Chapter 7

"Jason, we need to move that book somewhere else," Cassie said. "It's too risky leaving it at your house where your parents could get hurt if he tries to take it. If you'd let me take it..."

"Babe, how's that gonna be any safer?" Ned protested. "Now you and yer family would be in danger!"

"Ned, we've got lots of security around the mansion. Daddy has a private firm provide..."

"Yeah, and how's that gonna help if this dude can control minds?"

"But Heather didn't say anything about that in her vision."

"Look, why don't we just put it back in the statue in the library?" Melinda piped. "That's where it was before and no one found it until we did!"

"And if he decides to go after Susan's mother like Melissa did, runt?" Heather retorted.

"Well, it's better than one of us getting screwed over!"

Diane recoiled. "Melinda, that's terrible!"

Melinda blushed. "I didn't mean it that way, okay?! Anyway, how the hell would he know about the pendant or the clue?"

"You can't make assumptions about what he does or doesn't know," Cassie said.

"Ya mean like yer makin' 'em about what he can or can't do?" Ned said.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Richie grumbled. "Find a goddamn patch of dirt somewhere and bury it, like out in the woods behind the campgrounds. Lots of luck trying to find it there without a freaking map."

"And what if someone else finds it by accident, huh?" Heather snapped. "Use your head for once."

"Hey, I would if you would stop tryin' to take it off every time I open my fucking mouth!"

Jason shot to his feet. "Alright, stop it!"

Everyone silenced at once. The speed at which he had regained control would have surprised him about a month ago. Now that he had finally accepted his leadership role, he came to expect it, regardless of whether he liked it.

"Heather, what was the exact wording of what this guy said when he first spoke in your vision?" Jason asked. "I mean exactly?"

Heather drew in a deep breath before she responded. "He said: I have brought it. I have forced them to relinquish it."

"'Forced them?' Are you sure?"

"Positive, Jason. It's like this vision is burned in my head. It's kind of a creepy feeling, actually, like not being able to wake up from a dream."

"Join the club," Richie muttered as Cassie gave him a curious look.

Jason nodded. "All right. I think everyone can stop panicking. I don't think he's just going to walk in and take it when we're not looking. Those words suggest that he had to sort of ... well, fight for it."

"Oh, yeah, that's real comforting," Melinda grumbled.

"Better'n him just walkin' off with it," Ned said.

"How?! Listen to what Heather said! Forced them. As in screwed with our heads so we just hand it to him!"

"We don't know that," Jason said, exasperation edging into his voice. "We have no idea what this man is or what he is capable of."

"But he had the Book, Jason," Heather said. "So that means he did get it from us. Or, I mean, he does get it from us later."

"She has a point," Cassie said. "However he does it, he has it, and we would just have to get it back."

"Hey, wait, yeah!" Ned said. "Heather said he was fightin' someone else towards the end there. Mebbe that's one of us tryin' ta get it back!"

"So then once he takes it, we just have to figure out how to..."

"No, " Jason said. "Look, I know that Heather has this ability to see things in the future, but I refuse to believe that anything is preordained. Otherwise, what's the point of doing anything if we just assume that there's nothing we can do? We might as well just end this here and go our separate ways."

The others exchanged uncertain looks. Richie frowned at them. "Shit, you're all worrying about this guy fuckin' with your heads. Maybe he just tries to actually take it. You know, with his fists or a gun or something."

"Thanks, that's sooo much better than what Jason said," Melinda sneered.

"What I mean, pipsqueak, is just don't be carryin' it around and you won't get hurt."

"Don't call me that! And how is that any better? He still gets the Book!"

"Melinda, Richie's right," Jason said. "I don't want any one of us to risk his or her life protecting this thing. It's not worth a life."

"But we can't give up the Book that easily, either," Cassie said. "Not when it has the Rite of Power in it. What if he's after it so that the Darkness can try again?"

"Yes, well ... I'm not entirely sure that's as much a danger anymore." He explained what had happened to him earlier that morning, when the spell disappeared from the Book. "And I know, we can't make the assumption that it will continue to remain hidden."

"Yeah, it might be a kinda one-to-a-customer sorta thing," said Ned.

"There's something odd going on with that Book," Jason said. "I mean, that spell didn't make any sense where it was anyway, not if you compare it to all the other spells."

"Then we definitely can't let him have it," Cassie said. "It might reveal even worse spells to the next owner. Maybe it's hiding them from us because we won't use them."

Something clicked in Jason's mind. Had he seen a reference to something like that in the pages of Elizabeth's journal? She had dabbled in objects purported to be imbued with magic early on in her Witchly career before settling on paranormal investigation.

Diane shivered. "You mean the Book has some sort of intelligence to it? That's a real scary thought, Cassie."

"I-I know. But if it can turn its own pages, who knows what else it can do?"

Heather bolted to her feet. "Shit, I wish this vision was clearer so I could tell you more."

"Heather, don't feel bad, it's already the most vivid one you've ever had!" Cassie said, a hint of admiration in her voice.

"Yeah, but with all the sex I've had lately, I should have enough energy to see more."

Richie frowned and muttered something under his breath. His annoyed, accusing eyes would not settle on any one person in the room.

Heather turned to Jason. "That's it, isn't it? That's why I keep craving sex. It's supposed to make this thing more powerful, right?"

"I honestly don't know," Jason said.

"I think it does," Cassie said, her cheeks tinged pink. She exchanged a look with Ned, who placed a comforting hand on hers. "I've ... um ... that is ... Ned and I have been..."

"Fucking each other's brains out?" Richie said with a slight sour tone to his voice.

Cassie's blush deepened. Melinda shot daggers at him with her eyes.

Richie uttered a dramatic sigh, but his eyes were contrite. "Sorry."

"Yes," Cassie said in a small voice. "And my Dream Gift has been increasing in power."

"Big time," Ned said. "She can actually get into ... oh..."

Cassie had squeezed his hand hard. "I'll tell them that when I'm ready," she whispered.

"Um, yeah, sorry, babe."

Cassie raised her gaze to the others. "Anyway ... yes, I think the same thing is happening to Heather. That's why I think she's ... well ... um..."

Heather sighed and collapsed into her seat. Diane draped a comforting arm around her lover's shoulders. "Go on, say it. I'm messing with people's heads to get sex."

Richie raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Really."

Melinda sensed the challenge in his voice and narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, really," Heather retorted.

"Would never have known."

Heather frowned at him, but Cassie spoke before Heather could respond. "Not all of it is that obvious, Richie. Heather is ... um ... influencing me as well."

Heather stared. "I am?"

"Well, not to do anything with you," Cassie said in a quavering voice. "But it's making me want to have sex with Ned a lot more often."

"Oh, wow. Maybe this is all related to ... um ... okay, there's something else going on with us, meaning us girls..." Heather explained about her and Melinda's lack of periods.

Diane gaped. "You and Melinda, too?"

"And me," Cassie said. "Wait, Diane, do you mean that yours has stopped also?"

"Yeah! I'm six days late, and I've been as regular as a clock since puberty."

"Well, that safely rules out all ya bein' preggers given the side of the fence Diane plays on," Ned said with a small grin and no small measure of relief in his eyes.

"Huh," Richie said, his eyes darting between all the females in the room. "Shit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Melinda challenged.

"Nothin', okay? Christ. Stop jumping on my back, Melinda, it's really fucking annoying. Or do I gotta save your sister again to make you stop?"

Melinda frowned and prepared to retort, but let out a short sigh instead. "Sorry," she said in a short but contrite voice.

Richie forced a small smirk and nodded once. He felt like sparring with her, just to work off his frustration, but she wasn't worth it.

"I'm not trying to be mean to you," Melinda said.

Richie waved a hand in dismissal. "Yeah, yeah, it's cool. Ferget it."

"So, anyone have any eurekas in their noggin' about what this all means?" Ned asked.

"About the girls' cycles, no," Jason said. "The only thing I know about menstrual cycles that even comes close is that sometimes the cycles of women living together fall into sync with each other."

"What 'bout Heather and her nuclear-powered libido? Have anything ta do with this?"

"Elizabeth's journal talks about sex being a form of energy, so I guess her sex drive could be just a means to gain more energy for her ability."

"But why does she need so freaking much?" Melinda said. "Cassie doesn't! Richie doesn't!"

"Leave me outta this, pipsqueak," Richie grumbled.

"Well, you're not boinking Miss Davis anymore. I'm not being mean, " Melinda protested when Richie shot her a dirty look. "I just meant that you're not boinking as much as before and you're still getting visions. Well, I assume you are."

Richie frowned.

"Are you still getting visions?" Jason asked.

Richie looked up. "Huh? Yeah, I am, I just don't go spoutin' off about 'em. Look, nothin' you need to know. Same shit, different day."

"So why do I need so much energy?" Heather demanded.

"I don't know," said Jason. "But I think we're going to have to ... well, cater to you for now."

Heather blinked. Cassie exchanged a shocked look with Ned. Melinda's mouth dropped open.

Jason's cheeks reddened, and his voice became louder than intended. "If there's a danger that the Book will be taken, we need to get as much information about what might happen. So the better her visions, the better is it for us."

"Uh-huh," Melinda said. "Right. And the fact that she's got great big boobs has nothing to do with that."

"Jason, you're not..." Cassie croaked. "You're not saying ... that we all have to..."

Jason's cheeks flamed crimson. "No! I didn't mean that! I just meant ... look, she's already ... she's already got some partners, let her go with that without hounding her about it is all I'm saying."

Richie muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

Cassie lay a hand against her pink cheek and closed her eyes. She wanted to protest Jason's idea. Encouraging Heather sounded somehow perverted to her. What if she did try to go after someone else, like Ned?

She refused to admit jealousy. She believed Ned had feelings only for her, or wanted to believe as such so her own feelings would not seem futile. And she was sure she was not attracted to other girls.

She had no alternatives to offer, however. At least Heather wanted to use her ability to help the Harbingers, which was more than she could say for herself. Her reluctance to let her powers grow felt petty to her now.

Cassie opened her eyes as a thought came to her. "But, Jason, isn't it going to be hard for Heather to be able to, well, to do what you said? After next weekend, we don't have this house anymore."

Jason sighed. "I know. Mrs. Radson offered her house as a meeting place, but..."

Melinda perked up. "Then we do have a place we can..." Her eyes snapped to her older sister, who smirked at her. "What are you looking at, bubblehead?"

"Now who's the one thinking about sex?" Heather said with a grin.

"I was going to say a place we can meet."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I am not!"

"It doesn't matter, " Jason declared. "I am not going to ask her to let us use her house for sex. That's ridiculous."

"Why not?" Melinda demanded, then stuck her tongue at Heather in response to another smirk.

"Don't we have to find someplace for that sort of thing?" Diane asked. She shrunk in her seat when multiple eyes turned towards her.

"Heh, mebbe Cassie can rent us a hotel room or something," Ned said with an impish grin.

Cassie shook her head. "I can only do so much. Things like restaurants, transportation, gifts, those won't make my mother take any notice. But I'm afraid if I start ringing up really unusual charges, she'll say something."

"Um ... not even fer us, babe?" Ned asked in a small voice.

"Not even for us." She lowered her voice and covered his hand with her own. "I'm sorry, I don't like it either."

Melinda looked stricken, her eyes darting from one to the other as if urging someone to come up with a solution. Her gaze finally came to rest on Richie.

Richie narrowed his eyes. "Huh?"

"Richie, it was your Mom that gave us this place," Melinda said.

Richie frowned. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, can't she do it again?"

Cassie sighed. Diane shook her head. Heather rolled her eyes and muttered, "Just brilliant, runt."

"Oh, shut up, Heather! Come on, you need a place, too!"

"Yeah, but I'm a little more sensitive about it than you."

"Look, don't fight my battles for me, okay?" Richie snapped. He stood up. "Aw, fuck this, I'm leaving."

"What??" Melinda cried. "Wait, Richie, I didn't mean... !"

Jason stepped in front of Richie. Richie's hands clenched into fists, then relented. "Come on, Richie, don't let Melinda get to you," Jason said in a low voice.

Richie wanted to shove past him. Instead, he turned and shot a withering look at Melinda. Melinda tried to look uncaring, but she cringed and guilt clouded her eyes.

Richie turned back to Jason. Jason was the only one that ever bothered to try and understand him. They had gone from near enemies to fast friends in the space of a month. "I just don't want no one talkin' about my mother, you get me? Bad enough what I go through at home with her."

Jason had noticed how withdrawn Richie had become in the aftermath of Melissa, no matter how much Jason tried to keep him involved with the Harbingers. "Hey, we'll talk about it later. I have to let you know what I found out about your Mom's divorce."

Richie hesitated, then tuned around and dropped back into his seat. Melinda and her last question ceased to exist for him.

"Melinda, I don't think we can count on that bit of luck again," Jason said. "His mother had to deceive the Darkness to give us this place, and pressing her for more would be asking for trouble."

Melinda opened her mouth, but when she finally perceived the tone in his voice and the look in his eyes, she closed it again without a word. She folded her arms and huffed. "Then we still need a place for that," she muttered.

"I guess she's right, Jason," Heather said in a more conciliatory tone. "I can't turn this off. I wish I could, but..."

"I'll think of something," Jason said. "We have a week."

Heather paused, then nodded. Melinda said nothing.

Cassie sympathized with Jason. She could see in him what the others had not, that he really had no idea and wanted to get off the topic.

Cassie had never been in any hurry to grow up, but now she wished she were not just a teenager with only those resources that adults deemed she could have.

She decided to help Jason out of the awkward moment. "Jason, I think before we get any further, we really need to talk about something that's a little more pressing. We need to talk about the danger to Heather this Halloween."

The doorbell rang.

Terri Hollis rushed into the tiny downstairs bathroom and checked herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through bangs of wavy blond hair and tugged her sweater down until they stretched over her plump breasts. She hesitated on a point of protocol: was it more proper to greet him in her ceremonial robe?

She shook her head. He preferred the cult trappings to remain in their secret rituals. His honors could wait until the evening.

Terri raced to the front door. She took one last deep breath before she opened it.

A faint scowl met her gaze. "I do hope this is important, Terri," said Victor.

"Victor, you're here," Terri gushed. The knob rattled in Terri's trembling hand. She steadied and forced her voice to a more normal if quavering tone. "It's good to see you again."

Victor smiled, devoid of humor. "Certainly you did not call me here to exchange pleasantries. I would prefer you got right to the point. I am a very busy man."

"Then come in, please, and let me tell you exactly why I called you here."

Victor stepped inside. Terri watched him, her pussy warming even as she had to grip the doorknob tighter to stop her hand from trembling. She closed the door behind him and knitted her fingers together until they no longer shook. "You are here to take another one."

"And you always start conversations by stating the obvious?"

"Have you picked one yet?"

"Why is that important to you?"

Terri stepped away from the door. "Because I have someone in mind. Someone that would be perfect for you. Or have you forgotten that was my task for the past few years?"

Victor's smile became more congenial, and he lay a hand against Terri's cheek. Terri's body flushed hot, a husky sigh escaping parted lips. "I have not. And your input has been very valuable in the past."

Terri closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft pleasure. She allowed herself only a few seconds before she opened her eyes and stepped back. "In the past? What does that mean?"

Victor lowered his hand. "Should it mean anything?"

"Everything you say means something, Victor. You never use any unnecessary words. So does that mean you will not listen to me now?"

Victor folded his hands before him. "It means, Terri, that I may have other considerations this year. There are things happening that you are not aware of."

Terri frowned. "So you have picked someone already."

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Gina Caligano."

Terri snorted. "Her? Victor, she's a wallflower. She barely talks to anyone, let alone flirts with them. You couldn't have picked a worse girl this year."

"As I have said, I have other considerations, and I do not feel I need to justify my actions to you."

"That's not what I meant. Of ... of course you don't have to justify yourself. I'm just a little confused. She doesn't seem the type. Or..."

Terri trailed off. A sly smile stole across her lips.

"Or what?" Victor said evenly.

"Or is the rumor true that you'll be taking the counselor position at Haven High for the coming week?"

"That is of no concern to you," said Victor.

Terri reconsidered her next words. Once Victor had declared that a subject was forbidden, to dare to further it was to invite his censure. Or worse, his punishment.