Sixty. Definitely a Trap

Mike catches my wrist, never taking his eyes off the road but looking mildly irritated that I dared attack him. “Get a hold of yourself, kid. You’re the only hope I’ve got left here. I can’t afford to have you going all red eyed on me.”

“You killed mom.”

“No, Ravenna killed our mother, and I am trying my best to feel bad about it, alright?”

I want to rip him in half, but I close my eyes instead and force myself to breathe: in and out, in careful cadence.

“I was going to ask Ravenna to resurrect Kathy, but to be honest, I didn’t feel like it was worth the further humiliation and all the begging that favor would have cost.” My hands clench, nails cutting into my palm. “I was already licking her feet being forced to ‘atone’ for wanting to murder her. We would have needed a soul to trade into hell in exchange for mom anyway. But hey, maybe we can wake up your girlfriend and she can perform that resurrection.”

“She could really bring mom back?” I murmur.

I want to free Cassi anyway. I want to hug her and apologize, to talk about all these horrible things that happened after she left-- after I left her. I never should have put my trust in Ravenna. Cassi may have hidden things from me, but she was always on my side. I want to believe that she genuinely loves me, even if it is too late for us…

“Cassandra’s older than Ravenna, and she apparently has more power, so yeah,” Mike breaks through my reverie. “She should be able to bring back mom. I’ll go digging up the body once Ravenna’s dead. I’d be defying orders if I tried to do it now.”

“Where is Cassi?”

“Laid out in the basement under Ravenna’s sleep enchantment. You just have to blow out the candle burning beside her on the nightstand and she’ll wake up. I planned to slip inside through that basement anyway so Ravenna doesn’t see us coming. There’s a good amount of swords and knives down there too, so just pick one out, wake Cassandra, then head upstairs the pair of you. Having her at your side is the only surefire way we’ll succeed in this if Ravenna spots you and starts snapping out commands.”

“Cassi can counter that order to ‘heel’?” I press, remembering resentfully that day at the clinic where Ravenna got me to kneel to her with a single word and a snap of her fingers.

“Yeah, Cassandra can make any order given to you by a rival witch completely and utterly meaningless. You’re her thrall, Jase--”

“I am not a thrall.” She never controlled me, and there was no love spell. I know that now. I just know it.

“Would you prefer the term devoted little bitch boy?” Mike taunts, and I can feel myself shifting again, just seconds from attacking him, so I commit another few minutes to deep breathing and meditation as we finish the long drive over to his house, clear across the city.

The afternoon sun is right in our eyes now. It’s already after four, just over an hour away from sunset when Ravenna’s powers reach their peak. We don’t have much time to pull off this rescue and ambush.

“Don’t worry. We’re almost there,” Mike tells me, exiting off the highway.

It’s a freaking mansion, isolated up on a hill at the end of the street. There’s no cars parked outside the gothic probably ten million dollar home, and all the windows are shuttered to let in not the smallest sliver of sunlight. “This looks like Dracula’s vacation home,” I mutter, and Mike just shrugs.

“Ravenna has certain tastes.”

“And she really works for that money?” I can’t hide my skepticism.

“In a way. She has deals with almost every CEO in this town. She raises their stock or whatever else they need, and they pay her an extremely high ‘consulting fee’. She does go in to an office everyday, but mostly to schmooze and manipulate. The amount of people who will sell their soul in exchange for a magic trick winning them a bit of fame or money is pathetic.”

“You sold her your soul.”

“Yeah, but at least I did it for a genuine miracle.” He smiles, popping the car into park and clapping me on the shoulder. “Now let’s head on inside and murder my wife.”

I hate that glib, uncaring tone. I hate the emptiness in his eyes, and I wonder if there’s some way to bring back the real Mike, the caring older brother that Felix and me looked up to as the coolest, greatest person on the planet.

I wonder if we can really resurrect mom and get her to come back unchanged. Then I remind myself of the cost of that spell, and wonder if there isn’t something wrong with me. Did I really come back from the dead as the same caring person? Or did I lose an important part of myself that day?

How many times has Cassi died now? And is there really still a soul left inside her?

A lot of what she’s done is really selfish, but I still want to save her anyway. Hell, I don’t even want to put her in danger by bringing her upstairs with me to try and kill Ravenna. I just want to wake her up and send her running outside to safety.

We circle around back of the house and slip in through a ground level window that Mike left unlocked. This place is like a twisted labyrinth. It goes deeper underground than a regular basement, and down those steps is chamber after dirt-floored chamber. Some of them have weird trees and thorn bushes growing, but most rooms are equipped with wall-mounted chains and what looks to be torture devices as well as other sinful tools that would start someone like Grace or Felix praying and possibly vomiting.

“And you said you were having a real great time these past five years?” I remind Mike angrily, and all he does is smile.

“Oh yeah. Ravenna can work some real artistry with those pincers over there. You ever seen a girl’s ribs--?”

“No, and I do not want to hear about it. She turned you into a monster.”

“Yeah, guess so.” He shrugs. “But I’ve never really cared about curing myself of this whole werewolf thing. After all, it’s not like I’ll ever become some deformed thing like dad. I got the looks and the power. Standing by Ravenna I even get to be immortal. I would have saved everyone in our family from all that pointless, painful guilt by ripping out your souls...” I back away instantly, and he catches my arm. “Relax. I was not done. I *would* have said you are all better off soulless, if it weren’t for the fact that I miss my own soul, for some reason. Things just don’t… taste right without it.”

“Let go of my arm.”

He does so with a sigh. “Fine, but wipe that look off your face. I am just trying to share, be honest with you, and make up for lost time. I don’t actually have anyone who listens to me. All the friends I make just wind up ritually sacrificed.”

“And when that happens you get angry at least?”

“No. I didn’t care about any of those people. But I can’t grab a beer with Ravenna and watch cage matches. We only get to do what she likes.”

I say little else until we finally reach the room where Cassi is being held. She’s laid out on a narrow bed atop red silk sheets, dressed in a crimson toga dress. No makeup, but then, she never needed any, not with those dark eyebrows and lashes, those flush, full lips… She looks so peaceful now, but also so very vulnerable. Though her skin has a healthy glow to it again. It’s not that upsetting ashen color it was when last I saw her.

I find myself kneeling at her bedside anyway, watching the reassuring rise and fall of her chest, as I take her hand in my own. Then I start to get drowsy…

“Candle, Jase,” Mike reminds me cynically, pointing to the black-flamed stick of tallow smoking on the table beside me. “You want to help your little witch there, then blow it out. Now.”

“No, no.” The shadows at Mike’s back coalesce right into Ravenna.

I’m on my feet in an instant, but it’s too late. “Heel.”

Shit. I can’t fight her. I’m back on my knees.

“Thank you ever so much for bringing your most special brother right home to me, Michael,” she coos, kissing his cheek.

Damn it. It was all a trap, and I’m full on glaring at my traitorous brother, until I notice his gritted teeth. He’s not enjoying this at all, he is struggling to say something. “How did you--?”

“You are a very predictable pet,” she clucks, tapping him on the nose. “You think I gave you free roaming time today without anticipating just what it is you’d do? Your precious little brother wouldn’t change last night, so frustrating, but maybe it’s for the best. After all.” She walks over to me, tilting up my face. “He is such a delicious little snack, and a witch can never have herself too many thralls.”

I want to reach out and throttle her, but the second I twitch my fingers she chants in intimidating, echoing tones. “Bind in place and do not move until I order it.” Her eyes are burning with violet flame, and I find it impossible to look away. She pushes a hand through my hair. “Such a pretty thing. Though you are a little too young for my tastes. I like my men a little more mature and rugged, but still, if you are good enough for Cassandra then you are most certainly good enough for me to steal away.” She lays her hand against my chest. “I’ll sell your soul off to Proteus tonight and get you hollowed out nice and ready for service.”

“Don’t,” Mike hisses, hands shaking, clenched at his sides.

“What was that Michael? You want to take another bow?” He’s prostrated himself in an instant, slamming his forehead into the dirt. “Yes, feel free to bask in my glory. I’m magnificent, I know, but you will always be my favorite. I have enslaved dozens of men from your family, but not a one of them could compare to you. You are so very fun to play with. Now come on over here.” He starts to straighten. “No, no. No standing. All fours.”

He crawls right up to her side and stares up at her with empty eyes shining in sudden adoration. She reaches down to ruffle his hair. “Good boy. Now getting back to Jason." She caresses my cheek. "I’ve got no time to break you in right at this minute, because Michael and I need to take a long drive out into the woods with Sleeping Ugly over there.” I grit my teeth, and she grabs me by the lip of all things. “So you just stay put here, sweetie. Take a little nap and wait for me to get back here and school you.”

She puts the candle down on the ground, right in front of me, and the smoke winds up into my nostrils, blurring my vision and setting me slumping sideways.

Mike has already picked up Cassi, cradling her to his chest and carrying her off in compliance with Ravenna’s will. They are going to kill her. She’ll be dead by the time I wake up, so I need to fight this. I can’t let myself black out yet.

“Cassi...”

I hold my breath until Ravenna and Mike have exited the room. Then I flop over my arm and slam my hand down on the candle wick. I don’t care how much it burns. I am smothering this flame, and I am getting to my feet again.

Cassi is in danger, and I am going to save her, whatever the cost.