Chapter 14

Elliott stood in their bedroom; he had been preparing himself for the exorcism and was waiting for Makaumby and Jock to arrive. He knew Barnabas and Quentin were waiting for him in the drawing room. He would not keep them waiting for long, he needed to prepare mentally for what they were about to challenge and send back to the darkness. It had been festering a very long time in that stone cottage.

His concern was for Vicki, she had disappeared early this morning and was found sitting lotus fashion on the beach, eyes closed, meditating and totally oblivious to her surroundings. He studied her in her meditative state and surmised she must be tapping into her powers or communing with others of her power.

He had not wish to disturb her if in deed she was communing and preparing herself for the upcoming event. If what was in that cottage was truly there, he knew they would need all the help they could master. There was more evil than he dared think could exist in any one place.

He hoped she might have been communing with the elements. He glanced up to see his lovely Julia pacing back and forth. "Elliott do you think you should participate in this?"

Elliott moved to stop her from her worried pacing and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Julia, my beautiful wife, I will not be inside. The only ones going in will be Makaumby and Jock. Neiva, Patricia, Barnabas, Quentin and myself will encircle the building keeping the circle of protection in place. We will be reciting the words for a protection spell while Makaumby and Jock are in the building extricating the demons and sending them back to their dark master."

"I don't like it Elliott, you said they were demons and if they escape they could kill you, Barnabas, Quentin, or either of the girls. If they don't kill you they could possess you."

Elliott placed both hands on her arms. "Julia, if we do not send them back, they will most certainly hurt one of us or possess us. When Vicki opened that door, she awoke them to her presence. They want her and the baby, so it does not matter from this point on we all are standing together to exorcise them."

Julia smiled; she was ready to capitulate to his better judgment. "I bow to your knowledge and expertise. I just want you to be careful. "

He smiled indulgently pulling her close to his chest, "I promise you my dearest Julia, I will be careful. I have to come back to you. I do love you my dearest Julia. Never doubt that for one moment." His voice had grown gentle with his words of love.

It was an odd looking party that gathered in the rear garden, standing together all eyes were focused on the two men in front of the others. Jock, dressed casually in shorts and t-shirt sporting a pair of sandals stood reverently next to a man in a traditional African dress of a spiritualist.

His headgear was simply designed out of tanned leather with feathers, strands of cane sprouting a Mohawk style crown headpiece. His white hair had been cut short and blended with the white paint of his face. He carried a black satchel, which now sat at his feet. Over his shoulder he wore colorful stylized dashiki robe. His face had been painted white with red stripes.

His manner had become very professional and serious standing and looking at the building he shook his head. "Baie kwaad, lê in die ingewande van die gebou. Hulle wil die baba en die wit heks. Dit is baie sleg. Ons moet 'n baie gebede terwyl ons in hierdie plek van die bose. "This had been spoken in his African tongue to Jock.

Jock turned and translated for those present, the only one not needing a translation had been Elliott, he had frowned hearing the words. Jock looked at all present and said Makaumby says, "Much evil, lies in the bowels of this building. They want the baby and the white witch. This is very bad. We need a lot of prayers while we are in this place of evil."

Makaumby then spoke again bending down to pick up his satchel, his voice had a harsh brooking no argument tone. "geen kontak versoek sodra ons die gebou. Hy het versoek ons vorm 'n ring van beskerming rondom die gebou die chant vir die beskerming van beskerming teen die bose te herhaal. Sal jy al vorm dit aan alle kante oond en sodra ons begin, sal dit nodig wees om vir ons hierdie sirkel sonder onderbrekings te handhaaf. Die duiwels sal wees om te kyk na maniere om 'n teiken."

Lifting the bag he moved to the door of the building while Jock translated his request. "His honorable Makaumby has requested no contact once we enter the building. He has requested we form a ring of protection around the building repeating the chant for protecting against evil. You all will form this on all four sides and once we begin, it will be necessary for us to maintain this circle without interruptions. The demons will be looking for ways out for a target. Now, are we all clear?"

Jock had handed out slips of papers with words for protection written. "They are simple words, remember them. You must continue this chant until the last demon is dispatched." Neiva and Patricia did not need the words they had them by rote.

Elliott moved to the south side of the building, while Barnabus took the north side, Quentin took the eastside and the two girls, dressed in white robes with their faces painted and wearing tribal head dresses stood on the west side.

Makaumby and Jock moved into the building. Makaumby sat his satchel down opening it to withdraw a baton with a golden lion head. Laying the baton down, he pulled out a necklace of highly polished stones, affixing the necklace around his neck, he then set out short white pillar candles.

Four were black, three were white and two were blue. Makaumby instructed, "You set the four black candles in the corners. Placed the last five in a circle in the center of the room" Jock then put the other five in a circle in the center of the building. They will try to put out the candles. You will need to keep them lighted." Makaumby then drew a chalk line leading from the center of the candles to each corner. Stepping back he looked around the room and began to draw runic symbals on the walls.

Turning to Jock he nodded. Jock seeing the signal called to those outside, "BEGIN THE CHANT!"

Together the outside participants began to recite, "By the dragons light, on this February night, I call to thee to give me your might, by the power of three, I conjure thee, So mote it be, So mote it be!"

Each time the chant began again, the tone of the chant became stronger the tempo growing and the sound increasing a decibel. The passions of those chanting was beginning to mount with each word spoken.

On the beach Vicki sat Indian fashion her elbows resting on her knees. Eyes close she began to commune with the elements, "Sisters four, Sorcha your fiery temperament, Aerith, your stabling ground, Canace, your cooling breezes, and Earwayna your refreshing the thirst, I call for your strength, I now bind myself to you as a sister of white power and ask for your encouragement and help for strength, for protection against evil for those I love and those that devote their powers to yours."

She began her chant, as she chanted, she could hear the voices of her sisters joining in; "Protect me with all your might, oh goddess gracious day and night, thrice around the circles bound sin all evil to the ground, so mote it be, so mote it be, so mote it be."

Vicki could hear their voices joining with hers while she chanted, then she felt them, Earwayna using the edge of the ocean to gently bathed her with the perpetual waves moved further and further onto the shoreline. In her minds eye she could hear Earwyna's voice, "To purify you with water. I baptize thee."

The warmth from Sorcha encircling Vicki with the warmth from the sun climbing higher into the sky "The fire of day to give you strength for your plight ahead."

The waves washed over Vicki, she felt solid ground that kept her from burying into the sand. Aerith was holding her steady, "The earth to steady your foothold as you travel on your journeys."

Then she felt the trade winds lift her hair and Canace spoke in her ear, "To guide you with the winds of time and space. We are here to help you through this journey."

Inside the cottage in the bowels of the root cellar a terrible battle was ensuing. Makaumby was thrashing about shouting at the demons, throwing white powder mingled with salt around the room and dodging bottles that were being thrown at him from the shelves on the walls.

He would duck blow some additional white powder and salt at the direction of the last assault. He was rattling baton, dancing and chanting moving about.

Makaumby was shouting and calling upon the white power to vanquish the darkness in the room. Using holy water to sanctify the room, pouring salt around him in a circle, then he would dance some more and pull the mystical white powder from a pouch he wore around his waist. The frenzy of the fight was taking its toll on both men.

Upstairs Jock was calling upon natures balance. Lighting a fire in the fireplace he began to chant, "I call upon the brothers and sisters of nature, to build the fire and light the night to bring forth the balance of good and to spite the evil of the night. I call upon the guardians the daughters and son of earth, wind, fire, and water. To protect this home, to send the evil into the pits of darkness to dwell there forever."

Jock felt a stab of burning pain across his back. Grimacing he had expected this and kept going with his chant. "To allow evil dwell here no more! Be gone from this plane and banish to the darkness where you belong. So mote it be, so mote it be, so mote it be."

Jock kept repeating the same chant over and over as he stood in front of the burning fire in the fireplace. Again across his shoulder he felt another stabbing burning pain from more scratching.

When an errant wind would blow out a candle he would move to relight it laughing to himself at the pitiful way of breaking the thrice-built circle of protection. The only one at true risk was the old man in the cellar whose chant and phrenic movements grew increasingly more animated while he fought and defeated the demons one by one.

The flames licked higher and higher into the flue and from the root cellar, the sounds of moans and screams filled the entire dwelling. Jock repeated his chant and reached for the herbs and salt he had brought and began to scatter it to each corner of the house.

Outside the other participants were doing their own protection spells. Makaumby was shouting in an unintelligible language, trying to sound louder than the demons he was fighting in the root cellar. His actions reflected the degree of the power of each demon he was defeating. He had to maintain his strength because he knew the oldest demon he had to fight was trying to use up Makaumby's strength.

From the seaside Vicki continued her vigil and the elements allowed her to see into the cellar, Makaumby was starting to weaken when from the dark corner another figure which unmolded from the shadows. Vicki watched intrigued by the arrival of the figure. Female in form she was dressed in a black leather jump suit with tiny silver spider web tendrils that covered her body.

She complimented the jumpsuit with a long black leather coat that also had the spiderlike silver dots connecting to each other. Vicki studied the figure noting her hair held a halo of auburn. She moved into the room to look at Makaumby. Movement from the shadows from the other dark corner brought Vicki's attention to another figure appearing.

Vicki narrowed her gaze to try and see the features of the figure and determined it was male. He was dressed similarly to the female. He towered over the female figure as he stood behind her. He smiled a very cynical smile; Vicki was then able to see his features.

What she saw was a man in his early thirties, his hair was black as a raven's wing, pulled back in a ponytail, his face was ruggedly handsome with his square cut features and dark piercing eyes. His broad shoulders displayed the well-muscled body, which allowed him to move with cat like grace and a bearing of confidence.

He wore a black long leather coat identical to the one the female wore. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a metallic disc, setting it on the floor in front of him and the female, he flipped a small switch and a pentagram in red appeared to cover the whole room.

Makaumby staggered back, his body showing signs of fatigue. The female stepped around the male and helped the holy man back and sat him on a wooden bench in the room. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a vial with clear fluid, anointing Makaumby's head, he reached for her hand and kissed it, his tear filled eyes peered up and he smiled. His words spoken to Vicki and she understood his native tongue.

'You are the blessed one, the guardian."

She gently touched his cheek, smiled and spoke softly, "Rest old friend, let us help you now. We are here to prevent a grave injustice."

Though Vicki could not see her face, she was certain that her voice was familiar.

Canace moved into Vicki's mind, "Look at what your baby is about to do Sister Victoria."

Vicki's gaze was directed from the cellar to Elliott outside the building. He was growing weary and Vicki could easily see why, he was being psychically assaulted by a transport demon. Elliott was growing wearier.

Julia had been standing and watching when she saw Elliott start to fall, she rushed forward to feel something take ahold of her. Vicki gasped, "Julia! No!"

Canace calmed her with her whispering voice. "Watch." The sound of her voice made the soothing word watch sound drawn out and calming like a gentle ocean breeze wafting past her ears.

The female from the root cellar stepped from the very fabric of time next to Julia; she took two fingers and did a pinching motion to Julia's forehead, and drew her hand back. Astonished Vicki saw she was pulling a long thick black thread from Julia's forehead. Reaching with her other hand into her coat pocket she pulled out a holy vessel and placed the black wiggling thread in the vessel.

She fed the thread, which seemed to be fighting her, from going into the vessel. She put the last of it in the vessel and capped it. Turning to Julia, she touched her forehead and whispered, "Forget, go back to the house and lay down, you are tired." Julia nodded and with eyes transfixed to nothing she walked in a hypnotic trance to the house.

Elliott smiled weakly at her, "Thank you Josette that would have been a bit of nasty business." She tipped toed up to kiss Elliott on the cheek, turned and stepped into what appeared to be a split or tear in the fabric of time.

Canace whispered, "Your baby is a time folder like you Sister Victoria, watch how she helps Dragonsbane banish the rest and the worst of the demons."

Vicki's focused shifted from outside the house to the dark cellar. The tall man's face was passive; he looked about the room, pointing a finger he spoke, "Banishment, to the nine hells."

"Damn you Cameron! Damn you to your brother's hell!"

Cameron would chuckle softly and then point his finger and speak again, "Banishment to the ninthe hell!" When he spoke there was a scream of anger and frustration as a dark shadow fell.

"Cameron you will be in our presence again! You will be the one to join us again some day!"

Turning again, he said, "Banishment, to the nine hells."

Again a shadow fell. When it fell Vicki could smell brimstone and sulfur. Each time there was a glimmer of fire licking up to catch the shadow. "Here one that thought he could get away." Josette moved to the one called Dragonsbane and set the holy vessel in front of him.

The man smiled, "Really? Tisk, tisk Balthazar, you should know by now you won't escape me." Taking his foot, he stomped the vessel releasing the demon that immediately tried to encircle them with its darkness.

Dragonsbane laughed and tilted his chin down looking into the darkness, "Demon you think you scare me? You have no idea who or what I am." The Demon encircled the woman and tried to tighten its cloying darkness around her body. This annoyed the one called Dragonsbane.

He snapped his fingers and said one word, "Destroy." The shadow began to writhe backing away from the woman it twisted, and undulated in the air wanting to strike out but unable as it felt light filling it from the inside out.

Like a snake in its death throws it twisted and turned and then the scream was the most unholy of all screams as the demon said with its dying voice, "Who are you!"

The man smiled, "Give my regards to Diablos, tell him Lord Dragonsbane has returned and I am coming for him."

The demon disappeared and the man turned to look at the woman. "Are you all right?" He for the first time showed some emotion looking in the woman's eyes. Vicki could see she was uncomfortable having so much attention paid to her.

"I am fine Cameron." He sighed put a light kiss to the top of her head. "Time to fold again, we need to get out of here, the room is clean. They are all gone."

Josette smiled; putting her arms around Cameron, she closed her eyes and spoke softly, "Hold on." The room shimmered and once again, Vicki saw what looked like a tear in the fabric of time. From her perspective the tear began as a pinhole of light that grew and pulsated, bringing forth a flash in the moment of all ages being represented assaulting all the senses at one time. Just as quickly in a blink of a eye it was gone and so were the future travelers.

"Is she not magnificent. That is your little girl, your daughter Josette that will be one of the guardians of the hellmouth in Maine. " Sorcha's voice was warm against Vick's ear.

Floating next to Sorcha was Canace. On the other side of Vicki sat Earwayna who nodded, "You saw the tear in time, because you like she Victoria Winters Collins sister to the elements you are like she, only your powers are closer to Cameron."

Sorcha laughed, "He is a bad boy. He was once a brother in darkness with Diablos. His true brother was a lord of the nine hells Baal. But when when he saw your daughter he changed his dark evil alignment to joined her in the fight. Though he holds to the dark practices he is no longer a shadow, his light has turned grey. He could walk both sides if he choose."

Aerith sighed, "We must not forget what happened when he first stepped into the light betraying his dark brethren. He was hunted relentlessly. Baal knew his weakness and went for that weakness."

Canace nodded, "He took Josette to nine hells then he challenged Camron hoping to strike a deal. He told his brother that if he gave up the light he would allow him and Josette to live peacefully in his realm."

Aerith stepped forward to continue the story, "However, it would cost him his soul and her soul. Cameron refused and told Baal to do his worse to him. So, Baal sent him to the first hell with Josette. Carmon fought his way out of the nine hells besting with little effort the demons he had placed as a guard on each gate. Camron fought his way out and now he has a score to settle with his brother."

Earwayna spoke softly, "That is why we always are on alert for the next incursion. Baal had with Diablos' help, put all those demons there using Grannie Bouchard as the earth bound vessel to guide them and hide them in that cottage. With her banishment they were ready to swarm over the earth and try to take you and our little Josette with them."

Vicki sighed, "He was a very powerful mage, he could do his spells with single words."

Sorcha laughed, "That is because he is thousands of years old. He needs little to wield his power and its great. Diablos is afraid of his dark powers brother."

Aerith stirred under them and moved up over Vicki's shoulders. "The island is cleansed now. The dark priest afraid of what happened to the pit of unholiest has fled to another island."

Earwayna drifted away from shore, "It is time for rejoicing, your mother and father shall have a wonderful wedding. You will soon be able to return home and after the summer solstice, you shall have your baby girl."

Vicki was trying to digest all of this emotionally and mentally when she felt or sense the approach of another. The elements shifted to hide at the approach of the unknown, and then she smiled as she heard his voice, "Victoria?"

She sighed and turned looking up into the eyes of her husband. "Yes, my love?"

He moved to sit next to her and he tilted his head. "You weren't alone were you?"

Vicki smiled, "There is something I have to tell you my love." He moved to gently take her into his arms resting his chin on the top of her head. The smell of her shampoo, filled his senses, the touch of her skin warmed from the sun, the taste of her skin moist from the ocean spray, along with the look of love in her eyes filled him with peace.

"What is that my precious love?"

She leaned back into his hold twisted slightly looking him in his eyes. "I am a white witch. I have powers over the evil that seems to surround us. Our daughter will be the guardian to the gates of hell sending evil back to where it belongs and there is nothing we can do about it because it was pre-ordained."

He looked at her indulgently, "Really? A white powered witch, and a daughter that will one day guard the gates to hell. I would say that is highly unlikely."

Vicki looked over his shoulder watching Sorcha form and move to stand next to Barnabas, Then Aerith shifted and formed to stand next to Sorcha, Canace shifted and formed to stand next to Sorcha.

Unaware of the approach of the elements Barnabas watched in amazement a huge wave formed and froze in place and a bubble with a beautiful water nymph appeared and floated to shore. Together they spoke, "She is a sister to the elements, her power is our power, our power is her power, she shall be as one with us to keep the balance of nature."

Barnabas felt his heart skip a beat looking at the four lovely women in amazement at the sisters of the elements. Slowly they all began to dissipate along with the huge wave that had formed. The only sound was that of a series of giggles on the wind.

Vicki lifted her palm to his cheek and turned his gaze back to her gaze. "I spoke the truth my love. No more will we fear the Angelique's or Grannie Bouchards' of this world. Collinwood will always have to face a darkness, but our family line will bring the power of the light to the dark shadows that hide to hurt us."

Barnabas smiled, "I love you Victoria Collins. Never again will you have any need to fear that I shall hurt you in any way. I was afraid and thought you were seriously hurt and then angry that I let my own feelings get away from me."

Vicki leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips. "I love you too Barnabas Collins, and I have it on good authority that we shall be having three more girls and two boys. So I suppose I have to forgive you your anxiety and you're over zealous emotions."

She let him help her stand. "You know I was thinking that old stone cottage now that it's clean could be made into a guest house or perhaps a house the boys could use when they are here visiting."

Barnabas ran his arm around her waist and led her back to the pathway to the house. "I was thinking the same thing. There is also a groomsman's quarters over the stables we could have repaired for use by other family members that come to visit in the winter."

Vicki stopped and stretched from her lower back. "I think I am pleasantly tired, would you like to join me in our bedroom for a light afternoon nap?"

He kissed her nose, "You know perfectly well, I cannot lay down with you and just sleep."

She laughed, "That was what I was hoping you would say."