Heavy Head (Book 4: Battle Series, The Originals)

Ch. 3: Haunter of Ruins

Vincent had left a message saying that there was a missing kid and that the whole city was in danger, and that it was his fault.

I walked into the church the next morning to see Vincent burning a book in a flaming bowl. "I got your message about the missing boy. My guys are out searching. Now, I'm gonna need you to shed some light. How does one missing witch mean the whole city's in danger?"

Vincent turned to face me. "You remember my wife Eva, right?"

I nodded. "Eva, yeah, the child-stealing psycho."

"Yeah, she wasn't always like that, Noah," Vincent told me. "What you saw was a shell. She was everything, man. She was smart, she was beautiful. She was just full of love and light. And then something evil got inside her and twisted her up. And it left nothing but darkness. And now I think that that same darkness has come back again."

"Eva was trying to sacrifice nine children," I told him. "Now, do you really think that somebody is--"

"Man, Adam Folsom was only the first," Vincent told me. "Whoever's doing this, they're gonna want more."

I knew that Vincent was scared of this thing, which was surprising and confusing to me, because he never seemed to be scared of anything.

****

Later, Vincent was tapping together two sticks in a rhythmic fashion, chanting a spell under his breath.

I walked toward him. "Looks like you're really getting into that spell there. Got a song stuck in your head or something that you're channeling into that work you're doing?"

Vincent sighed. "Noah, thanks for helping, man. You got some news for me?"

"Not the good kind," I answered. "Adam Folsom isn't the only kid that's missing. There's three additional reports of missing kids. All right, now, I made sure that the cops are staying out of this one in case something seriously supernatural is going on."

"Thanks," Vincent told me.

"So it's just up to us," I told him.

Marcel walked in. "Actually, it's up to the three of us." I looked at Marcel in annoyance, turning to Vincent, knowing that he had called him, giving him a look. Vincent pursed his lips together slightly. "You guys need another one if you're gonna get this done. One of our guys spotted some lights at the old Strix mansion. Now, the place has been boarded up for years. All of a sudden, lock is busted off the front gate."

I looked between them, sighing. "Fine. These kidnappings are gonna hit the press. My guess, we have till the end of the day, at best." 

Vincent grabbed his jacket, walking toward the door. "Let's go."

I looked at the fire bowl. "Hey, hold up." Vincent and Marcel turned back. I pulled out the book from the remains of the ashes, revealing that it wasn't even singed. "Weren't you just soaking this thing in lighter fluid this morning?"

Vincent was worried and a little scared, walking closer. "Guys, do me a favor. I want you to keep that book far away from me. If I even try to come for it, I want you to kill me."

Marcel and I looked at Vincent in confusion, but before we could ask what was going on, he walked away. We exchanged a look.

****

Marcel pulled us up to the Davilla Estate in his fancy car. We opened the butterfly doors, getting out, closing the doors.