Momma’s magic plunged into Channie’s heart-of-hearts with a searing pain that dropped her to her knees. Binding spells weren’t supposed to be painful … unless broken. Momma’d hurt her on purpose.

  She glared at Channie and said, “Now open the book.”

  Channie’s gaze swept over Abby’s lifeless body and Diego’s crumpled form then settled on Josh’s beautiful face. “I will. But please … let Diego take Josh and the boys away first. The book is dangerous.”

  “Obey me or die.”

  Channie’s breath exploded out of her lungs as magic squeezed her chest, crushing her heart. She clutched her throat with one hand and reached for the book with the other. As soon as her fingers brushed its blood-stained cover, the binding power of her promise released its death-hold.

  Her hands trembled as flames danced across the open page.

  Momma tore the book from Channie’s grasp, but she dropped it with a yelp of pain. “Why can you touch it when I can’t? What have you done to my book?”

  “Do you honestly believe the book’s going to let you handle it after you tried to kill its rightful owner?”

  Momma shoved Channie out of the way and leaned over the book squinting at the shimmering words. She howled like a wild animal then grabbed Channie’s neck and forced her face over the book. “What’s it say?”

  The words were small and ornate, difficult to read but far from illegible. “You can’t read it?”

  Momma shook Channie until her vision blurred. “If I could read it, I wouldn’t be askin’ you to do it for me, now would I.” Momma’s gaze shifted to Josh’s supine body. “Your traitorous husband’s tampered with this book.”

  Had Momma already forgotten her death pledge? If Josh weren’t already so weak, it might be worth it to let Momma curse him. The death pledge would probably kill her before she killed Josh, but “probably” wasn’t good enough. Channie swallowed and touched Momma’s elbow to redirect her attention. “We should take a picture before the message fades.”

  Momma pressed her fingers against her temples and said, “I ain’t got no camera.”

  “Use your phone. It has a built in camera.”

  Momma dug her iPhone out of her purse and shoved it into Channie’s hands. “I don’t know how.”

  By the time Channie found the right app, the message had already started to fade. She snapped the photo, saved it, then glanced at Momma to be sure she was still preoccupied with the Book of the Dead, and emailed it to Josh.

  Channie handed Momma her phone with the photo loaded on the screen.

  Momma scowled at it then handed the phone back to Channie and pulled a pencil and small notepad out of her purse. “Read it out loud, nice and slow.”

  Channie couldn’t refuse without risking death. She waited for Momma to nod after each line before reciting the next.

  Fate is fickle and ever-changing

  Our lives and fortunes rearranging.

  Release this book into the daughter’s care

  But of the mother, let all beware.

  For evil lurks in a corr
upted heart

  And seeks its own will to impart.

  The blood of the daughter can not repay

  The debt of the mother ’til solstice day

  “Stop! Read that last bit again.”

  Momma gnawed on the end of her pencil as hope cut through the bands of fear squeezing Channie’s chest. She tried to keep the excitement out of her voice as she repeated the last two lines…

  “The blood of the daughter cannot repay the debt of the mother ‘till solstice day.”

  Momma screamed “Damn it!” then hurled her notepad against the far wall.

  Channie bit her lip to keep from grinning. She had a little over eight months until solstice to figure something out — unless Momma killed her in a fit of rage first. That thought squelched any impulse to smile.

  Momma rubbed her forehead and paced. Four steps towards the door, pivot, four steps back, pivot … She repeated the pattern three times then stopped and glared at Channie as if it were her fault she couldn’t kill her today.

  Channie dropped her gaze in false humility and held her breath until she heard Momma sigh. She waited for Momma to retrieve the notepad she’d thrown across the room then snuck a glance at Josh. Still unconscious.

  Momma smoothed the ruffled pages with the side of her hand then tapped the paper with the tip of her pencil and said, “Read the rest of it.”

  Channie cleared her throat and obeyed.

  Heed not the call, nor summon to war

  But with wisdom bind and restore

  The ancient clan now torn asunder

  By greed and fear and royal plunder.

  Go to the place where it all began

  And seek the help of a broken man.

  All that was lost shall be reborn

  When you face with courage, your duty sworn.

  Son of Vengeance heed the sign

  And fight for the good of all mankind.

  You must win the race, though your heart be weary,

  And see it through with eyes blinded and bleary.

  Defeat corruption with righteous valor

  And the noble strength of royal power.

  Remember your vows on solstice night

  Then follow your heart to set things right.

  When Channie finished, Momma took a deep breath then patted the back of her head as if her hair were done up in the tight bun she used to wear … when she was still sane.

  Her eyes lost the crazy look as she seemed to calm down. She even smiled at Channie. But a rattlesnake’s grin would have been more comforting.

  “Well, baby girl, it looks like we get to spend some quality time together -- until the end of June.”

  Channie’s heart stopped for a full two seconds, then hammered her ribs. It was better than dying today, but June was only three months from now. “The book is referring to winter’s solstice.”

  “It didn’t say winter or summer. So that means either one will do. And I choose June.”

  “You can’t kill me until December. If you do … the sacrifice won’t work.”

  Momma cocked her head to the side. “I guess that means we’re going back home.”

  “To Arkansas?”

  Momma jerked her head around and glared at Channie. “Of course to Arkansas you stupid Empty.”

  “Why?” The question popped out of Channie’s mouth before she could stop herself. Stupid Empty was right.

  Channie cringed, but Momma’s mood had already shifted again. She said, “Heed not the call, nor summon to war but with Wisdom bind and restore the ancient clan now torn asunder by greed and fear and royal plunder.” Her eyes glazed over for a moment then snapped back to Channie. “It’ll be so nice to see Wizzy again. And to think we’ll be the ones to bind and restore our clan. We’ll be famous among mages! Everyone will honor us.”

  “The book wasn’t referring to Aunt Wisdom, the word wasn’t even capitalized. And it’s the Veyjiviks’ clan the book wants to restore, not ours.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Look at the book. It’s still Valor Veyjivik’s name on the cover — not yours.”

  “I said … shut …. up. That’s a direct order. If you want to live ‘till June, I’d suggest you obey.”

  Channie pressed her lips together so tightly they went numb. If she didn’t manage to escape before June 20, the day before solstice, she’d break the death-pledge on purpose.

  Momma seemed to read Channie’s mind. “If you think to rob me of your beating heart by triggering the death-pledge before solstice; my final act will be your husband’s death.”

  Channie choked on her rage, but kept her mouth shut. Her own final act would protect Josh, and everyone else, from the crazy bitch that had replaced her momma.

  ~***~

  Momma put her palm between Channie’s shoulder blades and gave her a shove towards Josh. “Go say your good byes, baby girl. I want you to remember what you’re risking if you choose to defy me.”

  Channie flew across the room and gathered Josh to her breast. She didn’t care what Momma’s motivation was, she was just grateful for the opportunity to touch him one last time.

  She wished with all her heart that she’d let Josh talk her into going back to bed instead of going to school this morning. Momma would have still found them, but not before they’d had a chance to express their love for each other in the most intimate way possible.

  “Channie?” Josh’s voice was weak, barely audible, but it pierced her heart. “Babe? What’s going on?”

  “I have to leave … with Momma—”

  “The hell you do.” Josh struggled to sit up.

  Channie pressed his head back against her chest and kissed his brow. She had no problem restraining him in his weakened condition. But she couldn’t keep him from using the last bit of magic in his power-well to cast his shield over her.

  “Josh, don’t waste your energy. It’s too late.”

  “The only way that crazy bitch is leaving here with you is over my dead body.”

  “Yeah, that was pretty much her plan. I swore a death pledge to obey Momma.”

  Josh’s lips parted as he sucked in a quick breath. When he exhaled, it was equally as quick and shallow, sort of a reverse gasp. No detail went unnoticed as she studied him. His eyes darted back and forth as he lifted a trembling hand to cup Channie’s cheek.

  She leaned into his palm and sought to burn every sensory detail of this moment into her memory — the warmth of his hand, the silky texture of his curls, the faint scent of sandalwood and lemon on his skin. This final moment together would give her strength in the days to come.

  Josh lifted his other hand to Channie’s cheek and pulled her closer, as if to kiss her, but his lips never even brushed hers. He angled her head to the side and whispered in her ear. “Why did you do it?”

  “To save your life.”

  “I have no life without you.”

  Channie edged around to steal a peek at Momma out of the corners of her eyes. She still had her head bowed, studying her phone, comparing the photo of the book’s message to her handwritten notes. Channie guessed that Momma didn’t believe she’d read the words correctly and was trying to decipher it for herself. Theoretically, that could keep her busy for hours.

  The knife was on the floor in the middle of the room … in plain sight. Was Momma so engrossed in the message that she wouldn’t notice Channie creeping closer? She doubted it. Besides, if she retrieved the knife wouldn’t that count as disobedience? Would she trigger the death-pledge if she took it?

  Josh said, “You made her promise not to hurt me, didn’t you?”

  “I had to. She would have killed you.”

  “Better me than you—”

  “You don’t understand!”

  “We can argue about it later, but since she can’t hurt me, let me take care of her while she’s still distracted.”

  “You mean … kill her?”

  Josh’s jaw muscles twitched as he ground his teeth. “That’s exactly what I mean,
and yes, I can do it.”

  Channie didn’t doubt for a second that Josh would do his best to kill Momma, but she wasn’t sure he could do it without hesitation. Channie had already killed two men, she should have been tougher, but her hesitation to plunge the knife into Momma’s back had cost her the opportunity to save them both. Josh was no killer. There had to be another way. “Josh, listen. I emailed you a copy of the book’s message from Momma’s phone. She knows she can’t sacrifice me before the summer solstice in June. That gives you three months to come up with a plan to rescue me.”

  “No. I’m ending this right now.”

  “You aren’t immune. Momma can still kill you. It’ll trigger the death-pledge and kill her too, but she won’t care.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “I do!” Channie pressed her forehead against Josh’s. “If Momma tries to kill you in front of me, I won’t be able to stop myself from attacking her. It’ll trigger my own death-pledge. Even if you survive … I won’t.”

  “I can’t let her take you.”

  “You can, and you must.”

  “If you can distract her long enough for me to grab the knife—”

  “No. It’s not worth the risk.”

  Momma’s voice set Channie’s teeth on edge. “That’s long enough. We need to get on the road.”

  Channie leaned forward and kissed Josh’s mouth, even as she pulled away from him. It was a quick kiss, but filled with all the love and passion she possessed. “Be brave, Josh. Study the words of the book. Follow it’s instructions to the letter. And then come find me.”

  Josh’s eyes widened until his irises were surrounded by a ring of white. All the color drained from his face as he clutched Channie’s arms. “No!”

  Momma stomped her foot and snorted. “I said … let’s go!”

  The pain that shot through Channie’s chest was only partly caused by the death-pledge. “No matter what happens, I’ll love you forever.”

  “Channie!” Josh’s voice broke as he called out her name.