6.The Saint of Last Resorts(part 2)

After hearing the news of another baby being taken we all came back at the convent while Annie and Hugo left quickly to talk to the young mother. John and I were left behind as I felt really angry being back in here. ''Which one do you think it is?'' John asked me as we walked through the hallway.


''I didn't know them this much. They were a lot like each other, hard to recognize them apart.'' I explained. 


''If you would guess?'' John asked.


''I would say Naamah or Lamashtu.'' I told him. 


''Why not Lilith or Durgia?'' John asked and I sighed.


''You asked me to guess. My guess is those two.'' I told John as we walked inside the nursery were Annie, Hugo and the young mother who lost her child were.


''We can search for her prints, we can find her.'' Hugo told us as soon as we reached them.


''There won't be no prints.'' John told him. Suddenly another police officer came near Hugo and told him something in spanish. Then a young boy walked towards he and after saying something in spanish pointed at the young.


''If I can guess again that's his son who slept with this one.'' I told John quietly and pointed at the two young adults. Suddenly Hugo started yelling at the boy.


''Oi!'' I yelled and everyone looked at me. ''If I'm reading this right, this is your son and the new missing baby is your granddaughter?'' I asked Hugo.


''You pissed off a gipsy, mate?'' John asked joinning my thoughts.


''Did anyone cursed your bloodline?'' I asked him taking very wierd glances from the other people in the room.


''You two catch up, Clem and I have a guilty goddess to catch. Is the fountain outside working?'' John asked Annie who got up from the young girl's bed and leading us out of the room.


''I can't let you summon a entity from Hell in the convent grounds.'' Annie told us.


''I'm only casting a spell to reveal the demon's reflection on the waters of the fountain.'' John said. 


''So that way we can put a name on the face.'' I added.


''What happens if your spell gets out of control, John? This convent is full of inocent people!'' Annie exclaimed.


''Then why did you call me? Saving lives has some very tough choises that you're not willing to make, or I wouldn't be here. No go pray and let us work.'' John spat at her.


''This place isn't something you can show off your abilities, John!'' Annie yelled and I couldn't take it anymore.


''I would stop talking if I were you! You are the one to talk, hiding in a bloody convent!'' I yelled at her and I noticed her eyes filled with shock and terror while she stared at something behind me and then back at me.


''Luv?'' John asked.


''What?'' I asked loudly and then turned back at Annie who had taken several steps back.


''What are you?'' she asked her voice breaking.


''Clem!'' John called and then turned me around so I was facing the wall Annie was staring. On the wall was my shadow but it was a lot taller than me and had huge black wings. I stared at it in shock.


''What the hell?'' I breathed out as I took some steps back watching the shadow do the same. My eyes widened and walked further backwards. ''No no no no.'' I told myself as I watched what I was before being my reflection. I turned around and the only thing I could see was fire everywhere, fire and bloddied people walking like zombies around. I could hear the screams of the ones that were tortured and I could smell the smoke as everything burnt around me. John was nowhere to be seen as I looked all around trying to escape from this image. ''Not here, please! Not again! No!'' I yelled as I tried to escape from the place I once were. I felt hands wrap around me and I screamed closing my eyes.


''It's me, it's me, Clem. Calm down, luv, I've got you.''  I heard John's voice and I opened my eyes to see that I was on my knees as he held me inside his arms. Once I looked at him eyes his look changed. ''Your eyes.'' he said and I immediately knew that they had turned back to gold. He then quickly placed his hands on both my cheeks and held my face. ''Your safe now. You're not there. I've got you.'' he said and after looking at my eyes once more he smiled. ''That's it, luv.'' he said and then pulled me towards his embrace. I rested my head on his shoulder as I watched Chas holding Annie a bit further.


''What is happening?'' she asked as John and I slowly stood up.


''It's a long story, not for now.'' John said as he placed an arm around me and guided me out of the building towards the fountain. ''Are you alright?'' he asked me once we were alone. I nodded.


''Yeah, I think so.'' I told him. ''Let's do this.'' I added.


''Alright sisters of Eve, which one of you is hiding around? Time to reveal your pretty face.'' John said as he took a bowl outside of his back and took his coat off and leaving it on the side of the fountain. When he had scattered all the contains of the bowl around the fountain he stood in front of it, took a big breath and closed his eyes. As he started chanting a few seconds later I spotted one of the sister coming down the stairs. 


''John.'' I said and he immediately stopped and turned around. 


''Hola sister. We're just... involved in a personal prayer here.'' John said trying to explain as I walked next to him.  I then realised it was the other sister we've met earlier, the shy one.


''If you don't mind clear out for a second.'' he added.


''We need you upstairs. Yolanda is very upset. You left everyone in confusion.'' she said and gave small glances towards me. I could've sworn she knew me. And I could say she reminded me of something too.


''Oh, just tell them to relax alright? We'll get everything sorted.'' John told her.


''If you don't come with me now, you'll be the ones to get sorted. With mother superior or the police.'' she said.


''Funny your timing, you know.'' I told her.


''I could say you are trying to keep us away from the fountain.'' John added. She smiled at us as if she didn't understand a thing.


''Let's go. Now.'' she said firmly.


''Okay. I just need to clear out my bowl.'' John said and turned around towards the fountain. I stood next to him as we placed the bowl inside the fountain that revealed the sister's face. So she's the one, that's why she was looking at me. She recognised me. Once we were done we turned back to her.


''Forgive me sister, your name slipped my mind.'' John said with a smile. She looked at us and then turned around and started walking. ''Lilith is it? Durgia? Naamah?'' John asked but the sister didn't flinch. ''Lamashtu.'' John finally said and the sister stopped. Suddenly she turned around and we saw her true form, she opened her mouth revealing her fangs as she let out a scream showing us her fangs and huge claws in her hands. ''Were are the babies?'' John screamed at her. She quickly went to attack him but I stepped in front of her and placed my hand in front of me.


''Stop! Kneel before your queen, Lamashtu!'' I screamed at her and she stopped in front of me. Her inhuman big blue eyes starring at mine. For a few seconds I thought she still obeided me but I guess I was wrong.


''You are not my queen anymore.'' she answered and with a swift move of her hand she sent me flying to my right. I landed on the ground several feet away with a loud groan of pain. Lamashtu lodged at John and pushed his head inside the fountain trying to drown him. When I saw what was happening I immediately tried to get up.


''John!'' I yelled at him while he tried to fight her off and get out of the water. I ran towards them and then closed my eyes before holding my hands in front of me. I started chanting a spell I knew when I was back in hell which seemed to get Lamashtu's attention. When I had opened my eyes I saw that she had turned around to look at me as she screamed and then John got the opportunity to stab her. She let ou a loud scream as her stomach started bleeding and then she ran away. I immediately ran to John who was completely wet fro the waist an up and sitting on the fountain catching his breath. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he was in sitting position and hugged him tightly not caring that I was going to get wet too. He hugged me back and then got up.


''I didn't know you could chant.'' he said when we broke the hug.


''I didn't have to know, since I had my powers back then, but since I arrived here I tried to remember what  I have learnt.'' I explained and he threw me a smirk.


~


''Her name isn't Luisa, but Lamashtu.'' I told Annie, Chas and Hugo as I wrapped a gauze around John's arm where she had scratched him. We were still on the fountain. ''Eve's younger sister and a bit of a glorified vampire.'' I added.


''But Lamashtu doesn't kidnap her prey.'' Annie said.


''What does she do?'' Hugo asked.


''Lamashtu enjoys babies for her feeding purposes. But lucky for you, she's holding her hunger. We don't know why, yet.'' John explained.


''Lamashtu lives to feed, there must be a very strong reason to keep her from it.'' I told them.


''So, we have to figure out what makes Hugo's baby worth keeping alive.'' Chas said and I nodded.


''We're nobodies, good catholics. I've got nothing to hide from you.'' Hugo said.


''Maybe someone is hiding something from you.'' Annie told him.


''What about the rest of your family?'' I asked.


''Who knows your rutes?'' Annie asked again.


''My grandmother, she was born in Chile.'' he said.


''Great!'' John exclaimed. ''I have a way with older women.'' he said looking at me. I smirked and shooked my head.


~


We sat inside the living room of Hugo's Grandmother, Pia. John said in an armchair while I sat on the arm of it. After a few seconds Pia brought as coffee. ''Thank you, grandma.'' Hugo said and she smiled.


''Who's that lovely couple?'' she asked Hugo and I felt myself blush just slightly. John let out a small cough to cover up his chuckle.


''No, no wer're just some friends of Hugo's. I wanted to ask you a few questions about Chile. He said that you're the expert.'' John said.


''Chille?'' she asked as the smile left her face.


''Pia, listen to me. Something is coming after our babies. Something in human. Martina is dead, grandma.'' Hugo explained to her and when she heard that his wife was dead her eyes widened. ''Why would someone be targeting us?'' he asked again.


''God help up. They are back.'' Pia said.


''Who is back? Ms Lopez?'' I asked her.


''La Brujeria.'' she said.


''La Brujeria?'' John asked.


''They're tracking us down, hunting for new blood.'' Pia explained.


''I've never heard of a Brujeria.'' I told her.


''They were powerful worlocks in Chille, long before it was named Chille. Prehistoric stuff, they've been gone for eons.'' John explained.


''Not gone. Hiding.'' Pia told us.


''How come I've never heard of this?'' Hugo asked.


''Because they don't exist anymore.'' John said.


''When I was girl, my grandfather was one of those... monster. They live to cause pain. My father ran away for all of us.'' Pia explained.


~


''What is it?'' I asked when I walked out of the front door. John stood outside and had just lightened his cigarette.


''It doesn't make any sense.'' he said. ''Brujeria wielded a magic the world hasn't seen since God turned on the lights. He struck them down. Not even hell would give them asylum. They were annihilated.'' John explained.


''So you don't believe her?'' I asked him.


''I can't. I don't have a spell to shut down the Brujeria, no one does.'' he said. ''She doesn't know what she's saying.'' he added but he looked nervous. I could tell.


''Then why are you afraid, John?'' I asked him and he stared inside my eyes.


''I'm not.'' he said firmly. ''If the Brujeria were back, we'd know it, all right? It wouldn't be subtle, there would be... Bugger me.'' he said and sighed.


''The rising darkness.'' I said and he nodded. ''The Brujeria are behind it.'' I said joining the pieces together.


''Bollocks.'' he exclaimed and sat on the stoned fence.


''At least now we've got a name. Something more specific.'' I said and walked closer to him. He looked up at me and immediately stood up. I looked at him confused.


''You should leave.'' he said and I raised my eyebrows.


''What?'' I asked confused.


''Leave. Go far far away from me, as far you can. I promised your brother I will take care of you. But you and I both know the only way for me to succed that is for you to get as far away from me as you can.'' he said all to quickly and he looked like a lunatic. I immediately grabbed his shoulder and looked at him inside his eyes.


''John, calm down. I'm not going anywhere.'' I told him and when he heard me he placed his hands on my cheeks and brought his face close to mine.


''Clem, listen to me. I don't want to see you die. Please. Just leave.'' he said and I shook my head before taking a step back to get out of his arms.


''What has gotten into you?'' I asked him. He looked nervous as he paced around and scratched the back of his neck before sighing.


''Do you know why I left you?'' he asked out of the blue and I was caught off guard.


''Wha- what are you talking about?'' I asked him.


''Do you know why I did it? Do you know why I left you alone? Without any warning, just like that?'' he asked loudly and I admitt I didn't know where he was going with all this. ''Everyone that stays close to me dies. Everyone. Ate first I thought I found the right one. I thought you would be hard to get killed. You had powers, you were a bloody queen of Hell. But then I realised that this wasn't true. You were just another human I cared about and was going to die because of me.'' John explained and I wasn't able to say anything. I remember that morning like it was yesterday. I remembered clearly how bad it hurt when I woke up in an empty bed, alone. With no explaination, with nothing. I never guessed it was for that reason though.


''Then why did you let me stay with you? When I came to your door. Why didn't you send me away?'' I asked him after a few seconds.


''I couldn't.'' he said staring inside my eyes. He walked in front of me and placed his hand on my cheek, caressing it with his thumb. ''When I saw you there, standing in front of my door, I just...couldn't leave you again.'' he said and looked inside my eyes.


''You know at first I thought I scared you away.'' I told him truthfully. He looked at me and threw me a small smile.


''Scared me away?'' he asked. 


''Being from Hell and all that. At first I didn't want for you to know.'' I told him.


''But I knew. That didn't stop me.'' he said and I nodded.


''I know.'' I said. ''Forget about me leaving, though. That's never going to happen. I came here to stay.'' I added and he opened his mouth to object but I cut him off. ''I need to tell you something else though.'' I said and he looked at me confused. ''This thing between us can't keep happening.'' I said and he frowned.


''Why?'' he asked.


''Because I was sent here as a punishment. And this is no punishment if I'm happy.'' I told him and he looked like he still didn't understand. ''This is all part of His plan. He sent me here, made me a human, He's taking my powers away slowly and took my memories.'' I explained.


''What are you saying, luv?'' he asked.


''If I'm happy he's going to send me back there.'' I said and he looked at me.


''He can't do that.'' John said but he understand I wasn't joking. ''Can He?'' he added. I sighed and took some steps away.


''Manny doesn't know. That's the deal I made with Him. And Him only.'' I told him.


''Are you sure? Did He tell you that exactly?'' John asked and I threw him a look.


''Do you think He's the kind who speaks his mind freely? Without riddles? He impied it. I'm positive.'' I told him and John nodded while looking around lost in thought. Then he stopped and turned at me.


''You're happy with me?'' he asked as if he didn't believe it at all.


''Unfortunately, yes.'' I said and he let out a chuckle but I could see he wasn't happy about it at all. ''Who would have thought, right?'' I added and we chuckled together.


''Clem, what you're asking me is...'' he said and walked close to me. He went to touch my face but didn't. ''it's very difficult.'' he finished and took a step back. I immediately felt like my soul died. Now he knew... and he's going to avoid me. And he will be doing it for me.


''I have a plan.'' I told John to change the subject.


''What?'' he asked and his eyes filled with hope. He probably didn't understand my change of subject.


''About how to catch Lamashtu.'' I said and he nodded.


''Ah, yes. Tell me.'' he said.


''If she's after Hugo's blood. We'll make her think we have another baby.'' I said and he looked at me, clearly interested about my plan.


~


''Once we fill the poultry with Hugo's blood, I'll use a glamour spell to make it look like an infant. We'll hand it off to our evil lady friend, and she will kindly lead us to her baby stash.'' John said as he walked inside the the room, holding a dead chicken without feathers, where Chas was taking some of Hugo's blood while Annie and I waited for him.


''If Lamashtu is working for the Brujeria, you'd be walking right onto their radar.'' Chas said.


''Well, I didn't say there weren't risks.'' John said as he left the chicken on the table.


''How do you know she won't attack you first?'' Hugo asked.


''I'll present the baby as a mother's offering.'' I explained.


''She knows you, you tried to kill her. She won't come near you.'' Annie said as he put Hugo's blood inside the chicken with a syrinx.


''She will. I might be human now, but she still knows me as her queen, she'll believe that I'm siding with her. It's what she's wishing for.'' I explained while Hugo looked at me as if I'm some kind of lunatic. ''It's a long story.'' I said and walked in front of him. I stared inside his eyes while he looked at me confused.


''What are you doing?'' he asked.


''Nothing. Forget what I just said.'' I compeled him. After a few seconds he came back to reality.


''What happend?'' he asked confused and I smiled at him.


''It's probably the loss of blood. You'll be fine.''  I said and patted his back with a smile.


''I didn't know she could do that.'' Annie told John.


''She might not be able to do it for long.'' John said and I looked at him.


''How do I know that she'll do the offer correctly?'' Annie asked as I walked back close to them.


''Because I am on your side.'' I told her.


''Because Annie, we're grown people. We've made our mistakes but these... these are babies. No price is high enough to save an inocent life.'' John told her. ''And she knows that.'' he added and I smiled at him.


~


John and I stood in front of a hallway while we had set up red candles on a table and had the chicken wrapped inside a blanket after John had casted a spell. ''Are you sure you want to do this?'' John asked as we stood in front of each other while the others were around the corner. I nodded. ''I know this place gets the bad out of you. But I know you're strong.'' he said and smiled slightly at me. I looked at him hoping he can sense my graditude inside my look. Suddenly John took out of his pocket a necklace that held a wooden figure.


''What is this?'' I asked.


''The icon of Pazuzu.'' he said and looked at me.


''The demon?'' I asked and he nodded. ''Lamashtu's sould mate, right?'' I asked again.


''That's right. He used to be her soul mate. Now he hates his guts.'' he said and I let out a chuckle.


''It reminds me of something.'' I told him and he chuckled slightly.


''Yeah... it will keep you safe. If something goes wrong, you know what to do with I guess.'' he said and I nodded. Then, he took a step closer and placed the necklace above my head and then fixed my hear so it wasn't above them. I stared at him as we locked eyes and my breathe grew quicker. We stood there looking at each other's eyes while our chest barely touched. ''You know what? Screw Him, I'll find a way to get you back.'' he breathed out and before I could react he grabbed my face and brought his lips on mine. After lingering for a few seconds he broke the kiss and looked inside my eyes waiting for me to say something. I immediately grabbed his tie bringing him close to me and then wrapped my arms around me. We kissed passionately for a few seconds and then I pushed him away.


''I don't think it's wise to go against Him.'' I breathed out. He opened his mouth but I stopped him by placing my hand on his chest. ''Go.'' I said and he nodded before turning around and walking towards the other. I took a big breath and turned towards the table with the candles. ''Take this child into your dark whome and give it internal life.'' I said and then waited. After a few seconds I heard whooshing through the walls.


''You.'' Lamashtu said as she stood behind me. He claws were close to my shoulders ready to stab them inside my neck. I closed my eyes and then turned around quickly.


''Dissapointing of you to believe that I sided with the humans.'' I spoke to her and she lowered her hands. ''I might be in this embarassing form but my work continues here on earth. Now, kneel before your queen.'' I ordered and after a few seconds she fell on her one knee. I smirked satisfied. ''I offer you this child, to take it for the shake of our work.'' I said and gave her the blanket that had the chicken inside. She took it and stood up. ''You will be rewared for your devotion.'' I told her and she nodded out of respect at me before turning around. Before she could leave I heard a gunshot and out of shock I fell backwards towards the table. Lamashtu hissed loudly and I saw that it was Hugo who took the shot as he walked down the hall. He then started running towards Lamashtu who turned around and ran towards the front door of the convent.


''Clem!'' John said as soon as he reached me. I nodded at him as we continued running along with Annie and Chas after Hugo and Lamashtu. We arrived at the garden while Lamashtu dissapeared inside the sewer. ''Hugo stop!'' John asked as Hugo went to go after her. ''If you want to see your son alive you've got to let us do what we do!'' John yelled at him as he held Hugo in place. ''I know your heart is in the right place, but you'll kill him.'' he added.


''Ok, ok go!'' Hugo said and then offered his gun. ''Take this!'' he said and John shook his head.


''I have no use for that.'' he said and Annie jumped in.


''I'll take it.'' she said and then went down at the swere with John, me and Chas following her.


~


When we all got down the stair John opened his flashlight as we walked slowly further inside the sewer. It smelled awful and it was really dark but we continued to walk. At some point the sewer split in two and then we heard one of Lamashtu's scream. ''I think she just found out the baby's a chicken.'' John said as we tried to figure out which path to choose. 


''It's not a good idea to split up.'' I told them.


''We have to. We cant lose him now.'' she said.


''If you need me scream.'' Chas said as he went to the right path. Nice split. I shook my head as Annie, John and I contined at the left path. As we took a few turns we finally heard a baby cry. John immediately stopped and placed his arm in front of me and Annie to stop us too. When the baby continued to cry we started walking again quicker this time. We took some more turns and finally reached some kind of room where there was a cage with two babies inside. John quickly opened the cage and took one baby and gave it to Annie. He took the second one and I outstreched my arms for him to give it to me. Once we held the babies we quickly turned around and started walking backwards. But we could hear Lamashtu coming.


''Quickly!'' John said as we walked faster. After Lamashtu realised that the babies weren't inside her cage she screamed and we turned around to see she was right behind us.


''Give me the babies.'' she spatted as her eyes lingered on me. ''Traitor of the kingdome.'' she spat at me.


''Clementine, give me Diego.'' Annie said but I ignored her. Suddenly John took the baby out of my arms and took a step forwards.


''The way I see it I have something you're supposed to deliver intact, am I wrong?'' he said.


''John, that's an innocent baby!'' Annie told him loudly.


''You're working for the Brujeria, why?'' John asked but Lamashtu didn't answer. ''If you don't answer me, I swear I'll break the neck of your pressious cargo and you'll have tto explain to them why you failed. Now, why are you working for the Brujeria?!'' John yelled.


''They're explanding my domain.'' she said.


''To Hell?'' John asked.


''On earth.'' she answered.


''John, don't do this. Don't play this game.'' Annie said and I looked at her in order to shut up, he knows what he's doing.


''How? What their plan?'' John asked her, ignoring Annie. Lamashtu did not answer. ''Or maybe I just drown it.'' John said and got on his knees. Lamashtu hissed.


''John!'' Annie yelled and I held her in place.


''You have three seconds to tell me what is the plan! Three!'' John yelled.


''They figured out a way to break the boundary.'' she answered. ''Hell and earth will become one. No more hovering in the shadows like cowards.'' she continued. ''You'll be the ones hiding, but there will be no hiding from us. You'll be ours.'' she finished and John got back up.


''So that's what's coming.'' John said. ''Ambitious.'' he added.


''Too bad you won't see it.'' I told her.


''You don't have the power to stop me. No one does.'' she spat.


''I bet your friend Pazuzu will disagree. I'll let you two lovebirds to figure some things out.'' I said and took the necklace off my neck and placed it in the water on our feet while I chanted a spell. The water caught on fire of blue color as I stood up straight again not stopping the chanting. The fire reached Lamashtu which started screaming as she tried to escape the fire. After a few seconds a blue portal appeared which took Lamashtu in and closed before the fire stopped.


''John?!'' we heard Chas call us.


''We're alive! On our way!'' John said and gave Annie the baby as we turned around and started running.


''Everybody okay?'' Chas asked as we reached the stairs we used to come down here.


''Just peachy.'' I said and gave him a smile. Annie gave the one baby to Chas.


''Go, now.'' she said and he nodded before going up the stairs. Just before she went up the stairs we heard a baby's cry.


''Is there another one?'' I asked as we looked around. Suddenly I saw something moving in front of us. ''John...'' I said and I saw he was staring at it too. ''Is that...'' I started.


''An invutse.'' he finished for me. ''It can't be.'' he added as we took several steps backwards. John pushed me behind him and placed an arm in front of me.


''We have to run!'' Annie exclaimed.


''No no no no , it'll hunt us.'' John said as we half hided behind the last turn of the sewer in front of the stairs. ''We can't outrun it.'' he said.


''What do we do?'' Annie asked. John breathed heavily and then turned to us. 


''I have an idea.'' he said and I felt Annie move far away from behind me. Both John and I turned around to see her pull out the gun Hugo gave her.


''No, no if you shoot, it will attack us for sure.'' I said and walked close to her. She looked at John and then me.


''No.'' she said and then held the gun up towards us. ''It will attack you.'' she said and pointed the gun towards me. John and I stared at her in shock. ''No price is too high to save the innocent.'' she said. With a swift move she hit me with the gun on my face, before John could stop her as I fell on the groan with a scream. Then I heard the gun fire. My eyes widened as I tried to get up but it was hard due to the hard blow.  I turned around and went next to John who was on the ground with his back against the wall.


''John, John.'' I said as I placed my heands on his face and tried to keep him awake. The invunche had started screaming but I ignored it. ''John stay with me.'' I told him as he stared inside my eyes.


''Go.'' he breathed out before coughing. I shook my head.


''No way.'' I said. ''You just stay with me.'' I continued.


''It's coming. Run. Go!'' he said as loudly as he could, which was barely a whisper.


''I'm not leaving you!'' I shouted at him as I felt a few tears fall down my cheeks.


''There's no other way. Don't be stupid. Go, Clem. Please.'' he begged me as and I saw a tear fall down his face. That broke me.


''I'm not leaving you.'' I told him again as I tried to pull him closer to the stairs. But I saw he was in pain so I stopped.


''You're bleeding.'' he breathed out as I fell next to him on the ground. My head was very dizzy and I was loosing my balance. He reached his hand on the courner of my mouth and wiped the blood that had trailed down the wound. I immediately opened his shirt and saw the wound in his stomach. I quickly pressed my hands on it and tried to stop the bleeding.

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