Oh boy. It's been a while. I wish I had a better excuse, but honestly I've just been busy. I had school, finals, some personal stuff. Not to mention that this chapter just did not want to happen. This is what I get for writing a multi-chapter fic!
Anyway, thank you if you're still here reading! I really appreciate all your feedback.
The ending here feels really abrupt so I'm sorry about that, but I had to split it up or it would be monstrously big and I wouldn't finish until September.
We actually get into some of the mythology in this one! Took long enough, right?
This town was horrible.
It was cold, it always rained, and it was impossibly dull. Nothing ever happened in Haven. These people weren't a threat. They weren't anything at all.
And yet they were still stuck here.
She hated it. Hated the people, hated how she had to stay in the house all day, hated the whole town. She was useless here, rotting away with nothing to do. She should have been serving a purpose, not playing watchdog.
The days ticked by in monotony, one running into another. Nothing ever changed, and most nights she dreamed of returning home and leaving this world behind.
She cornered William before he left one morning, her arms crossed tight across her chest, itching for a fight.
"I'm bored."
William narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't budge from the door.
"Don't give me this." He turned away slowly, placing the satchel back on the table.
"I'm bored." She repeated, crossing her arms. "This place is awful."
He laughed coldly, crossing the bare room in a few steps. "You think I don't know that?"
She grit her teeth as he walked away. He was unbearable sometimes, acting like this was all her fault. Like she'd sent them to this hole.
She remained in the outer room but she could hear his voice loud and clear as he called to her.
"Why don't you try reading, there's plenty of books upstairs."
Reluctantly she followed him into the next room, leaning against the door frame as he sat at the small table.
"I don't want to read. I want to go home." She tilted her head down until her hair fell in front of her face, covering the tears she feared were building. It was stupid and childish to cry over this, to cry in front of him.
She heard the chair scrape across the floor, listened as his footsteps crept closer to her. She didn't look up until his hand wrapped around her waist, the other tilting her chin up.
William kissed her hard, his arms wrapping tight around her. As he broke off she shook her head, moving his hands away from her.
He pressed her mouth to her neck but still she pushed him away, stepping back against the wall.
"I thought you said you were bored, hmm?" He smiled at her but it held no happiness, only a biting look in his eyes.
"You know what I meant."
He nodded stiffly, stepping back from her. His gaze watched her carefully for a moment, before his mouth quirked up in a smile.
"Perhaps you'll find something of interest tomorrow." He gave her hand a squeeze and walked away, leaving her alone in the dingy little dining room.
She came downstairs the next morning to find a small box sitting on the table. The sides were a smooth black wood but the top was embellished with the carving of a tree, its branches stretching upwards.
"What is this?" She glanced across the room at William, but he merely gave her a secret smile.
"A present."
She turned it over in her hands, her fingers running over the hard surface. "For what?"
"It's to alleviate your boredom."
She raised her eyebrows but he said nothing more, gesturing for her to open it. The top slid off to reveal a stunningly bright flower beneath it. The leaves were a reddish hue, and they spread out so far she wondered how it all fit within the small confines.
"It's beautiful." She murmured, and she could feel him step up beside her.
"I'm glad you like it." He leaned over her shoulder to inspect it himself. "I picked it out special. I'm sorry I've been so difficult."
She pressed her lips together, her attention still focused on the flower. She rubbed one of the petals between her fingertips, marveling at how soft it was against her skin.
"I'll show you how to use it later." His words were whispered in her ear, and he pecked her gently on the cheek before moving back around the table.
She frowned. "Use it?"
"Looking at it isn't going to fill your time." William gave her a grin. "You'll see."
They marked the fisherman together, with William leading her through the motions. He was the one who lured the old man to the woods and knocked him out, and he guided her hand to press into the man's skin.
It was like a tremor went through her that first time, it felt right and powerful, unlike anything she'd ever experienced.
The fisherman joined his supply at the bottom of the ocean soon enough, although the town doctor was unable to explain why he suddenly seemed incapable of breathing properly before he made his descent into the sea.
She'd enjoyed watching him sprout those odd webbed fingers, but she couldn't help but feel a little put off, as she'd been aiming to give him a fishtail.
William told her she'd get better at it the more she practiced. So she did, and the citizens of Haven dropped like flies.
She couldn't feel bad about it. These people were petty, pathetic things. She and William were above them all. These abilities they created were gifts, after all.
The reverend's Sunday service asked God to spare Haven from this sudden plague. He prayed for the afflicted to be healed, for these good people to be delivered from all this evil.
She wanted to mark the Reverend himself, but he never had a moment alone. It wasn't for lack of trying, however. She spoke to his followers and hung around the church, but she could never manage it.
The church still gave her an odd feeling, as if there was always someone watching her there. The tall windows made the whole building cold, and raised goosebumps on her arms.
Perhaps it was fitting that they caught her there, in the end. Put a gun to her head and had her kneel at the alter before they locked her up.
They bound her hands and chained her feet, paraded her around like some animal. The reverend presided over her case and called it a trial, though the word was used very loosely.
He named her as a witch, and although that wasn't technically true, she had to admit there was no better way to rile the crowd.
Large numbers of people had gathered, each of them glaring up at her in contempt. She spotted a familiar face towards the edge, blue eyes staring straight at her, face blank. The others shouts and sneers fueled the anger inside of her, until it was raging under her skin, begging for an outlet.
The sudden rains dispersed most of the group, and as she caught the reverend's eye she saw something flash inside of it.
Recognition, she thought.
The fires were burning outside, and she knew without a doubt that they were for her.
The reverend arrived to take her to her fate. He pulled open her cell door and held out a hand, as if he wanted to help her up.
"You're going to kill me."
The man's face broke into a smile, and she saw that his teeth were cracked and crooked. He shook his head slowly, retracting his hand back under his cloak.
"No, Mara. Not even close."
The town seemed deserted as he lead her along. A fog had rolled in overnight, covering the streets in a misty glow.
He lead her through the woods, along the familiar path she knew so well. As they came through the clearings it seemed as if the entire town was gathered up on the hill, looking down on them.
She froze in place, digging her heels down in the mud. Her heart was pounding in her chest, a rapid beating that gave away the fear she so desperately tried to hide.
What were they going to do? Throw her to the angry mob? Let them chop her into pieces, or pull her apart, or tie her up again and have their own burning.
"No."
Her words were ignored, and the reverend tugged her along after him once more.
"No, no, no, God, no."
The crowd gave way as they passed and she could see two wide, wooden doors up ahead. There were no familiar faces this time, no one to help her.
She screamed out, begged them to stop. She pleaded for William, for anyone.
"Please, please no! Stop it, please!"
But they shoved her inside that old barn and locked the doors, and the whole place went up in flames.
It had been nearly 40 minutes, and Nathan was getting worried.
In truth he was almost always worried about Audrey, even when she wasn't walking in to the lion's den. But this time he had plenty of reasons to be concerned about what was occurring behind those closed doors.
Maybe he had made a mistake in letting Audrey go in there alone. Nathan didn't really think William could succeed in turning her back into whoever he wanted her to be, but he had recognized the fear in Audrey's eyes before she left. She believed William's words that Mara was still inside of her, just waiting for a way out.
Nathan had tried to reassure her, but he couldn't imagine grappling with that fear, that worry that you didn't even know yourself. Sometimes he wondered how Audrey even made it through the day.
A passing car jolted him from his thoughts, and once again his attention returned to his rearview mirror. The warehouse was plainly visible, but there were no signs of activity.
Part of him wished he had gone in with Audrey anyway. She was right, William wouldn't talk to her with him around, but at least he would know she was safe. Out here he had no choice but to let his mind wander, and it always came to the worst conclusions.
As his eyes watched the old building a sharp noise pierced the air, sudden and blaring one minute and then completely silent the next. Nathan turned around but nothing on the street seemed amiss, and the warehouse was still standing.
It had sounded like the crackle of a fire almost, only magnified much, much louder. He couldn't name what it was, but Nathan knew it couldn't have been good news.
He pushed open the car door and stepped out, leaning on the roof as he watched the building. It looked the same as it had for the past 50 minutes; empty and abandoned.
Yet he knew it was anything but, and he knew he couldn't just wait out here any longer. Something was clearly happening in there, and there was little chance it was anything good.
He slammed the car door as he got out in a hurry, and the sound echoed along the street. There was nothing but silence on the street now, even as he rushed towards the empty building. Maybe this was why William had chosen this place, as he'd yet to see a single other person.
When Nathan reached the warehouse the large doors swung open with ease, much to his relief. They opened to reveal a long, dimly lit hallway. He could barely make out another room at the end of it, but given the lack of options, he figured it had to be right.
It was difficult to walk in the dark without being able to feel the walls, and Nathan winced as he repeatedly stumbled along the floor, but it didn't seem like anyone else heard the noise. He hoped at least Audrey was still here; his mind was whirling with thoughts of what William could have done, or what could have happened to her.
He finally reached the end of the hall as it opened into a large, much brighter room. He blinked a few times to adjust to the light, than his eyes immediately landed on two figures off to the side.
William was crouching over Audrey's seemingly unconscious body, one hand gripping hers. He didn't bother looking up even as Nathan drew nearby,
"What the hell are you doing?" Nathan felt the instinctive pull to draw his weapon, and he found himself wishing he'd followed Audrey's example and brought his gun, just in case.
William spared a glance upwards, but quickly turned back towards Audrey. He brought his hands up to frame her face, fingers pressed against her temples.
"Shh." He chided, and Nathan took a few more cautious steps forward. "You'll ruin it."
For a moment Nathan felt frozen in place, his fear for Audrey mixing dangerously with his anger towards the man in front of him. He knew his temper was rising, but he saw no reason to push down the building rage. His mind was wiped blank for the briefest second, and something snapped.
With a sudden movement he grasped William's shoulders and hauled him to his feet, pushing him back against the wall roughly. As the other man stumbled on his feet, Nathan sank to his knees beside Audrey, his fingers feeling for her pulse. He was relieved to find it, but his consolation was cut short violently.
He could barely make out the movement in the corner of his eye, but as William's fist collided with the side of his face he could feel a searing pain, the sharpest sensation he'd felt in years. It knocked him to the side, sending him sprawling on his hands and knees.
He rubbed his hand over the affected area but could no longer detect the pain. It seemed whatever allowed him to feel Audrey's touch apparently transferred to William as well, much to Nathan's displeasure.
William paced to the other side of Audrey, crouching down so the two men were at eye level. As Nathan raised his head his face split into a smile, and he looked down at his hand.
"I'm impressed, honestly. I wasn't expecting that." His voice echoed in the room, the mocking tone growing with each repetition.
Nathan glanced down at Audrey, his hand reaching for hers again. He watched as her knuckles formed the same bruise William now sported, a her fingers growing red as if she had thrown the punch. Their injuries transferred immediately, he thought, which meant William couldn't have knocked Audrey out with force. And if she was already unconscious…
Nathan gripped her hand tightly, hoping she'd forgive him for what he was surely about to do to her.
In one movement he slipped his hand down to her waist, drawing her gun from the holster. William stood up suddenly, beginning to move backwards, but Nathan got him clear across the head, although the hit wasn't nearly as strong as he was hoping for.
William stumbled once more and Nathan stepped over Audrey, praying she wouldn't feel anything as he shoved William violently backwards. He scrambled to stand and Nathan swung his arm automatically, slamming the butt of the gun against the man's head a final time. He crumpled immediately, and Nathan turned to check on Audrey's still form. She looked just as she had moments before, chest rising and falling peacefully, eyes still closed. She'd probably have a bruise in a few hours, but he hoped that was all.