Mason and Ace were ready to pounce. Both boys standing on edge, both boys with their eyes trained on Norah.
"I'm not going to fight Ace." Mason said to the psychotic woman standing next to the fire.
Ace nodded his head, "Yeah I want nothing to do with this."
Norah laughed and turned her back to Lilly. "Oh you boys are going to fight each other. I want to know which one of you has the guys and the grit to take the other out. I hear you are less then fond of each other, why not take our your hate where no one will judge you?"
Because neither boy was a violent, psycho killer Lilly thought to herself. There was no way Mason or Ace would fight the other, let alone kill the other. Sure they hated each other, and sure they have almost come to blows several times in the hallways but they wouldn't want the other one dead.
The boys, mainly Mason were throwing insults at Norah. Lilly cringed each time Mason opened his mouth and called her a psychopath, a bitch, a fucking...well not even she wanted to say the c-word he chose to use so elegantly.
And amazingly as he yelled out the nasty things she deserved to be called, Norah didn't do anything, she didn't say anything! She stood there watching Mason perfectly still. Lilly could see her lack of response was pissing him off more so his words became harsher. She looked over to Ace who was standing silently next to Mason as though they were a team now.
She knew she needed to free herself from the binds. She knew that if Mason kept running his mouth Norah would just kill him. This wasn't smart, they needed to make her talk, they needed to stall her and buy time for the other to escape and then work together to take her out.
If you need time I can get it for you hunny bunny. Was that Cleo? Lilly looked around with the little mobility she had in her neck to see if the woman was standing. Stop being so obvious! God this is why I don't ever share plans with kids. Back on track, you were right about distracting her. She can only be stopped at the strike of midnight of the full equinox.
Lilly had no idea what the woman was talking about, she also wasn't sure how to respond to Cleo. Did she answer out loud or in her head? How come Cleo could read minds and when the hell could Lilly get that power?
I promise if you get out of his hunny bunny I will teach you the secrets of mind reading. Fantastic, now back on track, Mason and Ace are going to have to fight each other.
Lilly shook her head, No I don't want them hurting each other! Though her and Ace had a fight and weren't together anymore she still had feelings for him, she still cared for him and his well being. He was a fantastic boyfriend, and an even better friend.
Then there was Mason, her first love. The bad boy who really wasn't that bad underneath the rough exterior. She still love him, she still wanted him but everything was so complicated between them that even if they got out of this night alive she would have no idea where they were going.
Lilly trust me, they need to fight. Norah is connected to Hazel right now and if the boys attack right now and Norah is killed they will both turn into Sine Anima. Do you want two more of those running around? Lilly shuddered at the thought. "That's what I thought. Now just play along."
Lilly felt a breeze blow past her, was Cleo invisible too? She shook her head and looked back to the scene unfolding in front of her. Mason was still mouth off at Norah while she stood there taking it, she could see Ace had given up on trying to stop Mason and was looking back at the others.
"-useless fucking cu-" Mason's sentence was cut off and with a wave of her hand, Norah sent him flying backwards. Mason landed hard on the ground with a thud between the trees where the others were hanging. He sat up and shook his head, dazed,
Norah lowered her hands, "You should watch your mouth, Mr. Avery. A young boy as handsome as you shouldn't have such fowl language."
Ace cleared his throat to get Norah's attention, when her eyes were on him he shifted awkwardly before starting. "Mason and I are not going to fight each other. And maybe we can come to some sort of agreement on this whole thing?"
Mason was back on his feet, "No agreement. She's not killing anyone tonight!"
Norah turned back to Lilly for a moment and winked before her attention was back on the other side of the clearing where the boys were, "No he's right I am sure we can come to some sort of arrangement." She looked past the boys to the coven in the trees, "Fight each other or I am going to cut one of their wrists."
Mason and Ace shot looks to each other but before Mason could say anything Ace had his hand over the boys mouth. "I meant an arrangement where no one dies."
Norah laughed her same witchy cackle and doubled over. Lilly hated the laugh, hated that the evil witch actually laughed like the Disney witches. All she needed was a hooked noise and boils and she would be every child's nightmare.
We're getting closer. Cleo said in her head again, Throw some stuff out, help Ace. Talk to her, taunt her.
Talk to her? About what? How long did Lilly have to stall this woman before she just used some sort of magic to back hand her and keep forcing Ace and Mason to fight? Ace was still talking to her about arrangement and Norah was shooting down everything he said. At least one of them could keep their head in a situation.
"What about me?" Lilly called out again, all the eyes in the area were on her again. She had no idea what Ace had been saying to Norah but it was clear, none of them were getting out of here if Norah didn't get her sacrifice. And the closer they got to midnight the more likely should would just end up killing one of them. "Drain me, use my blood. I'm related to Hazel right?" She motioned to the body on the ground with a tilt of her head, "Same blood, use mine and let the others go."
Norah shook her head, "I've already said no and I am getting pissed off with all of this stupidity!" She threw her hand up in frustration, "I've heard enough!" She turned back to Ace and Mason, "Start fighting for your lives boys or Miss. Covers is going to have a slow and painful death."
Lilly could hear Hailey's muttered screams from across the clearing, until the screams got tighter. She heard Mason calling Hailey's name, the boy ran to the tree and was pulling on the branches wrapped around Hailey's chest. Norah was crushing her and cutting off her oxygen.
As Mason pulled at the branches trying to free Hailey, who was struggling in their grasps he was calling out to Norah to stop, and Ace to help him.
The other boy looked back to Mason who was desperetly trying to save Hailey but his attention turned back to Norah, "What are you doing to go? Kill every one of them until Mason and I agree to fight each other? What's the point? You could just drain one of them and get this done without all this trouble?"
She laughed again, "Have you ever stopped to think that I want you to choose who lives and dies? That I was you guys to carry the weight of death on your shoulders for the rest of your life?" Slowly she turned and faced Lilly, "That I want you, Lilly, to suffer knowing that no matter what you did you couldn't save anyone you love?"
So this battle to the death between the two boys had as much to do with punishing Lilly as it did to bring Hazel back to life. Norah wanted Lilly to suffer, she wanted her to see the two boys she cared about trying to kill each other to save her and the others.
Norah turned back to the boys, Mason had his arm wedged through the branches and was straining to keep them was crushing Hailey. The girl was crying and Lilly could hear him still talking to her, telling her he wasn't going to let her die. "I see the only way I am going to get through to either of you is with something drastic. Fine." Norah looked over her shoulder to Lilly, "You may get your wish darling. Assuming this doesn't push one of them over the edge."
Before Lilly could ask what the hell she was talking about her wrists felt like they were on fire. She looked down to see a deep cut was dragged through her skin on either wrist, the blood slowly draining. Too mortified to scream she tried calling someone for help.
Ace called her name, grabbing Mason's attention though neither boy could see what was happening. Norah smiled and moved around the fire, "So boys either one of you dies in her place or she'll slowly die. It's your choice."
"Don't you dare!" She called out to the two boys, Ace staring at her with his mouth hanging open and Mason's face contorted in agony. "Let me bleed to death. Let her use me to bring this bitch back to life!"
Mason looked to Hailey who shook her head, when his wild eyes met with Lilly's she slowly shook her head. Don't do it. She thought, maybe Cleo could relay the message to him if she was still there. Don't leave Hailey to die to save me.
She looked over to Norah again, "So you have me. You have what you want I am going to die. Let the rest of them go. Please."
"Nope! Not that simple. Nice try baby."
Lilly groaned, "What will it take for you to let them go? You're killing me," Slowly, very slowly, "They're going to wait this out. I won't let them fight."
This isn't working! Cleo was back in her head. You're not stalling her darling, you're dying. Hailey is dying. There's still too much time until she will be at her weakest, it's not midnight yet.
Lilly thought desperately about what she was going to do. Though the time frame suggested Norah had a plant to keep her alive at least until midnight. It was the others that had less of a chance to make it. She could start binding the others tighter and even if Ace helped and tried to save them there were five bodies and two boys. They were outnumbered and their time was running out.
Help us! She thought Cleo would finally do something. Help us please! They're going to die! She's going to kill them all!
Nothing. No voice in her head. Lilly felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. They were all going to die, all of them and it was going to be her fault. Why wasn't Cleo helping? The woman was the most powerful witch in the area if not the country. Why did she always leave taking on Norah up to them? Why was she too good to get out of her god damn tree house to come help them?
"Norah." It was like her prayers were answered. All the heads in the clearing turned at the sound of the voice, "Ok bitch face. It's time for you to let the kids go."
Norah recoiled when she saw the powerful witch, "Bitch face? What are you a teenager again, Cleo? How many years ago was that?"
Cleo giggled, "Far too many. More than I want to count." She stepped forward into the light, "Look if you want to kill Mr. Avery and Mr. Harrington go ahead they both banged your daughter, who really needs to close her legs. I would be pissed too. But what's the point of making them fight? What's the point of suffocating Hailey?"
Norah shrugged, "They tortured me. I want to torture them. They broke my hold over my Sine Anima. They humiliated me and my powers. They're kids. They shouldn't be able to do any of that. And when Hazel is brought back to life I will be the most powerful witch in the country!"
Cleo nodded her head and pressed her lips together, "And bringing Hazel Essex to life is your plan? She died in 1737. You had no idea what she was like. You have no idea what she is going to be like now. They couldn't control her then, what chance do you have now?"
Norah's back stiffened before she relaxed again, folding her arms over her chest. "Oh right and you are the expert on all things Hazel, I forgot." Cleo shrugged but Norah continued, turning to Lilly, "You put all your trust into her but she is no better than me! She was born in 1703! She's over three hundred years old! Have you ever wondered what she did to stay alive?"
Lilly opened her mouth to respond but stopped. Norah was right, they didn't know how Cleo had managed to stay alive for over three hundred years. The only way Lilly knew to attain immortality was what Norah tried in the summer, sacrificing a couple in love and a child born on the night of the strawberry moon with a special ceremonial knife.
Lilly looked over to Cleo standing in the light of the fire now. When the woman knew that Lilly knew what she had done all those centuries ago she dropped her head, "I'm not proud of what I have done. I just wanted to prove to everyone I was better than my sister."
Norah cried out, "Aha! Finally you admit it! I have read the history pages in books, I have done my research. You were nothing more than a useless teenager, your sister the pride and joy of the Coven. Taken away early by failing to attain immortality."
Cleo's hands were in fists now. She was pissed but holding her place. "So I was a terrible witch three hundred years ago. Try finding someone, dead or alive, that can take me on now, wench."
Norah smiled and nodded towards Hazel, "When your big sister wakes up we'll see which one of you is more powerful."
Lilly's heart stopped. Cleo and Hazel were sisters? She looked from one to the other and couldn't see a family resemblance. Maybe because Hazel had been dead for three hundred years and who knew what Cleo had done to her appearance over time.
Then it struck her, Hazel was her distant relative, a great Aunt meaning that...
"That's right." Norah said softly, "Cleo is your great, great, great Aunt too." She threw up her hands and yelled opa, "It's a god damn Essex family reunion!" She sighed and turned to Lilly, "And you think I'm twisted? I wonder where I got it from? Maybe insanity runs in the bloodline!"
Lilly felt sick. Maybe that was why Cleo had always been unexplainably nice to her even when the others warned her that she was a bitch. Maybe that's why she hated Mason, because in some sort of sick and twisted way Cleo was protective of what family she had left?
Cleo cleared her throat, eyes turning to Lilly. "It's true we share the same genes." She said softly and more kindly than Lilly had ever heard the woman speak, "You are the several times great granddaughter of my brother, Lucas." She laughed, "His story isn't as twisted. He got married had kids, they had kids he died at the age of seventy-four happy."
Well at least one of these insane siblings didn't try to gain immortality. Norah was obviosuly getting board with the conversation because she groaned and rolled her eyes, bringing all the attention back to her, "Enough of this family talk. I really don't give a shit."
Cleo frowned, "You're the one who brought it up. And I am telling you, you don't want to bring Hazel back from the dead. She is unpredictable, unstable and a psycho bitch. Always has been. She will rip you to pieces faster than you can say bitch."
Norah laughed, "I am bringing her back. Think of her like a more alive Sine Anima." She turned to Mason, "Hey remember the last ones I had? The one's I had to release because I needed their energy?" Mason was still with Hailey, holding the branch off her. "Have the others told you that when Sine Anima are released they go back to their human form before dying?"
Mason's face dropped for a moment before his eyes travelled over the faces of the other members of the Coven. When they landed on Sage she tilted her head sympathetically. So now he knew, that they turned back into his parents and he didn't get to see them, or say anything to them.
Norah laughed again, "That's right, they turned back into your parents and saved you and Lilly from drowning in the lake. Your mom was super happy and sad to see you, apparently. A bitter sweet moment."
Lilly's blood boiled as Norah spoke to Mason, driving a stake through his heart and when it was already in place pounding it in with a hammer. "Leave him alone!" She called out, the blood loss hadn't hit her yet, Norah was doing something to stop her from dying. She just tried to trick the boys into fighting. "That has nothing to do with this."
The other woman shrugged, "No but I am getting bored talking to Cleopatra over here." She turned back to Cleo, "So you don't want Hazel alive again and I think you're a total bitch. What do we do about it?"
Cleo laughed and folded her arms over her chest. "Well we could deal with this like mature adults, or we can deal with this like witches. It's up to you hunny bunny, either way you're going to have a very embarrassing and deadly night."
Norah laughed, "I don't think so Cleo. You see while you have been partying and enjoying eternal youth for centuries I have been studying the book of souls inside and out along with other ancient and evil texts."
"Do your-" Cleo didn't finish her sentence, Norah had her flipped into the air with a gust of wind. As she flew into the night sky Lilly could hear Cleo laughing. When she fell back down it was on her two feet in her stilettos, still amused. "Oh Norah, if that's all you have." The fire burst into a giant flame and surrounded Norah.
Cleo kept the fire going in a circular motion. Norah was trapped inside, unable to break through. Lilly could feel the heat from the fire, but the sound of the flames and the wind were too loud she couldn't call out to her coven.
"Lilly!" She turned to Cleo who was still holding Norah, "I won't be able to hold her in this forever. Not only is she giving her power to Hazel but she is taking power from Hazel as well." Cleo sighed, "This is going to take a lot of my energy."
So was Cleo saying she could try and hold this out for longer but when she was spent then what? They were going to be left to deal with Norah still? She's three hundred fucking years old and this was all she could do?
Calm down I can take her out, all I need from you is-
She was cut off and the flames burst around her, throwing her back into the trunk of a tree. With a horrible crack Cleo slumped to the ground, motionless for only a moment but that was all Norah needed. Branches wrapped around the woman. When her eyes popped open she looked around, eyes landing on Norah who had broken out.
"You bitch!" Norah sneered, her skin and hair charred, "You think that could beat me? A god damn fire? You're weak! Weak!" She raised her hand and Lilly could hear the branches binding arund Cleo tighter but the woman looked unninterested.
Her eyes landed on Lilly and she winked once before she...shrunk-? back into the tree. Norah was as confused as Lilly was because she ran towards the tree and ran her hands over it as though she was going to find her hiding behind it.
She whipped back around to Lilly, in a flash she was in her face with her hand wrapped around her neck, "Where did she go?" When Lilly said nothing she slapped her across the face, "Where did she go?"
Lilly couldn't answer, she didn't know even if she wanted to tell the psychotic woman. Her eyes wandered down to her cut wrists, not bleeding but still in pain. She looked back to Ace, Mason and the others who were all watching dumbstruck.
Norah looked down at Lilly's wrists and smiled. She turned to face the two boys. "Out of time boys and the moon is getting pretty high in the sky. I think it's time you start your fight."
"Make us." Was the flat response that came from Mason's mouth.
Norah smiled and turned back to Lilly, "He asked." She felt the pain stretch back over her wrists, the blood was pouring out. She turned back to the boys, "Oh look, she's dying. Which one of you wants to save your damsel? Which one of you wants to take the bullet and die for her?"
It all happened so fast, Ace leapt into action running back to the tree and grabbed Mason by the shirt hauling him out of the branch and back to the ground. They boys rolled over the grass ending with Ace on top of Mason, straddling the boy.
Lilly heard Ace whisper I'm sorry, before punching the other boy in the face with a sickening thud, followed by the crack of the next punch that landed in the middle of his ribs.