Imara stood beside the big picture window, fidgeting with her necklace as lightning flashed beyond trees that lined the other side of the lake. “It’s just a storm. You’re working yourself up over nothing.”
She picked Eliza up from the playpen, then covered her in a blanket as Ben came from the bathroom. “We better move before it really starts pouring. It’s dreadfully ugly out there.”
Ben kissed Imara’s forehead. “Yeah, I’m ready. Don’t be scared, Baby. This mess will be over soon.”
As Imara touched the doorknob, Daniel’s voice whispered in her ears. ‘Don’t be afraid. You’re coming home.’ With her lips quivering as she pressed them together, she nodded and pulled the door open. “Yes, I know it will. I’m ready.”
While Imara hurried across the yard, Ben followed her to the main house where Thorin was waiting by the door. “That fella on the television said that a terrible storm’s heading this way any minute now.”
As he shut the door behind them, Ben shook the rain from his hair. “Yeah, I can feel it coming. My wolf’s all worked up; he’s pacing like a son of a bitch wanting to get out.”
Haldir squinted his eyes as a suspicion grew inside him. He slid his hand down to his hip and fingered the handle of his blade. “Everyone’s ready? Yes?”
Ben looked to Haldir as Imara laid Eliza back down in the playpen in Thorin’s living room. Suddenly his mind filled with all of Haldir’s thoughts, and Ben’s mouth dried as the adrenaline started to surge through his veins. “Yeah, I got it.”
While Ben and Haldir kept guard at the windows, Imara set the table as Thorin went through food containers. “So, what do you have planned for Sweet Pea’s birthday next week? I thought we could take her to that petting zoo we went to a few months ago. Then maybe we could go to that place where they have all the games and that singing mouse that I saw on the television. Can’t you just imagine Uncle Haldir in one of those pointy hats?”
“That sounds fun.” The quick smile she offered him in return sent a shiver through Thorin.
His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his side. “Just a storm, Darlin.”
A foul whoosh of air met Ben’s ears, and a growl of warning rose from his chest as his lips curled over his pointy teeth. The next flash came outside the window, and the lights in the main house went dark.
While her heartbeat pounded in her ears, Imara lifted her shaking hand and snapped her fingers as a red ball of light rose from her palm. The front door opened, and Selvin ran through the doorway with Eliza in his arms.
Imara froze as Ben and Haldir ran after Selvin. The garbled voice bounced from her ears as she swayed in the red light that surrounded her until Thorin turned her to face him. “Imara! Get your knife!”
The world was a dark streak that tugged at her belly as she crouched to her knees. The red light bent just right, and she saw Eliza stir in the playpen across from her. Her hand slapped at his shin, and she whispered. “Thorin!”
His hand dropped down the side of his leg and pulled her up, and she tugged at his shirt. “Thorin, look at the playpen. It was glamour, Thorin. He’s still here.”
Thorin looked at the playpen and saw Eliza sit up and look around, and he gasped. “Imara,” he whispered. “We’re going to creep over there, and you snatch her up. Quietly! You reach out to Ben in your mind.”
He pinned her against his chest and inched to the playpen until Eliza reached her arms in the air. “Momma.”
Imara snatched her from the bed and wrapped her in her arms as Thorin held his blade ready in his hand.
A shock wave hit them, and they were slung across the room. The red light extinguished, and Thorin was left alone in the blackness.
The haunting sounds of silence crushed Thorin as he pushed his hands against the floor. The sensation of movement came from his left, and his arm stretched in front of him as he felt around for the knife. A thump came from his back, and a blast of heat shot through him. He reached at the pain ripping through his body and felt the thick wetness on his fingers before he collapsed to the floor.
A nasal cackle came from above him as he came to his knee beside Thorin. “You aren’t much of a witch either, are you? You Parker’s really are pathetic. You’ll have to excuse me now; I have a little date with Imara.”
Selvin stepped over Thorin and made his way to the motionless bodies on the floor.
As Thorin reached behind him and pulled the blade from his back, the dripping blood receded into its wound. Thorin raised his hand and pointed the blade at Selvin. “Ceanglaím tú leis an áit seo!”
Selvin spoke the death curse over Imara and Eliza and turned to Thorin, then clicked his tongue. “You can bind me to this place only as long as you live, and that won’t be for long.”
As he sauntered back to him, Selvin crossed his arms. “Why aren’t you trying to throw the curse at me. I already took care of your little bitch of a sister. You could end this whole thing right now just by speaking the words. What exactly are you waiting for?”
Thorin groaned as he pushed himself to stand and dusted off his knees. “As much as I’d love to be the one to tear you limb from limb, someone else called dibs on killing you.”
With a hundred wicked voices calling out as one, Ben’s hand stretched out from the doorway. “Ceangailim ort gan aon dochar a dhéanamh!”
The warlock collapsed to the floor as his powers lingered in the air, waiting to be claimed.
Ben whispered to himself as he came to Imara’s side and dropped his head. “It’s not them anymore.” A soft whimper came from his mouth as he covered Eliza with her mother’s arms. “I’ll be there soon. Just wait for me by the sea, you hear me? Baby, I’m coming.” Ben’s head shook as Haldir’s hand came to his shoulder. “Tie him up!”
As Thorin and Haldir picked up the whimpering shell of a once-powerful witch, Thorin leaned into Selvin’s ear. “Oh, I’ve been waiting a very, very long time for this.”
His hands slipped under Imara, and he gritted his teeth as he tugged his family to his chest. The spare room door slammed against the wall when Ben’s foot smashed through it, and he laid them on the bed. After he pulled the covers up to her chin, he pressed his lips against her cool cheek. “I love you, Baby. I got to go finish this now.”
The stench of brimstone and pain seeped into the living room as Ben came to the doorway, and Haldir chuckled as he slapped his hand against the warlock’s back. “Oh, Selvin. I guess you could say that this curse is broken. Just like your fucking skull is about to be.” Haldir knocked his knuckles against the top of Selvin’s head. “Broken into a million fucking pieces.”