Chapter Twenty
"Caleb, please." Livvie pleaded. "Open your eyes. Answer me!"
She sat on the ground, holding Caleb's head in her lap, gently brushing the hair from his face over and over as spoke to him. He had been unconscious too long. How could she get him away from here? If she got him to the hospital anyway - who would help them?
"Olivia." he whispered finally.
"Oh my God. Thank you. Yes, I'm here"
"What happened? Where's your father?"
"It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you're OK."
Caleb moved to sit up, holding his head in his hands. There was something in his system - he could feel it coursing through his veins. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.
"What did he do to me?"
"He injected you with.something. I don't know what it was."
Caleb sat up with some difficulty. He turned to look at her. In seconds he noticed that something was missing.
"Olivia.the ring."
Tears streamed down her face at his realization. "I'm sorry. I know. I didn't mean to."
"How did it happen?"
"When my father, when he drugged you, you fell to the ground in an instant. I was just trying to see if you were OK. I - I was distracted. He knew exactly what he was doing. He just stood behind me and snapped the chain off my neck. Before I knew it, the ring was gone, and so was he."
"He's under Joshua's control."
"Yes. I guess he is." Livvie was devastated. "I didn't mean to Caleb. Please believe me. I wasn't trying to betray you."
"Olivia, you didn't. I know you didn't." Caleb held her face in his hands. "It was Joshua's doing."
"But I promised." Tears streamed down her face her voice breaking as she sobbed.
"Don't. Don't do that to yourself." Caleb leaned in to kiss her to stop her from crying.
Pulling back slowly, his voice shook with rage as he said, "Joshua will pay. We will defeat him."
Livvie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"Olivia.please, you need to focus now. We have a job to do. And the first step, the first thing you need to do is turn me again. We can defeat him if the playing field is even."
Beginning to regain control Livvie spoke, "Even? Won't it be two against one?"
"I like those odds." Caleb replied with a smile, feeling more like himself at the very thought.
Moving closer to her, tilting his neck he said softly "Now. It's time. Come to me. Make me whole again."
The anticipation almost too much to bear, Livvie placed her lips to his neck, and then pulled back slightly, baring her fangs.
She opened her mouth, already savoring the taste of his blood on her tongue as she leaned closer.
A shock, almost electric, pushed her back with a start.
Something was terribly wrong.
*********
Lucy was worried.
She and Ian had been up half the night, talking about all that was happening in their home, their town. Thankfully, it kept her mind off of whatever this was that was making her sick, but realizing that the evil in Port Charles was spreading like the plague was just as disturbing. He had run out that morning, seeking Frank out, wanting to try and reason with him.
She hoped that Frank was the only one, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Joshua had gotten to others. This needed to stop.
But how? Her powers, she felt as if they were draining out of her, slowly funneling down until there was nothing left. And Rafe - well, he had enough to deal with, trying to keep Alison safe.
To make matters worse, she was losing energy at exactly the same rate, getting weaker and weaker. Lucy must have been napping when Abby emerged from the guest room. Because when she went to check on her houseguest, she found the bed neatly made, a note of thanks on the pillow. Abby promised in her note that she'd be back later, but Lucy worried that she too would find danger outside the doors of her home.
Abby needed to meet Rafe, and of course, Alison. Her gifts, with his slayer abilities, could be a lethal combination, making it easier to defeat the monster who was threatening their every happiness. Ian was going to bring them both here on his way home. If Abby was still out, if she never came back.Lucy's head began to spin but she wasn't sure if it was from her illness or not.
Please, Abby. Come back here. Lucy pleaded to her in her mind. Where are you anyway?
********
Timing, is everything, Joshua thought.
And his time had finally come.
Look what he'd been able to do in such a short time. He's gaining control of the town, bit by bit, piece by piece until it would all be his.
That pesky pseudo-slayer, Ms. Coe, well.she had a few holdings he'd need to complete his collection. How could he get them from her? It'd be a bit of a challenge.
But one that he'd win - he knew - without a doubt.
He heard footsteps behind him, and turned slowly toward the sound.
"Ah, Dr. Collins, what a nice surprise."
"Joshua." Kevin replied, almost reverently.
So much fun, holding all the cards, Joshua thought. The man was at his beck and call.
"Did you find your daughter?" he asked
"Yes. I did."
"Good, good. And was she with Caleb?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you were able to give him the little gift I asked you to give him?"
Kevin nodded, proud of himself.
"Wonderful. Very good. Now, to the point." Joshua rubbed his hands together, his excitement much like a child on Christmas morning. "Is there a gift you have for me?"
Kevin reached to his pocket and pulled out a slender gold chain. It swung gently as he raised his arm.
Joshua held out his hand, his palm itching.
Kevin let go of one end, the ring slipping quickly down the length of the chain, and landing in Joshua's hand.
Joshua placed the ring on his finger, felt the power coarse through his veins.
"May I go finish my work now?" Kevin asked.
"Yes - shoo - go away." Joshua dismissed him without a thought. He'd done his job.
He clicked off the To Do list in his mind.
Drug Caleb - check
Stop Livvie - check
Get ring - check
Two items remained at the moment, though, who knew when it would actually be finished, adding to his list was so much fun.
These last two were almost the same thing when he thought about them - they went hand in hand.
Destroy slayer. Take bride.
Ah soon, my dear, Alison.he thought, licking his lips at the very thought of how she would taste when he turned her. She was so sweet - he'd imagine it'd be like spun sugar, cotton candy. He was almost sure.
The ring was his.and soon, very, very soon, Alison would be too.
"Caleb, please." Livvie pleaded. "Open your eyes. Answer me!"
She sat on the ground, holding Caleb's head in her lap, gently brushing the hair from his face over and over as spoke to him. He had been unconscious too long. How could she get him away from here? If she got him to the hospital anyway - who would help them?
"Olivia." he whispered finally.
"Oh my God. Thank you. Yes, I'm here"
"What happened? Where's your father?"
"It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you're OK."
Caleb moved to sit up, holding his head in his hands. There was something in his system - he could feel it coursing through his veins. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.
"What did he do to me?"
"He injected you with.something. I don't know what it was."
Caleb sat up with some difficulty. He turned to look at her. In seconds he noticed that something was missing.
"Olivia.the ring."
Tears streamed down her face at his realization. "I'm sorry. I know. I didn't mean to."
"How did it happen?"
"When my father, when he drugged you, you fell to the ground in an instant. I was just trying to see if you were OK. I - I was distracted. He knew exactly what he was doing. He just stood behind me and snapped the chain off my neck. Before I knew it, the ring was gone, and so was he."
"He's under Joshua's control."
"Yes. I guess he is." Livvie was devastated. "I didn't mean to Caleb. Please believe me. I wasn't trying to betray you."
"Olivia, you didn't. I know you didn't." Caleb held her face in his hands. "It was Joshua's doing."
"But I promised." Tears streamed down her face her voice breaking as she sobbed.
"Don't. Don't do that to yourself." Caleb leaned in to kiss her to stop her from crying.
Pulling back slowly, his voice shook with rage as he said, "Joshua will pay. We will defeat him."
Livvie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"Olivia.please, you need to focus now. We have a job to do. And the first step, the first thing you need to do is turn me again. We can defeat him if the playing field is even."
Beginning to regain control Livvie spoke, "Even? Won't it be two against one?"
"I like those odds." Caleb replied with a smile, feeling more like himself at the very thought.
Moving closer to her, tilting his neck he said softly "Now. It's time. Come to me. Make me whole again."
The anticipation almost too much to bear, Livvie placed her lips to his neck, and then pulled back slightly, baring her fangs.
She opened her mouth, already savoring the taste of his blood on her tongue as she leaned closer.
A shock, almost electric, pushed her back with a start.
Something was terribly wrong.
*********
Lucy was worried.
She and Ian had been up half the night, talking about all that was happening in their home, their town. Thankfully, it kept her mind off of whatever this was that was making her sick, but realizing that the evil in Port Charles was spreading like the plague was just as disturbing. He had run out that morning, seeking Frank out, wanting to try and reason with him.
She hoped that Frank was the only one, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Joshua had gotten to others. This needed to stop.
But how? Her powers, she felt as if they were draining out of her, slowly funneling down until there was nothing left. And Rafe - well, he had enough to deal with, trying to keep Alison safe.
To make matters worse, she was losing energy at exactly the same rate, getting weaker and weaker. Lucy must have been napping when Abby emerged from the guest room. Because when she went to check on her houseguest, she found the bed neatly made, a note of thanks on the pillow. Abby promised in her note that she'd be back later, but Lucy worried that she too would find danger outside the doors of her home.
Abby needed to meet Rafe, and of course, Alison. Her gifts, with his slayer abilities, could be a lethal combination, making it easier to defeat the monster who was threatening their every happiness. Ian was going to bring them both here on his way home. If Abby was still out, if she never came back.Lucy's head began to spin but she wasn't sure if it was from her illness or not.
Please, Abby. Come back here. Lucy pleaded to her in her mind. Where are you anyway?
********
Timing, is everything, Joshua thought.
And his time had finally come.
Look what he'd been able to do in such a short time. He's gaining control of the town, bit by bit, piece by piece until it would all be his.
That pesky pseudo-slayer, Ms. Coe, well.she had a few holdings he'd need to complete his collection. How could he get them from her? It'd be a bit of a challenge.
But one that he'd win - he knew - without a doubt.
He heard footsteps behind him, and turned slowly toward the sound.
"Ah, Dr. Collins, what a nice surprise."
"Joshua." Kevin replied, almost reverently.
So much fun, holding all the cards, Joshua thought. The man was at his beck and call.
"Did you find your daughter?" he asked
"Yes. I did."
"Good, good. And was she with Caleb?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you were able to give him the little gift I asked you to give him?"
Kevin nodded, proud of himself.
"Wonderful. Very good. Now, to the point." Joshua rubbed his hands together, his excitement much like a child on Christmas morning. "Is there a gift you have for me?"
Kevin reached to his pocket and pulled out a slender gold chain. It swung gently as he raised his arm.
Joshua held out his hand, his palm itching.
Kevin let go of one end, the ring slipping quickly down the length of the chain, and landing in Joshua's hand.
Joshua placed the ring on his finger, felt the power coarse through his veins.
"May I go finish my work now?" Kevin asked.
"Yes - shoo - go away." Joshua dismissed him without a thought. He'd done his job.
He clicked off the To Do list in his mind.
Drug Caleb - check
Stop Livvie - check
Get ring - check
Two items remained at the moment, though, who knew when it would actually be finished, adding to his list was so much fun.
These last two were almost the same thing when he thought about them - they went hand in hand.
Destroy slayer. Take bride.
Ah soon, my dear, Alison.he thought, licking his lips at the very thought of how she would taste when he turned her. She was so sweet - he'd imagine it'd be like spun sugar, cotton candy. He was almost sure.
The ring was his.and soon, very, very soon, Alison would be too.