Jake returned to Midnight his fever was so horrible he couldn't open his eyes. The pain in his chest coupled with the open sores on his back- he would not be able to stand.
"Get him in the truck!" Fiji shouted. Jake's body was loaded into the back of Joe's truck.
"Joe you drive with Jake and Fiji," Manfred instructed. "I'll follow with Lily, Chuy, Creek, and Olivia." Lem, the vampire was asleep in the main bed. There was no way the team would leave him behind, to take on Pestilence they would need all the help they could get.
As Fiji held Jake, stroking his face, "The superstar fertility doctor- yet you have no children of your own."
"I have my son and my daughter."
"I'm sorry that was disrespectful. I know you cared for Lily's daughter after her death and when you married Addison you cared for her adopted son. I just meant you had no children with your eyes and your beautiful smile."
Jake's hands trembled as he reached out to her. Even with the pain of the fever, he found the surface of the truck becoming unbearably warm. The sun was blindingly bright in the sky. "Are we in Texas?"
"Yeah, it is really hot out," Fiji said as if reading his mind. "But no, we're in Arizona."
"How did that happen? I thought when I use the stones I get returned to Midnight?"
"Since the stones belong to me, you return to wherever I am," Fiji explained. "Let me hold you." Jake was in so much pain his heart was close to stopping. But as Fiji held him he could feel relief. With a sudden burst of energy, he cupped her face and kissed her.
"Jake?" Fiji started to unbutton his shirt. She focused her powers on his chest.
"I want you… Addison."
Fiji knew what was happening, Jake was delusional with fever. "Yeah, it's me, your wife. I want you to know, I love you." She gripped his hand.
Jake rolled her on to her back, kissing her. "I love you too." His hand moved to his belt.
Fiji knew she needed to act quickly before things became truly uncomfortable. "I share thee." As she kissed him her body convulsed in agony, but she held on to him. She knew she needed to take enough of his pain on to herself for his soul to survive. When he collapsed on top of her she knew she had succeeded. She shoved his limp weight off of her.
Meanwhile, in Manfred's trailer, Manfred discussed with Olivia what exactly was the team going to do once they made it to Los Angeles. The blonde woman was sitting in the passenger seat. "How do we even locate the guy's body? I know he's probably in the ICU. But we don't even know the layout of the hospital."
"I know where he is, or at least I know how to find out. And I really doubt you will have any trouble getting us inside. Our biggest problem is going to be getting Pestilence to show us his real form. If he can take over anyone, he has no motivation to fight fair."
"So your plan is what?"
"I can command the dead and power of three can trap spirits and open portals. Together we should be able to convince Pestilence that it is in his best interest to fight in his actual form."
The group made it to Los Angeles by nightfall. But Jake was unconscious and Fiji could barely sit up. Lem carried her from the truck.
"That's not good," Olivia muttered.
"I'll be fine," Fiji assured the team. "Once I made contact with the three my health will be restored."
"Now how do we get Jake into the building," Manfred said, observing Jake's current state. I would offer to absorb his soul but that would interfere with my ability to control my powers.
"Not a problem," Fiji offered. "I've been siphoning his pain for the past few hours, we have enough of a connection, I can hold his soul inside of me long enough to get him to his body."
Olivia, as a human was worried. "Even with his illness?"
"Yes, like I said, get me to the power of three, and I'll be fine." Fiji stroked Jake's face. "Jacob Reilly, I give you my body." As she kissed him, his form became more and more transparent until he was nothing more than clouds of color drifting like smoke. Fiji's body started to convulse in agony as he was absorbed into her. She quickly fell unconscious.
Manfred touched his hand to the building. "Power of three, tell me where you are."
"Room 505!" A female voice shouted, "Hurry!"
"Manfred looked to Lem. "Get Fiji to room 505. Once Jake's soul is reunited with his body its possible Pestilence will try to take over you or Fiji but I know both of you can hold your own against a demon."
Lem carried Fiji in his arms as he zoomed through the hospital. With his vampire powers, he could practically teleport. They arrived at room 505. Lem could not see the three spirits, so he laid Fiji's body in bed with Jake and hoped that would show themselves. He suddenly felt a stabbing sensation. As he turned around a blonde woman held an arrow to a tall hooded man's neck.
Lem reached into the hood and grabbed the creature by its head. "I think Pestilence won't be taking my possession of anyone, anytime soon." He looked at the blonde woman. "I take it that arrow belongs to him?"
"So does this," Caroline held Pestilence's decrepit bow. "I'm Caroline that's Georgia, and our sister Rachel is the one healing your friend."
"I am honored to make your acquaintance, I am called Lem," the vampire looked over to see a girl in wizard robes.
Rachel used her hands to draw out Jake's soul, placing it back into his body. Within moments the man awoke. But the first thing he noticed was Fiji's body. She appeared to be dead.
"Oh dear God," Jake said with tears in his eyes.
"Be strong, Uncle Jake," Rachel said as she touched Fiji's face.
Fiji opened her eyes, "It's ok, "She whispered. "Lily, Joe, Chuy and Creek guard the exterior of the hospital." She coughed slightly as blood drooled down her lips. "Get out of the bed."
Lem tried to hold back Pestilence, but his powers were not enough. As he collapsed back the daemon tried to search for a new host. Olivia appeared and smacked the demon upside the head. "Don't think so." She held a silver dagger that she sprayed with holy water. "You could try for him." she motioned to Manfred. "But he has more than his share of experience being possessed."
Manfred held up his own shield item: a silver cross made from two nails. It appeared to be held together with hair. "This is a sacred cross containing the hair of a powerful demon." He paused, opening his mouth as a cloud of black smoke arose from the pendant. When Manfred blinked his eyes were completely black. "He's an old friend of mine."
Pestilence shoved past him. "Screw this."
Olivia took out her phone. "Joe, Pestilence is headed your way."
"I see him," Joe replied. "Oh fuck."
Chuy's body convulsed. His demon form was coming out, and then going back in. "That doesn't belong to you!" the man shouted. He never used his demon form for power or gain, that form was the last resort to protect the people he loved.
Creek stepped forward, she bravely grasped as Chuy's arm even as the transformation was beginning to take old. "Take me. I'm just a human, I'm won't fight back."
Pestilence was about to take her up on her offer then suddenly there was a crash. Jake Reilly stood before the demon, his body covered in armor that appeared to be liquid metal. Three flames surrounded him, forming a triangle around his face.
