Chapter 22

Reed didn't know what hit him. But, damn, it was vicious. He had flown through the air with no control over his physical self. Just like a rag doll. Then he hit a tree and rolled down, hitting every branch along the way. It didn't take long for him to figure out that the evil-cloud-thing had tossed him away like trash. That, he hadn't seen coming.

He had to get back to Ellie. Had to find her and stop that thing from sucking her dry. He shifted and raced through the woods toward her home. Within seconds, he erupted from the tree line and saw both Ellie and the demon on the ground, looking at each other.

Reed transformed back into his human form and hurried toward them. He knew his mate could take down a demon on her own. Even with only defensive guardian magic, she was powerful.

Then suddenly everyone in front of him parted like the Red Sea for Moses. But a holy old guy was not what greeted him.

Reed dodged the hand reaching for his throat, barely scraping by. He heard Ellie screaming, but didn't make out what she said. But it must've been good since the demon stopped chasing him and turned back to her. Wait. That wasn't what he wanted.

He looked up to see Ellie gazing at him, tears flowing down her cheeks.

She mouthed I love you. I'm sorry.

At that instant, he knew why the demon had left. It was going for Ellie. She was sacrificing herself for him.

He tried to move, tried to run to her, but all he did was twitch on the ground. He begged his tiger to get his ass up and going, but that didn't help any.

The demon approached Ellie, but instead of killing her, the beast stood in front of her for a second. Reed heard the demon say, "I have a better idea for you. Something more fun." With that, it evaporated back into its cloud form and surrounded Ellie like her own personal fog. Then it was gone.

What just happened?

Everything was perfectly silent. No cricket chirping, no bats flying. Dead silence.

Ellie bent sideways and pounded her hand against her head like trying to drain water out of her ear. "Get out, you long-toe-nailed, zit-covered freak."

What was going on? Had the demon gotten into her head? If it was anything like being a shifter with a dual persona, then maybe she could control it.

Ellie spun around and threw a blue ball of magic at a building, destroying the storefront.

Then again, maybe she needed some help.

"Ahh," a strange voice came from her throat, "such power." She, now the demon, spread one of her arms out and turned to Reed. "Thank you, cat, for creating such a wonderful host."

Her other fist then slammed down on her hips. "I don't think so, buddy," came her own voice, "You don't have all the power here."

Reed stood mesmerized as Ellie shouted at herself. If shifters were like this, then he needed to have a talk with his other half.

Her brows lifted. "Is that so," the croaking voice said. "Watch this."

As his beautiful mate rose into the air, spewing electric bolts from her fingers, the townsfolk ran, screaming. It threw balls of light at buildings, destroying years of hard work and labors of love. Explosions tore apart the weathered cobblestone streets that had existed since the town's inception.

Luna, Celeste, and Kade arrived at his side, helping him up.

"Reed," Kade said, "we have to stop her before she turns the town to dust. Or worse."

Reed looked to Luna. "What can I do? How do you get that thing out of her head?"

Her expression was devastated. "There's nothing we can do against something so strong. We weren't prepared for such an event. Warlocks and black-magic mages we can fight, but this…" She shook her head. "The only way to force out a demon is to take away the host."

"You mean kill her?" Reed was incredulous. "No. Never!"

"Reed," Celeste said, "she is suffering. Look at what it's making her magic do. She's fighting him, but for how long? And how many lives will be lost if it isn't stopped?"

He buried his head in his hands. Was this what it came down to? Having her back only to lose her again.

From Ellie's fingers, lightning shot out toward a group of mothers with children. Reed gasped. Ellie certainly hadn't done that. He had to do something.

How could he end her life when she was the only thing he lived for? But Celeste was right. Through their mate bond, he sensed her anguish. He knew she wouldn't want this to go on. He could at least do what she would want him to do – take away the ability for evil to take even more.

Kade placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of it. Just give me your service weapon."

The alpha was going to shoot her? Currently, she was twenty feet in the air, so that was the only logical way.

"No," he said, barely able to speak, "I'll do it. I love her and owe it to her."

Luna fetched his belt and holster and placed them beside him as he finally made it to his feet. He lifted his gun and aimed it at her. He closed his eyes, reaching deep within himself to the place where his love for Ellie burned brightest.

As a tear rolled down his cheek, he said, "Elowen Theren, I love you with all my soul. Hopefully, someday, we will be together again and you can forgive me." He let that love flow through him as he pulled the trigger.

As soon asthe locket left her hand, the demon stood in front of her. Its grin worried her.

Now, what a strange feeling to have another entity with her in the same body. Was this how shifters felt with their dual nature?

Her body became weightless as she floated into the air. She only had half control to look around and move her limbs. She felt like a marionette being pulled along by the strings. Damn, this wasn't looking good for her.

Her hand she didn't control created a ball of light and threw it at one of the businesses in the town square.

"Hey," she screamed at half of herself, "what are you doing? That building never did anything to you." The demon only laughed.

Ellie refused to let this go on. She would find a way to get the evil spirit out of herself and protect the people. After all, she was a magical guardian responsible for guarding the town. Right now, she was failing at her job.

Ellie focused her mind, concentrating on kicking out the intruder in her head. She thought about Reed and how much she loved him. How much he loved her. There was no question they were born to be together. She let that love flow out like a waterfall diving over the top of the cliff.

"Do your best, little witch," the beast snarled. "We're going to take over the world one town at a time."

She hovered several feet off the ground in the town square where the demon was using her power for destruction and harm. She could only watch as her magic was slowly drained.

A loud sound like a firecracker came from behind her. Her head twisted around to see Reed, Kade, Luna, and Celeste gathered. Reed held a smoking pistol in his hand and a bullet was on its way to her head. It happened so quickly, she doubted the demon could react fast enough to prevent the inevitable.

Time slowed and relief ran through her. She couldn't stop the demon, so her mate would do the job for her. Damn, she loved that man. She only wished she could say good-bye to him.

Just before the deadly missile reached her, she was blinded by a dazzling streak of white and silver light. Her body recoiled, flipping backward through the air.

When she could see again, she stood on the ground and an angel with a white scimitar in its hand wrapped the other hand around her throat and yanked.

Then to her amazement, the demon came out in the angel's grasp and dangled by the scruff of his neck. Even though a thousand questions swirled in her head, she was speechless.

"Who are you? Are you an angel?" Luna asked. Thank God someone still had their wits about them.

I am no angel. Your people know me as the White Scimitarcame the reply with no movement of lips or mouth detected.

That name was familiar.

Many Earth years ago, I entered into a witch's pact whose outcome would depend on the consequences of their descendants.

The non-angel was talking about her grandmother. Now she remembered the vision where her grandmother signed her name in blood with the White Scimitar. Holy shit. And Ellie thought all that was a bad thing.

"We don't understand," Celeste answered. "What pact? Why?"

Still dangling off the ground, the demon wriggled in the beautiful creature's grip. "Shut up, you overgrown Goody-two-shoes. They don't need to know."

The being of light shook the beast. "It matters not. The time has come." The being swished its free hand through the air, and before them, a scene appeared like a movie playing on an invisible screen.

Kade leaned closer to Celeste and whispered, "Now that's a neat trick you need to learn." His mate elbowed him to be quiet.

In the scene, the town stood, but it was very different than today's version. The buildings were much smaller with hand-painted signs out front of a bakery, tavern, and bathhouse. The men were dressed in breeches, some with waistcoats, and the women were in simple dresses, many with muslin aprons.

The town was created on this spot to provide a protective barrier against the inherent evil this ground held. Whispering Pines is not the first, but it will be the last to secure this intersection with the veil.

The veil? Ellie glanced at Luna who nodded at her as if to say "Yes, the veil that separates the mortal plane from the spirit and magic dimension." Everything was making so much more sense now—the ley lines and her grandmother's house being located smack dab in the center of them and her and her family's role in guarding the opening of the veil. That was why this place drew so many dark magic wielders and cultists.

Long ago, Mograth found a way to cross the veil.

Ellie gasped. The demon's name was Mograth.

The village scene showed a dark cloud-like mass slither into existence from thin air and soak into the ground. Mograth was the beast locked in the cellar.

For generations, humans have tried to remove the evil but were unsuccessful in eliminating it?—

"And they never will," Mograth growled in a child-like pout.

The Scimitar continued, ignoring the rude interruption. —until Witch Theren, Witch Rowan, Witch Greer, and others were strong enough to imprison him. These witches were wise enough to know the magical binding would not hold Mograth forever.

The scene changed to show Ellie's grandmother—a much younger version—with others gathered around a stone altar in the woods. The same items Ellie found in the attic, along with a beautiful silver chalice, sat on the stone top.

The pact with the White Scimitar signed by Witch Theren was to finally rid this plane of the evil, on one condition—the White Scimitar found humans worthy of its assistance.

Worthy? What did that mean? She was just a normal witch with normal powers. The angel-like being turned to her.

The White Scimitar watched as the witch and her mate willingly sacrificed themselves for the other. Love is the strongest force in existence. The White Scimitar will return this evil to the proper side of the veil where it belongs.

"Thank you," Ellie said with a sigh of relief.

Good luck, mortal beings. There is a chance for you yet.

Like a puff of smoke from a campfire, the Scimitar and Mograth dispersed into the air and were gone.

Ellie sagged, her knees giving out. Reed caught her, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close. They sank to the ground, exhausted.

"You did it," Reed murmured into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "You saved us all."

Ellie shook her head, a tired smile on her lips. "We did it. Just like the prophecy said."

The first rays of dawn broke over the horizon. The sounds of battle had faded, replaced by the tentative chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees.

Whispering Pines was safe. Battered and bruised but unbroken.

Their allies, their friends, surrounded them, their eyes shining with relief and admiration.

Celeste was there, her auburn hair disheveled and a fierce grin on her face. Kade stood beside her, his arm around her waist, pride shining in his eyes as he looked at Reed.

Luna and Cedric, the town's elders, approached, their faces lined with weariness but their steps sure.

"Whispering Pines owes you a great debt," Cedric said, his deep voice resonating with sincerity. "Both of you. Your courage and sacrifices will not be forgotten."

Ellie leaned into Reed, her head resting on his shoulder. "We only did what needed to be done. For our home. For our people."