Page 87 of Hunted By the Headless Horseman
As Mrs. Kravitson, as Cassandra lowers her head in sorrow, every part of me burns with the need to strike himdown, but I force myself to stay hidden. Because he’s still too aware of his surroundings.
Belle lies limp, bound to the stake, still unconscious, her skin pale and marked with his hideous brand. Thaddeus crouches beside her, pulling a small vial of smelling salts from his coat. He thrusts it under her nose, forcing her to stir, her body jerking as she comes to.
“Wake up, my love,” Thaddeus leers with malice. “We are not done yet.”
But the second he begins to undo his belt, I charge.
Dawn is close, and my ghostly form is attainable again. The fire parts for me, the smoke swirling around my body as I advance through it, a wraith of fury and vengeance. The silver handle of my cane gleams in the firelight, and I stalk toward Thaddeus, my steps heavy, deliberate.
Smoke unfurls all around me, making me appear like a haunting ghost, a near mirage.
The second I close in and crouch, his head snaps up at the sight of me, eyes widening as he beholds the impossible. “Jack…” He bares his teeth in a furious snarl.
I say nothing.
“Jack!” Belle gasps, her eyes watery, pained, but filled with an unconditional love I have never deserved.
I raise my cane and unleash the blade concealed within it. A blade in the shape of a punishing scythe of vengeance. The same blade I used to disembowel Edmund Thorne will pierce his damned descendant.
With a roar reverberating through the clearing, I charge for him—emerging from the very smoke of the fire.
35
I’m fighting for my very life!
BELLE
My heart slams against my rib cage when the man I love more than my life itself crashes against the man I hate more than death.
The Brothers don’t seem to know what to do. Their Elder gives them nothing. They are at his beck and call. They won’t make a move unless he commands them.
Jack and Thaddeus collide in a blur of fury and violence, fists flying as the fire silhouettes them like crazed shadows against the ruins. Thaddeus’s fists meet the surface of Jack’s pumpkin head. From how strong he is in fighting back, my creation seems to absorb most of the blows, giving Jack a strange, eerie resilience. It’s a battle between two monsters, one driven by rage and envy, but Jack fights for something more—he fights for me.
“Here, Belle,” Mrs. Kravitson says, appearing at my side, startling me. She moves quickly to undo my bindings. “I am so sorry, my sweet girl. I should have told him long ago.”
I feel every ounce of her love and protection as she catches me, holding me up until my limbs begin to regain their strength. I want to tell her. No amount of love could have thawed Thaddeus’s icy, black heart. It was doomed from the start.
Several Brothers move toward us.
“None of you will interfere!” Mrs. Kravitson’s voice carries over the sound of the fight as she addresses the Brothers of the Covenant. Holding me with one arm, she stabs a finger at them all. “I will see to it that you’re all brought up on charges of kidnapping! The Council is on its way, and the National Guard has been called to deal with this Covenant. Leave now, and I will not mention your names.”
Her words cause Thaddeus to pause for a sliver of a moment.
At first, tension grows thicker, and I hold my breath, my heart pounding painfully in my chest as the Brothers look from Thaddeus to Mrs. Kravitson, hesitating. But their faltering eyes and the guilt etching them when they turn away from their leader speak volumes. They fear the earthly authorities more than their spiritual ones.
I can’t help but think of poetic justice. The higher they are, the harder they will fall.
When they finally start to turn away, relief washes over me. Thaddeus stands frozen in shock as they abandon him. Violent betrayal flashes across his face as his own men desert him, leaving him to face Jack alone. My Jack.
“You cowards!” he roars after them, but they are already disappearing into the night. The ground trembles beneath their footsteps, but Thaddeus’s anger is volcanic. Terror strikes my chest because I’ve caught glimpses of that anger, felt pieces of it in the dark days in that cabin.
Clenching his teeth, Thaddeus’s face twists in a grotesque mask of rage, turning his fury toward Mrs. Kravitson. “You will pay for your sins!” he snarls, lunging for her.
“Get away from her!” Jack yells, tackling Thaddeus, and my heart seizes.
Mrs. Kravitson holds me all the tighter, protecting me as she always vowed to Mimi. My pulse races from the chaos. I can hardly breathe as I watch, torn between the horror of the fight and the desperate hope that Jack will win.
Thaddeus rips off the pumpkin head, and his hands find Jack’s throat, squeezing, prepared to strangle the life from him. Shock waves erupt through me. I see every shade of red. I can barely think beyond the panic born out of love. This isn’t just a battle. I’m fighting for my very life!
