Lost

It was raining lightly, a mist over the city streets as Claire closed and locked the shop door behind her. There had been much debate among the reapers on the way to nail down this latest threat, all they knew was that it could happen with very little specifics. Matt had even pointed out that one of them might be at risk but Lilith had pointed out that very few were stupid enough to mess with one of them when there were so many untapped amateurs out there.
Therefore a locator spell had been decided on as the best course of action, inbetween the boys hunting shadow demon and the call of the playroom. Claire knew that Dani and Lilith would be ready to cast at four in the morning as this seemed to work best and she took her time, her footsteps echoing on the cold pavement as she started for home with everything they needed in her bag.
In truth the peace was rare, Claire had mentally tuned out for the evening and was enjoying not having her lover and her friends talking at one hundred miles an hour. Zacky had said hi and see you later about half an hour after she had left and now it was nice just to stroll through the Saturday night crowds that were still milling around at one in the morning. Mortal life seemed such a long time ago although she remembered nights with Zacky and Lilith and Brian before they were turned when they would go to the theatre or dancing. It still ended the same way and Claire giggled, there seemed to be no end to their love and lust for each other.
The people couldn’t see her of course, she had always preferred to remain unseen on the streets unlike Lilith who would look for trouble and Dani who would enjoy moving amongst the humans. Stef was the only other reaper who preferred to stay hidden and they had often laughed about it considering there was little the mortals could do to hurt either of them. It was more the peace it brought and Claire smiled as she watched a young couple in the first throes of love kissing on the corner.
There was a flash of white light through her head and Claire stopped.
Nothing.
She glanced around, unnerved and called out to Zacky in her head.
Still nothing.
Claire tried again, she could always talk to Zack, they were linked and even now she knew he was in the city but….Lilith, she couldn’t find Lilith either and suddenly Claire realised she was mentally blind. She felt she had barely registered that fact before her mind exploded in pain and a rush of images. There was screaming and a man being beaten with a metal bar by masked men, more screaming and they pulled him up and Claire felt herself scream.
Zacky. Zacky beaten to within an inch of his life, the blood pouring from his mouth and nose as the men kept hitting him. Claire stumbled, falling to her knees as more images piled into her head before everything went black and there was silence.
“Are you ok?”
“Help her up I think she blacked out.”
“Ring an ambulance.”
Claire opened her eyes, realizing that the visions had knocked out the concentration needed to remain unseen and now a small crowd had gathered. Two men helped her to her feet and guided her over to a bench, an older lady fussing around her as Claire tried to work out what had happened. She fumbled in her coat pocket for her phone, painting a smile on her face and assuring all the people that she was fine as her fingers closed around it. They were drifting away now that she had assured them that she was fine and the woman had gone to get her a glass of water.
“I will phone home, my husband will come and get me.”
The woman nodded and pressed the glass from the pub opposite in her hand before continuing her way as Claire tried to think around the pain in her head. She dialled Zacky’s number…
“I really wouldn’t do that.”
The voice echoed in her head and Claire dropped the phone.
“What?”
The screams began again in her head and she slammed both hands against her ears as the voice spoke again.
“You will come to St Pancreas station within twenty minutes or Mr Baker will die. Again and in a very brutal way that will mean you and your sisters will not revive him.”
Claire started to shake, looking around wildly to see if she could see the source of the voice or anything threatening nearby. She shuddered again as her mind filled with images of Zacky being dragged towards what looked like a pyre. Her voice was internal and desperate.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
The voice became silken and reasonable causing Claire to flinch.
“We want you to come and save him and help us. Be sensible Claire, you knew that your kind would be found eventually. You witches are a curse, you always have been.”
Claire thought back to Lilith’s premonition and straightened up.
“No. You let Zacky go and you might get away with not having the reapers rip you to pieces.”
There was a giggle and the voice spoke again.
“Very well. Sorry Zack, looks like she doesn’t love you at all.”
Claire screamed as a wall of flames filled her mind, she could almost feel the heat on her skin and now she heard him, Zacky’s voice delirious with pain.
“Please….Claire, please. I love you, run….”
Claire stood up, her mind making it hard to remain that way as she frantically tried to decide what to do. It was a long way home even with a teleport and there was no clue as to where Zacky might be or who this force was that had taken him.
“Last chance Claire…”
“Fine. Okay I will come. Just leave him alone.”
“Oh we will….and don’t even think of getting your friends involved. We blocked you out and you are being watched.”
She started to walk, her eyes full of tears as she gathered her coat around her. People were staring at the beautiful redhead, seemingly in great emotional pain as she stumbled along the pavement and two policemen even thought of approaching her before several drunken men caught their attention. By the time they looked back the girl had gone.
Claire could think of nothing but the amount of power it would have taken to snatch Zacky and silence her mind from her sisters. Her man was violent and unpredictable when cornered, not even his friends would push Zacky too far and yet it seemed someone had managed to take him down. Claire was more scared for him than herself although she wished she could get through to Jimmy and Matt, they would have burned a path to Zacky and whoever had taken him.
“Hurry it up Claire.”
She gritted her teeth at the mocking voice in her head and kept walking, her head low. Already the fury was beginning to build, Johnny had always said that Claire had every bit as much violence within her as Lilith, it had just never been released. They had all seen it in the last battle between the sisters, a rage fuelled confrontation that even her friends had been unable to stop. She badly wanted to turn it on whoever had Zacky.
The phone rang.
Dani’s number appeared and she hesitated, the voice now hardened as it spoke to her again.
“Smash it.”
She did as bidden, breaking her mobile against the wall by the station and then pushing her way into the huge building. It was too late for trains to be running and there seemed to be nobody around. Her footsteps echoed on the tiles as she walked forward, Claire’s eyes scanning the shops and booths for anyone who might lead her to Zacky. As she rounded te corner she saw it.
Five men, all in black suits and white shirts.
She stopped and waited, her face betraying nothing as one stepped forward and spoke, the voice she recognised as the one that had been tormenting her.
“Claire…at last.”

Notes