~Aeschylus
Gavin stepped into the kitchen, his hair still dripping from his shower. "Anali, will you please call Kayin and let him know we'll be about thirty minutes late. Sapphire, you're all packed for Monterey, right?"
I smiled at Gavin, pushing aside this creepy, worried, nervous feeling which seemed to grow worse with every passing minute. He told me over breakfast where we were going, yet again showing me that he listened and cared about what I wanted. Gavin planned to take us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. "Yes, I'm all packed. I didn't realize Kayin was going with us."
"Phillip wanted some time to himself, and we haven't seen Kayin in a while. Is that okay?" Gavin asked.
"Yes, of course. I like Kayin."
"Kayin says, 'Of course Gavin is running late.' He was prepared and is in the middle of a movie," Anali said, snapping her phone shut.
"Hey, I'm not always late! Anyway I wanted to make you two breakfast."
"It was good," I said. Gavin cooked us cheese and tomato omelets with toast and fresh orange juice.
"Thank you, Sapphire," Gavin said, delighted at the compliment. "See I had to make breakfast for my niece. It was important."
"Yes, honey, and if you got up earlier, we wouldn't be rushing right now." Anali smiled and shooed him out of the room with her hands.
Gavin laughed. "All right I'm going! It shouldn't take me long to get everything together."
Squirming, I tried to get comfortable as I rubbed my hands over my arms hoping to get rid of the creepy feeling. Maybe it was from the energy increase during yoga? I'd ask Anali once we got in the car. I didn't want to slow Gavin down.
I sat on the very edge of the white couch, afraid to get it dirty, staring out the window watching cars go by. My stomach began to feel queasy, and my legs twitched with the desire to run. The itching sensation tormented my skin and I scratched trying to get rid of it.
"Sapphire!" Anali grabbed my hands. "What have you done?"
I looked down at my arms and slid to the floor. Long scratches covered my skin, several were bleeding. "I don't know. I just wanted to get rid of this slimy itching feeling. It's creepy and unnatural and my legs keep twitching. I want to run. Everything in me is screaming to get away to run because something is coming. I feel sick." I wanted to stop the tears from falling, but I couldn't. I felt out of control and fought to not push Anali away and run as fast as I could.
"Sapphire, is it getting worse?" Gavin asked his voice tight.
"Yes, can't you feel it? It's this sticky, slick, evil thing coming closer and closer. It's searching for us, for anything like us."
"Gavin, you don't think..." Anali's eyes grew wide.
"Fear is a warning, not a feeling. Fear is there to guide you, to help you know which path to choose. If you meet someone and your skin itches and you know something isn't right, then leave. Don't worry about being polite or kind, trust yourself and go. You might feel fear in your tummy, a weird flutter or queasy feeling; this is another warning that something is wrong. You may have to run, or hide, or fight, but always trust what you are feeling, my darling. Fear used as a warning will protect you."
"We have to run," I said, my mom's words echoing in my head. "It's a walk-in isn't it? Why didn't I recognize it sooner?"
"We don't have time. Sapphire, listen, we don't have time." Gavin gave my shoulders a little shake. "You're feeling the Sons of Belial, not just a single walk-in. I've never felt anything this strong. If there are a bunch of walk-ins out there we will not be able to get away. We have to become very, very small."
Anali rubbed my cheek to get my attention. "I know this is confusing, but you can do this. During yoga we worked on expanding your energy, now we need you to make it as small as possible." I nodded to Anali. I can do that. I can hide. I can be small.
"There is an artifact downstairs that gives off the same kind of energy we do. If we can make ourselves small enough, whoever it is will get it and leave." Gavin arranged himself crossed legged on the floor. "All right, close your eyes and pull your energy, light, power, gifts in. Make them go into a small little ball at the bottom of your stomach. Bundle them up so no light escapes."
I can do this. Closing my eyes, I began to pull in my energy. It didn't want to come in after all the work I had done to help it flow properly. I tried not to panic, but the slick itchy feeling became so strong that the air was thick with it. I whimpered.
"It's okay," Anali's voice took on a calm soothing tone. "Find the fire within you. The one you made at the base of your spine."
I listened to Anali's sweet voice and tried to block everything else out. "Okay."
"Perfect. Now you need to make the fire smaller. Find one small piece of wood and pull all the flames into it. The wood can get hot, let it turn into a dark red ember, but pull all the flame into it."
"Okay," I said. Turning my focus inward, I pulled each ribbon of fire into a small piece of wood, something that would fit into the palm of my hand. The wood began to glow and my body shook as I forced all of the fire down. "I have it," I whispered.
"Good job," I could hear the relief in Anali's voice. "Now, bury it under the ashes. This will keep it warm for later when it is safe to let the fire burn again."
As I began to bury the ember, I realized I couldn't feel whatever it was as strongly, and the necklace became cold against my skin. I buried everything, all connection, all power. Wait, wouldn't I need my empathy to stay safe? Isn't that what warned me of the dark presence? I didn't have time to figure it out. Quickly, I piled up more ash and packed it tightly around the rest of the ember.
"Now what?" I asked, gasping.
"We wait," Gavin growled.
My skin became clammy, and the air sticky with the evil presence. It felt like only one person to me. I wondered if this was how a rabbit felt, curled into the farthest corner of its den, hoping the fox wouldn't smell it and try to dig it out.
I jumped, squealing as Gavin took my hand. Instinctively, I reached for Anali's, and together we sat, hoping evil would pass us by.
It felt like forever, but finally the massive weight of the evil presence lifted.
"Whatever it was has left," Anali said.
I collapsed to the floor as soon as the weight lifted. I could feel hands checking my temperature and heard kind words. Gavin and Anali flew through the house grabbing what we needed.
I lay against the cool wood floor not sure what was going on. My body shook with the effort of containing my Phoenix gifts. My heart ached for whatever went against its own nature to become something so wrong that it was now an abomination.
Gavin kissed my forehead and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me down the stairs and into the car.
"Mr. Lindsey, the store manager, said a man bought the artifact in the back of the shop. He'll have the security camera footage set aside for us when we get back," Anali said opening the car door.
"Thank goodness. Will he warn everyone to expect walk-ins?" Gavin asked, as he set me in the car and pulled a blanket around me. As soon as the seat belt clicked into place I stopped fighting and fell asleep.
My eyes fluttered a bit when the car stopped and Kayin got in.
"What happened?" he asked.
I sighed at the sound of his voice. The car jostled a bit as he shut the trunk and climbed in. Kayin scooted close, and I shifted to lay my head on his shoulder.
"Are you okay, Little Sister?" I nodded and took in a deep breath. Kayin smelled of cinnamon and cedar; it was a warm, happy scent.
Gavin and Anali discussing what happened, but I didn't listen. Sleep pulled me down again. I fell into a nightmare.
The city glowed beneath him. Pressing his hands against the cold glass he looked down over the skyscrapers, buildings, houses, and cars. Closing his eyes he could feel everyone who belonged to him. He reigned over thousands of employees all over the world, but there were a few who belonged to him— some who stayed with him for centuries. Memories of looking down at other
kingdoms overlapped the bright city lights: a Victorian manor on top of a hill, a castle made of stone, a Japanese pagoda, huts made of mud with thatched roofs.
He ruled over them all, surrounded them with armies, and increased the food, power, and money of his people. Even now he was seen as a ruthless businessman, a modern warlord, and his people prospered. He took care of all of them. He demanded perfection, the absolute best, no matter what your position. In return he offered a good salary, health plans, retirement packages, and job security. In the past he offered livestock, land, and women.
Turning away from the window, he reached up and touched the clouded crystal point at his neck; once part of a necklace Shamash gave to a beloved grandchild. The connection he created with his people and property wavered slightly. Smiling he moved the bookcase and walked through the hidden door into an altar room. In the center sat an oval table with symbols and pathways carved into its black marble top. His finger traced over the ancient Sumerian spell carved into it. A spider web of silver began at the center of the table and curved out to a bowl, composed of gems and metal from Akasha, which sat at one end. He placed his necklace in the bowl, and nodded to Lee, his first general, the one he stole from Genghis Khan.
"I captured a mermaid, Khan," Lee said, his upper arm bigger than her delicate waist. Her blue- green hair trailed on the ground. Lee placed her in the center of the table. Together they secured the straps which would hold her down. Her lavender eyes begged for her life, mercy, help, even a kind word.
"It will all be over soon. I'll work as quickly as I can. Your life and magic are very precious to me. Thank you for your gift." He smoothed a long pale finger over her cheek.
The time for magical creatures had come to an end. Like all life on earth they were tools, resources to be used for the greater good, protection for his people. The mermaid struggled against the restraints. It didn't matter, nothing could change what was about to happen.
He used to drink the blood of magical beings to gain power, but he could extract only a fraction of the magic they contained. Then he found a manuscript which led to the building of this table and ritual. It took him almost a century to buy, steal, and find enough artifacts from Akasha to make the table. Placing his hands on the bowl, he let his energy slide through the metal, down the pathways and pool under the mermaid. She screamed, agony clear in her voice. Chanting, he demanded that her life force, her energy, her powers come into the bowl. Bit by bit, he pulled it out of her. She screamed and fought, but she did not distract him.
When he extracted everything, he pulled his energy back in. Lee began undoing the straps and would take the lifeless body away. His large dark hands made quick work of the thick leather. He took what he needed, but others in the group could use what was left of her. Lee knew what to do with the body; something was always hungry.
His necklace glowed with her power. A silvery blue-green light, like moonlight on the Caribbean Sea, glowed from within the clear quartz. He took the necklace out of the bowl and put it on. He was filled with stolen power, energy, and life. Closing his eyes he reached out to his people, sending power into them. Once again he felt connected to all that belong to him. His empire and people were protected.
"Do you need anything else, Khan?" Lee asked, shifting the body in his huge arms.
Cartazonon froze for a moment. “Something, or someone is here.” He turned, and his black eyes stared right at me.
I sat up screaming. Kayin knelt behind me rubbing my back. Gavin knelt in front of me his face filled with worry. "I'm going to be sick."
Kayin pushed me out of the car while Gavin scooted to the side and pulled my hair out of the way. Thankfully, it didn't last long. I hate throwing up. As I sat back, Anali swooped in with a damp cloth and wiped my face and mouth. The sweet jasmine scent of her perfume filled my nose and took away the smell of vomit.
"Are you okay?" Gavin asked. I shook my head. I was definitely not okay. I wiped at my face, angry that I was crying again. I had never cried this much in my entire life, not even when my mother left me.
Gavin scooped me up and held me as I sobbed. I cried because of the dream, of what I was expected to do, and of all the changes in my life. I hated this. I didn't want to be the Jewel and go against this monster to save magical creatures. I didn't want to cry every other day. I didn't want any of these powers or gifts or whatever they were called. I wanted everything to go away!
Once my sobs gave way to snuffles and hiccups, Gavin sat back a bit. Anali handed me a bottle of water. "Here, honey, can you sip this for me, please?"
My hand shook as I took the bottle. The water felt wonderful against my sore throat, and I needed to stop myself from guzzling it down. Absently, I heard cars driving nearby. Gavin must have pulled off the freeway.
"Can you tell us what your dream was about?" Gavin asked softly.
"The leader of the Sons of Belial pulled the life out of a mermaid into a crystal. He needed to replenish his strength so he could protect his empire. He killed her." My voice shook, but I managed to not cry.
"We knew he was doing something like that, but weren't sure exactly what it was. Can you remember exactly what he did?"
I shook my head. I didn't want to remember. I could still feel his eyes as he looked at me. "No, I'm sorry. It's already fading."
Gavin pulled me closer. "There is nothing to be sorry for, dreams fade quickly. Do you remember anything else?"
"I don’t remember his name, but he seemed familiar to me somehow." I shook my head. "I can't remember any more. I can't even see his face."
"Don't worry about it," Gavin said patting my shoulder. "Do you think you can ride in the car a bit longer? We're just outside of Monterey."
"Sure, I can do that." I tried to give an encouraging smile. Judging by Gavin's expression I failed.
Climbing back into the car I was happy to see Kayin. "Come here, Little Sister."
I snapped my seatbelt on and snuggled under his arm. Kayin leaned down and rubbed his face on the top of my head, his wide flat nose tickled softly. "Are you all right?"
"I think so."
"Anali said we would order room service for lunch, and this afternoon we'll go to the aquarium, if you feel well enough."
"That sounds good. Have you been to an aquarium before?"
"No, I've been to a few zoos, and those had fish in them, but nothing this big. I'm looking forward to it. I grew up in grasslands; I find the ocean fascinating."
"It's one of my favorite places. I’m surprised Gavin remembered that I mentioned it," I confessed softly.
Kayin chuckled. "Little Sister, you underestimate his love for you."
Blushing I settled in, hoping my queasy stomach would make it to the hotel. As soon as possible I needed to take a shower. I could still feel his evil on my skin.