Chapter 20
"Let's go now. The faster we move, the better chance we have of finding them before he does something to her," Caleb said, nodding in agreement.
"I want to come," Pogue said from his spot on the couch.
"No," Caleb said flatly. "You act irrationally when Kate is involved. I can heal you when we're back, but until then, you are out of commission."
"Fuck you!" Pogue spat at him.
Caleb ignored the comment and looked at It. "Do you want to change before we go? I think Sarah might have some spare clothes here."
"Thank you, but that will not be necessary," Its eyes went navy for but a second as It engulfed Jocelyn's body in energy. When it cleared It wore jeans, a t-shirt, a jacket and boots.
"I'm coming too," Reid said, looking at the possessed body of his girlfriend.
"No," Caleb said again.
"Why not?" Reid asked, starting to get defensive.
"You need to stay here and protect everyone else," It said. "Pogue can Use but is incapable of moving and Tyler has yet to Ascend so you are the only one powerful enough to defend everyone."
"If I recall that plan didn't work so well last time," Reid said, his eyes narrowing.
"None of you were Ascended last time either," Sarah pointed out but fell silent at the glares she got from everyone in the room except for Caleb, Zelmia, Marian and Cassie.
"Please," Reid forced the word. "We would stand a better chance with the three of us there. Besides, if I came I could get Kate out and then let the two of you handle it."
"And leave everyone else vulnerable?" Evelyn stepped in. "No, I don't think so."
"Tyler and I are still capable of protecting everyone," Pogue said. He struggled against Zelmia's hands from where she held his shoulder's down so as not to jostle his back too much.
"Not as well as you could if you could move," It remarked. "You are as vulnerable, if not more so, by not being able to move. An 'easy target' is the phrase, I believe."
"She has a point there," Tyler looked down at his friend. Pogue was fuming. "Plus, the girls can defend themselves, sort of. They can use knives and stuff if they have to, right?"
"We could but isn't he pretty much immortal?" Marian piped in.
Everyone started speaking at once it seemed. Jocelyn surveyed the scene from behind Its eyes. Everyone was yelling either about going or not going and rather or not they could actually take Chase if he came after those who were about to be left behind. She hated not having a voice inside her own body. That was until she felt herself become aware of her body again.
"Enough!" Jocelyn looked around as the screaming stopped and all eyes turned towards her. "Caleb and I will go. Reid, you need to stay here. You're the only Ascended one who can react fast enough if needed. As for the rest of you, do the best you can. Stay in one room and protect each other."
"That is the most we can do right now," Caleb said, putting a hand on the smaller girls shoulder. "Reid, if we feel we need you when we find him we'll call for you, I promise."
"Fine," he crossed his arms over his chest. Reid's eyes flashed to Jocelyn who nodded in agreement with Caleb's statement.
"Alright," Caleb said, turning towards Sarah and taking her aside. Before fully leaving the room he turned to Jocelyn. "Meet you out front in five."
Jocelyn nodded in response. Just as the kitchen door closed she felt herself nearly get knocked over as Marian caught her in a bear hug. "Whoa there!"
"Just be careful," Marian said to her friend.
"I'll try not to be a klutz, trip and die," Jocelyn returning Marian's hug and putting a hand on Zelmia's arm as she came up and hugged her from behind.
Upon her release from the "Jocelyn sandwich" she approached Pogue and Tyler. "We'll get Kate back safe and sound, I promise," she put a hand on Pogue's shoulder before turning to Tyler. "And you just protect my girls."
"Scouts honor," Tyler said, holding his fist up for a bump which Jocelyn gladly returned. She flashed one more nervous smile about the room before turning to Reid.
"Walk me out?" Jocelyn asked, reaching for his hand.
"Of course," Reid took it and approached to foyer. Nobody had noticed that Cassie had disappeared from the room.
As soon as the door swung shut behind them Caleb and Sarah embraced in what could only be described as a true lover's embrace. Her hands grasped the sides of his face pulling him down to kiss her. Caleb had one hand tangled in her hair while the other grasped her around waist. No matter how much time went by their kisses and love making always seemed just as exciting as their first. Now was not the time for sex, however.
Caleb forced himself to pull away from her. "There's something I need you to do, if things go wrong."
"Anything," Sarah said, hoisting herself up onto the counter so she was the same height as him.
"The last time this happened, my mother wanted to call the Others," Caleb stated matter-of-factly. "I told her no, thinking it truly wasn't necessary."
"Okay," Sarah's brow furrowed. "What others? I thought you guys were the only ones."
"We're the only ones in our covenant," Caleb said, recounting what little knowledge he had of the mysterious Others. "Rumor has it we weren't always alone. Before the book, before the Salem trials there were a great many witches, male and female, and supposedly there are still others out there."
Caleb paused, allowing Sarah a moment to process this information. His mother rarely spoke of them, mostly because they had nothing to do with their covenant. The five families had cut off all ties so long ago, he wasn't even sure if these Others were still out there. If they were though, he was willing to take any help they could get. Sarah looked at him, waiting for the rest of what he had to say.
"My mother knows of a way to contact them," Caleb continued. "If we aren't back by dawn, I want you to tell her to go to them. Ask them to help us."
"Okay," Sarah nodded, slowly. "And you're sure Evelyn can reach them?"
"If she can't, then Gorman can," Caleb said, putting one hand on either side of her hips and kissing her gently on the forehead.
"I hope it doesn't come to that," Sarah replied, her voice hushed. She snaked her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. "I love you, Caleb."
"I love you too," Caleb kissed her one last time, softly, before exiting the kitchen through the door into the dining room. She watched him go before making her way back into the living room, regretting not telling him to make sure he came back to her.
Cassie surveyed the scene in front of her. All the arguing, and then it stopped as the no longer blue and glowing Jocelyn spoke her piece. As soon as Jocelyn said they had to stay there she started shaking her head. There was no way she was just going to sit here and wait for this whack job to show up and start picking them off.
She wanted to go, she wanted to help. If she was going to die for this, for whatever insane reason, it was going to be on her own terms. While Jocelyn was making her way around the room Cassie picked up her jacket and slipped out the side door to the front of the house. Hopefully, Caleb and Jocelyn would let her tag along.
Kate fell to the floor, the last of her scream for Pogue escaping her mouth. She couldn't tell where she was but the ground was hard, like stone and it was dark. The only shapes she could make out around her were pillars and a man, Chase.
"You've got quite a set of teeth on you," Chase remarked looking down at her, Using to light the various candles in the cave like cellar. "I mean honestly, you could almost be a vampire."
Kate cringed as he held out his bleeding hand for her to see. She put her hand protectively over her stomach as she pulled herself up to stand. "Impossible. Vampires don't exist, do they?"
"I wouldn't be surprised. There's a lot more to these abilities than I or even they know," Chase smiled broadly at her. He walked over to the shelves, perusing the books in the room. Kate looked around, searching for an exit when she noticed some stairs. "Don't even think about leaving either, Kate. I have no issue killing you or even better, just your unborn child, if you try."
Chase turned to look at her. His eyes flashed black as she stumbled backwards into one of the stone chairs, clutching at her abdomen. It was as if something were trying to dislodge itself from within her.
"Stop!" Kate cried out. "Please! I won't go anywhere! I promise!" The pain subsided as she pulled her knees to her chest, tears running down her face. Chase flashed a grin at her, his point made. He gave her a second to breath before his eyes went black again and froze in her place.
"Unfortunately, I have an errand to run and I can't risk you getting away," Chase approached her. Kate's eyes were wide with fear. "So, you will go to sleep now, and you will not be waking until I return."
He gripped the sides of her face staring into her eyes until they closed. Her body relaxed as he picked her up and carried her to a far corner of the room. Upon setting her down he took one last look at her before vanishing. When he reappeared he was a small millipede on the wall in front of the Danvers' mansion, and he showed up just in time to see the red headed girl slip out of the shadows and tap the Source's vessel on the shoulder as she and Caleb were walking away.
Reid and Jocelyn made their way into the foyer. Jocelyn was still walking when Reid side-stepped behind her, wrapping his free arm around her waist and pulling her to him so her back was against his chest and put the hand that had previously had hers in it around her shoulders. She leaned her head on his arm while he rested his head on top of her cheek.
"I'm scared," Jocelyn admitted, looking up at him.
"Don't be," Reid said, turning her around in his arms so she was facing him. "You've got the Source in you. You're well protected. The vessels it chooses never die, well, except for that one."
"That one?" Jocelyn asked incredulously, leaning away from him.
"Yeah, just the one though," Reid smiled at her. "I did some looking into the past. The Book of Damnation records all of this stuff you know."
"And just how many vessels have there been before me?" Jocelyn raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, only two," Reid said. He quickly continued though upon seeing his girlfriend's eyes widen and lips purse. "But the other one was just fine, lived a nice long life. The fact that he was left blind hardly affected him."
"Left blind?!" Jocelyn stepped back from him, silently cursing the Source. "That is just… fantastic. No really, it'll all be good as long as I survive with only a little one of my senses gone."
"Jo," Reid started.
"What?" Jocelyn looked up at him.
"I won't let anything like that happen to you," Reid said sincerely. "And you won't die."
"You can't guarantee that," Jocelyn folded her arms over her chest.
"Yes I can," Reid approached the small girl. "I'll Use as much as I have to. Besides, if Caleb lets anything happen to you I'll kill him."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," Jocelyn said, taking his hands again. "Man, given the situation I feel like I should have jumped your bones in the library. Period be damned!"
"We could just throw down and consummate it right here before you go, you know. And are people still saying 'jump your bones'?" Reid teased, wiggling his eyebrows at her, pulling her to him again. He started to nuzzle her neck while she laughed again. He smiled as he felt her nose his face up and capture his lips. He opened his mouth, allowing her tongue to caress his.
"I don't want to lose my virginity on a quickie," Jocelyn pulled away, pressing her forehead to his.
"I know," Reid said. His voice was barely above a whisper. "We'll do our first time right."
"And what is 'right' for Reid Garwin?" Jocelyn pulled back to look up at him. She was actually curious to hear this.
"Right, in this case, is not like my first time," Reid grinned. "So, not drunk, not in some random motel, and not with two women at once."
He stuck his tongue out at her. He was rather proud of his first time. Jocelyn did not look happy though so he deviated back to his real answer. "Our first time will be in a bed, when you give the go ahead and slow. Just us taking our time, getting to know each other's bodies."
"That sounds nice," Jocelyn smiled, pushing aside the fact that Reid had been a participant in a threesome his first time. "Well then as Kaylee said in 'Serenity,' 'to hell with this, I'm gonna live!'"
"You're such a nerd," Reid leaned down and kissed her again. "Jocelyn, I…" Reid started to say something when Caleb interrupted the moment with his presence.
"Hey guys, sorry to intrude," he approached the two as they pulled apart. "Are you ready, Jo?"
"As ready as I can be," Jocelyn shrugged her shoulders, nervousness seeping back in. She turned to Reid. "See you when I get back. What were you going to say just now?"
"Nothing, I'll tell you when you get back," Reid reluctantly let her go. "Good luck guys. Caleb, take care of her or I swear to God –,"
"I know," Caleb nodded, half smiling. It was still weird to see Reid actually give a damn about someone beside himself. "Back at you, about everyone else."
"Alright," Reid nodded, glancing at Jocelyn one last time before heading back into the living room.
"Let's get going," Caleb said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah," Jocelyn turned away from where Reid had been, following Caleb out the front door. They were just about to cross the bridge over the small stream that ran in front of the house when she felt somebody tap her shoulder. When she turned around it wasn't whom she expected. "Cassie? What are you doing out here?"
"I was hoping the two of you would let me tag along," Cassie said, eyeballing Caleb.
"Not happening," Caleb said. "You need to go back inside with the others."
"Why not?" Cassie asked. "I could help. Chase won't expect you to bring someone without magic, or whatever. You could even send me in first to assess the situation. I could pretend to be on his side."
"That's not a bad idea, actually," Jocelyn said, looking between Caleb and Cassie.
"We don't even know where Chase is though," Caleb said. "It could take us hours to locate him. Plus, we will probably be Using to get to various locations and it's too much power to take her along every time."
"Not for me," It said. The switch had been instantaneous. "I can take her along. Her plan is quite brilliant."
"Thanks," Cassie said, only vaguely perturbed by the shift between Jocelyn and Source in her body. That was still strange to her, relatively speaking.
"In addition, I think I know where Chase took Kate," It said.
"Where?" Caleb uncrossed his arms.
"To the place where this all began," It said. "Your family's home."
"Are you sure?" Caleb asked. It only nodded. "Alright then, let's go. Cassie, do you understand what could happen if he discovers you're not actually on his side?"
"Possible death and dismemberment, got it," she nodded.
"Okay, fine," Caleb said. "You can come."
They all looked at one another before Caleb's eyes went black and he disappeared. Cassie looked down at the small girl and took the arm It was holding out for her and shut her eyes tightly. She could feel wind rushing up around her and the ground disappeared beneath her feet. When they slammed down again she grabbed on to the smaller girl for balance. Caleb was right next to her. "Where are we?"
"My family's old colonial," Caleb said. He pointed at the door directly in front of them. "They're down stairs. Be careful."
She looked from Caleb to the Source before walking towards the door and pushing it open as quietly as possible. "I will," she said as she proceeded down the stairs into the candle lit room.
No one said anything when Reid walked back in to the living room. He started taking a silent head count. There should be seven people in the room, himself included. Evelyn was pouring herself a scotch at the drinks cart. Marian and Sarah were sharing a chair, Marian in it and Sarah on the arm. Pogue was still lying prostrate on the couch with Zelmia on the floor next to him and Tyler standing behind the couch. And Cassie was, 'Wait, where is she?' he thought to himself. Cassie wasn't in the room. "Where did Cassie go?" he asked aloud.
Everyone in the room looked at each other then around. "I don't know," Tyler said, physically moving around to look for her.
"Shit," Reid swore. "We need to find her. If Chase got her –,"
"I'm right here," she came in from the kitchen.
"Jesus," Reid sighed. "I was worried Chase had gotten you."
"Well, he didn't. I just had to run to the ladies room," Cassie grinned, though Reid swore it began with a sneer. Tyler must have noticed it too based on the looks the two boys exchanged as she walked back over to the other arm chair and plopped herself down.
"Alright then, now that we're all here we need to watch out for each other," he looked around again. Reid was not used to playing fearless leader. "So, lets all just stay put until we hear from Caleb and Jocelyn. And just for safe measures, the three of us will each look after two of you girls, or in Pogue's case, just one, since you can't move."
"Well, why don't you fucking heal me and make things a little easier on everyone," Pogue glared at him.
"Maybe later, honey," Reid said. Giggling resounded throughout the room. "So, Zel with Couch Potato, Marian and Evelyn with Baby Boy, and Cassie and Sarah with me, your fearless leader," he winked at the two girls who had re-situated themselves next to one another. His eyes lingered on Cassie for a moment, dully noting the interest she had taken in some scabs on her hand. He didn't recall her having any twenty minutes ago.
Author's Note: Well folks, here it is two years later. I know, I'm an update slacker. But the juices are flowing again and I think I'm finally going to get this done. I've known how I've wanted it to end this whole time but never really knew how I wanted to get there. Clearly, I have finally figured it out. So, here's a special thanks to all those who have continued to read. It's almost the end! (Except for the continuing adventures of our characters past this fic that keep going on in my head.)
Anyway, as is tradition, I'd like to thank those of you who took the time to post a review for the last chapter, many moons ago (A.K.A. Daydream1, angeleyenc, gordongirl18, gothicluver13, jas120, Draco's Secret Lover, DaylightFadingStars, Dunamess, TAYLORandTOBYfreak88, and cmunoz.22). Reviews are both wanted and as y'all can see, appreciated! More to come! Thank you!