Happy Halloween
Halloween House by Mary Martinez
Soft golden light shimmered as a figure gradually emerged. Druce Carmichael closed his eyes, tipped his head back and placed his hands on the glimmering globe. Vibrations from the crystal ball sent sparks up his arms.
He opened his eyes to look deeply into the ball. A beautiful redhead laughed, looking down at someone or something. “Brenna,” he breathed softly. He’d waited a century for her.
“Trick or Trick.”
The room plunged into darkness. The glow of the crystal twinkled off. It could have been any ordinary room decoration. Grunting in displeasure, Druce stood, sweeping his robe out of the way. It was All Hallows Eve, or Samhain, the occasion he observed, not the silly American tradition of Halloween, and the ghastly trick or treaters.
However, he always tried to get into the spirit of things. A chuckle rumbled through his chest at the thought; the little darlin’s parents wouldn’t allow them to visit him if they knew his true nature. He glanced in the mirror as he picked up the goodies. He looked damn good for a three hundred year old wizard, every bit as young and good-looking as Hugh Jackman.
Druce opened the door with a flourish. The robe’s silk material swung around his booted feet. The current lifted the black curls that had been on his shoulders. The children screeched in delighted horror, then giggled as they picked their treat out of the small cauldron.
He closed the door, and paused. He knew somehow, tonight he would meet his fate, his beautiful redheaded Brenna. His only question, was how? Would she come to his door?
A frantic pounding interrupted his thoughts. Pulling it back opened, he saw two children on the doorstep.
"Please mister you gotta help us!” the girl dressed as a princess cried.
The werewolf boy grabbed a hold of Druce’s hanging sleeve and started to pull. “You’ve gotta save her.”
Feet planted firmly, he wasn’t going anywhere. Not when this was the night he’d been waiting for. “I’m sorry…”
The boy turned his face up to Druce, tears streaked through his make-up. His eyes were full of fear. “Please.”
That one word tore at his heart, with a glance back at the ball he stepped out. When the door shut behind him a sick feeling swam in the pit of his stomach. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel to make him miss his opportunity because he helped these two frightened children, would it?
“You need to tell me where we’re going and why?” Their fear ran through his veins as if it were his own.
Images of a dark hulking house flashed through his mind. It was the old Devlin home. It was haunted. Not with your average ghosts either, but with demons. Whenever he’d walked by, evil reeked from the eves.
“We…” the princess girl sniffled, swallowed and tried again. “We dared auntie to go in.”
“Go in where?” But the images were getting stronger. “Devlin House?”
“Yes. She went in and the door slammed behind her. We tried to open it, but we couldn’t. It was locked.” The boy looked at the pulsing house, swallowed and turned back. “Do you think the devil lives there and he’ll never let her out?”
“Don’t worry we’ll get her out.”
Druce looked at the hulking house, the evil aura making the bile roll in his stomach. He couldn’t take the children in with him.
He knelt down in front of the two frightened children. The girl visibly shook. “What are your names?”
“Tony and Sara.” Tony answered for both and put an arm around the girl. “Auntie is staying with us while our parents are gone. We didn’t think she’d really go in.” He looked very adult when he added. “She’s not from around here.”
Tony’s tone indicated that should have explained everything. Druce figured the boy was right about that. She probably hadn’t believed anything they’d told her.
“How far do you live from here?” Moans echoed through his body, coming from the inside of the house. He couldn’t get a picture of the woman. Devlin was working his evil on her. Time was running out.
“Just over there.” Sara half turned and pointed to a house not far.
“I want you to go home and lock the doors. I don’t want you standing out on the street. Alone.”
“But…” Tony started to argue.
“I have to know you’re safe. I can’t worry about the two of you and save your auntie.” He stood, flung his arm pointing to their home. “Go!” The force swept them to their home. The lights twinkled on and he knew the two were safe.
Slowly he turned and contemplated. He didn’t have time to check windows and doors the ordinary way. He took his wand from the folds of his robe. “Devlin! Whatever evil you left behind, remove to remind that good will prevail.”
Short and simple would have to do. He hoped it worked. Druce aimed the full power of his white light toward the house. His breath held as his body rippled with the effort.
“Please hurry.” The soft husky voice throbbed through is mind.
Unable to wait longer, he breezed to the door, and forced it open with his energy, the evil held at bay. Once in, Druce leaned over the hole in the floor at the entrance. He could see the woman laying there.
He sucked in his breath. Silken red strands spread out, her body perfectly still. Druce leaped to the floor below and turned her over. “Brenna,” he whispered.
Love as he’d never felt before, swept through his body. A low keening sound escaped from deep in his soul, as he pulled her into his arms. An electrical storm battered his body with sensations.
Her lashes fluttered a moment. When they opened, the full impact of her green eyes slammed him. She smiled, lifted her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
“I’ve been waiting so long,” she whispered. Her lips met his and fused their future together. A sense of peace and good settled over the house.
Soft golden light shimmered as a figure gradually emerged. Druce Carmichael closed his eyes, tipped his head back and placed his hands on the glimmering globe. Vibrations from the crystal ball sent sparks up his arms.
He opened his eyes to look deeply into the ball. A beautiful redhead laughed, looking down at someone or something. “Brenna,” he breathed softly. He’d waited a century for her.
“Trick or Trick.”
The room plunged into darkness. The glow of the crystal twinkled off. It could have been any ordinary room decoration. Grunting in displeasure, Druce stood, sweeping his robe out of the way. It was All Hallows Eve, or Samhain, the occasion he observed, not the silly American tradition of Halloween, and the ghastly trick or treaters.
However, he always tried to get into the spirit of things. A chuckle rumbled through his chest at the thought; the little darlin’s parents wouldn’t allow them to visit him if they knew his true nature. He glanced in the mirror as he picked up the goodies. He looked damn good for a three hundred year old wizard, every bit as young and good-looking as Hugh Jackman.
Druce opened the door with a flourish. The robe’s silk material swung around his booted feet. The current lifted the black curls that had been on his shoulders. The children screeched in delighted horror, then giggled as they picked their treat out of the small cauldron.
He closed the door, and paused. He knew somehow, tonight he would meet his fate, his beautiful redheaded Brenna. His only question, was how? Would she come to his door?
A frantic pounding interrupted his thoughts. Pulling it back opened, he saw two children on the doorstep.
"Please mister you gotta help us!” the girl dressed as a princess cried.
The werewolf boy grabbed a hold of Druce’s hanging sleeve and started to pull. “You’ve gotta save her.”
Feet planted firmly, he wasn’t going anywhere. Not when this was the night he’d been waiting for. “I’m sorry…”
The boy turned his face up to Druce, tears streaked through his make-up. His eyes were full of fear. “Please.”
That one word tore at his heart, with a glance back at the ball he stepped out. When the door shut behind him a sick feeling swam in the pit of his stomach. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel to make him miss his opportunity because he helped these two frightened children, would it?
“You need to tell me where we’re going and why?” Their fear ran through his veins as if it were his own.
Images of a dark hulking house flashed through his mind. It was the old Devlin home. It was haunted. Not with your average ghosts either, but with demons. Whenever he’d walked by, evil reeked from the eves.
“We…” the princess girl sniffled, swallowed and tried again. “We dared auntie to go in.”
“Go in where?” But the images were getting stronger. “Devlin House?”
“Yes. She went in and the door slammed behind her. We tried to open it, but we couldn’t. It was locked.” The boy looked at the pulsing house, swallowed and turned back. “Do you think the devil lives there and he’ll never let her out?”
“Don’t worry we’ll get her out.”
Druce looked at the hulking house, the evil aura making the bile roll in his stomach. He couldn’t take the children in with him.
He knelt down in front of the two frightened children. The girl visibly shook. “What are your names?”
“Tony and Sara.” Tony answered for both and put an arm around the girl. “Auntie is staying with us while our parents are gone. We didn’t think she’d really go in.” He looked very adult when he added. “She’s not from around here.”
Tony’s tone indicated that should have explained everything. Druce figured the boy was right about that. She probably hadn’t believed anything they’d told her.
“How far do you live from here?” Moans echoed through his body, coming from the inside of the house. He couldn’t get a picture of the woman. Devlin was working his evil on her. Time was running out.
“Just over there.” Sara half turned and pointed to a house not far.
“I want you to go home and lock the doors. I don’t want you standing out on the street. Alone.”
“But…” Tony started to argue.
“I have to know you’re safe. I can’t worry about the two of you and save your auntie.” He stood, flung his arm pointing to their home. “Go!” The force swept them to their home. The lights twinkled on and he knew the two were safe.
Slowly he turned and contemplated. He didn’t have time to check windows and doors the ordinary way. He took his wand from the folds of his robe. “Devlin! Whatever evil you left behind, remove to remind that good will prevail.”
Short and simple would have to do. He hoped it worked. Druce aimed the full power of his white light toward the house. His breath held as his body rippled with the effort.
“Please hurry.” The soft husky voice throbbed through is mind.
Unable to wait longer, he breezed to the door, and forced it open with his energy, the evil held at bay. Once in, Druce leaned over the hole in the floor at the entrance. He could see the woman laying there.
He sucked in his breath. Silken red strands spread out, her body perfectly still. Druce leaped to the floor below and turned her over. “Brenna,” he whispered.
Love as he’d never felt before, swept through his body. A low keening sound escaped from deep in his soul, as he pulled her into his arms. An electrical storm battered his body with sensations.
Her lashes fluttered a moment. When they opened, the full impact of her green eyes slammed him. She smiled, lifted her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
“I’ve been waiting so long,” she whispered. Her lips met his and fused their future together. A sense of peace and good settled over the house.
Comments