The muffled sound of voices drifted through the walls as he listed with his vamp hearing. Quentin's tone was sharp, his words cutting through the air.
"…I've spread evidence of what Christopher was doing all around the house," he told Prudence, his voice cold with finality. "Everyone will learn the truth."
Prudence's furious retort was lost as she appeared back inside the mansion, her eyes scanning the floor. Her gaze landed on a photograph lying face-down on the carpet. She froze, panic flickering across her face.
Snatching it up, she tore it into shreds, her hands trembling. She couldn't, wouldn't let anyone see what her brother had done to those children.
She turned, ready to tear apart the entire room in search of the rest of the damning evidence… only to stop dead.
Kai was there. A hair's breadth away. His lips curved into a slow, unnerving smile.
"Hello, you," he murmured.
Before she could react, his hand clamped onto her shoulder. Her magic dipped as it leached upon. Kai was already siphoning and draining her energy in a relentless pull. Her attempts to teleport fizzled into nothing.
A faint, almost pleased sigh escaped him. "Mmm… I do so enjoy this," he said, feeling the pain and panic radiating off her. His gaze swept the lavish, oppressive décor of the room. "God, I hate these decorations."
His tone shifted to a mocking lilt. "Tell me… do you know who did it?"
Prudence's face tightened.
"W..who..are you".
"Me?" Kai said with mock innocence, before his voice sharpened. "Oh, just someone who doesn't like pedophiles."
Her eyes widened.
"Now," Kai continued, stepping closer, "When I said the decorations…" His voice lowered, becoming almost a purr. "What I really mean is… the theme of hearing the sounds of children being abused echoing beneath these walls."
His face shifted in an instant eyes bloodshot, fangs bared. Then, without warning, he lunged. His bite tore into her neck.
Prudence's scream broke into choking gurgles as Kai drank deep, her body trembling violently in his grasp. When at last he pulled back, he spat her blood onto the carpet with open disgust.
"Vile," he said simply.
Prudence staggered upright, clutching her neck.
Kai's voice was calm, almost conversational. "You know… I will find your brother. And little Martin." Blood trailed down his chin as he smiled faintly. "Your brother broke him and turned him into something monstrous. Or should I say beastly, but I don't care. I will kill them both when I get my hands on them."
Prudence tried to speak, but could only choke on her own breath.
Kai sighed. In a blur, his hand shot out, delivering a slap so hard her head snapped from her shoulders, slamming into the wall with a sickening thud.
He glanced at it, tilting his head with mock appraisal. "Well. That's one way to redecorate."
---
Kai stepped out into the night air, wiping the blood from his mouth. Up ahead, the rest of the group emerged from the treeline, dirt clinging to their clothes. They must have just dug up the button.
Alice's voice was urgent. "We have to go back. Quentin, come on we have to go back!"
"Come on," Q said, trying to keep her moving.
"No," she said again, catching sight of Kai as he approached. "We have to go back."
"And do what exactly?" Penny asked, exasperated.
"Help those kids! You can't seriously be thinking about leaving them there."
Kai's voice was flat. "Alice… they're long since dead. There's nothing that can be done."
"No," Alice snapped. "I don't believe that. There are ways to clear a haunted house."
Eliot shook his head. "The house, yes. That doesn't help the ghosts."
"There are rituals in every civilization," Alice pressed.
"Yeah," Eliot said, "to prevent this, not reverse it."
Alice's voice cracked. "We have to help them. Those kids… they did nothing. This is so unfair."
"Oh, you don't say, Miss Perfect Life," Eliot said coldly. "Life ain't fair why in the high holy fuck should death be any different?"
Kai groaned. "Oh, god…"
Eliot's voice rose. "Thinking you can change anything it's such a monument. Who the fuck do you think you really are? You're just some—"
"Enough!" Kai's voice cut through like a whip. "That's enough out of you."
Eliot froze, then stepped back, glaring.
Kai turned back to Alice. "Sorry about that. He's still a bit pissed about what happened with Mike."
"Yeah, you don't say," Quentin muttered.
Kai sighed. "I might know a spell that will break the loop and purify the mansion. But I can't guarantee it will help them find rest."
---
A short while later, they stood once more inside the mansion's main hall.
"Okay," Kai said. "I need you all to stand in a pentagram formation. Hold one another's hands."
As they positioned themselves, Penny asked, "What's the spell?"
"It's a compound purification spell," Kai explained. "It breaks curses by destroying impure forms of magic. Once it starts, it spreads and unbinds that magic layer by layer, until nothing remains. This one's from my parents' journals."
He took a breath. "Repeat after me… and let me guide your energy."
"Solvite et exsolvite omnem magicam quae pueros ligat, purificate hunc locum et omnem corruptionem expellite."
(Release and unbind all magic that holds the children, purify this place and banish all corruption.")
Kai spoke first, the others repeating. As the chant built, a faint light-blue shimmer began to pulse from the center of the pentagram. It grew brighter, faster then burst outward in a blinding flash.
When the light faded, so did the oppressive atmosphere around them.
"It's done," Kai said.
"Wait why does it suddenly feel…" Eliot began.
"Empty?" Quentin finished.
"Yeah," Kai said quietly. "Definitely worked."
They stepped outside into the cool night air. As they began to move away, Kai paused. "Wait. For good measure…"
He turned back toward the mansion. "Phasmatos incendia."
Flames erupted instantly, racing along the walls and swallowing the house in a roar of fire.
Penny chuckled. "Well, good riddance."
"Amen," Eliot said.
"Well, goodbye I guess," Quentin said
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