I couldn’t hold back the shock as my vision came back and the warehouse came into focus. The Afrit just laughed as I struggled to gasp some air with its hand still around tight around my neck. I tried to get out from underneath him and scramble backwards, but the Afrit grabbed my sword, holding me in place.
“What the fuck is happening?” I said, my voice raspy.
“The banishing spell is complete,” The Afrit replied.
Holy shit! I was banished with it! No one had said that this could happen! I should have listened to Aidan! If Mahalia had even hinted that this was a possibility, then I never would have done this. The Afrit let go of my neck, but made no moves to get off of my chest or take its claws out of my ribs.
“Send me back, you son of a bitch,” I growled, even though I knew that it wouldn't.
The Afrit leaned in, its foul breath hot on my face. “It was a banishment, you stupid girl. I can't send you back.”
“Then what good are you?” I screamed.
The realization that you have been banished with a demon gives you quite an adrenaline rush - enough for me to finally drive the sword down through its heart. The Afrit collapsed on my chest. I pushed and rolled, using its weight to flip positions. I was on top. The Afrit didn’t move, but I wasn't taking any chances. I pulled my sword free from its chest and chopped off its head. Satisfied that it was really and truly dead, I gritted my teeth and pulled on its arm. Its fingers were still wrapped around my ribs. Even in death the demon wouldn't let go of me. I took a deep breath and pulled down on its arm again. I didn’t even try to hold back the scream as I pulled its sharp claws out of my side and broke my ribs in the process. I collapsed on the floor.
I couldn't see any signs of the others or the circle. Even the Afrit's body had disappeared. It looked like I was still in the warehouse, but I was alone. Weeds poked through cracks in the busted concrete floor. The columns crumbled before my eyes. It was in a perpetual state of deterioration. How was I supposed to get back? I wasn't a demon. I couldn't be summoned. I didn’t have a clue as to how to get home.
First things first, I needed to figure out where I was exactly. I tried to stand and found that it was much easier than I had expected. Maybe I was just getting used to being hurt all the time. I scanned the area, but still didn't see anything or anyone. I walked toward the front door. When nothing jumped out at me, I opened it and walked through. My knees damn near gave out on me when I realized that I wasn't outside at all. I was right back in the warehouse where I had started.
What the hell was going on? I grabbed my side. It still hurt like a son of a bitch, but I knew that the ribs were already knitting themselves back together. I kept some pressure on my side and forced myself to run the entire length of the warehouse to the door in the back. I ignored the fear of what I'd find on the other side and pushed the door open. The clang of steel against concrete echoed throughout the empty room as the Retaliator hit the floor. I was dead. That little revelation certainly put a damper on my fucking day, but it was the only logical explanation. A person can't be banished. I was dead and trapped in the warehouse where I had died. I was going to haunt the shit out of the coven if I ever figured out how to get out of here. I picked up my sword and my resolve and went back to finding a way out of my purgatory.
I must have walked every inch of the warehouse ten times. There wasn't any way out - not that I could see any way. I tried to recall any useful details from my own ghostly encounter a few months ago, but couldn't remember any. Maybe I should have listened when my two apparitions tried to tell me about life and death and all the things in between. Perhaps I had forgotten their lecture because there had been a more pressing matter at the time - like a crazy Goddess trying to take over the world. Priorities, right?
“You're not dead,” a voice said from behind me.
I tightened my grip on my sword and slowly turned around. I stumbled back when I saw who it was.
“Arawn. What are you doing here?” I gasped.
“Executioner,” he answered.
“Have you come for me?” I asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” he replied.
“That’s a cryptic way of saying yes,” I told him.
“You seem so certain. Is there something you would like to confess?” he asked.
“Nothing comes to mind. But here you are,” I said.
“It is intriguing that we should meet again in the between. How may I ask, did you find your way here?” he asked.
“It's a long story. I'd much rather talk about how I'm supposed to get home,” I responded.
“I think we have the time,” he prodded.
“I sort of caught a lift with a demon,” I said.
“Interesting. And where is the demon now?” he asked.
“I killed it and then its body disappeared,” I answered.
He clasped his hands together in what I can only describe as delight, but stopped short of applauding. “You used the sword?” he asked.
“Yes. Why?” I asked, suddenly nervous about this line of questioning.
“You are a fascinating creature, Maurin,” Arawn said.
“Umm, thanks, I guess. Listen, I hate to be rude, but could you please tell me how to get out of here?” I asked.
“You have taken a liking to the Retaliator,” he said.
“I wouldn’t use those words - no,” I replied.
“Oh, I would.” He laughed.
“That's what you find fascinating? My sword? This is crazy. Will you please just tell me how to get home?” I pleaded.
“Do you not find it fascinating that you can even wield the sword to begin with? Have you not questioned why you of all people are able to slay demons with the Retaliator?” he asked.
Of course I'd thought about it, like only a million times. The only thing that I could come up with was my connection with Scota. I told him as much, but he wasn't impressed with my feeble attempt at deductive reasoning.
“Must I spell it out for you? Fine,” he sighed when I didn't say anything. “You are my daughter. That's why Scota was able to latch onto you in the first place. I knew your face from the first moment that I saw you, but the witch interfered. That is something that I will have to discuss with her when I see her next,” Arwann said pensively.
I laughed. What else could I do when faced with a crazy god? I had wished for different parents all the time when I was a kid, but this was ridiculous. I was pretty clueless about a lot of things, but I did know who my real parents were.
“Your mother hid you from me in the one place that she knew I wouldn't think to look - with a mortal family,” he said.
“As much as that would explain the problems that I had with my family growing up, it's impossible. I am only twenty-five. I'd be like.....I can't even do the math. Old, I'd be frigging ancient,” I said.
“You should know that anything is possible by now. She hid you the same way you came here with the demon and the same way I will take you back,” he explained.
“Are you sure that I'm not dead or in a coma or something?” I asked, but he didn't dignify that inquiry with an answer.
“Okay, so let's say that I'm completely delusional and I actually believe this. My real mother did what - swapped me out with a mortal baby?” I asked, disbelief still heavy in my voice.
“You’re not a changeling, Maurin. Your mother, like me and you, was able to move through realities. Despite only being a Druid Priestess, once I showed her how she became quite adept. She even used her magic to conjure a time manipulation in the different realities. That is something that I was never able to do. When our reality began to deteriorate, she succumbed to her fears that you would not survive. I tried to convince her that we could keep you safe, but she could see my strength leaving as the mortals changed faiths, so she took you away and used the last of her magic to bring you to Salem. And now Fate has finally brought us together again,” he said, his voice full of emotion.
I didn't know what to say. I had t
o admit that he was convincing, but there was just no way. He moved to close the distance between us, but I backed away.
“Only my child could execute Morrigan and her sisters. Only my child could follow a demon and slay it in the between. You hunt the wicked, as do I. Even in your pathetic mortal existence, you used your gifts to seek out and convict the guilty,” he said.
“My mother and father died when I was little. I was adopted by the most normal of the Norms. They didn't understand me and I sure as hell didn't understand them. I took off the first chance I got. I'm not your daughter,” I said.
“I realize that this must be hard for you to hear - that your life has been a lie - but I assure you that I speak the truth. You remember only what your mother wanted you to. A family that didn’t exist, a tragedy that never happened. She replaced your memories of us with ones from a mortal life,” he explained.
“Well she could have picked some happier memories because the ones that I have suck,” I said.
This was insane. I knew who I was and it sure as hell wasn't his daughter, but I needed to get back and Arawn was the only way that was going to happen. I was going to have to play along if I wanted to get home.
“So, um, Dad - you said something about showing me how to get back?” I asked.
“Yes, daughter, I will take you back with me, to my home and the place of your birth where you will learn to fulfill your role as an Executioner.”
Oh shit. That's so not what I meant. So much for tricking him into taking me home. I was just digging myself in deeper. The look on my face must have given me away.
“I am an old god, Maurin, but I still have my wits about me. I knew that you would not believe me so quickly. I will show you how to get back to Salem. I am a hunter, which means that I am both patient and determined. Given time, you will see that I speak the truth,” he said.
“No one has that kind of time,” I said, since there was no longer any use in pretending that I believed him.
“Shall we begin your first lesson then?” After seeing my eagerness to learn how to get home, he finally continued. “There is more happening in the universe than the reality that you are in right now. In fact, when I say that anything is possible, I am not exaggerating. It is not until our mind decides that the reality becomes truly clear,” he said.
“I'm sorry - what? I thought that you were going to show me how to go home - not give me a physics lesson. You'd think that my own dad would know that I flunked physics in high school,” I said sarcastically.
That got a laugh out of him. “Let's try a different approach. Imagine that you are at one of those fancy restaurants that humans are so fond of. You've ordered one of the dozen menu selections. A waiter brings your meal in one of those covered trays. He sets it before you. Right up until the moment you lift the cover all twelve selections are still possible. It is not until your mind tells you that it is chicken does that become the reality,” he explained.
“That’s probably the best explanation of quantum mechanics that I've ever heard. Seriously, where were you when I was in high school?” I asked.
“Now that we are on the same page, alternate realities are the same way. When you are in the between, any reality is possible. Your mind simply needs to decide on what your reality will be. For example, I followed the Blue Man across the globe. Each time, I arrived shortly after him. That is until I tired of the chase and put an end to it,” Arawn said.
“You're talking about Baylen?” I asked.
“Yes. It saddens me to say, since I take no pleasure in ending any race, that the Blue Men are no more. But that is not why I bring it up. I was able to follow him across Europe, more than once, by opening myself up to the between. Every time that Baylen and his fanged friend made a decision about their destination, I would envision the same in the between. It is how I am able to chase my quarry relentlessly. They move by horse or plane or train and all I have to do is wait for them to decide. Then I slip into the between and choose the reality of my being in the same place at the same time,” he said matter of factly.
“But how do you know when and where they decide? How do I open myself up to the between?” I asked.
"One thing at a time. The between is always there. It is the basis of all reality. Not everyone can see it. You have obviously inherited the gift from me, however,” he said.
“Then how was my mother able to do it if she was just a Druid Priestess? Are witches able to move through the between?” I asked
“To some degree, yes. Your mother's magic was very powerful. I have never seen another who could manipulate magic and the between the way that she could. Their teleportation spells are very similar, but you will not need potions or magical relics to move through the between. Take my hand,” he said.
I hesitated. My mind was reeling. Every time I thought that my life couldn’t get any weirder, it did. Big time.
“Take my hand, Maurin,” he repeated.
The moment that my hand touched his, I felt the world fall away. I slammed my eyes shut when the weightlessness set in. It was a good thing that I hadn’t eaten for a while, because my stomach threatened to empty its contents as soon as my feet hit terra firma again. The cold air felt good against my clammy skin and eased the motion sickness that was fighting to take over. I took a couple of deep breaths and tried to find my center.
“Open your eyes,” Arawn said.
I had to fight the urge to close my eyes tighter. I opened one eye and then the other.
“I think that I'm going to puke,” I said.
“It will pass in a moment.” he assured me.
We were standing in the middle of Gallows Hill Park. He had transported us both through the between and brought us back to Salem.
“Not that I'm not grateful to be back, but why are we here?” I asked.
“This is a place of great importance for you. You spilled your blood and the blood of your enemies on this ground. You wielded the Retaliator for the first time only feet from here. And it is where I found you after spending a lifetime believing that you were lost to me forever. Step into the between here and I will meet you,” he explained.
I didn't know if that was a good thing or not. The fact that he would know that I was in the between at all was enough to make me never want to do it again.
“Now take us to the warehouse,” Arawn said.
“How am I supposed to do that?” I asked.
“I just showed you,” he said, sounding a little frustrated. “This is going to be more difficult than I thought. Try to break down this reality. The castle isn't here; nothing is here. Peel away the layers of detail that make this place real to you. There is only space," he said.
I tried. I really did try, but I kept getting distracted by thoughts of the final frontier.
“You're going to have to do better than that. Focus!” he demanded.
Not wanting to risk irritating him further, I concentrated on finding the between. I thought about the place where everything began - before it became real. I questioned the reality and felt the between move a little closer. It was there, rolling just beneath the surface like an underground river. That was how I imagined it. It was a stream of possibilities; all I had to do was learn to control the current. I dipped my hand in and let the cool power of the between move across my skin.
“Very good, Maurin. Though I don't recommend you use this as an escape route yet. You'd be dead already if an enemy were after you,” he said.
“Shhhhh. You're going to break my concentration. I've almost got it,” I told him.
Without further instruction, I focused all of my attention back on the between. I soaked up its power and spindled it in my mind until I couldn't hold any more. Once my head was full of the between, I started envisioning the warehouse. I imagined what the cold dampness that comes from being surrounded by concrete felt like against my skin. I pictured the circle on the floor and the scent of the candles and incense. I saw the people who were there when I’d left in my min
d. I could actually feel the new reality forming around me and hear their voices - and a few that weren't in the warehouse before as well.
I was out of the between and back where I had started. Well, almost. I wasn't in the circle any more. I was closer to the main door. Masarelli pulled his team from security detail and moved them inside. Guns were drawn and the guys from SPTF were yelling, “Put her down!” It took me a second to figure out what was happening. Aidan had Graive jacked up against the wall by her throat. It was hard to tell from where I was, but it looked like his fangs were out. I turned to tell Arawn that I'd be right back, but he was already gone. Damn! I knew that I was going to have a hard time explaining what had happened without him around. I turned back just in time to see that Oberon had worked some sort of spell and had aimed it at Aidan. It was time to rejoin the party.
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“Don't kill her on my account,” I said, loud enough for everyone to hear over all the commotion.
Masarelli and a couple of his guys turned their guns on me. Two agents kept their sights on Aidan as he turned to look over his shoulder. His eyes were wild and his face contorted with rage. There were two small red dots on Aidan's back – their sights were set on him already, but two guns wouldn't stop him. If I had arrived even a couple of seconds later, Graive would have been dead and Aidan would have been arrested. There was no way that Masarelli would have let him get away with murder - even though Graive was a necro and Masarelli was a bigot when it came to the Others.
“Easy boys. It's just me. Masarelli - tell them to lower their weapons before I end up getting shot in the head,” I said, watching the newest recruit to SPTF and his itchy trigger finger.
Witch Hunt, A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (The Maurin Kincaide Series) Page 21
