Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 49
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
“Wait a minute,” Melissa spoke, a hint of suspicion in her tone. “What good is hiding going to do them? I mean, won’t he be able to smell them?”
“Not really.” Helena smirked. “Demons might be tremendously powerful, but they do not possess super senses, not even an ancient one like Azazel.”
“That’s great news!” Melissa commented, as her lips curled into a happy smile.
“Oh, there is one last thing,” Helena raised her index finger at chest height. “Kate will summon him tomorrow. I will be close by, monitoring the situation.”
“What?” Melissa squealed, as her smile fell from her lips. “Why?”
“Azazel has seen me trying to kill Joe, through his eyes. He knows my face. He knows I’m a witch. He doesn’t care if a shifter like you says that she can help him escape his fate but, can you imagine what he’ll do, once he realizes that I have had a change of heart?” Helena answered her question with a question of her own, her tone stiff.
“He’ll figure out our plan and kill him,” Melissa concluded, dropping her gaze from the witch, as she swallowed hard.
“Fear not, my young one,” Helena rallied in a sweeter sounding voice as she leaned closer to her. “Do you really think I would let any harm befall you or your brothers?”
“Still, it’s not the same,” Melissa complained, gazing deep into her kind eyes. “I’d feel a lot safer if you were there with me.”
“I will be,” Helena assured Melissa, smiling up at her. “I’ll just be out of sight.”
“Helena, please!” She begged her through a wobbling voice as she leaned towards her. “Your plan is a little too simple. What if something goes wrong?”
“The assault is simple,” Helena admitted, tipping her head down. “The rest of my plan isn’t. Have faith. Everything is going to be just fine.”
“Ok, what does that plan of yours include then?” Melissa asked in frustrated tones, thrusting her arms out, palms upward.
“I will trap him,” Helena spoke in a firm voice as her face hardened. “That is all you need to know.”
There was something amiss there. Melissa could still recall the witch’s reaction, upon her request to assist Joe. Even an immensely powerful witch like Helena was terrified. Now however, she did not seem at all intimidated. On the contrary, she was oozing with confidence. Melissa considered asking her what that confidence was based on, but, just when she was about to open her mouth, she realized that Helena’s last sentence was the only answer she was going to get. The witch liked to keep her secrets; the trick she had pulled on Marianne McIntyre had proved that proclivity beyond a shadow of a doubt. She had already decided on a course of action, but she had kept everyone in the dark. Helena would not change her tactics, even if Melissa pressured her.
“Ok,” she gave a reluctant nod. “Goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Melissa…” Helena’s voice forced to her to stop, before she could turn her back to her. “Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I want you to remember that I love you and your brothers as my own children. I spent years, mourning over the fact that I never received the blessing of motherhood. But, being around you is a gift, perhaps of equal value. You gave my life a meaning. I will always be grateful to you for that. Goodnight, my child.”
A sense of confusion rushed through her, as the witch vanished in a cloud of red smoke. Why would Helena confide in her like that? Nevertheless, Melissa’s fatigue did not allow her to seek an answer. She was so tired that she could barely stay on her feet. This was no time for riddles; it was time for a good rest.
Chapter Twenty Two
Confiding in her friends was the first thing that flashed through Melissa’s mind, the next morning. All the same, this was a notion that she soon had to reject. There were many ways to interpret Helena’s heartfelt confession. A conversation about it would lead to hours of speculation. Monica would attempt to analyze every single word, whereas Kate and Julia would get emotional. Of course, Melissa could comprehend Helena’s feelings towards her and her brothers, but there was just one thing that she could simply not wrap her head around: her timing. Why would the witch speak such words, on the eve of a battle against a formidable foe like Azazel? She had to have been hiding something, or so Melissa thought.
Joe was still sound asleep beside her, when she figured that she had to let him know of Helena’s plan. She couldn’t announce it to him, or imply it, either. Therefore, Melissa picked up pen and paper, and left him a note on his nightstand:
“We’re going hunting for deer tonight. Don’t ask details. I’ll tell you more once we get there.”
An ironic fact occurred to her, later on. The first day that she would spend with Joe could well be their last. Despite the witch’s reassurances, she was not convinced. This was a fight unlike any other, where tooth and muscle were of little to no importance. They could have three, large packs by their side, and they could still lose. However, Melissa tried to remain positive. She and Joe had been through too much to give up now. For the remainder of the day, she focused on him, and the happy memories that they shared.
Darkness found her, Kate, Julia and Joe in the front yard, anxiously waiting for the moment to head out to Clover Lake. Monica was at work, whereas the Bradford brothers remained out of Joe’s sight, as Helena had instructed them. Alas, Melissa had to deal with yet another problem: Julia. Her friend was on the verge of tears. She had asked her repeatedly to go with them, but neither she nor Kate liked the idea of putting her in harm’s way.
“Please, be careful out there,” Julia whispered, wrapping her arms around Melissa’s back.
“We will, Jules,” she assured her, struggling to keep her cool. Melissa wouldn’t tell her, but Julia’s reaction was not helping Melissa whatsoever. Still, she would not complain to her. Julia was just demonstrating her emotions. Arguing with her would only make matters worse. Without wasting any more time, Melissa kissed her on the cheek as she eased out of her embrace. With a heavy heart, she trotted off towards the forest, walking between Kate and Joe.
“I still can’t believe what we’re about to do,” Kate confessed, as worry tensed the muscles in her face.
“I don’t think any of us can,” Melissa spoke how she felt. “Are you, um…?” She faltered. “Prepared?”
“Oh, yeah,” Kate gave a short laugh. “I’ve been studying this stuff for days. Trust me, I’m prepared alright.”
At that moment, lightning flashed, painting the trees and underbrush ahead of them a shade of silver, as it lit up the world around them. Melissa looked up into the sky, as a brilliant fork of lightning crackled through the atmosphere, causing the ground to rumble and vibrate beneath their feet. In a mere instant, she felt small raindrops, landing on her forehead and cheeks.
“That’s not a good sign,” she muttered, her voice shot through with tension, as she brought her attention back to the forest up ahead.
“Don’t get superstitious on me, honey.” Kate requested, as the sky once again erupted in light. “So what if it’s raining?”
“It’s the timing that troubles me,” Melissa went on, feeling drops of water streaming down her cheeks. “It hasn’t rained in months. Why now?”
“Focus, Mel,” Kate urged, lifting her leg over a brush pile, as they crossed the forest line. “Don’t let fear get to you.”
“That’s easier said than done,” She thought to herself, tossing a quick glance up at Joe. His silence hadn’t gone unnoticed. However, she didn’t expect him to speak. Discussing what they were going to do would compromise their plan.
Melissa remained silent, watching rain drops bouncing off larger and smaller rocks or rolling off leaves, as the three of them strolled through the trees. Craning her neck, she tried to pick up Helena’s scent, to no avail. All she could smell was wet soil and balsam fir tree, as they closed in on the lake.
The surface did not resemble, at all, the romantic setting that enthralled most of its visitors. It was dark, a notch brighter than its surroundings, as raindrops sent ripples up on it. The large rock on the shore, the one on which Dean had found her on the night that he had faced Marianne, was smeared with mud. Melissa could hear Joe and Kate’s racing heartbeats, as well as her own. The moment of truth was drawing near, as she watched the water washing away the mud. A few paces before they reached the shore, she sensed Kate’s soft hand on her forearm.
“It’s time,” she silently mouthed to her. Melissa blinked slowly, nodding her assent, as Joe halted beside her.
“Grigori angel hear my call
Goat of darkness now arise
Black of heart – black of soul
Show yourself before my eyes”
A tall, male frame, glimmering gray in the dark, began to fade into view, as Kate completed the incantation. He was almost as tall as Joe and he had jet-black hair, and a scrawny face. He wore a beige suit and red tie. The glimmer ceased altogether, as Azazel flashed him an ironic smile.
“Joe Stanton. It’s been a while,” There was an odd richness in his voice, as if it belonged to a man at least three decades older. “Congrats on your decision to date a shape shifter; she’s a little tall for my taste, though.”
“I want out, Azazel,” Joe spoke, his tone steady, his face as hard as stone. “I want my soul back.”
“What’s the matter, Joe?” The demon retorted, his smugness sending Melissa’s adrenaline into the ozone layer, “I thought you liked fancy cars and big paychecks.”
“I gave them all away. I quit my job. Plus, my name’s not ‘Stanton’ anymore. I changed it,” Joe countered, as anxiety cracked his baritone.
“Touching, but…” Azazel paused, pressing his lips together, “…you’re still mine, and that cannot change.”
A ferocious snarl rose up in Melissa’s throat, as she felt her blood pound in her temples. Her inner beast was twitching within her, desperate to break its human shackles, as the rain pelted down around them.
“Amusing,” the demon’s smirk reappeared, as he shifted his gaze to her. “Can you do that again? I like the sound of it.”
Melissa’s fangs lengthened, her eyes glowing yellow, as her beast peered out of them. However, she was in a dilemma: Should she unleash her wolf, or assault him with the dagger? Before she could make up her mind though, the sound of heavy paws, as well as hurried footfalls on the mud drew her attention. The brown and the silver wolf were galloping towards them, parallel to one another, as they loped through the woods. Raul was between them, clutching the dagger in his grasp, his face contorting in a fury of effort. In spite of the commotion, Azazel’s smugness did not evaporate. He didn’t even glance behind him. Instead, he rolled the fingers in his right hand into a fist, and thrust his arm up and over his head. In an instant, Raul and the wolves were lifted off the ground. Their bodies were sent flying back across the forest, as a gasp of despair left Melissa’s lips. Raul’s painful cry tore through the atmosphere as his body was thrown up against the thick trunk of a balsam fir tree. The agonizing yips of the wolves filled her ears, as they both landed hard on their sides, against the muddy forest floor. Melissa tore her gaze away from Dean’s brown wolf, as he rolled over and over. Azazel didn’t give her time to think about her next move. Rapidly putting his arm down, he unfurled his fingers, and then waved her back. Melissa felt a massive force, picking her up from the ground, as the demon waved Kate aside. Her body was sent reeling forward, as her friend landed flat on her back. She crashed into the ground face down, barely bypassing a tree a few yards away from Raul, squashing a twig and a few dry leaves as she did. Melissa reached for the dagger behind her back, her breath coming in gasps, as her eyes snapped open. However it had happened, it was gone. A glance to the left told her that she was not alone. She recognized Helena’s black boots at once, as the witch bent down to pick up the dagger. Thrusting her other arm forward, she pinned her up against the trunk of the tree. Melissa attempted to speak, but she could not part her lips. She tried to flex the muscles in her arms and legs; yet, it was hopeless. She could only draw breath; not move, or speak.
“I’m sorry,” Helena uttered in a soft and weak voice, like she had made the biggest mistake of her life and was asking for her forgiveness. The rain began to slow down. In the blink of an eye, her form lengthened. Shockwaves rocked Melissa to her very core, as the witch assumed her own form. Moving around the tree, she left Melissa behind her, as she clutched the handle of the dagger.
“Azazel!” her voice echoed in the wilderness, as she strolled towards the shore. “Let Joe go! Now!”
“Or what?” the demon wondered with the same, silly grin on his face, extending his arms sideways, as he turned around. Helena did not dignify his question with an answer. She merely curled her index finger, inviting him, as she furrowed her brow.
“Ridiculous bitch,” Azazel grumbled, shuffling off towards her. “I was going to spare you, but now…”
“Shut up!” Helena cried out, interrupting him, as her face twisted with rage. The demon let out a frustrated grunt, as his strides quickened. The witch ran her gaze down his body, and looked down at the forest floor. Holding the dagger at chest height, she began to pace backwards, as the rain ceased altogether. A wicked smile burst upon her lips, as she assumed her regular form. She twisted her arm, so that her palm faced up, before a bright ball of fire sprang up. The demon froze to his spot, as she tossed it at him. The fireball hit the ground, singeing leaves and twigs alike, as a circle formed around him. But, this was no ordinary circle. Azazel tore his gaze from her, to look down at his feet, as the fire raced into the shape, forming triangles. The demon stared in disbelief, as he realized that he was standing in the middle of a pentagram.
“A demon’s trap?” he asked, as he raised his eyes to glare at Helena. “It won’t hold me forever.”
“A second is all I need,” she stated, her red eyes darkening, as she exploded towards him. Azazel opened his hand, his palm facing behind him. Raul’s dagger was lifted off the forest floor, as she hurtled towards him. The knife flew into the demon’s hand, as she jerked her right arm back to stab him. Azazel thrust his left arm forward and grabbed her shoulder. Helena’s agonizing scream shattered Melissa’s heart, as he drove the dagger into her stomach. The witch’s eyes opened wide, as a choked breath escaped her. Her lips twitched, as she stared into the void. The demon’s smirk returned to his face, as he pulled the dagger out of her. But, his joy was short-lived. The weapon slipped out of his grasp, as a pointy piece of wood pierced his back. The tip came out through his stomach, as Joe twisted it in the wound. Melissa felt life in her muscles once again, as Helena’s body tumbled to the ground. Her boyfriend bent down and picked up the dagger, as she ran full tilt towards them. A foul cry rose and reverberated through the night, as Joe drove the dagger into his heart. The demon’s eyes blackened, as a black cloud of smoke started to shoot out of his mouth. As if it had a will of its own, it flew up and then down, as Kate jogged towards their spot. Finally, the cloud disappeared through crevices in the forest floor, as Melissa dropped to her knees beside Helena.
“Oh, my God!” she spoke, too fast, her voice reeking with fear. “Helena? Helena, talk to me.” She added quietly, tears rising up in her eyes, her lips quivering.
“Hold her,” Kate commanded, offering her right hand. Melissa wrapped her fingers around the witch’s wrist, staring down at her half-closed eyes, as a strong gust of wind rustled through the trees. The world around her began to darken, especially her heart, at the thought of losing one of the most important people in her life.
Chapter Twenty Three
“I’ll go get Monica.”
Kate’s statement rang in Melissa’s ears, as she glanced over Helena. They were just a few yards across from the entrance of Shandaken Hospital. Her friend jumped up, as a young nurse approached the glass door.
“I’m so sorry…” Melissa whispered, reaching up to cradle the witch’s cheek, as she leaned over her.
“Don’t be,” Helena choked out, as a tiny smile spread across her face. “I saw it all in my orb last night. He’d killed you all.”
Everything made sense now. Her confession the night before and the trick she pulled on her, back in the forest. But, it also magnified the gut-wrenching pain that had already been scorching her insides. Unable to work up the courage to speak, Melissa bent her head down towards Helena, as two tears raced down her cheeks. She simply gazed deep in her red eyes, her own eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and gratitude for the witch that had –yet again—saved her life and the lives of her brothers. A tear rolled off her face and landed on Helena’s cheek, as the hospital doors were pushed open. Two male orderlies were wheeling up a gurney towards them, as Kate and Monica followed them outside.
“Melissa, let her go, honey,” The doctor requested. “We’ll take it from here.”
Putting her hand over her mouth, she slowly arose, her gaze still locked on Helena, as the orderlies hauled her onto the gurney. Not wasting any time, they rushed her back in, as she tried to wrap her head around what had transpired. Helena’s life was hanging in the balance, because she had fallen in love with a man who had sold his soul to the devil. Should she die, Melissa knew that she would have to leave Joe. He would be free on his deal, but the price paid would have been way too high. Their entire relationship would be based on the death of a loved one. She just could not live with that knowledge.
The familiar sound of a diesel engine interrupted her thoughts. Her brothers had just arrived, along with Joe. Raul was the first to address her, but all she did was point up at the hospital entrance. Melissa was in no condition to narrate anything. Undeterred by her brother’s failure, Joe attempted to talk to her, but he suffered the same fate.
For more than two hours, she could not escape the horrifying image of Helena, lying down on the forest floor, bleeding heavily. Even as Melissa paced up and down the waiting room, she could not get it out of her mind. The fact that the witch was still alive kept the beacon of hope alive. However, Melissa could not find peace, until she had an update on Helena’s condition.
