21 Deal

Akamu, Malia, and Makoa were forced into the back of a black van where other coven members were inside. They held guns and eyed them with expressionless emotions. The trio said nothing as they obediently followed and went inside the van without a fight. Jovan entered the front, where Bethany sat in the driver’s seat. The two looked at the rear-view mirrors, where they noticed the other coven members entering other vehicles. Once everyone was ready, Bethany drove on the road as the others followed them.

Bethany and Jovan were silent; neither said anything to the other. It stayed that way until they got onto the highway, and Bethany couldn’t help but become curious about what happened with the others. “You look thoughtful. I see that those three haven’t made a fuss. I assume you told them about the plan.”

“Indeed, they agreed since their little friend was kidnapped by the siren.”

Bethany remembered seeing the siren fly in the sky but held onto someone. She was surprised that one of the witnesses was taken away. “Do you believe the siren desires the woman as his mate?”

“There is no doubt, Bethany. The siren would usually kill and eat, but this time, he did something different.”

The two were silent as they kept their eyes on the road. “Tabatha is not going to be happy about this. The siren is valuable to her; she is obsessed with it. He has a beauty that would make any woman go for.” Bethany quickly glanced at Jovan, who looked stoic, but she knew very well what he thought and felt. “I’m sorry. I know that you still hold feelings for Tabatha. I remember how close you two were and how much in love you were.”

Jovan looked toward the window and saw the endless green hills, which made him feel at peace and reminded him of his life before Tabatha found the siren. “She is no longer the woman I fell in love with. She became a monstrous psychopath; I hate myself for not saving her from the temptation of evil.”

“You have to stop blaming yourself, Jovan. At the end of the day, Tabatha decided and did the monstrous acts. I firmly believe that we will be able to escape this coven.”

The duo saw the coven hiding in the hideout; they were getting near. They became stoic but gave one another one final look of agreement until they finally arrived at the mansion. The van and other vehicles were parked; the coven members got out with the trio on hand. Bethany and Jovan looked at Akamu, Malia, and Makoa, who looked nervous and terrified. “Do as you were told, and nothing will happen to you.” Jovan motioned for everyone to follow, and everyone walked into the house.

Akamu, Malia, and Makoa couldn’t help but notice the large vehicles and cages covered in black curtains. Growls were heard underneath, and they knew that it was creatures. The memory of the innocent victims being mauled made the trio shiver. Everyone went to the door, which another coven member opened. The scent of sage and license hit everyone’s noses; the living room was dimly lit, and a couple of female coven members stood in a circle as they chanted. Tabatha was seen in the center with a pentagram drawn on the floor, naked. In the right-hand corner of the living room was Kahlua, still tied up.

Kahlua looked dazed but slowly returned to reality when she saw the trio. Malia was the first to notice her and gave her a deadly glare. She and the men were then forced to kneel but were ensured not to be too close to the ritual. Everyone, except the women, was silent; they watched and listened to the chant and prayer, which lasted thirty minutes. Tabatha eventually stood and was covered in a black robe by two of her female coven members.

When Tabatha turned to see the prisoners, everyone bowed. “Sister Tabatha, we have found the culprits, as you ordered,” said Bethany.

Tabatha said nothing as her eyes were on the friends who were also forced to bow. She slowly walked toward them, not blinking once. The group of friends felt her stare as if it was burning them. She eventually stopped before Malia, who was between her brother and Makoa. To Malia’s surprise, Tabatha knelt and motioned Malia to look at her. Although Tabatha held some beauty, Malia felt a sudden dread and fear that she had never felt before. Malia felt more terror toward the witch rather than the creatures themselves.“It’s like she’s the devil incarante.”

“You seem the strong one in the group; I can see it in your eyes.”

Malia didn’t expect to be told such a thing. “E-Excuse me?”

Suddenly, Tabatha gently touched her injured arm. “Did my siren do this to you?” Malia decided not to say much but felt the witch’s grip slowly tightening. “Why don’t you speak? Do I terrify you so?” Without warning, Tabatha tightened her grip so hard that Malia yelped in pain.

“Hey, leave her alone!” yelled Akamu as he was about to go to his sister. However, he was kicked on the back of his neck so hard that it made him land on the floor. Two men pointed their guns at him. Makoa felt helpless; he wanted to protect Malia but didn’t want to worsen the situation.

“P-Please, don’t hurt her. Please believe us that we didn’t know what your show was about!”

The witch still had her grip on Malia but glanced at Makoa. “So you friend over there forced you to arrive at my show?”

“She didn’t force us. She knew a guy, Zachery, who invited us, but we didn’t know what the show entailed. Kahlua lied to him, saying we were all into the same thing he was. I felt sorry for Kahlua since she wanted to impress him; I also encouraged everyone to go! I am to blame!”

Kahlua didn’t move an inch, but deep down, she felt betrayed and hurt. She wanted friends to feel a part of a group. They only went because Makoa pressured them to go. Tabatha let go of Malia and slowly stood, her eyes on Makoa. “I have to admit that I like your strength, although stupid. Although, you do have a point. Your friends freed many of my pets; some captured while others are still on the run.”

“Wh-What are they? Are they really creatures from legends?”

Everyone was silent. Tabatha slowly walked into the pentagram’s center and laughed, echoing throughout the household. Suddenly, Othalia entered the living room, and she also laughed. “This is getting amusing, Sister Tabatha! Should we just save them for our next show?” Othalia jumped on one of the nearby sofas with a sadistic grin.

Tabatha’s laughs died down, and immediately became expressionless. “I will not leave this forsaken island without the siren. He is my most prized possession. These fools released him.”

“Wh-What if we can help you find him? The siren kidnapped our friend!”

Othalia stopped grinning; Tabatha stilled. “What did you say?”

“He kidnapped our friend! I got hurt trying to stop them! We want to find our friend, as much as you want to find your siren! We can help you!”

“We know where he is since I was smart enough to put a tracking device but it is getting faint since the battery is running out. We have the manpower to get my pet back.”

Malia knew that Tabatha was difficult to convince, but she remembered Jovan had told her to keep insisting. “Y-You are right, but if we go, Danae will feel more comfortable and she could convince the siren that we bring him no harm. Do you think he will react well if he sees your coven?”

Silence reigned again. Bethany and Jovan mentally smirked, knowing it made Tabatha think. They knew she would consider their offer since she was obsessed with getting the siren back. “Very well, I will accept your offer and-”

“You have to make an oath! We can’t just trust your word! You might kill us!”

Othalia got off the sofa, went to Malia, and grabbed her hair. “How the hell did you know about oaths!?”

“I used to study witchcraft and I know witches take oaths to heart! Swear it!”

Tabatha glared at Malia and the rest as she got her silver knife. “Oh, very well, I will give you my oath.” She then cut her hand and motioned it downward, making drips of her blood fall on the floor. “However, you will not go alone, Jovan and Bethany will go along with you. Meanwhile, that friend of yours, Makoa, will stay with me to ensure that I will not be betrayed. Since I shed my own blood to make this oath, I will need one of yours as well.” Tabatha snapped her fingers, making two men get a hold of Kahlua and dragging her before their leader. Kahlua’s eyes widened in terror, and she screamed into the cloth that covered her mouth. With a single swift, Tabatha slashed Kahlua’s neck, making her blood spill like a waterfall. Kahlua’s body shook violently; her eyes went behind her head. Malia and the others looked the other way in disgust and fear. “There, we have made a deal. You will be given the location and I will not accept failure.”

22 Captured

Danae screamed in terror as she was being carried through the slowly descending night sky. She feared that the siren would accidentally drop her since his grip didn’t feel tight enough. While flying, Keanu glanced down at her once in a while; he understood that Danae was terrified, but he wouldn’t hurt her. He wanted to take her far away from the Hawaiian islands but knew it would make Danae distressed. The siren stopped at a small cave close to a beach on the island. He hid there a few times after he escaped the coven. 

Keanu flew down toward the cave, which was small and almost at the center of the rocky cliff. He believed that humans wouldn’t be able to climb up to the small cave or would dare to. He finally arrived at the cave and let Danae go, who tried to regain her breathing due to the fear and altitude. Once the young woman calmed down, she slowly looked at her environment and noticed that the small, dark cave only had space for two to four people. Still, it would be difficult for her to calm down since the ocean waters limited the beach grounds.“He doesn’t want me to escape!”

It was silent between them; the ocean waves were the only sounds heard. Danae slowly turned around and saw Keanu in the cave but seemed to keep his distance. He knew she was scared, and although he could speak a few words, his actions spoke for him. Fear was still apparent within Danae, but since Keanu didn’t try anything on her, she slowly gained confidence. “You safe. Me no hurt you.”

This made Danae flinch, but she regained her composure. “Wh-Why? Why did you take me?”

Keanu moved his head upward and downward in a pug-like manner. “Man, no good. He’s no good!” The siren’s anger was noticed with full force. His eyes glowed, teeth sharpened, and beautiful features turned almost devilish.

“Okay, okay, please calm down!” Keanu slowly calmed down but kept his distance; his eyes were still on her. “B-But answer this, why did you take me?”

“Bad man. I like you. Me no want you with man.”

Danae understood what he tried to tell her and became frightened. However, she feared what he would do if she refused to be and go with him. “K-Keanu, I understand, but what you did was not right. I have my friends. My friends are worried about me. I’m worried about my friends.”

Keanu raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, he slowly walked toward Danae; he seemed predatory. Danae noticed and tried backing away from him, but parts of her hand felt the end of the cave. Another movement would have meant falling to her death. Instead, Danae moved to the side of the cave and motioned out her right hand. “N-Not another step! Please! No more!” The siren stopped when he stood before her and eventually knelt before her. His stare intensified, and it made Danae shiver. His stare alone would make the bravest warrior tremble. Keanu slowly raised his right hand toward her; Danae closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

Even with her eyes closed, Danae felt Keanu’s touch on her head slowly trail down to parts of her hair. His touch was cold and soft, and Danae slowly convinced herself he wouldn’t hurt her. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed that Keanu was still looking at her, and his fingers were gently trailing down on the last strands of her hair. His emotionless eyes had a hint of…loneliness. His eyes and acts showed what he wanted: a companion. Pity slowly overcame her mind, but she shook her head. “Keanu, I want you to be happy, and you can be. You’re free and can go back home.”

Keanu eventually stopped touching her hair but still knelt before her. “Home, yes. You come with me.”

“This island is my home. My home is here. I love it here. Please, Keanu. I want to stay here.”

The siren growled; he was losing his patience and growled. “DANAE!” The duo stilled when they heard someone calling for Danae. The young woman recognized the voice; Malia called out to her. Malia and the others found her; she wondered how, but it didn’t matter. Danae moved away from Keanu and looked out the cave. From afar, Malia and Akamu were walking on the beach.

Danae wanted to scream but remembered about Keanu; she feared that he would try to kill them. “K-Keanu, my friends found me. They want to make sure that I am okay.” The siren growled, his wings slowly spread out, ready to kill. “N-NO! Don’t get mad! They are friends! They miss me and want to be sure that I’m okay! To see if I’m happy!”

“They take you away! You stay!”

Keanu was about to fly away and make an attack, but Danae blocked his way. “Y-Yes, I will stay with you! Please let me say goodbye to my friends!” Danae hoped that Keanu would believe her. She wondered how they could find her but hoped to find out if her friends had a plan. “I promise that I will go with you after this! Please!”

The two eyed one another; Danae tried not to look away, or Keanu would doubt her. Keanu growled. “You say goodbye. You stay with me.”

“O-Okay, thank you!” Then Keanu held onto her waist, spread out his wings, and flew out of the cave, making them fly mid-air. Danae yelped as she held onto him tightly; both slowly descended as they saw Akamu and Malia running toward them.

The siblings noticed Danae with the siren and stopped in their tracks. “S-So they were telling the truth! Danae was being kept here!” said Malia.

“Yeah, but remember the plan. We can’t blow our cover, or we might not see Makoa again,” said Akamu as he tried to contain his composure. The siblings watched as the siren, and Danae flew down the sand.

Neither moved; they didn’t know who should make the first move. “Akamu! Malia! You found me!”

The siblings flinched and ran slowly so as not to startle the siren. The closer they got, the more frightened they became when they noticed the male siren in all his terrifying beauty. Keanu eyed the siblings; his eyes glowed with a hint of warning. Akamu and Malia were close enough but ensured to keep their space; they were speechless. Danae wanted to run to them but felt Keanu’s grip still on her. “Please let me hug them. It might be the last time I see them if I am go with you.” She looked at him pleadingly, and Keanu relented. The young woman slowly made her way to her friends and then ran to them. Malia also did the same, and the two hugged one another. “I-I’m so glad you guys are okay!”

“Forget us! What about you!? I can’t believe that thing had the nerve to-!”

Danae shushed her and put her lips close to Malia’s ear.“The siren wants to take me away. If you guys found me, then you must have a plan, right?”

“Y-Yeah, please trust us. We were found by those murderers, and they have Makoa hostage.”

The women separated and looked at one another. “Th-They have Makoa?”

Malia nodded and then motioned closer to Danae as she explained everything. Meanwhile, Akamu stood by the women and looked at the siren, who had his eyes on Danae. Although Akamu watched the siren during the show, seeing him before him, free, was terrifying.“Now I see why that witch wants the siren back; he is terrifyingly beautiful.”He noticed that the siren was getting impatient and then got close to the women.“It’s time.”

Danae looked confused, and loud gunshots were heard; Kenanu screamed. She turned around and saw that Keanu was covered in what looked like fishnets. Her eyes widened when coven members surrounded them and Keanu with guns in place. Keanu struggled to get out of the net, and when he tried to rip it off of him, the net let out an electric shock. The shock was so powerful that it made him wail in pain. Although Danae didn’t want to go with him, she didn’t want Keanu to get hurt. “NO! PLEASE DON’T HURT HIM!” She tried to run to Keanu but was stopped by the siblings.

“No, Danae!” yelled Malia.

Then, the trio saw Behtany and Jovan walking toward them and looked at the siren, who groaned in pain. Jovan and Keanu looked at one another. “What creature, to be at the end of an obsession.” He then slowly walked to the trio, which stood still.

“Wh-What are you going to do to him, he-”

“Danae, calm down. He’s on our side,”whispered Malia.

The young woman felt confused and didn’t know what to think as she watched Jovan stopping before her.“We will not hurt him for he is part of our plan, a plan that I didn’t discuss with any of you.”Akamu and Malia looked concerned.“If something goes wrong, this is what I want you to do.”

23 Horror

Akamu, Danae, and Malia were in a black SUV being driven to the coven’s hideout; Bethany and Jovan were in the front, keeping their eyes on the road. The friends were nervous about what might happen but wanted Makoa to return safely. “S-So, why are you helping us?” asked Danae.

“They want to leave the coven, Danae. Believe it or not, the coven wasn’t always twisted. When their leader found the siren, she changed for the worse,” explained Malia.

Bethany and Jovan were quiet as they listened to Malia. They didn’t like to talk about their feelings and thoughts, but being in the coven was getting too much. Bethany glanced at her rearview mirror and saw the cage being dragged by the SUV in the back. She couldn’t believe the siren caused so much change in Tabatha and the coven. Bethany joined the coven since they accepted her with open arms. Her family were drug addicts who abused her; she couldn’t take it anymore. Tabatha was the one who found and motivated her to join her coven. Bethany was happy, but when Tabatha changed, she wanted to leave. She hoped to escape and start a new life.

“I-I was curious about something else. Are those other creatures also mythical creatures from the legends we have heard?”

Bethany and Jovan were silent, but Danae noticed the slight tension in their shoulders. “No. Only the siren is. Those ‘creatures’ you witnessed in the show were everyday people.”

The friends flinched; their hearts beat rapidly at the new information. ‘Wh-What do you mean they were everyday people?’ asked Akamu. He sensed what they might say, but he hoped he was mistaken.

“The creatures were once innocent everyday citizens. However, these particular people came from troubled backgrounds and were tricked into joining our coven. Once trapped, Tabatha and particular coven members experimented on them, making them become the creatures you’ve seen.

“Oh my god! That’s deranged and evil! That show, wh-what was it? Is it just to entertain sick people!?” asked Malia.

Jovan didn’t want to speak anymore; he felt ashamed for being a witness to atrocities. The young man wanted to stop everything and let the innocent people escape but was powerless to do anything. Bethany noticed his discomfort and decided to tell the rest. “After the siren’s discovery, Tabatha tried to get research about its legends. She didn’t want to let it go since she became obsessed with his beauty and voice. She went to the dark web when she didn’t get the information she wanted. That is where she met Othalia, who is a diagnosed psychopath, and inquired about the siren. When Othalia saw it, she convinced Tabatha to show it in the dark web. People became intrigued with it, which caused Tabatha to enjoy the attention and power; you know the rest.”

Danae couldn’t believe that many humans were vile creatures capable of doing monstrous acts. She was terrified of being face-to-face with Tabatha and the rest of her coven. Everyone remained quiet until they arrived at the hideout. The trio flinched and held each other’s hands for comfort and strength. Jovan parked and turned off the SUV. “Remember, she mustn’t suspect anything. Play along. Let’s go.” He and Bethany got out of the SUV first and forcibly took out the trio. The other coven members exited their SUV and assisted their leaders in getting the captives inside the lit house.

Everyone walked toward the house; Danae and the others felt their stomach drop as they approached the door. They felt a fear that would make anyone faint. The door opened, and everyone entered a dimly lit living room. Tabatha was seen sitting on the main sofa while Othalia and the others stood behind her; Makoa was tied and his mouth gagged, and he knelt on the floor by Tabatha.

Akamu, Danae, and Malia were pushed to the floor; guns were pointed at them. Danae caught a glimpse at Tabatha and couldn’t believe how a beautiful and innocent-looking woman could be a killer. “Y-You’re beautiful,” she muttered out.

No one said a word; everyone looked surprised by Danae’s suddenness. “So you are the woman that my siren desires. I can see why he interested you; you have a good, innocent heart. You still call me beautiful, even knowing who we are and what we are capable of.” Tabatha crossed her right leg over her left. She was enraged that Danae was the cause of the destruction of her show, her pets’ escape, and her siren’s desire for her. However, her rage slowly dissipated. “It has been a while since someone called me ‘beautiful.’”

Danae looked at Makoa, and he did the same. “S-So what will happen now? Are you going to kill us?”

Tabatha hummed as she smiled. “No, I made an oath that neither I nor my coven members will kill you and your friends.”

“Is Kahlua…?”

“Dead? Yes. I used her blood to make the vow. She and her worthless man were the ones to inform you all about the event. Although…” Tabatha looked at Makoa. “It seems that Makoa here was the one who pressured you to go to the circus.”

The trio trembled, fearing that Tabatha would order Makoa’s death. Suddenly, Bethany and Jovan yelped and were violently pushed to the ground. Gunshots were fired at some of the coven members who went with Bethany and Jovan on their missions. All died instantly from the gunshot wounds. The trio were shocked and tried to comprehend what was happening. “Wh-What is the meaning of this!?” yelled Bethany.

Othalia giggled as Tabatha looked amused. “You know. That my second-in-command and one of my trusted advisers wanted to leave this coven.” Bethany and Jovan were horrified that Tabatha knew the truth, but they wondered how she found out. Everyone saw Tabatha gently pat Makoa’s head in a motherly manner; Makoa sat still as he looked at everyone with emotionless eyes. “Well, there’s no need to hide yourself anymore, my love.”

Makoa stood up as the ropes slipped off his body and took off the cloth from his mouth. “Phew, I was getting sick and tired of pretending to be the distressed damsel.” He calmly sat down next to Tabatha, and his eyes were on her; they kissed. Danae and the others were confused and terrified at the scene before them.“M-M-Makoa? What are you…doing?”Danae asked in a faint whisper.

The two broke off their kiss. “Oh, just kissing my girlfriend, Danae. I guess I forgot to tell everyone of you that I’m taken and part of this coven.”

Danae’s eyes widened, and Akamu and Malia were in disbelief. The friend they thought they knew was part of the coven. So many questions ran through their minds. Bethany and Jovan were also stunned but realized that Makoa told them of their plans. “Y-You were together with him, Tabatha? I thought you and I…” Jovan felt his throat on fire. He and Tabatha had feelings for one another when they met. He fell in love with the kind woman who helped him through his troubles, but her feelings for him changed after she changed. However, the warlock hoped that Tabatha would see through reason.

“Oh Jovan, such the bloody heart as always. You still have hopes that I would return to the sweet and gentle woman I once was. What made you think that I was that woman you once knew?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Makoa chuckled as he held onto Tabatha. “It looks like he never got the hint.”

“Jovan, you disappoint me. I thought you would be able to see through the ruse. How else would I convince you to join?”

The warlock couldn’t believe he had been tricked; the woman he fell in love with was a lie. Tabatha wasn’t different from those who caused him pain. The young man wanted to yell out in rage, but his heart and mind felt nothing.

“MAKOA, HOW COULD YOU!? Y-YOU WERE PART IN THIS COVEN!?” yelled Malia. She was kicked on the back so hard that her body bumped on the floor violently. Akamu tried to fight off the person who hurt his sister but was restrained.

Makoa looked amused and indifferent as he looked at his former friends. “Why do I need to repeat myself, Malia? I had to find people who think like myself. This coven understands me and my desires, why wouldn’t I be with them?”

Othalia giggled as she sat on the top of the sofa. “Yeah, you all wouldn’t understand people like us! We can express who we truly are and our urges. People like you try to hide your true selves and fit in. We don’t care and do as we please!”

Danae’s mind was still trying to comprehend Makoa’s betrayal. All the information was getting too much, and she felt as if she was going to have a panic attack. Then, she remembered certain information about the creatures. “Those creatures were people that you all experimented on.” Her eyes widened as another truth set in. Those people that were turned into creatures were lured to you guys. Someone must have lured them.” The young woman looked at Makoa, who sadistically smiled. “You worked in a juvenile program and as a coastguard. You used your job positions to lure them to the coven. Those creatures and the people that were slaughtered in the show were your victims that you lured!”

Othalia clapped as she whistled. “Wow, she’s very smart! I can see why you wanted her and the others to join us! Although, it looks like she might refuse!”

“Join?”

Makoa stood up from the sofa and knelt before Danae. “I saw potential in you. You grew up in an unfair society like me, where we have to serve the most entitled people. You don’t have to suffer that embarrassment and shame anymore. I wanted you and the others to join us. Together, we can be great and earn a living to become powerful! All you have to do is accept. Will you join us?”

“DANAE, DONT! YOU-!”

“Shut up, woman!” commanded one of the coven members.

Everything became too much for Danae; she wondered who her friends and enemies were. Her friendship with Makoa was built on lies and manipulation. “Never! Look, we returned your siren. We kept our end of the bargain, so please let us go.”

Silence reigned; Makoa became emotionless as he stood and looked at Tabatha, who was also emotionless. She stood and put her hands together. “You’ve seen too much, and I can’t let you all leave.”

“Damn you, witch! You swore that you wouldn’t kill us! That you would let us go!” yelled Akamu.

“I did. I said that ‘I’ wouldn’t kill you and that I would let you go. However, during our oath, you didn’t specify where to let you go and that my pets couldn’t kill you.” Tabatha noticed her victims’ loss of hope and enjoyed feeling their helplessness. “Everyone, prepare my beauties. We are going to give our a fans a show.”

24 Unleash

Danae and the others were blindfolded, forced to stand, and motioned to walk out of the living room. Fear was imminent within the captured, but they knew Tabatha would go against her word. They didn’t expect the Makoa to work with her and the coven. He told her what Jovan had planned before Danae was rescued. However, Jovan had something else planned that Makoa didn’t know about. He hoped that it would work.

Everyone was motioned to stop, but Danae was the only one forced to walk forward while the others were forced to kneel with the blindfolds on. The sound of a cage opening echoed, and Danae was pushed in as the cage door closed. The young woman waited for movement or sound and took the blindfold off when nothing happened. She was met with darkness; it was difficult to see, but she knew she wasn’t alone. Before Danae could call out, bright lights hit her face, making her cover her eyes. Once the young woman regained her sight, Danae noticed her friends, Bethany and Jovan, were tied and gagged. Coven members stood behind them with guns in hand.

Danae and the others were in what looked like a backward surrounded by a large wall and trees. There seemed to be a small forest on the other side. Suddenly, Tabatha was in her black robe as she stood before the cage with the cameras on her; Makoa stood on the side as he watched. “My fans, sorry to keep you all waiting for another show! After some mishaps, I am happy to announce that the Hidden Shadows Coven is back on business!”

A projector screen was visible on the left side of the cage, and on it were what seemed to be usernames. It was the usernames of the coven’s followers from the deep web; Danae and her friends were going to be the show, and crazed, obsessed people wanted to witness brutal deaths. Danae’s hands were tied, but she was still able to run. “Y-You sick witch! You were never going to keep your word! You-!” A gunshot was fired by a coven member, which made her silent.

“After our last show’s unfortunate events, we finally have captured many of my pets!” Tabatha clapped her hands, and many of her coven members pushed her pets, who were once human beings, into small cages. Cameras were pointed at the cages to show proof that the creatures were in the coven’s possession. “Now, I don’t want to waste all of your time! We have new fresh meat for my pets, and if you wish to vote, you know you must contribute the same amount as always! Pick which of my pets you wish to eat the first victim!”

Akamu and Malia tried to scream, but their mouths were gagged. Bethany and Jovan kept still, knowing that nothing could be done unless Danae was able to act on the plan accordingly. Everyone watched the projection screen until the time was up; the votes were in.

The siren was chosen.

Tabatha was disappointed. She knew the siren was interested in Danae, but before he was captured, instructions were given to change the collars to make him do what he asked. Jovan mentally smirked; he felt relieved that the siren was chosen. “The first part of the plan is complete now; the second step will be tricky,”he thought.

“You all have spoken, and your decisions will be followed!” Tabatha motioned out her hand, and some coven members shoved a small cage into which was the siren with a collar on his neck.

Danae noticed that Keanu was getting closer and was under the collar’s control.“It’s just like Jovan said. I have to play it cool and let him near me.”Danae’s cage was opened wide enough to let the siren go inside.

Keanu slowly entered the bigger cage, and the opening behind him was closed. He stood motionlessly, and Danae stayed where she was, not wanting to trigger any unnecessary movement. Tabatha looked at the siren, her most prized possession. His beauty and voice enamored her. When he escaped, Tabatha felt lost, but what angered her was that the siren developed an interest in Danae. She tried everything to get the siren’s attention without using technology and other forces.“I’m going to enjoy her being devoured.”The witch then stood before the cameras. “Now, to make this a special treat for everyone! I decided to let you all vote on how my siren will kill this unfortunate soul! Please state your wish, and the style that is most similar will win!”

While the users were voting, Danae looked at Keanu, who was emotionless; the collar controlled his mind and body. “K-Keanu, please snap out of it!”

Tabatha stilled when she heard Danae speak with the siren. She slowly turned and glared at Danae. “What did you call him?”

Danae ignored her. “Keanu, please snap out of it! Don’t let her control you! Please help us!”

“Keanu?” Tabatha chuckled; Makoa and Othalia were silent; they knew that their leader was beyond enraged. “You named my siren!?”

“Yes! He is a living and breathing being! You treat him and your victims as property and your cash cows! You, your coven, and your users are monsters!” Danae smiled as she looked at the cameras. “You all have been lied to! Tabatha and her coven know all of your identities to blackmail you all just in case you leave her platform!” Part of the plan was first to create tension among the coven’s users. Being on the dark web is against the law; users knew they were at risk of being spied on or caught by secret agents. Anything that would put their identities at risk would cause immediate fear. Bethany and Jovan looked at one another, and then the projector and the voting stopped; the users got nervous.

Tabatha and the coven noticed that their users stopped voting, and many began to ask questions, or some signed out immediately. “My followers, this bitch is speaking nonsense! She is only stalling your voting! She-!”

“My friends and I were part of her show! We were fans of hers! I snuck out to speak to Tabtha since I was her fan, but I heard her converse with her boyfriend about their blackmail plans. I was angry and hurt!” Danae ran to the cage and held onto the bars. “I let go of the creatures as revenge for betraying us all! She is killing us to keep the truth hidden! Log out and never go to them! You’re all in trouble!” To her relief, the users believed her, and everyone logged out of the show.

Tabatha and her coven were shocked. The witch tried to reassure them that Danae lied, but it was too late; her fans signed out. No one said a word as they focused on their projector; the coven feared their leader’s wrath. The witch breathed heavily as she glared at Danae. She was about to give the order but, to her shock, saw that Danae was hugging the siren. Jealousy burned her. “COLLAR ACTIVATE! KILL HER!” Keanu didn’t move and didn’t heed her orders. “COLLAR ACTIVATE! KILL HER!”

Nothing.

Danae then let Keanu go; she held onto the collar. Everyone’s eyes widened. “Blessed Be!” yelled Danae.

Clicks echoed, and the collars on the creatures were deactivated and slicked down from the creatures’ necks. The coven was shocked and tried to comprehend what was happening. Bethany and Jovan looked at one another, took off their gags, and yelled, “UNLOCK DOORS!” they yelled.

The cage doors opened, and the monsters noticed; they were free and ready to release hell.

25 Sick

Once the cage doors were unlocked and slightly opened, the creatures immediately ran out of their prisons with a swoon of vengeance. The coven was in shock and tried to process what had happened, but for many, it became too late as many of them had their heads decapitated by a single swing or were being devoured. Bethany and Jovan took this as an opportunity to get away from their once brethren. They got far enough where they found some sharp garden tools and cut the ropes off; they freed themselves. 

Everything was chaos as many coven members tried to shoot the creatures or run away. Blood was spilled, and body parts and guts flew mid-air. Akamu and Malia lowered themselves to avoid getting any attention, but Bethany and Jovan could get to them and move them from the chaos. The former members untied the siblings and got the gags out. “You two need to get out of here!” yelled Bethany.

“Danae is still trapped in the cage! We’re not going to leave her behind!” yelled Malia.

“Besides, we can still help! We can’t let Makoa and Tabatha get away! They might do this again!”

Bethany and Jovan quickly looked at one another and nodded. “Malia, you will go with Bethany get Danae out of here. Akamu, you and I will try to get to Tabatha and Makoa; they can’t get out of here alive.”

The siblings looked at one another. “Are you saying that…?”

“Yes, they need to die. There is no other option.” Suddenly, multiple gunshots were fired toward the group; the bullets were missed; Othalia had a machine gun. Blood drenched her clothes and parts of her face. To everyone’s surprise, they noticed that parts of her right shoulder were gone; it was bitten off.

“You son of a bitch, you planned all of this, have you?” Othalia asked calmly.

Jovan and Bethany stood up as they shielded the siblings; they knew Othalia’s fighting tactics. “Tabatha wasn’t as smart as she thought; she shouldn’t have trusted me to create the collars. I had planned to leave this coven for a while and slowly bided my time, but I made some adjustments when the time was right. However…” Jovan smirked. “That wasn’t the only thing that I did.” Othalia raised an eyebrow but had her finger on the trigger and was about to shoot to end them all. “CENATAUR KILL HER!”

Suddenly, a creature with an upper deformed male body whose head was sewed by a deformed horse’s head with sharpened teeth let go of a devoured male coven member and immediately ran to Othalia. The clicking sound made Othalia turn, and she shot her machine gun, which only fired three bullets. The more she pressed the weapon, nothing came out. The centaur creature then stomped on Othalia, making her fall. The kick made Othalia burn with pain; the creature stomped on the lower part of her body, which made her scream in pain. Bones cracked from the sudden impact of the creature’s hooves on her private parts, legs, and stomach. Blood splurted throughout her body; Othalia also coughed blood.

The centaur creature neighed in rage as it remembered the abuse it suffered by Othalia and the coven. He stomped her to death until her body cracked open, and her insides gushed out. Akamu and Malia were horrified; Akamu hugged his sister and shielded her from the sight as best he could. Jovan ordered the creature to stop, and it did so while breathing heavily. “Break the cage door.”

The creature entered the cage where Danae and Keanu were in and broke down the door. Danae and Keanu saw everything, and they got out of the cage. Most of the coven members were dead; blood and guts sprawled all over the backyard. Some creatures were injured, and some were not. They all had revenge for the abuse they suffered at the hands of the coven. The chaos turned into silence as they saw the horror. No one could avoid stepping on blood since it flooded the entire ground.

Danae tried her best not to look at the corpses and creatures still eyeing her and the group. “Y-You guys…” The siblings saw Danae, separated from their embrace, and went to their friend. Danae ran to them; the three embraced. “Oh-Oh my-my god! I’m so happy that you two are safe!”

“We were more worried about you, Danae! We were scared that the plan wouldn’t work!” cried Malia. The trio separated and looked everywhere. “Wait a minute, where are Makoa and that damn witch!?”

Bethany and Jovan noticed that the siren was gone; they chuckled.

Meanwhile, Makoa and Tabatha were driving from the scene inside a Black SUV. Everything went to hell, and Tabatha was furious. Makoa was driving away with the bags of computers that contained the coven’s vital information and the money earned from previous shows. “I can’t believe you let this happen!? You didn’t get more information from Jovan!?” yelled Tabatha.

Makoa was just as enraged. “You’re blaming me!? You let Jovan make the collars! You had suspicions and you did nothing to begin with! You were the leader of the coven, it was more of your responsibility than mine!”

“You were the one who brought that bitch toward us, knowing full well that she was not like us! You brought the ruin to my coven!” Tabatha then grabbed the bags. “Stop here; I’m going to get another ride to get out of here!”

The young man didn’t stop. “You’re going to leave me alone!? We were supposed to do this together!”

“It’s best that we separate so we’re not caught. I can leave from the sky and you by boat.”

“I see what’s happening. You just want to leave me hanging so the attention is away from you!” Makoa grabbed the bag and tried tugging it away from his lover. “Well, you got me into this, bitch! You were the one who ordered those people to be experimented on and killed. You never paid me for my work; I deserve this money!”

The duo began to fight for the bag, but then a sudden bang was heard on top of the SUV, which made Makoa step on the brakes, making the SUV stop on the road.“D-Did you hear that?”asked Makoa in a faint whisper.

Tabatha didn’t respond as she held onto the bags. “Go look what’s outside.”

“Me!? You do it! You got us into this mess! You-!” Makoa wasn’t able to finish his statement as a hand ripped through the SUV’s roof; Makoa’s head was impaled with the nails. The nails were engrafted into his brain, making his eyes and facial movements spiral out of control. Blood dripped down the wounds.

Tabatha knew that the siren had found her. She got the bag and immediately ran out of the SUV. When she took a peak, the siren ripped Makoa’s brain out from his head; the siren ate parts of it. Usually, the witch wouldn’t be bothered by such scenes since they were common to her. The situation was different since she became the prey. The witch ran more on the road and wanted a hiding spot, but many trees were down the highway. She couldn’t go down since the cliffs were steep.

The more she ran, the more she noticed a light coming from the highway. A car was going her way, and Tabatha felt relieved. “I will kill the driver and take the car for myself and get away from this damned island! I-!” She wasn’t able to finish her statement as a potent force violently pushed her to the concrete ground. Keanu was on top of his captor, the woman who made his and her victims’ lives hell. He growled as his beautiful features changed into his monstrous form, which made him look like a demon from hell. His claws from his toes sharpened as he tore into Tabatha’s skin.

The claws dug deep into skin and meat. Tabatha slowly looked at the siren she had become enamored and obsessed with. “I-I-I-I kn-know that I-I-I-I did you wrong! I-I-I sh-shouldn’t have done the things to you! I-I-I was enamored by your beauty! I-I-I didn’t want you to leave! I-I-!”

Keanu used one foot and forcibly covered her lips, refraining Tabatha from speaking more. He had a sharp and sadistic grin on his bloody lips and put one finger on his lips. It was as if he was telling her to be quiet.“Name is Keanu. I’m hhhhuuuunnnnngry….”

The siren used both his feet as he dragged Tabatha, using her skin up, and dragged her down the highway to the mini forest.

The female car driver had his radio full blast, listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s song ‘Sick. Sick, Sick.’ She sang the song as she drove past Tabatha’s bag and wasn’t able to hear Tabatha’s agonizing screams as Keanu did the most unimaginable things to his previous victims.”

26 Dark

Two months had passed when Danae, Akamu, and Malia survived the murderous coven. Jovan informed everyone that when he assisted Tabatha in the experiment on the victims, he ensured to put a chip in their brains where he was able to give commands to the creatures. His glance softened when asked about his plans for the creatures or victims, showing his regrets. Bethany and Jovan decided to end the victims’ misery by having them kill themselves. There was no way to turn them back into who they once were, and it would be impossible for them to live in the outside world. Once all was done, then they would give the victims a proper burial. Bethany and Jovan wanted to give the families closure, but it would cause more heartbreak and suspicion toward the duo.

Deep down, Danae, Akamu, and Malia felt that Bethany and Jovan shouldn’t have gotten away from what they had done. However, the trio survived because of the two former coven members. Danae asked if Keanu could be controlled; Jovan said he hadn’t put a control chip in his brain. When he saw Tabatha become insane and obsessed with the siren, he decided not to go through with the mind control as an act of defiance.

Danae was worried that Keanu might return for her, but Bethany and Keanu promised to try to find him and decide what to do with him. Meanwhile, the bodies of the coven members stayed in the house, for they would eventually be found. Afterward, the trio, Jovan and Bethany, went their separate ways.

The trio returned to Danae’s former apartment, got their things, and returned to the twins’ apartment until they decided on their next steps.

It was eventually decided that they would all move away from the island and go to the main island and capital, Honolulu. After three weeks, they could find an apartment; they quit their jobs, packed as much as possible, and moved out of the island. Upon arrival, the trio tried to adjust to their new home and life. However, Malia saw the news on her phone that the bodies of the coven members were found, as well as the bodies of the homeowner of the house where they were taken hostage.

Hawaiian detectives stated it was one of the worst scenes they had ever encountered. Three days later, two bodies were found near a highway of a male and female. The trio discovered that the male’s head was decapitated and the brain was missing. The female’s body was almost unrecognizable; she was torn open, and many of her insides were missing or had indications of being eaten. Her eyes were taken out of their sockets; her head was cracked open, and her brain looked as if it was half eaten.

The friends knew that Makoa and Tabatha were the victims. Revenge was sweet for Keanu. Keanu hadn’t appeared anywhere, so it was assumed he moved on or was caught. As time progressed, the trio tried to move on with their lives; the twins were able to find jobs. Danae had an interview for a position at City Hall the following week, which was something she had been looking forward to.

It was 5 p.m., and there was rain and thunderstorms, but the twins were still at work. Danae was in the living room researching information about City Hall to use for the interview. As she was researching, she pulled out another tab to put YouTube on, but she saw something on the MSN section; another two bodies were found. Danae clicked on the news article; her heart dropped, and her eyes widened.

TWO VICTIMS FOUND IN THE MAUI COUNTY!

‘One male and one female were found in a small forest decapitated. Their identifications were found by the victims. Police have not yet disclosed who the victims were but suspect that the two new deaths are related to the previous murders.’

Danae dropped her laptop as her hands trembled in fear. “Oh my god…he got to them…” Suddenly, thunder and lightning flashed in the night skies; the apartment lights turned off. Danae yelped as she tried to regain her breathing. “It’s just the lights! Just the lights!” She slowly walked to the basement, which was connected to the kitchen. She opened the basement door and slowly went down to see what went wrong. The basement was dark and difficult to see. The young woman took out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and went to the electric box to see what went wrong.

Claw marks were noticed when she got to it, and the electric box was almost torn. A slight banging noise was heard, which made Danae jump. To her left side, the basement window was half-open.

Claw marks, a window opened; Danae felt her soul leave her body. Tears formed as they dripped down; she felt warm breathing behind her. Danae didn’t have the strength to move or turn around.

“I COME FOR YOU…”