The Entity Within

“We have to destroy it,” Damon said.

As a former librarian, Zoe was opposed to destroying books. But she could see where it would be necessary in this case.

“Bella has been telling us what happened.” Gram engulfed Zoe in another huge hug. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“The demon is gone,” Zoe said. “We destroyed him with the Latin phrases. Damon and I recited them together. I don’t know how I remembered all the Latin sayings but I did. It was as if I could feel my mother’s presence and she was guiding me.”

“Maybe she was,” Gram said.

“I need to sit down,” Zoe said unsteadily before sinking onto the couch.

“Let me bring you up to speed,” Pat said.

“Let me help,” Bella said. “Zoe, you and Damon had sex last night and that made you lose your magic. We didn’t realize that until a very short time ago, when it suddenly appeared in the Adams Book of Spells.”

“What did? That Damon and I had sex?” Zoe said.

“No, of course not,” Pat interceded. “That if the witch who touched the book had sex with a Demon Hunter, one of them would lose their powers. The warning also appeared in an illuminated manuscript on the occult in my library. The information about the Book of Darkness actually dates back thousands of years to a papyrus manuscript in the library in ancient Alexandria.”

“The world’s first library,” Zoe said in awe.

Pat nodded. “It needed all three of us near for the book to appear.”

“From where?” Zoe demanded. “Where did it come from? Did Gram have it all along but didn’t know it because it was cloaked? Did my mother see it and use it in error? Where has the damn book been? In an alternative universe? Or in the demon stratosphere?”

“Hell, it could have been in the Doctor’s TARDIS for all we know,” Bella said. “Yes, I watch Doctor Who. But we can discuss that later. Right now we need to get rid of the book before it disappears again.”

“Right. Irma and I think we’ve come up with the way to destroy the Book of Darkness,” Pat said.

“We have to move fast,” Gram said. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I already have the big spaghetti pot out. It’s the largest container I have.”

Zoe pointed to the fireplace. “We can put a cast-iron cauldron in there.”

“Right,” Gram said. “I should have thought of that. I left our cauldron in storage back in Boston but I can get it in a sec. First let me get a fire going.”

Flames

Take aim

Into this fireplace

Please make haste.

The fire was lit.

“Good,” Gram said. “That worked. Now for the cauldron.”

Cauldron of mine

This is the time

To come forth onto the fire.

I said I could do it, don’t make me a liar.

Appear

Here.

The cauldron appeared, hanging on a stand over the fire.

“Quickly now,” Gram said. “First off, I need a strand of hair from you, Zoe, as well as Damon and Pat. And a cat whisker from Morticia.”

Gram put each item in the cauldron. “This last one is tricky. I need the urine of a Russian aristocrat.”

“Where the hell are we supposed to get that?” Damon said.

Bella raised one paw. “Hello? That would be moi. But I’m not peeing into a fire.”

Zoe produced an empty plastic bin large enough for Bella to jump into and take care of business. The bin was brand new and had yet to be used. It certainly wouldn’t be used after this little episode. Zoe poured the liquid into the cauldron.

“One final thing.” Gram nodded to Pat, who added a raven’s feather.

“I happened to have it from my Tower of London days,” Pat said. “Irma warned me I might need it.”

Gram turned to Zoe. “As the youngest witch in our line, you must throw the book into the cauldron. Don’t touch it until I point to you. Understood?”

Zoe nodded.

Gram held out her hands.

Book of Darkness, hear my call

Your time is done and that is all.

Hell-broth, boil and bubble

Begone this evil harmful trouble.

Be short be swift. Give hope a lift.

Close the door to hell

And destroy this evil book as well.

Gram pointed to her.

Zoe’s inner librarian still hated the idea of destroying a book, especially one as old and rare as this one. But her inner witch knew that it had to be done. So she quickly did it.

The contents of the cauldron went up in a burst of wild flames that were a strange inky black color.

“Are you sure we got it? What if it just went somewhere else?” Zoe said. “We don’t even know where it was while it was missing.”

“Do you feel different?” Pat asked Zoe.

“I’m sort of buzzing all over. Like when your hand falls asleep,” she said.

“Me too,” Gram said.

“Me too,” Bella agreed.

Morticia nodded as well.

“Then that is all the confirmation we need that the book was destroyed forever,” Pat said.

“What are you talking about?” Zoe said.

“It’s written here.” Pat showed her the illuminated manuscript he had on the coffee table.

“I’m not fluent in Theban,” Zoe reminded him.

“Whomsoever shall destroy the Book of Darkness shall enjoy immortality,” Damon translated.

“Holy Toledo,” Gram said.

“Holy shit,” Bella said.

“Sweet,” Morticia said.

Zoe stared at the calico cat in amazement. “You can talk!”

“Because all of you contributed to the ingredients to the spell that destroyed the book, you all became immortal. That’s what the buzzing is,” Pat said.

“Or it could be the flu or something,” Zoe said.

“You’re afraid to believe in the magic,” Damon said.

“Can you blame me?” she said.

“No,” Damon said. “The good news is that you will have an eternity to learn to believe.”

“Did you know about this immortality issue beforehand?” Zoe asked.

“I’d heard legends about the possibility. This is the first time I’ve seen it in writing,” Damon said.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Zoe demanded.

“That’s on me,” Pat said. “I couldn’t risk the chance that you might not want to be immortal and therefore not do the spell to destroy the book.”

“Who doesn’t want to be immortal?” Gram said.