Chapter Fifteen

Parker mumbled as he tossed and turned in his sleep. A large shadow chased him through the woods, and he couldn’t get away. The figure reached for him as he stumbled. He looked back…and sat straight up, a scream dying in his throat. He blinked several times and looked around his room. All was as it should be, or was it? Shadows held menace and familiar shapes took on a decidedly sinister air. He leaped out of bed and dived for the light switch beside the door. Light flooded the room and nothing menacing or sinister jumped out at him.

He sagged against the wall as the door opened slowly. He stumbled away, falling to the floor as Lucas stared at him. He dragged his hand across his forehead, wiping away the sweat beading there. He forced his breathing to slow, trying to get it back to normal.

“You okay, little bro?”

“Maybe?” Parker held his hand up and let Lucas pull him to his feet. “The Huntsman is close. I just had one heck of a nightmare, and he was in it. It was so real, like if he caught me, it would be all over. He’ll be here on Halloween, just as we feared. We have to go check the woods at the edge of town. We may have to scope out near the B and B as well.”

“I had the same nightmare. I came to see if you were all right.” He paused. “Wait a minute. You want to check the woods for a huge, scary, supernatural being in the middle of the night?” When Parker nodded, he grinned. “Sounds like a good time. Let me get dressed.”

Parker pulled on his clothes and prayed the dream wasn’t a foretelling of bad things to come. If The Huntsman took his spirit in bondage, he wouldn’t be able to help the ghosts around him. The spirits depended on him to help them cross over to the afterlife. The Huntsman would take all of them as his servants if Parker couldn’t stop him and his hounds. He’d have to make sure all around him were safe at the ritual.

He hurried downstairs and shrugged into his jacket. Lucas tossed his keys to him. If he could possibly be in danger, what did that mean for Renee and her grandmother’s ghost? Would he be strong enough to open the gateway and protect her and the spirits? He’d have to be because there wasn’t any other choice. Guess he’d find out tomorrow night.

Lucas climbed into the passenger side of Parker’s truck. They headed to the woods at the farthest point outside of town. Neither man spoke as the increasing heaviness in the air surrounded them. Parker slowed the truck and parked. He glanced at Lucas, and his brother nodded.

They got out and walked straight to the woods. A small fairy zoomed out and landed on Lucas’ shoulder, hiding under his hair. All too soon, the sound they feared reached them. The Huntsman’s hounds were here and howling in anticipation of the coming hunt. The ground trembled under their feet, a telling sign The Huntsman hadn’t come alone.

“He’s closer now than ever before,” Parker said in a low voice. “Did you feel those tremors in the ground? He’s on that monster of a horse of his.”

“You heard how loud and how close the hounds are,” Lucas said. “If that isn’t a portent for disaster, I don’t know what is. I hate to say it, but we have to go farther in to see what kind of havoc he’s causing.”

“Agreed.”

They each took a deep breath and started for the dark, forested maw looming in front of them. They hadn’t gone more than ten feet when the fairy on Lucas’ shoulder began yanking on his hair. He held her in his hand. “I know you’re afraid, but we need to scope out The Huntsman’s position. I’ll make sure you get safely home.” He smiled. “You shouldn’t have been out this late by yourself anyway. Keep yourself and your kin hidden until this is over.”

They pushed deeper into the dense trees. Lucas knocked on a maple tree trunk, and a small doorway opened. He held his hand close to the door and the tiny fairy disappeared inside. The baying of the hounds grew louder the farther in they went. Parker held his arm out across Lucas’ chest, stopping him from moving.

“Do you see them?” Parker whispered. “Over there to the right.”

“I see them,” Lucas whispered back. “Judging at how far those eyes are from the ground, I’d say the hounds have had a significant growth spurt in the last couple of decades.”

“You’re right.” Parker watched as at least six pairs of blood-red eyes watched them. “I don’t think Garland Falls is prepared for this. Should we push deeper to find out more?”

“I hate to say it, but yeah. I think we need to get as much information as we can. Besides, we aren’t powerless. I mean we’re surrounded by the nature our abilities are tied to. We can defend ourselves if we have to.”

Parker glanced at him. “Let’s hope we don’t have to. Come on. We need to check out what’s waiting for us.”

“At least he only brought six hounds this time,” Lucas said. “There’s no way we’d have any kind of a chance to stop them if he’d brought the whole kennel.”

“Big bro is right again. Let’s find out what he wants.”

The hounds kept pace with them as they pushed their way in through the thick brush, staying just out of sight. Every few minutes, they would bay and growl, or snap their teeth. The trees blocked the moonlight, closing over their heads in a thick cover, even though most of the branches were almost bare.

“Come no farther, Green Men,” a deep voice said.

“Huntsman,” Parker shouted. “We’ve come to ask you to stay away from Garland Falls. You have no business here and never did. Take your hounds and go.”

Dark laughter surrounded them, making them stand close, back-to-back. An immense shadow pulled away from the trees and flowed toward them. “You do not give orders to The Huntsman, little man. The Hunt has gone on long before your time and will continue long after you are dust. Give me the spirit I crave, and I will leave your town in peace. Deny me, and there will be consequences.”

Parker faced the Huntsman’s shadow, and his brother’s hand landed on his shoulder. “The spirits here, all the spirits are under my protection. I will deny you, Huntsman. Everyone, living or dead, will be safe from becoming your servants.”

“Then, Green Man, you have made a bad choice. Tomorrow night, I shall appear, and I shall take my due.”

The Huntsman’s shadow loomed larger over the brothers. He brought his shadow hand down, forcing them to their knees. They struggled to rise but couldn’t. The hounds moved in closer, so close Parker and Lucas could smell the fetid stench of their hot breath. The Huntsman stepped closer, stopping right in front of them.

“I listened to the petition of the Green Prince once before. He pleaded your case, and I allowed you to leave our realm and live among the humans.” He leaned close. “In your time here on the mortal world, you have forgotten how to show your liege the respect he deserves. I will come for both of you. And you shall not like your fate when I return you to our lands.”

“And we are grateful for your generosity,” Parker said, struggling to raise his head, the muscles in his neck tightening. “But we still intend to stop you from hurting any of the spirits or living people we are sworn to protect. In this, we are forced to deny you. We apologize, but we cannot change any of our future actions against you.”

“Then I pity you, Green Man, and your kin. Be warned. When next we meet, you will feel my wrath at your defiance.”

The Huntsman melted back into the darkness around them, and they watched the hounds back away until they could no longer be seen or heard. The brothers looked at each other and rose to their feet. In silent agreement, they turned and hurried out of the woods. They no longer needed to check the area around Miss Dee’s place. They had found out everything they needed to know right here.

In the truck, Parker was silent as he drove them home. He was grateful Lucas knew him well enough to not say a word until he felt ready to speak. He parked in his spot behind their house and sat there, listening to the ticking engine as it cooled.

“I’m in way over my head this year.” He glanced at Lucas. “I don’t know if I’ll be powerful enough to stop him. I don’t think he remembers why we left his realm in the first place. Mom and Dad were fed up with his ridiculous rules. We were lucky we had the Green Prince on our side then, and hopefully now, too.”

“I’d love for Mom to talk to The Huntsman. I don’t think he scares her as much as he thinks he does. The elders should be able to protect you.” Lucas grinned. “I’m pretty sure Renee will stand by you and help any way she can. Now is not the time for your faith in your abilities or the people around you to falter. You got this, little bro. My plants and I will lend more power to the earth. You’ll have all the help we can give you.”

“Thanks, big bro. I may need every ounce of it.”

****

Renee sat straight up in bed, her chest heaving. “Gran, are you here?”

Her grandmother appeared next to her. “I sensed you had trouble sleeping so I stayed with you. What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. I have an awful feeling Parker’s in danger and there’s nothing I can do.” She jumped out of bed and threw her robe on. “I need to check on Wayne. He might be feeling this, too.”

She hurried down to his room and just as she was about to knock, the door flew open. Wayne stood there, his hair mussed and a wild gleam in his eyes. “I was just coming to find you. I had a horrible nightmare.”

“So did I. Let’s go downstairs and I’ll make us some tea.”

They walked into the dining room and Dee was already there with a pot of tea, three cups, and a plate of biscuits. “I take it you sensed the darkness, too?”

Renee and Wayne looked at each other. “We both had nightmares,” she said. “There’s something big going on, isn’t there?”

“Yes.” Dee busied herself with pouring tea for the three of them. “This may be the most important Halloween ever. Events are in motion and gaining speed every hour.”

Dee waited until they sat down and placed the cups in front of them. “Tomorrow night is Halloween. Renee, you, Wayne, and Parker will face a dangerous foe called The Huntsman. He wants what he believes to be his and won’t be swayed. The three of you will have to be stronger than you’ve ever been before. You’ll need to call on your power more than you have in the past, Renee.” She squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. You’ll have all the help you’ll need.”

Wayne looked at the two women. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

Dee patted his hand. “Garland Falls is many things to many people, but the one thing it always is, is magical. That element which draws good people also draws the bad. Wayne, you may have come here for Renee, but I fear you will leave with more answers about her and who you are than you ever wanted to know.”

“Miss Dee,” Renee said slowly. “Will Parker be safe when he performs the ritual tomorrow night?”

Dee finally smiled. “Of course. You’ll be there to protect him, and you’ll have your part to play too, Wayne.” She stood. “Finish your tea and go back to bed. Halloween will arrive before we know it, and you two must be ready. Get some rest.”

They drained their cups and stood. “Good night, Miss Dee,” Renee said, and Wayne nodded.