Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 21

   Shane walks up to Clara and grabs her hand. "Look down," he says. "What?" Clara said giving him a look but then gave in and looked down.  "We're standing in a shadow. If we hide in it, you can tell me what the deal is. I promise that I won't tell anyone. And I won't get involved unless you say so. I just want to know if this is a deal that won't bring any harm to anyone," he whispers. "It won't bring harm to you. I'll send Adrianna and Claytin when the time comes. That will give you the message not to come to France. And I am telling you, don't come when the time comes!" Clara said. "Okay. I trust you," says Shane. "But if anything happens with Frollo, you let me know. Dude's a sneak." "Oh, something is going to happen with him alright, and I won't be liking it," Clara said. After a minute she sighed, "I need you to promise me something Shane, something that Claytin, I know, won't promise." Shane rubs his temples. "Ugh, I know I'm not gonna like this, but sure," he says. "If I tell you or if I go... well, truly evil, you take my dagger or something and kill me. If you can promise me this, and actually mean it, I'll tell you the deal but you can't tell anyone else..." Clara said. Shane's heart drops upon hearing Clara's request. His mind starts racing. "She seriously asked me to kill her?! Is she crazy?! But I guess I have to. But I trust that things will never reach that point." Shane bows his head and casts a spell unbeknownst to Clara. "I promise," he says. "Well to start things off, I was the leader of that group. Or until you gave Garrett that scar and I just stopped hanging with them. I never told you I hung out with them before that incident. But we had made a plan for when we were all eighteen. Well, Anna turns eighteen in a month and Dawn in two. Markus and Garrett are already eighteen. Basically, the Villians of France are taking over France, and I am leading it..." Clara explained "Well, then. That clears up a lot of things," says Shane. "Yep, but I am going to stop it after we take over. That way both sides of the deal stand. But we've got at least three months until something big happens. I doubt they will do it as soon as Dawn is eighteen. I will figure it out. But seriously, if I ask you to or if it gets that bad, kill me. I don't want to hurt the ones I care about..." Clara said. Shane looks down at Clara's hand and sees the Mark of Eternal Bonding, indicating that he successfully cast the spell. "Yeah. Will do." "And just because I know you're sneaky, be honest, did you do anything? A spell or something?" Clara asked. "Yeah. The spell of Eternal Bonding. It only works for deals such as these. If I kill you, then that means I die with you. But if you succeed in stopping the four of them, then neither of us will die," says Shane. "But I know that you can pull through." Clara slapped him. "You're lucky I can't tell the others about my plan or I would let Charlene give you a piece of her mind. Also, your girlfriend is a weird force when she is mad. But like I said we got three months. I plan not to cause anything else at that time other than an actual wedding." Shane rolls his eyes. "Yeah, whatever," he says. "And I don't see Charlene when she's mad. We love each other too much." "Claytin and I are married and we fight. Though I haven't seen him completely pissed off yet. Anyways, we should get back. The group is probably wondering where you took me, or at least Claytin will be wondering," Clara said.

   Shane releases Clara, and they slowly appear back in the cabin. Claytin immediately grabbed Clara's arm and pulled her to the side. "Clara, we have a daughter now! You can't go making deals with villains randomly!" "I know Claytin, I only did it to save Char and Tina!" "You shouldn't have suggested going to Markus! Why did you, Clara?" "Charlene wanted to talk to Shane! Maybe it was a mistake going to Markus but I can't take it back now!" Clara said. Their argument continued. Shane slams his cane on the ground, sending a slight shockwave through the cabin floor. "Claytin, she didn't do anything bad. I can assure you that," he says. "Wait you told him?! Clara! I am your husband! I get he is your best friend and I try to respect what you decide to tell me and what you tell him but there are things... you know what? Nevermind..." Claytin said starting to leave the castle. "Claytin! Claytin wait! Please!" Clara cried. "Adrianna will stay with me in the Court for a few days. That doesn't mean she can't hang out with you but she stays there for now. I'll come back in a few days..." Claytin said leaving. "No! Claytin!" Clara screamed as he left. Clara turned to Shane, "I think I just saw him truly pissed for the first time... oh lord..." Shane looks down, still wondering what Clara has gotten herself into. Charlene lifts Shane's head up. "You're certain that she's done nothing bad?" she asks. Shane simply nods. Clara ran her hands through her hair anxiously. Then her face turned angry. She grabbed her dagger and swung the cabin door open storming out in a hurry. "Clara!" Tina shouts. "Don't," says Shane. "She's gonna need a lot of time to cool down. We should get going back to New Orleans, anyway." Charlene and Tina each grab one of Shane's arms. The three of them sink into the shadow beneath them.

   Clara found the cave in a matter of minutes. "She is back already huh? Must be our lucky day," Garrett teased standing up from a rock he had been sitting on. Clara quickly put the dagger to his throat. "I will kill you right here! Right now!" Garrett laughed. "You can't kill me, we had a deal!" Suddenly Clara's hand stung and she dropped the dagger giving a gasp of pain as she clutched her hand. Markus' hand was slightly raised, a green glow coming from it as he smiled cruelly. "You should know not to give blood to a villain Frollo. Have you forgot how we work?" he asked. He came up to her, grabbed her chin and put his glowing hand down, letting her pain stop. "You work for us now Frollo," Anna laughed. "We want our leader back!" Dawn said crossing her arms. "My father put you up to this didn't he?!" Clara growled. Markus gave a small shrug. "You aren't the only one who made a deal with us. Your father can control you but he needs you to do so. So he came and said, we get you, make you a villain again, he will get us France. We don't need you to take over France, we needed him. He is the villain, you are the villain in training like the rest of us. Now, the deal is quite simple, you keep your side of the deal by being the leader of the Villans of France and we don't kill that Charlene girl," Garrett said. "You can't get your hands on her!" Clara growled. Suddenly, Markus pushed her back and Garrett grabbed onto her. Markus flicked his hand and an image of Charlene appeared in the caldron. No, not an image, a live feed. They were watching her. "By bringing her here, you gave us leverage. You are basically begging us to make you a villain again," Markus explained. "Shane will kill you if you lay a hand on her! I will kill you! Stay away from my friends!" Clara yelled. "Facilier is a voodoo master, not a magic master, besides, we have you. He won't hurt you will he? Would he allow you to die, to get hurt, all to save some girl that he loves? Who is more important to him? His best friend or his girlfriend? If it comes down to it, he can decide!" Markus laughed. Clara pushed Garrett off of her but before she could attack, Markus put his hand up and put searing pain in her hand. She screamed as her knees buckled. "I can make all your body hurt, I am just being merciful by doing just your hand," Markus explained. Garrett went in front of her, grabbed her chin and forced her to look up. "It goes without saying you keep this quiet. So what will it be Frollo? Ready to be our villain leader again?" Clara bit her lip but after a moment she answered, "Fine..."