The Banshee's Desire

Chapter 8



At first, Jacqueline wasn't aware of the physical change in her appearance.

But others were.

People gasped in horror as she passed them on the street outside the hotel, stepping wide to avoid any chance of her touching them. A few screamed and one small child started to cry.

"It's too early for Halloween!" A man shouted after her.

She turned and noticed the terror in his eyes, and unable to help herself, smiled.

Oh, but his life force looked yummy. She could see it flickering around him, teasing her banshee instincts. So simple to reach out with her powers and tug it free from the mortal coil.

No! The murdered souls of Finn Spark's victims gathered around her, just as strong and angry as the spirits she'd seen surrounding the police car that held Jacob Fortensky. No. Get Finn. We want Finn.

Jacqueline turned away from the man and continued on her journey.

"Where are we going, ladies?" she asked.

To your lover's house. That's where the murderer is hiding.

"Figures." Jacqueline's mouth twisted into a maniacal grin. "He'll try to lie to the one man who trusts me completely. Big mistake."

But was it?

What if he didn't believe her?

The thought angered her, and she wished there was some way to get to Toby's faster than her car.

Her feet lifted off the ground, and for a moment, she teetered in the air.

"I thought this was something I could only do in the astral dimension," she said. "That's what Death said."

But who could really trust Death?

Thoughts of Matilda flashed through her head, spurring on her anger. And the angrier she got the more her body lifted.

Use your anger, Jacqueline, the murdered girls urged. Use it to avenge us.

"Yes," she whispered, letting the feeling flood her, though some part of her knew it was wrong to be controlled by it.

She visualized where she wanted to go and to her amazement, found herself there in under a minute. Toby's house looked serene below her, but the murdered girls chattered in excited voices, persistent bees buzzing in her head. Jacqueline lowered to the ground, observing the area.

"Is he in there?" she asked.

Finneus is here.

Before Jacqueline could question the voices further, the front door opened and Toby stepped out. Surprise flickered in his eyes as he took in her appearance, though he said nothing. Instead, he shoved his hands deep in his pockets and sighed.

"Hey, babe."

"Toby." She tried to keep her voice even. "I need to talk to Finn."

"Okay," he agreed. "But first, you need to drop your banshee look."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you peeked in the mirror, Jacqueline? You know I love you, but this isn't my favorite look for you."

With a wave of his hand, a full length mirror materialized next to her. She stared in it, startled by what she saw there. The skeletal face, the flashing green eyes, the way her short, blonde hair had lengthened and grayed--now she knew why the people outside the hotel had run from her.

She held up a hand, flexing the fingers that ended with sharp talon-like nails.

Where had they come from?

"Holy crap," she said, shuddering as the mirror disappeared.

"Interesting choice of words. I don't think we'll be seeing your Banshee style of dress on the runways of Paris next season." Toby moved closer to her. "Any chance I could see you--the real you?"

"Maybe this is the real me."

"No. You're a human. Not a banshee. You have the power to make the choice."

Make the right choice, Jacqueline. The girls swarmed around her, impatient and frustrated though Toby couldn't see them. Make the choice to rid the world of Finn.

"First, let me talk to Finn."

"Sure. Just change back to your human self."

"Toby, I don't have time to argue with you."

"Then don't. Change back."

"I need to have my guard up. He's evil. I found a dead hotel maid in his room."

"That doesn't mean you should be the one to provide justice." Toby frowned. "You're a reaper who takes souls that have passed on to the other side. That's your job. Not to take souls from the living."

"Please, Toby. Just let me talk to him."

"What were you doing at his hotel room anyway?"

Impatience had her stomping her foot and she glared at him. "If you must know, I was there to find out a way to get in touch with the Brotherhood. I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" Toby laughed softly. "I can handle myself. And if it's the Brotherhood you want, you should have just asked. I hold a seat on their council."

"What?" But it made sense. He was the head of his wizard family--the only survivor that she knew of. "Then why haven't we been contacting them? We could find out what they really want with me, could end all this worry."

"Jacqueline, I know what they want. They want to lock you in a cage and only let you out when you are useful."

"I'm too powerful."

"Too powerful for one or two wizards," Toby agreed. "But for a whole council who is prepared to meet you? I doubt it."

"Fine. But I want Finn. He should be punished."

"Yes. But not by you."

Toby crossed to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She trembled and felt some of the anger slip away as she looked into those deep blue eyes that begged her to come to her senses. He ran a hand along her sunken cheek, the touch of it soft and warm.

"Jacqueline, you've got to let this go. Finn is not your responsibility. You were able to stop yourself from killing Jacob Fortensky. You can do it again."

She looked away, hoping he didn't see the guilt in her face.

"She did kill Fortensky." Gabe stood on the porch, having come out unnoticed by them. He shook his head, a hint of sadness on his face. "I can't say I blame her though. If she hadn't, I would have."

Jacqueline shot him a baleful look that didn't go unnoticed by Toby.

He turned his head and looked at her closely. Lifting her chin, Toby inspected her eyes as if he could see all her deeds shining in them. As he did so, Gabe spoke again.

"She yanked his soul free when you weren't looking. Makes you wonder about Matilda, doesn't it?"

Toby stiffened and Jacqueline shook her head, frantic.

"No. No, Toby. I didn't do anything to her. Death did. She appeared to me and killed Matilda as punishment." Jacqueline clutched at Toby's arms before he would have turned away. "Please. You know I wouldn't harm her."

"Punishment for what? Go on. Say it!" Toby's voice filled with ice and anger as she hesitated. "I want to hear you say what happened to Fortensky."

Her shoulders slumped and she could feel the talon on her fingers disappearing as anger was replaced with shame.

"I killed him," she whispered.

"So you lied to me."

"I couldn't tell you the truth, couldn't face your disappointment." She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. "I can't get control over myself."

A small part of her thought he might be moved by her tears, that he might wrap his strong arms around her and pull her close.

Instead, he stood like a stone.

See, he's no better than Finn. Put your tears away and finish off Finn. We need you more than Toby does.

The energy of the murdered girls gathered around Jacqueline, tugging and pulling at her, appealing to the avenging nature that lay in her system. Their moans taunted, the visions of what Finn had done to each girl, the horror of their deaths filled Jacqueline's ears, building on the grief in her heart.

"No!" She shouted and thrust out her arms as if to push the energy away. "Get out of my head!"

There was silence. She knew the girls hadn't gone far. Their energy still felt close.

"Toby," she whispered, staring at the ground. "Can you forgive me?"

"Why didn't you tell me about seeing the spirits? We could have been working together on finding a way to change that?" Toby asked.

"Because I was afraid."

Before he could answer, Finn Spark stepped out onto the porch. He smiled as Jacqueline looked up. She tried to beat back the small rise of angry heat she felt at the sight of him.

"I see things are under control here," Finn said. "Good work, Toby. You obviously have a way with her."

"Shut your mouth, Spark." Toby still looked at Jacqueline. "Let's talk about your way with women. You weren't truthful about what happened in that hotel room, were you?"

"You can't believe anything she says," Finn said. "She's lied to you several times it seems. I had nothing to do with the death of those other girls."

"Other girls?" Toby turned his head slowly to look at Finn. "What other girls? You mentioned only a hotel maid."

"He's talking about the girls he's killed the last few years, the ones who have been following him around waiting to bump into someone like me who can help them get vengeance," Jacqueline said. "He strangles them, but before he lets them die, he uses a spell to take their sexual energy. It fuels him like a tonic, but what he doesn't realize, is that each time he does that, he binds their spirit to this world. He's taken a piece of them so that they can't go on. Which is why I have a gaggle of super pissed off dead chicks following me around right now."

As Finn started to protest her words to Toby, Jacqueline turned to Gabe.

"He's exactly the same type of man as Fortensky," she said. "You know, they guy you didn't have the guts to get rid of even though he almost left Angela for dead--the woman I know you have feelings for. And how dare you tattle on me like some spoiled brat! I did what you couldn't. Coward."

"Jacqueline," Toby's warned. "Stop."

"I can see that you guys are about to have a domestic dispute here," Finn said, sliding away from them. "I'll just get out of your way."

"You're not going anywhere." Gabe kept his eyes on Jacqueline. He lifted his hand, and as he did so, Finn was pressed against the wall of the house. "Not till we're done with you."

"Gabe, put him down," Toby ordered. "We don't want more trouble with the Spark family."

"That's right," Finn said, with a hint of desperation. "I can call off this truce at any time. You know, Gabe, my father refers to you as 'the creature'. He never speaks your name even if you are part Spark. Letting you get off scot free for killing Derek is his only gift to you and only because Derek was a waste of skin. You harm me, I guarantee it won't be the same deal. He won't hesitate to rip you apart."

"Easy son." Toby lowered his voice and put a hand on Gabe's shoulder. "Don't do anything rash. I can handle this."

Reluctantly, Gabe put Finn back down.

"Go inside," Toby instructed his son. "Get the box."

Gabe tilted his head, wary. "You sure?"

"Get it!"

Gabe nodded and went in the house, the door slamming behind him.

What box, Jacqueline wondered, but before she could question him, Toby turned to Finn.

"I think you should go before things take a bad turn," Toby said. "I'll be in touch with your father regarding today's events. He may not like me, but he'll be interested to know about the possibility of his son murdering innocent girls. It sounds like a matter that should be taken up in front of the Brotherhood's council."

"He won't believe you," Finn said, though the idea seemed to shake him up. "I'm his favorite."

"We'll see."

With a small shrug, Finn turned and began walking away.

No! You can't let him go. The voices of the murdered girls rose, so powerful and so strong, that a breeze sprang up.

"I have to," Jacqueline whispered. "I can't kill for you."

Behind her, she heard Gabe come back out on the porch. He and Toby spoke in low, hushed tones, but she didn't bother to try and make out what they were saying.

Exhaustion and shame were the only things she felt.

Now that the truth was out, she didn't know what to expect from Toby. How would he be able to still love her?

But hope sprang in her heart. He was, after all, Toby. Yes, he was a tough guy, but underneath she'd seen the teddy bear he could be. He'd take her back, he'd forgive her, and he’d--

"Jacqueline," the soft sound of her name caused her to turn around. "I’m sorry, babe. This is the only way I can help you for the time being."

In his hands, Toby held a silver box.

The Box of Souls.

Slowly, he opened it, a stricken look on his face.

"Toby, no," she whispered.

A whirl of wind surrounded her and though she struggled, Jacqueline could not escape the net of energy the box emitted. It pulled at her, sucking her into the box, until all she could see was blackness.

And in the blackness she sobbed like her heart was broken.



****





Toby held the Box of Souls, a stricken expression on his face.

What had he done?

"It's for the best," Gabe said. "You've made the right decision."

"For now," Toby said. "But I don’t intend to keep her in there forever. I'm going to help Jacqueline."

"Do you really think you can?"

"I believe in her," Toby turned to look at his son. "But you know what I'm not sure of? You."

"What do you mean?" Gabe shifted uneasily, though his face was devoid of real emotion. That alone worried at Toby.

Just who was his son really?

"I understand that life has been tough for you, and I'm sorry for that, but you don't want to be on my bad side. I’m not sure what you are up to." Toby warned. "You may be a powerful wizard, but I can still make your life hell if you cross me."

"Look, I'm not the one who killed Jacob Fortensky," Gabe started to protest, but Toby cut him off.

"I know. I also know that you don't like Jacqueline, which makes me wonder why you waited to tell me the truth about what she'd done. I can't help but think that you chose to play the odds. Why? You don't want to do that with me, Gabe. It's too big a risk."

Toby pushed past Gabe and into the house, clutching the box tightly. He went down to his basement, a place he'd enchanted long ago against the curious eyes of normal humans. It was a sanctuary of sorts, a spot where he practiced his spells. He walked over to the small bank safe he concealed his most powerful possessions in and whispered the enchanted password.

Toby hugged the Box of Souls to him before placing it inside the safe and shutting it back up.

Then he sat down at his work bench and thought about what he'd done.

Locking Jacqueline in the box was a temporary band aid to bigger problems, problems that he turned over and over in his mind as he thought about her.

How could Jacqueline lie to him? How could he trust her to ever let her out? What if she never gained control over herself?

True, he could see to some extent the justification--Fortensky had been evil personified. The world was better off without him, but that didn't mean it was Jacqueline's right to kill him.

It was still murder no matter how you looked at it.

And Matilda, her death---it had been punishment for Jacqueline's actions. He didn't know who to be more pissed at, Death or the woman he'd trusted.

And if she had been allowed to kill Finn Spark…

Such an action would have given the Brotherhood plenty of justification for coming after Jacqueline. They could officially declare her a danger, a threat to their existence. Toby wouldn't be able to protect her.

Though he'd never told Jacqueline, he'd done a little digging of his own, discovering the story of Efa, the original half banshee. When he'd called Gabe earlier, his son had suggested using the Box of Souls to contain Jacqueline since it had been the only thing to stop Efa. The problem was that Toby didn't want to keep her in there for hundreds of years until she chilled out or whatever had happened to Efa's soul happen to Jacqueline's.

"Morrigan," Toby said, looking down at his spell book. "You are my only hope. I hope you're in a friendly mood today."

The thought of contacting a Celtic goddess was daunting. He wasn't sure how to begin.

Didn't matter. He would find away.

The answer to Jacqueline's rehabilitation was with Morrigan.

Toby opened the spell book and got to work. He was so focused on what he was doing that he never noticed the three wizards of the Brotherhood slip into the room.

Toby's last thought before being knocked out cold was of Jacqueline.