“How did you get in?”
“With my fists of course. I think I have killed five of those devils already. We have bought ourselves time before the others return. They will find their dead comrades and then we will be in trouble, my brother. We have to go now!”
“The ritual. You said something about a ritual?”
With that, Andre slung Luke across his back and began to walk.
“I will talk once we are out of this house. Only then. You need to be quiet now. You need to shut up!” Andre continued. Luke felt himself drifting out of consciousness once again. From the corner of his eye, as he began to slip away, he could see the cell door being opened, the bodies of hybrid men strewn across the corridors and the rooms outside. His eyes then closed. He could hear Andre’s heavy footsteps and then, like before, everything turned to black.
~ ~ ~
“You should take some water,” Elizabeth spoke as she stood a fraction inside the bedroom. Lena was awake but not up or dressed. She was still lying in bed propped up against the headboard by two large pillows.
“If I want a glass of water I’ll pour it myself,” Lena replied. “I don’t need you to do anything for me anymore. I can take care of myself.”
Elizabeth strolled into the bedroom and sat up on the edge of the bed. She ran her hand gently across the bed’s blankets caressing Lena’s feet which lived somewhere beneath.
“I’m here to look after you, Lena. You don’t have to be so hostile with me. Don’t you remember how close we were as children? We were more like sisters than cousins. I only want what is best for you.”
Feeling Elizabeth’s hands running across her feet, Lena pulled her legs higher up on the bed. It didn’t stop Elizabeth, her hand soon finding its target once again.
“You are sick, Lena. You’ve caught a terrible cold. As soon as you are better you’ll be taken back to the house where you can be looked after.”
“No! Never! I’m not going back there. Not ever!”
“Lena…Please…You’re being unreasonable. You’ll be more comfortable back at the house. You’ll be with family where you belong.”
“What have you animals done with my mother and brother?” Lena snapped back. She was sitting fully upright now, having thrown the pillows to one side.
“They are being taken care of. There’s no need for you to worry about them. We take care of our own. You know this. It’s always been that way.”
“I want my brother back! I know what you do up there in the house. Do you think I’m stupid? I won’t rest until I have Lee back with me!”
Smiling, Elizabeth stayed calm.
“You need to calm down, Lena. All this aggression isn’t going to help your recovery. Get some more rest. When you feel better I’ll be downstairs waiting for you. Is that clear?”
Lena threw herself under the covers and began to sob. Elizabeth continued to caress her as she lay beneath the blankets running her hand along her Lena’s thighs and then across her waist. Lena allowed herself to be caressed.
“You’ll be back to normal before long. I know it Lena. Perhaps we can take a walk in the woods like we did as children? Do you remember those long summer months Lena? I still remember the wonderful memories. I’m sure you would enjoy taking a walk down memory lane with me.”
Elizabeth’s hands had now progressed from Lena’s waist. Instead her delicate fingers had discovered Lena’s arms beneath the quilt. She ran the flat of her hand slowly along Lena’s forearm gradually moving higher until her fingers were caressing Lena’s hidden shoulder.
“That’s right. You get some sleep, my dear. You’ve had stressful few days. You know where I’ll be when you’re ready to talk,” Elizabeth then spoke, carefully pulling back the bed’s covers. Lena had curled herself up into a tiny ball, her own arms now wrapped around her head. Elizabeth brushed aside her cousin’s long black hair. Leaning forward, she then kissed the top of Lena’s pale neck twice.
“Try to be in a better frame of mind when you do come down, Lena. I love you like my sister, but I have my limits,” she spoke throwing the covers back over her cousin.
~ ~ ~
“I was told to call you if anything happened,” Tommy explained. Benny had just got off the train. He’d been approaching the station when his mobile had rang. Tommy had introduced himself and explained Luke’s instructions. Now they both stood in the station waiting room wondering what to do next.
“You should take me to the house,” Benny began, holding onto his battered suitcase. The lock had broken several years ago and now each time he picked it up or moved suddenly, a pair of underpants or some other garment would escape. He’d spent the past two minutes picking up several pairs of old socks. Tommy had helped to retrieve one or two.
“He told me to take you to Rose Cottage first if anything did happen.”
Benny didn’t like it one bit.
“Are you sure you saw Luke on the rooftop? He was being chased?”
“I counted around eight guys. I saw him with my own eyes. I’m not sure what happened to him. He never came back to the car. He left me his keys and instructions. That’s all I know.”
“Always playing the hero,” Benny muttered under his breath. “And he had his phone with him?”
“He put it in his pocket before he left for the house. I saw him do it myself. I was right next to him,” Tommy continued, wishing he’d never left his bedroom that evening in the first place. “We can try to call him again if you want? He didn’t answer the last few times I tried, but I guess it’s worth a try,” Tommy finished taking out his own mobile and punching in Luke’s digits. As expected, there was no answer.
“Any luck?”
“The line’s dead,” Tommy replied. “Maybe we should just head to Rose Cottage and wait?”
“I guess we should,” Benny continued. “How far is this house anyway?”
“About a twenty minute car ride. Look, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. It’s not safe. I was lucky your friend turned up when he did. I was having some pretty crazy ideas. I mean, I was going to take them on myself but now…Now I can see how dumb I was being. The guys up at that house are evil. Just take my word on that.”
Benny listened, but his mind was already made up.
“Luke’s my best friend, Tommy. I hear what you’re saying, but I can’t just leave him up there all by himself. I’ll drop you off at this cottage first and then I’ll head out to the house on my own.”
“I’m not really sure that’s a good idea.”
Benny held out his hand.
“You have the keys, young man?”
Tommy nodded and began to fish about in his jeans. Eventually, he pulled out the car keys.
“Here you go. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Oh, if your friend asks, this wasn’t my idea, ok?”
Benny patted Tommy on the shoulder and picked up his suitcase.
“Don’t worry. He knows I wouldn’t leave him all by himself. C’mon, let’s make a move. It’s freezing in here,” Benny then continued heading for the waiting room exit. Looking more than a little dejected, Tommy followed him.
~ ~ ~
Elizabeth had made herself her fourth cup of tea since leaving Lena to rest. She sat at the kitchen table reading her book. She was nearing the end of the book and had begun to think about making dinner when Lena had appeared at the door.
“Lena?”
Elizabeth had washed her dirty clothes and now Lena had changed back into them. She stood in her jeans and white shirt looking refreshed from her long rest but still with a vacant look in her eyes.
“You can sit with me if you like, sweetie. I was going to make us something to eat. Are you hungry?”
Without replying, Lena entered the kitchen and sat down.
“Do you feel better now?” Elizabeth continued, placing the book face down across the kitchen table and looking concerned. “You certainly look a lot better. The sleep has done you good. I think you should have a bite to eat and something
to drink.”
“I’m not hungry,” Lena replied.
“You must be thirsty then? It’s been a long while since you had anything to drink.”
“I’m fine.”
“Very well.”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“You can ask me anything you want.”
“About the past. I wanted to ask you about our childhood.”
“That was a long time ago, Lena. I’m not sure I could tell you everything.”
Lena locked eyes with Elizabeth.
“I’m sure you’ll remember certain things. Some things you can’t forget.”
Elizabeth paused for thought and then smiled.
“I’ll try to answer your questions. Just don’t get upset if I can’t remember everything you want me to.”
“When I was little. When I was around five or six. I was brought here, wasn’t I?”
“You were? I’m not sure. I wasn’t much older than you at the time.”
“You were with me. I remember you being here in this very cottage. I remember the other people too. I remember feeling afraid in this cottage. But you, you always seemed to be smiling. I’m not getting things muddled up. Being back in this cottage has flicked a light switch in my mind. I can see a lot of things now.”
“I only remember the summers here, Lena. I would have been around ten or eleven. I remember playing with you in the woods and the fields. That’s my earliest recollection. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”
“They held me down. Those people. They used to hold me down and…”
“And what Lena? They used to hold you down? I’m sorry honey? I’m not sure if I follow you. You’re not making any sense. I really think you should have a bite to eat. Your thinking will become a lot clearer then. You’ll see.”
“You know what I’m talking about. You were in the room watching. Uncle was with you. There were other people too. People in strange clothes who…Who changed.”
“Changed?” Elizabeth went on almost bursting into giggles. “Whatever do you mean, sweetheart?”
“Don’t look at me that way. You know exactly what I mean.”
“I think I should get you that water after all,” Elizabeth replied leaving the table. Running the kitchen tap she said, “I think you were very young at the time. I think it’s possible you’re getting things all mixed up.”
Elizabeth then opened one of the cupboard doors and took out a glass cup. She didn’t notice Lena leaving the table and taking a long bread knife from its rack.
“You were such a pretty little girl, Lena. I never told you this before, but I was always secretly jealous of the way you looked,” Elizabeth went on. She began to pour the water into the cup and only stopped when she felt the cold steel pressing against her neck.
“Where’s my brother, Elizabeth?” Lena whispered, pressing the tip of the knife deeper into Elizabeth’s neck.
“You’re making a mistake here Lena.”
“Answer my question.”
“I answered it before. You know where they are.”
“At the house?”
“Where else?”
“You’re going to take me to them.”
“I don’t think that would be such a good idea, Lena.”
With her free hand, Lena grabbed Elizabeth by the neck and spun her around so that she was facing her.
“I wasn’t asking, you bitch. I was telling you.”
“It’s not possible tonight, sweetheart. You know that too. Deep down you know that.”
“Know what? What are you talking about?”
“We need them. We simply need them, sweetie. Especially the boy.”
A cold chill swept through Lena’s body. Her hands, which so far had remained steady, were now beginning to shake. She could see herself again as a child struggling as numerous hands forced her to lay down.
“Need them…What…What do you mean?”
Slowly, Elizabeth had taken hold of Lena’s hand. She held it tightly, quite soon having it under her control. “We need them for our party this evening. Surely you must remember the little parties we had?”
“Parties?”
“In the woods. In the fields.”
Lena could no longer hold onto the knife. It was as if all her power had suddenly evaporated. She was looking directly into Elizabeth’s eyes now. There was something terribly wrong with them.
“Your eyes…”
“Yes. Do you remember how we used to be now, Lena? Or did you manage to blank that too all these years?”
Elizabeth removed the knife from Lena’s hand and placed it carefully onto the kitchen table. Then, removing her cousin’s other hand from her neck, she took Lena’s head between her own hands and began to squeeze.
“Take a good look, Lena. Do you remember now?”
Elizabeth’s eyes had changed shape. Lena could see them shifting even as Elizabeth spoke. They were no longer blue and beautifully shaped. They had become something altogether different, monstrous and alien. They were oblong in appearance now. They were yellow and boasted long, black slits which ran from the very top of her pupils to their very bottom.
“You used to scream when you were little. You were so easy to frighten,” Elizabeth continued, her voice having also changed. She hissed as she spoke and every now and then, as her tongue became visible, Lena could see that it too had changed shape. Elizabeth’s tongue was no longer small and perfectly smooth as it had once been. It had now become long, narrow and forked in the middle.
“Get…Get off me!” Lena yelled trying to push Elizabeth off her. Elizabeth stood her ground.
“You need to be reminded.”
“Get off!”
With unnatural strength, Elizabeth quickly pinned Lena across the kitchen table holding both of her cousin’s wrists down with one hand. With her free hand, she then picked up the bread knife. She pressed the point of the blade softly against Lena’s cheek and, with her tongue flickering, began to run the blade slowly down Lena’s neck. The blade quickly drew blood. Seeing this, Elizabeth leaned closer licking enthusiastically at the cut while at the same time moving the knife further down until it reached Lena’s shirt. At this point, with her tongue still running across the open wound, she began to pick off Lena’s shirt buttons with the knife. One by one they fell on the kitchen floor.
“You taste good.”
Lena had almost passed out. Her eyes fixed with terror rolled back and forward in their sockets. She tried to speak, but her lips trembling with a terrible animal fear would not allow her to form a single word. Climbing onto the table, Elizabeth straddled her cousin and ripped her shirt open. She then ran her hands slowly along Lena’s collar bone moving them down until her fingers were caressing the top of her bra. Gently, she pulled at the bra slowly exposing Lena’s full bust.
“You are beautiful, Lena,” Elizabeth spoke, opening her mouth wide to reveal a set of long and pointed teeth. The blood from Lena’s wound still dripped from each tooth. The thick, red droplets fell from Elizabeth’s mouth and landed against Lena’s pale breast. Lowering her head, Elizabeth began to lick the blood from Lena’s skin, her hands caressing her bust.
“Do you remember everything now, Lena? I’m sure the memories are flooding back.”
Lena struggled to free herself, but all her energy had left. She lay helpless across the table. Elizabeth smiled.
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy going back to the house with me later. All your old friends will be there.”
Elizabeth’s hands were tugging at Lena’s belt buckle. She had begun to remove the belt when the door to the cottage suddenly flew open and Andre burst into the kitchen brandishing a long sword.
“Elizabeth!”
Elizabeth sat bolt upright, letting out a terrible scream as she continued to straddle Lena, her teeth now bared. Her cold, reptilian eyes were fixed on Andre. Behind her, the beginnings of a tail had begun to whip across the kitchen floor.
“Let her go,” Andre ordered
.
“Get out!” Elizabeth retorted, beginning to climb from her prey. “Get out!”
Andre didn’t wait for her feet to reach the kitchen floor. Within an instant he’d crossed the kitchen, raised the sword and swung its blade towards Elizabeth. Instinctively, Elizabeth raised her arms against the steel, but it was no use. Andre’s swing had been too powerful and quick. In one deadly movement, half of Elizabeth’s hand was severed, her head sliced off and sent careering across the kitchen tiles.
“Lena? Are you okay, Lena?” Andre spoke, balancing the sword against one of the table legs. Lena was out cold but was still breathing. Andre was lifting her slowly from the table when Luke staggered into the kitchen.
“Jesus Christ! What have you done?” he yelled, watching as Elizabeth’s lizard head still span in one of the kitchen’s corners. “You’ve taken her bloody head off!”
“It’s the only way to kill them Luke,” Andre calmly explained. “You will learn in time how to kill them too.”
“Is Lena okay?”
“She’ll live,” Andre continued. He was holding Lena’s limp body in both of his powerful arms. “Let’s get her to her bed, Luke,” he went on heading for the corridor. “We can clean this mess up later.”
Stepping carefully over the pools of blood, Luke followed Andre towards the staircase.
~ ~ ~
“Are you sure we’re going the right way Tommy?” Benny asked twenty minutes into their journey. Tommy had jumped into the driving seat at first but had quickly lost control of the mini in the bad weather. He’d sent the mini careering through hedgerow and had been lucky to miss several trees. Benny had taken over at that point. Tommy looked shaken up by their near miss and now sat sheepishly in the passenger seat.
“Tommy, son. I asked you a bloody question, mate. Are we going the right way?”
“Yeah. Just follow this road. We’ll come to a crossroads in about five minutes. Then, we take a right turn. Rose Cottage isn’t far,” he replied.
“We were lucky we didn’t ram one of those bloody trees back there. That would have been game over mate. I’m surprised Luke even gave you the keys.”
The Devil's Blue Eyes Page 21
