A/N: Heyyyyy everyone. Well... hehehe. I surprise even myself with how evil my chapters are getting... ;) (PS: That should scare you...)
RandyOrtonxWifexx: Muahaha :) But that would be an easy out!
Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black: Be anxious no more! :)
Drmiracle: Glad you're enjoying!
CharmedOpal: Thank you! – Sighs in relief. – And... hmmmm... Maybe, maybe not!
Daicy: You're welcome! Haha. I love twists, turns, and cliffhangers. Can't you tell? Ahh, good point with the "Y Tu Mummy Tambien" thing. I didn't even realize.
Semper Fi Witchlighter: You're welcome :) It worked. It was just sarcastic enough for Cole to use, haha. You'll just have to read to see – sing song voice. –
Guest: Haha, Katelyn definitely won't be happy!
GirlOnFire33: Thanks! I'm glad! Feel free to Private Message me with any plot twists you suspect! I love hearing from readers on things like that! I can't say I'll comment or remark on your guesses, though, cause that would spoil it for you :)
lizardmomma: You should know by now NOT to ask such a thing when it comes to my fanfics... It can always get worse! – Evil grin. –
Sorceress Eternity 2: Thanks! Glad you're enjoying! Oh wow, that's an awesome idea! You don't mind me using it? I can already picture it... – Mind wanders to fanfic plotting stuff... –
Okay guys! Read, review, and – above all else – ENJOY!
...
"Now what?" Rebecca asked. Her voice was shaking, though she tried hard to steady it.
Katelyn frowned, grimacing. She and Rebecca sat against the far wall, near the concealed prison door. Their hands were magically bound behind their backs, the bindings spell-proof and power-proof. Despite trying every magical out possible, she couldn't break free.
In the center of the room, Cole and Carsaeus stood on either side of an elaborate altar. Black and blood red candles burned, their flames so dark, they seemed to suck the light from the room, rather than illuminate the room as most normal candles did. They were whispering and mumbling. Katelyn strained to hear what they were saying, but it was impossible.
"I don't know," she finally said to Rebecca, her voice thick with defeat. She felt tears prick her eyes, but when Cole glanced at her, she blinked them away and glared defiantly at him. Something flashed in his eyes and he looked away, turning back to Carsaeus.
"Do you think Corrine and Melinda are coming for us?" Rebecca asked hesitantly, staring at the ground.
Katelyn sighed and shook her head. "I hope not." When Rebecca looked up at her, shock on her face, Katelyn quickly explained, "They're weak without the Power of Four, and we can't help. So they're dead if they do. I pray they stay away."
Rebecca's lip trembled, but she nodded.
Katelyn let her head fall back into the stone wall. The sharp pain was a reminder, as well as a warning. Their situation was grim, and there didn't seem to be a way out.
...
"Talk about déjà vu," Melinda grumbled, staring around the empty Underworld cave.
Corrine nodded solemnly, thinking the same thing. They had only been to the Underworld a handful of times recently, and none of them had ended well. In the last two visits alone, Rebecca had been kidnapped and then attacked them.
A demon shimmered in before them, his back to the cousins. When he turned around, his eyes widened and he stepped back, hands out before him.
"Witches," he sneered. "I have no quarrel with you."
"Well, we have one with you," Melinda snapped, freezing the demon. She and Corrine approached him cautiously. Corrine used her telekinesis to send him flying into the wall. He hit hard, slumping to the ground. Melinda's freeze ended, and he winced in pain. Corrine and Melinda stood over him, holding their potions threateningly.
"Where's Carsaeus?" Corrine demanded.
The demon sneered. "How should I know? I like to stay outta situations that can get me dead."
"Well, if you don't tell us where we can find him, he'll be the least of your worries," Corrine threatened.
The demon's eyes narrowed in anger. "I told you, I don't know. Vanquish me, I don't care. I don't know where he is and I don't wanna know!"
Melinda raised her potion high, aiming as if she were about to throw it. The demon held his hands out in surrender. Corrine motioned for Melinda to wait. The demon took that as his opening; he kicked out, sending the cousins stumbling to the ground. He stood and ran, then paused long enough to look back at them.
"Carsaeus ain't one to cross, girlies," he warned, before shimmering out.
"Ow," Melinda complained, standing with Corrine's help.
"Well, that was interesting," Corrine mused, shaking her side-swept bangs out of her face. "Demons running from demons? Something tells me we need to go that way," she said, pointing from the direction the demon had first come from.
"I hate when you're right," Melinda groaned, following Corrine down the tunnel.
It took another fifteen minutes of walking – with no demons in sight, suspiciously - before they heard voices. Corrine threw an arm out to stop Melinda. They inched forward quietly and snuck behind a rock, peering out to take in the scene before them: Rebecca and Katelyn, tied up and sitting against a wall. Carsaeus and...
"Oh my god," Corrine gasped, eyes wide. "Cole."
"I knew it," Melinda grumbled.
"That's not good," Corrine said tightly. "We're really outnumbered now."
Corrine and Melinda watched, silent, for several minutes. They could see the altar, but couldn't make out what was being done.
Corrine chewed on her lip. "Well, at least we know Katelyn and Rebecca are still on our side."
"How do you figure?" Melinda questioned.
"Well, they're tied up," Corrine pointed out. "If they were evil, they wouldn't be tied up."
"Unless it's a trap," Melinda grumbled, crossing her arms.
Corrine considered this, watching the scene unfold before them. When Cole grabbed an athame and Carsaeus grabbed Rebecca and dragged her, kicking and fighting, towards the altar, Corrine's mind was made up.
"Definitely not a trap," she said stiffly. "We have to move, now."
"It could still be a trick," Melinda scolded her cousin. "We don't even have a plan."
Corrine winced; Katelyn was shouting profanities at the two demons, threatening them with lose of limb and man parts if they touched so much as a hair on Rebecca's head.
"Right, but we didn't have a plan when we orbed down here to begin with," Corrine reminded her cousin. "And if we don't move now, Rebecca's dead and Katelyn is next."
Melinda sighed but nodded. Together, she and Corrine moved out from behind the rock and stalked into the cave.
"No fair starting the party without us," Corrine snapped at Cole and Carsaeus, throwing her right arm out and sending Cole flying across the room. Cole hit the ground hard, the athame landing with a clatter beside him. He grunted in annoyance, shifting into Belthazor for just a moment before shifting back.
Carsaeus beamed at the cousins, yanking Rebecca closer to his side. Another athame appeared in his free hand and he held it to her throat.
"So good of you to join us," Carsaeus said cheerfully. "I was wondering when you two might show up to rescue your wayward coven members."
"Cousins," Melinda snapped. "They are our cousins, you piece of crap." She threw her hands up to freeze Carsaeus – but he didn't freeze. "Corrine," Melinda said softly, her voice tinged with panic as she tried again, and failed again.
Corrine threw an arm out to telekinesis Carsaeus away from Rebecca, but nothing happened. "Oh... Oh no," she mumbled.
Carsaeus chuckled. "Stupid witches. Do you think I came unprepared this time? This is the grand finale, after all."
"We didn't come totally unprepared, either," Corrine informed him, grabbing out a handful of potions. At her signal, Melinda did the same. And then, breath held, they each threw about three bottles, which shattered at Carsaeus' feet.
Smoke rose, the potions sizzling into the sand. But Carsaeus just smirked in amusement, gripping Rebecca roughly, pressing the athame into her throat until a bead of blood rose up. Rebecca whimpered, falling still. One wrong move and the blade would dig further into her throat.
Cole was back on his feet, his athame clutched once more in his hand. Katelyn, across the room, had struggled to her feet, hands still tied behind her back. She looked frantically around the room, desperate to find a way to break free and help her cousins.
"Now is the time," Carsaeus snarled. "Now is when the infamous Power of Four turns their back to the Light and fights on the side of Evil."
"Why would we ever agree to that?" Melinda challenged.
"Because if you don't, you will all die," Carsaeus snarled.
Corrine rolled her eyes. "If we had a dime for every demon who threatened to kill us..."
Carsaeus smirked. "Well, I'm not just any d-."
Suddenly, the smirk fell from Carsaeus' face. His eyes went wide with shock. He let go of Rebecca, athame dropping to the ground. Rebecca took her chance and scrambled away.
The room was silent and still for a long moment. And then Carsaeus screamed – loud and shrill – and erupted in bright flames. He wailed, cut off only when he exploded and then, finally, was gone.
And behind him, bloodied athame in hand, was Cole.