The Terrible Twelve

Chapter 31: The Hunt, The Kill

Oliver held onto Evangeline's hand as her eyes went white. She was trying to see into the past and follow Jane's footsteps. "I see her, she's leaving the church and climbing into a car." After a couple seconds Eva raised her hand and pointed towards the east, "That way towards Highgate Cemetery, she's in the east section." Eva's eyes faded back to their natural brown.

"Let's go, we're not far." Ian started running towards the cemetery gates. He could have driven but it would have taken too long and she already had a head start on them. He turned down a side street and jumped over obstacles as he made his way towards the familiar spot.

They ran, faster than a car could take them, towards the middle of London where Highgate cemetery sat looking over the city. The old gate creaked as they broke the lock and pushed it open. Ian held it open as he ushered each of them in. "Spread out and call if you see anything.

They all went their separate ways and Viridian could have sworn that's how people got killed in movies but she did as she was asked, ducking under a low tree and heading towards the east. They spanned out in all directions from the gate and she could hear several footsteps as she made her way deeper into the cemetery.

"Just my luck." Viridian mumbled to herself. "First I get turned into a vampire and then that vampire's coven gets threatened by another crazy vampire," she tripped over a branch and landed face down in the mud. She grunted and wiped her face off before moving on. "And that crazy vampire had two crazy friends including a stupid gypsy and god damn witch of all things."

A piece of wood came down onto the back of Viridian's head. "I'm not stupid."

Lylah was standing behind Viridian with a stick in her hands. "I'm smarter than you. You're the one that just got clubbed." She flipped Viridian over and put her legs together before pulling her through the leaves and grass. "Why does everyone always hate on gypsies." She grunted as she pulled her through the brush and into their campsite.

There was a small fire set up in the middle of a circle of black stones and white stones were lined up leading away from it. Karina was standing above the fire chanting the spell to ignite the potion while Jane was pacing back and forth on the outskirts of the circle.

"Will you come on already? How long does it take to say a stupid spell?" she was yelling.

"It takes time." Lylah answered, "Time we don't have. I found this one in the woods and it's not going to be long before the rest come looking as well." She dropped her on the edge of the widest circle after checking her pulse. She was knocked out cold and wouldn't be waking up for awhile.

Lylah joined Katrina in the middle of the circle and pulled out the things that they would need. The spell called for very certain ingredients and while most of them were in the potion Jane would drink, others had to be applied directly to the fire. She dragged forward a small cooler and handed Katrina the heart of a lamb that they had killed not an hour before.

Then she unwrapped the golden yellow gemstone and placed that in Katrina's other hand. She placed the last thing near Katrina's side, as she would need it after dropping in the first two. It was a small vial filled with mixed blood of all three women. The vial completed the sacred triad, which would make the potion even stronger.

"I'm ready." Karina eyes were glowing a bright yellow and her hands were held aloft. There was a bright gemstone in her left hand and a bloody heart of a lamb.

"Then do it already." Jane threw her hands up in exhaustion.

Karina chanted the spell before dropping the heart into the fire. She spoke more words of power before dropping the gemstone in as well. She spoke the last line of her spell and then tipped a vial of her own blood into the fire. It flared and glowed red before settling into a bright blue.

"Now all you must do is drink the potion and you will have the power." Karina answered.

"Excellent." Jane pulled the vial out of her back pocket.

"Not if I can help it." Viridian ran with all of her strength and reached her just as she was about the screw the top off and snatched it from her hands. Viridian hit the ground and rolled out of her reach.

"I'm getting tired of you, little bitch." Jane dived and grabbed onto Viridian's ankle, dragging her back.

"The feelings mutual." Viridian groaned.

"Hand it over."

"No."

"I'm older than you and stronger than you. Don't get yourself killed kid." Jane was struggling with her kicking legs.

"No!" Viridian screamed as she threw a punch. It landed on Jane's cheek and sent her flying back. Viridian scrambled to get away as Jane recovered from the pain.

"That's it." Jane screamed. She raised her hand before clenching it into a fist. Viridian felt an invisible hand grip both of her legs and dragged her back. She clawed at the ground but it didn't help her.

"Hand. It. Over." Jane was standing over her with an evil grin on her face.

Viridian's mind whirled looking for possible answers. Her eyes searched until they landed on the vial that was radiating heat. She had one second to choose before Jane was going to end her life.

"Viridian, don't!" Ian ran into the clearing and was thrown back by Jane.

This was her chance. Viridian unscrewed the vial and dumped it into her mouth.

"No." Jane screamed and fell to the ground, her hands wrapping around Viridian's throat trying to keep her from swallowing.

"Too late." Viridian gasped as the liquid slid down her throat. I left a trail of fire that melted her insides. She screamed and thrashed as Ian ran towards her. He shoved Jane aside and she fell back against the ground.

Ian cradled Viridian in his arms and her held her while her body convulsed. "You're going to be ok. You're going to be ok."

Viridian could just hear Ian's voice above the pain. She held onto that voice as every inch of her body changed for the second time. Every atom in every cell was igniting, and her very DNA was being rearranged.

When the convulsing finally stopped, Viridian opened her eyes. Instead of the warm brown that Ian was used to, he saw golden yellow. "Viridian?"

She blinked slowly as her new world came into view. Ever thing was glowing. She could see the life flow through each and ever particle in the forest and even Ian was glowing red. She blinked again the lights faded. "Ian?"

"I'm right here baby. I'm not going to leave you."

"Not if I can help it." Jane crawled towards them and grabbed the first thing within reach and shoved it through Ian's back.

Ian winced and coughed up blood.