Rated PG-13 for adult subject matter.
Julia stood in front of Mike's chair, watching as he struggled against his bonds. He looked up at her.
"Please Julia, help me." Mike said as he barely managed to suppress a scream.
"Help you?" Julia replied, "I can't do that. My master would take such a terrible vengeance on me."
"I'll protect you." Mike said. "My..." Mike screamed once more as he tried to think of Elizabeth, "My friends will protect you."
"You mean Elizabeth will protect me?" Julia asked, "I doubt that."
"The Lord says `I will take you from the hand of the sinful. And I will free you from the hand of those who would hurt you.' Mike was becoming exhausted from his screaming.
"Oh save your bible quotes." Julia replied, rolling her eyes, "In any case, why should I? You have nothing to offer me."
"I love you." Mike whispered.
Julia looked at Mike for several seconds in disbelief. Then she began to laugh.
"You love me?" She answered, "After what I did to you? In case you've forgotten, I'm a witch."
"I know." Mike said, "I'm offering you a chance to get away from your sinfulness."
"Give up my life, you're saying." Julia said, "Give up my fleet of cars and a mansion in the Louisiana bayou."
Mike looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"Don't you know who I really am?" Julia asked in surprise. "You've never heard of the author J. Fittsimmons?"
Mike tried to think, but the pain in his head made it hard to do. Julia spoke again.
"I'm sure you've heard of a few of my books." The witch said, "All the toys in your Basement? Your Uncle Sam? Piece of Pie? San Diego Nights? I'm sure your pastor at church warned you about them."
"The Dirty Little Secrets Series?" Mike asked incredulously.
"Yes Mike. I'm the author of those fine books." Julia said proudly. "In fact, I'm writing another one about how my protagonists conjure up a fake marriage certificate for Jesus and Mary Magdalene, making everyone think they were married! I think I'll call it `Dirty Little Secrets, Revealed'."
Mike just stared at Julia, unable to believe what he was hearing. The witch continued.
"So as you can see, I have fame, wealth and the adulation of millions. Why should I give it all up for you?"
"You have all that material wealth." Mike stated, "But you've lost your eternal soul. Do you really like being at Satan's beck and call? Not having a life of your own? Are you really happy?"
"Of course I'm happy!" Julia exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air, "I have it all!"
"Do you have love?" Mike insisted, "Someone who really cares about you? I can give you that."
"We had that in Jynger's garden, Mike." Julia replied.
"I told you before Julia," Mike said, "That was lust, not love."
"Perhaps." Julia said, looking coy, "But it was wonderful anyway...and productive."
"What do you mean by that?" Mike demanded.
"Nothing, Mike." Julia said, "It doesn't matter now."
"Tell me!" Mike shouted.
Julia sighed, then came closer to him. "It's a shame really, that you have to die Mike. You were a very good lover. But you'll never get the chance now to see your child."
Mike stared dumbfounded at the witch. "Are you saying..."
"Yes Mike, I'm pregnant. With your baby." Julia said slowly, brushing her hand against his cheek. The pain and redness of Synthea's slap went away.
"No, you're lying." Mike said, his mouth going dry.
"No I'm not, Mike." Julia replied, "That time with you was the first in a long time and I have had nobody since then."
"See, that's what I mean." Mike said quickly, "You haven't had any love, just sex. I can change that! We could be together with our child!"
"You're crazy." Julia said, backing away from Mike and shaking her head.
"Crazy in love." Mike said, "I have been dreaming about you, almost every night! Your green eyes staring down at me."
"Is that so?" Julia replied, looking perturbed. "I dream about you too…I'm looking down on you while you sleep..." She backed away from him. "I have to go now. Perhaps...maybe...we could've had a life together, but it's too late now."
"No it's not, Julia." Mike said, but Julia began to quickly walk away.
"Julia, come back!" Mike called after her, but Julia was gone.
Mike screamed again as he tried to call on Elizabeth, then he let his chin fall on his chest and began to sob.
Margaret scampered over to Mike's chair.
"Mike?" She said, but there was no answer.
"Mike!" Margaret called out, but he didn't hear her.
Backing up a little, Margaret ran and made a flying leap onto Mike's pants leg. Using her claws, she was able to climb up onto his knee, then his lap.
Mike felt the movement and looked down to see Margaret staring up at him.
"Margaret? Is that you?" He asked.
"Yes, it's me Mike." Margaret said. Even though she could talk, Margaret still had the vocal chords of a kitten, so her voice was quiet. "I'm so sorry about this." She nuzzled his hand.
"Please..." Mike then screamed once again. "Get...help."
"How? I have no idea how to get out of here or where we are!" Margaret exclaimed.
"You gotta try." Mike gasped, "Please...think of..." Mike screamed once again.
"I've tried to call on Elizabeth, but she hasn't responded." Margaret said. "Oh, if I was only human again."
"An idea. Both of us try...to call..." Mike said, barely able to speak.
Margaret climbed up on Mike's shoulder and rested her head on his. "Okay, let's try it."
"Eliza..." Mike and Margaret started to call out, but Mike screamed once again and lost consciousness. Margaret almost fell to the ground. Synthea and Keith walked in just then.
"What are you doing, hairball?" Synthea snapped. "Get out of this room and don't let us catch you in here again!"
Margaret didn't need to be told twice. She jumped off of Mike's shoulder and raced out of the room.
++++
Back at Darlene's apartment, Elizabeth let out a cry and slumped toward Micky.
"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" Micky asked, catching the angel and setting her upright.
"It's Mike. It's Mike and Margaret." The angel said quickly, "They both called out together."
"You know where they are?" Peter asked hopefully.
"I have a more exact location now." Elizabeth said, "I have to go...Mike's in pain." She got to her feet.
"Don't you mean, `we' have to go Elizabeth?" Davy asked as he and the others got to their feet as well.
"Oh no, I can't risk your lives." The angel said, "This is my job on Earth, to help out those in need."
"Mike's our friend and we're going to save him." Micky said, "Remember that power I have? I can use it to help you."
"What power?" Darlene asked, looking at the other Monkees.
"That's what I'd like to know." Davy said, looking hard at Micky. Peter just stared at the drummer.
"Micky can amplify my powers." Elizabeth said. "But only if I'm fighting someone, like I did with Estelle at the Blazin' Hot Music Store."
"But how...?" Peter began to ask, but Elizabeth cut him off.
"I don't know Peter, and we don't have time to talk about it." She said, "If all of you want to come, then you have to promise to listen to me. Am I clear?"
Peter, Davy and Darlene nodded their heads. "Yes, Elizabeth."
"I'll be right behind you." Micky said, going behind the angel and placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Alright, does everyone have their holy water bottles?" Elizabeth asked.
Everyone showed her their full bottles. Elizabeth closed her eyes and put her hands together.
"Lord, you are our strength. Help us now to cleanse the evil in our midst. Amen."
"Amen." The others replied.
With that, everyone disappeared in a flash of light
Chapter 19
Chapter 21
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