68: Which Witch is which? – Pt. 3

“Victoria? Victoria!?” Derrick shouted as he rushed into Devereux’s office.

“She’s gone,” Brad said, holding an icepack to his head wound as both Mike and Derrick stepped inside.

“What happened?”

“Someone took her.”

“What do you mean someone took her? Who took her?” Derrick demanded, inching closer to the demon with balled fists.

“We were attacked. She was in a trance, things were going fine. I heard a commotion downstairs and something…exploded so I attempted to wake her. Next thing I know, I’m knocked unconscious. When I awoke, she was gone.”

“Shit,” Mike cussed as he dropped onto the sofa behind Derrick. “He came for her.”

“What? Who did?” Derrick asked, turning in Mike’s direction.

“The note for Vik, remember? The day we found Kelly, the guy we’d been tracking, the serial killer.”

“The one mutilating supernaturals; draining witches of blood?” Devereux chimed in.

Mike nodded. “He left a message for Vik. It said ‘I will see you when the sky lights up.’ We thought he meant the lightning storms but, it must have meant…”

“Fireworks; July 4^th,” Derrick said, completing Mike’s sentence. “If he’s got Victoria…” he didn’t have to finish his thought for the other men in the room to understand.

Mike sat with his head in his hands as the same thought rolled around his mind. After everything they’d been through together, for this to have happened. “Wait!” he said, jumping up, “Can’t you use your nose? Track her with scent like you did at the house.”

“And how do you suppose we do that? Drive around the city with my head hanging out the window like a fucking dog?” Derrick growled.

“I don’t know, Derrick! I’m still new to this whole thing. Alright? Victoria is out there, possibly unconscious too which means she’s completely defenseless.”

“Worse,” Brad chimed in. “She’s not in her right mind. She was taken while she was trancing. Victoria is alone with this killer but, also under the power of persuasion. He could suggest just about anything to her right now and she’d obey.”

“Fuck!” Mike said, throwing his hands up in desperation. “There’s gotta be something we can do. Anything!”

“There might be a way but, it’s pretty risky,” Brad offered, moving around his desk.

“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense!” Mike replied.

“As I said, before she was grabbed, Victoria was in a trance. Which means she and I were psychically linked. If I could somehow recreate that environment within her psyche I can maybe pinpoint her location.”

“So do it already,” Mike encouraged the demon as he watched the man struggle with indecision.

“Wait, Mike. He said it was risky,” Derrick spoke up. “Wouldn’t you like to know what exactly would happen to Victoria before you suggest that a demon go poking around her head?”

“He’s already been poking around her head, Derrick. If it means finding her…?”

“Finding her as a vegetable? You think that’s a good thing?”

“It’s certainly better than the alternative!”

“Better for who, Mike? Brain dead is STILL dead!” Derrick shouted moving into Mike’s face. “It’s not enough she risked herself to help you and now you are ready to accept something else that could hurt her even more? And we still haven’t even seen the consequences for that! This…just might be the fallout for all we know.”

“What the hell are you talking about consequences?” Mike asked in confusion. “Fallout for what?”

“Nothing,” Derrick replied softly, realizing Victoria never mentioned the process of her magic to Mike. “Forget I said anything.”

“Not uh, not happening. Tell me what the hell that means?”

“I said forget it. We don’t have time for this, Mike.”

“The hell we don’t. You don’t get to lay something like that on someone and then tell them to forget it.”

Roughly grabbing him by the collar, Derrick jerked Mike up and growled. “Victoria is missing and possibly in a lot of fucking danger. I don’t have time to mend your hurt feelings right now I just want to find her.”

“Gentlemen!” Brad bellowed, prompting Derrick to back away from Mike before his anger got the best of him. “Arguing is not getting us anywhere. Yes, this is dangerous. It can leave Victoria a drooling, simpering invalid OR she can be strong enough to keep that from happening. The worst thing that could happen is that she becomes trapped in her own mind but, she proved herself capable of overcoming that once before. Either way, I’ll let you decide how you want to handle this but just know, we are short on time here.”

With deep contemplation and a heavy sigh, Derrick slowly opened his eyes and gazed over at Devereux. “Do it.”

“Right. Here goes nothing.”

Victoria swallowed a few times to clear her dry throat. Her tongue felt heavy and swollen and as she rolled to sit up, her head felt about ready to burst. Blinking hard, she slowly opened her eyes to take a look around and brought a hand up to rub her aching temple. “Brad?”

“Finally, you’re awake,” a gravely tone bellowed behind her, causing her to quickly turn to look and instantly regretting it. Pain shot through her as the pounding inside her head increased and thousands of tiny lights danced in front of her eyes. “Now we can begin.”

The cloaked figure moved toward her and Victoria inched back on the floor, trying to force herself to stand. Her hands and feet were bound and the harder she struggled, the tighter the ropes became. “I’d considered just getting this over and done while you were out but, I’d much rather hear you scream.” The knife in his hand glinted as he moved closer. The stranger knelt in front of her, she could smell the rot of his flesh and the stench of sulfur as a thick, viscous fluid dripped from his hand.

The knife drew nearer her face and the man’s yellow eyes shone with fury as a wicked grin tugged his lip above sharp fangs. Movement behind him grabbed Victoria’s attention and her head shot up just as a large board came crashing against the side of the stranger’s head. He toppled over, his knife skated across the floor, landing at Victoria’s feet. She grabbed for it, almost falling on her face just as a hand snatched the weapon from her reach.

The blade ripped through the ropes on her ankles before removing the ones binding her wrists and it wasn’t until Victoria was on her feet before she looked up into the face of her rescuer. Taking a giant step back, she gasped as she stared into the eyes of—herself. “Wha..? Who are you?” she demanded. 

The stranger groaned beside her feet and Victoria’s doppelganger shook her head and snatched her by the hand. “Um…I really think we should probably just run now and figure that out later.” Together, they raced through the doors of the building and found themselves on the docks at the waterfront. The wail of a foghorn blared and Victoria’s rescuer screamed equally as loud and alarming as the noise made her jump. 

“Relax, it’s just a ship,” Victoria pointed toward the water. Looking around, she tried to find something to bar the door shut and urged…herself to help push a large dumpster in front of the exit. The Victorias then hurried to the front of the building and the street for help. Just as they reached the fence, a familiar red pickup slammed through the gate and skidded to a stop just in front of them.  

Mike and Derrick both hopped out and ran toward the women, shock and confusion dropping their mouths open in awe. “Victoria?” Derrick asked, his gaze zipping between the two. Victoria rushed forward, throwing her arms around the vampire and hugged him tight as his arms slowly encircled her, still in disbelief as he gazed at her other self. 

“Uh…Vik?” 

“Mike!” The other Victoria hurried toward her partner and he found himself mimicking Derrick’s scene as he comforted a shaken and upset Victoria. “He’s inside!” she cried, pointing toward the warehouse. 

“Wait here,” Derrick said. Both men jumped into action, rushing forward and entering the closed off storehouse without a moment’s hesitation. Breaking off in separate directions, they searched for Victoria’s abductor but, the only thing left was a puddle of the same goo found at Devereux’s home and the strong odor of sulfur. 

Rejoining the Victorias out by his truck, Mike announced to the women there was no one inside and Victoria turned to Derrick. “How did you find me?” 

“Devereux. He…” 

“Shit! Is he ok?” 

“He’s fine, Victoria, you’re the one I’m worried about,” Derrick replied, again bouncing his eyes over her shoulder toward the other her. 

“Yeah,” she sighed, turning toward herself. “Someone’s got some explaining to do.” 

Continue---->