S4: Chapter 08: City of Fear pt. 1

I got back home in a shorter time than expected, but then again, I don’t think my foot left the gas pedal for even a stop sign. I ran into the house and up the stairs.

I started pacing around the bedroom. I can’t believe him! Of all the lowdown, dirty…

“Penny for your thoughts?” Drake said joining me in the room.

“What happened?” He asked approaching me, a serious look piercing his brow. “What ‘lowdown, dirty’ are you referring to?”

“Vincent! The Volatiles were here to retrieve their mother’s bones he’d dug up to force them to help him cast a love spell of sorts on me!”

Drake’s eyes burned with anger. “I knew there had to be something, a reason for him to be back now. What else happened? Did he try and kiss you again?”

“No, he didn’t do that; he just seriously betrayed my trust in him. I can’t believe he could stoop so low!” I felt my fingertips getting hot.

“Zoe, calm down. I don’t like where this is heading. I’m as pissed off as you, trust me, but you have to relax right now.”

I started trying to settle my emotions. I didn’t want to destroy another of Drake’s homes. “Did you settle everything with the Volatiles at least?” he asked.

“Yeah, he gave them back their bones. Have you ever heard of a Witch’s mark?”

“Yes, it’s a special inking a witch can place on a target their coven can cast on from great distances. It can cause pain, sickness and even death if they so wished. Why? Who’s marked?”

“I was. That’s why Violet came here. When she leaned into me to give me that message for Vincent she apparently was placing the mark on me as well. Vincent had me undress so he could find it.”

“Undress? Zoe you got naked in front of him?” Drake’s anger seethed a little more.

“Down to my bra and panties, yes; the mark was on my lower back.”

“Please from now on I don’t want you seeing him. I’ve been trying to stay patient with this whole thing but there is only so much I can take. I don’t want you around him, Zoe.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I wouldn’t be sad if we never spoke again.”

“What happened with the spell? The Mark?”

“Vincent said the spell was to make me reveal my feelings for him.”

“And did you?” Drake asked, his eyes glazing over as he searched my face for truth.

“No. He said it didn’t work. I can’t believe after everything that happened with Sam and Gabriel and you and Abi that he would do that to me. How could he think I would be ok with that?”

“He never thinks about what other people feel, Zoe. He’s always in it for himself. Is the mark gone?”

“Yes, they removed it once he’d given them their property back.”

I walked over and took a seat on the small sofa in the room. Drake came over and wrapped his arms around me. “You’re just seeing him now for who he really is. I’ve never known him to be capable of love. I knew this day would come. I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but Vincent has been doing this since I’ve known him. He is cold blooded in every sense of the word.”

I placed my head in his lap.

“By the way, it wasn’t the Volatiles causing the magical disturbance,” he began.

“No? How do you know?”

“Because it’s not something they would do. They are more into causing chaos and destruction, not painting graffiti on street signs. This just screams ‘new magic’. Like Sarah said, it’s someone looking for attention. I’m not sure why you hit on the Volatiles for it, but it wasn’t them.”

“There’s been a lot of weird things happening lately. It’s all magic related. I can’t understand why though,” I said.

I fell asleep in his arms.

When I awoke, I was in the bed. I jumped to the sound of Sarah screaming. I quickly ran to check on her.

“Sarah? Sarah open the door!” I said pounding on the bathroom.

“I can’t! Please! Zoe, you gotta help me!” her screams became louder and more desperate.

“Ok, back away from the door, I’m gonna break it down,” I said preparing to charge.

“Please hurry Zoe!”

I ran full sprint at the door and knocked it down. When I was able to move it away from the frame, I found Sarah standing on top of the toilet.

“What’s the matter, Sarah?” I asked. Her face was frozen in fear.

“’What’s the matter’? What do you mean? You don’t see them?” she asked.

“See what? Sarah all I see is you standing on the toilet! What are you looking at?”

“The spiders Zoe! They’re everywhere! Kill them! Please! Help me!”

I looked around and still did not see what Sarah was talking about. “Ok Sarah, come down from there and we’ll go have a seat in the living room, ok?”

“No! I’m not moving until you kill those things!” she yelled back.

I heard the front door close, “Drake?” I called. Moments later he was standing in the hall with me.

“What happened to my door?” he asked. “Are you breaking the house down again, sweetie?”

I pointed into the bathroom. Drake came closer and peered into the room. “Sarah? What are you doing?”

“She said there are spiders everywhere and she refuses to come out. I had to break the door down just to get inside.”

Drake walked in closer to her. “Sarah give me your hand you’re ok. There are no spiders down here.”

“Call Vincent! I am not moving from this spot until you do!”

“I’m not doing that Sarah, come down!” Drake urged.

“NO! Call Vincent! I’ll come down then,” she repeated.

Drake looked at me before pulling out his cell.

…“Now this is an unexpected surprise!…” Vincent said. “What is it that you need from me…?”

“It’s Sarah. She is freaking out in my bathroom about spiders and refuses to move unless it’s for you.”

…“And?…”

“And if you don’t get your ass here now to help her, I’ll make sure you’ve sipped your last drop of blood.”

…“Drake, why do you threaten me so? Aren’t we pals?… The words dripped from his lips with disdain. “I’ll be right there…”

“He’s on the way,” Drake said to Sarah.

“I’ll be in the den,” I said turning and heading towards the back room.

Fifteen minutes later I heard Drake taking Vincent to the bathroom.

“Vincent! Kill the spiders!” Sarah yelled.

Vincent ignored her request and instead ran over and grabbed her from the toilet and carried her into the den.

“Thank you,” Sarah said.

“Sarah there were no spiders in there. I don’t know what you saw or what you think you saw, but the room was empty other than you, me and Drake.”

Drake walked in and sat next to me.

“What’s going on here?” Vincent asked. “I passed four other people freaking out on the streets tonight on the way over here. They were running from things that weren’t there.”

I looked at Drake then back to Vincent. “Remember the thing I said about an open portal or something?” I asked. He nodded.

“Well it seems like this is just another one of those.”

“So what is it?” he asked.

“Sounds like fear to me. Sarah once mentioned how much she hates spiders and now she’s plagued by them; something we can’t see but she can since it’s her fear, not ours.”

“And how are we going to stop something we can’t see?” Vincent asked.

“We?” Drake asked. He turned to me, “What I’d like to know is why all of this is happening? It’s been really quiet the last 8 months and now there is chaos in the streets!”

I looked over at Sarah; panic was still very present on her face. I noticed her hair was starting to fade in color. Her vibrant red locks had bits of grey throughout.

“I need to go and grab some things from the magic room,” I said standing up.

“I’ll come with you,” Drake said.

“No, sweetie. I’d prefer if you’d watch over Sarah for me please. I don’t want her to be alone.”

“I’m here with her, Zo,” Vincent chimed in.

I glared at him. “I’d prefer someone who cares to watch her.” I gave Drake a kiss and walked down to the car.

As I was making my way to the magic room, I passed many frantic people, just as Vincent had described.

There were small fires on the sides of the road, trash and debris scattered everywhere and people running screaming.

I pulled into the park and hurried down to the room. I grabbed a few herbs and a talisman for Sarah. I was hoping to maybe cast a protection spell on it for her.

I paused before leaving. I opened the door to the extra tunnel and walked down the end of the darkened hall. I stopped at the door and began casting to extend the protection spell.

“I cannot be seen
I cannot be felt
I cannot be heard
I cannot be smelt
By any that seek
Whose intentions are ill
Cloaked as I am
In the force of my will.”

“I am protected from spelling
Ill-wishes and harm
No evil comes closer
than the reach of my arm”

“And ’round about the guardians go

Outside this sphere all ill is bound

Where the true Witch stands

Is sacred ground”

“I walk undetected
for only those of white light to see
and as I have spoken
so now shall it be.”

I ran to the car and drove back home. As I was making my way down the hill, one of the fleeing residents ran in front of me.

I swerved to avoid him and crashed into a tree. Smoke was billowing from the hood. I sat for a moment trying to shake off the cobwebs.

I climbed out of the car and looked at the damage. Drake is going to kill me, I thought. I grabbed my supplies and started on foot towards the house, still feeling a little dazed.

“Something’s not right,” Drake said pacing the floor in the den. “The park is a few blocks away; she should be back by now.”

“I’m going to look for her. Will you be alright with Sarah?” Drake asked. Vincent nodded and he headed for the front door.

Drake ran the 9 blocks to the park. Once there, he was able to pick up on Zoe’s scent and began tracking it.

He came upon his car crashed in the tree. Oh no, he thought as he examined the wreck. “Zoe? Where are you?”

He continued searching the area following the scent.

“Zoe!” I heard Drake yell as he ran up behind me. “Are you ok?”

“I’m ok. I crashed your car. Someone jumped out in front of me,” I explained. “I’m sorry. I know how much you loved it.”

“Zoe forget the damn car! I can always get another one. But you’re irreplaceable.” He squeezed me tightly in his arms. I hugged him back, burying my face in his shoulder.

“It’s ok sweetie, I’m here now, you’re ok,” he calmly spoke in my ear. “Let’s get home, ok?” he said not loosening his grip on me one bit.

He took my hand and we continued down the hill. As we approached the intersection, a man came out of the bushes. His face was dirty and his clothes were shredded. “Oh my God! You’re them! Help! Help!” he yelled.

His hair turned white and he collapsed to the ground clutching at his heart.

Drake walked over to him. “He’s dead,” he announced. “Look at his hair. I think he died of fright.”

“SARAH!” I exclaimed. “Drake we have to hurry back. Her hair was fading when I was leaving!”

We rushed the last 4 blocks to the house. Vincent was walking out of the kitchen with a drink. “Where’s Sarah?” I asked.

“She’s upstairs on the couch. Why? What’s going on?”

I ran upstairs to find Sarah passed out on the floor.

“Vincent!” I yelled. “What happened? You were supposed to be watching her!” I quickly ran over to her. Please be alive, was all I kept thinking.

Sarah’s fire red hair was almost completely silver. I rolled her over. She groaned. “Sarah?” I yelled shaking her.

“Do you have a pair of shades? Or a bandana we could put over her eyes?”

Drake picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. He ran and grabbed a pair of dark tint shades and placed them on her face.

Vincent came in behind us, “Is she ok?”

I stormed over and slapped him. “This is why I didn’t ask you to watch her!”

“She’s coming to,” Drake said. I joined him at her side again and Vincent slinked further into the room and stood in the corner.

“Sarah, stay in bed ok? Keep the shades on and try to remain calm. Drake and I are going to try and figure out what’s going on.” She nodded.

“I’m going downstairs to read,” I said exiting the room.

“Drake?” Vincent started.

“Save it!” Drake said approaching him.

“I don’t have anything to say to you. What the hell were you thinking? Zoe has every right to be mad at you and me, if Sarah hadn’t asked for you; I’d have never given you a second thought. I told you it was a matter of time before Zoe saw you for what you really are.”

“You’re a disease Vincent; you poison everyone and everything around you and Sarah almost paid the price with her life. You may be older, stronger and faster, but I have magic on my side. Stay away from Zoe, stay away from Sarah. Consider this your last warning if I see you again, I’ll have her bind you so that you can be killed,” he said pushing passed him.

Drake walked by me and into the garage. I heard him banging around below me. I tried to ignore it and continue looking for answers. For once, I was at a loss. There was nothing about the events taking place right now; nothing notated by my ancestors about fear spells or curses.

Vincent came down shortly and stood in front of me. I ignored him as well and continued reading. “I’m gonna get going,” he said. I didn’t bother looking up or acknowledging him. “Zo? Can we talk? I can’t express enough how sorry I am about what happened…everything with the Volatiles. If you’d just let me explain.”

I closed the book and stood up. “I’m going to check on Sarah. Get out and lock the door behind you.” I walked up the stairs and sat by her bed.

I grabbed the talisman and blessed it before placing it around her neck. “Keep that on you. It should hopefully stop you from seeing things.”

Drake came up behind me. “Hey baby! What was all that banging downstairs?” I asked.

Without a word, he swooped me up in his arms and carried me down to the garage.

“What’s going on?” I asked. He still would not speak. Instead he pushed me into a small room and closed the door behind me.

Continue—>