The Depths of Darkness

by Laurie Bowler

  His deep rumble of anger that quickly subsided into a light chuckle annoyed me far more than if he was to have stayed completely silent.

  “Stop laughing at me,” I grumbled leaving the room and I walked quickly towards the doorway at the end of the corridor.

  “Patty.” Leo called behind me.

  I turned around groaning loudly about another intrusion.

  “Yes,” I inquired.

  “I just wanted to say good luck,” he smiled gently, “and well done for taming the Meniagier. Can you send them back to their world before you face Lilly though, none of us can do it,” he asked hopefully.

  “Nope,” I replied turning away from him in a show of disrespect, much to his shock and horror. “They now belong in this world, and if I die,” I emphasised the 'if' although I knew I would undoubtedly die once Lilly caught hold of me, “then they will remain with me.”

  “You know you can’t do that,” he said loudly. “What’s wrong with you? It’s not like you were meant to live and you know it.”

  Luke hissed in response and stood in the middle of Leo and me; his eyes glaring dark daggers in his direction.

  “Thank you Leo,” he spat. “Patty is aware of her fate and doesn’t need someone like you, who has already done enough damage to her, to remind her of it, go away!” he warned.

  “Or what, Vampire,” he demanded standing ready to fight, “what are you going to do?”

  “Nothing,” I intervened. “One thing is for sure,” I yelled back at them both, “I have to die but don’t let it be in vain and for goodness sake learn to get along with each other. It’s not like your complete enemies; you both lied to me so that makes you on equal terms in my reckoning.”

  Score one for me! I thought happily after leaving the pair standing and facing each other, unable to move due to their tempers escalating higher as the seconds passed.

  I walked on ahead. Luke didn’t follow for some time, causing my temper to dampen a little. At least he had the decency to leave me alone even if it was for a few minutes. And soon as I reached the Meniagier, I knew he couldn’t follow me inside the shield I’d placed around them. I’d created my own shield that was impenetrable even to the other witches unless they knew how to counter it. Even then, they had to try and tame them and get them back to their own exiled destination which wouldn’t be an easy feat for any of them to do.

  “Wait for me,” Luke moaned behind me as I stalked on ahead glad for the reprieve.

  “You don’t have to follow me,” I whispered angrily in the air. “There’s no need. I’m going to see the only decent animals I’ve ever met,”

  “Ouch!” he moaned, pretending to hold his heart. “That was a low cut there.”

  “This is not the time for your jokes Luke,” I warned storming ahead and leaving him behind. If he wanted, he could easily catch up with me, but I felt his reluctance to push the boundaries between us. “And stop following me.”

  “No can do,” he grinned. “You know I have to follow you everywhere you go, and for the record,” he said, “if you do survive, I’m turning you no questions asked. For once I’m making a decision that’s for the better; the world will be a lonely place without you Patty.”

  I turned around, almost bumping into him in the process but I managed to stop myself.

  “There is no way I can survive what I have to do,” I stormed angrily. “So stop kidding yourself and admit the only thing to do is bury me; that’s if you can find anything left of me.”

  “I don’t get it,” he admitted confusedly. “What is it exactly you have to do to get rid of Lilly?”

  “I have to open the pits of hell and slide down into it with her,” I answered lightly. “If I’m lucky I might get rejected; it depends of course,” I added bitterly, “on the mess of my DNA. It will be confusing for them to decide;I might be lucky all the same, but you know what,” I continued, “at least the precious realm will be safe and everyone joined to it, including you.”

  “I turned down your offer and the condition you set earlier Patty,” he answered quietly. “Nice as it was and incredibly brave, I can’t accept it. If I don’t get to work alongside you then there’s no way I’m joining something that had more evil inside it than I do.”

  “You’re being plain stupid now,” I accused. “And besides if that’s what you want to do then it’s up to you, but the offer will stay open with Leo, he likes you. I can tell; he doesn’t normally like anyone much less a vampire but you seem to have hit a soft spot.”

  “Yes it looked that way just now,” he commented sarcastically. “Anyway,” he added, “go and see your Meniagier if it’ll put you in a good mood then we can get on and figure this mess out. There must be something someone can do that will make sure you don’t die; I refuse to accept your fate is to die amongst this mess they created.”

  He was the most frustrating person I’d ever met, not to mention stubborn and pig headed. His own world revolved entirely around himself with everything he wanted for himself, and that included me. But this time was different, it was way beyond out of his control, and sooner or later he’d have to accept that and stop driveling on about his own world and me included in it, didn’t he listen earlier? I was made to kill Lilly as much as I was made to die alongside her; my fate was sealed.

  I reached the Meniagier who immediately trotted towards me, their eyes passively glancing at Luke who remained standing outside my shield. Unsure of where he was supposed to be, for once his uncertainty made me feel good. He needed to learn the dire lesson that you have to try things in life whether dead or not, and you had to listen to others to be able to determine particular details so as not to miss out. One day he might learn, but I wouldn’t be here to face that.

  “Hey there,” I whispered softly, gently stroking their noses in turn as they’d all lined up waiting expectantly for me to begin to pet them. Id already chosen my favourite and it had to be the largest one, their leader. There was something about that one that compelled me to him, drew me closer and I felt an inner peace the moment I touched him.

  “I know,” I chuckled softly into the night sky, “you missed me,” I said when he nuzzled my neck and blew clouds softly at me in his happiness. “I missed you too,” I said. “But you will have to go back willingly after the fight ok?”

  I waited patiently for him to understand what I’d told him; he felt my emotions the minute I laid my hand on the top of his bowed head and he snorted in disdain, angry at my resolve and my fate.

  “I know it’s not nice,” I soothed gently. “But what can I do?”

  Luke couldn’t hear a word I was saying. On the outside of the shield, which could only be seen by those I chose to see it, he would only be able to see the movements of my mouth. The shield was so tightly sealed that I made sure not even a vampire with his extraordinary hearing could listen in on my conversations. I stayed with them for a long time. After seeing Luke begin to pace a few times, pondering over information and becoming impatient with the time I was taking, deliberately I stretched it out for as long as I dared, just my last small attempt to annoy him. Cheerily I promised I would see them later on and I was left with another sloppy kiss planted down my cheek. It was becoming a habit of theirs to show their affection to me in that way, and it was messy habit for them to uphold.

  “I’m ready,” I stepped out of the shield and found myself facing a very upset and angry vampire who stared towering over me fiercely.

  “We have to go inside,” he muttered tightly, “and don’t do that again.”

  “Do what?” I asked innocently hiding my smile.

  “Take as long as you did on purpose,” he answered, “or next time I’ll make sure your dreams are as erotic and hot like you’d never believe,” he teased.

  He was so complex, I couldn’t figure him out. One breath he was angry and the next he teased me. What sort of vampire was he?

  “Stop thinking,” he said through clenched teeth dragging me by the arm towards the house, “I
don’t want to hear whatever is going through your head.”

  “I’m just trying to figure you out,” I said, “I don’t understand you. One minute you’re as angry as hell and the next your teasing me. What’s that all about?”

  “You annoy the hell out of me,” he said. “And I cannot control how I feel about you; the more I’m with you, the more I don’t want you to have to face this alone,.Let me help in some way. Isn’t there another spell you can use that means you won’t have to die?”

  “No Luke,” I said sadly. “It’s already agreed what has to happen. The best thing we can all do now is make sure the Cerberus and Tye are destroyed or exiled to another realm where they can’t bother anyone again. And the Meniagier have agreed to leave quietly but you have to make sure and promise me that you will see they don’t hurt them.”

  “Of course I will do that,” he said. “Come on before I really lose my temper and pick you up to run away with you.”

  “Don’t do that,” I laughed and I felt the warmth of his sentiment swim through me. “I don’t think the others will let you get away with it.”

  “I doubt they’ll bother trying to stop me,” he said testing the atmosphere. “But I think we’d better join them right now; I can hear them getting testy with each other. Everyone is blaming each other and none are willing to make a stand and take ownership for what they have done. This will go down in history in your realm documents,”

  “That’s if they decide to write about it,” I muttered doubting they would. “Let's face them.”

  We walked into the house, for once I wasn’t afraid to hold Luke’s hand in front of them. I was facing my final moments of my life and I wanted to make doubly sure I would be able to face it with dignity while doing the things I’d dreamed of doing for a little while, which included being with Luke.

  “Patty,” Fiona beamed jumping from her seat beside Zanda to welcome me. “We’ve just been speaking about how best to go about cornering Lilly. The only way we can come up with is to storm the house and surround her. What do you think?”

  “Sounds alright,” I said tightly. “Who’s going to tackle the Cerberus? They breed fast and their numbers multiply quickly, that and the fact that they grow into fully formed adults in about 2 weeks from birth.”

  “We all will,” she answered smiling at me. “You’re very brave to accept the honour to die in the name of the realm.”

  “Sorry,” I choked. “What did you say?”

  Before she could summon a suitable answer Leo jumped to his feet followed quickly by Stella.

  “We were just telling our newly acquired friends,” Leo interjected, “how you’ve nominated yourself to be the one to finish Lilly and her plans off for good because no one else wanted to do it.”

  I watched him closely. It was inconceivable that he would tell anyone such a thing, but he was after all, a member of the realm and the realm would always come first along with their duty to protect its good name and everything it stood for.

  “I see,” I said sounding odd. “Yes,” I agreed. “That’s right, someone had to do it.”

  I had no idea what made me agree with them when it would have been just as easy to cause a ruckus between them all and see them all argue their point of view and fight for my survival. But I didn’t feel I was worth anything anymore, least of all human or otherwise.

  “I think it’s highly commendable what you’re doing,” she sighed wistfully. “If I could take your place then I would but Zanda won’t let me,” she said.

  I don’t think Fiona meant to sound as contrite as it came out, but that’s how she always seemed to sound apparently according to everything Luke whispered in my ear.

  “Why didn’t they hear what was said in the room?” I asked.

  “Because they couldn’t,” he answered. “Darcy stood outside listening to everything inside the library. I suggested the library because it’s built with walls that vampire can’t listen through. Darcy planted her ear against the door and listened in on the conversation.”

  “Oh,” I said in wonder, “why would she do that?”

  “Because she wants you to live as much as I do,” he replied. “Anyway, you’re missing so much of their conversation about how they’re planning your death, so you’d better pay attention.”

  “Maybe with them planning my imminent death, I decided I don’t want to listen,” I snorted at him under my breath. “It's a little off putting not to mention freaky. Why can’t I die how I decide to die? After all, it’s their fault my life has to end, so I think that cuts short their decision making, don’t you agree?”

  “I believe you’re right,” he chuckled. “Tell them then.”

  I listened for a while longer, their plots of who would have the honour of killing whom was determined by the factors of the growing numbers of the Cerberus.

  “They’ve grown in numbers,” Stella growled at Zanda. “They have more. What do you want us to do? Put a spell on them?”

  “Well,” he replied non-plussed by her response. “You are witches and so far you’ve managed to mess it up anyway. With Patty’s life about to end because of your inability to kill someone with your so called power, all we have left are the menial things.”

  “How dare you?” she jumped from her seat and prowled around him, stalking him like prey. “How dare you?” she added again visibly shaking with anger. “Demean the power of the realm; we’ll have you know we are the strongest to live inside that place. Because of us and the power we have, we were able to make her,” she jabbed her finger at me, “in the first place.”

  “I see your still standing by some awful decision you mad with Matace,” he sneered. “Typical! Because of you she has to die, which is completely pointless. If your so called power is that strong, then why can’t you be the one to kill Lilly?”

  “Now stop!” Leo joined in jumping instantly to the defense of the realm and his own power. “I won’t have a blood sucking vampire demean the realm either. Patty was made purely to take Lilly or whomever, into the depths of hell which is where I’ll send you if you don’t stop this nonsense.”

  “You can try,” Zanda openly teased. “I wouldn’t though, there’s more than one blood sucking vampire in the room, and if you take on one, then take on the rest.”

  Taunting the vampire or the elder witch was not a good combination and their horrible infliction with each other was annoying. They were also a little indecisive because they’d still not reached an amicable decision about numbers of whom would be responsible for taking on whatever creature Lilly chose to summon.

  “Both of you,” I screamed, “stop!”

  All eyes turned to me; everyone stared open mouthed. I wanted to crawl back under my quiet little stone. I cringed when Leo stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him. He didn’t expect a lowly witch like myself to tell him to ‘shut up’.

  “How many do they have exactly?” I asked Stella.

  “They’ve grown well over into the hundreds,” she replied a little calmer but still sending fiery glaring glances directly at Zanda. “We just can’t work together that much is obvious.”

  “Well,” I said coolly, “you don’t have any choice. Zanda is right, because of the inability of the realm, my life has to end which now makes me in total control of the campaign. There’s no reason why I can’t tell you all where to go and who will do what. This is what will happen.”

  Stella was so shocked she slumped back into the chair, while Leo rejoined breathing calmer than before and sending me a small wink before resuming his own seat. For once, I took complete control of the situation and I could see Luke was impressed, although he didn’t say anything but sat back and listened intently.

  All eyes were on me as I began to dictate the direction of the fight that would inevitably take place. Lilly was about to find herself under attack from my own small army built up because of the events she’d caused. In some ways, I felt sad because of the monstrosity of the curse the realm had placed upon me, a
nd they saw it as an honour.

  “You do know it’s an honour to do what you’re doing,” Stella remarked when I’d eventually sat down beside Luke. “To take someone into hell is a certain way to be mentioned in the realms books as being the one to save everyone else,.”

  “It would have been nice to have been asked if that’s something I wanted to do,” I remarked tightly. “Rather than have your honour forced on me.”

  Tight lipped she walked away, her small hands bundled into fists at her sides. The others were either drinking or eating and preparing for what was to come next.

  “Do you think you can take a walk with me?” Luke asked quietly.

  “Sure,” I smiled. “It’d be nice to do something other than talk about people dying.”

  Grinning he took my hand and led me away from the room again we were in the midst of curious glances and Zanda smiling knowingly in my direction.

  “Are you sure there isn’t another way?” he asked sadly beside me.

  I shook my head. “No,” I answered. “There isn’t. If there was,” I sighed. “I’d be using it instead of my own life going to waste over someone like Lilly.”

  We walked over to the far side of the garden and sat on the embankment that faced the roadside. The cars had long since stopped coming out this way due to the mortal fear of being hunted. This was renowned for its hunters and mysterious disappearances. Luke’s land had been heralded as being dangerous past the hour of darkness.

  “I think,” he said, “if you’d agree to be a vampire, I’d make you one right now.”

  I laughed softly into the night air, and felt the breeze carry my laughter with it. “I can’t agree to that,” I said smiling, “You know why.”