Romance at Heart: Night Vengeance, Chapter 20 of a free rah read

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Night Vengeance

Chapter Twenty

Stanley stood paralyzed at the sight before him. A huge snake had just emerged from the ground and was wrapped around his boss, squeezing the breath out of him. He quickly shook his head and ran to the trunk of his car. Shaking uncontrollably, he tried to fit his key into the lock, but they slipped from his fingers.

He picked them up and finally succeeded in opening it. He grabbed the ax, he kept there because he was a volunteer fireman, and turned toward the big snake. As he ran forward, a strange thing happened; the snake stopped and grew smaller, then seemed to disappear.

Stanley slid to a stop and just gapped. Where did it go? He looked behind him, but all he saw was the house. A bright light from the corner of his eye had him turning back, and he saw his boss enveloped in its glow. He quickly rushed forward to help, but when he touched the glow, it propelled him backwards. He lay there stunned on his back, with his arms and legs spread out, and the breath knocked out of him.

Rae heard a tiny sound from behind them and swiftly turned to see the lab tech she'd burned that first night in the lab trying to get up. It was his groan that she'd heard.

"Justin!" she exclaimed as she ran to Stanley.

Justin turned, incredulous at the sight before him. Rae was kneeling beside his employee, Stanley Parks.

His eyes narrowed, "Stanley? What are you doing here?" he asked.

Stanley looked up at his boss and shivered. "I remembered. I don't think I was supposed to remember, but I remembered," he babbled.

Rae soothingly petted his hand, "Shhh, it's alright Stanley. Take your time. There's no need to rush," she said softly before glaring at Justin. "Can't you see he's frightened?" she scowled in his mind.

"Well excuse me for wondering what the hell he's doing here!" replied Justin as he hunkered down on Stanley's other side.

Unaware of their silent communication, Stanley plowed on, his gaze on Rae. "He said you killed his family, that he had to destroy you. He said you were a witch and that you knew the name of the vampire that bit him. He said he'd get it out of you before he killed you, then he'd find the vampire that bit him and kill him too."

"That still doesn't tell me what you're doing here now, Stanley?" said Justin.

Stanley turned his gaze to Justin. "I had to warn you. Warn Devon. Where is Devon?" he asked as he looked around.

"Salazar has him," said Rae.

Stanley's shocked gaze widened. "Oh no! He's evil! He'll kill Devon!" he exclaimed and tried to stand but Rae's hand on his arm prevented him.

"How do you know he's evil?" she asked.

"He's a vampire. I saw it in the strange crystal," replied Stanley.

At the mention of the strange crystal, Rae went still. "A crystal? What shape was it? The color? Did it fit in the palm of your hand?" she fired questions at him, her voice rising.

"Rae, calm down," whispered Justin in her mind.

Rae's tortured gaze lifted to his.

"What is it about this crystal?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later. First I need to know if the crystal is the same one he's talking about," she replied.

"Answer her questions, Stanley," ordered Justin.

Stanley nodded. "It's a small crystal, oval shaped, and it does fit in the palm of the hand. When I saw it, it was blue, but when I touched it, it turned green. Then a white light appeared in the middle, and I saw dead and mutilated bodies. And I saw you," he looked back at Rae, "Salazar was holding you, his mouth was dripping blood and his fangs were embedded deep in your throat."

Then he looked at Justin. "You were there, too. Lying on the ground at my feet. At first I thought you were dead, but then your eyes opened and you said 'Why'," said Stanley.

Rae stood and stared at the house. Light now shined from every window as the wind picked up and buffeted them. The Crystal of Souls she thought. Salazar must have found it after she'd fled from him as a child.

"The crystal must be destroyed," stated Rae. "It's the only way the souls will escape their nightmares and ascend to heaven."

"But first we must destroy Salazar and rescue Devon," said Justin as he helped Stanley stand.

Rae nodded, "You're right, Devon must come before the crystal, they would want that too," she said and visibly shook herself to get back on track.

"But before we go, I need to apologize to you, Stanley," she said and stepped in front of him.

"Apologize? To me? Whatever for?" asked Stanley, his eyes widening in surprise. "You've done nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who gave Salazar your file."

"Stanley, Salazar manipulated you. He had control of your mind, and so you had no idea what you were doing," said Rae. "I'm apologizing for having hurt you, burned your hand that night, in the lab. I was in pain, but that's no excuse. I'm just very sorry I did it. I can promise you that I don't usually go around burning people. Can you forgive me?"

Stanley was stunned. She was apologizing for his hand? "I forgive you. I guess I would've done the same thing if I'd been in your situation," he said sheepishly.

Justin gazed at Rae, "I'm proud of you sweetness," he said in her mind.

Rae's heart filled with more love for this man, he was proud of her.

Then Justin looked at Stanley, "Stanley, I want you to go home and then…" he began only to be interrupted.

"No," said Stanley. "I want to help," he looked at both Rae and Justin with a pleading gaze.

Rae touched his arm, "It's too dangerous Stanley. Salazar has powers you can't even comprehend. He could kill by just thinking it!" she said.

Stanley nodded, "I know that. He's a powerful vampire, which is why I'll let you two deal with him, and I'll rescue Devon," he said and smiled at the incredulous look that came over Justin's face.

"No, it's too dangerous," Justin stubbornly repeated. "I won't allow it." he crossed his arms.

"Justin," said Rae, "I think you should let him help," she said.

Justin eyes widened, "I thought you agreed with me!" he exclaimed.

"I do agree it's dangerous, but I know we can't be in two places at once," she argued. "Salazar is powerful. He's had centuries to accumulate every form of dark magic. So neither one of us alone can take him, but both of us, together, might succeed in defeating him. And while we're going up against Salazar, Stanley can look for Devon and release him," she reasoned.

Justin turned his back on both of them and walked a few feet away, thinking. She was right that it would take both of them to destroy the vampire and he certainly wouldn't let her face it alone. Damnit, he hated it when she made sense, he wished for once that she was wrong but knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Without a word, he turned back to them and gazed at their hopeful faces.

"Alright, will do it your way," he said. "Stanley, we'll get you into the house. Devon is somewhere in the basement, probably chained. Do you have anything in the trunk of your car that will cut through iron?"

Stanley shook his head.

"Then here," said Justin as he raised his hand and produced a manual jigsaw. "This should work."

Stanley eyes widened as the jigsaw appeared out of thin air. "How-how did you do that?" he asked.

Rae looked at him. "We have powers too Stanley, just like Salazar. Only we don't kill like he does. Devon also has such powers, but he can't use them. He's too weak and has lost lots of blood," she said, her voice mesmerizing. "He's going to need you to provide blood for him Stanley."

Stanley's eyes were glazed as he listened to her soft voice, and he nodded. "I don't have any blood," he said.

"Yes, you do," her voice echoed in his mind. "You will let Devon take your blood. You will not stop him from doing so."

Stanley nodded, "I will let him take my blood," he repeated.

"Good," said Rae then she looked at Justin. "Can you shield Stanley, so he's not seen walking into the house?"

Justin nodded and using his link through Rae he cast an invisible shield on the man and Stanley disappeared. Then they both winked out as well and, side-by-side, slowly walked across the field toward the house.

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