|
BACK TO FRASER'S FRACTURED FICTION Follow That Falcon!by A. Fraser
© Copyright 2004 A. Fraser. All rights reserved.
Estella was on the phone with her mother. She made frantic hand signals to Ray,
who was wandering aimlessly around the trailer while waiting for her to finish
the conversation so that they could go to a movie. He took the hint and sat
down quietly and pretended he wasn't there.
"I think it's about time I met this boyfriend of yours," Estella's mother was
saying.
"We aren't in high school, Mother," Estella rolled her eyes for Ray's benefit.
"He's not my 'boyfriend'."
"Would you prefer that I called him that gadjo?" her mother demanded, with
some asperity. "Or would 'lover' be a better term, now that you've slept with
him?"
Estella didn't ask how her mother knew that. Mothers have a Second Sight all
their own. "Boyfriend is fine," she sighed.
"You will come and visit me this weekend," her mother said. It was not a
request.
"Yes, mother."
After a few more "Yes, mothers", Estella told her mother she loved her and
ended the conversation. She sat staring at the phone for a minute.
"Estella?" Ray asked.
"Do you have any armour?" Estella asked him. "Full plate, for a preference, but
chain mail will do."
He blinked. "I have a sword," he offered.
She shook her head. "Never mind. I hope you didn't have any plans for this
weekend."
"No. Why?"
"You're going to meet my mother."
"Oh."
She went over and kissed him. "You poor unsuspecting man."
Ray thought about this. Estella's uncle Rigo, a strong, tough vampire of the old
school, was terrified of Estella's mother.
"I guess we're not taking Francis with us," he said.
"The only member of the Brotherhood, besides you, that I'd introduce to my
mother is Michael," Estella replied.
"Because he's a powerful magic user?" Ray asked.
"No. Because he's small and cute, and mother wouldn't pick on him."
Francis laughed like hell when Ray repeated those words to him. "You'd better
not tell Michael that she said that," the vampire snorted.
"Believe me, I don't intend to," Ray answered.
"Though really," Francis said, when he could stop snickering, "I can't see that
Estella's mother is really all _that_ bad."
"You haven't met her," Ray said. "Of course, neither have I. So how do you
know what she's like?"
"Women take after their mothers. Estella's not that bad, so her mother can't be
that bad."
Ray thought about Estella. Their first few meetings had been pretty rocky.
When Estella set her mind to something, it took a cataclysmic event to divert her
from it. That strength of purpose, magnified, could be daunting.
He also noted, with a private smile, how Francis' opinion of Estella had changed.
"I'll let you know for sure if I survive the weekend," Ray said. "Anyway, we're
off first thing in the morning, so I should get back."
"Lot of packing to do, I expect," Francis winked at him.
"That, too," Ray nodded, allowing a grin to escape.
"I'm happy for you, man," Francis said.
And he really was, Ray realized. He'd been worried that Francis would be
jealous that Ray now spent so much time with Estella. But Francis had accepted
it with a grace that surprised everyone.
"You need to find a steady girl," Ray said. Looking around the untidy shack in
which his best friend lived, for lack of a better word, he added mentally, 'One
who would burn this place down, for a start...'
Francis dug under an unidentifiable pile of junk and produced a little black book.
"Got seventeen of them," he replied with some satisfaction.
"You're hopeless," Ray told him.
"Ah, well," Francis smiled, with more than a suggestion of smugness. "After all,
I have no future."
"Estella said she was sorry about that," Ray sighed, then shook his head. Francis
was baiting him. "Never mind. I'll see you when we get back."
"If you get back. Good luck with Estella's mother."
"Thanks."
Estella's mother lived in New Hampshire, a longish drive from Fletcherville.
Ray and Estella left while it was still thinking about being dawn. Andrei had
been left in the care of the Fairlawn family. He wasn't happy about this, but
meeting Estella's mother was complicated enough for Ray without having his
magical falcon along for the ride. Anyway, Galen and Vivain got a kick out of
the bird, so he'd be well looked-after.
The fall colours were in full display as the car travelled south and west. The two
of them talked to pass the time; though very little of any lasting consequence was
said. Neither of them was inclined to discuss their future together, their
relationship, or the upcoming visit. Everything was still too new and too
wonderful for words.
It seemed a good time for a meal break when they reached the border of Maine
and New Hampshire. Estella would take over the driving once they'd eaten.
They were taking their time, going at their leisure and taking in the scenery.
Estella's mother wasn't expecting them until supper time.
Neither of them noticed the car that followed them out of the parking lot of the
restaurant where they'd stopped for lunch.
Ray opened his eyes, and knew he was in deep trouble. The magic had always
been there, his whole life, even before he had known what it was. Now it was
gone. No, not gone, not precisely, but unavailable. It was a bizarre feeling. He
knew he had the power, but he could not access it.
What the hell had happened? He and Estella had been forced off the road, just
like it happened in the movies and then... then blankness, and this terrible
awakening to being powerless.
He was lying down, on a floor. Nothing _hurt_, physically, though he felt a bit
sick and disoriented. Whoever had ambushed them must have used some sort of
gas, or possibly magic, to disable them.
Them. Where was Estella?
It was dark in here, wherever here was. Ray groped around, found floor, walls,
something that might have been a door, but no amount of frantic searching
yielded the touch of another body.
He hadn't been tied up, at any rate. But he was alone, in the dark, unaware of
what had happened to bring him here, and cut off from his power and his lover.
He felt around the walls until he came to the door again, searching for a latch or
knob. Locked, which didn't surprise him. He was obviously a prisoner. Of
whom, and for what reason, he had no idea.
Whoever it was, though, had to be powerful magically. That narrowed the field
somewhat.
His bladder made an urgent request. His groping around had let him discover a
bucket in one corner. Chances were whoever had locked him in here wasn't
going to let him out to go to the bathroom.
Somebody and the options were limited--had already vomited into the bucket at
least once. Still, there wasn't much choice except a wall, and he was too
civilized for that.
He moved to the opposite corner to be as far away from the smell as possible.
Things were going to get unpleasant if he was in here for any length of time.
Where was Estella?
He checked his pockets, without any hope of finding anything. Empty. No cell
phone, no wallet, nothing. They whoever They might be had taken his Trumps,
the deck of hand-drawn cards that enabled him to contact his friends. Without
access to his power, he doubted if he could have used the Trumps anyway, but
they were a part of him. The lack of them ached.
Thirst, he realized after awhile (how long? His watch was gone, too, not that he
could have read it in total darkness), was also going to be a problem. Whoever
had thrown him into this room wanted him kept alive, so chances were they
wouldn't allow him to die of dehydration, but they would let him suffer.
Just when he was considering throwing up again, but trying to choke it back
down because the room was already foul enough, the door opened. Before he
could react, he was hit with a taser. His vision blurred and he collapsed
instantly, with total loss of muscle control. It left him shaken for a minute.
A hand reached down, grasped his arm, and hauled him to his feet. By then the
effect had passed, but he was anxious not to repeat the experience.
"Amazing," drawled a voice that Ray had not thought he would ever have heard
again, a voice from almost thirty years in his past. "There are people afraid of
this pathetic wreck."
Someone snickered, in the background. Ray's guts heaved, but there was
nothing left in them to throw up. That wasn't from the taser, he knew. Whatever
they'd used to knock him out in the first place had made him nauseous. He tried
to focus, but the light coming in from the hallway only blinded him after his long
stay in the dark. There were at least three, possibly four people there, including
the one holding him up. The one with the familiar voice.
"Eric Bates," he said, managing to make it a sneer.
"So, you remember me," said the man gripping him. "How touching."
"What did you do to Estella?"
"Is that her name? Nothing."
"Where is she?"
"Safe. For the moment. And as long as you cooperate with us, she'll stay safe."
"Let her go. She's nothing to you; she's got no connection with my past."
"Perhaps not," the shadowy Eric Bates conceded, "but she does mean something
to you, so we'll keep her for insurance." He gestured to the figures in the
doorway. "Clean him up; he's no danger at the moment."
Not as long as they had the taser, Ray thought sourly. They took him to a
bathroom and sluiced him down in the shower, then, blessedly, let him drink
some water. His stomach threatened to rebel against it, but he managed to keep
it down. Water was important. He had no idea when he'd be allowed more.
Clothes were thrown at him. They were his, from the duffle bag he'd packed for
the weekend. He put them on and waited to see what would happen next.
So, Eric Bates. The past had finally caught up with Ray. He'd been expecting
this particular shoe to drop for over twelve years now. Eric had been Matthew's
toady; and a far nastier piece of goods than even the master.
What had the son of a bitch done with Estella?
Twelve years was a long time to wait for revenge, but Bates had always been
cautious. No doubt he'd just been biding his time, waiting until Ray dropped his
guard and was vulnerable. Had the bastard actually waited until Ray found a
girlfriend, so that he'd have that extra lever? Nothing would be too surprising,
where Bates was concerned.
Ray was amazed he was still alive, but probably he was meant to suffer. There'd
undoubtedly be torture. He knew the way the other man's mind worked. He
shuddered, knowing that Estella was the one in real danger. Knowing that Bates
would think it amusing to make Ray watch while Estella was hurt, even killed.
He should have taken Bates down at the same time he'd killed Matthew. Of
course, he'd barely been alive himself at the time.
The other men herded him out of the bathroom again. They weren't witches.
Their only power was in their muscles, but it was enough to make him comply.
And they had the damn taser. Oh, yes, very magical, that.
He was taken into a different room than the one he'd woken up in. This one had
furniture, and a window. The window was barred, and the furniture all either
incredibly heavy wood or metal, nothing easily breakable. Eric Bates was sitting
in a big leather chair, smiling at him.
"Where is Estella?" Ray asked.
"You're in love," Bates said, the smile not wavering. "How sweet. I suppose
you've already screwed her. You know Matthew wouldn't have approved."
"Matthew's dead. Where is she, Eric?"
"Yes, I know Matthew's dead. That's why you're here, really."
Ray sagged against the nearest wall. He still felt sick and weak, and the loss of
his magic had him seriously off-balance. It was frustrating as hell to know that
the magic was still there, but as unreachable as if locked in a vault. He knew at
least a couple of spells that could do that; but they were very advanced. Eric
hadn't used to be that talented. His skills had lain in other directions than magic.
There was another witch here, then. Someone very, very good.
"So, this is about Matthew," Ray sighed. "Look, Estella's no part of it. She
never even met him. Let her go."
Eric quirked an eyebrow. Twelve years had left him looking twenty years older;
his hair was thinning and grey and there were lines on his face, but he still looked
like a weasel. A smart, dangerous weasel.
"Let her go," he repeated, as if considering it. Then he shook his head. "So that
she could go running straight back to that idiotic bunch of do-gooders you call
friends? I think not. We'll have no dramatic rescues by the Brotherhood of
Darkness."
"They'll still come looking. We were going for a weekend visit. We'll be
missed. There will be an alarm, and searchers."
Eric dismissed this with a wave. "They'll have some trouble finding you without
your precious pack of cards," he said, "and you have no magic to be traced at the
moment. Not to mention that we seem to currently have the best psychic in the
area under lock and key. Vampires are clever, Griffin, but they aren't good
trackers, and the damned Druid can't find you without the trail of magic to sniff."
He stood up. "And we made sure there was no scent trail, just in case they get
clever with the werewolf. No, I'm afraid that they will look, but quite in vain."
"You waited a long time before coming to get me," Ray said. "Why?"
"Several reasons; most of them are vampires."
"You're afraid of the Brotherhood," Ray guessed. "But I've left the valley
several times before this."
"Yes, but you never had a woman with you before."
"You were waiting for me to get a girlfriend?" Ray blinked. "How did you know
I would?"
"I didn't, of course," Bates replied. "But I reasoned that, sooner or later, you
would be vulnerable somehow. Let your guard down. The woman was a
surprise, but a handy one."
"So as soon as you saw me with a girl, you pounced." Ray shook his head.
"Even for you, that's devious. And a lot of effort to go to just to kill me."
Bates raised an eyebrow. "Who said anything about killing you?" he asked.
"Isn't that what this is all about?" Ray stared at him. "Revenge? Killing me to
avenge Matthew?"
"Why would I want to avenge Matthew?" Bates stood up and walked to the
barred window. "I have no intention of killing you, Ray."
"Then why did you go to all this trouble?"
"If I'd wanted to kill you, would I have gone to all this trouble? A simple car
accident would have been far easier to arrange, don't you think? Oh, no, I don't
want to avenge Matthew. I want to replace him."
Ray's head and stomach were still deeply troubled by previous events. He didn't
quite follow. "All you'd have to do is take over the coven," he said. "You don't
need me for that."
"I don't mean replace him personally," Bates scoffed. "I get much more done as
the power behind the throne, so to speak. We have had a certain amount of ...
difficulty finding a suitable candidate to replace Matthew as coven leader.
Things have been in chaos for the last twelve years. So I thought that it would be
most suitable to replace Matthew with someone he trained for the job."
"What are you talking about?" Ray asked, although he had a feeling he knew.
"You."
"You're insane," Ray said.
"You were very thoroughly trained, I believe," Eric told him.
"I would have thought that my killing Matthew indicated my opinion of following
him."
Eric shrugged. "It's not unprecedented for the apprentice to kill the master in
order to take his place."
"I killed him because he was an animal," Ray said, anger tightening his voice. "I
am not replacing him. I changed paths."
"You may have thought you did," Bates said, "but the dark never really leaves.
Not truly. Does it?"
"You know nothing about it. You are too firmly on the Left Hand to know."
Eric sat down again, regarding Ray calmly. "Tell me truthfully that you have
never had doubts," he said. "Never had nightmares. That you have never
questioned your commitment to the light. Tell me that you have never looked at
your hands and known what they did, seen and smelt the blood on them. That
you have never tried to end your own life because you could not live with the
knowledge of what you are."
"You son of a bitch." It was said quietly, not shouted.
The other man leaned back in the chair, his gaze never wavering. "Matthew
trained you too well for you not to take his place," he said. "You will be coven
leader."
"I will not."
"Then I'm rather afraid that we will have to kill your girlfriend."
"You'll kill her anyway," Ray answered. Estella, he thought, cold seeping into
his bones. Oh, Estella.
"No. After all, we must have some insurance that you will do what you're told."
"I won't play your games, Eric."
A flicker, then, in those brown eyes. "I see that even a girlfriend isn't enough to
bring you to heel. You always were too stubborn and disobedient. Perhaps what
you really need is to be reminded of what you were... a talented but undisciplined
brat. I wonder... where do you think we can procure a magically inclined thirteen
year-old or two?"
Ray froze. "You wouldn't _dare_ touch those twins," he hissed.
"Twins? Did I mention any twins? Oh, dear, what can you be thinking?"
"You know perfectly well who I mean."
"It's really quite tempting, considering how often they leave the protection of the
wards you so carefully constructed. Something of an oversight on their father's
part, signing them up for soccer. Pity the older girl hasn't an ounce of talent;
she'd be extremely useful, too."
"Stay away from the Fairlawns," Ray growled.
"If you do what you're told."
So that was it. Estella was a literal hostage, and the Fairlawn children potential
ones, in exchange for Ray himself switching back to black magic.
"Aren't you going to tell me how much more alluring and rewarding the dark side
of the force is?" he asked.
Eric raised an eyebrow. "You watch too many movies," he said. "I don't have
to tell you anything about the Left Hand Path, Ray. You walked it long enough
to know the power it gives."
"Tainted power. Blood magic."
A shrug. "Whatever it takes."
Ray sagged down onto a hard metal chair. "You have someone binding my
magic," he said. "That's a powerful spell. I don't brag about my power, but I
am one of the best. It would take a lot to cut me off from it. Whoever is doing it
should be your coven leader."
"Ah." Eric smiled, but there was no humour in it, no warmth. "You have hit on
a little problem."
"What do you mean?"
"Come and see." He nodded to the shadowy tough guys. "Give him another jolt,
just to make sure he behaves."
Again the blurred vision, the instant loss of muscle power, the moment of
weakness. The bastard had shoved the prongs in hard, too.
"Such magic," Ray said when he could talk and move again.
"I use whatever resources are necessary," Eric stated.
Ray was hustled out of the room and into yet another room down the hall. This
one was better furnished, and there were no bars on the window. The way that
one of the husky guards went and stood in front of the window told Ray that
there would be no escape that way. This room was already occupied. A small
form sat huddled on the bed, knees drawn up to its chest. Milky white eyes stared
at nothing, but the head had turned when they had entered.
"Matthew's biggest secret," Eric said, smiling again at Ray's shocked
expression. "You never knew, did you?"
"Who is this child?" Ray asked.
The sightless eyes turned towards him. "I am Deirdre." It was a whisper, a
breath. "You are Ray Griffin."
"Yes, I am. Are you Matthew's daughter?" It was hard to be sure. The child
had wispy blond hair, but seemed far too fragile to be an offshoot of the robust
Matthew. Not to mention that, logically, she had to be at least thirteen or
fourteen. She looked much younger.
"I hold your power," said Deirdre, ignoring this question. "Eric told me to.
Since my mother and father are dead, Eric looks after me. He is very kind."
Ray shot the weasel a hard look, which was met with another bland smile. "I'm
sure he is," he replied. "Who was your mother?"
"She died," the girl replied, in that wisp of a voice. "Falling, falling, falling."
"Your mother was Cassandra?" Ray's voice almost strangled in his throat.
"She fell, and the sea took her away. It was dark, and the cliffs were like teeth."
"And your father?"
"The things in the woods ate him, after you slew him. They are always hungry.
They will eat you one day."
"How are you holding my magic?" Ray asked.
The guard hit him with the taser for asking, and he collapsed to the floor.
"Falling, falling, falling," said Deirdre.
"I won't let him bother you again, Deirdre," said Eric, kicking Ray back up to his
feet. "You get some sleep now."
Ray was herded back out and back into the room with the bars.
"Jesus!" Ray said, ignoring the distress this caused. "Matthew and Cassandra
had a daughter? How did they ever keep that a secret?"
"Easily enough," Eric replied. "Cassandra liked those flowing robes, you may
recall, and she wasn't much interested in motherhood. The baby was given to me
to raise. You were deliberately not told about her."
"She has a remarkable talent," Ray said.
"And it has been very well trained."
"Funny, I didn't notice any scars."
"Deirdre is more... tractable than you were. Also, I've had her since she was a
baby. She thinks of me more as her father than Matthew, whom she barely
knew."
"So you want me to be coven leader just until Deirdre is old enough, is that it?"
"Deirdre will never be coven leader. Yes, the talent is there, but she is otherwise
unsuitable. She's far too fragile."
"She's blind, you mean."
"Fragile. She wouldn't last ten minutes in the coven."
"You'll have to make her give me back access to the power."
"That won't be a problem, once we have your pledge of cooperation."
"What do the other members think of this?"
"They do what I tell them."
Ray nodded. That didn't surprise him. Unless the membership had changed
radically in twelve years, the coven members were all cowed by the combination
of Matthew and Eric. They had, he remembered bitterly, been cowed by _him_,
as well.
"So, do I have it?" Eric asked.
"What?" Ray's thoughts had been miles away. Years away.
"Your pledge."
"Go to hell."
Eric nodded. "I thought you might say that." He gestured to the bully boys.
"Hurt him, but no permanent damage. I will go have a little chat with the
girlfriend."
Bates walked out and shut the door after him.
Pain happened.
Estella looked up as the door was unlocked. This ... house or whatever it was
seemed to have an infinite number of rooms. She didn't know it had been
deliberately built by Matthew and Eric to house the unwilling. It was an
elaborate prison. The room she was held in was very similar to the second one
Ray had been taken to heavy furniture, barred windows, no breakable
knickknacks or things that could be thrown.
She'd been allowed bathroom trips and food and drink. The food hadn't
interested her very much, because she'd been just as nauseous as Ray upon
waking. Her stomach had settled a bit, but all she'd allowed it was some water.
"You again?" she sighed as Eric Bates came in. "Where's Ray?"
"Your concern for each other is truly touching," Eric replied. "He asked
frequently about you, as well."
"If you've hurt him..."
He laughed. "There is precisely nothing you can do about it," he said. "What
should be worrying you, my dear Estella, is what we are going to do to you."
"I'm no longer qualified to be a sacrifice," she told him.
His infuriating smile tweaked his lips. "That's Satanists, I'm afraid," he said.
"Are you saying you don't sacrifice people?" Estella glared. "Because Ray told
me..."
"We don't sacrifice people," Eric replied. "We just kill them."
There was something in his voice and manner, in the cold hardness of his utterly
sane eyes, that said he was telling the truth. And she had _Seen_ things Ray had
done. There wasn't enough money in the world to persuade her to touch Eric
Bates.
"Then kill me and get it over with," Estella said. "Or haven't you ever read any
of the Evil Overlord website?"
Eric's lips actually twitched before he controlled himself. "You and Griffin are
certainly made for each other," he said. "We don't kill hostages. Not as long as
they're potentially useful."
"I'm a hostage? No-one will pay ransom for me. My mother has no money."
"I'm not interested in money," Eric replied. "That isn't the ransom I'm
demanding."
"What do you want, then?"
"Your boyfriend."
Estella's own eyes narrowed. "Really? You're going to be disappointed, then.
Ray's not interested in other men."
He didn't react, just looked at her. "You're trying to make me angry," he said.
"It's quite a stupid thing to do. I won't just slap you, Estella, if you make me
angry. I am not interested in Griffin sexually. If I was, I could have had him
twenty years ago. I need him for other purposes."
"Like what?"
"We need someone to replace Matthew. Ray happens to be the most qualified
person available."
Estella stared at him. "Are you kidding?"
"I assure you, I never kid."
No, of course he wouldn't. Not this weaselly man with the cold brown eyes and
she'd never thought that brown eyes could be cold in the tailored grey suit.
Matthew had been a monster, but Eric Bates was the man behind the monster.
Ray hadn't mentioned Eric to her. Some things are worse than nightmares.
"And me?" she asked.
"Insurance," Bates replied.
"People will be looking for us," Estella warned.
"Yes, so Ray mentioned, as well. They can look in vain. Vampires and Druids
don't worry us much."
"My _mother_ will be looking for us."
"Am I supposed to be frightened?" Eric almost chuckled. "What can she do,
little fortune teller? A gypsy curse, perhaps?"
Estella just shook her head. She couldn't begin to explain her mother to this
man, who wouldn't believe her, anyway.
"So you just keep me here as a prisoner forever?" she asked. "To make Ray do
want you want?"
"For the moment," Bates nodded. "That is what one does with insurance, after
all." He rose, but seemed to be waiting for something. "Isn't this where you're
supposed to say something like 'You'll never get away with this!'?"
She just looked at him. He almost smiled, that tight little weasel smile, and
walked out, locking the door again.
Estella lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Come ON, mother!" she
said out loud. "DO something!"
|
