Eternally Damned

Chapter 20

Disclaimer: The characters and the setting do not belong to me. The only things that I can take credit for are the warning, the sixth bloodline, the girl and the plot.

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Stillness. Silence, it was as if the world had frozen, he felt his breath catch in his throat and as he pushed his hands out he saw them. Wide clear, empty, his hands fell to his sides his fingers frozen, his mind trying to make sense of the images that he saw, but there was only numbness. He felt the air move around him, coldness whirling enticingly around his body. The shock in his mind was too much, he raised his eyes skywards. Allowing the numbness to wash over him.

Please no...

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They settled Caleb down on his bed; his skin was pale and sallow. As if the life had been drained from him. Pogue looked across at Tyler reading his thoughts from the look that had settled upon his face.

"It has," he murmured softly.

Tyler looked across at him, astonishment touching his features, "What has?"

"His life," he paused slightly glancing at Reid who leaned carelessly against the wall, his hands deep in his sweatshirt pockets, "she took his power from him, so she's taken his life too, but obviously not completely because he's still alive, but to what extent I really don't know."

Tears fell down Sarah's cheek as she squeezed Caleb's hand. It was cold her breath caught in her throat, she'd taken his very life from him, for herself. Rage filled Sarah's mind, that...that witch how dare she do something like that?

Releasing Caleb's hand she turned to Pogue, "And what about...Elise?" she spat at him, "Caleb's here like this and she has stolen his powers, his life force for herself and you're okay with that? You're able to sit here knowing what she's done?"

There was silence, unbroken and tense. They each looked at the floor in thought, what did they really think of what she had done. Angry? Upset? Or something else.

"Relief," the others turned to stare. Tyler stood by the end of the bed his lip still curled around the word that had just left his mouth, Sarah glared at him shocked but he carried on wanting them to know how he felt, "relief, because now Caleb can't hurt himself."

Sarah tried to interrupt the nature of her words clear on her face but Pogue shot her a warning glance and she stopped. "I mean I hate that Caleb's like this but the thing is. He just couldn't control that much power, it was killing him. Every time he got mad or upset he would start to lose control and if he did especially in public, that would not only the Covenant be revealed, but also people would be in danger. And about Elise I'm not sure but I think she's on our side."

Pogue nodded in agreement, "Same here Caleb needed help and Elise gave it to him and you saw how hard it was for her. "

"It didn't look so hard to me," Sarah muttered angrily.

Pogue ran a hand through his long hair and took a breath trying to be patient, "Well it was I could feel her control when we were stood around her, and there is no way that one of us could do that not even Caleb when he's concentrating." He paused allowing his words to sink in before carrying on, "And as for Elise I'm with Tyler, she saved all our lives tonight most importantly Caleb's..."

"But what about Reid? He was with her when it attacked, she must have drawn him out there or something..."

"Then why did she tell him to call you Sarah? If she wanted him dead then why did she call for a ride for him to get away? And what about last time, when she sent him away and came in the next day with all those injuries, I'd bet my broom, if I had one that is, that she fought another one of those things that day." Tyler finished waiting for Sarah to start again, but she didn't, she had nothing left, she knew as well as they did that Elise had saved their lives, all of their lives. But she was sad and worried about Caleb and she needed something to blame.

Turning his eyes back to the bed, Tyler suddenly remembered Reid, he had said nothing on the subject at all which was really unlike him. He should have been the first one to come to Elise's defence. His friend was still there standing against the wall. His body unmoving and his eyes glazed, as if faraway. Casting his mind back he remembered how upbeat he had been after Elise disappeared. It was so unusual for him to be like, I mean they had all been freaked out but it was as if it had had no effect on him. Moving quietly away from the Pogue and Sarah who were stood directly by Caleb's bedside, he walked up to Reid.

Shaking his arm slightly Tyler whispered, "You there man?" Reid looked up at him slowly, as if he had just woken up form a dream, but his face was drawn as if it had been a nightmare.

"Reid, what's wrong?" Tyler said again, more urgent this time and his concern made the others turn. Caleb fidgeted slightly but they ignored him, Reid taking up there full attention.

"Nothing."

"Tell me the truth, I know you better than that something's wrong now tell me," Tyler was worried now Reid never acted like this it was so out of place, and to tell the truth it frightened him. His blond friend looked lost as if the world had ended and he hadn't been aware of it, as if he didn't know what to do. But he usually did, no matter who it was, a teacher, a friend, or just his brothers he was always ready with a snappy comeback and the confidence to match.

Reid looked at him once, and Tyler was frozen by the loss in those eyes, in the pain, then Reid turned from the room, letting the door close behind him.

xXx

Tyler ran after him, closely followed by Pogue, as they jumped down the stairs, Reid was at the front porch the door open behind him, the rain outside had started up again, but not nearly as bad as it had been, but it had saturated his clothes already, the water streaking his cheeks. As they reached the door they stopped.

"Reid...what's happened?"

The question lingered between them, the clean smell of the air trying to wash it from their ears but it wouldn't leave. For the second time that night Reid turned to them and his eyes were overflowing with emotions, but his voice was broken.

xXx

Stillness. Silence, it was as if the world had frozen, he felt his breath catch in his throat and as he pushed his hands out he saw them. Her eyes, wide clear, empty, without his permission his hands fell to his sides his fingers frozen, his mind trying to make sense of the images that he saw, but there was only numbness. He felt the air move around him, coldness swirling enticingly. The shock in his mind was too much, he raised his eyes skywards. Allowing the numbness to wash over him.

Please no...

He heard her skull crack against the wet concrete floor and it took all his will not to break. Reid allowed his gaze to fall to the floor where she lay. Her eyes were open, the irises grey and unseeing. He wanted to push her hair from her face and see her blink at him, then have her smile at him like she had by the barn. Her most beautiful smile. Suddenly Elise began to fade, like her shield had, as if her body was being blown away, golden specks burned brightly and then died, and then all that was left was the ground and the rain. Washing away the blood that had stained the earth. He wanted to cry, to fight, but if he did then it would be like admitting it, and he couldn't bring himself to do that, he just couldn't say it.

"Come on then," he called to the others storing his heart away until he could cope with the pain, and then he turned to the others and grinned, forcing himself to be happy, to smile when he knew that inside he couldn't, "last one back to Caleb's can kiss my ass."

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"Elise, is dead."

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