Demon's Doorway (42 page)

Kevin closed the portal behind him and quickly searched the basement. Jack, Leese, and Cindy were nowhere in sight. The lights in the basement were on, and he ran up the stairs, straining to hear. He wasn't sure what he expected, but the house was completely quiet.

The basement door resisted his push, catching him by surprise. He leaned in with his shoulder and shoved with his entire body. Something large fell on its side as the door opened, and Kevin stumbled, landing on his knees.

He'd tripped over a dead body.

His eyes bugged out of his head as he scooted away. He couldn't make out any details about the man, as a trash bag covered his body down to the waist. He climbed to his feet and nearly tripped over another body as he backed up.

Walking into the dining room, his jaw dropped as he counted six more bodies. They were in various positions on the floor. Some had trash bags over their torsos, while others simply lay dead on the hardwood, looking up at Kevin with unmoving eyes. A few weapons were scattered about, guns and knives. He instinctively reached for a vial of water, but he had none left. It wouldn't have mattered. Jack had left no one alive.

"Jack! Leese!" His voice sounded loud in the silent house.

"We're upstairs!" Jack called. "Hurry up!"

Kevin ran toward the stairs, taking them two at a time. He had to step over two more bodies on the way up, and a third as he neared the top. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Jack in the middle of the hall. Cindy stood across from him, and they both looked down at an unmoving woman.

Leese lay on her side, her arm outstretched. Her eyes were closed. He pointed at Cindy as he ran up to them.

"Get water. Now."

Cindy looked to be in shock, but managed a nod and ran further down the hallway. Kevin knelt next to Leese as Cindy disappeared into the bathroom. He looked up at Jack, anger and desperation fighting inside him.

"What happened?"

"Someone punched her, or choked her out. She's still breathing. I told them to stay hidden. Two very small, simple words. One very clear instruction. They couldn't listen. So, I don't feel any guilt over her getting her bell rung."

"Shut up."

Cindy ran toward them, carrying a cup of water. She handed it over, and Kevin dipped his finger, turning the water blue. He gently lifted Leese's head and poured water down her throat, some dribbling down her chin onto her shirt.

A coughing fit seized her as she reached up and grabbed Kevin's arm. Cindy took the water and set it on a table before kneeling across from Kevin.

"Leese," she said. "Are you okay?"

She nodded and put a hand over her chest. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Kevin and Cindy helped Leese to her feet as Jack leaned against the wall. Leese stared in Kevin's eyes, who smiled back at her. She flung her arms around his neck and nearly knocked him backward. He held her and closed his eyes, trying to push all the bad thoughts away. She was alive, and she was safe. She shivered in his arms, and he didn't want to let go.

Cindy smiled at the sight, finally glad to see her best friend happy. She had the feeling she'd have to get used to seeing them together. Jack, however, simply rolled his eyes. He tapped Cindy on the shoulder.

"I hope you and Alex aren't this nauseating."

Kevin wasn't in the mood for Jack's attitude. He let go of Leese, but still held onto her hand as he faced Jack.

"Some job of protecting you did," he said. He looked at Cindy and Leese. "Don't listen to this asshole. This wasn't your fault."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Actually, you're right. This is all
your
fault."

Everyone stared at Jack in disbelief.

"What?" Leese said.

Jack took a menacing step forward, the smile fading from his face.

"Let me spell it out for you as simple as I can. Anyone associated with tonight, Victoria, Alex, these two lovely women here, any mortal that Anatol comes in contact with…if
anyone
is hurt, it's all on you."

Kevin swallowed hard under Jack's gaze. Leese squeezed his hand and moved closer, to show support, but he couldn't look away from Jack.

"How do you figure that?"

"Because you can stop Anatol. You're just too much of a worm to step up and do what you have to do. You're
afraid
."

"Jack," Cindy said. "What are you talking—?"

He cut her off, paying her no mind. "What's going on in Illinois? Before you came here?"

"We're making our way through the prison. It's not as easy as you'd think, believe me. Some weird crap is happening."

"Let me guess. Victoria is leading the way, right?"

Kevin's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

"Try leading, instead of following, sometime. You've got testicles, Glinda. I saw them, just for a second, in that office building. Where are they now?" He looked at Leese. "Did you take them already?"

"Don't listen to him," Leese said. "Jack's just an asshole."

"No, you'd better listen to me, little witch. If you don't deal with Anatol—and by deal, I mean kill—the world as we know it is over. Your little blonde hottie here? A demon's gonna have his way with her, then chew her up, and spit her out."

"Hey," Cindy said, joining Kevin and Leese. "Is all that shit really necessary—?"

"He's right."

Leese and Cindy turned to face Kevin, who looked down at the floor.

"I
am
afraid. I can handle people. People are one thing. Vampires, demons, and witches are something else."

"You're stronger than any of them," Jack said.

Kevin took a deep breath. It was time to do more than light up empty hallways and look through walls. No more standing behind Alex and Victoria. No more waiting to react, instead of making the first move.

No more holding back.

Kevin broke away from Leese and marched toward the steps with purpose. He stepped over the body without looking down. Leese and Cindy looked at each other before following him. Jack trailed the group.

"Finally. Show some nuts," Jack said.

Leese struggled to keep up. "What are you doing?"

"Going to the kitchen. I need some supplies. Some water, maybe some cinnamon and sugar—"

The knowledge hit him as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Ingredient after ingredient. Potion after potion. Nausea settled over him, and he used the railing for support. He tried to keep up. Three new potions, four, six. He'd never experienced anything like it before.

A dizzy spell took over, and he might have toppled over if not for Leese. She put one hand on his chest and the other around his shoulders. His stomach rumbled, and he couldn't stop himself from getting sick. He vomited on the hardwood floor as Cindy and Jack backed up a step. Only Leese didn't move. She gently rubbed the back of his neck.

"Holy shit," Cindy said. "Are you okay?"

Jack shook his head, a look of disgust on his face.

"This was some of my finest work. I dismantled fifteen men, without spilling a drop of blood. Not a single broken vase, not even a scratch on the wall. Then you come here and puke your guts out all over the floor. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Kevin?" Leese said, holding him steady.

He finally stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The sickness passed, but the magical potions still danced in his head. He felt like a new witch.

"That was…weird."

He resumed his walk to the kitchen. Leese gave Cindy a worried glance as they followed him.

"Are you sure you're up for whatever it is you're doing?"

"Victoria and Alex need my help."

"Kevin," Cindy said, catching up to him. "Is Alex okay?"

He laughed shortly. "He's doing better than any of us. Ghosts, haunted prisons, it's not bothering him at all."

The three of them watched as the witch went to work. He opened every cabinet and grabbed every mixing bowl he could. The kitchen was a rainbow of dancing colors as he mixed various potions, some of which he'd just learned. Leese and Cindy were in awe, and didn't dare say a word to disrupt him. Jack leaned in the doorway.

"You're heading back?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, but I'm going prepared."

He poured his potions in vials and shoved them in his coat. He could only hope they'd be enough to stop Anatol.

Heading back to the basement, he walked around the various corpses Jack left behind. The group followed him.

"I'll stay behind," Jack said. "In case more of Anatol's buddies show up."

"Will you actually protect them this time?"

"That depends on if they listen to what I say. But, you know women."

"Shut up, Jack," Cindy said.

Kevin printed out a copy of the prison wall, and also another copy of Victoria's basement. He hoped he'd get the opportunity to use the basement photo.

Leese frowned in surprise as he drew yet another portal on the wall with his finger, and prepared the photo with his potion. Before he could place the photo on the wall, Leese spun him around and kissed him. Jack held in a groan as the kiss threatened to reach an uncomfortable amount of time.

"I'm busting my ass over here, and I don't even get a peck on the cheek." He looked at Cindy. "What do you say, Freak Lady? Want to kiss someone with two centuries of practice?"

"Keep away from me."

Kevin pulled away from Leese and took a breath. She smiled at him with a hand on his chest.

"Be careful."

"Magic and careful, they don't always go together."

Leese took a step back, and Kevin placed the picture on the wall. The portal came into being, revealing the inside of the dark prison. Leese and Cindy both gasped as Kevin stepped through. He gave one final wave as he closed the portal behind him.

*****

Jack smiled as Victoria's basement wall once again became whole. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms over his head, pleased with his work. The basement was quiet as he walked to the refrigerator to search for something to drink.

"Anyone thirsty?" he asked. "There's Coke in here. Or water."

Cindy mouth opened and closed a few times. "Did Kevin…just walk through a wall?"

Leese put her hands to her face and paced frantically. Cindy tried to grab her shoulder to slow her down, but Leese walked through her grasp.

"Oh my God," she said, over and over.

Cindy stood back to simply watch the show. Jack unscrewed the top on a bottle of water and took a long drink.

"What's your problem?"

Leese stopped long enough to glare at him before pacing again. "We lied to Kevin. I can't believe this. Oh God, Cindy…." She looked at the best friend she'd literally known her entire life. "How did I let this asshole talk me into this?"

Cindy said nothing. She simply hugged Leese around the shoulders, trying to comfort her.

"We didn't lie to him," Jack said.

Leese's eyes grew wide. "Yes, we did! I was never hurt. I made Kevin think I was hurt, and I was never hurt. That's what a lie is, Jack."

He smiled. The plan was simple, and obviously very effective. Leese and Cindy were never in any danger. He'd killed their attempted murderers rather easily. But making Kevin think his girlfriend was hurt definitely changed his perspective on things. It all hinged on Leese's acting skills, and she did a marvelous job.

"Eh, technically, we lied to him," Jack relented. "But I'd like to think of it more as gentle motivation. We showed him the idea of a world without you in it. He didn't like that very much."

"I have to tell him the truth. I feel miserable."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. He'll forgive you. It's not like you filmed yourself sucking off his best friend and mailed it to him."

Both women stared at him.

"What is
wrong
with you?" Cindy asked.

"It's a long list," he said. "Do either one of you know where Victoria keeps a mop?"

Leese nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, go get it and clean up your boyfriend's puke."

*****

Alex was losing, very badly. He swung another right hand at Anatol, but the vampire hybrid easily ducked and connected with a fist of his own into Alex's stomach. He doubled over, the wind rushing out of his lungs, and Anatol tossed him across the room. Alex sailed over a group of demons chasing Victoria and landed on a table, breaking it in half. With every bit of pain, every lapse in concentration, one or two more demons slipped into the living realm.

Even with all his demonic powers there was little he could do against a vampire. He simply didn't have the strength and speed to put up a fight. The demons that he could control any other time were under the effects of magic, and would barely glance at him as they surrounded Victoria.