Chapter 8

• Patrick ran back to the group in the grove. “Still no sign of him.” He motioned to Leena and Steven. “You two get in place to block this space from the others.” He glared at Rhonda and Kasey standing beside Cora who was sitting on the ground. “Don’t take any chances.” He watched Rachel walk over. “Any of you.”
• Rachel smiled. “Relax. The first impression will be we’re dancing to Kevin and Dade’s drumming, a private party of sorts.”
• Chris kissed Kasey. “Be careful, sweetheart.”
• She smiled up at him. “You just make sure you catch any spell I throw the wrong way. My heart is in my throat right now.” He nodded and walked over to sit to the side of the cleared area.
• Owen sat beside him. “This part sucks. Just watching.”
• Chris let out a slow breath. “We’re almost out of time, Cora’s barely able to sit up right now.”
• Dade was ready to scream, they needed to stop checking and double-checking so they could get this done. Cora wasn’t doing well and if they didn’t hurry, all he was going to be able to send out anything but anger.
• When Kevin finally knelt beside him, they started drumming.
• Rhonda moved slowly between Cora and Dade and closed her eyes to send him the feelings.
• Dade held his head down and closed his eyes grasping the emotions she sent to him and running it over and over in his mind.
• Lifting his head, he did what he did best, falling into the beat his hand tattooed on the skins. Kevin didn’t even attempt to follow the rhythm he was pounding out. He couldn’t have even begun to keep up. The women weren’t dancing to the beats, just turning, moving, and watching.
• Come to me. Dade thought. End this. The sweat dripped down his face as he called stronger than he ever had in his life. When Kasey cried out his head snapped up and he looked at her. She had stopped dancing and was staring at a man walking down the knoll toward Cora.
• It was Charlie, but he didn’t look like the old familiar Charlie now, he looked haunted and was shaking. Yet, he seemed bigger then the man that ran around hunched and mumbling to himself. His eyes didn’t see anyone but Coralee lying on the ground, panting and writhing in pain.
• “Your sins are many. I will end your suffering.” His voice was low and almost robotic.
• Everyone stopped moving and watched as he moved towards Cora. Dade glanced up to see if he’d passed Steven and Leena, if it was safe for him to move yet. Charlie had another ten feet to go before they could be closed off from the rest of the camp. Dade slowly lowered his drum to the ground and saw Kevin do the same.
• Coralee cried out in agony as Charlie stumbled a few steps and clutched at his head. It was then that everyone saw the blade in his hand. That was when the danger in this moment became a reality.
• Dade watched Chris stand up slowly, moving so as to not bring any attention to himself, as Patrick squatted down to remain unnoticed. Dade’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest he couldn’t breathe. Charlie stumbled another step. Dade saw Steven and Leena each raise a hand and he waited until everything past the point where they stood blurred from the view of the campfire.
• Slowly Dade stood and glanced at Rhonda. She was frozen in place staring at the knife, the same knife that marked her and almost ended her life. He moved silently, she started to tremble as Dade reached her. He moved to her, then pushed her gently towards Kevin.
• Kevin pulled the shaking woman down to sit with him and closed his arms around her. He caught Dade’s glance and held a hand toward Charlie.
• Just let him try to move towards her, Dade thought, Kevin has it covered.
• Dade swallowed the terror threatening to choke him and watched Charlie move closer to Cora. Rachel and Kasey stood on either side of her, not moving.
• Still pushing one hand against the pain in his head Charlie smiled. “It’s good you’re all here together. I get so tired. This way I’ll be able to finish it all at once. Then I can rest.” He looked down at Cora’s shaking body. “But you first, Coralee, you’re suffering the most.”
• Rachel stepped in front of Cora. She stood with her legs apart and arms out. “You will not harm anyone.” Her voice was low and steady.
• Charlie’s clouded eyes looked her up and down. “Look at you. You shouldn’t dress like that and taunt the men. It’s not their fault they want you.” He stepped towards her smiling. “Let me put you at peace.”
• “You first.” Rachel spat as she turned her hand to slap him back. He dropped down to one knee, his hand over his chest trying to catch his breath.
• Dade caught a glimpse of Owen as he circled slowly to get behind Cora, trying to stay off Charlie’s radar. He wouldn’t let her lie there suffering. He squatted down and then crawled the last few feet to her. Pulling her in, he sat and closed her in his arms. He reached to pull the stone to amplify her abilities off her neck, then placed his own inside his shirt.
• Dade’s eyes moved over Cora in Owen’s arms as he moved one small step every few seconds. She was shaking and Dade wanted to run over and smash Charlie into the ground.
• Charlie stumbled to his feet and tried to dive towards Rachel. His body bounced off a solid wall and he landed on his back, hard.
• “I don’t think so,” Kasey said walking up to stand beside Rachel.
• Dade didn’t even have to look to know Chris would be in on this shortly now that his fiery woman had stepped up, he just kept moving in Cora’s direction.
• Charlie lifted himself to his knees and picked up his knife again. “You little…” The knife jerked out of his hand with such force he fell forward again.
• The knife landed at Patrick’s feet. Dade and Patrick turned to see Chris looking very angry.
• Chris walked over a stood a few feet from Charlie. “I suggest you stay down and not say anything until you have a lawyer.” The man glared up at him. He struggled to his feet again and snarled at Chris.
• Before Chris could take a step, Charlie flew back in the air five feet and landed on his back.
• Dade’s head spun back around to see both Kasey and Rachel with their hands out looking very much like two powerful witches, and pissed off ones at that.
• Patrick stepped forward with the knife wrapped in his jacket. “I think, for your safety, Mr. Hill I had better take over.”
• Chris nodded to Steven and Leena who dropped their hands and were running toward them before he could speak.
• Rachel and Kasey stood on either side of Patrick as he pulled cuffs out of his pocket and turned Charlie over. He looked up at them as he knelt. “You ladies ever want a job, you come talk to me, we could use your skills on the force.”
• Rachel grinned and then stood back and put her hands on her hips and let out a long slow breath. “Wow.” She said as Steven wrapped his arms around her waist. “That was a rush.”
• “Yes,” Steven hissed against her ear making her smile even wider.
• Dade dropped to his knees beside Owen and ran his hand over Cora’s face. “Come on, honey, it’s over.”
• Cora groaned. “Still hurts. Get me away from him.”
• Dade nodded to Owen and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly against his chest. “Let’s get you back to the house.”
• Justin came along the path towards the camp over the knoll as Dade was carrying Cora. “She okay?”
• Dade nodded. “She will be.” He motioned with his head towards the others that were standing watching Patrick pull Charlie to his feet. “That’s one sick man.”
• Justin turned and shook his head, his shoulders drooping. The look on his face said it all. He watched Patrick half drag the man he’d called friend for fifteen years up the small incline.
• Patrick tucked the phone back into his pocket as he guided Charlie along the path. “They’ll come pick him up and I’ll follow tomorrow.”
• Chris nodded. “How are you going to write a report for this?”
• Patrick grinned. “Pretty straight forward. He picked the wrong women this time and they fought back.” He grinned at little Kasey almost hidden in Chris’ arms. “Amazing woman you’ve got there, councilor.”
• Chris grinned and swung her up into his arms. “Oh, you don’t have to tell me.”
• Steven walked by him with Rachel in his arms. “We’ll go get the beer ready.”
• Kevin walked past Patrick with a still shaky Rhonda in his arms. “I’ll take her back with the others.”
• “Appreciate it.” Patrick said looking at her for a moment. “I won’t be long.”