Under A Blue Moon | #ONC2022

Chapter 14

The ringing in my ears drowned out everything around me. Dizzy from the blast, it took a while for my vision to recover. But when it does my stomach catches in my throat.

Fire burned along the dock scorching all in its wake. Penny was still on her knees but streams of dark red cascaded from her nose. Her face contorted in silent agony. The fire was inching its way closer to her and if I didn't do anything about it, she was going to burn.

I pushed off from the ground and sprinted toward her. Fire licked up my arms as I reached out and wrapped my body around her. Ignoring the burning sensation, I tackled her, and we dived into the water. She thrashed for a few seconds before going limp in my arms. I pushed us to the surface and her head lolled.

Securing her in my one arm, I began to swim to the shore. But her body grew heavy and then recoiled out of my arm. I dived in after her and watched as a corpse dragged her further into the depths.

I propelled forward and wrapped my hand around hers. The lake itself was cold but Penny's hand was even colder. I tugged her toward me while it tugged her back. Stuck in a constant tug-of-war. I didn't know how long a person could survive unconscious and underwater. But I couldn't have the only witch that could help me die.

I tugged again and then latched my other hand on the corpse. Like a wave crashing over me, my head snapped back, and my vision filled with black.

Coldness, like death, spread throughout my body. Fear consumed me. I couldn't see or hear or even feel anything outside my body. Not even the water that I had been submerged into.

Who are you? A voice whispered, echoing all around me. I spun in place. At least I think I did. I couldn't tell.

Who's there? I called out. Except it didn't feel like I said the words.

What are you? Not human. Not a witch. It hummed in contemplation. Something brushed along my cheek.

There is something... It trailed off. An overwhelming feeling of malice snaked its way over my body, constricting my lungs.

What is this? Why can't I move? Why can't I see?

Panic rose in my chest. I tried to move. Tried to scream, but there was nothing.

My body seemed to float in this void, and I could feel myself growing weaker by the second. A finger lightly scraped against my brain and pure terror washed over me. He was everywhere, yet nowhere. He was in my brain, and I didn't know how to get him out.

I need to get out. I need to get out now.

Help! Someone, help me!

The stranger chuckled darkly. No one can help you here. You have been marked. Your soul, mine. His laugh bounced around my head.

You're dying, he sang. Soon to be mine to play with. How nice!

No. No. No. Please, God, not like this. I don't want to die like this.

But then I saw it. A tiny glowing spark – no larger than a pea, floating in front of me. It called to me. In desperation to leave whatever this was, I reached out and grazed it with my finger.

A painful shock travelled up my arm. My vision burst with colours, chasing away the darkness but not before I heard the maniacally laugh. Around me, images flashed of graves, churches, corpses, crying people, dead animals and the ringing of church bells.

I launched up coughing violently, water pouring out of my open mouth. The burning in my lungs and throat is a feeling I will never get used to and hope will never have to feel again.

"Shit, Pierce, are you okay?" Logan was kneeling in front of me, his gold eyes scanning my body.

I hit his hand away and scowled at him. "I'm fine, Belmont."

Penny was on her side coughing up water as well. Elaine was holding her, her hands pressed on her back and chest. Her crystal glowed as she muttered under her breath.

I stood on shaky legs and Logan had his arms out readying to catch me. Something I would have cussed him out for if I wasn't distracted by the fact that he was bare-ass naked. I turned my head and hoped that he hadn't seen my cheeks flush. Although, he could probably hear how my heart skipped a few beats.

"Is she okay?" I asked.

Elaine looked up at me and glanced away when she saw Logan behind me. "I'm fine," Penny gasped. She waved Elaine off and tried to get to her feet. But almost fell to the ground had I not gripped her elbows.

Once she stabilised herself, she gave me a tap of reassurance. "What the hell were you thinking?" Elaine scolded. "You know how dangerous it can be to do a locator spell without the proper protection! You may as well have used a megaphone telling them that we're onto them. They could disappear and the council may never catch them!"

"And what the hell were you thinking doing the spell out here and not in the safety of the house?" Elaine threw her hands up in exasperation. Her eyes, wide with fear for her cousin.

"I thought I could get a better, more precise location on her."

"Penny-"

"It didn't go exactly how I thought, but it worked. Kind of."

"You know where the witch is?" Logan asked. His eyes sparked.

Penny grimaced. "The spell sent me into her mind." Elaine opened her mouth, but Penny silenced her with a hand. "I don't know where she is exactly, but I got glimpses of where she might be and what she's doing."

"And?" Elaine pushed.

"And if we don't stop her tonight, no one in this town will survive the next twenty-four hours."