The Darkest Gateway

by Jeri Westerson

  I stopped. Were those hoofbeats?

  I moved to the very edge of the road and waited.

  The sound grew louder. It couldn’t be anything except hoofbeats. They clopped, not in a gallop but in a leisurely canter. And soon, there was the Dullahan coming around the curve. His head looked even greener and slimier under his arm than it had before, if that were possible.

  His weirdly roving eyes spotted me easily. He kicked his red-eyed horse’s sides and hurried toward us. All the while, he swung that spine whip. With each revolution around his headless neck, the weapon grew longer and longer.

  I kept the spear close to my side. I didn’t want that whip to catch it the way it had gotten the crossbow the last time.

  He was almost upon me when he shrieked, “Kylie Strange!”

  “That doesn’t work on me, you idiot!” I yelled.

  The face frowned under his arm. It cast its googly eyes toward Erasmus and opened his mouth to yell his name.

  “He’s a demon, remember? We’ve been through this before. Boy, you sure have a short memory. Must be because your brain is decaying faster than the rest of you. Looks like a bad case of melting Roquefort you got there.”

  His dead face either grimaced or it really was melting. “Then I don’t need to say your name,” he said in a high screechy voice.

  He spun the whip. Before I could get out of the way, it came at me and wrapped around my body, trapping my arms at my sides. I barely got out a yell before I was yanked off my feet.

  The horse started galloping and I was flung out behind it almost parallel to the road. I couldn’t bring the spear up. I was whipping around in the air and getting a little seasick, but it was better than being dragged behind on the asphalt. There wouldn’t have been much left of me after that.

  The bones of the spine were digging sharply into my skin. I tried wriggling free. If Headless decided to fling me off a cliff, there wasn’t much I could do about it. I knew Erasmus must be around somewhere, but this was up to me to figure out…if I could.

  The Dullahan galloped around a sharp curve and I was thrown and dragged through the limbs of pine trees shouldering the road.

  “Dammit!” I yelled, spitting out pine needles. “I am so going to kill you!”

  He lifted his head up with his other arm. It swiveled and glared at me. “Not if I kill you first, Mistress Strange.”

  “No need to be so formal,” I grunted, struggling. I slammed into some holly bushes and ow!

  The face cackled and turned away, tucked back under his arm again. Then I looked up and saw what he was cackling about. The next curve of the road didn’t have any nice prickly holly bushes or spikey pine boughs. It was just granite all the way up the rock face. “Shit!”

  I started rolling from side to side. I used my solid weight like a rock to propel me far right and left, throwing the horse off balance. It whinnied worriedly, its gait stuttering. No longer were we at a full gallop, but an insecure clopping all over the road.

  The head appeared over his headless shoulder again, assessing what I was doing. I managed to swing wide, but now that the horse was slowing down, I managed to get my legs under me and started running like some cartoon animal who’d suddenly found itself over a cliff. My shoes hit the road. I stumbled but managed to right myself and keep running. It was tempting to just stop and pull on that spine whip, but the horse was far stronger than I was.

  Headless urged the horse to gallop again, but it was spooked (yeah, it was spooked) and wouldn’t run. It headed for the grassy verge and slowed to a trot. I was able to get to a tree and run around it, making sure the spine whip was wrapped twice around the trunk and then I braced my feet against it.

  Just as I’d hoped, the whip tore from Headless’ hands. I pushed the loose spine down past my hips and stepped out of it, before running to another tree. Hiding behind it, I clutched the spear in my hands.

  Headless shrieked his anger. He yanked on the reins to pull the horse around. There was no way I could throw the spear and hope to hit him. He could easily bat it out of the way. No, I’d have to get in close, which seemed like an incredibly bad idea.

  I could hear him dismount and root around in the grasses and dead leaves, searching for his whip. I held my breath to be as quiet as possible. Carefully peeking around the side of the tree, I saw his back was to me and his head was in the crook of his arm, just sitting there. I quickly rounded the tree and kicked out with my foot, sending the head arcing into the bushes like a soccer ball.

  The body turned. It reached for me but I feinted one way and plunged into the woods in the opposite direction. Just as I thought. The headless body without the head had no idea where I was. When I looked back, it was groping around trying to find its way.

  “I’m here!” cried the head to its body. The body lurched and stumbled, trying to get to the head.

  It was all so surreal.

  The head had helpfully told me where it was. I followed the sound and soon found it among a patch of fern. It whipped around to glare at me. “You will soon die, Mistress Strange.”

  “Really? Not from where I’m standing.” I hefted up the spear and aimed the pointy end toward the head.

  Its eyes widened. It tried to roll away in a pathetic attempt at escape. It was just sad, really. Still, I hesitated. It was a human face, after all. Sort of. Kind of a squishy one. Think of it as head cheese, Kylie, I told myself, and brought the spear down hard through the top of its skull.

  Beams of light shot out as it screamed bloody murder. I pulled out the spear with a disgusting squelching sound and jabbed it again. More screaming, more beams of light. I checked the body over my shoulder. It had frozen with arms bent and fingers curled in agony, beams of light spearing through it. Even the black horse on the road was neighing, rearing, and dissolving into shards of light.

  The Booke appeared and I dropped the spear to write in it, all the descriptions of my horrific ride that I could think of, until all three pieces of the creature snapped into a flurry of sparks and disappeared. That disembodied head’s screams echoed into the hills before quieting at last.

  The Booke slammed shut and fell. I picked up the spear, hit the button to reduce its size, and stuffed it back into my jacket just as Erasmus appeared in front of me and grabbed me into his arms. “You were magnificent! I have never seen such a Chosen Host, such a human before!” He silenced anything I might have said with a kiss so feral I was almost ready to find a soft spot in the foliage. Almost.

  I gently pushed him back and caught my breath. His eyes were shining and his smile was wide, but not weirdly wide and with the right number of teeth. “Um, thanks, Erasmus. I was just trying to stay alive.”

  “Indeed you were.” He shook his head at it. “It was magnificent.”

  “Okay, all right. Let me just…sit here for a minute.”

  His jubilance turned to concern. “Are you hurt?”

  “No, just a little winded is all. The adrenalin is still pumping.” I looked at my hands. They were shaking.

  He knelt in front of me and enclosed my hands in his. “I’m sorry. I have little understanding of human feelings. Were you not proud of your achievement?”

  I blew a strand of hair off my face. “I don’t know. I mean, it just had to be done, you know? I was just working on instinct.”

  “Your instincts are truly awe-inspiring.”

  “Jeez, Erasmus. It’s like you’ve never met humans before.”

  “I have met Minoan warriors as heroic as you. And they were just as passionate.”

  That put an interesting picture in my mind. “Okay,” I said diplomatically.

  He released my hands to push a stubborn tendril of my hair away from my forehead. “But none quite like you,” he said softly.

  I kissed him because he was wearing that adoring look on his face that meant the world to me. And because I needed to feel him. But then I pushed myself away. “We’d better get back. Can you take us the Erasmus way?”

  “O
f course.” He kept hold of me and glued his gaze to mine. We were encased by the dark and cold for mere seconds before the familiar shelves and stock of my shop appeared around us.

  My coven jumped to their feet with surprised gasps and chatter. I gestured for calm as I took out the Spear of Mortal Pain and slipped off my coat. “I’m done for the day,” I said. “I could sure use some pizza.”

  “I’m on it,” said Nick, whipping out his phone.

  It looked like everyone else had gone. Nope, scratch that. Everyone but the Ordo. Bob and Charise were talking together and sitting very close in a corner, while Doug and Jeff were at opposite ends of the shop, exchanging silent glares. Ed and George were absent. Of course, they’d be patrolling. Things were still dangerous out there with Baphomet and whatever the Booke might be spitting out even now. I hoped they were getting some sleep. This is what it must be like to be a soldier. To be on and in full danger mode for an hour or two and then nothing the next. Yeah, it was nerve-wracking.

  Jeff emerged from the shadows long enough to greet me. “How about a beer, Kylie?”

  “I’d love one.”

  Doug piped up with, “How about one for me?”

  “Get it yourself, goat boy.”

  Doug looked at me and thumbed back toward Jeff. “Not too polite.”

  “Well, you did beat him up.”

  “Oh yeah. I keep forgetting.”

  “As a werewolf, he’s not afraid of much anymore.”

  “So I noticed.” He sat in the sofa near me and leaned close. “I hear he bit the little guy, the Goth dude, and made him a werewolf. Is that what happened?”

  “It was an accident.”

  “Are those two safe?”

  Jeff walked back in and handed me a bottle. “Totally safe,” he said. “And with really good wolf hearing.”

  “Hey,” said Doug, lightly touching the gauze over his eye. “I just asked.”

  Jeff sat with his own beer and sighed before taking a slug. “I take a wolfsbane potion and I don’t have the urge to kill.” He said the last with a bit of emphasis and looked steadily at Doug.

  “Dude, I’m totally reformed. I’ve got no interest in hurting you and yours. I’ve turned a new leaf.”

  “That’s good,” said Jeff, drinking and toying with the bottle in his hand. “Because if anything should happen to these people, I wouldn’t like it very much. And there wouldn’t be enough wolfsbane in the world to stop me from taking matters into my own hands. Or paws.”

  I held up my hand between them. “Okay, boys. Dial it down. We’ve got enough baddies out there to fight without picking fights in here.”

  “Yeah,” said Doug, sitting back again. “You should listen to your ex. She’s a smart lady. And fierce.”

  “She is a warrior,” said Erasmus, standing over me. He hadn’t lost that glimmer in his eyes. Boy, a lady with a spear sure seemed to turn him on.

  Nick stuffed his phone back into his black jeans and sat between Jeff and Doug. “How are we all getting along, children?”

  “Fine,” said Doug. “Your sire here just gave me the standard warning about hurting your pack.”

  Nick scrunched his nose. “He’s not my sire. That’s a vampire thing. He’s my…uh, alpha, I guess. But mostly he’s just Jeff.” Nick rolled his shoulders, clearly uncomfortable with the details.

  “Sorry,” said Doug. “I never did do any studying on the finer points of the supernatural. Guess I should have paid more attention.”

  “No one knows this stuff,” I said. “Well, maybe Doc and Jolene.”

  “Shabiri wasn’t exactly forthcoming,” he said.

  “By the way.” I took another drink. “Where is Shabiri? I haven’t seen her since she begged us to rescue you.” Yeah, I had to rub it in a little.

  He shrugged. “I haven’t seen her. And I certainly didn’t call her.”

  “Maybe you should, just to see what she’s up to.”

  “I don’t give a shit what she’s up to.”

  “Well, I do. I don’t trust her. She might be helping Ruth Russell. And speaking of, how did you know how to summon Shabiri?”

  He looked at me steadily. “Can’t a guy read a book for once in his life?”

  “Really? A book that told you exactly how to summon the right kind of demon and how to steal a demon’s amulet to have power over them?”

  The silence stretched. He cleared his throat and moved around on the seat cushion. “Okay, okay. There was this…this note. In the mail. With some cash.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  I stared at him. “A note? A freakin’ note? From whom?”

  “So…yeah,” said Doug, embarrassment reddening his cheeks. “Someone helped us, all right? And we never knew who it was.”

  “Do you still have that note?”

  “Strict instructions to destroy it. And I did. Someone sends me unsolicited cash, I do what they say.”

  Excited at finally getting some concrete information, I faced him eagerly. “And they gave you detailed instructions on what to do?”

  He nervously ran his hand through his hair. “Yup. Couldn’t believe when it happened. It was the first time anything like that worked. At first, we thought there was a mage in town, but then later found out it was that fancy book of yours.”

  “But there was a mage…who sent you instructions. Don’t you get it?”

  “I do now. And you think it’s that Russell witch.”

  “Call Shabiri.”

  Doug blew out a breath and called out, “Shabiri!”

  Was anyone surprised she didn’t come?

  But now Doug was pissed off. He grabbed his amulet around his neck in a tight fist. “SHABIRI!”

  She popped up behind him. “No need to shout.” She looked around, taking us all in. “My, my. What a cozy little coven you’ve become.”

  I put my beer down on a side table. “Yes, Shabiri. We’ve all decided to work together for the greater good.”

  “So I’m just in time to sing Kumbaya?”

  “Cut the crap.” Was I ever tired of her. “I want you tell me the truth.”

  “Oh, of course, darling. All you ever needed to do was ask.”

  If I rolled my eyes any more, they’d roll right out of my head. “Are you working with Ruth Russell?”

  She smirked and lifted her hand in the Boy Scout salute. “I solemnly swear I am not working with Ruth Russell. Whoever the hell that is.”

  I turned to Erasmus, who seemed to be narrowing his eyes at her. “She’s telling the truth,” he said, rather reluctantly.

  “Good!” she said. “Now that that’s out of the way.” She made a move to depart when Doug threw his leg in her way.

  “Not so fast,” he told her. “Then who are you working with?”

  She leaned over and ran her hand under his chin and up to his cheek. “I’m working with you, Dougie.”

  He swatted her hand away. “Knock it off. Who else are you working with?”

  “I haven’t the least idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You’re the one who told us to summon Baphomet.”

  “You wanted power. He could give it to you. Turned out he was lying. Not my fault.”

  He shoved the amulet in her face. “Who in town are you working with?”

  She reared back, scowling at him. “I’m telling you for the last time; I. AM. NOT. Have you got that through that thick skull of yours?”

  We all turned to Erasmus. He grudgingly nodded.

  “Fine! Can I go now?”

  Doug kept a hold of her amulet. “Kylie says we’re all here to do research.”

  “Research? On what?”

  I had to tell her. I took a deep breath. “I’m going to go to the Netherworld to ask Satan to destroy the Booke.”

  Her expression seemed to freeze for a moment. Until she burst out laughing. “Now that is funny. Who knew you could be so amusing?”

  “It’s not a joke. I’m going to bargain with him to detach Erasmus from the
Booke and destroy it. And we need to find something to trade with him other than my soul.”

  She stopped laughing. She looked more than appalled. She looked frightened. “You’re serious?” She stomped up to Erasmus. “And you’re letting her do this?”

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  “You’re an idiot, is what you are!” She pranced in front of the whole assembly of Wiccans and Ordo and looked us over. “You pathetic little creatures. Do you have any idea, any clue what you are demanding?”

  I was tired but I got up to face her anyway. “Yes, Shabiri. We do. So instead of screeching like a banshee, why don’t you pick up one of these books that Doc was good enough to bring and help us research?”

  “I don’t have to look at any of those books. I can tell you right now it won’t work. He’ll never do it for anything but a soul. He wants nothing more than that.”

  “That may not be true,” said Erasmus.

  “And you! The dumbest of them all. You fell for these pathetic humans. You think this will help them?”

  “I want to help them. For the first time in my life, I want to be free of the book.”

  “For Beelzebub’s sake, why?”

  He cast his arm forward and pointed at me. “Because I love her.”

  Shabiri staggered back as if stung. I don’t think I’d ever seen anyone so completely shocked as she was. I knew she’d had an inkling before, but this was the first time he’d said it. She tried to speak, but couldn’t, until she gathered herself and placed a hand to her stomach. “You love a human? Are you completely insane?”

  “No.” And then he looked at me with all the emotions he possessed written clearly on his face. So much so that I took a step toward him. “I love her,” he whispered.

  Shabiri’s anger had returned. She punched her fists to her hips with a frown. “Of all the stupid things. Of all the stupid reasons. And you!” She cast a vicious glance at me. “You did this to him. You and your stupid witchcraft and Chosen Host flim-flam.”