Chapter 78

"When is the full moon at its apex?"

"Midnight."

"That's when he'll do it. That's when the dimension will open."

"He'll need the full power of the moon in order to open it, along with his, Claira and Milayna's magic." Beth surmised, wrapping her arms around herself and felt terrible for both mothers.

"Brooklynn…"

"Yes Steve?"

He knew exactly what she was planning to do, to lure Nemesis to her to give them the opening they needed to drive the dagger into his heart. It had to be a heart shot, or it wouldn't work. "We're all here. We're all going to protect each other, so don't get any funny ideas, woman."

Mind reader. Brooklynn couldn't contain her thoughts from him and sighed heavily when all eyes turned to her. "I'm the one Nemesis wants. I'm the one he's always wanted because of my bloodline. He's always wanted me dead, to end the Meyers bloodline. That means I'm the perfect distraction. Seth should be dead by the time he's freed, anyway. All I can do is see the dead and cross them over into the light. I don't have magic like the rest of you, so this is the way I can contribute and help bring this bastard down once and for all. I trust you'll all protect me, and I know it's a risk, but I can't think of any other way to distract him long enough to get the job done. This way, at least one of you can go behind him, stab him and hopefully, the theory works, and he'll finally be destroyed."

"Damn it, Brooklynn! Were you going to tell us about this or go off half-cocked like last time?!"

"I didn't go off half-cocked last time! The bastard tricked me into thinking Theodore was still alive!"

"And Steve nearly DIED because of you!" Trish shouted, unable to hold her emotions back and clenched her fists at her sides. "I love you girl, but sometimes, you really don't think before you act. There has to be another way besides making you the ultimate distraction!"

"I'm all ears then. Tell me what YOUR plan is then."

"Nobody has a plan. THIS is the plan, the daggers. And only ONE has your blood on it!" Trish said angrily. "We need you there with us for the second, and putting yourself in harm's way is just stupid. We're all at risk, and you can stop blaming yourself and your fucking bloodline any day now. Nobody but YOU cares about it. We're here, aren't we?"

"Steve, if she tries doing something stupid, let me know."

"Me too. We can Bind her to stop her." Mickie agreed, her voice even. "We came here to FIGHT and WIN, Brooklynn, not be stupid. So don't be stupid. We love you, now quit being a martyr."

"Right before the dimension opens, we can coat the second dagger." Brooklynn's voice lowered considerably, a calm edge to it and folded her arms in front of her chest. "And once that bastard is out, who the hell do you think he's going to come after? I won't HAVE to do anything stupid because he'll already do it for me with just me being there."

Randy hated admitting it, but Brooklynn had a point. Nemesis had always targeted Brooklynn and had made it abundantly clear he wanted the whole Meyers bloodline wiped out. "Damn it, she's right. He is going to come after her. He's not gonna care about his son or anything, if Brooklynn is there. And she has to be in order to coat the dagger."

Beth nodded in agreement, understanding where Brooklynn was coming from and didn't think she was being a martyr. She wanted this done as much as the rest of them and Trish blowing up and things out of proportion was the last thing they needed.

"Then I'll protect her. When he comes after her, I'll be there to stop him with Mark. We'll have to merge our energy together again to keep him away from Brooklynn long enough to be stabbed with the dagger." Mickie looked around at all of them. "So, who the hell is gonna do the honors?"

"If you knew all that to begin with, why bother 'planning' on being a distraction?" Steve was so confused. Women were stupid. They were too elaborate and he suddenly realized this was what Taker's problem was. "Fuck you."

Mark had no idea what he had done, simply shrugging.

"I'll do it." Glen offered, knowing nobody would ever think he could, since his former migraines had been crippling before Mark had done that magical brain surgery on him.

"Read my mind, Jacobs."

Trish might've overreacted, but the last thing she needed was to lose her husband because of Brooklynn's martyring. However, Steve had read her mind and she hadn't said anything until he outed her…now she was narrowing her eyes at Steve.

"Works for me."

"Same here."

Nobody, not even the almighty Demon himself, would see Glen Jacobs coming because of the type of magic he had. "Definitely."

"Sweet!"

Melina had been quiet up till this point, feeling an uneasiness befalling the circle and took a deep, shaky breath. "My lines…are slowly disappearing…" She announced softly, shutting her eyes and knew it was almost time to go finish this.

"Agreed."

Melina's lines disappeared the last time too. Mark wasn't overly worried about it and eyed Glen, who simply nodded at him. Glen was getting those tingly sensations now. The best he had been able to do, since he wasn't a brain surgeon after all, was replace the migraines with the pins 'n needles feeling. It would intensify as things got worse, but not take him down for the count.

"Let's go. We want to be there BEFORE the apex." So they could be in position.

Once they were in the truck alone, Brooklynn could feel the tension from Mark and didn't reach for his hand like she normally would have. He was angry with her. "I wasn't going to throw myself into danger or harm's way, but I know how Nemesis is and he's obsessive compulsive. He's gonna come straight for me once he's out of that dimension. Steve was reading my mind while I was thinking along those lines. He didn't hear the OTHER thoughts though, apparently. So, I'm not apologizing for simply thinking of an outcome I know will happen." At least the record was straight now, and Mark knew the truth.

"I didn't expect you to apologize. You're not wrong, he will come after you." Mark admitted in a flat tone. "I don't suppose I need to tell you not to do anything stupid, right? Just distract him long enough for Glen to get that dagger in. Mickie and I will shield you as best as we're able…" Or meld their magic; the last time had been interesting, to put it mildly.

"No you don't and I'll do what I can to keep him distracted WITHOUT getting hurt in the process." She grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together and kissed the back of it. "You need to watch yourself too. Watch how much magic you use and don't drain yourself to where you're defenseless." Brooklynn needed him alive – Claira needed at least one parent and, chances were, she would die before Mark since she didn't have the magic he did. "I know you're more powerful since merging, but you still need to be careful."

"Don't plan on it." Which was true enough. "I'm more worried about me and Mickie both losing our stomachs because of each other." They had been able to be around each other without that issue for a while now and had been working on casting alongside of each other… that was dicey. They'd manage, however.

The rest of the ride was made in silence, each in their own thoughts. Brooklynn could only hope Claira, Milayna and Dean were far away from this place. They had enough money and a debit card, though it was only supposed to be used for emergencies and the money had to be taken out of their bank account first. No credit card trails, just to be on the safe side. Pulling up outside of the abandoned construction site, Brooklynn could FEEL the dark energy swarming around them and could tell Mark did too. Hopefully, Mickie wouldn't lose her breakfast, lunch and dinner since the dark energy and magic was very potent. Stepping out, it was no surprise when Seth came slithering out with a maniacal grin on his face.

"So, you decided to show up for the party, eh? Just remember, Claira dies if you stop me."

"We have no intention of stopping you from opening the dimension, Rollins."

"Of course not, you've got a plan, right?" Seth snorted, shaking his rather wild hair, eyes brimming with energy. He had been running on high since draining both Milayna and Claira of their magic. He felt strong, untouchable, everything was heightened. "Of course you do…"

"It's really simple too."

"You'll never be able to stop this or Him when He's free. You know better."

"Doesn't mean we're not going to try, Seth. You should've known that by now or else you wouldn't have invited us. He ordered you to do it, didn't he? He ordered you to make sure I was here."

It wasn't hard to deduce as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, refusing to back down. Mark was beside her, thumbs hooked in the beltloop of his jeans and stood there with a smirk on his face that would make the devil cower. Minutes later, Seth had 10 adults facing him and he actually backed up, looking up at the full moon and could tell it hadn't reached the apex yet. Nobody said a word as he continued watching it, waiting for the moment, the second, he could open the dimension and finally free his father.

"So, I bet Roman is just CHOMPING at the bit to come back to life, eh?" Seth decided to bait Brooklynn since Claira wasn't here, a frown suddenly crossing his face. "Where is my baby Claira anyway?"

"None of your damn business, punk." Randy growled, not amused and stood on the other side of Brooklynn.

"Ouch, I'm wounded."

"Not yet, spawn."

"Let's see… we have Brooklynn, the old cow who can't escape her poor-poor me and my cursed bloodlines routine… Mark, who is a broken old man. Steve, the mind reader without a pair. The Seer who keeps said pair in her purse, along with all his money…"

This little bastard, Trish thought, brown eyes narrowing to slits.

Seth's gaze roamed the others. "Mickie… a hedge Witch, if I ever saw one and her man-child husband, the automatic writer who has been having a mid-life crisis since he was about 12…"

Claira had horrible taste in men.

"Then we have the renaissance fair gypsy, complete with the genuine fortune telling bullshit, who has no actual talent outside of her hand." And he accompanied that with a jacking off gesture. "An idiot whose supernatural ability happens to be every woman's favorite excuse: I have a headache."

That was actually… hilarious.

"The water seer… bathing must be fun. And Randy…" Seth smirked wickedly. "You really did get the shaft, you know that? I don't even need to make a joke; your whole life is a joke."

"We all may have issues and unique abilities, but at the very least we don't have Daddy issues."

"With a sick and twisted hero complex."

"Yo man, I'd rather have a writing ability than be jacked around by my old man any day of the week."

Mickie smiled serenely, her eyes flashing wickedly. "And you have NO idea just how powerful I am, junior." Especially when Mark joined up with her, even though their powers were the complete opposite.

"And I may not have the best ability in the world, but all it takes is one touch to find out all your little dirty secrets, Rollins." Randy growled, waving his fingers with the glove off, his own eyes gleaming. "Try your luck and see what happens, boy."

If Seth ONLY knew his headaches were no longer an issue…Glen merely grinned and folded his arms in front of his chest, refusing to let this piss ant ruffle his feathers.

"Actually, I bathe quite nicely, thank you very much." Beth smiled placidly, placing her hands on her hips and winked at Brooklynn, just to show she was perfectly fine.

"Amusin' how this little jackass actually believes he stands a chance against us. Boy, I'm readin' your mind right now and, if ya don't stop thinkin' 'bout my adopted niece, I'm gonna hurt ya." Steve threatened, not liking the thoughts Seth was having about Claira at the moment. He really was obsessed with her.

"And at least we don't have to STEAL others powers in order to make ourselves relevant and strong enough. What's the matter, Sethy? Weren't you loved as a child?" Trish taunted, leaning against her husband with a smirk of her own. "Oh wait, you were raised by a Familiar. How quaint."

Seth was letting Steve see those thoughts and he amplified them up several notches, just to see that bald scalp go flushing red. "At least even my Familiar can have children, Trish."

Trish made a mental note to adopt and would make sure it was completely human.

"You and Glen are the smart ones, accepting your fate with silence."

Mark's response was to hock a very juicy loogie on Seth's feet.

Even though it was just visions, it didn't piss Steve off any less because he didn't want to picture Claira in the compromising positions Seth was in his head. "Fuckin' prick…"

An hour later, the wind picked up and swirled around them, lightning flashing in the sky. A storm was coming, and she wondered if it was magically enhanced or just mother nature letting them know how crazy they were. She looked at Mark, knowing it was time and could see Seth's eyes glowing icy blue.

"You're going to die tonight, Brooklynn Meyers. It's ALL about to come to an end for you…and the circle." Seth informed her, raising his hands and let his energy pour forth out of his body, everything already set up for the spell.

"Keep telling yourself that, Rollins. Just open the damn dimension already."

"With pleasure."

Mark pulled Brooklynn back as Seth's head tipped back towards the moon, his arms up. He wasn't sure if the others outside of Mickie could see the immense power flowing upwards into the sky. The wind was whipping around them, sending hair and debris on the ground flying.

"You ready, darlin'?" He asked, nodding at Randy. He held onto one dagger, the one already coated. As soon as that portal was open, Seth was fair game. Glen had the second, which they would coat while Randy hopefully knocked off the spawn.