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“I’m sick of having the same bloody argument.” Abigael growled.
“Then do something about it!” Macy almost screamed, desperately hoping that Abby would finally get it.
“Do what? Try to defend myself against your repetitive accusations? No. Just because you rejected who you are, doesn’t mean I have to.”
“Oh, please do not compare us. That is not what this is about. I did what was right. You do what is selfish.”
“Selfish?! I am a fugitive from half of the demonic world because of you!”
“I’d be happy to take the credit, but that was all you. You did it because you thought it would benefit you.”
“I didn’t- agh, you might be the worst thing that has happened to me.”
“Right back at you. I should have run that dagger through your cold heart when I had the chance.”
“Here I am, Ms. High and Mighty.” Abigael cocked here eyebrow, daring her to do it, “Take your best shot.”
“Enough!” Maggie intervened, receiving death glare from both women, “This isn’t helping. Can we just chill for five minutes now that we’ve won?”
“For once I agree with you.” Abigael turned back to Macy, “Demon’s gone and we don’t need each other anymore. It’s been a displeasure working with you. Let’s not do it again sometime.”
“Fine by me.” she retorted as Abigael slammed the door, “One less demon to worry about.”
“Macy, do you-”
“I don’t need anything, Mel.”
“Perhaps tea, for the nerves?” Harry tried but piped down after a single look form Macy.
She exhaled slowly. It was supposed to be a calming technique, “I’m fine, guys. Just fine.” and she was. Abigael has been infuriating as hell from day one. Nothing new. She blamed them for losing the overlord status. Which was beyond ridiculous. She should… “Actually, I have to go.”
Macy hurried after Abigael, ignoring the voices of her family. And her inner voice. She turned left and right and was surprised to see a small figure walking down the street. “Abby!”
Abigael stopped and turned reluctantly once Macy caught up with her.
“I thought you teleported home.”
“I wanted to clear my head. They say a walk is good for that, but I have yet to see the result. What more do you want, Macy?”
“I can’t tell what you’re up to.” she said. There wasn’t much time to think of a plan beyond reaching Abby. She thought she would have to head to her apartment, then half way she would change her mind and return home, “I’ve seen through your bullshit many times and I got good at anticipating it, but now I can’t make sense of it.”
“What is there to make sense of? Whatever I do it is to benefit me. You said it yourself.”
Was she offended? Really? Really?! Oh, how well she could play at being sincere, “You mess with people’s heads and it has to stop. You can do whatever you want with your… toys, but you leave us out of it.”
“I should leave you?” she gestured from herself to Macy.
“Yes.”
“You might want to ask yourself something then.” she stepped closer, “Why is it that you are the one seeking me out?”
“Why? You were the only person that could understand what it’s like to deal with a demonic side. I was happy there was someone I could share that with, Abby. I thought if you can control it, if you do not let it rule you, so can I.” she bit her lip. There was no imaginable scenario where going down that road would make sense, but she was hurt. She shouldn’t have been, but there’s always been heaviness in her chest since then, “And all you did was take advantage and betray that trust. I don’t like being reminded of that. And at the same time I stupidly hope to get that feeling back.”
Abby stared at her for a long time without a word. She opened her mouth to speak, but seemed to change her mind last minute. The general expression of indifference washed over her face. So quickly, so easily, “It wasn’t personal.”
Macy hated that she even tried to say the things she promised never to. She shrugged, resigned, “Well, it was- it is personal to me.”
Abby closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, there was vulnerability Macy never thought she would see. Before she could read what it was behind it, Abby grabbed her face and pulled her closer.
She could smell the fragrance of her expensive perfume, subtle and flowery. Just a dab on the neck, Macy imagined. Mixed with the adrenaline rush, and the char of the demons vanquished just hours ago, it was inexplicably intoxicating.
She felt Abby’s lips on hers. It was buzzing in her head, overpowering every thought. Her feet were not firmly on the ground, awareness of her surrounding becoming minimal. It was a terrifyingly exciting sensation to be aware of just the two of them. And however she thought kissing Abby would feel like, and the thought had invaded her mind at times, uninvited, this was not it. The sensation on her lips was electrifying, like they were centered in the whirlpool of magic. It was not warm like the good witch she pretended to be, it wasn’t invading like the demon she chose to be. It was just something dancing between the two, anticipating hidden desires, Abby listening to Macy’s body like it was her own.
Just as she was about to let herself fully surrender, Abby’s lips started to part from hers, slowly, almost unwillingly. Abby’s hand’s remained on her face, thumb caressing Macy’s cheek, bringing her slowly back to the ground.
Macy held onto Abby’s hands, like they could help her steady herself. Warm and soft, she reveled in the hold. She wished to move those hands further down, let them feel every inch of her body. Her eyes fluttered open, landing on Abby’s lips. The craving made her gravitate towards her, those lips more addictive than all the evils in the world. If they could just stay like this for a long, long time…
“Why did you do that?” Macy murmured.
“I’m not sure.”
Macy’s heart sank. Of course. Like a bucket of ice cold water that was. Though, she wasn’t sure what she expected anyway. She wriggled herself out of Abby’s hold, “I am not Harry. And I have too much respect for myself to be another one of your-”
“You’re not. I do respect-” she tried to grab Macy’s hand but she pulled away.
“Please, stop. I can’t go there with you like this.”
“Macy, I…” she trailed off.
Macy steeled herself and finished the conversation for her, “So don’t do that ever again.”
Macy prayed Abby would say something, whatever that might be. Apology or protest, it didn’t matter. But she knew it wouldn’t come. The moment she turned away she heard the sound of Abby disappearing into the cloud of smoke.
Macy has resisted evil before. Abby was not evil incarnate as such but she was… something, and was making her feel things that defied all logic. Macy reasoned, whatever it is she must find a way to resist it no matter how good it felt.
***
Abby reached her small apartment, the latest hiding place as she no longer had permanent residence. She wanted to scream into the void, magic was crackling under her fingertips, all the frustration threatening to explode. The desire to hurl fireballs wherever she could and watch everything around her burn was tempting, but she couldn’t draw more attention to herself in any way.
She was not angry at Macy, or the situation but she bloody well couldn’t direct all that anger at herself. And it was her fault, all of it, she knew that much. She was reckless from the start, let herself become intrigued. And all her steps since then have led her here in this apartment. Alone, with the taste of Macy’s lips on hers, all tainted by the yet another one of Abby’s choices. She couldn’t see the path where all would end well. Blazing fire seemed like the only way out.
She fell on the bed and watched the flames dance around her fingers. She thought about the exact moment things went wrong. Yes, she could pinpoint the crucial mistake that led to her untimely downfall.
The blindfold came off and at last she had a moment to properly stare in the face of the Charmed One, here in their secret layer sheltered from the world, and without the immediate demonic threat. And it’s the face of goodness. Eyes kind, albeit startled by the touch of affection, oozing warmth. Oh, how she would revel in watching that light extinguish.
Plan A quickly went awry when the stupid book blasted her into a wall. It’s not the best thing to be revealed half-demon moments after gaining trust. Abby preferred precision but was not averse to little improvisation. And it truly didn’t require much, they were oh so good and trusting.
When the Charmed Ones and the charming whitelighter were eased into the false sense of security, stupidly believing that taking on the demon overlord was that easy (how they survived this long is a mystery) an opportunity presented itself. It did, she could admit that much, warm her icy heart when Macy stayed behind to get some alone time with her. A sense of kinship, perhaps.
Surely, it would have been more prudent to go for the ones with no powers whatsoever but there was a bond formed between Macy and herself that would make the kill somewhat poetic. And getting rid of the currently most powerful Charmed One was just an added bonus. She curled her fingers around the dagger, and visualized hurling it at Macy’s back.
“This might sound weird.” Macy began once the door of the command center shut and they were alone once again, “But this has turned out to be the one good day since we fake died.”
“Killing demon overlord is a great feat.”
“I meant,” Macy turned to look at her, and even before she uttered her next words Abigael decided to tuck the dagger away. For the time being. Even at that moment, she knew she shouldn’t have diverged from the plan, “I meant meeting you. I’m really glad I jumped through that portal.”
“Yes, San Francisco is lovely this time of year.”
Macy chuckled, “True. Though, being kidnaped and running for our lives might have ruined the first impression a bit. But you’ll have to give me a proper tour someday.”
“It’s a date.” she said almost seductively, implication thinly veiled, forgetting for a moment her role of a mild mannered witch.
“I…” Macy stumbled, unsure how to process it.
“But really.” Abigael cut her off, “I am eternally grateful to you. And I might not have the right to tell you this and I do not wish to presume, but it was really reckless of you to come to my rescue alone.”
“It’s- there’s no one else.”
“Perhaps, but you need to take care of yourself before you burn out. I’m surprised you can still stand.”
“Is that a British way of telling me I look like crap?”
Abigael laughed, “It’s a British way of telling you to take it easy. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I will then. Take it easy, I mean.”
“Good.” Abby sobered up. Back to the plan, “I should go.”
“Yes.” Macy jumped to action, “Of course.”
“I thought about it and I think I should go back to England. I have some relatives there that can take me in.”
“That- that makes sense. I’ll set it right up.” in a few practiced moves she set up the destination to Sussex.
The portal appeared. It was flickering for a long while and Abigael made it appear like she didn’t want to go through it either. It was easy.
“I kind of wish you could just stay here.” Macy admitted, “Is that crazy?”
“No, it’s wonderful…” Abigael would have been touched if the situation wasn’t just deliciously pathetic, “Well, I guess this is goodbye.”
She went for a hug, but Macy flinched. Something changed in a moment and the wheels in Abby’s head started spinning. Did she say or do something to expose her true intentions? Did she drag it out for too long, overly confident in her abilities?
“Just before we vanquished Callum, he said something.”
That babbling bastard, “Did he?”
“Yeah, um… ‘It’s you, isn’t it?’. That’s what he said.”
“Who knows? I think he would have said anything to stay alive.”
“Yeah.” Macy agreed after short deliberation.
She tried not to show the sense of relief washing over her, though the heart was still thumping in her throat, “Goodbye, Macy.”
They hugged and it was the one type of hug Abigael didn’t find revolting – the manipulative one that lulled her victim into a false sense of security. She drew the dagger, the blade glistened under the light of the portal. There was a pang of looming remorse threatening to take hold of her, but what she would achieve with this was far more important. But it was enough of a distraction. She didn’t register the bloody beeping of the security system. Macy pushed her away, and more cards fell on the table. Surprise, realization, betrayal. That’s what it came down to, and that’s how it all started.
***
“This obsession you lot have with me has got to stop.” Abby spoke when Mel and Maggie waltzed through her front door demanding some nonsense, “It’s flattering and frankly quite understandable, but it’s starting to get a tad creepy.”
“Oh shove it, Abby.” Mel retorted, “We have a problem.”
“Only eight days since your last one. Must be a record. And why is it that every time you have a problem, you turn to me?”
“Maybe because most of our problems turn out to be somehow connected to you.”
Abby rolled her eyes, “Why is it the two of you? Which one’s in grave danger this time?”
“No one. We just draw the short straw.”
She smirked, somewhat relieved, “What can I help you with, ladies?”
“A demon. Did you send one of your thugs after us?”
“I do not have thugs.”
Mel looked at her pointedly.
“Well, not anymore. What did he look like?”
“Thin, long receding hair, hollow face. Like he’s been starving for both food and sunlight.”
“You’ll need to be more specific than that. What sort of powers does he have?”
“That’s the thing. He’s just been kind of there for the past couple of days, watching. When we tried to get to him he kind of vanished.”
“Are you serious?” what was that? Did Macy think she was some obsessed weirdo who kept an eye on her just because… just because, “You tracked me down to my dreadfully humble and up until now a relatively safe abode just because of some peeping Tom? The world is full of perverts, ladies, if you hadn’t noticed. Not everyone’s a demon.”
“So, this has nothing to do with you?”
“No! As you are well aware, I have a pretty big target on my back.” which has grown since last night when she enacted revenge on two of her former associates, “I haven’t the time to dwell on you. My list of priorities is full and I’m afraid you didn’t make the cut.”
“I told you this was a waste of time.” Maggie whispered to Mel.
“Obviously.” Abby agreed, “Next time use your power of foresight and save us all some time.”
***
“Abby?”
“Can you let me in?” she looked over her shoulder, “I might have been followed.”
“I would but you’re wearing pink, I’m not sure it’s you.”
Abby rolled her eyes and growled, “I had to be inconspicuous, didn’t I? Just put the damn barrier down. I have information on your peeping Tom.”
“Let her in, Maggie.” she heard Harry.
“Thank you, Harry.” it was incredible how Harry was usually the first one to believe her still. It’s a weakness, she would say, only this time her intentions were true, “It is nice to know I still have you in my corner.”
“Don’t push it, Abby.”
“What the hell?!” Mel exclaimed once she was Abby.
“It’s the cover!” Abigael explained again, “I don’t dress up like a pom-pom Poppy for fun.” she cast an incantation that turned her outfit black.
“It was more a comment on your general presence in our house. Again.”
She handed her phone to Mel, “Just read this.”
Abigael stepped closer inside, watching them huddle over the phone. She waited for Macy to show up. Anticipating, even with her back turned she could feel her walk down the stairs before she allowed herself to look. Their eyes met briefly, Macy halted surprised by the intensity of Abigael’s stare. Abigael sneered, feigning annoyance. She has become so good at pretending.
“Let me see that.” Macy told her sisters.
And Abigael, for all her strength, couldn’t look away. Macy’s unrestrained hair fell to the side as she leaned in. She watched her brows furrow under the light of the phone screen, trying to make sense of it all. She rubbed her neck, aware of Abigael’s attention.
“An animal attack?” Mel was the first to ask.
“Someone killed two women and took their hearts. It was not methodical, nor done with surgical precision but no animal does that. If this is what I think it is, it will attack tonight. And I’d say any of you would be a treat for it.”
“What exactly is it?”
“A wendigo.”
“A wendigo?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.” Mel sighed, “Of course they are real.”
“What the hell is a wendigo?” Maggie asked.
“It’s a cannibalistic creature that can possess people and basically turn them into monsters. But if I remember well from my cultural studies, they are not really human.”
“You are correct, Mel. Up to a point. Wendigo is a non-dead creature who was once human. In fact, the first wendigo was a mortal man, betrayed by his beloved. In his rage, he cut out her heart and ate it.”
“Ew.”
“Precisely.” Harry continued, “This inhumane act caused his own heart to turn into ice, thus turning him into the first Wendigo. It feasts on human hearts. That allows it to keep its human form but during the nights of the full Moon it becomes an insatiable monster.”
“Like a warewolf?”
“In a sense. That man you saw, he might actually be a wedigo. It is known to prey on people who have good hearts, especially those who are in love. Technically you would be a treat, to quote Abby. This is a beast of exceptional strength and resilience; no conventional magic can harm it.”
“Good thing we are not conventional.” Macy turned to Abigael, “And you? What can you tell us about it?”
“Not much to add, I’m afraid.”
“Really? No inside information?”
“No.” she retorted, “Wendigos are not members of our little Demonic Association. They are more of a loner type of evil.”
“Don’t even start bickering. Two women have been killed. We need to investigate this.”
“Maggie’s right. We should find out what the police know. Maybe there were witnesses. If this is in fact a wendigo-”
“It doesn’t matter.” Macy interjected, “Human or not, we have to stop it before it kills again. I’ll stay here, check the resources we have.”
“Are you gonna be fine alone with the…”
“The demon spawn?” Abigael finished Mel’s thought, “Relax, I don’t bite. Unless previously agreed upon.”
“I’ll be fine.” Macy assured them and they disappeared in a blink.
“This thing attacks during full Moon?” Macy asked as she opened her laptop.
“Yes, during the three day full Moon phase.”
“Mhm.” Macy began typing, “I don’t think your theory checks out. The first full Moon is tonight, the attacks happened two days ago.”
“Allow me?”
Macy gave her the non-verbal approval and Abigael sat next to her, taking over the laptop, “Here it is. ‘Technically, each phase of the Moon lasts only a brief instant. However, Full Moon can last for a few days to the naked eye. Our celestial orb can in fact, appear to remain full for about three days. For Wiccans, the period of the Full Moon lasts from about three days before to three days after the actual Full Moon ends.’”
“This could mean that in the next three nights, it’s going to be the strongest. And that there are probably more victims lying somewhere.”
“Yes.”
“Scroll down. There. What does it say?”
“Hmm, the Indian names for full moon. ‘Sunday’s Full Moon is known as the Hunter’s Moon, as well as the Sanguine Moon, Blood Moon, etc.’ Well that sounds bloody perfect, doesn’t it?”
“If this is a wendigo, we’ll need to kill it tonight.”
“You’ll have to find it first. Like with any beast, luring it out might do the trick.”
“We will. There’s no way I am letting another innocent die.” she huffed, “We were so focused on saving witches, and here are innocent people-”
“You can’t make it your job to save everyone.”
“I can’t sit back and do nothing either.”
“I never said that.”
“I need to-” she began to get up but Abigael grabbed her hand.
“You can look at me for more than two seconds, you know that?”
“Why are you here, Abby?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. Just as you know that you will not find shelter here.”
“Is that what you think I’m hoping to gain? I am here because your sisters asked. Actually, they accused me of sending a stalker on you. And now that I’ve made a discovery, purely accidental by the way as there isn’t much to do in hiding except plot revenge and watch TV, I thought I’d be a good Samaritan.”
“And not get in Harry’s good graces again?”
“Oh, is that what I missed? Have you two started banging?”
“What? No!”
“You’re not?” and she hates that it makes her heart flutter with joy, “You seem exceptionally protective of him, I assumed-”
“I’m protective of my family. Just because we do not share the same blood, doesn’t mean that we… do that.”
“I see. You can stop trying to bite my head off every time I open my mouth because I’ve no interest in Harry. I never really had. Do you still not get that?”
Macy’s gaze softened and for a moment Abigael believed they were on the brink of a breakthrough, “Even if that’s the truth, I don’t understand why you felt the need to show up here? You could have let us know some other way.”
“Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t know? Actually, that’s not entirely true. I hoped to see you.” there, no lies no hidden agenda.
She huffed almost laughing, “I’m- every time I want to have faith in you but then I remember how you tricked me and kept tricking me and it’s safer not to trust you.”
“If it makes you feel better, I think the day we met ruined every plan I had for my future.” she chuckled sardonically.
A sound was heard and Harry appeared. His eyes searched for Abby, “Good, you’re still here.”
“My motel offers horribly rancid coffee, I figured if I stayed here long enough someone would offer a hot beverage.”
“There’s a strong indication that you are right. Stay put, I’ll get the girls and we’ll come up with a plan.”
It took the Charmed Ones and Harry just over an hour to come up with a plan (most of Abby’s suggestions were not welcomed with open mind). It was a bad, ill-prepared plan, it was hardly a plan at all. But it was a time sensitive mission, innocent lives were at stake… blah, blah, blah.
“The two known murders happened around Discovery Park, so it’s best we start there. We go in groups. One group will start from the west point, hit the all suspicious locations, other goes the same from the east.”
“Here are all the danger points mapped out.” Maggie handed maps to everyone.
“Abby and I can teleport so it would make sense to have one of us in each group.”
“You’re making me team captain, Harry? I’m touched.”
“And since I can heat things up, it would make sense I go with Harry.” Mel said gleeful that wendigo can be best harmed with fire of all things.
“Well, I can’t go on no-healer team.” Maggie added.
“And what a shame it is.”
“So, we will take west, and you two will take east. Agreed?”
They all nodded but Abby. She picked up her jacket and headed for the door, “Team Abby, follow me.”
“We’re not calling ourselves that!” Macy shouted as she hurried after her.
***
“This is a dreadful way to spend an evening.” Abby lamented after nearly an hour. The park was practically deserted. It was cold and nearing midnight.
“It’s not the worst. I had dates more creepy than this.”
“We are walking towards a military cemetery, hunting for a heart-eating monster and that is not the creepiest thing?” she moved her gaze from the map to Macy, “More importantly, though. This is a date?”
“I never said that.”
“It was implied.”
Macy bit the inside of her cheek, clearly fighting a smile, “I was just sharing a fun fact, to pass the time.”
“Whatever you say.” Abby grabbed her hand and pulled her left, “We should go here.”
Macy remained quiet and didn’t say anything about the fact that Abigael didn’t let go of her hand.
“I know I said you ruined my life, and you have in a way but I don’t regret not killing you.” Abby confessed.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“Perhaps because I don’t intend to see you ever again after tonight. I have some demons to settle the score with and then I’ll leave this place and start my new demonic force somewhere far away. If we’re both lucky, this will be the last time our paths cross.”
“Don’t make jokes, Abby. Not about this. You could have made the right choices, you still can. You can stay and-”
“Don’t you understand?” she pulled her to a stop, “This is the right choice, or at least the only one I can come up with.”
“Abby-”
“No, let me be a half-decent half-witch for once and-”
“Abby, it’s here!” Macy shouted and pushed her aside.
Abigael rolled away. She heard a beastly howl followed by a crashing sound. She got up to see the creature, already back on its feet. It looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave with its eyes pushed back deep into its sockets. They glowed, casting enough light to reveal its yellow, decaying teeth. They lingered on Abigael and she could sense the stench of death slowly suffocating her. Like its force took a grip of her heart squeezing out everything it had the chance to offer.
She could hear, far, far away someone calling out. Macy, she assumed but it sounded too distant to discern. She couldn’t move. The eyes of the creature had her paralyzed. It was moving slowly towards her, the beast nearly ten feet tall, and seemed to be growing bigger with each step. She was trying to fight it but no matter what it was only making her more desperate. Like a quick sand of misery. She felt tears roll down her cheeks, and just as she thought her heart might burst, the creature broke the contact.
She felt dizzy like she just crashed back on the ground. The senses were gradually returning to her, “Macy.” she stumbled to her feet. There was no chance for her to run, it would be a futile attempt, she had just enough strength to make a few steps.
Macy was a few feet away, fighting the wendigo’s power with every fiber of her being. But the more she hit, the stronger it seemed to get.
Abigael tried to form a fireball but could hardly muster it. She concentrated, she had to help Macy. Just this once, she prayed her powers do not fail her. She summoned all the pent up anger and managed to form enough firepower. She hurled it at creature’s head. It screeched, breaking its grip for a moment. Abigael didn’t wait, she knew it wasn’t enough.
With the last ounce of her strength, she ran towards Macy. Her feet were heavy and with every step she thought she might sink through the ground. She needed to endure just a few seconds more. The wendigo’s claw hand extended reaching towards Macy’s heart.
Abigael jumped and closed her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Macy and let the smoke envelope her.
They landed clumsily somewhere dark. Macy held them before they could fall to the ground.
“Where are we?”
“I couldn’t- we’re not far.” Abby explained.
And they were not. Surrounded by trees it was not wrong to assume they were still in the park. Like to confirm their fears, the creature howled in the distance.
“Get Harry.” Abby ordered, her voice trembling. She struggled, if she let herself fall there was no way she would be able to get up.
Macy called and they all appeared as the creature’s footsteps were heard nearing fast.
“What happened?” her sisters rushed to their aid.
“I don’t know, I don’t know… it caught us off guard, went after us and-”
“Macy…” Mel gasped. Even in the dark, she could see the smears on her hands. Sticky and warm, “Whose blood is this?”
“I don’t know….” she shook her head weakly.
“We need to run.” Abby urged through greeted teeth, fighting the sickening feeling building up in her stomach.
Harry took a deep breath and focused. It would take a lot to orb them all to safety at once.
***
“I knew you’d be the death of me, Macy Vaughn.” Abby noted as she pulled herself up to a sitting position.
“This is serious, Abby.”
“It’s a scratch.”
“That Harry couldn’t heal. If it had got closer, that thing would have sliced you in half.”
“But it didn’t. This will heal on its own. My demonic side is blocking Harry’s power. Though, it does sting like a bitch.”
Macy wasn’t sure that was the case. She would have to confirm with Harry. She pressed her palm against Abby forehead, “You’re burning up.”
Abby smiled, relishing the sensation of a cold hand on her skin, “Harry gave me some medicine. It will kick in. I’m not dying of a fewer.”
“Do meningitis and wendigo wound sound like a more worthy way to die?”
“Not really, but it’s less embarrassing.” she teased.
Macy shook her head, “This will help, I hope. It’s a home remedy.”
“I almost wish I had set this whole thing up and there’s an antidote waiting for me.”
“Ah, the simpler times.”
“Agh.” Abby hissed as the cold cloth touched the wound.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, I just didn’t expect it.”
They didn’t speak as Macy wrapped the bandage around her waist. Blood rushed to her head every time she inched closer, brushing against Abby’s bare skin. It pushed her thoughts to that night and that kiss and she struggled to breathe evenly. And the fear that possessed her when they orbed into the house and Abby slipped from her arms, blood all over her, dripping on the floor. And now just hours later she was weak in her arms, fighting high fever.
“Are you ok?”
“Yes.” she replied hastily, “All done.”
“I meant from what happened in the park.”
“Oh… well it didn’t get to me.”
“I know but that psycho grip… what was that?”
“I don’t know. It was more than just fear. It’s like it was sucking out every atom of goodness I had. It was breaking me down emotionally and mentally. Right?”
“Something like that.” she commented absent-mindedly.
“What is it? What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking… Why me? It didn’t have much to feed off.”
“I don’t know. It latched on for a reason. It sensed the good in you.”
“Surprised?”
“No.”
Abby scoffed, “Why not? I was.”
“Maybe you should reevaluate yourself.”
Abby smiled and leaned closer, “What if I don’t find anything?”
Macy mirrored her smile, “I bet you will.” it wasn’t the savior complex she has been bound to develop by this point, nor was it optimism. She was always more of a realist than optimist. But there was something, she sensed it day one. She pushed Abby’s hair from her face, she couldn’t resist. Was it the adrenaline still coursing through her veins or-
“You need to leave.”
“What?”
“Something’s wrong.” Abby replied, suddenly terrified, “Get out.”
And then Macy saw it. Abby’s hands were trembling fire forming around them, “Abby stop!”
“I can’t, I…” she screamed hurling the fireball at Macy.
Macy fell to the side, fire charring her sleeve. Confused, she released a small burst of magic, just enough to knock Abby over the bed. Stumbling to get herself up, she managed to escape shouting protective incantations before Abby could strike again.
***
“We managed to contain her.” Harry said, “It’s all good for now.”
“She tried to kill me then dropped unconscious.” Macy retorted, unwilling to hide concern in her voice. She was worried, almost out of her mind. Damn it, that shouldn’t have happened, “Something is happening to her.”
“Macy’s right. Even if she did want to kill her, she wouldn’t try it this way. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I think it does.” Harry countered, “I wasn’t sure before. I didn’t think it was a possibility.”
“What?”
“She’s becoming a wendigo. A scratch form a wendigo can turn a survivor into one.”
“Why didn’t you say that right away? How do we cure it?”
“There is no cure. Only killing the wendigo that inflicted the wound can save her. It has to be done before the transformation is complete.”
“How long do we have before she turns?”
He shrugged, “It seems her demonic side is the only thing that is slowing down the transformation. Two days at best.”
“You should have said something immediately. If not for her, then for our sakes.”
“I presumed she wasn’t-”
“Good? You’re the one who believed in her the most.” Maggie interrupted, “For me it’s hard to believe there’s any good there but it clearly is somewhere deep.”
“I do believe there is more good in her than she shows, yes. That is beside the point because that is not what the wendigo was after in her case. Her demonic side has her safe from that. They do not go after demons and half-demons. Which leads me to one crucial oversight on my part. I presumed she wasn’t in love.”
“Oh, Harry.” Mel said as they all starred at him.
“No, I wouldn’t…” Harry began to protest but was clearly flattered by the assumption, “I wouldn’t presume I am the object of her affection to such degree. But it is possible that the wendigo sensed in her that she harbors great affection at the very least.”
Macy’s heart was pounding, drumming in her ears and she could barely hear what they continued to discuss. Because there was no way that- Abby certainly didn’t harbor anything more than a physical attraction. “It has to be a mistake.” she uttered, voice barely above whisper.
Before anyone can react to it, comes a sound from the room Abby’s in.
“I think I can help.” Maggie offered, glancing at Macy “I’ll use my power to calm her. It’s gonna last longer than sedatives or potions.”
***
“How are you?”
“I am tied to a bedpost and I just had an uncontrollable fit of rage. I am used to both, only the context is usually vastly different.”
Maggie sat at the end of the bed, “Does your wound still hurt?”
Abigael wriggled and tried to find a more comfortable sitting position. With hands behind her back, it was difficult. Leaning the wrong way meant making contact with the wound that was burning at this point, “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“But you don’t want to incinerate me right now?”
“Not more so than usual. Is Macy really unharmed?”
“She’s alright, she’s just worried about you.”
Abigael breathed out, relieved.
“I’m here to help you but I need to say something first. I used to be an empath, you know. It was a really crazy feeling, it took time getting used to it, controlling it so-”
“That is a lovely story Maggie but get to the point.”
“I don’t have it anymore but I got pretty good at reading people’s feelings since then. My point is this – if you hurt Macy I will end you. Which is nothing compared to what Mel would do to you. Understood?”
“Maggie, I- that wasn’t me.” she tried to pull closer, to reach out. The restrains kept her in place, the open flesh ripped. She breathed through the pain, “This thing has taken over me, it made me mad and- please tell her I didn’t want to.”
“Stop it, Abby. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Tell her.”
“I don’t have to. We all know that.”
“Even Macy?”
“Better than the rest of us.”
“Then why are you threatening me?”
“I just want to make it as clear as I can.” she placed a hand on Abby’s leg, “Don’t break my sister’s heart.”
“What-” but Maggie’s powers were making the effect and she felt calm lulling her into sleep.
*
“The power of three saved me, huh?”
“And a flare gun.”
“Well…” Abby raised her glass, “I’ll drink to that.” she drank up savoring the taste of wine.
“Nice? It must be. It was Harry’s pick, after all.”
“Divine. The last thing I drank was bottled beer. It is the most barbaric way to live.”
“Is it, though?” Macy questioned.
“Believe me it’s not far from it.” Abby shifted in the chair, hissing. The wound might have healed once the wendigo got vanquished, but it still hurt. “See what a quantum of good can do to an aspiring half-demon.”
Macy hummed, her eyes roaming over Abby’s face.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Macy?”
“Why would you think that?”
“The way you’re looking at me… it’s like you know something I don’t.”
Macy remained silent for a few moments, “You really like me, don’t you?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?” Abby replied sarcastically.
“I mean like me like me, not like to get me into bed like me.”
“Getting you into bed would be quite an adventure, trust me. But yes, it’s the like you like… bloody hell, it’s like a corny romance movie. Bottom line is I went from wanting to enjoy some casual sexual escapades, to landing in the uncharted waters. I hate how you make me feel and that I am unable to resist. I am not asking you to believe me, Macy, but it has been a torture which, admittedly, I handled horribly.”
“Yeah.”
Abby chuckled, shifting her focus on the glass, “Did you put a truth serum in this? Seems like I’m unable to control my tongue.”
“Abby, I-”
“Distance will take care of that, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”
“Which part?” she stammered.
“The distance. I’m not forcing you to stay but even with the orbing and portals, it’s going to be difficult to go on dates considering the time difference and all that.”
“Am I hearing things because of all the blood loss or are you asking me out, Charmed One?”
“I am.”
Abby got off the chair, “Hmmm, I don’t know. I’m used to more wooing before-”
“Oh, shut it.” Macy poked her, smiling.
Abby took a step closer, “Yes.” she whispered, inches away from Macy, “I will go out with you.”
“This doesn’t mean everything’s changed, you know?”
“I know.”
“I still don’t fully trust you.”
She kissed her neck, sensing the vibration of Macy’s voice, “I know.”
“And I still want you to be more half-witch and less half-demon.”
She kissed her jaw, “I know.”
“Which also means no more activities with Susans and whoever else.”
She kissed the corner of her mouth, “I know.”
“And we can’t tell-”
Abigael pressed her lips against hers, “I know.”