Chapter Forty Eight: My Dear Mother Part II

He’s been driving for a very long time, willing himself to not do anything stupid. When Cedric arrived at Bates’ house, he rushed to the bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass. Bates was looking at him with a questioning look, “What happened?” He carefully walked towards him, knowing fully well that Cedric was in one of his bad moods. “What did Wilmut tell you?”

Cedric poured himself another glass and gulped the contents in one go, “Nothing good.” It was a moment of silence, which Bates knew Cedric would need to calm down. He was grateful that he didn’t go and drain people dry or kill the residents of the small town.

“I think I should help her, she can try some of the spells in one of the grimoires hanging around here.” They heard John say from the study. The young warlock enjoyed spending his time in Bates’ study, something about it being rich with all sorts of books.

“I think it’s a good step. I mean, are you sure she can actually protect us from them?” They heard Sally’s doubtful voice. “She doesn’t look like she knows much, and if you can teach her, then maybe you can stand against them.”

“It doesn’t work like that. Her magic is much stronger than mine. It’s like I’m the brains and she’s the muscles.” John explained, and both immortals toned their conversation down.

Bates was the first to talk, “John has a point.”

“And the girl does too. Lorraine has zero knowledge, which sometimes can be more important than knowledge.” Cedric retorted tightly.

“Are you ready to tell me what happened?” He asked with furrowed eyebrows. Cedric let out a breath, then asked about Aiden’s whereabouts. “He’s out feeding. He’s been feeling slightly out of sorts.” Cedric nodded then told him what Wilmut explained. “So, Victoria is using The Brotherhood and they are using her, and we have a new player in the game; this Stella witch.” Cedric only nodded his head. “What do you think we should do?”

“Lorraine suggested that…” Before Cedric could continue about Lorraine’s plan, Bates’ phone rang loudly.

Bates looked up at Cedric, “Lorraine is calling.” His tone was tainted with worry. It was pretty late in the night and he knew that whatever the reason she was calling must be bad. He answered, “Lorraine, is everything okay?”

“I need help”. Her broken voice came through, they could hear her heaves and gasps for breath. “It’s my mom, I had to, there was no other way I swear.” Her words came even more broken through her loud sobs. Without thinking Cedric flashed out of the house, running with his speed to her house.

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Cedric arrived at Lorraine’s house, not bothering to use the door, and jumping through her window. The scene before him was one he didn’t expect to see. Suzan was lying on the bed with a pool of blood around her head, while Lorraine was on the floor next to the bed holding her mother’s hand and sobbing.

When she sensed him, she turned her tear-stained face towards him. “I don’t know what to do, please help her.”

“What happened?” He asked softly and moved around the bed to be on Suzan’s other side, checking her pulse then the injury on her head. He gathered it was Lorraine who caused it, but he didn’t understand how it happened.

“She just came at me with a knife”. Lorraine pulled herself off the floor and tried to stand on her wobbly feet. She could feel her entire body shaking. “She said something about me not being her daughter. She called me a devil and asked me where her daughter was.” She inhaled, trying to calm down and stop herself from sobbing all over again.

“She’s alright…alive” He started.

“I should take her to the hospital, but I don’t know what to tell them”

Bates arrived at that moment, looking even more confused than ever at the scene before him. He saw Cedric holding Suzan’s head and trying to build a connection between their minds. *“It should be easy with her unconscious.”* He thought and went to help Lorraine stand as she seemed like she was about to fall apart. Despite the hand on her back, Lorraine wrapped her arms around herself. She was staring at Cedric without saying anything, every time she blinked more tears would fall. As if noticing his presence for the first time, she looked up at Bates. “What happened?” He asked her in a soft whisper. Lorraine told him all the events that took place with her mother. He patted her back softly,, “It’s going to be alright.” She buried her head in his chest and held onto his shirt. Her body trembled as he wrapped his arms around her.

Cedric pulled out of Suzan’s mind, his expression unreadable, “Someone did this”. He said, standing up.

“You mean someone was controlling her?” Bates concluded and Lorraine pulled away from him looking between the two.

“What do you mean?” She asked frantically.

“It’s like being possessed, a spell to manipulate someone’s mind. Victoria must be behind it.” Cedric explained, then carried Suzan bridal style, his eyes turned to Lorraine. “I’m not good with healing spells, but I’m sure John could help.” She nodded her head, and grabbed a shirt form her closet to take with her.

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They arrived at Bates’ house and Lorraine rushed right after Bates yelling for John. He rushed down the stairs frantically, “What happened? What’s wrong?” He saw Cedric putting Suzan’s unconscious body on a couch. “What happened? Who’s this?”

“My mom, she hit her head.” Lorraine stuttered, walking closer to John, “I mean… I hit her.” she let out a frustrated sigh, “Can you heal her?”

John nodded with confused eyes. “If it’s a simple healing spell, then I can do it.” He moved around Lorraine to have a better look at Suzan. Cedric moved away, while Lorraine hovered around him. John started chanting under his breath. After a minute or two that felt like a lifetime to Lorraine, John looked up at her. “So, I casted a diagnostic spell to assess the damage. It’s nothing major, and the hit isn’t the reason keeping her unconscious at the moment.” His eyes found Cedric, “Someone is keeping her asleep.”

“What?” She snapped her head towards Cedric, understanding the implication of John’s words. “Why would you do that?”

Cedric shrugged, “I had to. After John heals her, I will have to remove the spell casted on her. It can be a painful process, and I don’t think she would want to be awake.” Lorraine reluctantly and silently agreed. Her eyes found John and he gave her a small nod, telling her he could and would cure her mother. His focus was back on Suzan and he began chanting. Cedric turned to Lorraine, leaning down to be a bit closer to her ear as he said, “You know, for this kind of spell to be done, the caster needs to something the belongs to their victim. So, how did Victoria get something that belonged to your mother?”