Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON ONE (Completed!)

Part 5.22

I tear down the hallway. There are shouts from behind me, and a crash or two. The guard's hollering at me to stop. I only barely register them.

I never even considered that Amitabh would switch bodies. But of course he did. Of course. His cover was blown with Ruby. She was no use to him anymore. And who better to jump into than a doctor making ward rounds? He could suck the life out of any number of patients and say they died from illness.

The fresh night air hits me like a bucket of cold water.

Where is he? Where is Amitabh?

I feel for the energy signature I sensed in the alley last night. It's there, farther off, past the rose gardens, in a wooded area brimming with evergreens.

I sprint in that direction, a magical wind at my back to propel me.

"Lily!"

I don't know who's calling for me, and I don't have time to care. Amitabh could be "feeding" as we speak.

The darkness of the woods closes in around me. I snap my fingers and a small blue flame appears in front of me. I cup my palm underneath it and scoop up my new light source. It guides me through the shadows, past trees like ghostly sentinels, then puffs out when I step into a moonlit clearing.

Dr Carron stands in the clearing, his back to me.

Except it's not Dr Carron.

Gold streaks have infiltrated his otherwise mahogany hair, and a forked tails swings over the grass behind him.

"Amitabh," I growl.

He turns to face me slowly. There's a lazy glow in his eyes, like that of a dying sun. "I know not what you are," he says, looking me up and down like I'm a museum piece. "You are neither the Dark One's child nor the Light One's child. You are not human either."

"I guess you were sleeping when I landed on this planet," I sneer.

"What do you want?" His tone is idle, as if my answer doesn't particularly interest him.

"That isn't your body, Amitabh. This isn't your world. You were sealed in that tree for a reason."

Amitabh's muscles stiffen. "Did she send you? Rikamu." Poison blooms with every word.

I shrug. "Do you still love her?"

A flash of anger, quickly smothered. "Be on your way, whatever you are. I must feed."

I shake my head.

A smile forms on my lips.

I strike.

Blue fire erupts from my fingertips and hurtles towards Amitabh. He stumbles backwards, the magic grazing his right shoulder. A shield of golden magic springs up around him.

"Very well," comes his quiet response. "Let us dance."