Midnight in belle fleur, p.25
Midnight In Belle Fleur, page 25
A chill ran down Juliette’s spine as she realized the depths of his evil.
“How did you get Mayor Bien-Aime on your side?”
“It’s amazing what money and ancient magic can do. She likes me so much that after this, she’s invited me and the New Council Witches to celebrate on her yacht outside of Miami Beach. It’s going to be great to make plans for Belle Fleur with Mayor Bien-Aime now that she sees what the New Council can do for her.”
“How nice for you,” Juliette said, noting that tonight Belle Fleur would be free from The New Council. “But when Renner gets here with the Council, you’ll be in their prison for working with The New Council.”
“Fontaine Child, I am the New Council. So is Fabienne. I do miss her. And that makes me quite upset. She was quite useful to me.”
“I’m glad she’s gone.”
“I was growing rather fond of her. And I’ll add her exile to the long list of grievances I have against you. I haven’t given up on a body yet. I will find Victor tonight and I will get what’s mine. And once I defeat you, once and for all, I’ll have your soul.”
Juliette’s eyes swept around, as whooshing sounds followed by thudding surrounded her.
A hundred witches portaled in, falling to their feet, ready for battle. By the size of them, they looked like seasoned warrior witches. She whipped her head around and saw her band of new witches and hoped they’d have a fighting chance, even though the odds were stacked against them.
She swallowed hard.
Victor and the witches stepped beside her.
“Where’s Renner? He should be back by now,” Juliette said to Victor in a whisper. Her gem warmed her palm and glowed. She was ready to fight, but needed more support.
“I have no idea,” Victor said.
“Crap, Renner better hurry.” She needed all the help they could get.
Thane leaned forward and said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting your chat? I thought we were here to battle, not chitchat.” He stepped closer.
“We’re stopping you tonight,” Victor said.
“Nice that you’re keeping your exercise routine up. I’ve always wanted a six-pack.”
“Oh, yeah?” Li said, throwing a six-pack of soda at Thane.
With razor sharp reflexes, Thane spun around, catching the cans of soda, and sunk his talons in them. Soda spewed over his face and cloak.
A portal ring popped up and snapped closed, with Alec and Klariza by his side. His eyes were wild, darting from Juliette to Victor and then to the witches. He asked, “Did you leave some for me to do? I’ve been holding back for too long. It’s time I let my magic out full force.”
He held his hands out, flames shooting out. He laughed and shot flames at the witches as he raced toward them.
Klariza ran by Alec’s side, swooping her arms, blasting witches to the ground.
“By all means, son. I never want to hold you back,” Thane said. He pulled back his hoodie, revealing tufts of hair that were growing back and an enormous claw that he wielded deftly.
Some of the new witches near him gasped and stepped back.
“I’ve found that nature provides the best ideas when one is in a pinch. I get to enjoy the best that’s out there.” He wiggled his body, releasing a tentacle from his shoulder. His claw and tentacle reached out before him as he swooped the air with his hand, blasting the witches nearest him back into the bushes. “Now I have three arms. Thank you, Juliette.”
“Stay back,” Juliette said.
His claw and tentacle extended out again, reaching for Juliette, then at the witches to her right.
The witches fell, scrambling back to their feet. “Remember what I taught you,” Juliette said to her witches.
The grass to Juliette’s left rustled. She hoped the shapeshifters were signaling they were ready to help. She would need to get Thane closer to the water.
Alec raced toward Victor, both hands out, but Victor stood his ground.
Alec pushed his right arm forward, shooting a flame burst that leaped inches from Victor’s face.
Victor ducked fast, barely escaping the attack. “Hey, this isn’t you, Alec.”
“It’s the most me I’ve felt in a long time.” Alec picked up a branch and wielded it at Victor, crashing it against his side.
“Humph!” Victor said, then fell to the ground. He jumped up and said, “Alec, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Hurt me? You’re just a healer, witch. You can’t do much.”
“I can do this,” Victor said, overlapping both his hands and pushing out, creating a double force that pushed Alec into a vine trap.
“That’ll keep him busy for a while,” Victor said.
Alec was busy trying to climb out of a tangle of vines while several alligators held him down with their tails.
On the other side of the clearing, Chesley and Li fought back-to-back. “This is not as fun as I imagined,” Chesley said, ducking.
“You’re telling me,” Li said.
Juliette led Thane to the water. She had to keep him from hurting the other witches. The alligators approached, chuffing. “You want me? Come and get me, Thane,” she said, backing into the lake. She glanced at the witches, fearful for them as the fighting waged on.
Several shifters were now fighting alongside the new witches, using their reptilian skills in battle.
Thane stopped in the mud, not following Juliette into the water. “Let’s take away all this water, shall we?” He lifted his arms and said, “Aqua ortum.”
Juliette’s pulse raced as the water roiled around her and then lifted. She held her breath as the liquid slid past her and up into the sky. She remained standing in the lake bed as every drop of water was now magically in the air. Alligators and fish circled in the floating water.
Thane held his hand forward, palm open, then clenched his fist tightly, pulling her toward him against her will. “I will feast on your soul.”
“I don’t think so,” Juliette said, as she raced out of the lake bed. He whispered a spell and held his hands open as she slid toward him.
Juliette’s boots left grooves in the mud as he was calling Juliette to her death. Her body was frozen still. She struggled to be free of his hold on her. “Noooo!”
“Juliette!” Victor shouted from the center of the clearing. “Keep fighting him! I’m coming to help!”
As Victor turned his head to look at Juliette, Alec sped toward him, jumping up and shooting a ball of fire toward him.
Victor fell to his back, avoiding the attack.
Thane let out a victorious howl as he pulled Juliette closer and closer to her death.
Juliette fought to regain control of her hands, focusing on every ounce of her energy. She finally edged her hands to her back pocket and slid her finger into her pocket, touching the Brightkiss leaf.
At that moment, Juliette disappeared.
“Where are you, Fontaine Child?” he spun around, looking for her.
She raced out of the lake bed as Thane whipped around, looking for her.
He sniffed the air, trying to find her. “Fine. Hide. But what goes up must come down,” Thane said, pointing his talon toward the ground. The large body of water cascaded down, splashing over the embankment and overflowing onto where witches battled. The water sloshed over the grass, sending witches to their backs as they slid.
Alligators snapped and whipped their tails, fighting by the side of shapeshifters.
Juliette had only a minute and planned on using every second. She held up both hands, blasting Thane to the ground. He lay still just long enough for Juliette to tie the jute twine around his arms.
By the time the Brightkiss leaf’s invisibility spell had worn off, Thane was tied up, unable to harm anyone else.
Kish appeared with a dozen fighters. They quickly subdued the last of the Destroyer witches.
Her heart leaped in her chest at the sight of witches ready to defend Belle Fleur and stop The New Council.
Several minutes later, Victor rushed to Juliette’s side. “You okay?”
“Yeah, you?”
“Yeah.”
The fighting had stopped. Kish and his fighters, with the help of shifters, and new witches, had subdued the Council witches. The defeated witches sat with their hands bound by magical cords.
Kish tied the last one. “That ought to do it.” He looked over at Alec and Klariza.
“What about them?” Kish asked.
“I’ll make sure they’re no trouble,” Juliette said. She still believed Alec could be turned around. She didn’t want him to end up in the Council’s prison because of his father.
“I never knew Renner to be so late,” Victor said, looking around the swamp.
Juliette frowned. “We need him with the Council to pick up Thane.”
She walked closer to Thane and said, “It’s time you went to Council prison for everything you’ve done.”
Juliette took a deep breath, her palm glowing. Her chest heaved as she looked at the person who had killed her parents, hunted her relentlessly, terrorized Belle Fleur, and stole Victor from her. She clenched her fists, stepping toward him. Her eyes glowed purple.
“Juliette,” Victor said.
Thane lay in the wet grass. “Do it. I’m here tied up on the grass. You can end me right now.”
“What?” Juliette asked.
“I know you want to,” Thane said to her.
Juliette shook her head. “I’m not like you, Thane.”
“Kish, watch him until Renner gets here with the Council. We’ll be rid of Thane once and for all.”
“Okay,” Kish said, circling Thane with a dozen witches.
“We’ll see about that,” Thane said. “But I will cooperate with you for now. But soon I’ll be leaving, as I have a party to go to after this.”
“I wouldn’t make any plans. You’re going to prison,” Kish said.
“But yet I’m here, and Renner and the Council aren’t. Hmm, I wonder why,” Thane said.
Juliette didn’t like the sound of that. She knew something was off. She glanced at Thane and then at Alec.
Alec sat near a tree, his head down. Klariza was near him, holding a branch.
“I guess Alec’s had enough. It’s pretty obvious this is over Thane. I don’t know what you wanted to achieve tonight, but the New Council has lost. Look around.”
She looked up as a tingle crept over her skin.
“Look at my boy. He learns fast,” Thane said from the grass. “Destroyer witches, retreat.”
Although the Destroyer witches left in portals, magic and electricity danced in the night air.
Juliette spun her head toward Alec and knew something wasn’t right with him. “Alec?”
He didn’t answer.
Juliette jumped up, grateful for the adrenaline that pumped and for the magic that ran through her veins.
Alec finally raised his head, his eyes glowing red as he sped toward Victor.
She raced toward Alec with her palms up, sending a surge of magic out toward him. She couldn’t let him hurt Victor.
“I’m stronger than I’ve ever been!” Alec jumped to the side, avoiding Juliette’s attack. He jumped toward Victor, then reached back and threw the branch at Victor, hitting him in the shoulder.
Victor fell to his hands, grasped the branch, pulled it out, flinging it to the grass.
“Stop!” Juliette screamed, rushing toward Alec. She reached forward, sending a bolt of energy that knocked him to his back.
Klariza ran toward Alec, kicking his boot. “Get up and keep fighting. It’s not over yet.”
Juliette rushed to Victor’s side, noticing the tip of the branch had been tipped in a red color.
Kish pointed to Alec. “What should we do with him?”
“I know what I’d like to do to him,” Li said.
“This is because of you!” Juliette yelled, glaring at Thane as she fell to the ground by Victor’s side. Her eyes filled with tears as she ripped his shirt open, revealing a shimmering red scar. The shimmering red swirled out from his scar and was spreading.
Victor’s body trembled.
“Look at Victor’s eyes!” Chesley shouted. “They’re purple.”
She had to work fast. “Sana, sana,” Juliette repeated, holding her hand over the red scar.
“Looks like it isn’t working,” Thane said.
“Keep trying,” Li said.
Juliette swept her hand over Victor’s face and leaned down, meeting her lips to his.
Immediately, his trembling stopped. She sat back, then kissed him again, and his eyes returned to normal.
“It’s working, but the scar is still glowing red,” Chesley said.
“Victor, come on,” Juliette said, a tear falling from her cheek onto his scar. The scar sizzled, and the red vanished. She smiled, hugging him and kissing him. “You’re okay,” she said.
Victor stood up.
“We’re glad you’re better, man,” Chesley said.
“Me too,” Victor said as he walked over to Alec.
Alec was covered in sweat. His eyes were still wild.
“I get that you’re under some crazy evil dad spell. But eventually we’re going to get fed up with your crap and come for you. So figure your stuff out before it’s too late,” Victor said. He walked away, shaking his head.
“Leave him alone,” Klariza said.
Alec sat there in a daze as Klariza dripped a potion into his eyes.
Alec blinked and shouted as Victor walked away, “I don’t need any of you anymore. I found where I belong.” Alec stood up and slid his arm around Klariza.
Alec checked his phone. “Dad, we got that party tonight. Sibylla just sent me a text. I don’t want to miss it.”
“Duty calls. We’ve got a yacht party and no, you’re not invited,” Klariza said.
“You forgot one thing. You’re surrounded by Kish and his fighters. So, you’re not going anywhere,” Juliette said.
Thane smiled and nodded his head. Three of Kish’s fighters crisscrossed their arms and swept them sideways, blasting the other fighters by their sides to the ground. The fallen fighters’ bodies shimmered and disappeared.
“It seems Kish’s fighters have turned on their own,” Thane said, nodding his approval.
Juliette held up her hands and raced toward them. She created a fireball and threw it toward them.
One fighter swept his hand, sending the fireball into the water.
Kish stepped back, shaking his head. “How could you do this? You’ve sworn an oath to be loyal!”
“Our loyalty is now to the New Council,” one fighter said, shooting a flame at Kish, who fell.
Kish’s body shimmered and then disappeared.
Juliette said, “You are traitors!”
Thane looked at Kish’s traitorous fighters. He cocked his head to the side and said, “I agree. They may turn on me someday. But for now, I’ll take my chances.”
Juliette and Victor stood shoulder to shoulder. She glanced at him, wondering if this was the end.
Thane turned toward Juliette and Victor. His scent filled the air. He lifted his head, revealing the sinews and muscles in the morning light.
Everyone was silent.
Victor squeezed her hand.
Thane’s cloak billowed in the dawn breeze and he laughed. “Well, as much as I’d like to stay here, feast on your soul, and all, it’s time we left for our celebration. You see, we may have lost this battle, but it seems we’ll be winning the war. This will all make sense soon. Let’s go, witches.”
Thane and his witches portaled out of the swamp.
“What does he mean?” Chesley asked.
“I don’t know, but since he’s involved, I’m sure it’s super evil,” Li said.
Juliette turned to the new witches and said, “Thank you for defending good tonight.”
“You are all heroes,” Victor said.
After the new witches went home on the swamp boats, Juliette looked around.
With the sun breaking through puffy white clouds, set on a perfect blue sky, one would never know a witch battle had taken place there an hour before.
Juliette took a deep breath in and exhaled. “It’s over,” she said, linking arms with Victor.
Chesley and Li were busy talking about their battle stories.
“Let’s portal out of here and go home. Sound good?” Juliette asked everyone.
Before anyone could respond, a portal ring snapped open and Renner, Migdalia, and Hensley portaled in.
“Have you heard?” Renner said, disheveled and panting.
“No. What?” Juliette asked, her eyes darting from Renner to Migdalia and then to Hensley. “Why is he here? And what’s that?”
Renner took a deep breath and then said, “The Council can’t be reached. They are all missing,” Migdalia said.
“What?” Juliette said. “Now we know why Thane was so confident.” She shook her head. We lost witches tonight. They’re gone because of Thane and the New Council. They have to be stopped. I hope the Council members are okay.”
“We all do,” Hensley said, letting out a deep breath. “How is Alec? Did you see him?”
“He needs to be away from Thane. They’ve got him potioned up, and he’s not the same,” Victor said.
Hensley let out a deep breath and turned to regain his composure.
“We’ve come up with a solution that you may or may not like,” Migdalia said.
“You two can work this device that we confiscated a few years back from New York. It’s a protection dome. The Destroyer Witches are all at some yacht party in Miami Beach. If we activate this device from outside of Belle Fleur, we can keep Destroyer Witches out of here.”
“But who’s gonna activate it?” Juliette asked.
“You two are,” Renner said. “We will hold down the fort until more seasoned and experienced Healer witches can help our cause. More and more people are realizing that the New Council is pure evil.”
“For how long?”
“A couple of weeks, maximum,” Migdalia said. “Believe me, you all know how protective I am, and even I realize this is the best answer. You will join your mother and grandmother who are already at Simone Shedly’s home, helping her with her new baby.”
