‘What do you require?’ Zachary asked quietly.
‘Break every last stone, not one single symbol must remain.’
‘As you wish,’ he turned to the others and nodded.
They fanned out across the Crossroad each choosing a stone inscribed with an ancient symbol and began to smash them all one by one. Bright blue light flooded the space with each stone broken, the ground trembled and shook, filling the air with a loud grinding sound. It was as if the ground itself were protesting the desecration and destruction of such an ancient place of power. Once the last stone had been smashed the demons disappeared, coalescing once again into shadow and vanishing through the doorways leaving Isabel and Nathaniel standing alone in the ruins of the Crossroad, with Zachary watching them closely.
The muted blue glow which appeared to come from beneath the cracked stones seemed to throb once, then twice, faltering like a dying heartbeat before finally fading into darkness leaving the Crossroad as cold and dead as its keeper.
‘What are your orders?’ Zachary asked.
‘They remain the same as before,’ he answered quietly. He threw a quick glance in Isabel's direction but she wasn’t paying attention, her gaze was once again fixed on the now silent ruins. ‘You know what to do.’
Zachary nodded and he too disappeared.
‘Isabel?’ Nathaniel called.
Stared silently giving no indication she’d even heard him.
‘Isabel?’ he repeated.
She turned to him slowly, preoccupied, as if her mind was somewhere else entirely.
‘Are you ready?’
‘For what?’
His deformed mouth curved into a terrifyingly clown-like smile.
‘To find the next Crossroad.’
Chapter 12.
‘Roni wait up’ Jake frowned, as he cast his flashlight in front of him. ‘Damn it where are you?’
‘I’m right here’ she sighed in exasperation. ‘I don’t need you to hold my hand for me you know, I told you I was perfectly capable of doing this on my own.’
‘Yeah, I’m going to let you go hiking through the woods in the middle of the night with a soul stealing demon on the loose,’ he replied sarcastically.
‘He probably isn’t out here you know; the pickings are too slim. If its souls he’s after he’s going to stick close to town where it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.’
‘You don’t know that’ he frowned, his face concealed by the darkness, ‘he has to be hiding out somewhere. For all you know he could have a secret lair around here.’
A secret lair?’ she replied in amusement as she pointed her flashlight down at the compass she held in her palm.
‘Well you know what I mean.’
‘So you what?’ the amusement flipped to irritation as she adjusted her direction, ‘came out here to protect me?’
‘Of course I did’ he sighed, ‘in case you hadn’t noticed I’m a cop. That’s what cops do, protect people.’
She wasn’t sure why that statement annoyed her even more. No, to tell the truth she knew exactly why it bugged the crap out of her, because it was painfully obvious he didn’t feel the same way about her as she felt about him. It was embarrassing and just plain depressing. After kissing her boneless he’d just shrugged it off and pretended it didn’t happen. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if it had happened at all or whether she’d just imagined it in the first place.
‘So you’re just out here protecting me as your civic duty,’ she replied in disgust.
‘Not just,’ he jogged to catch up with her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. ‘Christ Roni, would you just listen?’
She stopped and turned to face him, pointing her flashlight at an angle so it lit up both their faces. It was hard to talk to someone when you couldn’t see their expressions.
‘Look,’ he frowned, ‘yes I would protect you as I would anyone else, because it’s my job but also because that’s who I am. I can’t help wanting to keep you safe. I’m sorry if that pisses you off but I’m not going to change. It’s not because I think you’re not capable, it’s because I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt.’
He blew out a frustrated breath and tipped his head back so he could see the stars peeking through the canopy of trees.
‘Stop saying such sweet things before I end up liking you more than I already do…’
He turned his gaze back on her, a smile playing on his lips.
‘I like you too.’
‘What?’ Roni whispered, the color draining from her face.
‘I said I like you too,’ he clarified seeing her puzzled expression. ‘You told me to stop saying sweet things to you because its making you like me.’
‘I didn’t say that,’ her eyes widened in shock.
‘Yes you did, I heard you,’ he frowned in confusion.
‘No,’ she repeated firmly. ‘I thought it, I didn’t say it.’
‘That’s not…’
His voice trailed off.
‘Wonder if it’s part of his gift he unlocked the night he cast the circle. Perhaps it was a dormant gift which has been awoken…’
‘What?’ Veronica asked, ‘why are you looking at me like that?’
‘You were just wondering if it was a dormant gift which was woken up when I cast the circle.’
Her mouth fell open.
‘Holy shit!’ Jake breathed, his eyes widening. ‘Do you know what this means?’
‘What?’ Roni whispered.
‘I’m Charles Xavier.’
Her expression hardened and she shook her head. ‘I don’t think you’re taking this seriously.’
‘I’m very serious.’
‘Patrick Stewart or James McAvoy?’ she asked after a moment.
‘Now who’s not taking it seriously?’ he raised a brow in amusement.
‘I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,’ she sighed.
‘And McAvoy obviously,’ Jake replied. ‘I’m too young to lose all my hair.’
He raked his hand through his hair, shaking his head dramatically and pouting as if he were part of a shampoo commercial.
She couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out.
‘So are we good?’ he asked.
She rolled her eyes, a small smile still hovering over her lips as she sighed in defeat.
‘Yeah we’re good,’ she turned back towards the trail, ‘just stay out of my head.’
‘Sorry can’t make any promises,’ he fell into step next to her, ‘I haven’t a clue how to control it although it does answer a few questions.’
‘How so?’ they walked along companionably.
‘I’ve been hearing some very strange conversations around town lately.’
‘Like what?’ she asked curiously.
‘Like Mr Wilson wondering if you should order some red stilettos online.’
‘That’s not so strange.’
‘In his size?’
‘Oh,’ she chuckled.
‘And Marisa Thompson wondering if Laurel Martin stuffs her training bra with tissue. Lewis Clark thinking his wife would look good with butt implants. Josh Anderson wondering what dog food tastes like. Lonnie Wright wondering if her husband gets a vasectomy whether or not he’ll still be able to get an erection and trust me you do not want to know what the sweet little eighty-year-old Ms Betty Nelson wants to do to Todd Roberts, who is forty-five years her junior.’
Roni let loose another laugh.
‘Seriously I’m traumatized; I may require counseling.’
She smiled at him even though he couldn’t see her in the darkness.
‘I’d say maybe it was just a fluke but now I’m guessing you’re stuck with it.’
‘At first I thought I was going crazy.’
‘I’d say given everything that’s happened recently, you reading peoples’ minds ranks pretty low on the Mercy crazy scale.’
�
��Maybe,’ he mused, ‘but I feel like Mel Gibson in the film ‘What women want’. I can see it becoming a real pain in the ass.’
‘Well maybe there’s some way to switch it back off,’ Roni replied thoughtfully, ‘or at least teach you to control it so you’re not picking up every random thought.’
‘I hope so.’
‘Although I have to say I may never look at Ms Nelson again in the same light.’
‘Roni please,’ he replied in a pained voice, causing her to laugh again.
She stopped abruptly as her flashlight landed on a Willow tree. ‘Here we go,’ she looked the tree up and down, ‘this one should do.’
‘Do we have to get naked and chant or something?’ Jake asked.
‘Very funny,’ she rolled her eyes, handing him her flashlight.
She tucked her compass into her bag and removed a knife with a slightly curved blade and white handle.
‘What’s that?’
‘A boline,’ she answered absently as she selected the branches that she wanted. ‘It’s for harvesting herbs and wood for spells.’
‘Oh,’ he replied, ‘you know you could have just used the magic knife Olivia gave me.’
She shook her head as she cut several small lengths of wood and tucked them into her bag.
‘No, that’s an athame which you’ve also used for killing. Different knives, different purposes.’
She stepped back and retrieved her flashlight from Jake. The beam suddenly highlighted his face and she paused just taking him in. He was smiling at her again, she wished he wouldn’t do that, it just made her want to sink her teeth into him. She’d never known anyone like him, never had someone that could make her laugh the way he did. Looking at him now watching her, she just wanted to latch onto him again. She wanted her mouth on his, she wanted to taste him, God, it just plain sucked that he didn’t want her that way.
‘Roni,’ his eyes widened in surprise.
Oh no.
‘Please tell me you didn’t just hear that.’
He didn’t need to tell her, his face said it all.
‘Stay out of my head,’ she snapped angrily turning away from him in absolute mortification.
Great, now she was going to have to move to another state.
‘Roni, wait…’
Possibly another country.
‘Roni damn it,’ he grasped onto her arm and pulled her up against him, ‘will you just wait a minute.’
‘Forget it Jake,’ she shook her head.
‘Roni…’
‘No, seriously just pretend you didn’t hear that.’
‘Roni will you just…’
‘Look, I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one lifetime, possibly even two so will you just let me go.’
‘Roni if you would just…’
‘Jesus stop saying my name,’ she hissed, ‘I’m dying here Jake.’
Before she could say another word his mouth crashed down on hers. Unlike the sweet slow exploration of last time, his tongue swept in hot and needy, tasting her like he just couldn’t help himself. He yanked her body up against his and took and took until she was dizzy, and when she thought she couldn’t give anymore he pushed her into a spiral of desperate need until she was practically clawing to get him closer. It was like being burned alive with painful pleasure and she was as lost to it as he was. The insistent need for oxygen finally drove them apart so that they were leaning against each other breathing heavily, their foreheads pressed together and hearts pounding.
‘Do you really think I don’t want you?’ he breathed against her mouth.
‘I…’
She was about to answer him when she suddenly broke off frowning. She fumbled for her flashlight.
‘What is it?’ he asked sensing the tension in her body.
‘Do you smell that?’
He did, it was a sudden a strong scent of Lilies. He’d never particularly cared for those flowers, they always reminded him of funerals.
‘Lilies?’ he replied, ‘what’s so strange about that? We’re in the middle of the woods.’
‘Yes,’ she replied quietly, ‘but…’ she swept the ground around them, ‘there are no Lilies here.’
They both shuddered violently at the sudden icy cold feeling. It felt like being plunged into freezing cold water as the sensation trickled down their backs settling uncomfortably between their shoulder blades.
She jolted slightly as she felt a tall shadow rush past the edge of her vision.
‘Did you see that?’ Veronica whispered urgently.
‘Roni,’ Jake grabbed her hand tightly as he turned to look at her, ‘RUN!’
She stumbled slightly as he yanked her arm but managed to remain on her feet as they both took off in a flat run. Even though it was a full moon barely any light penetrated the thick canopy of trees. She had no idea which direction they were heading in and could do nothing but cling on to Jake and try not to trip and fall on the uneven ground. Her lungs were burning in protest and her legs ached. It felt like they had been running forever when they finally slowed and stopped in the shadow of a huge old tree.
‘Are you okay?’ Jake whispered.
She nodded as a matter of habit even knowing he couldn’t see her, so she sucked in a deep labored breath. ‘Yes,’ she wheezed, ‘just a bit out of shape.’
He shut off his flashlight and shoved it into his pocket and drew his weapon, listening for any sound other than their harsh panting.
‘Do you know where we are?’
‘I think we’re coming up on the beach to the West of the lake.’
‘We’re heading in the wrong direction,’ Roni breathed heavily.
‘I know,’ Jake frowned, ‘but it couldn’t be helped. If we can get out of the woods and back to the main road I can call Tommy to come and pick us up. We’ll come back for the car in the daylight.’
‘Do you think that was him? The Soul Collector?’
‘I think it pays to be cautious,’ he took her hand again, ‘ready?’
‘Yes.’
‘Keep your flashlight pointed dead ahead otherwise I can’t see where we’re going.’
‘Okay.’
The sudden pungent smell of Lilies washed over them and a gust of cold air rushed past them.
‘Shit,’ Jake swore, ‘GO!’
They set off again but each time they tried to veer West towards the main road whatever it was herded them back towards the deep shadows of the wood, until they were being pushed North. Veronica’s legs felt like jelly and she was panting hard when her luck finally ran out and her foot tangled in an exposed tree root. She went down hard, dropping her flashlight which flicked off and rolled away into the undergrowth.
‘Jake,’ she whispered urgently, trying to push herself upright, ‘Jake!’
She felt a warm hand grab her and pull her to her feet. When the scent of Jake wrapped around her she almost wept in relief.
‘I’ve got you Roni,’ he held onto her as he fumbled in his pocket for his flashlight.
The beam sputtered once, twice.
‘No, no not now,’ Jake muttered. ‘Damn it I knew I should’ve changed the batteries.’
He hit it a couple of times in frustration before it finally flicked on and as he scanned his surroundings the beam of light suddenly highlighted a pale white heavily lined face with black eyes. Roni let loose a scream as Jake spun her around, placing her protectively behind him. His weapon raised and leaning against the flashlight, he scanned his surroundings again, turning in circles trying to train his gun on the shadow that flitted across the edges of his vision.
‘Damn it’s fast,’ he muttered trying to get a shot.
He could feel Roni’s hands wrapped around his waist as she pressed against his back. He turned again sharply and she turned with him but he couldn’t see it. He spun once again and as the beam of light fell upon another face he pulled back just in time before he let loose a shot. Th
e barrel of another gun was pointed at them and a flashlight shone in their eyes.
‘Jake?’ a surprised voice spoke in the darkness.
‘Mac?’ Jake tried to shield his eyes.
Mac dropped his flashlight to an angle that highlighted his own face.
‘Veronica?’ Mac recognized the young woman standing pale faced behind Jake. ‘What the hell are you two doing out here in the middle of the night?’
‘We could ask you the same thing?’
‘We’ve got a missing hiker, I’m helping to organize search and rescue just North of here.’
‘Are you alone?’ Jake asked.
Mac nodded.
‘What is it?’
‘It’s here,’ Jake told him as he glanced around uneasily.
‘What is?’
‘The Soul Collector,’ Roni told him, ‘we’ve seen it, it was chasing us.’
‘Damn it,’ Mac hissed, recalling Jake’s explanation of the shadowy man on the security footage. ‘I’ve got people all over this section of the woods.’
He holstered his weapon and unclipped a radio from his belt.
‘This is Chief Macallister, everyone return to base immediately. I repeat, return to base.’
The sudden static of the radio split the air.
‘Come on,’ Mac clipped the radio back to his belt and once again drew his weapon, ‘we need to get back to base.’
They headed quickly through the woods, the strong sense of unease prickling at their backs. Every now and then they would get a waft of Lilies on an icy cold breeze. It was obvious it was tracking them but strangely enough it didn’t attack, it almost seemed to be toying with them as it stalked them patiently.
‘What’s that?’ Veronica asked suddenly.
The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum Page 100
