Defending the Home
September 10th 2010 23:44
He opened it in time to see William frozen where he stood. Kurong was back and he was standing only feet from William. He reached his hand out and William moved to take it. Occam only had time to do one thing. He knelt down where the bloody bag was, grabbed it, and flung it across the lawn. Kurong broke his concentration and moved for the bag. Occam grabbed William and rushed him back inside.
“What did you do with the protection you had on this place,” Occam asked, his voice urgent.
“I-I moved them,” Cordelia said.
“You must put them back into place, quickly before he gets inside!”
He threw William inside and he landed on the other side of the room.
“Help her, you must do this quickly,” Occam said.
William went to Cordelia without saying a word. Occam closed the door and put his hands on it, bracing for Kurong’s impact. When it came, it rocked the house. The door shook on its frame, threatening to come off its hinges. Occam put his back to the door and called to Cordelia.
“Did you remove your protection from any other opening to the house?”
“No, just the door.”
Occam smiled slightly. Good, that was good, at least she didn’t remove it completely or else there would be no way for Occam to protect the house. Occam closed his eyes and moved his lips but no sound came from them. He appeared to be chanting or meditating. Suddenly his eyes opened and brilliant silver light came from them. The light was focused on the door like a shield. He put his hands up and moved the light, manipulating it into the size of the door. William and Cordelia walked into the room and froze, staring at Occam.
“Hurry, we haven’t much time, you must put everything back.”
Cordelia broke first, she ran over to Occam. She held a sage wand in her hand and it was smoking. William was still where he stood holding the jar of coarse salt.
“This will only hold for a second after I move, throw the salt at the door,” Occam said.
William grabbed one handful of salt, put the jar down, then bent over and grabbed another handful. Occam moved away from the door just as Cordelia moved closer. William threw one handful at the door and the other where Occam had moved. Occam flinched back as if burned. Salt hit his hands and his jacket but most of it missed and landed on the floor harmlessly. His jacket now had holes in it like tiny gunshots. His hands had holes too and when he raised them up, he noticed he could see through them. He hurried to the sink scowling at William.
Luckily, between Occam’s power and their protections, Kurong was unable to break inside. The banging stopped but there was glimmer of light coming from outside where Kurong was testing the shield. The light flashed from the peephole and then to each window in the front of the house. The three of them watched as Kurong tried every opening without success. Finally, the flashes of light stopped, Kurong had fled.
Cordelia walked over to William and punched him in the stomach. William doubled over in pain, coughing and threatening to vomit. Occam laughed.
“What the hell is wrong with you William,” Cordelia said.
William came to his feet, anger spread across his face.
“Now is not the time to fight, we must think of a place for you to go where you are safe,” Occam said.
Cordelia gave William the look that all women have, the one they seem to be born with. William looked away from her and settled his gaze on Occam. Occam’s face gave nothing away.
“We do need to discuss what just happened however,” Occam said.
Cordelia sighed and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a drink for herself and William from the refrigerator. She handed William the drink and gave him an extra frown. Ignoring his look, she then grabbed Occam’s empty water glass and filled it once again. After everyone had drinks, Cordelia ushered William and Occam to the living room to have a seat. A few moments of silence passed while each of them thought.
Cordelia stared absently at nothing in particular. Her mind was swirling with possible solutions to this doozy of a problem. Should we leave tonight? I’d like to go to St. Augustine, but will it be far enough? Would it even help? Her face screwed up in concentration as she analyzed every angle, every idea. Finally she stopped and took a sip of her Pepsi. She glanced at William and noticed that he was glaring at Occam again. What was his problem? She fought the urge to yell at him again and she moved her gaze to Occam.
Occam was whispering inaudibly to himself. He raised the hand not hit with salt into the air and seemed to grab something invisible. Then he put his hand on the other hand with the holes in it. The holes filled and his skin formed itself over the holes, once again appearing uninjured. He then raised his untouched hand into the air, grabbed something else, and put it to the gashes on his face. By now the blood had clotted into a deep crimson crust. He ran his fingers over each scratch and the blood disappeared in a line where he just touched.
Finally he put his whole hand over the scratches, covering them completely. He sat there, still whispering a moment longer and removed his hand. Once his hand was gone, the scratches were gone as well. Now you see it, now you don’t. He raised both hands into the air now, grabbing nothing and put them over his eyes and forehead. It was a carefully orchestrated ritual. First his left eye, then right eye, then forehead. He repeated this for a few minutes until he reached both hands up again, grabbed nothing and placed his hands on his chest.
The second he put his hands on his chest he took a deep breath and a gentle breeze blew throughout the room. The wind entered Occam and filled his lungs. He exhaled, but no wind blew back. William and Cordelia shivered. They were staring at Occam, who was oblivious to the audience. After the ritual was finished he opened his eyes and looked at the two of them. He saw their expressions and laughed.
“What was that about,” Cordelia asked.
“That was a healing ritual. It is an ability that I was born with.”
Occam made little quote marks when he said “born”.
“It is a common misconception that all vampires have the ability to heal because not all of us can. You would have seen that an hour ago.”
At this last statement his eyes flashed silver. Cordelia and William shivered again.
“Kurong sent one of his followers to delay me getting here. I believe he knew that she would not defeat me but he at least hoped she would keep me long enough. He did not take into account that you would be clever enough to put security measures into place.”
Cordelia smiled while William scowled.
“The rose oil was particularly clever. Most people forget wild roses are a deterrent for vampires. The important thing is that you two are safe.”
William scowled again.
Occam looked at him with a smile on his face.
“Dear William, I do not hope to understand why you have such animosity for me, but I can assure you that if I were not here you would be dead right now. You must do what you think is right, but we must remember that Cordelia’s safety is of the utmost importance. Let me ask you both, is there somewhere you can go that you think may be safe?”
Immediately both answered St. Augustine.
“Ah, such a lovely city rich with history,” Occam replied.
“Let me go there and do some reconnaissance. I certainly do not wish for you to walk into a trap. Kurong has many eyes in quite different places. I shall go there tonight and return here within three days. If I do not return after the fourth day, do not go there.”
After a few more words and planning, Occam moved towards the door and hesitated. Cordelia noticed and smiled sheepishly.
“Of course, let me move the protections away so that you can leave.” Cordelia said.
Occam bowed his head and waited patiently. After this was finished she opened the door for Occam and he crossed the threshold. He turned and looked at her.
“What should we do until you get back?” Cordelia asked.
Occam looked at Cordelia soberly.
“Stay alive,” He said.
“What did you do with the protection you had on this place,” Occam asked, his voice urgent.
“I-I moved them,” Cordelia said.
“You must put them back into place, quickly before he gets inside!”
He threw William inside and he landed on the other side of the room.
“Help her, you must do this quickly,” Occam said.
William went to Cordelia without saying a word. Occam closed the door and put his hands on it, bracing for Kurong’s impact. When it came, it rocked the house. The door shook on its frame, threatening to come off its hinges. Occam put his back to the door and called to Cordelia.
“Did you remove your protection from any other opening to the house?”
“No, just the door.”
Occam smiled slightly. Good, that was good, at least she didn’t remove it completely or else there would be no way for Occam to protect the house. Occam closed his eyes and moved his lips but no sound came from them. He appeared to be chanting or meditating. Suddenly his eyes opened and brilliant silver light came from them. The light was focused on the door like a shield. He put his hands up and moved the light, manipulating it into the size of the door. William and Cordelia walked into the room and froze, staring at Occam.
“Hurry, we haven’t much time, you must put everything back.”
Cordelia broke first, she ran over to Occam. She held a sage wand in her hand and it was smoking. William was still where he stood holding the jar of coarse salt.
“This will only hold for a second after I move, throw the salt at the door,” Occam said.
William grabbed one handful of salt, put the jar down, then bent over and grabbed another handful. Occam moved away from the door just as Cordelia moved closer. William threw one handful at the door and the other where Occam had moved. Occam flinched back as if burned. Salt hit his hands and his jacket but most of it missed and landed on the floor harmlessly. His jacket now had holes in it like tiny gunshots. His hands had holes too and when he raised them up, he noticed he could see through them. He hurried to the sink scowling at William.
Luckily, between Occam’s power and their protections, Kurong was unable to break inside. The banging stopped but there was glimmer of light coming from outside where Kurong was testing the shield. The light flashed from the peephole and then to each window in the front of the house. The three of them watched as Kurong tried every opening without success. Finally, the flashes of light stopped, Kurong had fled.
Cordelia walked over to William and punched him in the stomach. William doubled over in pain, coughing and threatening to vomit. Occam laughed.
“What the hell is wrong with you William,” Cordelia said.
William came to his feet, anger spread across his face.
“Now is not the time to fight, we must think of a place for you to go where you are safe,” Occam said.
Cordelia gave William the look that all women have, the one they seem to be born with. William looked away from her and settled his gaze on Occam. Occam’s face gave nothing away.
“We do need to discuss what just happened however,” Occam said.
Cordelia sighed and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a drink for herself and William from the refrigerator. She handed William the drink and gave him an extra frown. Ignoring his look, she then grabbed Occam’s empty water glass and filled it once again. After everyone had drinks, Cordelia ushered William and Occam to the living room to have a seat. A few moments of silence passed while each of them thought.
Cordelia stared absently at nothing in particular. Her mind was swirling with possible solutions to this doozy of a problem. Should we leave tonight? I’d like to go to St. Augustine, but will it be far enough? Would it even help? Her face screwed up in concentration as she analyzed every angle, every idea. Finally she stopped and took a sip of her Pepsi. She glanced at William and noticed that he was glaring at Occam again. What was his problem? She fought the urge to yell at him again and she moved her gaze to Occam.
Occam was whispering inaudibly to himself. He raised the hand not hit with salt into the air and seemed to grab something invisible. Then he put his hand on the other hand with the holes in it. The holes filled and his skin formed itself over the holes, once again appearing uninjured. He then raised his untouched hand into the air, grabbed something else, and put it to the gashes on his face. By now the blood had clotted into a deep crimson crust. He ran his fingers over each scratch and the blood disappeared in a line where he just touched.
Finally he put his whole hand over the scratches, covering them completely. He sat there, still whispering a moment longer and removed his hand. Once his hand was gone, the scratches were gone as well. Now you see it, now you don’t. He raised both hands into the air now, grabbing nothing and put them over his eyes and forehead. It was a carefully orchestrated ritual. First his left eye, then right eye, then forehead. He repeated this for a few minutes until he reached both hands up again, grabbed nothing and placed his hands on his chest.
The second he put his hands on his chest he took a deep breath and a gentle breeze blew throughout the room. The wind entered Occam and filled his lungs. He exhaled, but no wind blew back. William and Cordelia shivered. They were staring at Occam, who was oblivious to the audience. After the ritual was finished he opened his eyes and looked at the two of them. He saw their expressions and laughed.
“What was that about,” Cordelia asked.
“That was a healing ritual. It is an ability that I was born with.”
Occam made little quote marks when he said “born”.
“It is a common misconception that all vampires have the ability to heal because not all of us can. You would have seen that an hour ago.”
At this last statement his eyes flashed silver. Cordelia and William shivered again.
“Kurong sent one of his followers to delay me getting here. I believe he knew that she would not defeat me but he at least hoped she would keep me long enough. He did not take into account that you would be clever enough to put security measures into place.”
Cordelia smiled while William scowled.
“The rose oil was particularly clever. Most people forget wild roses are a deterrent for vampires. The important thing is that you two are safe.”
William scowled again.
Occam looked at him with a smile on his face.
“Dear William, I do not hope to understand why you have such animosity for me, but I can assure you that if I were not here you would be dead right now. You must do what you think is right, but we must remember that Cordelia’s safety is of the utmost importance. Let me ask you both, is there somewhere you can go that you think may be safe?”
Immediately both answered St. Augustine.
“Ah, such a lovely city rich with history,” Occam replied.
“Let me go there and do some reconnaissance. I certainly do not wish for you to walk into a trap. Kurong has many eyes in quite different places. I shall go there tonight and return here within three days. If I do not return after the fourth day, do not go there.”
After a few more words and planning, Occam moved towards the door and hesitated. Cordelia noticed and smiled sheepishly.
“Of course, let me move the protections away so that you can leave.” Cordelia said.
Occam bowed his head and waited patiently. After this was finished she opened the door for Occam and he crossed the threshold. He turned and looked at her.
“What should we do until you get back?” Cordelia asked.
Occam looked at Cordelia soberly.
“Stay alive,” He said.
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