“You always were jealous of me Deke. People like me, something that all your money and influence can’t buy. People like me and that threatens you, doesn’t it. But to kill your own brother...”
“Enroht derfla dnib!” yelled Sterling Essex. With his words, shackles made of quite unbreakable soul energy, a glowing light blue, appeared around Alfred’s wrists and ankles.
Bound, both of Alfred’s arms were pulled up in the air by his wrists. His legs spread out and resulted his body looking like a human “X”. He could not move, he could not escape.
Immediately the Chevenko twins got up and started to speak offensive spells meant to do harm. Deacon cut them off at the pass.
“Enroht ton lla rof ecnelis lanrete!” yelled the Chevenko’s in unison. It was a spell meant to kill everyone in the room except them and anyone with the last name “Thorne”.
Before the Chevenko’s could finish reciting their spell, Deacon was already hard at work countering it. “Thgink nrehtron eht fo dleihs eht nommus!”
From the Chevenko’s bodies came skulls made of white energy directed at Madam Sage, Morris Augustine and Sterling Essex. They hit a shield made from similar but stronger forces. The collision resulted in a shower of sparks that showered the room.
“Yawa meht ot hteraza fo seloh kcalb eht nommus,” said Sterling Essex.
The very air and fabric of existence began to swirl behind the Chevenko twins. Quickly it escalted into a violent spiral inwards into nothingness. They were sucked into the localized black holes.
At first the Chevenkos were merely pulled towards the black holes, one for each. Within seconds their bodies twisted and stretched out until they became more akin to noodles than people. Before either could even scream they were sucked inside and the holes disappeared. No one saw either of them again.
“You bastard!” yelled Alfred as he helplessly watched his cronies and friends disappear into thin air.
“Now that’s out of the way,” Sterling Essex walked up to Alfred. “Where is Detective Krueger?”
“Just tell them Alfred,” pleaded Madam Sage. “This doesn’t have to go any further.”
Alfred laughed through tears. “Too late Madam Sage. Too late for me and too late for you to leave here with your hands clean. Followers of the light? Looks like your clan has let in the dark.”
Deacon sighed. “Alfred. Listen to me. Our dream,” he waved his hand to everyone in the room. “All of our dream is to bring about a world where we can move freely, practice our arts and traditions in public without fear of the mundane. To do so there is a price, to be paid in lives. But yours does not have to be one of them. Tell me where she is and we will simply send you into exile in another realm. You’ll live.”
Alfred smiled, tears still streamed down his cheek. “Deke, you are an idiot. All of you, idiots. You want paradise for our kind at the price of not just lives but the very world you want to live in. Sure, you can lift the spell after the mundane are gone but it won’t be the same. We need them. And our leader, he agrees with me. Kill me an-”
“Nommus na yci htaed,” Sterling Essex held up one hand. He motioned towards Alfred. A small axe made of pure ice flew towards the bound Thorne’s neck. They all watched his head, neatly, cleanly severed fall to and then roll down the granite table.
“I told you I’d get it out of him and then finish it myself!” Deacon was furious.
“He wasn’t going to tell us anything. And I don’t have time to wait here for him to tell us nothing.” Sterling Essex adjusted his cuff links.
Deacon got into Sterling’s face. “I won’t forget this Essex!”
“I’m sure you won’t. Neither will the Chevenkos. So if I were you I’d work on a story to tell them about their twins and what you’re going to tell our dear leader about Alfred.”
“What about Detective Krueger?” asked Det. Drake as he stared at Alfred’s head.
“Lilith Blackward, Alizia’s daughter,” answered Deacon Thorne.
“Isn’t that the girl who failed her judgement?” Morris Augustine joined the discussion.
“She’s also the girl who performed Red Wolf’s Folly before graduating high school,” pointed out Madam Sage.
“And she’s not officially part of the coven. Her mother told me that she has her own private detective agency,” Deacon then turned his attention to Det. Drake. “You, go to her. Hire her to find Ms. Krueger. Tell her it needs to be off the books and give her the address for The Dove Bed & Breakfast.”
“I don’t like this,” Det. Drake voiced his misgivings.
“I don’t care. Get it done.”
“What if this Blackward child finds Det. Krueger and the detective talks?” asked Sterling Essex.
“Then she’ll be dealt with. By me this time! Understood? Are we all on the same page?” Deacon looked around the room. “Good. Now go, I’ll prepare Alfred’s head for Lilith to find. Point her in the right direction.
“Our timeline hasn’t changed. The day of the Cold Dawn is coming. Nothing, not even Winter Krueger will stand in our way,” said Deacon as he stared down at his brother’s lifeless head.
One-by-one the members of the Cold Dawn left their secret hideaway. Deacon Thorne was the last to leave after his work was finished. Klaus pulled up outside the Dove Bed & Breakfast just in time.
“Out,” ordered Deacon Thorne as he opened the driver’s side door. Klaus did as commanded. “Go, get rid of Alfred’s car. I don’t care what you do with it as long as no one ever finds it. And Klaus, we were never here. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” Klaus got out of the car. “Right away sir.”
Chapter 7
“I DON’T GET IT MS. Blackward. It’s just a blank business card.” Sir Kain held the all black card from Alfred Thorne’s wallet in his hands of living stone.
“Sometimes I forget, you may be made of magic but you are at heart just another mundane Joe. Here let me show you.” Lilith took the card from Sir Kain. “ Eye sehctiw a rof neddih sdrow laever.”
Like lines of lit gunpowder, words started to appear or combust into reality on the business card. It read:
Thorne & Chevenko Holdings
415-549-7867
2354 Bowery Lane, San Francisco, CA 94120
“When was the last time you got the car checked?” asked Lilith. “Got the oil changed, brakes looked at and whatever other maintenance those things need?”
“Last week Ms. Blackward. I took it to Rocco’s Autobody and Repair Shop.”
“Rocco’s Sir Kain, just say Rocco’s.”
“Are we going on a trip?” asked Sir Kain. He tried to sound excited but didn’t know how.
“We are, we’re going off to San Franny. So pack your bags buddy,” said Lilith. She punched his shoulder and then immediately regretted it as it was hard as stone. “Ow, I forgot-” She shook her hand up and down as if that’d stop the pain.
“We’re not going anywhere little girl.” OLG floated around the room.
“Last time I checked it’s a free country,” replied Lilith.
“Last time I checked your parents are outside,” OLG shot back.
“Huh?” Lilith looked confused. Then she heard knocking at the door. She closed her eyes and hung her head low.
“Shall I?” asked Sir Kain his hand on the door knob.
“Yeah, I guess, why not? The door is in shards on the floor. So, sure.” Lilith, who was all ready to get out of that dang detective agency and vamoose it to San Francisco, find Winter Krueger and finally be accepted, was back to being defeated. All by her undefeated foes, her parents.
“Mister and Mrs. Blackward. How unexpected and lovely to see you, please, come in.” Like a stately butler, Sir Kain opened what was left of the door and let in Alizia and Marcus Blackward.
Alizia was as beautiful and regal as usual. Her husband, Lilith’s father, was no different. He was tall, unusually tall about six and a half feet. Since she was a child Lilith remembered that same perfectly neat white goat
ee and closely cropped gray hair. And those large hands, he used to be able to palm her head. Probably still could.
“This is...nice,” lied Marcus Blackward. “Has a real, gritty feel?”
“Someone broke in,” Lilith stated the obvious.
“I can see that.” Broken glass crushed under Alizia’s high heels.She didn’t look around with a disapproving look. No, that’d be too kind. Her face expressed an utter lack of surprise.
“What are you guys doing here?” asked Lilith.
“You’ve forgotten?” Marcus looked at Lilith in disbelief.
“We’ve come to collect you my little monkey,” answered Alizia.
“Collect me?” Lilith raised one eyebrow. “That’s rich.”
“I’m being anointed today Lily,” said Marcus.
Wait? What? “Are you joking?” asked Lilith.
“While you’ve been out of the loop doing, whatever it is you do hear darling, your father has moved our family forward. He is going to finally fill the seat Basil Augustine abandoned so many years ago. You should be proud of him.” Alizia put her arm around her husband.
“I...I am. Really I am. This is great.”
“But?” Alizia could see that her daughter wasn’t done.
“But I’m in the middle of a case with a good lead. I, we, Sir Kain and I need to go. Good luck with the whole coming into power thing.” Lilith tried to leave, Sir Kain stepped in the way.
“Sir Kain?” Lilith motioned with her hand for her man servant of living stone to move out of the way.
“I’m sorry Ms. Blackward. Your mother said you must come. It is a big day for your family. And for you.”
“A big day for me?”
Marcus Blackward placed his large heavy hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “ That’s right Lily. With my new position at the table I can over rule Deacon Thorne’s decision. I can reverse your judgement, bring you into the coven. Properly.”
“You can do that?” Lilith couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“He’s lying. They both are,” cautioned OLG.
“How do you know?” Lilith lost herself for a moment and forgot that only she could see the ghost of her older self.
“I may not remember much about what happened to us. But I do remember that look on their faces. At the very least they’re not telling the truth.”
“Are you okay baby?” asked Marcus, concerned about his daughter’s seemingly erratic behavior.
Alizia examined her daughter’s face. Then she smiled. “Who else is here with us Lilith?”
You should know. You saddled me with the most depressing future version of me possible. “Well, let’s see it’s me, you, dad and Sir Kain.”
“And...?” Alizia knew what was going on, at least that there was someone or something else there in her daughter’s detective agency.
Lilith shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.
“Thgil eht otni dna swodahs eht fo tuo!” Commanded Alizia.
OLG was forcefully pulled from the shadows and made visible to everyone in the room. It felt like what she imagined jumping out of a moving car would feel like. Yes, even spirits had senses.
“Well...this is awkward!” OLG had no idea what to do.
“Is that...?” Marcus couldn’t believe his eyes. There was his daughter, over a decade older and as a ghost. Which means she was dead.
“Lilith?” Alizia knew there was another presence. She could’ve been given one hundred guesses, she never would have guessed.
“I can explain,” started Lilith until she realized, “I can’t. But-”
“How did you die?” asked Alizia. Her usual stoic demeanor was a bit shaken. Still she followed to keep her face straight, just barely. “What happened to you? And when?”
“I don’t know mother,” replied OLG.
“You don’t know? How could you not know?” Marcus didn’t know what to do. He walked around the room constantly looking back at the ghost of his only daughter.
“She was murdered,” coldly stated Alizia.
“How do you-” Marcus was beside himself.
“She’s a ghost. She doesn’t remember what happened to her or when. No murder victims do. Otherwise there’d be vengeful ghosts running around looking to avenge their murders.” Alizia sat down on Lilith’s desk, much to her daughter’s chagrin.
Wait...
“That can’t be. Why would anyone kill our baby?” asked Marcus.
“Didn’t you used to be a Cleaner mom?” asked Lilith. “That’s what you used to do, when you first started in the coven right?”
“You know I was.”
“Can you, undo it? You’ve wiped ghosts, witches, warlocks...hell probably even vampire’s minds. Is there anyway to reverse it?” Marcus snapped out of his shock to make a salient point.
“No. There is not,” emphatically answered Alizia. “We are forgetting the real issue at hand here though.” The matriarch of the Blackward family kept her attention on the ghost.
That’s not strictly true. Is it mom? My ghost is right, I recognize that face, you’re lying.
“Why are you here?” asked Marcus.
“With our daughter,” added Alizia.
“Don’t know. I think I’m supposed to help her.”
“Help her how?”
“Figure out what happened and stop the Cold Dawn.”
Ex-nay on the Cold Dawn-ay. I need to put a stop to this.
“Emoh nruter!” ordered Lilith. The ghost of her older self was drawn back to and rejoined her body.
“What’re you hiding from us Lilith?” inquired Alizia’s mother.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Lilith zipped up her jacket. “It’s a case. Are we going or not?”
Chapter 8
NO WORDS WERE SPOKEN in the Blackward car on the way to the Talon House, home of the oldest first family of Devils End and the location of the coven’s high table. Sir Kain was behind the wheel oblivious to what was going on. Marcus sat next to him silently going over his speech in his head, trying to forget what he just saw and heard at his baby girl’s office. Alizia sat next to Lilith, angry that she didn’t get the answers she wanted, annoyed that she couldn’t see the whole picture. Lilith was angry and annoyed that her parents barged in uninvited and prevented her from being on the road to San Francisco to find answers.
Street light after street light passed by briefly lighting up the unhappy car. Alizia would look over at her daughter. Lilith would pretend that she didn’t notice then their roles reversed. The vehicle sped through Ravenswood Forest on a thin dirt road. Sir Kain had it perfectly under control.
The car reached a pond in the middle of the woods. It did not stop. Sir Kain drove the Blackward’s car straight onto the water. No different than if on pavement it kept going until he brought the vehicle to a steady stop.
Tentacles emerged from the otherwise still water of the pond. No one panicked or even seemed to care, as if it were routine. To one of the mundane those few seconds would have been remembered until a person’s last day.
The tentacles wrapped around the Blackward’s car. As gently as Sir Kain hit the brakes, they slowly drug them down into the water. Nothing leaked through the cracks, not in the doors or around the windows, not a drop came through. Inside was bone dry.
“The Kraken? Seems like a bit much,” remarked Lilith as she looked out into the dark water of the pond.
“A kraken.” Lilith heard a voice filtered through murky water. She looked over at the window on her mother’s side. There was what looked to be a mix between a woman and, well, a squid, swimming outside the car. “The Kraken, that’s Meryl. Selfish jerk gave us all a bad name back in the day. We don’t want to eat people. We live in the oceans, seas-”
“And ponds?” Lilith couldn’t help her smart mouth.
“In this case, yeah. Ponds.” The kraken swam over to Lilith’s side. “You know, us krakens, we have gifts beyond changing our size. We can hear things. Sense things.” Lilith re
alized that the kraken’s mouth stopped moving and her voice was clearer. “My name is Gwen. Remember that, for when you need to.”
Gwen’s tentacles retracted and she disappeared into the murk. The Blackward’s car landed on the pond floor kicking up the mud and vegetation on the bottom. Illuminated by the headlights was the Talon House which actually would be more accurately categorized as a mansion.
Windows in the Talon house were lit up orange and welcoming. Paved over the mud was a road made of intricately carved stone leading to the front door. There were expertly maintained bushes and shrubbery up front of the plantation style home. Somehow there were trees.
“Shall we Blackwards?” asked Sir Kain.
“Steady as she goes Sir Kain,” answered Marcus Blackward.
Sir Kain drove his masters down the stone road. They reached a barrier that separated the Talon House grounds from the thousands of gallons of pond water all around it. He drove on through.
Water dripped and poured off every surface of the car as it rolled up to a stop right outside Talon House’s front doors. Two gargoyles stood guard.
Same as Sir Kain, the gargoyles were made of living stone. They towered above Lilith and her family as they got out the car. Standing at around eight feet with glowing purple eyes and bulging muscle, they were even more formidable than the chimeras from the Cold Dawn’s hideaway.
The doors to Talon House opened. Out came a short woman in a expensive pants suit. She wore a large pin in the shape of the coven’s sigil, branch and snake. Her short pixie cut blond hair was slicked back, not a single hair astray.
Moira Talon. Wow, she looks amazing not a day over thirty. Not bad for someone older than this whole crappy town.
“Stand down boys, they’re members,” ordered Moira. The gargoyles stood at ease.
“Thank you Lady Talon,” said Marcus as he led his family past the gargoyles, and followed Moira inside.
Every inch of Talon House was covered with history. Whether it be the artifacts from the coven’s past on display, or the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ornate chandeliers, art so rare that no price tag could be put on it...there was money and class wherever they looked. Lilith wasn’t looking at any of that. Her mind raced with the details and possibilities of her case.
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