The McCallister Curse Pt. 03

"Am I clear?" he'd demanded.

The mismatched pair before him hadn't hesitated at all. Henry, his younger brothers' son, tall, powerfully built and with the features of a brute that hid a devious, vicious mind nodded eagerly. Jasper, the demon, the one thing in his arsenal that could actually harm the angel had bowed and simply said "Your will my Lord."

"Ensure Captain Fuller and others know it as well. No witnesses. No survivors. All we need is the McCallister girl.

"Now go. Bring her to me," his fist clenching in the air as he demanded it.

They'd both nodded again then left.

Leaving him to wait, plan and ready himself for the meeting.

So now he sat in the backseat of his private limousine, heavily tinted bulletproof windows, and fully enchanted armour and glass providing him his solitude, waiting for news, preparing for a meeting that had been years in the planning and was now only minutes away. He tapped his foot again. What was taking so long?

He didn't get an answer. The car door opened to his left, and it was time for him to write the Greys into history once more. He coiled his power around himself, reducing his aura's reach but not its potency and stepped from the car. It was time to go to work.

For the good of the family.

Elizabeth was shaking, nerves and anxiety rattling around inside her while she and her sister watched and waited. The thrill of being involved in a family matter, of taking part in a mission, the visions of victory and success had faded and faltered beneath the onset of fear and the hard slap of reality.

They had seized the opportunity. Well, she had, and she had dragged Katherine along. A chance to get ahead, to win some respect and approval from Father. They had known the location of the girl, the McCallister before anyone else. They had commandeered the search effort, overseeing every aspect of the hunt. Every report, every agent had very briefly answered to them. It had been empowering. It had been everything they wanted. It was what they had been born to do.

Now though, now she was doubting everything. Her recklessness had cost them. They were in danger. A succubus was brawling with an angel in the streets, an abbey was under assault by armed soldiers and she and her sister were sitting in its shadows with no real weapons and only the barest of plans.

It wasn't meant to happen like this.

When the message from Rafe had arrived, they had been stunned. A success after days of nothing. Father had to be told at once. They had rushed to him with the news, glowing with success.

And they had been sidelined. Reduced to being messengers in the span of seconds.

She hadn't been able to stand it. She'd kept her cool in front of their father, but the wheels had been spinning. A plan had formed. An outrageous, half-baked plan that relied on one of the deep secrets of their house.

They would sneak out before everyone else, and they would capture the girl themselves. Who was she and a bunch of nuns to the heirs of the Greys? They had power and they knew how to use it. Only Father had more, what could a freshly awakened girl, hiding and afraid do to them?

Leaving their fathers study, making sure the door was closed and no one else was within earshot she'd convinced Katherine while they did their fathers bidding.

"We should do it," she'd whispered to her sister.

"Do what?" had been the soft reply.

"Go after the girl. Capture her ourselves. Prove we can do this, that we are part of this family too, that we can take care of things on our own."

Katherine had paused mid step at the statement before very quickly resuming her stride.

"Are you crazy?" had been the accusation, "We don't have any training, any weapons or anything magical. We should leave it to Fuller and the guards."

Her sister was right of course. But Elizabeth was if anything stubborn and she'd known she could convince her twin. She'd been dragging her into things for years. This hadn't been any different.

"We can do this Kat," she'd insisted.

"You can get us in there without anyone seeing us. You can get us out of here as well. We know where to go, we know who to look for, we can be there and inside before the teams arrive. They can come in and get us out.

"All we have to do is find a single girl," she'd argued.

"She's not just a normal girl Liz. She's a McCallister. I've been digging into their history.

'It's not pretty Liz. The McCallister Curse, it's dangerous and their power 'Command', it's not something to just dismiss."

Her sisters voice had changed, shifting as she obviously began to recite something she had read.

"'Command', the genetic power of the McCallister family. Allows the user to subdue and influence the minds of others. The power may also be used while the holder is asleep to affect the dreams of others."

Her voice returned to its usual smoothness as she'd continued, "Mind control Liz, freaking mind control.

"She could mess with our heads. There was nothing written about its range, intensity or how long it lasts. No mentions of ways to prevent or resist attack from it. Just a brief mention of those being strong in will are the best to oppose it.

"It's like someone went through all the information on their power and tried to wipe away anything even moderately useful."

She had just smirked at her sister.

"I think we are stubborn enough to qualify," nudging her sister with her shoulder as they'd walked through the house.

"Anyway, we are Greys, our auras will nullify hers as soon as we are in the abbey. She won't even get a chance to use this 'Command'.

"We can do this Kat, I know it."

"The angel..." her sister had begun.

"Can't hurt us and you know it," she'd cut her off.

"The curse then!" Katherine had argued before slipping back into her reciting voice.

"The McCallister Curse. So called for being the famous affliction of the great Steelhaven family. Removes inhibitions and self-control from the accursed. Known to attract demons and other denizens of hell. Inevitably fatal."

She'd scoffed at her sister, "What about it? It can't affect us, we aren't McCallister's.

"You're clutching at straws now Kat.

"I think you're just scared. Scared to admit you want to do this as much as me. You enjoyed being in charge these past few days. I know you did. I did.

"This is our chance to get more of that. To prove to father, we have what it takes."

She'd paused, reaching out to hold her sister's shoulder.

"We can do this Kat. I want to do it. I'm going to do it. Having you there would make it easier and make me feel better, but I'm going whether you do or not."

Katherine had been silent, studying her. She'd known she was searching for a tell. To see if she was lying. She hadn't been. She'd believed in this. They would capture the girl. They would have respect.

"Fine, I'll come," her sister had agreed, no reluctance remaining in her.

"You go deliver all the orders. I'll go get us some things to take."

She'd tried to object, it was her plan after all, but Katherine wasn't having it.

"If anyone sees you scurrying around with stuff they'll want to know why. You know it, I know it. You cause too much trouble Liz. I'm the serious and helpful one remember. They won't think twice."

She had nodded, "Fine, I'll meet you in the garage as soon as I'm done."

Katherine had nodded back, and they'd parted ways. The plan was underway.

She'd delivered the orders in a rush, barely waiting for any acknowledgement before moving on, the excitement driving her faster and faster. In less than 10 minutes she had been in the garage, standing restlessly against a wall while she waited for Katherine to arrive.

It was far longer than she would have liked. Almost another 10 minutes had passed before Katherine had arrived struggling with a number of bags. Eager for anything to do she had rushed forward, helping her twin free of the hanging loads.

"What is all this?" she'd whispered urgently, a fear of discovery quieting her voice.

Katherine's reply had been in the same whispered tones.

"Clothing and some armoured vests. I managed to get some stun guns from one of the armouries as well. I raided one of the vaults too. I got magical cuffs and a charged stun wand just in case there is something the tasers won't stop.

"It's the best I could do on short notice."

She'd been grinning like a fool as her sister unzipped one of the bags showing her the stolen contents.

"That's excellent Kat. Now we gotta get out of here."

"We can't take any of our cars," Katherine had said, "We'll need to take one of the family ones to have space for the McCallister girl."

"I know that, I'm not an idiot," she'd replied somewhat sarcastically.

"I got the keys to one of the jeeps that the guards use. It'll be perfect."

Katherine had grinned as her, not at all sorry about stating the obvious or upset at her snark.

"Alright Liz. Let's do this. Time to go capture a McCallister."

Elizabeth wasn't sure how long ago that had been now, they had made good time getting through the city and into the suburbs, the streets deserted and bright with the glow of city lights in the early hours of the morning.

It had still been more dark than light when they reached the abbey, the giant stone edifice seeming more malevolent and shrouded in dread than a place of holy study and worship, cloaked as it was in its mantle of vines and darkness.

They had parked the jeep behind the abbey, hiding it from the street before getting out and continuing on foot. They had circled the building twice, examining it, trying to find an entrance to sneak into, a gate left unlocked, or a low window left open. There had been no such luck. The abbey was locked up tighter than most of its inhabitants' desires.

The abbey only had two entrances that they had been able to discover. The main gate with its adjacent wicket gate at the front and then another to the rear, a servant's entrance it had looked like to them, smaller and tucked away out of sight.

By the time they'd finished their inspection they'd both been anxious and frustrated. Their lead on their fathers' forces was rapidly diminishing and something needed to be done.

Her sister had been arguing for an attempt at climbing the thick layer of vines and was yanking on them to test their strength while she had been all for ramming the small back gate with their jeep when things had really started to go wrong.

The sound of doors snapping shut in the early morning silence had broken them from their squabbling, they had quickly pressed themselves against the nearest wall of the abbey, the dark clothes Katherine had stolen for them blending with the shadows at the base of the wall. Edging their way to the corner they had peaked around its edge to look into the street.

A short convoy of small dark grey vans had arrived and arrayed themselves in a line before the abbey. Sliding doors were flung open and closed just as quickly as men, and women disembarked, and equipment offloaded from the vehicles.

Their cousin Henry, one of their fathers more trusted commanders, was on site and directing troops while Captain Fuller supervised the dispersal of equipment. No doubt the magical artifacts and weapons designed to help them against demons.

The hulking, monstrous red form of Jasper had looked even more so as it clambered from within the confines of a van, joining the small throng of operatives that were gathering quickly around the vans.

She had been so glad to get away from the demon, its constant presence taunting her within Grey Manor had been the only irritant amongst the glory of leading the hunt. The reappearance of its bulk had triggered more visions of Katherine at its mercy, of herself being debased and used by the beast. The same shame and arousal she had felt when she first met the demon had continued to haunt her mind every time she encountered the beast, and even at this distance it had been no different, the demon distracting her with its mere appearance, throbs of desire spreading throughout her body.

"We need to get inside now!" Katherine had whispered fiercely, "before Henry and the captain do."

They hadn't gotten a chance. The distant crew of soldiers had begun pointing and aiming their weapons into the sky, fingers and barrels tracking something in the air above and her eyes had followed.

They weren't hard to miss once you spotted them. A tangle of golden flashes and white cloth trading blows with a web of darkness and demonic energy.

For a minute, the brawl continued high in the sky, the Grey forces dumbstruck by the floating fight. Neither the angel nor succubus seemed to be able to gain the upper hand in their tussle, both of them laying into each other with inhuman fury, the ancient war between their kind reborn in the gloomy morning light.

She and her twin had watched entranced as the battle raged above, almost in disbelief at the brazen display. The forces of the divine and hell tended to protect their secrets and the truth of their existence even more so than the mortal magical societies. She could only surmise that it was the McCallister Curse calling to the succubus that had forced her into such overt action.

They were still watching when the combatants broke apart, a small gap appearing between them as they tried to reorientate and resume the fight. The succubus had been quicker. A fist shrouded in demonic energies flashed out, catching the angel square in the face.

Time seemed to slow for an instant.

The crack of the blow had been loud enough for even she and her sister far below them to hear. Then the angel seemed to disappear. A golden flash flung towards the great stone abbey, before a thunderous crash reverberated throughout the area, the walls of the abbey shaking in sympathy.

The stunning blow was enough to break the focus of everyone, Captain Fuller could be heard yelling, quickly shifting his mind back towards to the operation.

"Edgar! Logan! Go, go, go! That noise is gonna have this place fucking crawling! Get us inside this damned abbey now!"

Two men had dashed forward, unlimbering weapons and tools as they made a mad dash for the abbey gates, a group of troops following quickly on their heels while the rest kept their eyes and weapons trained on the succubus above them, Jasper joining them, no longer lounging idly, his massive fists and claws flexing rhythmically as he watched the other demon intently.

Just as their fathers' forces had reached the gates there was another golden flash, and a lance of holy fire connected with the succubus. The angel had returned. The impact had been just as titanic as the blow that had driven her into the abbey, only this time it had been the demon who suffered. The angel spearing the succubus into the ground outside the abbey, cratering the soil and launching debris in all directions.

"Jasper! Bravo team! Move! Move! Move! Surround them!

"We need to keep them out of the abbey!" Henry had been commanding, pointing in the direction of the fallen pair as he cried out.

KRAAAACK! THWUMP! BOOOOOOM!

The sudden noise had shocked her and her sister, both of them screaming and reflexively spinning away from the humongous sound and from the fallen figures. The gates of Saint Avacines had been breached, the iron gates no longer barring the way and a fire rapidly spreading around the entrance.

All of that had led them to this point.

Her choices. Her actions.

Elizabeth tried to will the shaking to stop. Nerves could not best her now. It was not too late. They had to achieve something here and now.

She grabbed her twin, looking into scared eyes that she was sure matched her own.

"Katherine, its time. While everyone is distracted. Get us into the abbey," she told her sister, "We can't wait and watch anymore. We have to act!"

Katherine looked around quickly, making sure that no one was watching even though she knew that they were all focused on the angel and the succubus. Elizabeth was right. Everyone was busy with something else. Now was their chance.

"Come here," she said, offering her hand to her sister.

Elizabeth clasped the offered hand, moving even closer to her twin.

"Stay close," Katherine whispered, "and get ready to run. I won't be able to hold it for long. I'm not strong enough with it and I've already used it a bunch stealing us all this gear."

"It'll be enough. You can do this," Elizabeth encouraged, hoping her belief in her sister wouldn't be wrong.

Katherine frowned and closed her eyes, shutting out the world and concentrating, trying to bring forth one of the very best kept Grey family secrets.

Katherine didn't just have one power.

She had two.

The result of their fathers scheming and something he had never truly explained to them, its existence was more mystery than not, but she was glad for it now.

The power of the Greys was hers to command.

But so was that of the Griffin-Wells.

Katherine could make them invisible, and the aura of their family could not counter it.

The world muted around them. Sound and colour fading, washing out and becoming almost undefined. A pocket of altered reality sprang up around Katherine, no more than a metre and a half in diameter, it still hid them from the larger world.

"It's done. Let's go!" Katherine urged, strain from using the lesser power already threading through her voice.

Elizabeth started to sprint, her long legs quickly gaining speed, her hand still holding tightly to her sisters she almost pulled her over before Katherine adjusted and started to do the same, racing to reach the ruined gates before her sisters' power failed them.

Their mad dash didn't take long, less than 20 seconds and they were threading their way through the ruins their fathers' men had created, weaving past fire and shattered steel and stone. Their fathers' men had done their job well.

They continued their race against the clock, streaking across the grounds towards the already shattered and broken doors of the main abbey building, deftly avoiding the single agent who had been left behind to guard the gate.

Elizabeth could tell her sister was really struggling as they closed with the door, the bubble around them shrinking steadily as they ran through the gardens, her sister's strength fading with the effort.

They made it just in time.

Scrambling through the ruined doors, they managed to get out of sight just as Katherine reached her limit. The bubble popping and her sister gasping for air as the invisibility abandoned them, revealing them to the luckily empty hall.

Sound and colour returned as one, a jarring sensation crashing through them both as the proper reality reasserted itself over them.

The blood was the first thing Elizabeth noticed. A trail of bright crimson that covered the stone floor near her feet. She couldn't help but follow it, the curiosity instinctual.

She wished she hadn't.

The nun lay in a tumble. Eyes wide and empty. Habit twisted and stained, her torso shredded, a needlessly savage amount of gunfire eviscerating the holy woman, her blood flowing freely as it stained her habit and the stones around her crumpled form.

Elizabeth tried to scream but could only choke out a whimper. She tried to call for her sister instead but found only silence, her words not wishing to obey.

Only then did she realise she could hear screaming. Screaming, gunfire and the sounds of hell approaching.

Gabrielle was furious. Burning, righteous anger filled every bone, every perfect pore of skin. Divine flame flickered and danced around her fists, the fires of creation wielded as a weapon of war, a holy weapon to bring destruction to the unholy.

The succubus would burn.

The succubus would burn for her brazen assault. She would not have her charge; she would not have Sara.