Dark Escape

Chapter 12

The howling was closer and ear piercing. Brandon went to the window and jumped back when he found himself face to face with Dominic. Dominic's eyes burned in the pre-dawn night, reflecting the anger and rage that welled within him.

"Damn!" Brandon shouted as he backed off.

Dominic pressed his face against the glass, accentuating his rage. Tara cringed to think she actually thought she could love this man. Looking at him now, she felt noting but revulsion. She hurried to the window and closed the curtains.

"I can see the pink of dawn over the trees," she said worriedly.

Something needed to be done soon. Maggie grabbed her book of spells again and quickly leafed through the pages. Without a moment's hesitation, Tara joined her. Dominic resumed pounding on the door and shouting for her to come out. Every nerve in the room was worn thin as the tension mounted. Maggie finally came to a page and stopped. She took in a deep breath as she read and then just as quickly let it out.

"What's the matter?" Tara asked, not missing how quickly Maggie lost her enthusiasm.

"It calls for fresh flowers of jasmine," Maggie wailed.

"You don't have any?" Tara exclaimed.

She was shocked. She never knew Maggie to be without any ingredient needed, no matter what page they turned to.

"I have dried jasmine inside, but it calls for fresh. That's in the garden," Maggie said worriedly.

Maggie bookmarked the page before proceeding to leaf through the others. When she combed through the book without finding a suitable replacement, she went back to the bookmarked page.

"This is the only one that will work," Maggie was almost shouting to be heard over the incessant howling and pounding.

Dennis stood in the doorway of the bedroom. The chaos was overpowering. He leaned against the door frame trying to collect his wits. He felt groggy, as if he'd been drinking all night. Tara rushed to help him to a chair.

"He's feverish" she shouted as she wiped the beads of perspiration from her brother's brow.

Maggie left her book and went over to the refrigerator. She pulled out a jar of brown liquid and measured some into a small glass.

"Hold his head back and I'll pour this down him," she said. "It'll help with the fever."

Tara did as Maggie asked. The old woman practically threw the liquid down Dennis' throat. He coughed and gasped for air as he pushed the glass away from his lips. Within moments he was still again.

Dominic's pounding escalated in intensity.

"I'm going to have to go out for the jasmine. There's no other choice," Maggie quipped as she started for the door.

"You can't!" Tara screamed as she grabbed Maggie's arm to keep her from moving any further.

Maggie had grown progressively weaker as the day wore on. She couldn't explain the reasoning for this except to say that it was her time and her soul was doing its best to return to her doppelganger. Her soul memories surfaced while listening to Brandon's tale during their walk back to her little cottage. Memories were flooding back to her but so was her soul's desire to return to her other body. She prayed she could stay in this body long enough to make sure everyone was safely out of harm's way. Then she would happily return her borrowed soul. She knew all along that when Angus went, it was her time to leave as well.

"I will go!" Brandon piped in.

Both women started at Brandon. They were so engrossed in finding a solution for the problem that Tara forgot all about him. Maggie raised her hand and shook her head.