The Banshee's Revenge (The Banshee's Embrace Trilogy) (12 page)

Still…if Jacqueline took it off of her own free will…

Well, he couldn't be responsible for what happened then.

And it didn't mean that Morrigan's would necessarily fall apart.

*****

The calls were soft at first.

Jacqueline couldn't quite decipher what they were. As she lie in the bed, worrying over Toby and whatever deal he'd made, the noise of them grew louder. Like a haunting lullaby, the cries grew creating a song that drifted through the room and poked her conscience.

"Lost souls," she murmured. "It's the call of the souls I haven't reaped."

As if to prove her words, an urge she'd been suppressing for months welled inside her. She could feel her banshee song wanting to burst from her lips in response to the wail of the souls she'd neglected. Her fingers touched the charm, knowing it was responsible for allowing her to hear the tune of death once again.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on where the souls called from.

Oh god. They were everywhere around the world. So many of them.

How could she have neglected them so shamefully?

Because you're selfish
, came Death's answer.

"Yes," Jacqueline agreed. "Yes, I have been. But there is one close by. I can feel it. This one I can help."

She focused her thoughts, trying to allow her banshee nature to come through. To her surprise, nothing happened. The transformation from human to banshee did not occur. It was the charm. Somehow it kept her powers in check.

"I guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way," Jacqueline said.

She knew Toby would have wanted her to stay put, but the call of the nearby soul--it was just too loud. There was no escaping the sound, no rest from it or her guilty conscience. Pain or no pain from the baby, she would go to it and try to make at least one wrong into a right.

Toby would just have to understand.

The only thing she could find to cover her blooming stomach was an oversized T-shirt and a pair of stretch pajama pants. Getting dressed and grabbing her purse she headed for the front door. It felt strange to suddenly be weighed down by the normal needs of being human.

Outside, the bright sun caused her to blink and raise her hand to shield her eyes.

The call of the dead grew louder and she turned in the direction it came from.

Not too far, but far enough, she figured. Better take the car. Luckily, the keys were in her purse and she slid behind the wheel of her vehicle, hoping it would start after all these months. To her relief, it did.

Now to follow the call.

Jacqueline listened and let the sound guide her, only dimly aware that she had started to hum an eerie tune of her own.

To her surprise, the call led her straight to Merlin's Bar.

With a pounding heart, she sat in the empty parking lot, wondering who inside the bar needed her help. Maybe it was a trap. She should call Toby; send him a message or something. He would want her to do that.

Don't tell me you can't even do your job now without his help
, Death taunted.

Jacqueline got out of the car and entered the bar.

Once again, she had to take a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dimness of the room. As she glanced around, a feeling of nostalgia came over her. How many nights had she spent seated at the bar? How many glasses of wine had she and Angela consumed together while commiserating their luck with men?

Jacqueline gasped as Angela came out from the store room carrying a case of beer. The pretty red head froze at the sight of her.

"Jacqueline?" Angela tilted her head to the side, wary. "Is that really you?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god!"  Angela beamed and put the beer down. "Come here and give me a hug!"

Laughing, Jacqueline moved to her friend and embraced her.

"It’s so good to see you!" Angela squealed. "I've been worried and when Gabe told me about everything going on…well, I didn't know what to think. And wow…you are really pregnant!"

Angela looked at Jacqueline's stomach.

"That's a hell of a baby bump," she said.

"Yeah, it is. Wait a second. Gabe told you about everything going on? What do you mean?" Jacqueline frowned. "How much do you know?"

"Well, let's see…you're a banshee, Gabe and Toby are wizards, and apparently, you're creating zombies."

"Zombies?"

"Yep. In fact, I have one right here." Angela grinned at the confusion on Jacqueline's face. "Hey Daniel! Could you come in here?"

A red headed man came in from the pool room. Jacqueline would have considered him handsome except that his skin was a pasty white and his eyes were sunk into his head. Something about the way he walked bothered her, too. It was a jerky gait, almost as if his feet couldn't keep up with the rest of him.

"Daniel, this is Jacqueline," Angela said.

The call of the soul. This was where it had come from. Jacqueline could hear it wailing, but it seemed locked down, trapped almost.

"What the hell?" Jacqueline circled around Daniel, listening. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's dead. And it's getting worse."

"Dead?"

"Gabe says he is one of your kinsman, an O'Grady. This poor guy got knifed last night right here in the bar." Angela grimaced. "I watched him die and then come back to life. At first, he seemed okay, but he's definitely taking a turn for the worse. His mental capacity is slipping away."

"I didn't claim his soul." Guilt assuaged Jacqueline. Because of her, this poor man was trapped in a horrible limbo. "This is what happens when I don't do my job."

"Is it too late? Can you help him now?"

"I hope so."

Jacqueline placed her hands on Daniel's shoulders and focused on the sound of his soul. The banshee song welled inside her and she could feel the need to let loose its melody, to reap the soul from this man. Her head fell back, and the song burst forth as her eyes turned a deep green.

She could see the soul pulling free and she prodded it with her song, tugging until it loosened from Daniel into a great ball of white energy. The light floated against the ceiling of the bar before passing through it.

Daniel's body collapsed to the ground.

"Holy shit," Angela exclaimed, looking from the floor to the ceiling. "That was…that was crazy!"

"It's what I'm supposed to do. His soul just crossed to the other side." Exhaustion hit Jacqueline hard. "I need to sit down."

"Here." Angela guided her to a chair. "Breathe. Should I call Toby?"

"No. I'm fine."

She just needed to catch her breath, to stop her racing heart. A thrill of exhilaration went through her despite the fatigue. She'd crossed a soul over, done the right thing, and it had felt good.

Maybe the charm would make everything okay.

Fool,
Death whispered.
One good deed doesn't right everything you've done.

Jacqueline had a sinking feeling that Death might be right.

"So you left her alone?"  Gabe stared at Toby. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Jacqueline is safe as long as she wears Morrigan's Kiss." Toby grabbed several books of the shelves lining the walls of his basement. The place was his sanctuary, charmed from mortal eyes, and somewhere to hide when it came to creating strong magic. "I just need to get back to her soon. She was having pains when I left which are probably growing pains brought on from the baby's accelerated growth. Morrigan mentioned that might happen."

"Did you tell her about Merlin being Gwydion's father, too?"

"No. I didn't think the time was right."

"Shit." Gabe ran a hand through his hair. "That definitely explains why she has such strong powers. She's a magical kid like me."

"I don't know what to think about that or what it means for the baby. She mentioned Merlin saying it was part of some prophecy."

"I hate those things. They never turn out well."

"Look, I may need your help later. I think the baby is coming soon and Morrigan will make her move tonight. If all goes well, Jacqueline should get her humanity back."

"Just tell me what to do," Gabe mock saluted. "I’m here."

"Did you take care of things with Angela?"

"About that…" Gabe averted his eyes. "I took care of things, but not the things you're thinking."

"Gabe," Toby sighed. "How much does she know?"

"A lot. Mostly about Jacqueline."

"If something happens to her--" Toby warned.

"Nothing will happen. I won't let it," Gabe said, his face and demeanor more serious than Toby had ever seen. "I'm on this."

"Did you tell her about Derek?"

"Not all of it. I thought it best to give her things in small doses."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

Toby gathered up his things and faced Gabe. With a nod, he closed his eyes and transported himself to Jacqueline's bedroom. To his surprise, it was empty.

"Jacqueline?"

His voice echoed in the empty home.

Worried, he hurried through the house, searching for some clue where she could be. A peak outside the window showed the car was missing. Though it gave him some comfort to know that she hadn't been taken by anyone, he couldn't keep the anxiety over her leaving away.

Where could she have gone?

"Looking for your little banshee?"

The sound of Gwydion's voice behind him was irritating.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Toby demanded as he faced the other wizard. "You have no right to be in this house."

"I have every right to visit my sister."

Alarm bells went off in Toby's head, but he managed not to betray his fear.

"So you know about that?"

"I heard only recently," Gwydion said. "I thought I'd pay her a call. Perhaps check on the baby I understand she is carrying."

"Stay away from her."

"I could give her some advice on rearing special children."

"As the child's father, I’m declining your offer. Now leave."

"Fine." Gwydion smiled and something in the gesture made Toby uneasy. The old man was up to something. "You should know though, that whatever deal you made with Morrigan is not a sure thing."

"Who says I made a deal with her?"

"I have spies everywhere."

"But they don't know everything." Toby took a step towards the wizard, a defensive spell ready. Oh, how he wanted to cast his spells aside and simply smash his fist into the other man's face. The action would be far more satisfying, but he doubted Gwydion would stand still long enough for that. "Last chance, Gwydion. Leave."

"I will. But you won't. At least not until someone comes and lets you out."

At Toby's look of confusion, Gwydion smugly pointed to the ceiling. On it was a round circle, surrounded by ancient symbols. It had been place directly above the spot Toby now stood.

"A wizard's snare," Gwydion explained. "An effective tool that is underrated by those of us practicing the lost art of alchemy these days."

Toby tried to step outside of the circle, but found the act impossible.

He was trapped.

"Now don't fret, Toby," Gwydion said. "I'll keep an eye on Jacqueline for you."

With a snap of his fingers, Gwydion transformed into the mirror image of Toby.

"Pretty impressive for an old man, eh?" Gwydion laughed at the look of rage on Toby's face. "I do hope my sister appreciates it."

"I'll kill you when I get out of here," Toby promised. "There will be no place you can hide if you hurt my child."

"We'll see. It may not be me you want to hunt down in the end." Gwydion headed towards the door, but paused to look back at the trapped wizard. "You may have put your faith in the wrong goddess."

"I trust her to keep Jacqueline safe."

"I wouldn't trust my mother as far as I could throw her." Gwydion narrowed his eyes. "Oh, didn't she tell you?"

"What are you saying, Gwydion?" But Toby thought he knew and fear wormed its way into his heart.

"Morrigan is my mother. You have no idea just how much she hates my father or the things she'll do to get back at him."

With that parting shot, Gwydion headed out the door.

*****

Death was bored.

Listening to the trials and tribulations of Angela and Jacqueline as they caught up did little to excite her.

If she could have drummed her nails on a desk or tapped her foot with impatience, she would have done so. But unfortunately, the only thing Death could do was float in the vastness of her human host and hope someone would come to her rescue soon.

That hope was starting to languish like a dying candle.

When Jacqueline had first absorbed Death into her being, the latter had figured it would only be a matter of time before she could gain control over Jacqueline's body. She was Death! A mighty force. One of the most powerful beings in Nature. No one could best her!