by Ruby Raine
She sighed. “I’ll be fine. You healed me.” Amongst other things, that were slowly being remembered and rising to the surface.
And praise be, to whoever gifted him with this magical healing power. But still...
Lizzy wriggled out of his grasp, gazing upward at the magical vortex swirling down into the graveyard. The crackling of electricity whipped and smacked against the air. It collected a crowd of curious and growing more freaked out, onlookers.
Grayson sauntered up, staring at Lizzy intently. The curse was broken, and so was he. His crazed actions had led him to a terrible place in which he’d almost hurt Lizzy. But her gaze held no reproach. Not after everything the vampire had suffered through.
“I was wrong, Grayson. We had it wrong. Charlotte did want us to suffer, but that’s not what all this was about. She loved being a witch. I had it wrong when I thought she wanted you to turn her into a vampire.”
“I don’t understand, Lisbeth,” Grayson hissed back. “Shit. She’s not fucking done yet, is she?”
Lizzy shook her head. “Charlotte needed you to live with the curse until the right time.” She turned back toward the direction of the graveyard. “Until you’d fed her enough,” she stated dismally.
“What?” breathed out Charlie.
“We were just conduits of a much larger plan. I was the incentive to keep Grayson alive. With me alive, Charlotte knew he would not take his own life.” She turned to Grayson. “The curse wasn’t feeding you.”
“Fucking hell,” he pushed out, the reality hitting him. “I was feeding her.”
“She’s coming back. Charlotte Howard is coming back. The dark power rising,” she aimed specifically at Charlie.
The SHE who was waking.
Charlotte Howard.
“I wanted to tell you so badly.”
So many things hit Charlie all at once, the biggest being that Lizzy really had been awake at least part of the time she’d been in the coma. She’d heard his insane ramblings. “Oh, Lizzy...” he thought he might vomit. He’d hoped by some small chance she hadn’t been.
“I’ve never been so happy about someone unable to shut the hell up, in my entire life,” she admitted solemnly. Charlie had to look away from her, but the place his eyes landed was a pair of charcoal eyes filled with the same pain mirrored in his own. This wasn’t a battle for tonight. Grayson turned away.
“I put it all together,” Lizzy explained. “When you read that message, Charlie. It all so sickeningly fell into place. When I died, the curse would break, and the most powerful and dangerous witch I’d ever known would be made flesh once again.” So much more powerful than Lizzy and Grayson, or anyone, had ever realized. Except perhaps... Lizzy shook off the notion. There was a strange hum in her chest, she didn’t understand the meaning of. Perhaps it was just waking up after all that time asleep.
Charlie had no idea where the hell William got his info from, but holy hell. It was happening. Right over their heads and all across the Isle.
“Is there anything we can do to stop her?” Michael asked Lizzy and Grayson.
“We should go to the graveyard, and try,” Melinda said, albeit shakily.
“You would lose,” Lizzy spoke flatly. “Charlotte is more powerful than all of us combined.”
Another boom, in the form of an air-cracking strike that rent into the darkness.
Charlie straightened himself, burrowing deep into himself for the power to keep going.
“We have to try. Maybe we cannot stop her from returning, but maybe we can take her out before she realizes what’s happening.”
Lizzy pinched her eyebrows together. “It’s possible. She might have a moment of confusion. You’re right. Let’s go. We do have to try.” Something in that hum still stirring in her chest encouraged her to go forward. That this was the right move to make.
Charlie wanted to argue to go alone; with his ring he’d be okay. He hoped. But there was no way his siblings were going to back down. Not after everything they’d all already gone through. And decided more than once that they needed to work together, as a team.
The sky lit up, a surge of power bolting downward into the center of the vortex. A flash bit into the night, followed by a thundering clap that shook the entire island. Everyone grabbed onto something. Or someone.
Mack mumbled to herself as everyone got themselves steadied and upright.
“Gas leak? Freak magnetic storm? Don’t suppose there’s any such thing as a lightning tornado, is there?” she asked no one in particular.
Poor Mack, thought Melinda. This was going to be a tough one to cover up. Too many people had seen too much.
Courtney came screeching to a stop at their side, in awe of the sight in the sky over the island. She didn’t bother asking what happened, just said, “We’re in a world of shit, aren’t we?” No one bothered to answer. “Don’t suppose now would be the best time to tell you that Stricker hasn’t given up his quest for the power source...”
They each turned, and sank into simultaneous, “Are you kidding me’s?”
She shrugged. “Sorry.”
“We’ll deal with that later,” growled Charlie. “First, Charlotte.” And if we survive, Stricker.
What would her first move be?
Wipe them all out?
Kill everyone on the island?
Try to take control of the power source?
“Mack,” called out Charlie. She scurried over. “We might have to evacuate the island.”
“I was afraid you were gonna say that.”
“I have no fucking clue how we’ll contain this one from the outside world.”
“I was really, really afraid you were gonna say that too.”
“Let’s go,” Charlie ordered everyone. He eyed Lizzy wanting to order her to stay behind. She never would, though.
“You’re going to need me. I’m not staying behind.”
“I’m not arguing that,” he replied, resigned. “I just thought, you might want to get dressed first.”
She glanced down having forgotten she was in a hospital gown, which was split open in the back. “Oops.”
“Stay put,” he ordered gently. He raced back into her room and was back in a hurry. “Clean clothes. You can change during the ride to the cemetery.”
Damn the wolf. He’d thought of everything.
“I was really hoping you were going to need these clothes.” The act of handing them over to her seemed to be the final, she’s really okay, Charlie needed.
Lizzy looked up to catch Melinda staring at her. She gave her a short nod, indicating she’d heard all she’d had to say. She had started to lose hope, when she wasn’t waking from the coma, and began to believe that maybe what Melinda had seen in her future was not real. And part of her did not want it to be real. It was a reality she’d face soon enough. But not until they’d gotten through this Charlotte rebirth. That hum in Lizzy’s chest expanded a little. Something about being reborn... what was it? Whatever the answer was, it was sleeping precariously close to her memories but not surfacing. More like, waiting.
The air was electric with fear as they reached their vehicles to head to the graveyard. They all staggered and gasped before making it inside. A rolling pulse rippled overhead, the vortex of magical energy shrinking.
“Let’s hurry.” Charlie opened the door to his jeep, but stopped again when the vortex collapsed with another ear-splitting boom, shattering itself into millions of shining bits which illuminated the sky almost to daylight.
If the spell succeeded, and the curse did all planned, dark magic had just returned to The Demon Isle in the form of a witch named, Charlotte Howard.
THEY REACHED THE CEMETERY minutes later. Charlie hopped out of the jeep with Michael and Lizzy right behind. Melinda and Lucas got out of the sheriff’s police car; she proceeded to block the entrance of the cemetery to keep onlookers at bay. Courtney and Grayson had sped their way on foot; she was keeping her eye on the no longer cursed vampire, who they were no
t sure what to do with. And she’d had to wait up as he was not at full strength yet.
In a way, this whole nightmare had started with him hundreds of years ago, it only seemed fitting he’d be at the end. No one was willing to deny the vampire this much. After... that would have to be discussed later. If they had a later.
Charlie motioned for everyone to stay close, and behind him. Not because he was trying to play hero or anything, but he was protected by the ring. Nothing looked out of the ordinary at first glance. All was dark, and quiet. No sign of movement anywhere.
“Could she have come back already and left?” Lucas wondered.
“No idea,” Lizzy returned.
“And Charlotte wasn’t buried in the Howard’s tomb, right?” Melinda remembered with reserved unease.
“No. She wasn’t.” Lizzy motioned to Charlie where to go. “I never thought much about it when she died, but now, of course, it makes sense. She didn’t want to be burned, or her ashes entombed with the other Howards. She wanted a full burial, her body in the ground.”
“Makes sense if you plan on coming back from the dead,” sneered Michael.
Charlie growled.
Grayson snarled.
“Holy shit,” bleated Courtney.
They’d made it to where Charlotte should have been buried. All that was left was a blown out hole in the ground. No casket, no body, just a hole where she should have been.
“We’re too late,” muttered Lizzy wearily.
“So where is she now?” asked Michael, tensely peering around. An eerie foreboding blanketed the cemetery. Where, oh where, was the wicked witch? If she was as powerful as they believed, they stood little chance against her.
They maneuvered into a back to back position taking battle stances, ready for her to strike. Charlie ordered Mack to get closer; she was too far away and on her own. Not smart when they had no clue where Charlotte was hiding. And a gun wasn’t going to do the sheriff any good.
Someone gasped. All eyes opened wide, bodies on full alert.
“Look!” Melinda pointed to a soft golden glow just at the edge of the cemetery, the brightness getting stronger, and closer.
Shit. If this was Charlotte...
They moved the line of defense to side by side, palms raised and ready.
Charlie squinted, there was something familiar about this. Something not very witch like. But this Charlotte wasn’t a normal witch. She practiced dark magic. His palm lowered, his gaze catching a silhouette forming underneath the glow. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was a male figure. Taller, a bit wiry maybe, but most definitely not a woman, unless she was in disguise. He raised his palm unwilling to take any chances.
It got even stranger when the figure shouted something incomprehensible and proceeded to comically wave both arms overhead like they’d just stepped into a spider web, or something of the sort. The figure got straightened out again and continued toward them.
“Show yourself!” Charlie demanded.
They jumped when a snout snorted noisily nearby. There was a simultaneous gasp, followed by a sigh, when it was just the gargoyles. Finn cast a quick gaze in Melinda’s direction before joining the other gargoyles in smelling out this new presence. The glow was getting brighter, and Charlie wondered if they shouldn’t just attack now, and not regret hesitating, later.
Finn jaunted over and nudged Melinda’s hip. She cocked her head. “Really?” her palm lowered. “Whatever this is, it’s not evil. The gargoyles sense no evil here.” A couple sets of eyes swept by Grayson when she said that. One of the gargoyles was sniffing the vampire, who said nothing, only scowled. They couldn’t seem to decide about him. Melinda got the feeling from Finn that they sensed a thin edge between good and evil. Like he equally walked the line of both, the scale not yet tipped one way or the other. And what that said about her prophetic dream; it was all just getting weirder and weirder.
The figure continued its approach.
“Oh my God,” Charlie breathed out, recognizing who was approaching them. “Lower your palms.”
“What is it?” Michael asked.
“It’s a Guardian,” Lizzy realized breathlessly. “How incredible.”
The Guardian tripped over something on the ground and staggered a little steadying themselves. “Gosh darn it,” they heard a male voice grumbling.
“Are we sure this is really a Guardian?” Michael quipped, peering from side to side at his siblings, who shrugged. They lowered their palms in nervous expectation. The gargoyles sensed no evil and it was the typical entrance of a Guardian, other than the ungainly movements. It didn’t matter in the end. To be in the presence of a Guardian was an honor. To be around them made one feel... safe. Content. And...
Lisbeth’s gaze widened, her breath catching. “It can’t be...” She stumbled forward only to freeze on the spot, her eyes fixed on the man just a few feet in front of her. “This isn’t possible.”
“Hello, Lisbeth.”
Speechless. So few things made Lizzy Deane speechless.
“I don’t mean to shock you. Though I have missed you, so very much.”
Lizzy said nothing, shoving her hand over her mouth in shock, stifling the clipped sob that flew out of her without her consent. She dropped her hand and flung her arms around the young man as his golden halo dulled to nothing, allowing the others to get a better view. The Guardian embraced her right back like they were old friends. She stepped back, with hands glued to his face.
“I do not believe it. Never in a hundred years. Mathew.”
“In the flesh, so to speak.”
“You’re a Guardian?”
“Yes.”
“I... I just can’t believe it. I always knew you were special, but...”
“Um,” Charlie cleared his throat, which cut off the growl Grayson was about to let out. Seeing Lizzy in the arms of any man other than him wasn’t acceptable.
“Oh get over yourself,” sassed Courtney. She still had her eye on him is what she was reminding him.
“I’m sorry everyone,” Lizzy said, spinning around in a daze. “This is so, um, this is Mathew Bishop.”
“Your friend, the one you lost when I’d first met you?” confirmed Grayson.
“The very same.”
Grayson’s jealousy vanished. There was no need as Mathew was gay. Meaning the werewolf was his only competition. And in Grayson’s mind, he’d already won, and there was no competition.
What a world they lived in, thought Charlie. Equally sobering, though, another reminder of the history between Grayson and Lizzy.
“Look at you, my Matty Boy. A Guardian. And all filled out, and handsome, and living, and...” Mathew smiled, shyly. It melted Lizzy, to see that smile again.
“We will have time to catch up,” he promised his old friend. “But I need to cut our reunion short, I’m afraid. I am here, not just because I know you, Lizzy. But also Charlotte. Amongst other things.” His gaze quickly swept by Charlie, who guessed it had something to do with Lucas and Riley. “They are hoping I can be of help.”
She let out a sharp breath. “You’re sticking around?”
“For a little while at least.”
For a reason he did not explain, Lucas suddenly spun around and strode toward the cemetery exit. Melinda reached out to grab him but he got out of her reach too fast.
“Where are you going?” she called out in a whisper.
He ignored her, but didn’t make it to the exit, stopping, and sinking to a crouch shoving his hand onto the ground like he might fall over without a little help. Melinda swore she heard his breath seize up. Did Lucas have another traveling thing of some kind? Did she follow him? Or stay?
Lucas’ legs had faltered, no longer able to work on their own accord. He needed to get away. Far, far away. But his legs refused to go another step.
There was no sound, he heard.
The world was frozen, spinning, and crashing all at once.
Was nothing as it seemed?
Just how l
ong had magic been trying to force its way into his life?
He opened his eyes to see a palm extending out to him.
His gaze lifted upward, following the arm.
“Please, take it. Let me help you.”
Lucas didn’t budge.
“Please, Lucas. Allow me to explain.”
Lucas fumbled his way upward, but on his own. It was then that he realized the world hadn’t only stopped spinning, but it had stopped, completely. Everyone was frozen in time. Unmoving. Except for him and, “Mathew...” and there was the crashing part.
“I have no appropriate apology to offer, Lucas. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I was not able to do so.” Literally, so. His job did not permit this, at the time.
Mathew made to approach him.
“Don’t come any closer.” Lucas backed off. “You left, without any reason. You just left. Vanished, with nothing more than an, I’m sorry.”
“Because you were at a pivotal moment in your life. You were trying to decide whether to come to The Demon Isle, or not, so I had to leave. Otherwise, I might have swayed your choice. I could not tell you the truth, Lucas, and I could not bear to lie. So I... I did the next most horrible thing possible, and did nothing. But interfering with your choice is not why I was there. That was not part of my job. I’m not permitted to interfere with free will.”
“Is that what I was to you? A job? Why is it, everyone thinks I need to be here? Or be involved in magic? Why does everyone want something from me and have an opinion about what’s best for me? Don’t I get a say? And did you even think for a minute, that your two-word goodbye is the reason I finally made the choice to come here.”
“Oh, Lucas,” Mathew sighed. “I made a terrible mess of things. This is all on me. I was sent to watch over, and guide you, and your brother. You were my charge, Lucas. But even Guardians are not perfect beings. We feel, and love, and have relationships, and make mistakes; it is our nature to. And our human side remains strong even after we shed that life. But we are most definitely not supposed to fall in love with our charges.” At least not before they find out who we are... or are still human.
Lucas raked his hand through is hair.
