Caged in Darkness (23 page)

“What’s wrong with her?” Griffin crouched
near Savannah, while I searched the surrounding woods. “Ah. Here’s
her problem.” I looked back to see Savannah nosing aside some
leaves. Griffin lifted a leaf for me to see; droplets of blood
smeared the waxy surface.

“Damn.” Savannah’s eyes glowed at me before
she turned and sprinted away. We followed until she slowed. Her
form began to slink low to the ground like a cat does when stalking
prey. A head of us, I could make out the shape of a shed and
realized it was the shed Willow and Savannah used to play in as
children. My stomach clenched. What if Willow was dead too?

We neared the shed and Savannah sniffed
around the edges. I opened the door, but it was empty.

“S, she’s not here.”

She let loose a deafening roar and starting
using her paws to dig at the dirt around the shed. I looked closer
and saw that there was a large cavern underneath, which the shed
had been built on. Savannah was attempting to pull the dirt enough
to squeeze through the opening. She wiggled her head through until
only her body remained on the outside. That was when we heard the
scream. It was loud enough that I thought an animal must be dying,
but I could recognize the tone as Willow’s.

Savannah’s efforts increased, while I bent
down to help push her through. Griffin and I soon followed. The
cavern was a tiny basement to the shed, but large enough for the
four of us to fit in. Griffin took out his cell phone to light up
the surrounding area.

Willow was against the far wall; trying to
shrink into it. Her skin was covered in layers of dirt, while
clumps of mud and stray branches peppered her hair. Her nails were
red from clawing at the wall behind her. She had left some decent
sized abrasions in the wall.

Willow didn’t seem to recognize us. Her head
shook back and forth, while her hands tore at her hair and cry’s
racked her body. Griffin and I inched away from her, while Savannah
moved forward. Willows picked up a rock and threw it at Savannah
hitting her in the head.

Savannah whimpered, lowered herself to the
ground and slowly inched forward. Her paws were outstretched and
Willow watched like a hawk. Rolling onto her back, Savannah began
to rock from side to side. She was trying to convey her harmless
nature and Willow seemed entranced enough to allow Savannah near.
For her last roll, Savannah ended up next to Willow and lifted her
head. She moved forward and licked a large gash on Willows arm.

The sound that burst from Willow was one of
defeat and acceptance. She pulled Savannah onto her lap and held
her. Slowly, Savannah’s body changed until she was naked in
Willow’s arms. She then moved to hold Willow and gently rocked her
until she quieted.

“Shhh… Willow, everything’s fine. No one is
going to hurt you. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

“Me too.” Their heads snapped up at Izzy’s
voice and Willow’s eyes held recognition.

Willow looked at each of us in turn and took
in Savannah’s naked state. “Why are you naked?” We all laughed.

“When I shift, I don’t get to take my
clothes with me. I didn’t think it was a good idea to take the time
for clothes, when you obviously needed me.”

“Oh.”

I handed Savannah her clothes, which she
quickly put on. Willow allowed me to help her up and out from under
the shed. On the way back to the search party, she explained that
the demon had been in her head. If was telling her to kill someone
and without knowing what else to do, she slammed her head into the
porch. Her rationality had fled; she just wanted him out of her
head.

Once she injured herself, the demons voice
stopped. However, when she turned, she found him standing across
the street and ran for the forest. She hid beneath the shed because
she knew Savannah would find her.

SAVANNAH

I wanted to tear him limb from limb. I was
so furious that I had half a mind to hunt down the demon. However,
Willow’s mind was weakened by his onslaught and I couldn’t stand to
leave her so soon. We each took a shower and curled on her day bed.
She was shivering and kept moving her hand to make sure I was still
next to her.

Why did Asmodeus want to take everything
from me? Hadn’t he had enough? I ached inside at how terrified
Willow had been, and the thought that she suffered through it
alone, while I searched for her. Izzy stayed with us, but sat near
the window watching the moon. Kit sat next to her. These were my
two best friends; my family. I couldn’t allow him destroy my
world.

I had spent my childhood being led on a
leash through each trial. When I came to live with Maye, I promised
myself that I wouldn’t allow my world to be dictated. This was five
steps further than dictating my life; he had turned me into a
puppet, while he created the stage.

“I can’t let him do this anymore.” I was
hardly aware I spoke aloud, but Izzy turned to face me and Willow
sat up. “He’s going to keep going until he kills everyone. That’s
what the journal said. My parent’s killed all of those people to
give me enough power to stand up to him. I think it’s about time I
did.”

“Are you crazy? All he has to do is wiggle
into your brain and pop goes the weasel.”

“Izzy, I don’t think that helps anything.”
Willow’s voice shook. “Savannah, I know you feel responsible, but
going all superhero on his ass isn’t going to help matters. He’s
too strong.”

“Did you really just say
ass
?” Izzy
laughed until it turned into a mad giggle. Willow responded by
grabbing her teddy and throwing it at Izzy, but it merely passed
through her to hit the window. “Ha! You can’t hit me unless I let
you.” They demonstrated their maturity by sticking their tongues
out at one another.

“Seriously, you guys! What else am I
supposed to do? I can’t sit around while he kills people. Willow
could have died and Izzy, you already have.” The three of us were
silent, while we each thought about everything that had happened.
“This isn’t a discussion, okay? I
am
taking this fight to
him. There is no doubt about that. I just need to figure out how to
do it. You can help me make a plan or stand by and watch. Either
way, I have made my decision.”

14: Intervention

ASH

I slept until noon the next day and found
Savannah’s bed empty. Maye was at an elder gathering and knowing
Savannah, she was at Willow’s. I walked over to Willows intending
to offer some solace, but when I got there I was marooned in the
living room.

“Hi.” I turned to find Willow standing
alone.

“Um, is Savannah here?”

“She’s still sleeping.” I gave her a
confused glance, since Savannah never slept past noon before. “I
placed some herbs in her breakfast to make her sleep. She didn’t
get any last night.”

“Oh. I tell her I was here.” I began to
leave, but Willow stopped me.

“She’s going to get herself killed. She
wants to go after him, alone.” I halted, but didn’t turn to face
her. “She thinks she can do it by herself, but she can’t. She will
only allow me and Izzy to help her create a plan, but wants us to
remain behind when she goes after him.”

“I won’t let her.” I tuned my head slightly,
while I spoke and walked out the door.

“I know. That’s why I told you.” She closed
and locked the door behind me.

My mind went through all of the possible
scenarios and realized that Savannah is too stubborn for me to stop
her. However, I could help her. Obviously, she didn’t want the
coven in on this. I could understand that. With that many people,
it would turn into a massacre. Besides, most of the coven was
against using their power in such a way. That left me two choices;
Griffin or Liam.

I got in my car and drove. I knew where to
go, because Maye insisted on knowing Liam’s address when Savannah
dated him. I memorized it the first time she gave it to me. He
opened on my first knock and I gave him credit for not wearing a
surprised expression. He merely opened the door and stepped aside
for me to enter.

“I’m sure there is a good reason for you
being here? Decide you need to attack me again? Maybe you want to
piss outside my door to mark your territory?”

“Savannah is in trouble.” Liam’s attitude
went from sarcastic to serious in the space of seconds. I sighed.
“Look, we hate each other. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that
much out, but we care about Savannah. If I am going to keep her
safe, I am going to need more than a witchling, ghost, and spirit
animal.”

“What do you need?”

LIAM

If Ash showing up at my place wasn’t bad
enough, the news he came with was much worse. My head pounded from
everything he told me. We managed to agree that we would confront
Savannah about her plan and the stupidity behind it. Willow and
Izzy were already on board. After we developed our intervention, we
went to railroad Savannah into being part of a plan, rather than
the sole participant.

We found Savannah rifling through boxes in
the attic. It was a tight fit, but we all managed to squeeze into
it.

“What now?” Savannah’s lips took on an angry
pout that was completely kissable.

I expected Ash to take the lead, but Willow
stepped up to the plate before him. “We are here to help and not
just with the plan, but the execution of it.” Willow gave Savannah
a sarcastic smile, and said “This is not a discussion.
We
are confronting him and
we
are creating the plan. You can
help or stand back, while we take care of everything. Sound
familiar?”

Savannah smiled. “Do you have to use my own
words against me? I suppose this means that the boys have been
filled in on everything?”

“Yeah.” Willow glanced at everyone in
confusion. “You’re not going to argue? You know, tell us we can’t
help or something? I had an argument all planned out!”

“You’re angry that you don’t get to argue?
Typical!” Izzy shouted from behind all of us.

“Willow, I know you better than you realize.
I knew you were going to stand by; I just hoped you would. You’re
going to do this against my will, but if I work with you… I might
be able to keep you all safe. God, you make me seem so irrational
sometimes.”

Savannah shook her head and went back to
digging around in random boxes. We all chipped in and brought the
items we found to Savannah’s room. The girls placed the items on
the bed and waited for Savannah to talk.

“Alright, I am building my plan based on my
mothers’ journal. Bloodstone is the key here. Obviously, it works
since it trapped him. Now, my theory is that if we managed to get
the bloodstone inside him, we might be able to kill him. I mean, my
mother said he couldn’t even touch the stuff.” She shrugged, sat on
her bed, and leaned on her pillows.

“That’s it.” I couldn’t help it, but her
plan seemed a little bland. “How are you doing to get it inside
him? How are you going to live long enough to get that close? Oh,
and what if it doesn’t work?”

Ash spoke from beside me. “Easy, the plan
doesn’t work; we die. Then the covens both die and its celebration
time in hell.” He walked over to a box with bloodstone decorated
across it. “What if we made a bloodstone dagger? If we did that, it
could puncture his skin.”

“Liam’s right, though. How do we get close
enough? He’s strong.” Willow fidgeted with the sleeves of her shirt
and I could see she was frightened.

“My panther; I’m strong in that form and
fast. I can take care of him physically, while you guys attack him
magically. One of us just needs to get close enough to stab him,
while he is distracted by the others.”

“Still a problem guys” Izzy spoke from the
corner. “How exactly do we make a bloodstone dagger?” We looked at
one another and not a single one of us put forth an idea.

“You make it with light and dark magic and
forge it in the essence of a spirit.” Unanimously, we turned in
horror to find Maye standing in the doorway. “You honestly believe
I have remained oblivious to everything that’s going on? Give me
some credit.”

“Maye, you know? How?” Ash moved closer to
Savannah and sat beside her on the bed. Savannah placed her hand
over his mouth and spoke. “We have to do this. Please, don’t try to
stop us.” She pleaded.

Maye gave us a warm smile. “I’m not going to
stop you; I’m going to help you. Liam, Ash, Izzy come with me. I
will need all three of you if we are going to make this dagger.
Savannah, go outside and practice maneuvers as a she-panther.
Willow, watch her and practice some moves of your own.”

No one moved. “If you all want to stop this
thing, we better get moving. I’m a lot slower than I used to be.
I’m no spring chicken.” She cracked a smile and went
downstairs.

“She seems smart.” I felt stupid saying it,
but I needed to break the silence.

“Yeah.” Everyone else spoke at once.

Izzy, Ash, and I trailed downstairs to find
Maye. We left Willow and Savannah alone in the bedroom with shocked
expressions still frozen on their faces. Maye brought us downstairs
and into the basement. She signaled for us to come closer and moved
aside a painting to reveal a small handle. She turned it and the
wall opened up into a study.

“Come on in.” Maye smiled back at us.

We filed into the room; Ash sat in a velvet
chair beside an antique cabinet. Izzy took up the space behind the
chair and I leaned against the wall we came through.

“Now, if I heard right, you need to make a
weapon from bloodstone?” We nodded. “I have just the thing.” She
opened a large trunk and took out a large box, which she set on the
desk. Unlatching the box, she opened it to reveal a scabbard inlaid
with ivory. She pulled a straight edged dagger from the sheath.
“This is a stiletto. It’s Italian.”