Forgotten Memories

by Candis Vargo

  “That would be amazing. Thanks Roland,” I said.

  I was upset with myself for not wanting to get to know the man Roland was earlier. If I would have known how caring and sincere he was a while ago I very well may have fallen in love with him. My heart ached for him, knowing that he loved me so much and yet I loved another. Still he was willing to do whatever it took to help me get Chace back. It was in that moment I knew I loved Roland. Not in the same way I loved Chace but more in the way I loved Em. I loved him as a friend.

  Chapter 26

  I was on my way over to get Em so we could go start the spell to open the portal. The moment the Coven saw me they all scurried over to me in a group. As soon as they were near enough to block my path to Em they instantly began to hassle me about my magic. For some reason I didn’t think it was because of the alcohol. I thought they just wanted an excuse to speak freely. When I looked at the bottles of liquor on the table next to them I knew my instincts were right. Those bottles looked as though they had barely been touched.

  “Well here comes little Miss Pixie. Should we bow down to you, our mighty powerful one?” One of the Coven members asked in a mocking tone. I wanted to think of something cocky to say but I was appalled by the sudden alteration in their behavior.

  “You know what I think we should do?” Another one spoke up. “I think we should take care of this little problem ourselves. I don’t think a Pixie should be able to harness such power.”

  I began looking around for someone else, anyone else. They were all by the fire laughing and carrying on. I noticed Em trying to get them to back away. She was talking to them like one would talk to a child but that seemed to only upset them more.

  “Who knows what a Pixie might do with those powers. Especially her.” One of the members glared at me. “Maybe we should take them. That isn’t such a bad idea. Unless…you would chose to join us. At least if you join us we would be able to keep you under control.”

  “What? No, I can’t join you,” I said now that I was finally able to find my voice again. “I’m a Pixie as you all pointed out. I’ll stay Pixie and keep my powers to myself thank you very much. You can take your Coven and shove it right up your ass.”

  “That wasn’t the right answer,” the first Coven member said as she pouted out her bottom lip. “Oh well, your loss.”

  Em stopped talking to the Coven like they were children and became angry. I don’t remember the last time I saw her that pissed off, but I was proud.

  “Just because you can’t handle the fact that someone has more power than you all put together gives you no right to treat her this way. You should be thanking her. She accomplished something you as a group couldn’t manage to do. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. The only thing you care about is power. Well I hate to break it to you but Karma will always have more power than you all put together. So get the fuck over it.” Em stared down each and every one of the Coven members as she talked. Including her mom.

  “You should not be talking to your Elders that way my dear. Maybe you should think twice about whom exactly it is you are talking to. We are your Coven and you do as we say,” one of the members said.

  “No, you were my Coven. I think I will grow a sack and follow my Grandmother. You have nothing to offer me. My grandmother is far superior to anything any of you will ever be,” Em said with sincerity. She made sure she looked at her mom when she spoke. It’s like she wanted her words to sting, but there was no sign of that. Her mother didn’t even flinch. She just smiled.

  The rest of the Coven members looked aghast by what Em just said. I knew Gram would be just as proud of her as I was. I watched as the Coven turned and started to walk away. They didn’t get very far before they stopped and huddled around each other. It was only a few moments before Em understood what they were doing.

  Em began running and screaming at them to stop. I didn’t know what she meant by stop but I knew it was serious.

  “Mom! Don’t! Stop mom! What the hell is your problem! Stop!” I heard Em yell.

  Everyone that was over by the fire stopped what they were doing and looked upon us. Roland stood on alert and I realized he was listening in on what was going on. Within the blink of an eye he ran over to the Coven and threw them apart. He literally ran right in the middle of their circle and threw every single one of them on their backs. But it was too late.

  It didn’t take me long to understand what the Coven just did. Em began crying as everyone looked at me. I felt it before I saw it. It was all draining out of me. It was flowing out like water from a lake. I had worked so hard to finally be able to receive my full powers. The Coven now took them from me.

  I looked down as I watched streaks of red, blue, green and gold flow out of me and onto the ground. No one had to tell me what they were, I felt it. Each color stood for one of the elements I had power over. I was stunned as I watched them slid across the ground over to the Coven. The colors then made their way into Em’s mom. She just stood there with a smirk as sinister as one Leviathan would have given.

  I stood there feeling like I was paralyzed. They had just taken my magic. They not only took my magic, but they took my last chance to save Chace. The world began to tumble down around me as my vision blurred. I had my strength and I was more confident than anything. But they took that. They took everything. They should have just taken my life.

  The only person who was able to move or say anything was Em. “Do you have any idea what you just fucking did? You didn’t just take her magic that you so desperately wanted; you took her only chance of getting Chace back! You fucking bitches! You all belong down in Hell with Leviathan! You greedy selfish bitches! Give her back her fucking powers!”

  The Coven didn’t move; they didn’t even flinch. They just stood there smiling. They enjoyed what they just did. They didn’t care that they stole my last hope, my last opportunity. My heart sank as my body ached all over. It seemed like all at once everyone began yelling. I tried to listen to what everyone was saying.

  “Give them back,” Roland growled.

  “We can’t just give them back. It doesn’t work like that,” Em’s mom said.

  “If you can’t give them back then you will be the ones to get Chace back.” I was surprised that Roland was still willing to help me. I thought he might have been relieved that I could no longer open the portal. I was wrong.

  “I do not think so!” Em’s mom scolded with a voice of ice.

  “You do it or I will tear out your jugular and drink you dry. And trust me, you will not enjoy it one fucking bit.” Roland flashed his glistening fangs as let out a hungry growl. I didn’t know what Em would think about that but she didn’t seem to mind. She looked like if she was a Vamp she would have already done it. Mom or not.

  “You think they would allow that?” Em’s mom, the Coven leader gestured toward the other Vamps and the Pixies.

  “I would hold you down if I had to,” my father said. His voice as bitter as the look on his face. That definitely caught the Coven off guard. “You will help my daughter get back the man she loves or we all will have a new war. Fortunately, you are outnumbered and we won’t wait to attack this time.”

  I tried to register everything I was hearing. Everyone surprised me by how much they were willing to help me get Chace back. I was both grateful and stunned.

  I started to remember everything I had read earlier. I knew what I had to do. I didn’t care how hard it would be, I was willing to walk through the deepest layer of Hell to get back the man I loved.

  I let the sorrow and pain subside inside of me. My face changed from shocked to determined, nothing was going to get in my way. No matter what it took or how it had to be done, I was going to do it. I wouldn’t be able to go on wondering ‘what if’ for the rest of my immortal life. And I sure as fuck wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

  Chapter 27

  Everyone was still arguing and threatening the Coven when I took off and ran straight to my bedroom. I locked
the door behind me as I wiped away the last tear I was going to shed. I knew if anyone saw me they would think I came up here to cry the night away. I wanted them to think that. At least if they thought that then they wouldn’t come looking for me.

  I ran over to my desk and opened the drawer. I assumed my hands should be shaky and my heart should be racing. But my hands were firm and my heart was steady. I didn’t feel anything except determination. I knew this is what I had to do if I was to get him back. He would do it for me. He already did it for me. I was going to do it for him.

  I grabbed the dagger and held it close. I closed my eyes and transferred myself out to the pond. It only took a moment for me to get there. I looked around enjoying all the beauty for one last moment. I always knew this place held the answers but I didn’t expect this would be it.

  I closed my eyes once again and forced the memories of the night Chace was sent to hell. I wanted to see the motions; I wanted to see where he was. As soon as I remembered the spot where Chace was when he was stabbed, I walked over to it. I sat down on my knees and ran my hand across the twigs on the ground.

  I let my strength rise in me and I prepared myself. If I was going to do this, I needed to do it now. I didn’t want to risk the chance of my heart breaking down on me when I needed it to be strong. Although my enhanced powers were gone, I still had my charm bracelet to help me. The courage and strength within it sored through my body.

  When I heard Molly neighing loudly running through the woods I knew I had to do it now. I didn’t know what would happen to her but I hoped when I came back she would too. It was when I raised the dagger with both hands when Molly stepped into the clearing. She wasn’t alone, she was with Roland. He must have finally realized how close Molly and I were or he wouldn’t have followed her. I was proud of him for that but I also wished they both would have stayed away.

  I hoped I wouldn’t miss. I knew where my heart was but I prayed I was physically strong enough to push it in there. From all of the lessons I had with my father I knew how to slide a weapon in between the ribs to angle it at the heart. I just hoped I could get that same angle doing it to myself.

  I did. I swung the dagger down with as much force as I possibly could and it slid smoothly through my ribs and penetrated my heart. Pain seared through my body from the inside out. It was truly a dagger of Hell because I felt like I was slowly turning to ash on the inside. The burning took over as I screamed in agony.

  Roland flashed over to me and held me in his arms. He quickly pulled out the dagger but it didn’t stop the pain. I have never seen a Vamp cry before. I didn’t think I ever would, especially Roland. His eyes filled with blood as a drip slid down his cheek and onto me.

  “I’m sorry,” I managed to say in a hoarse voice. I wanted to tell him I would be back but I couldn’t manage to say anything else. I was vaguely aware of Molly neighing and the passing of trees. I think he was running with me in his arms to someplace. I didn’t know where he was taking me. I never found out. Instead I was engulfed in blackness.

  The pain subsided as the darkness took over. The world didn’t fade away from me like it did when I used to black out. It promptly took complete control over me. Although I no longer had physical pain, I had a tremendous amount of emotions hit me all at once. It felt like everything I have felt since Chace left hit me at the same time. I felt a whirlwind of emotions running through me. With the images playing over in my mind of everyone and everything I lost I felt hollow and alone. I felt like I couldn’t go on any longer. I wanted Chace, I wanted my mother, and I wanted my powers back.

  I hated myself for it, for all of it. Maybe somehow I could have avoided it all. Maybe I should have been more in tune to my surroundings and the people in them. I might have been able to see everything coming then. I might have been able to stop it, all of it.

  My heart was aching and my soul was shattered. I lost the person I once was. If I could have saved my mother maybe I wouldn’t be in this mess. If I had been strong enough to save Chace I wouldn’t be here. I knew there was some way I could have avoided the Covens spell to take my magic. I should have stopped everything.

  There was a searing pain in my wrist that snapped me back to reality. My bracelet; that was a magic the Coven didn’t take. The strength and courage my mother had cast in it was working. Apparently it wasn’t just for my magic after all.

  I finally realized what Hell was. It was a place you were forced to relive every pain and sorrow you have ever had. It made it so you couldn’t escape all of the hurt and suffering you had felt. Hell wasn’t a fire pit where you burned for eternity. Instead it was a burning inside of your soul that could never be erased. It could never be eased.

  The charms worked their way through me and I remembered what I needed to do. As my will power came back the darkness began to fade. Slowly, I became aware of my surroundings. Everything around me was red. Not a fire red but instead the red of blood. Everything was blood.

  There were souls on their knees chained down by their wrists. They were just staring at the ground not aware to anything going on around them. They weren’t transparent like I had always thought a soul would be. They were as solid as the chains strapped on their wrists. Not a single one made a noise or movement. I felt my heart sink with pity. But it was for only one second. I knew those souls were in Hell for a reason. Whether it was something simple or serious like murder, they belonged here. But Chace didn’t. He deserved his redemption. He deserved to be free. I felt something loosen on my wrists until it released altogether. In that moment I realized I was chained too. I watched as the heavy chains fell to the bloody floor. Somehow I managed to get free but I wasn’t going to ask why. It could have been the strength in me but I will never know.

  Through the piles of stone and the streams of flowing blood I began to walk. I didn’t know where I was going but I knew I would eventually find Chace. I have always been told to follow my instincts and damn it that is what I was going to do. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me until I accomplished what I came here to do.

  I figured if this was the Mouth of Satan, Lucifer would have to be around here somewhere. I tried to walk as quiet as I could through the blood and loose rocks that lined the floors. I put as much weight as I could on the balls of my heels gently walking toward piles of stones I saw in the near distance. I walked slowly, trying to slide in between the piles that now seemed like they were built around me. The last thing I needed was for something to see me. I crouched down as I walked, shielding my body with the stones. I tried not to notice or touch the blood flowing down the piles of the blood stained stones I was walking around.

  The sight of all the blood was sickening. It wasn’t thin like water but instead thick like syrup. It was the darkest red I have ever seen and when two streams flowed together the blood bubbled up like it was boiling. There was a distinctive smell of decay all over. I might have been able to hand the smell of a dead deer that was bloated along the side of the road much better than I could handle the smell of the souls as they decay. It smelt like the insides of the souls were rotting away with every guilty memory they relived in that dark and hollow blackness. My stomached turned as I forced my bile to stay down.

  My determination grew and I knew I only had a little time. I wasn’t scared even though I probably should have been. The only thing I felt was the need to find him. To do what I came to do and get his soul back. I didn’t care what it would take; I was going to get Chace back.

  I don’t know how long or how far I walked but I had the feeling I was close to where I needed to be. It was like I could sense Chace’s soul as it was near mine even, down here in Hell. As I looked in the distance I saw something the resembled a castle, surrounded by more souls that had their wrists bound by chains. I walked closer toward the castle and was horrified when I saw it close up. It definitely was a castle but it was the most horrific castle that could ever exist. Hell was the perfect place for it. I figured as a castle it would have been made out of the
same stone I had been walking around. I was wrong. It was made out of something much more disturbing than that.

  The castle was built with souls. Every wall, every tower and every structure was made from the souls sent here to Hell for an eternity of suffering. They were all on their knees, stacked one on top of another. They were chained to each other’s wrists, holding them down. The smell of decay intensified and my bile no longer could stay down. I’ve never had to be quiet while I threw up before but I sure as hell was this time.

  In front of the castle of souls I saw someone. I thought it might have been Lucifer himself but as I looked closer I knew it wasn’t. I could instantly tell it was a demon. I didn’t know what kind but I was certain it wasn’t Lucifer. Its eyes were open as it looked bored with this job of his. I didn’t understand how he could be bored with what he had going on in front of him.

  On a large flat stone in front of him were two women who were making love. They were licking away at each other as the demon watched. Neither one of the women seemed to be aware of what they were doing. There weren’t any noises or excitement in their faces. They were just going through the motions like a soul who saw only darkness would. Maybe this was the only type of entertainment that was available in Hell. The demon just sat there in his chair which was also made of souls as he watched the two women like he had seen it all before. When I tore my eyes away from the women I looked around on both sides of the demon. On the stone ground on each side of this demon I saw them, all of them.

  They were there displayed like they were a trophy for Hell, every Fallen or Pixie that died during the Great War. They were all chained down, kneeling on both sides of the Demon. I tried to look at their faces until I finally saw him. I saw Chace. It took every ounce of strength in me not to run over to him and try to pry those chains off of him. He was there. I finally found him. Now I just needed to figure out how to get him the fuck out of here.