Little Spark

35 - Two Reigns

The nightmare that night begins as always: I'm trying to beat the murderers to the blue house. Interestingly enough, since having that vision at the fountain, I notice more about the killers when inside the dream. For one, they're walking very slowly. The man seems impatient, and the woman's face is flushed. Her odd gait suggests some kind of injury or disability, and her hoodie is a few sizes too big.

When I reach the clearing, I see Reign waiting for me on the porch.

"Shadowboy!" I call out, bolting across the street. "I'm so glad you're here!" I throw my arms around his lean waist and breathe him in, relieved. When he doesn't return the embrace, I pull back. "Reign? Is everything ok?"

I feel his arm slowly slide around my middle like a tentacle, locking me in place. His eyes shift from green to black as the corners of his mouth perk up into a wicked grin.

"I got her," he says as the murderers ascend the porch stairs. They're trailed by third hooded person whose only distinguishable feature is a pair of bright blue eyes, but I'm the only one that seems to notice the newcomer.

"Reign? What are you doing?" I say, trying to twist out of his grip.

He pulls me tighter to him. "It'll be over soon, New Girl."

I twist harder, furiously pushing against his chest. "Let me go, Reign!"

He squints at me, and for a split second, I see the Reign that took me to his tree and told me about his sister, the Reign who rescued me from the Crypt, the one I know, deep down, really does care about me... the one with a conscience.

Sadly, the moment passes as quickly as it came, and his eyes go back black as this other Reign regains control.

The female murderer opens the front door, and she and the man enter. "Come on, New Girl," Reign says, tightening his grip on my waist. "Let's go inside."

Blue Eyes follows us in and closes the door.

Furious tears blur my vision. "How could you, Reign?" I say in a low voice. "I trusted you."

"Last I checked, New Girl, you were warned not to do that."

When we get to the living room doors, I glance up and see the silhouette of a tall man perched at the top of the stairs. I can't make out a face, but he raises a finger to his lips, instructing me to keep quiet.

The murderers slide the living room doors open, and Reign and I step inside. He releases me and goes to open a closet in the far-right corner. My petrified little cousin looks out at me from within.

"Ruby!" I cry out, running over to her.

As I wrap her in my arms, Reign smiles at me and snaps his fingers. Mauro and Cole Shetani step into the room, flanked by a horde of black-suited Shadow minions. Blue Eyes stands in front of the window across the room, watching us all.

I catch sight of the Lady Justice statue on the bookcase across the hall in the study just as the figure at the top of the stairs begins his silent descent; he's here to help Ruby and me.

As the first gunshot rings through the air and the husband drops lifelessly to the floor, the person from the stairs triggers a bright flash of light. All the minions disintegrate, and Reign is knocked unconscious. Mauro and Cole whip around in confusion.

In the center of the room, the male murderer passes the gun to the female who slowly approaches the wife. Light glints off something near the top button of the wife's brown cardigan, and the killer make a quick swipe at her neck as she always does. A small trinket drops to the floor.