Page 51 of Unbinding the Demon
Her familiar green eyes shifted over to me, sharing in my expression of bewilderment. “Gwendolyn? You’re not supposed to be here.” She frowned in confusion and quickly glanced back into the well, then back to me with both loving warmth and sadness in her eyes.
I didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on or where I was, but fuck all that uncertainty. All that mattered was that Aunt Elowynn was here. I frantically stood up and rushed over to her, where she embraced me in a loving hug. Tears streamed down my cheeks and my breath rattled in my lungs.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said, her eyes shining with pure love as she squeezed me tight.
“I’ve missed you too. I’ve missed you so,somuch!” I softly sobbed, squeezing her as if my life depended on it.
“I’m so sorry, my dear. My witchcraft has put you in terrible danger. I have created a monster.” She caressed my cheek and gazed into my puffy eyes.
“What are you talking about? Where am I? Am I dead?” I looked at her with uncertainty, hoping that she could provide the answers I sought.
“This realm is for the dead, but you will not stay here.” She smiled warmly. “Here, gaze into the water. There are things you must know.” Her hand gestured toward the well.
I peered over the stone wall into the crystal-clear water. She rubbed my back as I watched a vision take shape in the glassy reflection. I saw an image of Ashton. He was distraught and holding me close against his chest on his bed, with Belzar mournfully resting his head beside us. He had a few tears falling down his face as he lovingly caressed my cheek with a clawed hand. My face looked peaceful, but I was deathly pale and unbreathing.
“There isn’t much time left until you return, so I need you to listen carefully.” Her voice was soft, but urgent. “You are in great danger. Promise me you will unbind the power that can avenge my death. Extend mercy to my killer and forgive him.” She pointed at the water—at Ashton. “Evil will battle corruption, and evil must be strong enough to win for the sake of good.”
“I don’t understand.” My brows furrowed. “That all sounds super cryptic.”
“There isn’t time to further explain. You’ll know when the time comes, but right now you have to go back.” She held me close and kissed my forehead. Tears streamed down her cheeks as though she never wanted to let me go. “Just know that I love you and I’ll be watching over you.”
“Wait, I—”
“Shhh, go now,” she whispered.
Her warm embrace faded away, and once more, everything faded to black.
21. Faded to Black
Thunder rumbled across the low-bellied sky as a dim street lamp flickered overhead. The frigid rain poured heavily, washing away the blood in sanguine rivulets. I watched in dissatisfaction as the eviscerated man fell lifelessly to the ground and splashed into a crimson puddle. I paid little attention to the car that sped off, noticing the scratched hood. My anger blinded me as I seethed in the soaking rain. Their deaths had been far too quick and painless for what they had just attempted.
I glanced over at Gwendolyn, who was unconscious and slumped against the tire of a vehicle. My blood froze, and I rushed over to her. Water splashed around me as my knees dropped to the wet pavement beside her. With trembling arms, I picked up her limp, disheveled body and pulled her onto my lap. Panic began rising inside me as I took in the disquieting sight of her. Blood was dripping from her nose and mouth, mingling with the droplets of rainwater that cascaded down her pallid face. Her breathing was shallow, and when I tapped her cheek, she was completely unresponsive.
What the fuck is she poisoned with!?
“Belzar, I need you...”I called in distress, my eyes never leaving her face as I did.
Dark wispy tendrils materialized and expanded into a plume of black mist. Belzar’s less threatening, earthly wolf form emerged from the inky darkness, his fur becoming drenched the moment he stepped out. His yellow eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of Gwendolyn’s condition. Large paws splashed through the crimson puddles as he swiftly approached us. He lowered his head with flattened ears to sniff her hair and gave her cheek a gentle lick, whimpering as though he were in pain.
“How did this happen?” His glowing eyes bore a look of agony as his distraught, raspy voice echoed in my mind.
“I’ll explain later. I need you to take these bodies to the shadows and devour them while I tend to her. There’s a third one locked in a private room within the building. Leave absolutely no traces behind.” I held Gwendolyn closer to me, readying myself to bring her back to the house.
“I will remove the bodies from this realm, but I will not eat until our precious one has recovered.”He gave me a sorrowful glance.
He snarled and opened his jaws, allowing his teeth to elongate and sharpen so that every tooth was a lethal, razor-sharp fang. He bit down on the disemboweled man’s leg and disappeared in a cloud of black mist, eerily dragging the corpse into the shadow realm. I gripped Gwendolyn, and then we too disappeared in a cloud of black mist.
We journeyed through the shadows and reappeared in my bathroom. It was pitch black in there, but I didn’t bother wasting time to turn on the light. I simply allowed my eyes to glow instead. I held her unconscious head over the toilet and jammed my fingers down her throat, forcing her to vomit. It was unpleasant but needed to be done. I had to get as much of the toxin out of her as I possibly could.
My hands were unsteady as I cleaned her face and stripped her limp body from her wet costume. I dried her off as quickly as I could, then teleported us into the bedroom. She flopped around as I put one of my shirts over her and laid her down on the bed. I then paced back and forth a few times while desperately thinking about what to do. What she needed was a human doctor. However, I couldn’t bring her to the hospital since it was somewhere outside of the magical barrier. And the regular doctor’s office inside it had lousy 9-to-5 hours.
I have to figure something else out... Think, Azathoth! Think!
My eyes glanced back over at her unconscious form, and the panic I had been trying to suppress completely took over my senses. She was deathly pale and softly gasping for air. Her rosy lips were a dull blue color, making her look as though she’d been kissing the ocean waves. Life was slipping from her. My heart sank, and fear coursed through my veins like liquid ice.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
My hands shot up to grasp my head in frazzled panic.What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?I hardly knew anything about healing humans without being able to use my powers. However, I knew I needed to lessen the effects of the poison soon! I disappeared and then reappeared with a glass of water. I grabbed her face and sloppily forced the liquid down her throat, spilling some down her chin and onto the bed. I took a step back to see if it worked—her condition remained the same.
