Part 28
A deathly silence settled over the château after dinner. Sensing danger, the guests had politely made their excuses and retired for the evening leaving the hosts alone which suited them just fine. They had escorted Samantha to the parlor where Alex and Kevin had immediately become engaged in a game of billiards, the latest rage spreading throughout Europe.
Outside, a storm raged, lightning lit the dark sky as thunder shook the windows. The flames of the fire danced ominously casting eerie shadows and adding to the boding evil they all knew loomed in the near future.
After a particularly loud clap of thunder, Samantha set her embroidery in her lap and looked around the room.
“Are you alright?” asked Howard seeing the nervousness.
Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “I just hate this waiting.”
Alex spoke up, “That makes two of us. Why can’t we just go find him and take care of this?”
“You need to relax, Alex,” cautioned Kevin. “We’re going to let him come to us…on our terms.”
Howard took Samantha’s hand in his placing a soft kiss on the back. “What else is bothering you, my love?”
She tucked her head against his shoulder. “I want to see my brother and sister.”
“As soon as all this is over with, I promise, you’ll see your family, Samantha,” reassured Kevin.
“I know,” whispered Samantha as she snuggled closer to Howard. She couldn’t stop her thoughts though. Silently, as she played with his fingers, “Does Daddy have to die too?”
Howard looked to Kevin and Alex for help.
Kevin moved to the couple and knelt down in front of her. Cupping her face in his hand, he said, “I know this is difficult for you but believe me, it’s for the best. We’d never be safe if we allowed him to live.”
“Can’t you work something out with him, Kevin? Please? The wedding will go on because Brian is gone but my father can’t hurt us…he has to know you three can defeat him.”
“It’s for the best, my love…for all of us.”
Alex spoke up and asked, “Kevin, can’t we let her go to the cottage with Nickolas?”
“That’s exactly what her father wants, Alex….for Samantha to be alone. We can’t take any chances.”
A particularly bright flash of lightning blinded all of them and when they recovered, Lord Bennington was standing before them. “Not what I had planned but now you can watch your future wither away and know there’s nothing you can to do stop me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” stated Kevin as he stood, his body shielding Samantha from her father. Samantha had learned the entire truth from her ‘seer’ about the Lords’ powers and she had in turn shared it with Kevin. “You can’t kill us.”
An evil laugh echoed throughout the parlor sending a chill down Samantha’s spine. She said a silent prayer that Kevin’s plan would work.
“What makes you think I won’t kill her?”
“If you were going to kill her, you’d have done it already,” Howard pointed out. “You knew Brian was in love with her and wouldn’t be able to kill her.”
“Brian was weak,” sneered Lord Bennington.
All three lords had moved so that they had him surrounded.
“Shouldn’t send a boy to do a demon’s job,” said Alex as he produced the dagger Brian had had. “Here you go, Lord Bennington, the dagger you gave Brian to take care of Samantha. All you have to do is take it and do the deed…yourself.”
Lord Bennington’s eyes gleamed as he beheld the dagger. Before anyone could react, the shiny steel was in his hand and he was standing behind Samantha, the blade dangerously close to her neck.
Samantha’s eyes fixed on Howard’s. “Please…do something.”
“Relax, my love. We’ll settle this as quickly as possible.”
“Go ahead, Lord Bennington….kill her,” urged Kevin. “But let us tell you what the future holds if you kill Samantha.”
Alex stepped closer as he said, “You kill Samantha and in turn, her baby, you still have to wait until Kevin’s thirtieth year…still several months away…to regain your powers.”
“And in those months, we will find you and destroy you,” added Howard.
“Because together, we are strong enough to do that,” reminded Kevin.
“Killing me and gaining my powers will make you evil again,” smirked Lord Bennington.
“More evil than you,” agreed Kevin.
“But without Samantha, we have no reason to remain good,” said Alex.
“We love Samantha and destroying her will destroy the last shred of love in us, the last bit of good,” explained Howard.
“Go ahead, Lord Bennington, kill your daughter and my child,” said Kevin.
Lord Bennington eyed all three lords and then down at his daughter. “How do I know you won’t kill me anyway?”
“You don’t know,” replied Alex.
“You’ll just have to trust us,” said Howard.
“What’s it going to be, Lord Bennington?”
His hold loosened on his daughter and she stood to face him. “Daddy, they aren’t going to harm you. All we want is to live our life here at ‘Eternity’….peacefully.”
“Samantha’s right,” said Howard as he moved to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders. “Leave tonight, stay out of our lives, and we’ll leave you alone.”
Lord Bennington looked past Samantha and Howard to Kevin. “Is that what you want?”
“No, it’s not but it’s what Samantha wants and if you agree, then I’ll abide by it.”
Her father looked back at her. “I’d give my daughter the world if she asked.”
“I have my world, Daddy….right here at Eternity.”
All three lords watched as Samantha moved into her father’s embrace. They were keenly aware of the dagger still in his hand putting them on edge.
“NO!” screamed Alex as Lord Bennington raised the dagger and they rushed to stop him.
A clap of thunder captured his scream and in a flash, Lord Bennington disappeared as Samantha collapsed into Kevin’s arms.
Shakily, she said, “He was going to kill me.”
Caressing her cheek, Kevin asked, “How did you know?”
“When he was holding me before, with the dagger….I had a vision. Where is he?”
“He vanished, in a ball of fire,” answered Howard as he squeezed her hand. “It’s over, my love.”
“Howard, take her to your chambers. Tomorrow is a big day for all of us, especially her,” instructed Kevin gently.
“Kevin, I want to see my family,” insisted Samantha.
“In the morning, my lady. It’s late now,” he promised running his fingers through her hair. “Now go, be with Howard.”
Gathering her in his arms, Howard pressed a kiss to Samantha’s forehead. With a nod, they disappeared leaving Kevin and Alex alone. The threat of evil destroying their world had been nullified and with it, the storm abated.
