Perverse Thirst: A Ghost Walkers Prelude

Chapter 14

A multitude of thoughts swirling around in his brain kept Pilo from getting any sleep. Lying in the dark, he ran through all the scenarios where everything could go wrong when attacking the coven. The increasing possibilities made Pilo anxious, but he had made up his mind. At this point in the plan, he couldn't turn away now. Every step made him stronger. The intoxication of becoming this new person, had Pilo addicted. There lingered a worry of what hid behind the curtain of the plan, could become more threatening than the structure presently existing. Chloria's words kept repeating in his head.

Pilo wondered about Chloria's intentions. When she became High Priestess, would it be something he could deal with. Returning to his mortal form, he wanted to return to hunting. In the role of hunter, without his current powers, would he be able to take down the coven with the new knowledge he had? If she had Therion by her side, along with the coven, could Pilo and the rest of the hunters defeat them? They had powers mortals couldn't match. Bynan, as powerful and commanding as he is, the Light Witch stole his attention. He never left the Capitol Building. In the past he wouldn't ever join the hunters in carrying out attacks on the coven, or lend his soldiers. Hunters were scared of returning to the mountain. The fear still lingered in Pilo's bones; especially when he thought of returning tonight.

Having the curse lifted, freed Pilo. A constant thought of just leaving the city loitered among his anxiety. He terribly wanted to pack up, and travel away from this place, with Demini. By leaving, they could search out the happiness they'd been chasing for so long. Leaving the city to the mercy of the coven made Pilo feel guilty. Pilo had a responsibility attached to whatever happened next. His fingerprints blanketed the darkness washing over the people of the city. Turning his back wouldn't be an option, he had to correct his wrongs.

Torment of the badgering negative thoughts put Pilo in motion to distract himself, from himself. Swapping planes inside the apartment, he commanded the bat to fly out of the window. The bat carried his spirit form through the air, toward the mountains. In the air, nothing came into view. Floating in complete blackness didn't help distract him. At least inside the closet of the apartment, he could hear distant noises. In the spirit realm surrounded by nothing, and in total silence, his thoughts started to wander. Quickly, Pilo put himself inside the bat's mind to experience the flight through the mammal's eyes.

Welcomed years separated Pilo from the last time he went in this direction. The last time he made this trip, he didn't find what he had been looking for, and the person he worked so hard to become, never came back. All of his friend's died that day. Mostly strangers resided in the bodies of the people Pilo once entrusted his life to. Clenching his fists, he thought about all the pain the curse had caused his extended family. The High Priestess took everything from him, and Pilo searched for blood to shed for payback.

Watching from the bat's eyes, Pilo enjoyed the view as the bat returned home. Commanding the bat to rest, he took a minute to build up the courage to enter the cave. Even though the details of the cave were distorted in the spirit realm, it didn't help it to not be a constant reminder. Flipping through the memories made Pilo sick. Luckily he hadn't recently fed. Sickness in the pit of his stomach slowly turned to a fire. The burning in his stomach caused him to bite his lip as his jaw muscles clenched. He snarled at the nothingness around him. Standing outside the cave made him feel weak, and he commanded the bat to take him further in.

Pilo floated through the darkness until the bat came to a stop. From the spirit realm, Pilo brought the coven into view. Inside the mountain, high on a ledge, he looked down at the witches getting ready for their ritual. He had heard stories about the purpose of the Ghost Walkers, but this allowed him to experience the ability for himself. Any users of magic, those that are cursed, or any evil entities, walking in the Earthy plane, are visible to those in the spirit plane. By ghost walking, he is able to see those that are evil, without being seen himself.