A quick succession of energy balls are thrown at me. But before they can reach me, I manage to deflect them around the room. One hits an old grandfather timepiece in the corner of the room, splintering the wood into a pile on the floor.
“It would appear you’ll have to estimate the time from now on. Sorry, not sorry,” I taunt with a smirk.
“It’s ok—the priest is outside. I’ll just fuck her over your dead body while he marries us.”
I’ve heard enough.
With a flick of my wrist, magical ropes appear out of the floor and start to wrap around the old man. Grinning, he mutters a couple of words, and the ropes disintegrate.
“You’re still weaker than me.” He laughs.
Malachi then throws a bolt of lightning at Nyah. I’m not able to stop it in time, and it curls around her, trapping her in a new fiery cage.
“No.” I aim my own counter-spell at it, but it doesn’t break. I’m seriously pissed off now. I start to throw energy balls at Malachi, but he’s able to deflect all of them. “How long can you keep this up old man?”
‘I’ve been taking virgins and destroying rivals for over three hundred years. There’s always another Nyah for me to take and feed from. I’ll be here long after you’re dead. You’re insignificant to me.”
In a flash of light, my body travels toward him. The ropes that disintegrated earlier have re-formed as snakes and are now wrapping themselves around my body. They begin to tighten, squeezing me like a boa constrictor capturing its prey. I’m struggling to breathe.
“No.” Nyah screams. “Stop it.”
“This is all your fault, Nyah. Watch him as he dies, knowing the gift you gave him also killed him.”
Malachi raises him arms and takes control of the snake ropes, preparing to pull them even tighter. He doesn’t get a chance, though, because Connor, still in stag form, charges into the room with his antlers down. He spears Malachi and sends him flying. It gives me the opportunity I need to dislodge the snakes from my body.
“Don’t kill him,” I shout as Connor prepares to charge again. “If you kill him, you’ll stay a stag. It’s part of the revenge spell. Someone else has to do it. ”
Connor looks toward Malachi and then back at me. His nostrils are flaring. He turns and heads back toward the evil witch, intending to sacrifice himself for his sister. With a wave of my hand, I capture him in a glass cage before he can. He rams against the sides, furious and desperate to get out, but the glass won’t break. I free Nyah from the lightning prison with a flick of my wrist, and we both bear down on Malachi. The old man is seriously injured. Both his legs are broken, and he’s lying on the floor, breathing weakly.
“Kill him,” Nyah orders me.
“No.” I hold out my hand, and the gun I’ve summoned on a magical wave from my car crashes through the window and lands in my palm. “I’ve not earned that right. I’m not the one who’s suffered for a year at his hands.” I offer Nyah the gun. She looks down at it and then back at me.
“Will he stay dead if I kill him?” she asks
“It depends on the deal he’s made with the devil. I know someone who can give us more information about that. But for now, at least, end this.”
“She won’t do it.” Malachi laughs.
The gun goes off before he has a chance to say anything more.
“Yes, I will.”
Nyah looks down at the old man now lying dead with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. I pull her back when creatures made from black smoke emerge from the floor. They wrap around Malachi’s body and drag him down into hell.
A cough comes from behind us, and we both turn to see Connor standing within the glass cage in his naked human form.
“Thank god!” Nyah exclaims as her legs go from under her, but I catch her in my arms before she falls.
“Do you think you could let me out?” The light haired boy asks. I can now see the similarity in looks between Nyah and him.
I wave my hand, and the cage disappears. Then with another flick, I clothe him in jeans and a t-shirt.
“Thank you.” He steps toward me and shakes my hand.
“Has he really gone?” Nyah asks.
“I don’t know. Hopefully, but I’ll speak to Dominic about it.”
Nyah lets go of me and hugs her brother tightly.
“Are you ok?” he whispers to her. “I mean, really ok.”
“Yes, I promise.”
Connor looks embarrassed.
“I’m sorry about suggesting the whole having sex with Griffon thing. It popped into my head as the only way of saving you. Not that I want to ever think about my sister being with someone like that, because it’s just the grossest thought in the world.”
“Beg to differ.” I cough, and pulling Nyah back from him, I tuck her under my arm. “I thought it was pretty good actually.”
“Just pretty good?” Nyah questions, putting her hand on her hip and raising an eyebrow at me.
“Ok, enough. Seriously. Yuck.” Connor gags.
All three of us laugh and then fall silent.
“What happens now?” Nyah asks.
“I’ve got a job to do. Another messed up freak who needs to be taught a lesson. I guess it’s what I’m destined to do.” I shrug.
Nyah looks toward Connor for his answer to her question.
“Our parents are dead, and Malachi’s dead. We’re free and can do whatever we want,” Connor begins. “I’d like to hang around here for a bit. I’ve kind of met someone in the forest—she’s part human and part lion. It was a love-hate relationship at first, especially when she tried to eat me. Thankfully, she realized she could hear my thoughts, and we’ve become friends since.”
Connor looks out of the window, and following his gaze, I can see the snow is falling on a lioness standing off in the distance. She appears to be pacing with worry for her friend.
Connor continues, “Besides, I think this place could do with modernizing. It would make a great family home. It’s about time we got something out of our ancestor’s deal other than sorrow and death. We can’t change the past, but we can make the future positive. Will you stay with me, Nyah?”
Nyah looks between me and Connor.
“I…er… I don’t…” She hesitates.
“Or you could go with Griffon,” Connor encourages, and I really want to high five him. It’s what I hoped he’d suggest.
“Really?” she asks excitedly.
“Live, sister, and love…just don’t tell me too much about it. Do keep in touch, though.”
“I will. I promise, Connor.”
Nyah throws her arms around her brother and with sisterly affection thanks him for all he’s sacrificed for her. She then turns to face me.
“Is it ok if I come with you?”
“Hell yes.” I wrap my arm around her waist. “Once I finish the job Dominic wants done, I’m finding somewhere with a bed for us, and we’re not leaving it for a very long time.”
“I like the sound of that.” Nyah presses a kiss to my lips.
“La, la, la,” Connor chants, covering his ears with his hands as my intriguing woman and I disappear outside into the snowy winter wonderland.