Satan's Vessel

8.

They drove for hours. Nobody spoke. Kaitlyn drifted in and out of consciousness, always jerking awake before she could fall asleep too deeply. She didn't want to confront what was waiting for her in her dreams. She'd escaped Satan's clutches—again. And he wouldn't like it. She couldn't forget how he'd looked. The fury. The violence. For the first time he'd revealed the heinous being he truly was.

For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Indeed.

Jacob's big, warm hand remained on her shoulder. They stopped for fuel once and it was still dark by the time they stopped for good. The engine shut off. Again, it was so quiet. She could hear crickets chirping.

'We're there?' she asked, lifting her head up from his lap but keeping her eyes closed.

'We're here.'

Three doors opened. Footsteps crunched against gravel. Two doors shut. Kaitlyn sat up. She searched for her door handle.

'Open your eyes, Kaitlyn. It's okay,' came Jacob's voice.

'But I'll know where I am.' He'll know.

'You can't know where you are. Only that you're safe. Open your eyes.'

Hesitantly, she obeyed.

Jacob was standing by the open car door, waiting. Catherine and Zeke had already vanished.

'Another church,' Kaitlyn said, looking up at the building looming ahead.

'No. An abbey.'

Kaitlyn's skin prickled and her stomach clenched anxiously. An abbey—with actual nuns. She thought of Father Bartholomew and the man with the knife. She looked up at Jacob. 'Are you sure about this?'

'They are trustworthy.'

Nuns. It reminded her too much of school—a time she didn't remember particularly fondly.

She couldn't deny the old building looked beautiful against the gleaming moonlight. All the old stonework and spires and archways. It was huge too. So much bigger than the churches they'd since taken refuge in. But it didn't ease the tightness in her chest.

Light glowed through the stained-glass windows. Electricity! At least she could expect running water—that would be a relief. She might even be able to have shower! Jacob held out his hand to her.

Just as Jacob had reassured her, she could identify no signs pointing to exactly where or what this abbey was. A dirt path led to the large front doors. Tall trees stood on either side. There were leaves everywhere, crunching beneath her feet. The ground was so cold she felt it through her socks and up through her shins. With a shiver, Kaitlyn bunched up close to Jacob. The sweater they'd given her was big but it did little against the icy night. Jacob was warm, though. She could feel it even through the thick fabric. His hand was hot around hers. They were almost to the steps before she noticed the nun waiting by the entrance, her black habit blending into the night.

Kaitlyn swallowed.

She was young and very pale. No. She wasn't pale. She was white with astonishment as she looked up at Jacob. So white her lips were blue. Despite Jacob's hood, Kaitlyn could see in her shimmering eyes that she knew exactly what he was.

'P-please, go on in,' she said with a nervous smile. 'The-the mother abbess is waiting for you.' She folded her small, trembling hands in front of her.

'Thank you,' Jacob said.

The young nun bobbed her head. Her hands trembled harder.

Hand in hand, they walked inside. They were in the nave. It was gloomy, only dimly lit by the lights glowing from the walls on either side. Up ahead, near the altar, Catherine was waiting for them. Again, her usual extraordinary self. Her hood was down and her aura almost matched the brightness of the lights. Kaitlyn glanced back when she heard the doors shut behind them. It was the young nun. She'd followed them in and was standing by the entrance with her hands folded in front of her.