by Ruby Raine
“William, William,” Eva sang in gratified song. “You’re looking so... no, make that smelling, nice and toasty. Nearly done, I’d say.”
Melinda thought she might vomit.
Eva’s heartless laugh forged its way into Melinda’s brain, getting stuck there, replaying over and over.
“You ready to beg for death yet? We can get the little witch lit up in a jiff, fry her, and end your pathetic existence.”
Melinda couldn’t take anymore.
William’s torment would continue until Riley either shot an accidental deathblow, or until the pain became so excruciating that William gave in, and begged for release. He might not have been human, but even a vampire could only take so much.
Melinda’s breath hitched shakily when footsteps approached her. She kept her head down and refused to look. Someone climbed her pyre.
“Hi, Baby. You look tired.” Riley lifted her head.
He never called her Baby. The way it slipped off his tongue made her cringe.
Like it was some form of possession. Or ownership.
He pushed the hair out of her face; she shuddered as his fingers crawled down her cheek.
“Don’t touch me.” She turned her head away, uncaring if he got angry. It wasn’t her Riley touching her. It was a psychotic stranger.
“Oh, so you can tie me up and have your way with me, but I’m not allowed to do the same?”
“No,” she stammered. “I was trying to help you. You’re just,” she couldn’t say it.
“I’m just what?”
She didn’t answer.
His fingers drew against her chin forcing her gaze on him. “Last I recall you wanted me to bend you over a chair in the vampire’s study.”
“I think you’re remembering wrong,” she gasped out.
“Playing innocent are we?”
She said nothing.
“You’re not innocent at all, are you?”
She said nothing.
“How many guys did you give it up to before I came along?”
Melinda opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. This rage spell was so much more than just being angry or jealous. It was amplifying every emotion, insecurity or thought Riley had. And all topics that were private. And secret. And personal. So very personal.
“You... you know it wasn’t like that,” she attempted to argue. “There was just the one guy and he,” she didn’t finish. This was too much. Too personal. And what was the point?
“Right, the guy that hurt you.”
“Why are you doing this?” Riley had some serious trust issues. “You had a girlfriend before me.” She tried to change the subject, to talk about anything other than Jerkwad.
“So what did the guy do to you?” Riley ignored her attempt. “I want you to tell me.”
“Why?” she cried. “Why does it matter what he did to me? He hurt me, isn’t that enough?”
“Did he? Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was you. You’re just like my ex-girlfriend, can’t be happy with just one guy. Maybe he asked you to be honest with him, and you promised you would, but then you lied. Did he really hurt you, Melinda? Or did you hurt him?”
A part of Melinda knew this was her fault. She’d planted these seeds and now she was sowing the repercussions. He had needed honesty from her, and she had promised knowing she would not actually be honest.
But she was too tired to care. Too angry. Too hurt. Too worried about William. Too scared for her family and friends. Too everything...
“You want the truth, Riley,” she replied flatly. “He treated me just like you are, right now. Like a cheap date. Like he did me a favor by sticking his dick in me... is that what you want to hear? Is that honest enough for you?”
“And what about the vampire? How many times have you been with him since you started dating me?”
“What?”
“Really, playing innocent again?”
“Riley, please... just stop.”
He let out a dark laugh. “Still, even now, you try to protect him. It all comes back to William. Dear, almost dead, William... you just don’t want the vampire to hear how I fucked you in the quarry. How I had my fingers buried deep inside you in that cavern. How it was my name you called out-”
“You make me sick, and you will never touch me again.” The words shocked her and at the moment she said them, they felt true. The thought of being with Riley after this was sickening.
A sharp sting slapped against her cheek. Melinda gasped, her breath caught.
Lucas had seen Riley hit Melinda and shouted from his cage. “Don’t hurt her! You love her, remember?”
Melinda peered at Lucas, their silent exchange fixated on the helplessness of their situation. There was nothing either of them could say, or do, to change Riley’s actions at this point.
And God, could William hear all of this?
His torture wasn’t barbaric enough without listening to this?
Riley turned and eyed his brother, hatred rising. He turned back to Melinda, with a convicting stare.
“The vampire’s almost dead, so what? You just move along to the next guy?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw how you looked at Lucas. I’m not blind!”
“Riley, please...” Melinda had no fight left. Even if the spell was broken and he was suddenly himself again, and remorseful, she saw no future with him. This thing, this spell, her mistake, had killed any chance they had. The idea of him close to her, touching her; she forced the thought down deep.
“It doesn’t matter what I do, does it?” Riley shouted madly, vaulting off the pyre.
Melinda lowered her gaze again.
“I could rid the entire world of every single man, or vampire,” he bellowed, “and there will always be someone else you love more than me.”
“Enough of this,” called out Stricker. “Puppy love is so,” he shuddered, indignantly. “It’s time to get things moving along. Eva,” he called expectantly.
“Everything’s ready,” she advised. “If they’re not going to attempt rescue, or voluntarily open the door, and the vampire’s not going to beg to die, we’ll just have to move things along ourselves.”
‘Not going to attempt rescue’... were they waiting for this? Maybe her brothers were still free somewhere? If so, why hadn’t they come? Why hadn’t they tried to rescue everyone? Probably don’t know where we are.
Melinda wanted to have hope, but more footsteps approached her pyre.
Feyk.
This was it. There would be no rescue.
They were out of time. She was out of time.
A painful death awaited her.
As Eva promised, she’d make William watch her burn before they ended his life.
This is how her brothers would eventually find her. Burned to a crisp.
Melinda held her breath. Waiting to see a torch or flame.
She closed her eyes tightly; she didn’t want to see them light it. When the heat reached her feet and the fire crackled, she’d know it was the end.
Two arms came up behind her. Her bonds loosening. Her hands remained bound to each other, but her body was freed.
She nearly toppled down the pyre, unable to stand on her own.
The Feyk dragged her down to the ground. Another coming up alongside her; they propped her up between them. Her legs refused to hold her weight.
Were they not burning her?
In her dream, she’d been on the same pyre as William. Perhaps they were simply moving her to his pyre, to burn them together.
She felt no hope in this action. Only delay of the inevitable.
Melinda kept her gaze down, knowing William was close. She couldn’t look at him or she’d lose it, completely.
She overheard Eva talking to Stricker.
“I’m properly satisfied. The vampire’s practically dead, and definitely suffering. Bargain kept,” she told him.
Stricker let out a requited hiss.
Eva’d already com
e to this conclusion hours prior, and had informed Stricker where the power source was located. But she made it official.
Stricker set into readying a trap for the Howards. But her satisfaction over William’s suffering made the bargain officially fulfilled.
He’d still die. But not until the right moment.
The Feyk held Melinda firmly in their grasp. Her body shook uncontrollably. The feeling returning to her legs in painful spasms. The cold and dread, burrowing into her bones.
When she could stand on her own, the Feyk let go.
She wobbled some, but remained upright.
Another arm grabbed her, forcing her to walk. It was Eva.
“Hey! Where are you taking her?” Riley shouted after them. Suddenly concerned about her again.
“Someone please knock him out,” implored Stricker. “He can finish off the vampire when we’re done with the baby Howard,” he directed at Eva.
“Fine with me. Give dear old William a little more time to sear, and ponder his miserable end.”
Melinda let out a disgusted grunt.
They stopped.
Eva forced Melinda to look at her.
“This is all your fault you know. You guys have no one to blame but yourselves. If you’d just let my mother live, my father would never have become obsessed with this place. We never would have come back here. He wouldn’t be dead. Charlie never would have become a werewolf. And your vampire wouldn’t be a crispy critter. But all those things did happen, and will happen... because of you.”
Melinda didn’t argue. All she could do was agree.
“Let’s get this done,” said Stricker, impatiently.
They shoved Melinda so she was standing in front of another pile of wood. William’s pyre. They spun her around, her back facing William.
She knew what was coming. She’d seen it in her dream. Her teeth chattered, she never remembered feeling so cold. I won’t be cold in a few minutes her delirious mind joked.
Lucas shouted from inside the cage. She did not dare lift her head to look at him. To see his fear over her impending death would be too much to handle.
He went silent quite suddenly.
Had they knocked him out again? She refused to look.
Melinda had but a moment to steel herself. And a moment to say goodbye to William. She had no idea if he was even still alive enough to hear her.
“I’m so sorry, William.” Her voice wavered, but she whispered to him anyway. She needed to tell him before it was too late. “So sorry I didn’t tell you everything. Sorry that I’m always afraid. This is happening because I was too afraid to tell you the truth. Now I’m just afraid to lose you. You’re dying because of me. And...” She let out a sob, biting her lip to stop. “I love you... I love you, William. I know I shouldn’t, and I was trying very hard not to. I should have just told you but I,” she gasped, unfriendly hands yanking on her body to spin her around so she was facing William. She closed her eyes, refusing to look.
She wondered how they would burn her.
Would they tie her up with him, or just douse her in gas and light a match?
This was not ending like her dream vision at all.
William would not save her life, nor she, his. Instead, they would both die.
“Perfect lighting,” she heard Eva saying.
Melinda couldn’t stand waiting any longer and almost screamed for them to just do it already. She wanted it to end.
“No, this is excellent,” Eva spoke. “She needs to open her eyes though, so we can get her reaction. That’s the priceless part.”
This made no sense to Melinda. She jumped when someone came up behind her and yanked on her hair, pulling her head up.
A hand snaked around her neck pulling back her matted hair. Stricker’s insidious slither drilled into her ear. “Come now, open your eyes like an obedient little pet.”
She shook her head stubbornly, keeping her eyes firmly closed.
His bony fingers dithered across her neck.
She tried not to shudder, giving him the pleasure he so obviously sought in her discomfort, but she could not control her body from flinching.
“How about I take one of your little friends out of the cage and kill them? Does that change your mind, Baby Howard?”
She let out a cry. He knew he had her.
Melinda was going to have to open her eyes. They were going to make her look at William before they killed her.
How was it possible that evil like this existed? All because of the desire for power. And a potential power source. They weren’t even sure it was in White Pines. And on Eva’s part, revenge.
There was no preparing herself for what she was about to do. She already knew what William’s body was going to look like.
Stricker let go of her. “Any time now,” he warned. “I don’t have all day.”
Melinda lowered her head, opening her eyes. She tried to calm herself but the fear of knowing what she was about to look at, crippled her. She couldn’t allow Emily or Lucas to suffer because of her. She’d done enough damage already.
Melinda raised her head. Beholding the devastation she’d inflicted upon William.
Her world stopped. Her eyes frozen open, the sight of him forever cemented into her memory.
“Time to pass along a little message,” spouted Eva. She had her phone aimed at Melinda, recording a video of her reaction. “Give those Howard boys a little incentive to get moving. I really thought dear old daddy would have shown up by now, especially to save his precious daughter. You witches are usually so predictable.”
Melinda didn’t hear Eva’s ranting. She didn’t hear Eva mention her father.
She only saw the man she loved suspended on a pyre, his bonds barely holding him upright, burned and scarred beyond recognition.
This was the price of her stupidity. For not telling him the truth.
She had no right to claim she loved him.
She deserved whatever punishment she got.
Her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees.
“Oh, that is splendid,” trilled Stricker, from behind Eva.
Melinda had given them the reaction they desired.
A numbness spread through her. There wasn’t anything else left to feel.
Eva turned her video shot from Melinda’s fallen frame, to William’s pyre, sure to get a good clear shot of William.
“Oh, yes, most effective,” agreed Stricker, grinning like a naughty child who’d just stolen a cookie.
Melinda barely noticed the Feyks dragging her to William’s pyre and seating her on it.
Maybe this was how they’d do it.
Tie her down and burn them both.
Recording it for her brothers to watch and relive, over and over again.
Eva let the camera sit on William and Melinda.
“I think you’ve gotten the message,” stated Eva coldly. “Get here. Get the fucking door open. Or watch your precious little witch join your toasty vampire while we have ourselves a bonfire.” She stopped recording and hit send, to Charlie’s cell phone.
“That should get a reaction,” sang Stricker.
“That will get the reaction you’re looking for,” corrected Eva. “Just too bad it will take so long to send. Long video. Shitty cell service out here in the woods.”
Stricker let out a delighted dark chuckle. “You know, I’ve never considered taking on an outside partner, but you’d be most welcome if you decided you wanted a job. I like the way you do business.”
“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Stricker sucked in the air with a gratified inhale. “Can you smell that, Eva? That’s victory in the air.”
“Funny,” she retorted. “All I can smell is sautéed vampire.”
MICHAEL’S HEAD JERKED up as the door to the Wicked Muddy Café, opened.
“Parades over, everyone’s on their way,” announced Grace, coming inside. She taped a sheet of paper on the door that said, Closed for a priva
te party. Will reopen in one hour.
Outside, the streets were at their most crowded of the summer season, packed with tourists. Many already grabbing and saving prime spots to watch the famous fireworks display later that night.
Michael arrived just a few minutes before, having spent the morning, along with Mack, tracking down the long time locals; the ones that knew of the Isle’s supernatural background.
Michael propped open the front door, nodding to everyone as they arrived. It took much longer than he’d hoped as they struggled to make way through the crowds to the café.
“I should have picked a more out of the way location,” he noted. He hadn’t expected to be away from home this long. He had just checked in with Charlie, and there had been no contact yet from Eva or the Feyk.
Just outside, down the sidewalk, reporter, Courtney Jessup, hid behind a lamppost to avoid being seen by Michael. She peeked out, glancing through the bustling tourists, wondering what was happening. She watched as the local sheriff arrived and the door was shut, and locked.
“Very suspicious,” she whispered. She wondered if she could get close enough to overhear anything. Perhaps luck out and find an open window. “Or maybe a back door,” she said under her breath. She slipped through the crowd and into a side alley that went to the back of the cafe.
Voices.
She grinned smugly.
She kept just to the side of the back door, out of sight.
Inside, the meeting was starting.
“Thanks for coming,” said Mack. “I’ll make this as short and sweet as possible. You’re all here because you know what goes on ‘round here. The real stories, not the malarkey I make up!” Everyone laughed at that, agreeing. Even Michael let out a chuckle, as Mack had come up with some doozies in her time as sheriff.
“Now, if I’m callin’ ya all together, it’s obvious we’re in some serious trouble.” Her tone lowered.
Everyone nodded, hushed mummers spreading.
“In times like this, we all have to come together and support each other. Our way of life on the Isle is at stake. Our entire island is at stake. As well as the lives of our protectors,” she directed at Michael. “They need our help to make sure this doesn’t happen. You see, we are under attack. By these things called Firebrand Feyks, and a woman named, Eva Jordan. Most of you would recognize her if you saw her; she’s the chick that’s been running around the Isle all summer with the long, stark-white hair.”
