Chapter 13
"We can open the gateway now." Carolyn said.
"Not yet" Vicky protested "you are not strong enough."
"I am."
"You are not. Have you forgotten how Carolyn broke through?"
Carolyn's eyes narrowed. "I have an idea about it. I think you caused it."
"I didn't"
"You did. You want to keep me weak so that you can control me. You don't want me to open the gate."
"I do want the gate opened."
"For yourself, not for me."
"You are wrong."
"I could have you killed. Not this body. The one you left behind at the Ring of Fire. They you would be trapped in this body when the gate is opened and we come through. You'd be devoured like all the others."
Vicky fought for self-control. She could not allow this to happen. Could not allow all that effort to be wasted. But she could not stall anymore.
"I am sorry I gave you doubts about my loyalty. It won't happen again."
"So we are opening the gate?"
"We have to arrange for the sacrifices. We have to choose the children and kidnap them."
Jake smiled at Tammy when she saw her come with Joe, back to visit Chris. Good thing that she was not going with that Haskell fellow. He did not believe in zebra couples.
As it had happened before, Tammy came out after a few seconds inside and engaged Jake in conversation.
"You met Roxanne?" Jake asked.
"Professionally, in a case some months ago. But not like you... I mean, she did not bite me."
"Well, it isn't as terrible as it sounds."
"I know. Me and Barnabas...you know about him?"
"Working here, there is no way not to know about him. You know that there is some thought of putting him in some article for a professional magazine? Of course, he will stop it. I can see why."
"Does it bother to have him around?"
"Depends"
"Depends?"
"When he starts complaining about too many coffee breaks and allowing the dirt to build up, he's a pain in the neck."
Tammy guffawed.
"But then, he's the only one who will stand up to the boss lady and get away with it. We love him for it. Then he managed to set up a schedule so that everybody got enough vacation. And he can get patients out, which makes the load easier.
"What about Roxanne? Do you mind her?
"At first I was scared. But then se assured me that all she wanted from me was to do certain things for her, and that I would not be hurt. I believe her.
"My employer, Megan Graham, is the same way. At first it was rather tough. I almost left the job before I started.
"But you didn't"
"I needed the money." Tammy smiled apologetically " but it is still hard to get the habit of it. Talk to them and smile as if they were real people. Joe gets mad when I say things like that."
Jake looked at her quizzically, but before he could say anything Joe came out.
"Well, family duty is done. We can go now."
...Odd, Jake thought. They way those two acted... they were not a couple, but he wondered...
"Kidnapping children isn't easy" Nicholas grumbled "and it can land you in jail."
"I am not interested in your opinion" Vicky said. "Go and get them."
So Nicholas had to go. He could be observed doing it, people might try to interfere... too many things could go wrong at once... how many years could he get for that?"
But if he didn't obey, he might end up like Jason McGuire...
He wished that he could still use Derek or Roger. But that was impossible. Vicky had released them. He had to put his own hands on the burning stone, no mater how much he protested...
He needed two children. A boy and a girl...
His fingers closed on the stone, and as they did, the pain made him wince. Why, why couldn't he use Roger for this?...
He saw the children playing. Mentally he chose two of them, as Vicky asked him to. As he did a new stab of pain came up his hand. The stone had received the command and was now feeding on him for the power to do as commanded...
He gritted his teeth. He had to control himself. If he did not, if he did not do as he was told, Vicky would punish him, and the pain in his arm would be nothing compared to what Vicky could do to him...
He had to obey. His days as Master of the Dark Arts, when he could command slaves for anything he desired were over. He was better than a slave himself. Two failures, Eve and Jeb Hawkes had condemned him to this...
That Jeb Hawkes had been meant to fail from the start did not change his fate. He was a two time loser, who had to be grateful with whatever bone was thrown to him...
He looked at the children. He held some control over them now. He willed them to stay behind. He willed them to wander off into the bushes...
He stayed at a distance from them... If there were witnesses, they could swear that the had not approached them...
He willed to go back, back, back... follow the path to the car... Get into the car.
And then Vicky would drive them away to the sacrificial site...
"They have the children" Tammy said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Angelique just saw them do it. Leave a message to Megan to meet us at the site. We have to go pick up Chris, Sandy and David."
"And let us not forget the sodium hydroxide carafes." added Joe.
"Yes." Tammy took a deep breath. "This is it. Three werewolves, a witch, a vampire and a zebra couple against the Apocalypse..."