A/N: We are nearing the finish line, hang in there!
Picking up Casey's rucksack Kim followed Amanda to the blonde's truck, with every step she expected Casey no notice and start screaming more threats at them, shivering as she remembered the anger in the redhead's voice, she quickened her pace not relaxing until the door was closed and the lock clicked into place. Taking a deep breath, she reached into the bag and pulled out the book, a shockwave of fear and anger pulsing through her as soon as her fingertips brushed the leather, pushing them aside, Kim opened the book and re-read every line closely. She was so absorbed, in the words she jumped when Amanda touched her shoulder, causing her to drop the book to the floor of the truck.
"I'm so sorry." Apologised the blonde as she rushed to pick up the dropped book, her head colliding with Kim's, "Fuck."
Rubbing her head, Kim smiled at the blonde who had quickly become her friend, "Its okay."
"Drink?" Offered Amanda, holding out a bottle of Wild Turkey to Kim.
"I'm good." Smiled Kim, wanting to keep a clear head. Picking up the book she frowned as she noticed a page she hadn't seen when she had first read the book unfolding the page she squinted at the slanted writing as she tried to make it out. Twisting the page to better study it in the light she realised the text was written backwards. "Do you have a mirror?"
"Worried about your hair?" Teased Amanda as she rummaged in her glove box for the small compact she kept there.
"No, I think there is a way to end this." Replied Kim as she took the mirror.
"You think this is because of the book?" Questioned Amanda as she watched Kim angle the mirror and her torch so she could read the page.
"I do, the story said the murderer took something from each of the victims, there was mist and that Latin phrase stopped it." Explained Kim, "Listen."
'Even as I write this, I pray the events I fear will never come to pass. Yet should you find yourself under a moon red with spilled blood, there is a chance for salvation if these steps be followed by those who believe in the mercy of the heavens.'
"It's followed by a set of instructions that will destroy the book and 'restore the light'." Finished Kim.
"We should tell the others." Replied Amanda.
Nodding Kim followed Amanda from the truck and headed to where Casey and Teddy stood, "Hey you two, I think I have a plan."
"To get us out of here?" Asked Teddy as she wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to warm up.
"Not quiet." Admitted Kim, chewing on her lip.
"Just tell them." Prompted Amanda as she took up a protective position next to the Kim.
"I think there's a way to end this…"
"We don't even know what this is." Sighed Teddy, her irritation aimed at not having the answers they needed and not at Kim.
"I do…At least I think I do." Replied Kim, bringing the book out from behind her back, studying Casey's face for a reactions, all she saw was grief as if the pain of losing Alex had broken the hold the book had over her.
"Kim, if you know something, spit it out." Frowned Teddy.
"There was a page in the book, it was hidden which is why I didn't notice it earlier but then Amanda made me jump and I dropped and then we bumped heads…"
Putting a hand on Kim's arm, Amanda gave her a warm smile hoping it would settle the other woman's nerves, "Kim, the key points."
"Sorry." Nodded Kim, taking a deep breath she carried on, "This page gave a list of instructions to destroy the book and it implied that providing it's within the nights same moon, it would undo the death."
"Kim, we're all tired and in shock, nothing can bring the dead back. I wish it could." Whispered Teddy, "I say we take Amanda's truck, it has the least damage and we get the hell out of here."
"Wait! I mean if there's a chance we could get them back, shouldn't we try." Argued Casey, willing to try anything to bring Alex back, their friends too.
"I agree with Casey." Replied Amanda, "Kim?"
"I-I think we have to try, if nothing else maybe we can stop it hurting anyone else." Replied Kim.
"Teddy, if you want to go, you can take my truck." Offered Amanda, holding out the keys only for the other woman to shake her head 'no'.
"So, we're on the same page?" Asked Kim as she looked at her friends.
"Same page, Honey, we're not even in the same library." Muttered Teddy.
"What do we do first?" Asked Amanda, giving Kim a supportive smile.
"We need to give it a name." Replied Kim.
"Why, are we keeping it?" Snorted Teddy, still not fully convinced of the supernatural solution.
"Names have power." Replied Kim.
"All right Hermione, calm down." Teased Casey, her easy going smile in place.
"Bite me." Muttered Kim, "So, suggestions."
"The Suspense." Suggested Casey, "Abbie would have got a kick from it."
Giving Casey a sad smile Kim nodded, "Okay, The Suspense. Next we have to anoint ourselves with the oil in here." Continued Kim.
Holding up the small vile before passing it to Amanda who opened it with her pocket knife, making a cross on her hand she passed it back to Kim who made a cross on her wrist and passed it to Teddy who with reluctance made a cross on her palm and handed the vile to Casey, who made a cross on her arm before slipping the vile into her pocket. All eyes turned to Kim for the next step.
"Okay, we need to create a sacred circle at the 'spot blood was first spilled.'." Replied Kim as she consulted the page.
Looking towards the tree line, Amanda noticed a thin layer of mist quickly moving towards them, getting closer with every word Kim spoke, "We need a distraction. In the book, they used the copper to lure it away, can we do that?"
Thinking for a moment Kim answered, "We'd need to know who it wants next."
"Amanda." Replied Casey, shocked that she knew the answer with such clarity, "It wants your eyes."
"Okay then." Nodded Amanda, "I'll lure it in the opposite direction, buy you guys some time."
"Why?" Asked Kim her voice shaky, "We should stay together."
"Because you're the only one who knows how to stop this, Casey had that weird connection with the book and Teddy can offer medical aid." Replied Amanda in a rational voice.
"She's right." Agreed Teddy, "You two take care of the book, I'll go with Amanda."
"I-I don't know, what if I'm wrong?" Questioned Kim, not wanting anyone else to get hurt because of her.
"I have faith in you. We all do." Assured Amanda, before looking at Teddy, "Ready?"
"Yeah, where do you need us to go?" Asked Teddy as she shrugged her rucksack onto her back.
"It says here, we need to end at the spot of the first spilled blood." Replied Kim as she once more consulted the page, "I'm guessing that's the spot Liv found Serena."
"Okay, we'll head the opposite direction, give us about a ten minute head start and be safe." Replied Amanda as she switched on her flash light and led the way into the trees.
Echoing Amanda's instructions to stay safe, Teddy followed the blonde into the trees. Her mind torn between being coerced into a fools errand that could well lead to more deaths and fighting the bloom of hope in her chest that somehow against all logic, this would bring Addison, all they had lost back. "You okay?" Asked Teddy, breaking the silence as they walked deeper into the woods.
"Peachy." Grimaced the blonde.
"I can always do this." Offered the Teddy.
"No. No, it makes more sense for me to do it and you heard Casey, it wants me." Replied Amanda with an attempt at a nonchalant shrug, which drew a disbelieving raise of the eyebrow from Teddy.
"You could die." Pointed out Teddy.
"If Kim is wrong, we're all dead anyway." Countered Amanda.
"Good point." Agreed Teddy.
"Think we've gone far enough?" Asked Amanda.
"I guess so." Replied Teddy.
"Okay, then. You should go back to the others." Suggested Amanda.
"I'm not leaving you." Replied Teddy in a firm voice.
Not wanting to argue, Amanda nodded and waited until Teddy was hidden behind a large tree. Once she was alone she took a deep breath and pulled a small knife from her pocket, making a small cut on her hand in the spot when had drawn the cross at the clearing. As she waited, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as the mist began to swirl around her. Before she could open her mouth to scream, she felt a burning pain on the left side of her face that pushed her to her knees, raising her arms to protect herself she closed her eyes and waited. When no blow came, she tried to open her eyes only to find her vison red with blood and no trace of the mist.
Dropping to her knees, Teddy pressed a piece of material to Amanda's face, her stomach rolling at the blood that quickly soaked the material, "It's okay, try and stay calm." Soothed Teddy when Amanda began to panic about being unable to open her eye. From her hiding spot Teddy had felt helpless as she watched Amanda become hidden by the thick mist, she heard the blondes whimper but before she could act the mist disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
"Why'd it just disappear?" Asked Amanda.
"I don't know, maybe Kim was right." Replied Teddy as she worked to slow the blood pouring from Amanda's face.
"Maybe." Slurred Amanda.
"Stay with me." Ordered Teddy giving the blonde a light shake, "Please! Please wake up." Begged Teddy, getting no response she closed her eyes and prayed Kim was right and that she and Casey could somehow end this nightmare.
Once they were alone, Casey and Kim shared a grim look as they waited for time to pass, without thought Casey found herself at the side of the truck holding the bodies of their friends and the love of her life. As she tried to piece together the events of the night, she found it was a like a series of blurry images, joined together with a fierce anger, that was until Alex was bleeding in her arms; it was as is the loss of Alex had wiped everything else from her mind, leaving nothing but emptiness.
"I was new to sorrow, but it did not the less alarm me." Quoted Kim as she stood next to Casey.
"Frankenstein, Abbie's favourite." Smiled Casey.
Giving a sad nod, Kim replied, "We should get moving."
Nodding, Casey led the way into the trees as they retraced their earlier footsteps, "What are the chances of this working?"
"I honestly don't know." Admitted Kim as they lapsed into silence once more, until they reached the spot Olivia identified as being where Serena was ambushed
"What's first?" Asked Casey giving a shiver as the temperature seemed to drop further.
"We need to make a fire." Replied Kim as she set about pulling out the supplies they had used earlier to light the fire at the campsite.
Adding some larger branches to the fire Kim had started, Casey took a moment to warm her hands before asking, "What next?"
"We need to make the safe circle." Replied Kim as she consulted the book.
"Okay, how do we make this circle?" Asked Casey.
"We could use branches to mark it out and we have to recite a passage." Instructed Kim already moving branches to create a rough circle. "Bind this space with light. Keep us safe from evils sight." Recited Kim and Casey in unison as they marked out their small circle, once finished Kim opened the book and laid it between them.
"Now what?" Asked Casey.
"We call it to us and when it arrives we recite the Latin phrase, it will try and trick us, make us think Serena is still alive, we must keep going no matter what." Replied Kim.
"Remind me of the Latin." Asked Casey.
"Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum." Replied Kim slowly.
Nodding, Casey repeated the phrase several times, allowing Kim to correct her pronunciation until she had it correct, "Okay, let's do this! How do we draw it to us?"
Kim was saved from answering by the thick mist that suddenly flooded the area, save for the circle they had made, "Ready?" Questioned Kim as Serena stepped up to the line of their circle only to be knocked back as if she had received an electric shock.
"We know that bit works." Breathed Casey, before giving a firm nod, "Ready."
Joining hands, they began chanting, "Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum. Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum. Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum."
"Please, it hurts." Whimpered Serena an unnatural timbre in her voice as if two people were speaking at the same time.
"Don't stop." Hissed Kim, when she saw Casey hesitate.
"Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum." Replied Casey in a strong voice her grip on Kim's hand tightening as 'Serena' began to scream and whimper loudly, before falling silent.
"Peace, peace at last." Whispered Serena in a deep voice before collapsing to the floor unmoving.
Reciting the passage once more, Kim picked up the book and threw it into the flames, covering her eyes as the flames shot high into the air, turning blue before dying completely.
"Did it work?" Asked Casey, shouting over the heavy rain that had started to fall.
"I…I don't…" Started Kim before falling to the ground unmoving.
Before she could reach her friends side, Casey fell to her knees, a tiredness such as she had never felt before spreading through her body, making everything including breathing difficult as she dropped to her side. As Casey fought the desire to close her eyes as she reached into her pocket, pulling out what was left of the liquid in the vile, it took her two attempts to unto the lid. Reaching out a shaking hand, she made mark of the cross on a now still Serena's cheek, her last thought was if she couldn't save her friends life, she would save her soul.