Just shortly after noon in a nice hotel I was spooning my sister wearing a string bikini in a circle of blood on a very cold dirt, surrounded by dirt and with this body's biological father chanting and moving around the circle in a weird ritualistic dance.
Something I would say was a very weird and unusual Saturday afternoon.
There was a wash of light and though I tried to keep my eyes closed I was too afraid to do so. I watched as what was definitely blood seep up from the circle. I found I couldn't move any longer, especially as the circling blood shot straight at Lyn and began embedding her.
I couldn't move, essentially holding my sister down as she screamed bloody murder being pelted by the blood. Tears leaked from my eyes as some of the pelting blood proved to be weaponized and slashed at my bare skin before embedding into Lyn.
With ongoing horror I watched as my now open wounds puckered blood and began to lift out of me as if no gravity held any baring to my own blood as it too joined the circling blood. The blood merged and began to pelt at Lyn at a more frightening speed.
The 'thwacks' could be heard over Lyn's curdling screams and no matter how I tried I couldn't let her go or shield her better. I couldn't move!
The noise all built up to a cacophony and was driving me insane as I could feel Lyn tremble in my arms. And the fact I could do nothing to help her or stop this from occurring. I wanted to scream!
And then it all stopped. All sound just ended almost as deafening as a ruckus. Then, in a hoarse wheeze you could hear Lyn's sobs. Finally able to move I tightened my hold and held her shaking body as she cried her eyes out.
It was a crunch sound that caused me to jump away from my sister, trying to see where it came from and if I needed to try and protect Lyn some more.
Instead I saw Rutherford being pinned to the wall by a stoic Isobel. "Girls it's time for you two to get dressed," she said with about as much emotion as one does while describing the weather.
"Wh-what?" Lyn croaked out, her voice raw and shaky.
"Did you think I wouldn't ever research it?" Isobel hissed. "Did you really think I would never look up all the small but odd things that occured when we were together?" She obviously squeezed his neck harder and raised him higher off the ground. "I have a degree in the occult and you paid for it Rutherford!"
Lynnie moved forward but I grabbed her arm holding her back. Relaying to her that I wanted to hear what was going to be said.
"You were trying to use my body to bring in a god. An otherworldly god. That was why the pregnancy was so tough and that was why you often rubbed the lambs blood on my stomach telling me it was a homeopathic remedy." She shook her head and raised her other hand to his cheek. "I was seventeen, not a moron Ford."
"I easily researched every little nuance you said and did and found what you were trying to do. You lumbering oaf left the books out. You really thought that since I couldn't read sanskrit that it would stop me from figuring it all out!" She gave a heavy sigh and slashed his cheek, blood instantly seeping out.
"I ga-gave you everything!" Rutherford gasped out.
"You gave me money, and then ensured that I would get knocked-upped with a being that would literally kill me upon birthing it!"
"It didn't work though, did it!" he countered slapping her down, before he flicked his wrist and attempted to stake her in the chest.
I may have accidentally squealed upon seeing that.
However, quicker than I could actually see she grabbed the stake and flung it aside, literally growling at the man. "It only didn't work because I ran away. I took all I could steal and went back home!"
He glared at her, more passion and fire than I thought the stuffy shirt man could give. "You took away my right to bring greatness in the world!" He screamed flicking his other wrist and stabbing her in the throat. He then headbutted her and knocked her off balance, getting himself free. "I was to bring about the newest god to this planet. I was to be the father of the great one and receive all I deserve!" He yelled using both hands to sledge hammer her down to the ground. "And instead you pop out two girls! Girls!" He screamed. "I was going to the father of the master of the world, and then you!" He put all his weight into a kick to her abdomen. "Had!" kick. "To!" kick. "Ruin!" kick. "It!" He screamed spittle flying down on her while adjusted his suit.
He smoothed back his hair and turned to look at us. "You girls will be okay now," he motioned to the bag. "Your mother and I have some unfinished business. Please go upstairs and get dressed. I'll meet you up there shortly."
"Are we really going to be okay?" I asked, trying my hardest not to vomit. "And do you really need to hurt her?"
He smirked. "Better her than you, love," he said with a cocky tone, one that did not match anything I had seen so far.
I grabbed a weak Lyn and began to drag her upstairs.
Once out of sight I pushed Lyns clothes to her and did my best to help her get dressed. "She's a vampire she can't-" Lyn whispered.
"We are in no way shape or form capable of surviving anything right now, Lyn, just get on your clothes and get home." She nodded, but I could see there was more to it. "How do you feel?" I asked pulling on my pants.
She weakly made a noise, one I couldn't distinguish from good or bad, and the light wasn't the greatest at where we were at to see.
"Lyn?" I asked again, slipping on my shirt.
"I don't know," she said with a huff. "I hurt, I'm sore and I'm honestly scared Ros. I have no idea what's happening downstairs and I don't even know who to root for. You heard them down there!" Her panic was starting to rise. Probably one of the first times while here, her panic was starting to escape her control. "He obviously doesn't care about us! And she has her emotions shut off. We're screwed Ros!"
I grabbed hold of her and gave her a hug. Nothing else I could do and I couldn't refute a word she said. She was still trembling, and I began to help her throw on her clothes in hopes that clothing would help the tremble.
Mostly clothed, Lyn looked up at me with a smirk, "Since when are you the more stable of us?"
"I think it was my 'Maternal instinct; my lady,'" I quoted, hoping to make her smile and play the game.
It was something we had done a lot of with many different things and something others tended to look at us weird for, thus why we don't do it often.
She smiled, "Ever After," she answered pushing away from me and taking a deep breath, "Okay. We can get through this." I nodded, deciding to keep my mouth shut. "Did you hear what she said, though?" she asked as if she just realized. "He was trying to bring about a god."
"Like Jasmine or Glory?" I asked, mouth running dry as my mind pondered the instances of Buffy Universe with gods in it.
Lyn shrugged, "Two beings instead of one too," she whispered, leaning against the hall wall. "Sounds more like Glory than Jasmine."
"Yeah. Can't be Illeryia either."
"Do you think he killed her?"
I shrugged, "Maybe we should just go upstairs and try and go home?"
Lyn nodded, and started up the stairs. "I really wish Aunt Joyce would get us cell phones."
"I made sure his fortune would go to you," Isobel stated coming up the stairs, "so with that I'm sure Joyce will be able to afford to get you girls some cell phones."
"His fortune?" Lyn asked, worry and fear evident in her voice.
"He will soon be discovered in a robbery gone wrong," Isobel stated coldly.
"He's dead?"
"Enough," she answered, "he will never come out of his mind again." She began leading the way, seeming to realize we were a bit more wary of the monster behind us than in front. "It will end up looking like he was knocked out and pass away with no fight."
"All that with compelling?" I blurted out.
She gave me a smile, oddly beautiful but intensely scary. "I had a really good teacher."
"He was supposed to take us with him to dinner," Lyn stated.
"Don't worry about it," she responded, finally close to the door. "I'll talk to Joyce and explain that I swooped in."
"What exactly did we do?" I asked basking in the man made room.
"I was young when I met Rutherford. I had just abandoned my first born and ran away from home. I went to L.A. and came across Rutherford. He offered to pay for my living and I slept with him."
"He was your sugar daddy?" I blurted out.
"Yes," she answered, "I was seventeen and needed to survive. He was willing to pay for it and was attractive and wealthy and fun. I didn't and still don't see a problem with it."
I gave a shrug, not like it really affects me much more anyways. "And you split?"
She again nodded, "I'll tell you the story but you girls need to get fully dressed, you look like you dressed in the dark."
I looked down and realized my jeans were on backwards and my shirt was inside out. I nodded and did as she said, seeing Lyn fix her clothing as well.
"I was seventeen and figured the beach was where I should go. I blew all I had on getting there and was going to spend my first night on the street when Rutherford came out of a law firm. He seemed to know right off the bat that I needed help. I went home with him that night and when he got up the next morning I was still there. He bought me an apartment close by and spoiled me. I didn't have to work and got to spend as much time partying as I wanted," she paused and gave a sad real smile.
"I found out I was pregnant and it was progressing at an alarming rate. Ford was thrilled, and began having me over all day, rubbing lotions and lambs blood on my stomach and chanting sanskrit spells over my stomach." She gave a sad sigh and looked down the darken hallway to the ritual room. "He must have really thought I was stupid. He left books down and I was easily able to figure out what he was doing. He was trying to call a god down. And with what I was able to research he was close to his goal.
"So the week before he had booked us a "romantic babymoon" which was from what I gathered was where he was going to finish the ritual and bring about apocalypse. I stole his credit cards and a few other pricey things and went back home while he was at work. I got home and a month later I had you girls.
"However, I was able to pawn off a lot of his things and make a handsome fortune over them. And that's when I was accepted to University and left to pursue that."
"Did you ever care to look back at your daughters?"
She gave a heavy sigh, almost pained. "I had small watchers on you girls. Nothing to interfere with. I knew that Elena had been adopted and that her parents were in a car accident, but I didn't know much more than that. I knew that one of the twins was very ill but had no real knowledge on how or why. I also knew that all three of you were safe and better off."
I didn't say anything but I knew Lyn felt as I did. That she was just making excuses to feel better with her failings. Lyn even shot me a look relaying that.
With us dressed we were told to wait in the lobby as Isobel spoke quietly to the manager. He gave her a wide smile and nodded before she returned to us and I couldn't help but wish I had heard what was said about the comatose body in the ritual room.
She gave us a smile, "All done, let's go meet Joyce." She led us to her car and once again I was forced to sit in front.
"So that's it?" I asked, "Like won't anyone questioned the time frame? Won't Aunt Joyce?"
Isobel smirked, "That reminds me, is she on vervain as well?"
I turned around to Lyn.
She squared her shoulders, "I believe so," she answered bravely.
Isobel nod, "Oh well," she answered simply, "I've always been able to lie to Joyce, this won't be much different." She gave a wistful smile, "Might even bring back old memories, oh that does remind me, Lyn," she asked looking in the rear view mirror, "could you please hand me the kit at your feet?"
Lyn lifted a kit as Isobel pulled over to a curb. The kit proved to be a very drool worthy assortment of high end make-up. She worked fast making putting primer than a little bit of reddish color to her lip and eye making them appear swollen.
"As a teen I was somewhat interested in acting and would go around with a girlfriend of mine an get some money by way of sympathy. We perfected bruises and busted lips making our game more fun and intense. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot on manipulation and," she stopped and fixed the work on her lip and added a touch more to under her eye. "Well I learned a lot." She gave us a rather fixed smile and pulled back on the road.
The drive was quiet and fast, thankfully. It was apparent that mother was not something Isobel was all too comfortable with. And all things considered, in a weird sort of way that could mean she cared for her kids, even if just enough to offer them a life elsewhere.
She pulled into the driveway and turned to us with a smile. "Rutherford and I had a fight, and he hit me and I took you girls home."
"Will that work?" I asked.
Her eyes began to water and she quickly shook up her hair, "He hit me Joyce. He was mad when I tried to push him into taking a blood test and he hit me!" She began crying and my eyes widened at how devious she could be.
I turned to look at Lyn who just gave me a shrug, like yeah.
Isobel took a breath visibly bit her lip and opened the door and led the way to the door.
"I didn't expect to see you, Lolly," Aunt Joyce said upon opening the door. "My god! Your lip!" she rushed forward, "what happened."
"I-I pushed him into taking a blood test but he-" she gasped and launched herself on her sister, "he hit me, he hit me and I ran again." She then leaned off her and turned to us, "I couldn't leave the girls though, I'm sorry."
"No I am sorry, god, come in, come in!" she held her sister by the elbow and onto the couch, "I should have known better than to trust him. I didn't even know him and you were just a kid when you were with him."
"I had just ran away Joyce, I needed money and Rutherford was willing to pay."
Her eyes widened and her mood immediately dipped. "I shouldn't have let the girls go alone. I should have-" she focused on Isobel, "I'm just glad you were there."
Isobel nodded and sucked her lip in, I'm sure she bit it took keep it looking busted. "I couldn't leave him. Not with Gwendolyn's illness."
Aunt Joyce shot up and rushed to Lyn holding her out and examining her. "You look shaky, go to the kitchen and drink some juice."
Lyn nodded stood up and grabbed me by the hair and yanked it, letting me know to follow her. I shot her a glare, but followed her.
No words were really said as she led me to the kitchen, she just sat down and looked at her hands with tears forming in her eyes. I maneuvered around the kitchen and got down cups and filled them with juice. I sat beside her but she didn't look up from her hands, her tears freely fell and she began to shake.
I pulled her forward and wrapped my arms tightly around her as she began to cry hysterically into my shoulder.
Aunt Joyce came in but upon seeing us, turned around and gave us some more time together. Lyn was still shaky and nearly broken in my arms as the sobbing continued.
Aunt Joyce finally came in and over pronounced her movements as she whirled around the kitchen to make dinner.
Eventually her motherly instincts came out and she grabbed hold of the both of us, holding tight as Lyn continued to sob.
"It's always hard seeing someone who should love you be so vicious to you," she whispered, before squeezing tighter. "I understand it is a scary thought but maybe he'll eventually take the test and agree to transplant," she offered. "We'll call him next week and see if he'd be willing to take the test, Lyn."
Lyn took a deep breath that rattled through her. Pushing me and Aunt Joyce aside she sat up and took another breath and grabbed the hem of my shirt and wiped her eyes with it.
"Hey!" I scolded.
"Oh shush," Aunt Joyce said with a smile, giving Lynnie another hug before going back to making dinner.
"Just don't blow your nose on it then," I mock pouted, please to see a mischievous look in Lyn's eye as she contemplated doing just that.
AN- Thanks for reading!
