Disclaimer: Crimson Peak is Guillermo Del Toro's property, Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke, The Lodgers to Brian O'Malley. Emma, Constance and I are self-inserts. The old lady from Camden Market belongs to Chibimelodee.
Summary: Ghosts are real and everything happens for a reason. Is this why Marina and her friends find themselves trapped in Allerdale Hall a few days away from Christmas?
Author's note: This story was written for me by « Emma » and « Constance » from Chibimelodee as an Advent Calendar two years ago. Please note that all three of us are french and while we do know our way around English, we might still make some mistakes. Feel free to let us know! As the three girls are french and start to speak from this chapter, I'll put the translations of their sentences right next to them so you know what they say.
At the Candlelight
Chapter 19 : Ding dong… The witch is back !
The little man who was presented as the current King of Hell by the Winchesters was nowhere as creepy as they all thought he would be. He was ridiculously short, his face round and his eyes sunken. His short beard was covering the majority of his face but the clear boredom was clearly written on it.
« This demon asked you to equalize credit for his and another's work. » a shorter than average woman came behind him, talking to him as if they were still alone.
She was truly gorgeous, her eyes beautifully painted with a thick black line. The three friends recognised her immediately as the woman of the painting, as if to believe she hadn't age at all. She was standing with a superior maintain, her chin high as she continued to speak with a thick Scottish accent
« Split the baby if you will. Well, then I would well and truly split the baby. I'd cut this pulling, pathetic, grade-grubbing git in two, literally. Then I'd nail his bloody halves to the doors of the court. A reminder to all not to waste the King's time ! Whiners beget whiners. You can't reward behavior like that. Why, I never gave in when you asked for sweeties as a child no matter how much you cried. Well, you were a very chunky child, darling. A bit of a bloater. »
The little man rolled his eyes and mumbled something incomprehensible before turning towards the Winchester brothers, a sly grin on his pug face.
« Hello, boys ! » he greeted and sighed. « Sorry about my mum… A bloody pin in the ass… Doesn't want to leave my side… She thinks she is smarter than me… Me ! I'm the King of Hell, for Lucifer's sake ! And if even my own mother doesn't respect me, who… »
« Oh, don't worry about the Winchesters, Fergus ! » she chastised him. « Now, if you please bring us back to… »
« Don't worry about them ? What, like Lucifer didn't worry ? Or Michael ? Or Lilith, or Alastair, or Azazel didn't worry ? Am I the only game piece on the board who doesn't underestimate those denim wrapped nightmares ? » he asked, truly annoyed. « Now, Moose, Squirrel, why did you summon me ? Forgot my phone number, eh ? »
« Actually, Crowley, it's Rowena we need to speak to… » Sam answered with an amused smile, hardly able to hide his fun.
« Yeah… As if it surprises me… I've helped you once or twice to stop the bloody End of the World and after that… nothing… nada… no letter, no phone call… And there you summon me only to speak with… my… mother ! As if I don't even exist… I'm not gonna say your attitude is surprising me but come on, boys… you broke my heart ! » the little man declaimed, putting theatrically his hand on his heart.
With a willingly loud sigh, he went away from the group to come closer to Bobby, sending him a kiss and sinfully winking at him. Fluttering eyelashes exaggeratedly, the tiny woman turned to face her new audience, her long navy-blue dress flowing around her. As soon as her doe eyes landed on Thomas, evident surprise appeared on her face, followed by a very seductive smile. Constance internally cringed and, even if she still hadn't even begin to forgive him, she unconsciously moved so she was in front of him, clearly signalling the other woman to back off.
« Oh, Tommy boy » Rowena purred, swinging her hips as she came closer to the former ghost. « How lovely to see you ! Where's your adorable sister ? Haunting the basement, I suppose ? I don't want to say evil of this Rottenness but I may know one or even two pretty sleazy places in Hell that could make her permanently a sweet home. »
Her laughter was crystalline and yet send awful warning shivers to the three French women.
« Lady MacLeod » Thomas bowed by courtesy, trying hard to hide his wince.
Oh how he hated this woman ! But his good education dictated him to act like the proper Baronet he was so he forced a compliment out of his mouth, leaving him with a bitter taste.
« I see years had not altered your beauty. You're as stunning as always ! »
« And you are as charming as I remember, Tommy boy ! » she smiled, winking at him. « My little spell did a wonder on you… ».
« Lady MacLeod, what are you tal… » the young man asked, clearly puzzled.
He was trying to put himself behind Constance without showing too much to the witch that he wanted to stay out of her reach. Clearing his throat, Sam drew her attention to him and she frowned.
« Rowena, we need your help in here… Can you tell us exactly what you know about this place ? This is really important… »
« And what is it you have to offer if I help you again ? » the red-head woman asked with superiority, raising an eyebrow. « You surely know by now I don't work for free… »
« I hardly think talking is work ! » Sean scrawled, earning another laugh from the witch.
« Darling, you hardly know a thing… You know the drill, my pretty baby angel…
Now the witch is back
And there's hell to pay
My whammy fell on you
And it was strong
Your wretched little lives
Have all been cursed
'Cause of all the witches working
I'm the worst
I put a spell on you
And now you're mine
If you don't believe
You better get superstitious »
Rowena laughed before diving her eyes into his baby blue ones.
« But I must confess, you're just fascinating. An angel whose heart beats for a mortal, that's like a fish that wants to fly or a dog that thinks he's people. Poor little treasure, how will you suffer when you realize that this charming and disgusting romance is simply impossible ! »
The Irish angel blushed furiously, trying very hard to not look at Marina who wanted nothing more than to catch his expression…
« I'd be happy to kill her, she just called him a fish. Who does she think she is to tell us such things ? » the French girl grumbled between her teeth, Sean's cheeks becoming redder with every second that passed.
Thomas give a look full of compassion toward the couple and discreetly took Constance's hand, silently begging her not to intervene. Rowena lazily waved at Marina in a gesture made to dismiss her and Emma had to stop her best friend from jumping on the witch.
« Go back to Hell ! » Marina screamed.
Rowena looked at her disdainfully with her doe eyes and burst out laughing,
« Thank you, dear, but I just came from it ! It was quite charming ... it lacks perhaps a feminine touch here and there, but what can we honestly expect when it is this bumbling who is in charge ? »
« Mother, come on ! » Crowley sighed. « Just tell them what they want to know so that we can go « back to Hell » as this young lady comes so kindly to suggest it… »
« Fine, fine… » the redhead went near the dusty couch, making a graceful hand gesture to remove the dust before sitting down with sophistication on it. « But I really don't see why I have to tell this story… If I remember correctly, you were there too, Tommy boy ! »
The Baronet lowered his head, unable to look into her amused eyes. She smirked slyly, her eyes scanning the place.
« You really have to clean your home up, dearie… It wasn't like that when I was here. But, then again, it's always like that when you leave a house to a man… As I just said, they lack feminine touch, you see… But unlike Fergus, I have great expectations for Tommy dear, he has always been so refined... Oh, you still have my portrait, Tommy boy ! Oh, charming… I remember the day it was made, the painter was a real pig, trying to get me undressed and… »
« MOTHER ! » the little man roared.
« No need to shout, Fergus ! Tommy boy was there to defend my honor ! Unlike you, he's a perfect gentleman... You never lifted a finger to defend your mother... your OWN mother, Fergus ! »
Rowena gritted, rolling her eyes.
The demon turned towards the Winchester, probably searching for some support.
« Seriously, the thing I have to endure with this woman… She was a horrible mother. Did I tell you the time that she almost traded me for three pigs? Three! I was an attractive child, I could juggle. I was worth five pigs at least. Don't even get me started on the name, Fergus. Sounds like a venereal disease, and not the fun kind… »
« And here he goes, wining like a crying baby… Tommy boy, come sit with me ! You can not imagine how happy I am to see you again, Dearie… » Rowena chuckled lightly, patting the cushion next to her.
The Baronet let go of Constance's hand as if he had just burned himself and giving an apologetic look to the woman he loved, he reluctantly went to sit on the couch as far as possible from the Scottish lady.
« Come closer, Tommy boy ! Don't be shy, Dear… It's not like we're not very dear friends you and me both ! » she said, wrapping her arm around him, forcing him to be closer to her.
Laying her head on the Baronet's shoulder et sighing with ease, she smiled triumphally at Constance who had no reaction if only a lazy raising of an eyebrow. A little disappointed, her piercing green eyes dived into Emma's. The French woman had to suppress a shiver, facing the inquisitive look of the witch. Seeing the uneasiness of the young woman, Dean went to her, encircling her waist with his strong arms.
« Just be a nice girl Rowena, and tell us what you did here » the hunter said threateningly, tightening his grip on Emma's waist, clearly not appreciating the witch's grin as she stared at the young French woman. « I'm sorry. Did I say « nice girl » ? I meant « evil skank ». »
« You say that like that's an insult. » Her Scottish accent singing in the living room. « But nice girls, they're pathetic. Here's to evil skanks. By the way, Tommy boy, can I have something to drink, please ? And not your usual poisoned tea, dearie » she winked playfully at the Baronet, who couldn't hide his enthusiasm to go away from this woman. « Hardly the most appetizing process in the world, but killing demons always makes me thirsty. »
Without another word, the Baronet went to the kitchen, his posture very still. As he walked out, Constance felt very alone. She wrapped her arms around her while Sam smiled knowingly at her, a gesture made to be reassuring but that made her even more alone. Rowena's laugh pierced the silence.
« Oh I see now… Samuel, you little rascal… Tsk, tsk, tsk… It seems to me you're breaking one of the Divine Commandments, naughty boy… You know the one which said « you shall not covet your neighbor's wife »… or widow… as dear Tommy is, let's say it, already dead, I don't really know which terms can apply here… Moreover they're not even married ! If they were, she'll be… you know… dead ! It's one of Tommy's little problems… But, back in business, Dean and you are too cute… Two sisters for two brothers but one girl is out of reach. If I have any advice for you, young ladies, stay out of them… Both… Or else, you might end up burnt on the ceiling, or cursed, or turned into a werewolf, or being possessed by a demon, or… »
« That's enough, you bitch ! » Dean shouted, making everyone jump but the witch who just smiled slyly at him.
« Thomas is not good either » Emma retorqued bitterly. « My sister will certainly end up dead with him too… »
« Oh what a cute little thing you are, darling ! And she can talk to… How charming ! Dean chose one with a working brain for once… Don't get any wrong ideas, dearie… I've nothing against you… You know what they said: Girl power ! I just want to warn you… to spread my legendary wisdom… But I got out of tracks again ! So, it's Moose versus Tommy boy ? » Rowena applauded cheerfully, turning toward Constance who fixed her coldly. « How exciting! Oh, Lucille will certainly kill you for that but still… I speak with all the facts here, my dear… and I'm not talking about this idiot of hobbledehoy – in other words, Sam – am I ! »
« Back to the main subject, witch ! » Bobby spatted, clearly annoyed by all this.
« Oh, someone is grumpy today… » she chastised the old hunter. « You should sleep a little more. Might do you some good for an old man like you… A long, eternal sleep… I can fix that if you want ! » A deadly silence followed as everyone glared hard at the red-head woman. « Fine, fine ! I'll tell you what I know… Don't need to be so dramatic ! » She threw her hands on the air, in a sign of surrender before starting to tell her story. « Back in the last 1880s, I had been placed in an asylum of women… You see, witchcraft had never been seen nicely and well, human sacrifices are not very fashionable… But that's another story for another time. Let's just say I avoid the rope by going in a mental hospital. Not my proudest years but a woman must do anything she can to survive, right ? I should have been in that dreadful place for, what… two years ?... when a young teenage girl was brought in. I still see her, only fourteen years old, glaring high at everyone like she was superior. A true beauty with black hair to be damned for and eyes that showed no emotions. We could see she had guts this girl and she already had blood on her pretty little white hands… She was… perfection ! I've always wanted a daughter, you see. Who can blame me when you see the deception I have of a son… »
« Charming, mother… Really charming… » Crowley sighed while Dean tried to hide his amusement. « It's not funny, Squirrel ! »
« Anyways, one thing leads to another and I took dear sweet Lucille under my wings. She had a serious motherly issue, you see. The poor dear just had killed her mother with an axe. As I said, she was a diamond in the rough… I was like a new mother to her and she was like my daughter. Don't pout Fergus, you know very well you've always been like a son to me ! »
« This excess of maternal love is really touching ! But you seem to forget a slightly important detail, mother. I am YOUR son ! » the demon yelled.
« No need to remember me bad memories, Fergus » Rowena chastised. « I could have made some wonders with her if I just had had some time… In that horrible place we were supposed to be healed, I did my best to protect her, teaching her how to harden herself more. Piercing cries and relentless laughter were the only noises of the asylum, enough to make anyone mad. I swore I did my very best with the teenage girl. All the poor thing could do was talk about her brother, how she loved him, how perfect he was, the way his smile shone… I attempted to make her see the magical way but everything that mattered to her was Thomas. I still remember the tiny piano she has sewn to practise her skill. I'm quite proud to tell you I succeeded to teach her how to analyse people, to test them, to see their weaknesses and strengths at the first sight… If only she had agreed to come with me to the Coven, she would have been a terrific witch… »
« Glad she didn't » Dean grumbled between his teeth, burying his face in Emma's hair. « God, I hate witches ! »
« Samuel, please restraint your brother while I'm talking… » Rowena winked at the tall man before continuing. « Six years after, Lucille was finally free and well, I kind of escaped. I sought refuge at her house. All I wanted was a roof over my head and a safe place to hold my magic. And, as I was like a mother to her, she agreed at one condition : a small little spell of nothing for her brother and her… Speaking of the Devil, where is dear Tommy boy ? Do not tell me the boy poisoned himself with that tea of him ! I had warned him this kind of things would happen one day ! »
« Je vais aller le chercher… De toute façon, je ne comprends presque rien à ce qu'elle raconte avec son accent… » Constance mumbled, heading to the kitchen.
(I'm gonna fetch him, I can't understand anything she says with her accent.)
« What did she say ? Blastard French ! They always think everyone understands their gobbledygook ! » Rowena exclaimed, pointing at the young woman who just left the room before she yelled : « Remember I saw him first, dearie ! I've been waiting for more the two-hundred years to get my hands on him ! »
The witch turned towards the others with a smile as fake as bright :
« Where was I ? Ah, yes… »
The young French woman found Thomas near the cupboard, his head cocked on one side, staring hard at a few tins in front of him. He mustn't have felt her coming in, his face in deep concentration. She took a deep breath, not really ready to face him yet.
« Thomas » her voice wasn't as firm as she wanted it to be but it, at least, signalled her presence.
The Baronet jerked with surprise and turned swiftly, spilling unfortunately on the floor the half of a tea tin. Before he could say a thing, Constance resumed :
« What are you still doing here ? Merida is waiting for you… »
« Who ? » he asked, clearly confused.
« You know… red hair, Scottish accent, kindness itself… » answered Constance with a mischievous smile.
His frown turned lightly into a shy smile while he scratched the back of his head, uneased :
« Oh so you are talking about Lady Rowena… »
« Yes, this one unless you hide another redhead in this house… est-ce que tu veux me parler du fait qu'elle a l'air de bien t'aimer ? de vraiment bien t'aimer même ! » Constance asked playfully.
(Do you want to tell me about the fact that she seems to like you? To really like you even!)
« Uh, not particularly… All you need to know is that it's not reciprocal. She has always been particularly, well let's say, enamoured and very tenacious. She seems unable to keep her hands off me, but right now we have another problem… a much bigger problem ! » Thomas replied, the tension palpable in the air, before plunging back into the contemplation of his tea tins. « I can't make her tea ! » Thomas complained, his head low like a shy little boy.
« Why can't you ? It doesn't matter if you have knocked down that pot, the others seem full… I don't understand what's bothering you so much. » Constance noticed, getting closer to him and looking at the pots over his shoulder.
« I'm afraid there's nothing here that doesn't contain poison… Apparently, Lucille did take care of everything by poisoning everything. Even my own reserve ! » the Baronet whispered.
« What ? Thomas, tell me that she only poisoned the tea… » the young woman asked, turning pale.
« I am afraid not… » he hissed between his teeth, abandoning his pots to turn toward the object of his affection.
« Since when ? Is it possible that the bacon has been poisoned ? » the young woman worried.
« I'm not sure but it's a possibility ... » Thomas answered, turning white in turn.
« Beetlejuice ! » Constance whispered, horrified.
« What ? The dog ! Darling, why are you talking about the dog ? » he wondered, confused again.
« Because Beetlejuice ate the bacon you brought to me… Oh my God, tell me that he will survive, that he doesn't risk anything ! » the woman snapped, clearly in panic.
« Believe me or not, my love, but this glutton had survived much worse » the Baronet reassured her, smiling kindly, taking her hands in his, before firmly asking her : « Now can you tell me why this dog was the one who had eaten the bacon I had brought for you, little one ? »
« Tell me right away that you would have preferred me to be poisoned, Landru » she hissed with ire.
« Darling, that's not what I say ! » Thomas corrected before adding with annoyance: « How many names would I have to still endure ? My name is also NOT Landru, for Goodness sake ! I don't even know who is this Landru ! »
« Don't you dare darling me, Thomas ! I'm still mad at you ! Et puis il faudra qu'on parle de cette lettre d'ailleurs… Et pour ton information Landru est un célébrer tueur en série qui séduisait des femmes aisées pour pouvoir les tuer une fois qu'il avait fait main basse sur leur fortune ! Ça ne te rappelle personne, Thomas ! »
(And we're gonna have to talk about that letter... And for your information, Landru is a famous serial killer who seduced well-off women to be able to kill them once he had their fortunes in his hand.)
The strange little man who came into the kitchen made them jump away, interrupting their argument.
« Well, well, what do we have here ?... You're already into sweet nothings, aren't you ? But come on, Sir the Baronet, no one likes a tease… » Crowley said with humor, winking at them both. « Now, can you tell me what's taking you so long to prepare a simple cup a tea ? »
Thomas and Constance shared a tensed glare, none of them willing to tell the truth. The King of Hell then took the teapot and poured hot water into a beautifully decorated but slightly chipped cup. Approaching the two lovebirds, he took a large spoon of tea, poured it into the cup and heading towards the exit, told them with a voice both superior and mocking :
« I see my timing was bad… I'd lie if I say I'm sorry for having interrupted you, whatever you were about to do… Anyway, his Highness' hands were clearly not preparing tea, weren't they ? After two hundred years of compelled abstinence, who wouldn't like to have fun after all ! And say that my charming mother is blowing your nobleness and reserve just next door… Tsk, tsk, tsk… Don't bother, take back where you were, I'll tell the others not to wait for you… Take your time ! » He turned to glare hard at the Baronet one last time before disappearing : « And one little advice between us, your Highness… Do whatever you want with this chick and stay away from MY mother ! »
The French woman and the Baronet silently stared at each other for several minutes before Constance exclaimed :
« Et tu comptes le laisser faire ?! »
(And you intend on letting him do it?)
Thomas' cheeks reddened and he retorted :
« What do you want me to do ? It's not my fault if he thought we were about to… Oh, for the love of God, Constance ! Maybe it would be less hard for me to defend your virtue if you didn't dress like that… For your information, your skirt misses half of it and we can see your legs through the fabric ! »
« Don't start again, Thomas » the young woman cut. She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice above a whisper and a scream, giving the conversation a sudden air of conspiracy : « Tu sais parfaitement que ce n'est pas de cela dont je suis en train de parler ! Quand comptes-tu leur dire que le thé est empoisonné ? Avant qu'elle le boive, j'espère ! »
(You know perfectly that's not what I'm talking about! When do you intend on telling them that the tea is poisoned? Before she drinks it, I hope!)
« Damnit, the tea ! » the Baronet whimpered. He then took a tray and laid several biscuits on it. He turned to the young woman and asked with a forced smile : « Darling, can you give me the sugar bowl, please ? »
« Tu peux me dire ce que tu es en train de faire ? » Constance yelled with consternation, raising her arms in the air.
(Can you tell me what you're doing?)
« Lady Rowena likes to soak her biscuits in her tea she usually drinks with a lot of sugar » Thomas answered as if it was evident, extending his hand toward the young woman, obviously waiting for the sugar bowl.
« Je ne vais pas t'aider à empoisonner cette femme, Thomas ! » the young woman hissed, crossing her arms of her chest.
(I won't help you in poisoning this woman, Thomas!)
« Do not worry. A single cup of tea can hardly hurt her… You need to absorb a much important dose of poison and during a long period of it to be deadly. The first effects can just be seen after a few weeks. We didn't really want to raise any suspicion. They needed to look like they were ill, not to drop dead at the first sip. » Thomas whispered, taking the sugar bowl from behind the young woman and carrying the tray to his guests with a firm step.
« Me voilà rassurée ! Je vois que tu as pensé à tout, espèce de psychopathe… Thomas, attends un instant… Je parie que les gâteaux sont eux-aussi empoisonnés ! » Constance mumbled before she followed the Baronet.
(I'm so relieved ! I see you thought of everything, you psycho... Thomas, wait a minute... I bet the cakes too are poisoned !)
Like Constance had thought, Rowena hadn't thought necessary to wait for the couple's arrival to resume her past, her voice breaking the cold air of the room :
« He is so charismatic ! No wonder Lucille couldn't stop speaking about her brother… You should have seen him, at only eighteen… So pure in his stained innocence… But also very secretive… Oh Thomas, dear ! You're here ! I was just telling them about how we met ! Oh I still remember it like it was yesterday… »
The Baronet politely smiled, holding the tray to her :
« You truly were an angel sent to watch on us… »
« Oh, what a sycophant you are… Tommy dear, you naughty boy ! You are not trying to poison me with this cup of tea, are you ? Unless it's an antic of my idiot son who was so eager to bring me this drink ! And all that a few days from Christmas… Do not be surprised if your names are written on the naughty list, boys ! » Rowena chastised while flirting, batting her eyelashes.
Thomas was looking at her with the most complete uncomprehension, having not a single idea what the witch was talking about. The redhead sighed heavily before humming :
« He's making a list, he's checkin' it twice
He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
You better be good for goodness sake »
Emma intervened then :
« I don't know if it's the right time for some Christmas Carols and, furthermore, I'm not even sure Sir-Thomas-Sharpe-Miss can understand the reference ! »
A proudly smile illuminated Thomas's face and he replied triumphantly to the French woman :
« Truth be told, I understood that reference ! Santa Claus' legend dates before my birth… It's just this list thing I… »
« Hourra ! Well done, Captain America ! He understood it ! And now, maybe you can give us an explication about the poisoned tea, Tommy boy ! » Emma cut, her voice filled with mockery.
« Well, I am truly sorry about the tea, Lady Rowena, but it appeared that Lucille had put poison in everything. I however hope you'll still like it… » Thomas explained, trying to erase the smile still glistening in his eyes, the remorse clearly written on his face.
Constance couldn't help but rose her eyes... One could almost believe that he was sincere !
« Oh, I recognise her well in that ! » the Scottish woman laughed with pride. « I must confess I have some problem to digest poison for the last century but, I always had a weakness for your bitter tea… Nothing but a spoonful of sugar can solve as this dear Mary Poppins would say ! » She winked playfully at him, taking a sip of her drink.
Thomas bent as discreetly as possible towards Constance – which was hardly possible given their size difference – and whispered to her :
« Who is this Mary Poppins ? »
« Wait, did you just say your sister put poison in everything ? » Sam asked to Thomas, frowning.
The Baronet suddenly got up, stared at Sam for a moment as if to make sure the question was addressed to him and when Constance gave him a slight stroke in the ribs, he nervously cleared his throat before answering bitterly :
« I'm afraid so… I can't know for sure when she did it but, fortunately for you, it's a slow-release poison so you had plenty of time to have the antidote when you'll get of of here… I'm pretty sure you are all safe and your lives are not in danger … »
« What do you mean by « pretty sure », you bloody murderer ? » Dean growled.
« Anyway… » Rowena interrupted them with force before Thomas could answer, « … as I was saying, Allerdale Hall might have some failings, I felt here at home, nurturing my magic with all the negative radiations. But alas, my heart had been stolen by the young man who lived there… » she looked intensely at the Baronet who quickly turned his head away. « He wouldn't be with me, not even how much I tried to bring him to me. And Satan knows I tried : my hands grabbing inadvertently some parts of his anatomy, undressing with my bedroom door wide open when he was near, oh and, one time, I also… »
Crowley cast an increasingly murderous glance at Thomas as this little enumeration proceeded. The Baronet visibly disturbed by the silent rage of the King of Hell tried to fix his attention on the young woman who was at his side. Finding that Constance's anger was rivalling the little man's, the Lord gave her a supplicating look, shaking his head almost imperceptibly to point out that he had really nothing to do with Rowena's depraved behavior.
« I think we get the point… » Bobby grumbled, curling up at his side of the couch in front of the one where the redhead sat. « That's my great-grandpa you're talking about ! »
Rowena widened her eyes, confused, her eyes going back and forth Thomas and the old hunter before laughing wildly, amused tears threatening to roll down her cheeks.
« Now that you say it » she finally said when she had calmed herself a little « you do have some common points : wife murderers, abused fathers… »
« Don't talk about Karen, you bitch ! » Bobby roared angrily, ready to jump on her.
« Not bitch, dear… Witch ! » Rowena winked before turning to her audience. « Someone is very touchy today… Anyhow, where was I ?... Oh, yes ! One day, Lucille came in just when I was going to finally… – well, I'm going to skip this so dear old Bobby doesn't make a heart attack – let's just say I had succeeded to put my hand on his English countryside… » To picture her saying, the Scottish got up and squeezed the Baronet's bottom. Thomas, who didn't take off his eyes of Constance, jumped away and shrieked with surprise. He just had time to hold back the young woman from jumping on the witch. Rowena winked and smiled knowingly at Constance before she sat again and continued, putting an innocent smile on her face : « And, guess what ? She threw me out of the house ! Me ! I was like a mother to her and she threw me out ! »
« Too bad she didn't kill you like she did with her actual mother… » Dean whispered, making Emma burst out laughing.
She has hardly succeeded to hold it back but the outraged face of Thomas, her sister ready to jump at this annoying witch's throat and the cunning saying of Dean had the better of her.
« Well, I would have seriously gotten angry with her if she did… » Rowena pointed, trying to ignore the awful laugh of the French pink-haired. « But, I couldn't really blame her you see. I had, after all, been caught hand in the cookie jar… or rather hand in his pants ! It was pretty fair… Proof to that, I didn't take my enchantments back ! But she did break my heart… She truly was like my own… »
« Kids ain't supposed to be grateful. They're supposed to eat your food and break your heart, ya selfish witch ! » the old hunter mumbled again, more for himself and for the others.
« Which enchantments ? » the angel asked, tightening his grip on Marina's hand.
« The clever girl had asked me two things : to protect them AND for them to live together forever … » the witch answered calmly. « So I, in my grand clemency, agreed. I always had a soft heart and a romantic soul when it comes to forbidden loves…
I admit that in the past I've been a nasty
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch
But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light, and made a switch
To this
And I fortunately know a little magic
It's a talent that I always have possessed
And dear lady, please don't laugh
I use it on behalf
Of the miserable, the lonely, and depressed (Pathetic)
Poor unfortunate souls
In pain, in need
So, thanks to my weakness and for protection, I charmed some family jewels, failing to have fun with other… »
« MOTHER ! » Crowley shouted, face purple with rage.
« Fergus, no need to shout… A woman has certain needs, you know… And when she is in presence of such a tempting specimen… » The witch shrugged and continued with the same annoying smile : « So, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I enchanted a ring, a necklace and a bracelet. » At each item spoken, she pointed respectively at Emma, Marina and Constance, stopping a while, constating the nude wrists of the young woman. She rose an eyebrow, turned toward the Baronet, watching him closely and continued : « But you must certainly already knew that… »
Like being suddenly burned, Marina and Emma tried to take back off the said items, only to be magically frozen by a smiling Rowena.
« Please remember they are for protection. And protection only. Only fools would take them off… But after all, you are dating one Winchester, an angel and… do you have decided between Tommy boy and Moose over there yet ? Because I see you're the only one not to wear protection… Would Tommy boy think he can protect you on his own or did you refuse to wear a piece of jewelry coming from him, thinking it was a mere pledge of his affection ? »
« C'est à moi qu'elle a parlé ? » Constance asked curiously, seeing that the witch was intensely looking at her.
(Is it to me she talked?)
« What did she said ? » Rowena turned to Thomas, having not understood either the French woman.
« I do believe you two ladies don't understand each other» the Baronet sighed, not daring to look at either one of them.
Rowena rolled her eyes and waved indifferently at Constance :
« Not very smart that one… and why is she not wearing the bracelet you certainly gave her ? »
« Lady Rowena, I gave her no bracelet.. The only one Lucille owned had been… Well, I sold it because we were short of money and I should… » Thomas explained, frowning.
« And Lucille let you do that ! » Rowena asked like she was suddenly talking to a young and particularly stupid child instead of the man she was trying to seduce since she had put a foot inside this house.
« She wasn't aware… and when she figured it out, she went crazy… I offered her to buy her a new one when we would have money, but… » the Baronet tried to justify, clearly uncomfortable. He now knew his cupidity could cost the life he was in love with.
« You bet ! And I who always believed you were the smartest of the two… Anyways, after the pieces of jewellery spell, I did offer them an eternity never apart from each other. But, all magic comes with a price, as you know… I warned Lucille that they've had to kill women every couples of years and put their bodies in their clay. That way, nature would feed on them and their business would always flourish, just like their lives. »
« That's barbaric ! » Thomas exclaimed. « I never agreed to such a thing ! I swear I… »
« Oh, Tommy boy... » Rowena sighed. « In my defence, I had asked your sister to tell you… I must imagine she stole some of your blood and hair from you from the spell instead of asking. Luckily for you, I did place a counterspell, allowing you to die and to be finally separated from that possessive bitch if you fall deeply in love with another woman. You two could only die at the hand of your own family ! »
« So, if I get it right, nana Edith was able to kill Lucille because she was pregnant ? » Bobby asked, scratching inelegantly the back of his head.
« Glad to see you're not completely senile ! » the witch winked at the old hunter.
Looking again at Thomas, wrinkling her nose with disgust, she exclaimed :
« Edith ?! How could you fall in love with a woman whose name is so common, Tommy boy ? I'm not going to lie, I added this clause, thinking I would be the woman who'll steal your heart ! »
The fire in the fireplace almost died as she spoke, cool air crested over their heads like a giant sigh forcing everyone to go closer from the other. Smoky shapes twined around the curtains and scattered the dust littering the floor and the furniture. Cobwebs quivered like dead hair. Instinctively, Sam and Dean put their hands to the guns which were on the belt. The voice, suddenly deadly, of Rowena rose in the room :
« When hinges creak in doorless chambers,
When strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls,
Whenever candlelights flicker though the air is deathly still,
That is the time when ghosts are present,
Practicing their terror with ghoulish delight »
All the eyes went to the door. There, they saw it, hovering in the air: a crimson ghost. It was a woman covered in blood as thick as clay, holding a baby and her long hair wafted as if she was underwater.
«Enola» Thomas whispered, feeling his heart squeeze.
She was closely holding the young child against her and the expression on her face was one of extreme trepidation, as if she were more afraid of them than they were of her. Thomas slowly walked slowly towards her, holding out his hand, signalling her he meant no harm.
«Enola, I am so sorry… I should never have let her kill you…»
In a creak, the old phonograph began to play. The whistling of the cylinder filled the room before speaking for the mute ghost :
« I'm a prisoner. If I could leave him, I would. If I could stop loving him. He'll be the end of me. ».
Still floating, Enola fixed him, then pointed something behind his hosts. Remorse and fear deforming his face, Thomas slowly turned to the direction his late wife was here she was, the dark ghost of Lucille standing threateningly behind Constance, the knife she held in her hand shining with bloody promises, ready to strike the poor woman, jealousy written all over her face.
« Constance, run ! Go back in the bedroom ! Right now, Love, run ! » the Baronnet shouted, running toward the French woman.
He arrived barely in time to protect her from his sister's knife, the blade piercing his arm and Lucille vanished in a burst of crazy laughter before the hunters could react. Thomas grabbed Constance's arm, pushing her to the door, forcing her to run to get safe.
To Be Continued