by Jill Sanders
She and Xtina had both believed that the book would be safer away from Jess, so she’d left her grandmother’s book with Xtina last night.
“I haven’t done anything to your little friend. The book calls to me like it does to you.”
Jess watched as her mother opened the book, like before, her hand hovering over the pages. In a clear voice, she said.
“I am Hecate, open.”
Instead of red sparks, pure white sparks flew from the pages. It was hard to explain, but somehow, Jess was looking at a completely different book than the one she’d studied before.
“There are different levels.” Rachelle smiled up at her. “You have to know how to open the pathways to peer into them.” Her mother flipped through the pages.
The pages she’d read from her grandmother’s journal had been tattered and old looking. The ones her mother flipped through were white, clean, almost new looking. Even the binding looked clean and new.
It was as if the entire book had changed before her own eyes.
“Let me go,” Jess said again. “I can help you.” She tried a different tactic.
Rachelle glanced up and took a deep breath. “I can’t risk you, or the baby.” Her mother’s eyes went to her stomach.
“You… you know about him?” Jess asked.
“Him?” Rachelle’s eyes went up, then she laughed. “Hecate women don’t have male babies. We are cursed with one child only.” Rachelle’s eyes turned back to the pages. “Only girls are born into Hecate’s lineage.”
“I’m having a boy,” Jess said. “Xtina has seen him.”
Her mother’s eyes moved back to hers and Jess swore something close to sadness passed behind them. “I’m sorry,” she said, then turned back. “Now, I have a lot of work to do before midnight.”
Rachelle glanced up again, then waved her hand over the book and pointed to Jess. “Sleep,” she said, and suddenly, Jess’s eyes closed and darkness took her again.
Chapter 24
One hour before the end…
Jacob, Mike, Ethan, and Xtina stood at the base of the silo. They had set up everything according to what Xtina and Jess had figured out in Jess’s grandmother’s book.
He understood now what Ethan had been going through the past week without Brea. Not knowing where Jess was was killing him. But he had to believe that Rachelle would bring her back to him like he’d seen. He knew she was going to show up in the silo, just before… He blocked his mind from thinking about the future.
“Ready?” Xtina said. “She’s coming. Remember, wait for my signal.”
They all stood in silence as Rachelle appeared in the center of the silo.
The woman glanced around, smiling as she noticed them. “Stay out of the light,” she warned, before raising her hands over her head and calling out.
“Apertus,” she said clearly. “Open for Hecate.”
They stood around her in the darkness, and the heavy missile doors opened as if they weighed nothing.
Just before the full moonlight hit the room, Xtina waved her hand and the three brothers pounced.
Jacob had complete control of both Mike and Ethan with his mind. He realized he was able to block Rachelle’s control of them this way.
Mike got Rachelle’s arms behind her back and dragged her into the darkness while Ethan grabbed her legs. Jacob tied her legs with the rope he’d brought along. He slapped his handcuffs on her wrists and forced her to sit down in the chair. Then he ran the rope around her and the chair a few times.
They stood in the dark part of the room and watched the moonlight flood the bottom of the missile silo in a perfect circle.
“You don’t know what you’ve done,” she cried out. “Let me go. I have to stop him before he comes.”
“Where is Jess?” he asked.
Just then Ethan gasped and cried out, “Brea!”
Jacob turned to watch Ethan rush towards Brea, who was standing in the middle of the light, looking confused.
“No!” Rachelle called out. “Don’t touch the light!”
Ethan stopped less than ten feet from Brea. She was standing in the moonlight, looking up into the light, ignoring him and everyone else in the massive room.
“It’s not her. Let me go!” Rachelle cried out. “I have to…”
“Brea!” Ethan called from the edge of the darkness. He turned to Jacob. “I can’t get through.” He reached for the light, but something was stopping him.
Just then Brea turned her head and looked at Ethan. “Ethan?” She blinked a few times.
“Brea.” He started to move forward but again was blocked. Brea held up her hand to stop him.
“No, he’s coming.” She looked around. “It’s not time yet.” She turned to Ethan. “He’s coming. I have to stop him. I have to try.” She raised her hands above her head and disappeared again.
“No!” Ethan screamed and tried again to break the invisible barrier.
“He’s coming,” Rachelle cried. “He’s going to destroy everything. What have you done?”
“Where is Jess?” Jacob shook her.
“The lake house.” Rachelle shook her head. “No one can stop him now.” He watched a tear slide down her face and Jacob wondered if they had screwed everything up.
Now…
Jess woke in the darkness at the lake house. She twisted until she felt one of her wrists break free from the rope. This was taking too long. She glanced around, desperate to figure out how to break free.
What was she doing? she thought as her mind cleared. She stopped trying to break free and closed her eyes. Forcing Jacob’s face to come into her mind, she willed her entire body to his.
When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in the moonlit field. She could see the door to the silo a few yards in front of her. She tried once more to go to Jacob, but something was blocking her from going inside.
Glancing down, she realized the ropes were no longer binding her and she took off towards the silo doors at a sprint.
She prayed she’d make it there in time. She still didn’t know what she had to do, only that she had to get there.
She ran as fast as she could through the open door, down the stairs into the darkness. Her chest hurt with each breath she gulped into her lungs. The air was so cold that it pained her to breathe too deeply. Her fingers and arms were so cold by the time she reached the bottom of the first stairs that her body started to shiver uncontrollably.
She tripped several times in the darkness as she made her way down each hallway, but she knew the pathway she had to take. She pushed away every thought except getting to the silo in time.
Her heart skipped several beats when she turned the final corner and looked ahead, into the darkness of the massive room. The only light was a perfect circle from the moonlight streaming into the missile silo from above.
She noticed four figures standing around the room in the darkness, just outside of the moonlight. She saw her mother, who appeared to be tied to a chair.
When everyone noticed her, her head began to hurt. Once more the pain she’d known for the last few hours shot through her entire body. She tried to block the pain she believed her mother was causing her, which threatened to blind her from the moment.
Her ankle twisted as she hit the bottom of the stairs, but she didn’t let it slow her down.
She chanced a glance up as she rushed towards the moonlight, and her breath caught in her throat.
“Nooo,” she screamed at the top of her lungs when she noticed the full moon directly overhead.
She ran forward, praying she’d reach her destination in time. Her feet felt like she was running in quicksand, heavier as she grew closer to the circle. Every second seemed to stretch into hours.
When she reached the outer rim of light, she used all her strength and momentum to push through the circle of light, breaking through the invisible barrier, until she stood in the middle of the light.
She glanced up once more and knew there were only seconds before it w
ould become too late.
Suddenly, Brea appeared before her, looking confused to see Jess standing in the light.
“He’s coming,” Brea cried out.
“Go!” Jess used her strength to push Brea towards Ethan, in the safety of the darkness. Once she was outside the circle, Mike grabbed Brea and held onto her tight.
She knew there were only a few more seconds, as her eyes turned towards Jacob. “I love you,” she said, clearly.
“Come out of there!” Jacob cried out, but he was blocked from entering the light. He used his fists to pound on the hidden barrier, trying to get to her. “Don’t go!” he cried out. “Come out of there!”
She smiled at him and took a deep breath, then turned and looked upward once more. “Misty,” she called out. “Follow my voice, I release you,” she said loudly.
“No!” Rachelle cried from the dark part of the room. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Misty!” Jess called out again, ignoring her mother. “Return to us.”
Jess felt her powers building and suddenly, a bright light shone directly in front of her, blinding her for a moment. She blinked a few times and smiled when she noticed Brea’s aunt standing directly in front of her in the light. Misty looked around as if she’d just woken from a deep sleep.
Quickly, Jess shoved the woman out of the moonlight barrier into the darkness and safety.
She was about to close the portal with her mind when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Daughter,” Rachelle said from directly behind her, “let me take the burden.”
“We have to close—”
“No, there has to be someone there, tied to him, now that you’ve let her go.” Rachelle glanced towards Misty, who was being hugged by Brea. “Someone has to go, in order for him to sleep once more.”
Jess was about to argue, but suddenly, she felt herself being tossed out of the light, across the room.
She landed hard on her hip and elbow. Her head smacked against the empty chair her mother had been tied to.
She heard screaming and looked up in time to see the silver-eyed beast she’d seen before descending from the sky. Her mother turned to her with a smile on her lips.
“I’m sorry,” she said as a tear slipped down her cheek. Then she turned her face upward as a bright light pulsed from her position.
Jess watched as her mother started to lift, her hair and clothes moving around her like she was trapped under water. Everything seemed to happen as if in slow motion.
Her mother’s feet lifted and hovered over the ground. Rachelle leaned back and lifted her arms, then began to slowly ascend towards the moon. Her face turned upward, a smile on her lips, as her blonde hair flowed around her face. She flew upward into the dark sky, trapped in the beam of light.
As the light followed her upward, the massive creature was pulled with it. It let out a piercing scream and fought to escape the bright ray of light that was dragging it backward, towards the moon, towards its eternal chamber of slumber.
Jacob rushed to Jess’s side. He noticed the blood dripping from a large gash above her left eyebrow.
“Ethan!” he called out.
“I’m here.” Ethan stood next to him. “Let me.”
His brother knelt beside Jess and reached out to touch her gently.
“Easy,” he said when Jess cried out.
“I… I broke my leg,” she cried. “And a few ribs,” she said between deep breaths.
“The baby?” Jacob asked Ethan.
“Quiet,” his brother shot back at him. “I’m working.”
Ethan closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Jess’s shoulders.
Jess’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and Jacob felt a flood of fear consume him.
Still, he waited and watched the cut above her head. Slowly, too slowly, the blood stopped. Then the wound sealed.
He heard a loud popping noise, and Jess grunted in pain, then took a deep breath, and then another.
“There,” Ethan said after a few minutes.
“Thanks.” He pushed his brother aside and picked Jess up in his arms. She was asleep, but her breathing had steadied.
“Let’s head back to our place,” Mike suggested. “We can let her rest as we… I don’t know, figure out exactly what the hell just happened.” He ran his hands through his hair.
Jacob heard Brea and Ethan quickly explain to her aunt what had happened. He could tell that Ethan was happy to have Brea back, but his mind was completely focused on Jess, who was unconscious in his arms.
Mike and Xtina helped light the way through the maze as they made their way out of the silo. By the time they reached Xtina’s large front porch, Jess was waking up.
“Easy,” he said, and he shifted to bring her closer to him. “I’ve got you.”
“My mother?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“She’s gone.” He glanced down at her as Mike opened the front door for him.
“Lay her on the sofa,” Xtina said.
“I’m okay,” Jess said.
“You’ll lay down,” he said, firmly. “Xtina will get you some water.”
“Jacob.” He could tell she was about to argue, but he gave her a look, and she shut her mouth and nodded with a slight smile. “Can you call my dad?”
“I texted him to meet us here,” Mike said. “I think he should be here.” Mike glanced over at Misty.
“I’ve called my parents, too,” Brea said. “They’re on their way and should be here by morning.”
“So…” Jacob sat down on the sofa, still holding Jess in his arms. “What the hell just happened?”
Everyone looked around at each other as Xtina handed Jess a glass of water.
“We just saved the earth,” Jess said after taking a sip of water. “That’s what. We’re freaking superheroes.” She smiled.
Chapter 25
By the time the sun was coming up, they had worked out most of what had happened. Well, at least they had all agreed on what had happened.
Her father had arrived and been shocked to see Misty, who had hugged him and looked happy to see someone she recognized.
Brea tried to explain that she was her niece, but Misty seemed confused. Larry sat down with her and explained as much as he could, but it just wasn’t getting through to her.
“Do you remember anything?” Mike finally asked. “I mean, you visited me every night for over a year.”
Misty turned to him and squinted her eyes. You’re Rusty’s boys?” She glanced between them.
“Yes.” Mike smiled.
“I… I remember seeing you. In a dream.” She turned to Xtina. “And you, too. You were younger.”
“Yes, I’ve seen you since I was a child. I’m Kelly and Roy’s daughter.”
Misty glanced around. “Are they here?”
“No, they passed away,” Xtina said.
“I’m sorry.” Misty sighed.
“I know it’s confusing, but you’ve been gone for almost twenty-eight years,” Larry added.
“Asleep. I thought it was just a dream.” She took a sip of water and looked around. “I could see everything. Somehow.”
“Could you tell us more?” Jess asked. “How it happened.”
“I only remember that night, when your mother opened the portal the first time. We were all standing around, then she pushed me into the light and…” She shook her head. “The rest is just dreams, or so I thought. I remembered seeing each of you before, but I wasn’t able to control much. I remember being at the silo one night, and seeing…” Her eyes went to Rose, who was lying at Mike’s feet. “I remember that I wished someone could help.” She shook her head and wiped a tear from her eyes. “I guess only you could see me?”
“Yes, we saw you.” Xtina smiled and touched the woman’s hand lightly.
“Your mother.” Misty turned to Jess. “She’s there now.”
“Yes.” Jess took a deep breath. “I think that was her plan all alo
ng. To keep me safe. That’s why she warned us and tied me up in the lake house.” She turned to her father. “She had warned me that we had woken something up.”
Jess closed her eyes and thought about her grandmother’s book. She didn’t know where her mother had left it, but she knew there would be answers on the white pages.
She felt the weight of the book in her lap and opened her eyes and smiled.
“Okay, you’re getting better at that,” Xtina said.
“You’ve no idea.” Jess smiled.
Then she held her hand over the book and repeated her mother’s words.
“I am Hecate, open.” A white blinding light shot from the book before the pages opened up and glowed white.
“Wow!” Xtina said. “New tricks. I didn’t know you knew Latin so well.”
“I don’t.” Jess frowned.
“You spoke it in the silo and just now.”
“No,” Jess shook her head. “I spoke English just now.”
Xtina chuckled. “No, that wasn’t English.”
Jess turned to Jacob, who nodded in agreement. “Sounded foreign and old to me.”
“Okay,” Jess said, putting a hand to her head. “We’ll stick a pin in that one for later.” She shook her head.
Jess looked down at the white pages that lay before her and started reading.
“See, you’re doing it again.” Xtina looked over her shoulder. “That’s not English.” She pointed towards the pages.
“Sure it is, it’s a potion to stop madness.” She glanced around and when she noticed everyone’s looks, she sighed. “Okay, so maybe it self-translates for Hecates.”
“Yeah, we’ll go with that.” Xtina smiled. “Is there anything about what just happened?”
Jess flipped through the pages.
“Yes,” she finally said, when she found the right page. “It says that Thanatos, a merciless god who hated mortals, was cast into an eternal slumber by his brother and father. They locked him in slumber, binding him to a mortal witch, who would sleep by his side, for all eternity. Once the witch passes through the light, Thanatos would be locked in slumber until he was woken once more. Then he would need to be bound once more by a Hecate.” Jess looked up at the silent room. “It must have been the night we toasted and passed out,” she suggested after reading some more. “Our power that night must have woken him. It says here a Hecate can start the process, but Thanatos can’t rise again until all her powers have joined.”
