Necromancer Chronicles

Chapter 7 - Jeremy

I woke up to a scream. My mind was still clouded and I could barely think. It took a moment, but I realized it had been my own scream. There was stabbing sensation going up and down my legs.

"Good, you're finally awake," the tone of Kari's voice was chilling.

"What the fuck?" I asked in a pained grunt.

She snorted, "Don't act innocent with me, I know what you are."

My head spun as I tried to make sense of that. I looked up and around. I was in a cellar, and there were lines drawn on the ground around me. Bell was in a similar circle close by but she was still out.

"What did you do to her?"

Kari smirked, "Drugs, I can't risk letting her wake up. You on the other hand I can play with until the others get here. I wanted to just kill you, but they want to question you first, something about some sick bitch necromancer killing humans."

I looked up confused, "Why? We didn't do anything to you."

She snorted, "Because I did unto you first. I found your sacrificial knife and I know what you planned to do once I was knocked unconscious by round two. You're not the ones that killed my sister, but you'll do."

Pain lanced up and down my other leg, I could only imagine what she was doing to me. I couldn't even lift my head to look down my body. I also couldn't touch my magic or connect with my amulets. They were still on me, lying on my chest. No one else could remove them unless they knew the specific command word, or they drained it of magic.

I wondered how long she'd been attacking me with TK to drain that shield amulet, probably hours considering how strong I'd made it. She obviously hadn't broken the mind one, or she'd know what she was accusing us of wasn't true.

Fuck. I'd never talk her out of this if a warlock and demon had killed her sister. She was also a little crazy, why the hell did she go through with fucking us the first time for? She could have started with the wine; of course I didn't actually ask her that...

She laughed darkly, "I'm kind of glad now actually. This is very satisfying. And if another of you evil bastards dies because of it even better."

I struggled to connect to my magic, anything, but it was impossible through the drugs and the pain. Even if I did, I was inside a circle; I doubted I could break out that easily. Even fully healed it could take a while to break a witch's circle. I looked over at Bell and felt a little sad that we'd only had a week together after denying ourselves for so long. What a waste of time, I was an idiot.

Then I got angry at myself for giving up, I didn't want to give up but I had no idea what to do.

I heard her cackle as the pain moved to one of my arms. If anything my legs hurt more now, absence the constant piercing feeling they started to throb, like the pressure of her TK had lessened the pain somehow. I started to cough violently as I inhaled my own saliva and I wondered if I would drown, but my body turned over and I continued to cough into the floor, my arm on fire.

Kari said, "You won't get away that easily."

I said, "We don't hunt to kill," but it came out all garbled.

It didn't matter anyway, I was pretty screwed. Even if by some miracle we escaped my body felt like hamburger, although I didn't really know, maybe she was torturing me through my nerves. I clung to that hope for a second, even though I knew it was a lie.

I screamed as loudly as I could when the pain rolled across my back onto my other arm, which was barely a pitiful squeak. Wasn't she not supposed to kill me? All the sudden it all stopped and my body throbbed in pain all over.

"I think that's the front door, I can't wait to see what they do to you," she said with cruel anticipation, laughing as she walked up the stairs.

Maybe picking up women for threesomes was a bad idea...

I'd have laughed at that thought, if I hadn't been choking in pain. My eyes widened as I spit out blood. I was really angry, some life I had led, constantly running from people who judged me wrongly. I reached for my magic, all I wanted to do at that moment was crush that stupid bitch. Yet, it remained out of my grasp.

I turned and looked at Bell. I had to face the truth, I was a dead man. But maybe it wasn't too late for Bell. I had gotten used to the idea that she would live forever and the idea of a world without her hurt more than the torture I'd just endured. Not that I could actually do anything to stop them.

"Well well, I'm impressed Kari. I don't suppose you'd reconsider my offer and work for us full time. We've been hunting these two for a long time now."

I gurgled a laugh, "Yes, and it took a backstabbing slut to stop us, you're too weak to take us in a real fight."

I choked and gasped as my back lit up with pain, but it stopped almost immediately.

"Stop that, don't let him goad you. You can torture him to death later, once we have the information we need."

I turned my head as far as I could, there were six of them, plus Kari, and I could hear more coming downstairs.

I laughed, "I have no idea where the necromancer is. She is paranoid, we didn't even meet her, we met her lich. Good luck and I hope she spills your entrails and bathes in your blood."

He growled and said, "Let's see if this makes you spill your guts."

The footsteps turned out to be five witches, they surrounded Bell's containment circle. They all looked nervous, like they'd rather be somewhere else. I wondered if they were willingly working with the humans or not, but it hardly mattered. They started to chant and the circle lit up with power.

To my horror they weren't trying to banish Bell; they were trying to destroy her completely, including her soul.

Bell woke with a scream that cut straight to my heart. She jumped up and started attacking the circle with shadows and her fists, trying desperately to get out. There were only two ways for her to escape destruction, overpower the witches, or be banished, neither of which looked like it would happen.

He motioned the witches to stop and turned back to me. If looks could kill he'd be dead.

He asked calmly, "So warlock, tell me what you know and I'll just have her banished. It doesn't really make a difference to me, as long as she is gone from my world."

I coughed up some more blood and took a half breath, which is as deep as I could take in.

"I really don't know where she lives, why don't you believe the truth? Can't you feel it? Can't you dig into my mind? Fucking bastard."

He nodded at the witches again who put Bell through it again. After trying to escape again she looked at me in sorrow, and love. I could see as she struggled not to scream for my sake and I felt the tears in my eyes.

He cut it off again and growled at me, "Last chance, next time I let them finish the spell and destroy her soul. There is no hope at all, you must tell me."

I could hear in his voice how frustrated he was. I think he did believe I didn't know, he was just so rabid and desperate. I was also sure he enjoyed this immensely.

I said as loudly as I could, "She's at your mom's house. I heard your mom likes zombie cock."

I knew it was childish, but I still grinned at him.

His face turned red and he struck out at me. My body went flying into the wall of the circle and I landed with a sick sounding wet crunch to the stone floor as I bounced back. Damn it, still alive. I'd hoped he'd kill me in anger. It was the only way to save Bell. If I died, as her warlock, the contract would be broken and nothing could stop her from returning to her world.

It was my last hope, or rather; it had been my last hope.

I heard the witches start to chant again. I shut my eyes tightly in anger, I couldn't even move. I reached desperately for my magic, for anything as I searched inside myself. My eyes popped open, I couldn't touch my magic, but I could feel the connection to my amulets. My TK shield was dead, but my mind shield and physical shield was still active. I could also feel my magical storage amulet.

I looked over at Bell one more time.

Her eyes widened and she screamed, "No," with a look of horror on her face.

I supposed she had guessed my plan, or her side of the link was working. I'd never know which. I muttered the command word that would unravel the magic of the amulet that stored a very large amount of raw magic. I had no way to direct it, or even use it, so it exploded in quite a volatile fashion. Bell would be safe, I'd won.

I just wished this would kill everyone in the room too, but the circle would probably contain enough of the explosion before it failed that they would have no trouble blocking it.

I smiled through the pain as I felt the magic start ripping through my body. The last thing I would ever see while alive was Bell. I wouldn't live to see her turn to shadows and disappear, but it was enough I knew it would happen, she would escape. My life was a small sacrifice to keep Bell alive. My body was ripped apart in a swirl of energies.

Chapter 8 - Katrina

Two hours ago...

I stared at the front door like it was a deadly enemy. Had I been hiding so long that I was truly afraid to leave my own house? The humans called it agoraphobia. It was a creepy ass word in my opinion. I had gotten so used to only going out as Katie or Allie, I didn't see anything really wrong with it.

But when Sue asked me to call her, through my ghost no less, I did and she invited me out for coffee. She told me after she'd calmed down she had realized I had saved her life. Although it felt odd to her, she'd like to meet. She didn't have any family or friends here either, she had moved away from her coven because they didn't see eye to eye and was here for a fresh start.

Why not a friendship with a necromancer?

That's when Celane made the comment that although Katie and Allie could drink coffee, as undead they really didn't need to, so why not go out as myself. Celane also told me I could have Katie and Allie follow me just in case I needed to get out fast, but she also assured me Sue wouldn't harm me and could turn out to be a good friend.

Who was I to argue with my lover? Especially when she was a seer and saw the future.

I had agreed at the time as it was all very reasonable, but now I was just staring at the door. Was I really this much of a coward? Was I only brave when riding my liches and in no true danger? I felt a little wobbly. For so long reaching out to me meant betrayal, the death of my parents, foolishness and weakness. All that was possibly true, but I saw it for what it really was as well, fear. I took a deep breath and reminded myself not everyone was like Fran, Neda, and Neal.

Them, plus the vampire master were actually the only ones in the community that attacked me if I didn't include the vampires that had no free will, although most of them did run when I won and then took over the town I hadn't really blamed them.

Allie sent in a reassuring tone, "I'll be really close by, nothing will happen to you. Now move it you stupid bitch."

I snickered and shook my head. It was just coffee right? It wasn't like I'd have to fight. Even if I did fight, I was more than a match for most beings with Allie and Katie along. God I was pathetic, living life was a risk, there was no avoiding it. I'd hidden enough. I moved forward and out the door.

Allie sent, "About time." I could feel her roll her eyes at me.

Katie stayed silent which was a good thing. Allie and I seemed to be growing into frenemies, and it was kind of fun to swap insults. Katie though was just a bitch and I wouldn't have put up with it at all. I had wondered more than once how stupid the vampire that turned Katie was. He must have had a hard on for cute blondes.

In a way I felt like Allie was giving me a friendly push out the door.

I sighed; the world hadn't ended after all. I was getting a few looks as I walked to the coffee shop, it was only a half mile or so, and I didn't have a license... or a car. The looks though were not odd, worried, or even assessing how dangerous I was. They were instead looks of appreciation. I had my long reddish blonde hair down and I could feel it tickling my lower back, swaying as I walked. I was wearing a half shirt and a pair of jean shorts that did wonders for my ass.

I never really questioned my looks, but it felt good to be checked out, like a shot of confidence. I had never felt that way in Katie, who cares if they thought she was hot...

I knew humans were mostly live and let live. I'd seen it time and time again going out as Allie and Katie. But it was different now. I knew if they moved as one, I'd be dead, but the thought was ridiculous and paranoid, they wouldn't do that. Still, I felt vulnerable, but at the same time very much alive.

I walked into the coffee shop and stood in line. I wound up with a mocha with whip cream and sprinkled cinnamon. I walked over to Sue who I'd spied on the way in and sat across from her.

"Hi Sue, everything good?"

Sue looked at me puzzled, "Who are you?"

I giggled, "Sorry, I'm Katrina. You know that wasn't me the other day, I was inside Allie."

I blushed as I realized how that sounded and it was Sue's turn to laugh.

Sue said, "Well thank you again for saving me, I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them."

I shrugged uncomfortable with praise, "They were after me, and I'd have had to face them anyway. But you're very welcome. Now that we know each other I'll send you a message if more of them come."

Sue nodded, "Are there a lot?"

I nodded, "A little over fifty right now, although there are ten I can't find yet that I know are there. There could be more besides I don't know about yet, so be careful. Ironically you're in danger from moving to where I live, just not from me. I'm kind of stuck until the boss makes a mistake that leads to him."

We chatted some more about the hunter assholes, then we moved on to more pleasant subjects, namely ourselves. I gave her a little of my history and she gave me part of hers.

She was an orphan who came into her magic at puberty with no idea what was going on. A local coven detected her and snatched her up. There were problems though, she was a natural, and quite powerful which made half her coven want to control her every move, and the other half to be jealous of her power. It was an ugly scene when she'd left.

I found myself smiling and laughing as she told a funny story about her childhood. Some of the crueler kids at the orphanage had met their match in a young confused Sue that suddenly had magic.

Sue asked, "Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night? I'd love to have you... over," she finished with a shy smile.

Was she flirting with me? She was attractive but I hadn't given it any thought before, and there was Celane. Still, I wanted to be friends at the least so I nodded yes. I could think about it later, and even ask Celane for advice.

"Sure, that'd be great. What time should I..."

I got cut off as an urgent message came in. Six of the ghosts following six hunters had just found Jeremy and Bell, I'd had them looking for them and forgot. From the visuals I was getting it wasn't good. Jeremy was... bad. And Bell looked unconscious.

I said fast, "Call me with a time, I gotta run, emergency," and I stood up and ran toward home.

A small petty part of me wondered why I even cared. If they had taken my offer, they wouldn't be about to get tortured to death, although it appeared that had already begun in Jeremy's case. But I rejected that part of me, I wouldn't let them die because they'd hurt my feelings, especially the bitch demoness.

I sent orders first to the fae, to get the portal moved to that location against the stone wall behind the group. That would take the longest, perhaps too long. I wasn't sure they even had the ten or fifteen minutes it would take.

I made sure Katie and Allie were following me, they were. Then I ordered the six humans I had to the house. If it was just me driving Allie with Katie along, we would have major problems with seven humans and five witches. My six humans would more than even it up, and now that they were protected from distance viewing I wasn't worried about the location being betrayed.

There was always a chance of discovery though, that last group could be here quietly watching the vamp house, waiting for me to betray myself in some way. But that was also no way to live; I wouldn't let them die to eliminate all risk.

Besides, if they ever did discover and attack my house they'd be in for a hell of a nasty surprise. Between Neal's warding with sorcery, and the two witches warding, plus all the fae the humans didn't even know about yet, it would be a slaughter.

My parents had died in an attack, to say I over planned my defenses would be an understatement. Regardless, I wasn't worried about that and the six humans were on the way. When I got in the house I ran to my room. Celane hugged me before I lay down and went into Allie.

My enslaved humans got here as they were torturing Bell for the second time. I was feeling like we needed to go now, but the portal wasn't ready yet. I cringed and made a fist as Jeremy was picked up with TK and thrown into the containment ward, he bounced back and when he landed blood splashed everywhere. I worried I'd be too late.

Celane said to my mind, "Relax love, just another minute. Just follow your heart when you get there and it will all work out."

I shook my head, seer talk drove me crazy. The portal opened as I watched Jeremy's body literally start to glow brightly with magic and then explode. I froze for a moment and watched as Bell turned to shadow and disappeared. Then in anger dashed forward and put my arm through the guy standing in the back. I linked him in the fly, but I'd fix his body later when I had time.

After all, he could do magic with a hole in his chest, he was undead now. In just that brief second the odds had turned in our favor as far as human numbers. I went for the next one as the six left turned toward me and gaped. Two down. Two hundred seventy. I drew even more power as I felt the other five attack me. The witches were busy with Katie. Katie didn't need the humans help as she turned them all to pulp one at a time.

I directed my seven, make that eight humans as I hooked the last one, to shield me, adding their shields to mine, I could feel the magical energy even out. There was no way they were getting through now. Still, I killed them quickly, no mercy. I think there was a part of me that went so fast because I was afraid one of them might surrender, and they all deserved to die.

Another reason I went so quickly was because I was tempted to torture them, to do to them what they had done to Jeremy. I suppressed that dark impulse. They were animals that needed to be put down, nothing more, nothing less.

Two hundred and eighty now as I hooked the last of the human souls along with the five witches. I felt so powerful as I pulled necromantic magic through so many. I now had thirteen humans, and I considered the idea that I should just take their souls in the future, and not make them revenants. I was getting to the point I'd make humans very nervous if they saw my numbers, no matter the justification.

The five witches however I hooked in. I now had my own coven of seven.

God... I could feel him hanging there, just watching. Why would Jeremy stick around? I could hook him, it was tempting. I didn't have a warlock... I'd also get a demon out of the deal. It would be so easy, but he wasn't my enemy. I felt slightly ashamed of myself for even considering it.

I resolutely turned around and took everyone back through, leaving orders for the fae to make sure the new humans as well as the witches were immune to distance viewing before they left the house.