CHAPTER TEN

Benedict barged into the small cabin, absolutely frightened by what he had just witnessed. His sudden entrance took the unsuspecting goons by surprised. They were fixated on Ally, who was now adding another level of complexity to their situation. Oot, however, quickly snapped out of his reverie, and tried, unsuccessfully, leaping at Ben. He was held back by Zud.

“We can’t kill him.” Zud said. “Have you forgotten the photo?! Mistress warned us not to harm this one.”

A heated debated ensued. The goons bickered with one another, arguing over what course of action to take. Unfortunately, they forgot one crucial piece of advice Moira had given them; to restrain the intruder swiftly.

Ben, with absolutely no time to waste, knew he had to intervene immediately between Ally and Trish. He noticed Ally was consuming copious amounts of Trish’s blood with no slowdown in sight. He feared that if Ally wasn’t stopped soon, her friend wouldn’t survive the assault. Trish would die of excess blood loss. He had to act.

He grabbed the gemstones from his satchel, lifted his left hand, and looked squarely at the squabbling goons. Engrossed in their dispute, they paid no attention to him, and never saw what hit them. Smirking, Benedict knew there was only one place where the brutes should be banished. He hoped his delivery wouldn’t miss its mark.

The goons froze in place. The room was completely silent. Everyone watched as this peculiar event unfolded before their eyes. Then, an audible pop was heard, and the goons quickly vanished out of existence.

Benedict was grinning from ear to ear. What a surprising feat! A few moments ago, the goons were engaged in a heated argument. Their arms were flailing, their feet stomping, and without warning, they disappeared. Two. TWO oversized goons vanished into thin air without uttering one magical word. Incredible! This was a powerful spell, Benedict thought to himself. One to research upon once things were settled.

He quickly returned his attention back to Ally, who was still drawing blood from Trish. Damnit! She was going to kill her! He rushed over and tried to pry her off her friend.

But Ally wasn’t listening, and she wouldn’t stop. She glared at Ben menacingly. Threatening him, and maybe even taunting him to try and come between her and her meal. She was a different being. Ben needed to quickly think of another way to help Trish.

An idea dawned on him, as he snatched the rope confining the three girls. He violently tore it off, freeing them. There, at least, they were no longer bound to each other. He would now attempt to create space between them. Yet, not everyone was on the same page. Pam, fearless of the consequences, rushed towards Ally and beseeched her to stop. She was killing Trish! But, no words or pleas were getting through the newly fledged vampire. Ally was hungry; she would feast. Pam, desperate with tears running down her face, looked at Benedict.

He frowned. Of course, there was one thing he could do. But he hated the idea of it. At the same time, he knew he had no other choice. He needed to act quickly, and aggressively. Besides, Ally would surely forgive him... once this saga was over with. Someday, she would understand, he hoped. He reached out and grabbed a fistful of Ally’s hair as he painfully yanked her head backward. Bewildered by Benedict’s conduct, Ally’s fangs released its victim, and Trish was now free from Ally’s deadly grasp. Pam hurriedly dragged Trish away and pulled her towards Gabriel. Pamela was relieved; Trish was now safe. However, as she looked back, she couldn’t say the same for Benedict.

Ally, trashing and clawing at Benedict, frantically tried to regain a hold on her meal. She was much stronger than the last time they met. Benedict grew concern over the idea. He would soon not be able to restrain her. Refusing to hear reason, she was turning into a serious threat to everyone inside the cabin. Benedict had to find a way to subdue her.

But, without a moment to lose, he picked her up and threw her across the room. He grimaced as he watched her body smash into the wall. The impact of the force almost caused the cabin to cave on itself.

“Keep her away, Ben! If she tries again, restrain her.” Gabe ordered, still securely confined and unable to help.

“Will do.” Benedict replied, keeping a stern eye on Ally. “How is Trish faring?”

Pam anxiously checked for a pulse and was relieved to have found one. It was unsteady and very weak, but it was there.

Ally, upon hearing the news, sighed gratefully. The blow seemed to have knocked some sense into her and made her fully aware of what she had done. She was mortified and embarrassed. How could she hurt Trish like this? She was a sad, pathetic excuse for a friend. She was weak and took advantage of her. She felt this incredible guilt, as she watched an unconscious, pale-stricken Trish being protectively cradled in Pam’s arm.

Meanwhile, Ally was feeling better... Stronger. Her mind was sharper, her stamina was restored. Her satiety, now under control, meant she was ready to seriously take on Moira. None of this would have happened if that bitch hadn’t abducted her friends and roped them together. Moira knew full well how dangerous it was for Ally to be in such close proximity to the girls. But, she didn’t care. If anything happened to Trish, then so help her, Ally would dispose of Moira herself.

“Ben, look back!” Gabe shouted, trying to fight his restraints. “She’s trying to get up!”

Benedict nodded, and approached Ally apprehensively, visibly nervous. He hoped he hadn’t hurt her, or worst, permanently altered the way she felt for him. But, one look at her, crouching with a weak smile on her face, he realized he had nothing to fear. Alice Korman was back.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She dropped and turned her head away. “Will Trish be okay? Did I-I take too much?”

Benedict bent over, took her hand and lifted her to her feet. He hugged her tightly around the shoulders and breathed in her scent. She was here, in his arms, safe. He was beyond thankful. He tilted her head up to meet his gaze, as his eyes moved over her face. Brown mahogany eyes met up with his and her plump rosy lips curved into a small smile. He painfully missed her. With her head in his hands, he gently kissed her, savoring their reunion. He feared, during some of his darkest moments, that he may never see her again. And like a wonderful dream, she was now before him. He deepened his kiss, and to his amazement, she made a little growl of pleasure.

Finally, and reluctantly, he pulled away. “As for Patricia, I can’t say for sure if she’ll be okay.” He answered. “I’ve never seen a morph bite into a live human before, but she does have a pulse, and that’s a good start.”

“Would it be possible to get some help here?” He asked, struggling from the enchanted ropes. Ally and Ben both smiled at each other and marched over to Gabe. Benedict knelt beside him and picked up a piece of the rope. Ally sat a bit away, giving them space as she waited for their instructions.

“No, I was unconscious. I think we’re going to have to break the incantation the old-fashioned way. Brute-force!”

Benedict agreed. They both closed their eyes and focused on the enchantment. Depending on the level of the chant, and the objects used, cracking the spell could take as little as 5 minutes to as long as 5 days. Benedict seriously hoped Moira hadn’t used any items to fortify the spell. But, he was having a terrible time finding any fissures or grooves, in the otherwise, smooth surface of Moira’s spell.

“ARGH! I can’t break it! The spell is too strong. We need another caster.” Gabe remarked.

“Me?” Ally asked meekly. She had no experience with spells and was undeniably nervous. She had only been a full-fledged vampire for about an hour now and hoped expectations of her were not unrealistic. She didn’t want to screw things up. However, she desperately wanted to help Gabriel, so they could have a better chance at saving Trish.

Ally approached the pair, all the while keeping a safe distance between her and her friends. She plunked down beside the seasoned vampires; ready to take orders.

“It’s pretty easy,” Benedict encouraged. “All you need to do is focus solely on the ropes. Close your eyes, concentrate, and before you know it, a form will take shape.”

Gabriel smiled. “Relax, it won’t hurt you. Our Elders are still trying to understand what it is, but from what we know, it’s basically the essence of the spell. The soul, if that helps.”

“Kinda like an opaque, crystal ball. Sometimes, they can be cloudy. But, they’re safe to touch.” Gabe provided.

Benedict resumed. “When it materializes, search for any weaknesses in its formation. At first, it will appear smooth. Keep looking and pay particular attention to any crack or fissures.”

“Then,” Gabe added, “Your job is to pry them open, hopefully weakening the spell even further. This very act should break the incantation.”

Ally nodded at their instructions. It was time to put on the big-girl panties. She wasn’t too positive that she would be of much help, but she was damn willing to try.

All three closed their eyes and were now deeply focused on breaking Moira’s enchantment. Ally, at first, was amazed how easy it was to sense the shape of the spell. It was massive, impenetrable. A smooth opaque sphere that will require some effort to crack it. She then heard what appeared to be curse words from a distance. Ah, Gabe... Already she was starting to realize that he was not the most patient vampire. She really had to stifle her laughter and remain focus on the job.

As she continued to feel her way, she became frustrated when she couldn’t find any cracks or bumps. She began tapping on the round formation, then eventually pushing against it with all her might, but nothing gave away.

“I have an idea.” She announced telepathically to Ben and Gabe. “Why don’t we all try to mentally push against it at the same time? Maybe something might happen.”

They all pushed in synchronization and a loud snap was heard. They broke the barrier!

He reached inside and kept on stretching out the crevice. They immediately sense that the spell was weakening and becoming unsteady. Finally, the spell gave in and all three found themselves back inside the cabin.

Gabe, exuberant, cried out in victory as he easily snatched the ropes from his chest. He quickly stood up and clapped Benedict on the shoulder. Ally thought it was nice to see both vampires happy to see one other. They were triumphant over their conquest. However, their celebration reminded her of Trish’s situation and she turned her attention towards her.

She was still unresponsive. Pam continued to rock her in her arms, tears slipping down her cheeks. She kept whispering for Trish to wake up, to give her a sign, any sign, that she was okay and well.

Slowly, Ally moved closer, which inadvertently alarmed Pam. She couldn’t trust her. This was Ally’s fault. A few moments ago, she was this vicious animal trying to keep Trish as her prey. Was Pam supposed to forget that small detail? What if she was still thirsty?

“It’s okay, Pamela. We are all here to help.” Benedict reassured as he knelt beside her. Gabe joined, too, analyzing the unconscious Trish.

With rosy cheeks, Trish remained in a deep slumber. Gabe tried to rouse her, but Trish would not wake. He then pinched her, shocking Ally and Pam, and gave her a nasty bruise. Alas, still no response.

“She’s not dead.” Gabe allowed. “But, she remains in a state of deep sleep. I don’t know how to wake her.”

Both immediately began to sense Trish by using a joint telepathic connection. It was an easy accomplishment. They have been playing these games since they were young vamplings. As they closed their eyes, they were stunned when they were not met with a barrier of some kind. Usually, whether a being is conscious or not, their mind is always protected. Anyone attempting to connect with the barrier would instantly alarm the individual that they were trying to be reached. And, if capable, the individual could choose whether to accept or reject the connection. However, in Trish’s situation, the vampires found themselves in an environment they have never witnessed before. It was unprotected. Vast, murky. It was hard to see through the thick mist that surrounded them.

- I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

Benedict took a few careful steps. He couldn’t see any further than a few feet ahead of him.

- This place is seriously giving me the creeps, Ben. What should we do?

- Let’s disengaged. We have no idea what we are dealing with here, or how long Trish can stay in this state. Better not try anything reckless and worsen her condition.

Both disengaged from Trish and stared silently at each other, then at Ally and Pam. The look on their faces said it all.

“Patricia needs serious help. I don’t know what exactly is ailing her, but we will have to seek advice and guidance.” Benedict said.

Gabe nodded. “From the Elders? Do you think they can help?”

Ben thought it over, considering that option for a moment. The Elders were probably the soundest choice. They were the official custodians of the realm, and, while not exhaustive, they also maintained an impressive list of known incantations. None could deny that the small coterie of vampires was the wisest in their realm. How could they? Entering Elderhood was not an easy vocation. One had to be appointed, then willing to fully dedicate themselves to the cause. Elders could not be part of any Households. Before taking their vows, they had to forfeit their name and all their possessions. In return, they were privy to the most mysterious spells, the most dangerous hexes. They had access to ancient scrolls and tomes containing the history of their realm. Benedict knew it was very probable that the Elders could identify what was ailing Trish. By Blood, they could possibly even provide a cure. Still...

He shook his head. “I can’t trust any of the elders at the High Court. They are too close to Vincent for my liking. For all we know, they could delay any potential aid or charge Ally with a crime.”

“Yet, we need to act quickly if there’s a chance to reverse Trish’s state...”

Zola, the oldest known vampire in the realm and the most notorious due to her reputation and vicious ways, would most likely be the best vampire to help in this situation. Zola, who voluntarily exiled herself, was an enigma. No vampire could put much faith in her. She had her own agenda and a small devout militia that was willing to do anything for her. Backed against a wall, Benedict had no choice but to reluctantly agree with Gabriel.

Benedict sighed. “I can’t answer that. That’s the main problem. No one is quite sure. But, she is the oldest known living vampire. Most believe she is the first of our kind to appear. She may be able to help or, at the very least, provide some advice.” Benedict replied.

“She won’t be easy to find.” Gabe interjected. “Her last rumored whereabouts was somewhere in the Caribbean. But, I think this could work. I believe she can keep our situation discreet from the High Council.”

“We? Ben, you won’t be able to assist. Have you forgotten that if you don’t annul your wedding before the day is out, you will lose everything?”

Ally’s brows drew together. “How can we help Trish and annul the wedding without any means of transportation?” She asked.

“You have a point. I arrived by bike,” Gabe added, “And, I only have room for two passengers, including myself.”

Benedict ran his hands through his hair. If he failed to marry Ally before midnight, he would lose everything. Maybe he could deal with his problem first. But, then, where would that leave Trish? Was it fair to make her wait a couple of hours? He feared that any delay could prove to be fatal or even decrease any chance of reversing whatever was ailing the young woman. He sighed and glanced down his watch. Time was up. Benedict turned towards Ally. The same thoughts were racing through her head. They faced the same dilemma.

Suddenly, an idea came to Benedict. He walked over to the pile of rope, tossed aside the room, and picked it up. Perfect! He had more than enough to make a circle of substantial size. He brought the bundle to the center of the cabin and began forming a circle with it.

“Gabe, check and see if there’s any salt in that knapsack.” Benedict said, motioning at one of the goon’s leather bag. One thing Goons were notorious about, apart from their odor and ugliness, was their love and obsession for salt. Imagine one of the saltiest meal you’ve ever had, now multiply that 50 times fold. That’s the level of saltiness these brutes enjoy with their food. There was also an old rumor claiming that goons had no issue when it came to drinking ocean water.

“Yup, there’s a canister over here.” Gabriel returned as he peered into the bag. He grabbed it and headed back towards Benedict. Belatedly, he understood what his genius friend was building; a teleportation circle.

The ropes, that were used to tie Gabriel up, contained magical remnants from Moira’s previous incantation. Combining the ropes with the salt causes a chemical reaction, which helps amplify the strength of the circle. This will allow Benedict to cast a very basic teleportation spell without the need of multiple runes, or a teleportation relic.