Stir Until Petrified

by Theda Vallee

  “What do you think we should do? Do you think we can carry her downstairs? Maybe stash her in one of the rooms to keep her safe while we try to get the she-beast to show herself?”

  “I don’t know that it will matter. This is the dreamscape Etta. All of it is real and none of it is. The succubus is a master of manipulation. She could change all of this if she wanted to. We can’t remove Holly. That could cause all kinds of horrific neurological trauma. We need to just wait it out and see if she shows. There’s some cushions over there. If it makes you feel better, we can turn the table over and hide her behind on the cushions. It’s just for your peace of mind though. Realize it does nothing,” Charlotte said, the first hint of humanity I’d ever seen flickering in her eyes for a moment.

  “I need to do something even if it’s just an illusion.” I moved across the room to the wooden table dragging it over to the corner. Charlotte brought cushions laying them out behind the table. Once I was satisfied with the arrangement we lifted Holly, gently carrying her to the shelter we’d created. I sat down in front of the table to wait. Charlotte sat next to me with Bastian curled in her lap. That was interesting. Did she let all the wolfmen curl up in her lap or just this one? Was it none of my business? Probably. But since Brady wasn't here to get the scope I was going to have to find out for both of us.

  “Are you and Bastian an item?” I asked leaning my head back against the table casually. Her scowl was clear even in the darkened room. Maybe I’d touched a nerve.

  A jolt shook the room. Charlotte’s reply died on her lips. Either the succubus had arrived, or we were having an earthquake. Everything shifted, swaying as we tried to get to our feet. Bastian moved faster than either of us, jumping directly in front of us. His hackles were raised, teeth bared, and his glowing eyes focused into the darkness. The jolting hit the room in rhythm. I listened closely to the cadence. It was the sound of footsteps hitting the floor. Whatever was coming through the darkness was huge. Big enough to cause the room to shake when it walked.

  The ground underneath us bounced with each step the creature took. Charlotte reached out and clasped my arm, trying to steady both of us. Holly let a loud wail from behind the table. She knew what was coming.

  “Violetta Massoni. I believe I warned you about fucking with my dreams. Instead of listening you brought people with you. Tsk tsk tsk. You don’t listen very well, do you?” A woman’s voice spoke from the blackness.

  “I take exception to following orders from demons who mess with my family. Why don’t you make this easy on yourself and tell us what you're doing here?” I shouted into the dark room.

  A light, airy feminine laugh echoed all around us. Under the laughter, I felt the steps moving closer. Bastian growled a warning into the void. It was almost on us.

  A hoof stepped into the small beam of light emanating from my hand. Black and crusted with blood, the hoof pawed at the ground. If the foot of this thing was that disgusting I wasn’t in a hurry to see the rest of it. Unfortunately, the creature wasn’t going to grant my wish. It ambled forward on thick muscular legs. The skin on the it’s legs was blue gone to purple like a bruise. Veins bulged underneath the skin in grotesque bunches. With every movement you could see the bundle of veins throb moving with its beating heart. Breasts hung from its chest low and flaccid. Floppy vestiges of womanhood swaying near its belly button as it lumbered forward. A thick patch of black hair covered its abdomen.

  “Beast of hell, give us your reason for tormenting this woman. You’re not welcome here,” Charlotte said, standing resolutely next to me.

  “I go where I choose. You have no idea what you're in the middle of, Charlotte dear. You should run along home to your sister. She knows what she sent you into. She’s not expecting you back. Sibling rivalry was always one of my favorite seeds of discord to plant. Sadly, I can’t claim any credit for this one. It’s fun to watch though.” She moved forward another step, her face coming into the circle of light.

  Black teeth, sharp with points, dripped spittle as she smiled at us. Her chin was huge and covered in stubble. Three o’clock shadow was an understatement. Her eyes were deep black pools that had no white to speak of. Tufts of hair lined her blue skull randomly. In the patches where no hair grew deep scars left crevices and shadows. The skin was pulled so tight you could see every angle. The bones seemed like they would rip through if she moved too quickly.

  “What’s the matter, Charlotte dear, cat got your tongue?” the creature reached out, dragging a long black claw down Charlotte’s cheek.

  On impulse I smacked the hand away. “Don’t touch her.”

  “Or what, Violetta? What can you do to me that I’d be afraid of?” Spit flew from her mouth as she spoke, landing on my shoes.

  The magic that I’d been holding in welled up to the surface, rising to the challenge. Stella was ready to fight. I may not be the most accomplished strega, but I was going to kick some succubus ass anyway. I felt the burning sensation as the magic released shooting out of my body. I focused directly at the creature, straining to ensure every bit of it hit her.

  A flurry of snowflakes swirled around her feet as a streak of ice shot up from the floor. Her face registered surprise as the ice encased her feet, freezing her in place. She opened her mouth, hissing in anger as she tried to lift her hoof. The icy vein spread quickly, covering her entire body, turning her into a giant succubus ice sculpture.

  “The mirror, Etta, get the mirror.” I looked over at Charlotte and she seemed as surprised as me that I had been able to control the magic. I pulled the mirror from my pocket and began the evocation spell.

  “Mirror, mirror I divine to make clear, the enemy that haunts near.” As I spoke the words the beast in ice began screaming a high-pitched wail. “Mirror, mirror I evoke the spell...fjkl...”

  My words would not come out. A searing pain ripped across my face. My lips melded together, the flesh dripping like a candle. Frantically, I tried to wedge my fingers in before the skin could char together in one damaged lump. My hand was instantly scorched. We were totally screwed. I was the only person who could recite the spell.

  “Finish it, Etta, now!” Charlotte hissed next to me.

  I gestured wildly at my sealed lips. Her face crumpled as she saw the damage that had been done to my face. Her eyes lit with fear as she looked around the room for an escape. If she thought we were screwed, that meant we probably were.

  “Can you move your lips at all? Does it count if you think the words?”

  I shook my head. For magic to be evoked the words had to be said aloud. The energy used in speaking them gave them the power they needed to manifest. Without my voice it wouldn't work. Either I figured a way to get my lips apart or we were going to die here.

  The screaming from under the ice turned into a loud roar of rage. The ice splintered flying in shards everywhere. The beast lashed out, grabbing Charlotte by the throat, lifting her off the ground. Bastian lunged, latching onto the bitches’ leg, trying to shake her hard enough to release her grip.

  “Oh, Violetta, I’d thought you three were adorable coming into my dream thinking you could do something to stop me. Now I’m just annoyed with you. I’m done playing. I can’t kill you just yet. But everyone else will pay for your stupidity.” She tightened her grip around Charlotte’s throat, squeezing.

  Bastian refused to let go of her leg, but she seemed not to notice. My muffled cries of horror slammed against my sealed lips, unable to escape. I raised my hand pouring magic out towards the succubus’ arm. Fire seared the creatures flesh. A sharp metallic odor filled the air as the flesh peeled back, blackening from the heat of the magic. She kept her grip on Charlotte despite her burning flesh.

  This called for something a little more dramatic. I called for more magic, channeling it to lift the table behind me. I lobbed it with every bit of force I could muster directly at her head. Hopefully I could knock her stupid for a few moments. The table flew over my head smacking directly into the succubus’s cran
ium. She screamed dropping Charlotte as blood began to squirt from her. That was an unintended but welcome hit. The creature struggled to pull a table leg from her eye.

  “Run Etta, we need to run now.” Charlotte grabbed my hand and pulled in the direction of the door.

  I tried to pull my hand out of hers. Bastian was still back there and so was Holly. We couldn't leave Holly unprotected to deal with the succubus on her own. I shook my head vigorously, hoping I could convey I was not leaving.

  “Etta, we can die in the dreamscape. You have no way to invoke the mirror we need to go, and we need to go now.”

  No. We were here. This needed to end tonight. If we made it out of here without getting what we needed to banish her, she’d make every person in the hospital pay for what we’d done. I wasn't going to leave them to that fate. I stood my ground refusing to follow Charlotte. She stopped when she realized I wasn't coming.

  “You really do have the courage of a lion and the stubbornness of an ass. What can we do?”

  I made my hand look as if I was holding a pen and gestured writing. Maybe if we could find something to write with I could write the words down and she could try and invoke the spell.

  “It won’t work. I don’t have the magic in me to unseal the spell. We’re born of one purpose. Outside of that we don’t have the same connection to magic that you do. We have to get your lips unsealed.”

  I’d been afraid she was going to say that. Bastian and the succubus were going toe to toe inside the room. I could hear the vicious growl of him in his wolf form as he launched an assault. The beast screamed but countered. Yelping and snarling swirled in the air in a never-ending symphony. The only way I could think of to unseal my lips was with magic. I could try to use magic to force my lips open. Nodding at Charlotte I gestured towards the room. She needed to help Bastian. Together they could hopefully keep the succubus busy long enough for me to get my lips ripped apart.

  “I hope all of this nodding means you have some sort of plan. If I go in there as a diversion and you run away, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth.” Charlotte stared me down ensuring I understood the threat.

  I raised my middle finger hoping it conveyed my thoughts on her stupid comment. She shook her head laughing as she ran back in to help Bastian. Now the hard part. I needed to channel the magic to sear or rip my mouth open. Oh man that was going to hurt. Breathing slowly, I reached down inside and called to Stella. She wasn’t going to like this.

  Alright, sweetie we need to get my mouth open. I know it’s counter-intuitive to the whole self-preservation thing we’ve been living, but we have a job to do and it’s bigger than saving our own asses right now. I need you to help me.

  Stella pulled back, burrowing herself deep down in my gut. She wasn't stupid. If this backfired, we were both going down like a human volcano.

  Look, unless you have different ideas about how to get my lips unsealed this is what we have to do. We’re going to die if we don’t. With or without your help I’m going back in there. If you don’t want to help, I’m going in unarmed and that’s it. If this works, we get the bitches name, send her back to hell and go get drunk as hell. I’m scared too. I can’t summon enough magic without you. Please, Stella. Everyone is counting on us.

  I could feel her torment as she swirled around in me. She wanted nothing more than to hide and wait for me to come to my senses. Torn she slammed into my insides in frustration trying to find a way out of this dilemma.

  Pulling on my magic I figured the best way to force her hand was to just start doing it. Maybe she’d join the party once she realized this was going to happen one way or another. I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar snap, crackle, and pop as I summoned the magic to do my bidding. Focusing on my lips I channeled the magic to push through my lips like a river of lava.

  My eyes watered as the heat started to push up my throat. Running into the back of my lips it sizzled, burning everything in its wake. If my lips could open, a blood-curdling scream of pain would’ve echoed through the halls. Tears poured down my face as I continued to push the magic towards its goal. It needed to be hotter. White-hot. I pushed my mind to turn up the heat. Slowly and steadily I raised the temperature. Pushing again with all my might I started another assault on my lips. The smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils. My mouth refused to budge. My legs however decided they’d give way. I collapsed to the floor writhing in pain.

  It wasn't enough though. I needed Stella to help. She needed to whip the magical energy into a fury. Without her I was just burning myself.

  Please, Stella. I’ve already burned the shit out of myself. I’m not going to stop until this works, or the succubus kills me. Help me. Please.

  Stella flitted out of her hiding spot. Her emotions hit me like a frying pan. She was mad as hell, but she was going to help me. Leave it to me to have such temperamental magic living in me.

  Thank you.

  I felt the magic press against my skin. Stella was preparing for the assault. In response I began pulling magic as well. Coaxing the magic to pour in as layer upon layer built up within me. I felt like I was being boiled from the inside out. Pouring sweat, laying on the filthy floor of the abandoned schoolhouse I prayed this would work. With every ounce of strength left in my body, I launched the magic towards my mouth. Stella shot forward like a bullet firing from a pistol slamming into my lips with a half-ton of force.

  I tasted blood. The sharp metallic flavor coated my mouth. My lips felt like they’d splintered into a thousand different pieces. I stopped screaming when I realized I could hear it. We’d done it. My lips were no longer one chunk of flesh.

  Shoving myself to my feet, I swayed as a wave of dizziness hit me. That had taken everything out of me. Blood was sliding down my face from the damage I’d done to myself. None of that mattered. It was time to see who this bitch really was.

  I couldn't see the far corner clearly. I heard Charlotte grunting which meant she was still alive for now.

  “Mirror, mirror, I divine to make clear, the enemy that haunts near.” I’d decided whispering was the better way to go at this point. “Mirror, mirror, I evoke the spell. show me the enemy’s true shell. Mirror, mirror, I evoke the same, give me my enemies true name.”

  The black that’d been painted on the mirror peeled back revealing the reflective surface underneath. It lit up the room for a moment as the magic sparked to life. Letters burned into the face of the mirror as the picture wavered in the reflection.

  Charna.

  She had a name.

  “Charna.” A horrid scream met my voice from across the darkened room. “That’s right bitch I know your true name.”

  “You’re a fool. Do you really think knowing my name gives you any power? All it does is sign your death warrant. I can’t let you leave this place alive.” I heard her steps as she moved towards me from across the room.

  Bastian was at my side in an instant. His wolf form so stealthy he’d somehow gotten around Charna and to my side. He shoved me back through the door with his muzzle. Stepping back, I allowed his giant wolf body to fill the door.

  “Etta, wake up NOW. You need to wake up!” Charlotte screamed out from the darkness.

  “You said to never do that.” I said frozen with uncertainty.

  “I am telling you to do it NOW! NOW!” Charlotte commanded.

  I closed my eyes, willing my body to wake.

  Chapter

  27

  Chaos greeted me when I opened my eyes. Agents were scattered, running about in panic. Medical personnel hovered next to the bodies of Charlotte and Bastian. Their limp forms bounced around the cots, tossed like rafts in the churning sea. Purple welts spread across Charlotte’s arms.

  I tried to sit up, but the world spun in circles, forcing me to lay back down. The cot felt cold and sticky underneath my head. My mouth. I’d torn my mouth open to complete the incantation. Blood oozed from me, collecting underneath my head.

  Luc stood over me. His lips moved, but
no sound came out. I stared at him, wondering why he was mimicking speech. Then it dawned on me. There was no sound in the entire room. I couldn’t hear anything.

  “I can’t hear. Something’s wrong. I can’t hear,” I said frantically pounding on my ears. I knew the words had come out of me because I felt the rumble of them in my chest.

  Luc’s brows furrowed in concern. He opened his mouth wide, speaking to someone. His hands frantically waved as he tried to communicate something.

  Brady bounded over to his side, holding out a notebook and pen. Luc grabbed them from him, scribbling across the paper in harsh strokes, quickly writing the words I couldn’t hear.

  Did you get her name?

  “Charna,” I said, hoping they understood.

  Luc scribbled on the pad again, turning it for me to see.

  Charna?

  I nodded. Relief blanketed me. They could start the summoning spell and send that hooved bitch back to hell.

  Brady took off, sprinting towards the circle of protection that had been drawn on the floor. I watched him go, giddy with the knowledge that we’d won. I just hoped Charlotte and Bastian could hold out a little bit longer. If it hadn’t been for them, I never would’ve made it back with the name.

  Leander hovered above me, his hands moving around my body in confident gentle motions. He frowned as he turned my head slowly to the left. He spoke to Luc shaking his head.

  “Can someone tell me what’s going on?” I demanded.

  You ruptured your eardrum. Maybe your sinus cavity. Your mouth is severely damaged. Third-degree burns, and missing skin. Dr. says it’s like what you’d see from a diver surfacing too quickly.

  I read the paper taking in what it said. Charlotte had warned me to never jump out of the dreamscape without going through the sleep cycles in order. I should’ve let myself drop into REM, then cycled back to stage one before waking. She’d said there could be severe neurological trauma. I supposed getting the equivalent of the bends wasn’t so bad, considering the damage that could’ve happened.