Mystery's Choice (Vengeance Of The Fallen Book 1) (17 page)

“The conversation went swimmingly, don’t you think?”  She asked her baby.

He just gurgled and pulled on her hair.

Later that night Mystery woke from a nightmare to find herself alone in bed. It looked like Seth needed more time. Trying not to resent him for not accepting her for who she was, she picked up his pillow and hugged it to her.

A week had passed since Mystery had told Seth everything she knew about their current situation and he still hadn’t been to bed in their bed. He came home as she headed out for class. Without looking at her he took his son from her and kissed her cheek in parting. When she got home from class, he was already asleep in the guest room and Jeremiah was asleep in his crib.

Tonight was his night off and she could hear him rattling around downstairs. She wished for the millionth time she knew what to say to make this better or that she had never told him the truth. She climbed in bed and turned off the bedside lamp. Mournfully, she looked at Seth’s pillow; she turned her head and tried to sleep.

Mystery was about to dose off, when she felt Seth sit down on his side of the bed. When she turned he was getting under the covers.

“I’m sorry I didn’t handle this better. I love you and I love our son.” He said as he pulled her close.

“I wish I had found a better way to tell you, so it wouldn’t have been such a shock.”

“I don’t think there is an easy way to tell someone that sort of news.”

“I missed you.”  She cuddled in closer.

“I missed you.”

Mystery turned in Seth’s arms and kissed him. He moaned.

“God, I missed you.” He nibbled on her neck.

They pulled apart as Jeremiah’s terrified screams filled the house. Both of them ran to the door, Seth reaching it first. He flung open the baby’s door and threw himself at the creature trying to take Jeremiah from the crib. The man-sized creature backhanded Seth and he went flying, landing on the floor with a thump. He lay there motionless. Mystery stepped into the room; she saw, to her relief, each time the creature reached for the baby, Felicity’s spell repelled him. Mystery gathered her love for her child within her body; she envisioned it taking the form of a lance. She hurled the energy at the creature and it burst into flames. Howling with rage, it disappeared.

Mystery ran to the crib and picked up the screaming infant, she held him to her heart and whispered soothing words to him. He began to settle down. She went to Seth and turned him over. Relief almost made her swoon, when he moaned in pain. Mystery helped Seth sit up and he grabbed his head.

“Come on.”  She pulled him to his feet. “I’ll get you some aspirin.”  She pushed him from the room.

“How come he couldn’t get to Jeremiah?”  Seth asked as he held his head and concentrated on walking.

“Felicity put a protective spell around the crib and the baby wears a protective charm. My guess is one or the other prevented the demon from being able to touch the baby.”

“Thank God.”

“Thank Felicity.”  Mystery laid the baby on the bed and went into the bathroom to get the aspirin. Returning she gave two to Seth.

“I think we need help, Mystery. I think it’s time we tell Ryan everything and get him here. I think it can’t hurt to have a priest in the house.”  Seth dry-swallowed the aspirin and leaned back against the headboard.

“Okay. I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”  She sat down and took her son into her arms. “But I don’t want to take any chances with our son’s life, either. So, call him.”

“I’ll call him tomorrow. He should be able to be here by the day after.”

“Okay.”  Mystery held her son closer and leaned into Seth.

Father Ryan Parsons couldn’t shake the feeling something was horribly wrong. He dreamt of Seth and Mystery every night. His younger brother and his fiancée should be enjoying the happiest times of their lives, with their brand new son Jeremiah. But Ryan couldn’t shake the feeling they were fighting for their lives, more importantly their souls. He tried to reach them night after night, but they were never home. Ryan knelt in front of the altar and closed his troubled hazel eyes. Prayer was the only thing he could do right now. So, he prayed with all his heart.

“Father Parsons.”  A young student was waiting at the door.

“Yes, Brother Hawkins?”

“Sorry, but you have a call. It’s your brother.”

“Its alright Brother Hawkins. I’ll take it in my study.”

“Yes, sir.”  The young man turned and went out.

Ryan walked nervously to the phone, “Hello?”

“Ryan?”  Seth’s tired voice came through the phone.

“Yes. How are you?”

“All three of us are fine.”  Seth swallowed hard. “Ryan we need you here, yesterday, man.”

“Why?”

“Please don’t ask me to explain over the phone. Just come. We need you or we wouldn’t ask.”

Ryan could tell from his brother’s voice whatever
it
was it was bad.

“Okay, Seth I’ll come. Meet me tomorrow; I’ll take the first flight in.

“Thanks.”

“Seth, whatever it is we’ll fix it together.”

“Sure. See you in the morning.” He sighed,  “Bye, Ryan.”

“Bye Seth.”

Ryan stared at the phone for a few minutes. He hadn’t been wrong; they were in danger of some kind. Ryan said a silent prayer, told Ann to find somebody to cover for mass over the next few days, and went to pack.

Mystery slowly pushed the door to the nursery open. She crept over to the crib.

“No!”  She screamed as she gripped the side of the empty crib. “No!”

The air around her began to hum and vibrate. The window blew out and the light bulb exploded. Around her the walls expanded and contracted in perfect concordance with her breathing. The door slammed with enough force to go through the foundation and swung back open with enough force to split the pale yellow wall.

“Give me my son!”  The floor began to smoke.

“Control your temper, my child.”  Cain said evenly as he stepped from the smoke.

“Give me my son back, you sick bastard!”  Mystery felt a surge of heat flow out of her body, she gawked as Cain stumbled backwards into the wall hard enough he indented it.

“So, you want to play, do you?”  Cain’s eyes gleamed and he raised his hand.

Mystery screamed as a wave of heat hit her and blasted her out of the window. She pictured herself landing on her feet and was relieved to feel the lawn planted sturdily beneath her sneakers.

Cain leapt from the window and stormed towards her.

Mystery glared at him and let her hatred of him become a living thing. It flung itself from her being and raced towards Cain. She smiled viscously as he went up in flames. His handsome features melted away and his bones began to blacken. She groped to remain on her feet as an eerie laughter came from the blackening mass.

“I was born in fire, it can’t stop me.”

The flames slowly died and when he looked up at her, his face was unmarred. “You want your child.”  He walked to her and flames danced from his fingertips. “Come home!”

Mystery’s car exploded into a raging inferno, when she turned back he was gone. She fell on her lawn and sobbed.

Ryan could hardly believe his eyes, Seth looked like a man fighting a war he couldn’t win. The hand he shook was clammy and shaking. The long, blond hair hung in a limp ponytail. He was extremely lean, and his grey eyes darted from side to side in search of the enemy.

“Seth?”  Ryan took both of Seth’s hands.

“Come on.”  Seth’s eyes darted around,  “We can talk at the house. I don’t want to leave Mystery alone for too long.”  He hurried towards the parking lot.

Ryan took off after him.

Seth was silent for the first half of the ride home. Ryan watched him chew on his lip and work his hands on the steering wheel. Seth pulled over to the side of the road.

“Do you believe in God?”  Seth whispered.

“Of course.”  Ryan said indignantly.

“I mean unshakably believe.”  Seth turned from the wheel.

“Yes, Seth.”  Ryan began to shake slightly, “What is it?”

“Remember, I told you Mystery’s father was killed in a car accident?”

“Yes.”

Well at the funeral her bitch of a mother told Mystery she was stolen from her biological parents. Apparently, her parents had been part of some cult.”

“What?”

“She went on to inform us the cult wants Mystery back.”  Seth stared out the window. “It gets weird from there.”

“Get’s weird?”  Ryan smiled.

“Yes.”  Seth smiled a ghost of a smile, “Mystery had these terrifying nightmares. She stopped eating, sleeping, she was dying. She found out about the baby and she bounced back.”  Seth’s hands began to shake violently. “She was doing fine until she discovered her adoptive mother’s mutilated body. She just totally withdrew and she almost died again. When she gave birth…”

“Is the baby healthy?”

“Yes.”  Seth smiled again, this time it was a real smile. “She fought back again. This time she told me the truth about what was going on.”  Seth looked pleadingly at Ryan, “She’s not human, Ryan…” he held up his hand. “Let me finish. She’s a devil. She was raised as a human, but they want her back, and part of her wants to go.”  He reached for Ryan’s hand. “They also want our son. We need you not only as my brother, but as a priest.”  He squeezed, “Please help us, Ryan, please.”

“I need a minute.”

“Okay.”

Ryan was sure Seth had gone off the deep end. He was quietly trying to figure out a way to tell him gracefully, when they turned onto Seth’s street. Ryan gasped. There were police cars, an ambulance and a fire truck surrounding Seth’s house.

“Ryan stay here, it might be dangerous.”  Seth bounded out of the car and began to make his way through the police cars, and gawkers. As he ran, he became aware of his brother beside him.

“I told you to stay put!”

“No way!”

Seth stopped cold in his tracks; Mystery’s car was a charred hull.

“Mystery!”  He screamed into the confusion.

His knees went weak with relief when he saw her sitting on the curb, pale and shaky, but whole. He ran to her, his brother close behind. As he wrapped her in his arms he took in the blasted out windows of their house, the charred patches of the lawn, and the still smoking remains of her car, and began to sob.

“Where’s the baby?”  Ryan asked.

Seth’s heart leapt in terror and he fought to breathe.

“Where’s Jeremiah, honey?”  Seth whispered.

“Cain took him.”  She whispered back. “I fought him, but he was too strong. When he was tired of toying with me, he blew up my car and left.”  She raised green eyes luminous with tears to him. “He won’t give him back unless I go to him.”