Suddenly, I’m spinning again. Rainbows of psychedelic colors blur and swish around me. I’m falling…floating….
…I’m lying on wet grass, freezing and shaking. Trying to gasp the fresh air, I choke on my own breath and cough. Where am I now?
“There you are…atta girl…I got you…you’re safe. Just breathe…”
There’s the voice again...coming from right behind my ear.
Only my legs are on the grass, the rest of my body is propped up on something strong and warm. Something with arms wrapping around me…
I struggle to break free, but can barely move.
“Let me go…” I croak.
“I can’t. You aren’t strong enough yet. Try to relax for a few minutes. You’ll feel better,” the masculine voice says in my ear.
Is some stupid Sapie really trying to save me?
I’m too weak to fight—I have no choice but to stay where I am. And where I am feels good. Warm. Safe. My head begins to clear, and I realize how much I need to be held right now.
“Who are you?” I whisper.
“A friend.”
Gradually, I feel myself return to my body. Objects around me slowly take shape. My senses re-engage; my breathing and heart rate stabilize.
“Where are we?”
He props me closer to his chest. He’s warm. Very warm. Definitely not a Sapie. I must admit, if I can’t move, this is a very comfortable resting place.
“We’re in Baymore Park. Do you remember what happened?” The tenderness in his voice reminds me of how someone would talk to a wounded child.
“I…I was walking…I...I saw an Altrumina…and then…and then—”
“He laid the whammy on you,” he finishes.
“No…that wasn’t it… I went places…I saw things…”
“Trust me, that’s what happened. I saw everything…well, almost. I got here right as he touched you.”
My head is clearer now and my body feels strong enough for me to sit up on my own. Reluctantly, I disentangle from his protective embrace, briefly meeting his concerned eyes before I glance around. He’s right; we’re sitting on a patch of grass in Baymore Park, not ten feet from where I encountered the Altrumina.
A flash of fear shoots through me. “Where are they?” I ask, panicked. I’m feeling stronger now, but definitely not battle-ready.
“Part of one is over there…” he says, pointing. “There are some pieces over there, there, and there, but to be honest I’m not sure exactly which parts belong to which.” His dark blue eyes twinkle mischievously. “Hope their mommas didn’t wanna give them a proper funeral.”
“You did this?” I ask. He nods.
“Sorry I didn’t stop him before he touched you. I was a few seconds late.”
“A few seconds…I don’t understand…I was gone for …days…”
He shakes his head. “Maybe in your mind you were, but trust me, I was here and saw the whole thing. It couldn’t have been more than thirty seconds, tops. After I killed the first one, the others attacked, which is why it took longer than it should’ve…”
I look around again. “That’s impossible…I wasn’t here. I was somewhere else…in a cage. I couldn’t move…”
Again, he shakes his head. “Nope, no cage. You were here the whole time. But I do believe you thought you were somewhere else, doing something. From the sounds of it, it wasn’t very pleasant, either.”
Talk about the understatement of the century.
Bewildered, I force myself to stand up. My legs are rubbery, but I’m feeling stronger by the minute. I hobble toward a wooden bench, my new friend right beside me. I still feel queasy, but once I sit down and take several deep breaths, I begin to feel better.
He sits close beside me.
“Y-you could you hear me?” I ask. Although I’m warmer now, my teeth chatter uncontrollably. He nods, brushing his onyx hair away from his face, then scooches closer and wraps his arm around me.
“I heard you screaming and moaning…calling out some names.” He looks away.
I close my eyes. The haunting visions are still there, but thankfully, are fading further away with each passing moment.
“It was horrible,” I whisper.
“I know.”
“If you hadn’t been here…if you hadn’t killed them and broken their spell—” I can’t even continue…the thought is too unbearable. According to him I was only under for a few seconds. Some Sapies get cursed for years.
“I’m livid with myself for not stopping it sooner. I saw him come up behind you, but was too far away…too late…” I hear the angry bitterness in his voice.
“Thank you. I- I’m not used to playing the damsel in distress role; I take care of myself. But thanks, you really saved my ass back there. I guess I owe you one.” I feel a small smile begin to form. Strange how just moments ago, I never thought I’d be able to smile again.
“Think nothing of it. We all need some help from time to time. Doesn’t make you weak.”
“How’d you do it? How’d you kill them? I don’t see any weapons…”
“I had to do it the old fashioned way. When in doubt, rip ‘em to shreds.” He grimaces as he glances at his hands; they’re covered with deep, red gashes.
“They touched you? But how…?”
He shrugs. “I’m immune to psychic demons. Always have been.”
I inspect my own arms; just the faintest threads of pink remain. Once I replenish, they’ll disappear entirely.
We sit in silence, staring across the now deserted park. My breathing has returned to normal, but for some reason my heart is still beating too fast. The first hints of dawn threaten to break the night sky. My countdown has begun.
I start to chuckle.
“What is it?” he asks.
I tilt my face to his. “I don’t even know your name. I know we’ve seen each other at Demon Bar and that time in the alley, but…” My voice fades away at the look in his eyes.
He stares at me silently for so long I wonder if I’ve somehow offended him. Maybe he wants to stay anonymous? Many demions do, especially ones from other tribes. I just assumed he’s—at least, according to him—a friend. Is it so unusual for friends to know each other’s names?
“Sorry, forget I said anything—” I look back up at the grey sky.
“No, please forgive my rudeness. In all the excitement it did slip my mind that we haven’t actually been properly introduced. My name is Kieron Ambrose. I—I’m from the Proelater tribe out West. Our families are allies.” His introduction feels oddly formal, forced.
“Nice to meet you, Kieron. I’m Lucky. Just plain ol’ Lucky. From here.”
“Lucky…” Drawing out the word, he cocks his head to the side and grins. “Cool name.”
“Thanks. So’s yours. It sounds like the name of my favorite Japanese beer.”
He laughs, wiping away any awkward tension. We sink back toward each other and stare at the sky, admiring the billions of diamonds twinkling high above us. His arm is still snugly wrapped around my shoulders, and even though I’m beginning to feel very hot, I hope he doesn’t move it.
“So, Lucky, tell me. What’s a bad girl like you doing in a nice place like this?”
Smiling, I lean in closer.
******
I hate watching the sky change from grey to lavender; I want my time to last forever. But I’m tired and still weaker than I should be.
It’s been so nice, sitting here in silence, beside my new friend. Despite the horrors of the evening, something good came out of it.
“What are you thinking?” Kieron asks, breaking the lull.
“That I could seriously use some drinks right now.”
He laughs. “Funny, you must be reading my mind. Let’s head back to Dryndara, shall we?”
I let out a long sigh. The nearest Portal to Thiberoux is several miles away. Normally this isn’t a problem, but right now even walking to the outskirts of the park seems daunting.
&nbs
p; “I’m parked near the entrance,” Kieron says, as if he can read my mind.
“You have a car?”
He chuckles. “Well, no, not exactly. A car isn’t really doable for navigating the woods. It’s more of, well, it’s a motorcycle. Actually, it’s a Ducati.”
I don’t know what a Ducati is or why he feels compelled to mention it. All I care about is not hiking all the way to a Portal. “Oh, you don’t know how relieved I am to hear you say that. I can’t imagine walking right now, forget running…”
He has an apprehensive smile as he holds out his hands and helps me up. Together we make our way toward the south gates, passing by the corpse of a slain Altrumina. Like the others, it is rapidly decomposing and will be nothing more than a pile of dust within the hour. This doesn’t stop me from giving it a swift kick to the head.
My relief at being chauffeured to Thiberoux is cut short when Kieron stops next to a sporty racing bike. My jaw drops, and I scowl with disappointment. “How are we both supposed to fit on that?” I ask, incredulous. “Am I supposed to sit on the handlebars or something?” The seat is only big enough for one, and the bike’s sleek, aerodynamic design clearly isn’t intended for passengers.
“I think the only way for us to do this is for you to sit on my lap. I’m tall enough to see over you, and my arms will reach around. Unless you have a better idea…”
I don’t. And I have to admit, as long as I don’t fall off and break my face, his idea isn’t entirely unappealing. Until I remember what I’m wearing.
Great. Of all the nights to hop on a motorcycle, it has to be a night I’m wearing a gown? For riding Diablo it’s fine, as the generous material has plenty of room to flow freely over his back. But on this tiny thing? Why couldn’t I be wearing my leather pants?
Again, Kieron reads my mind. “Just sit here,” he says patting his lap. “Use one hand to hold up your dress and cloak so they don’t get caught in the wheels. Hold on to this bar here with your other hand. I’ll have one arm wrapped around your waist, so don’t worry about falling off.”
I do as he says, and soon his arm locks into place around me. Gathering up the folds of my dress, I rest my legs on his. From behind me he chuckles softly. “Okay, this is a new one for me, so I’m gonna take her slow.” The engine roars to life, and I feel a thrill shoot through me.
“Just to a Portal, I’ll summon Diablo from there.”
“You got it.”
Thank Sweet Satan we reach a Portal in less than ten minutes. Even with Kieron holding me tight, I felt as if we were on the verge of toppling over at any second. Definitely not my favorite form of transport.
I dismount from the bike, blow a sharp whistle, and wait for my proper ride. Kieron stares at me as I straighten out the crinkles of my gown, and I happen to catch the quizzical look in his eyes.
“What?” I ask, not unkindly.
He shakes his head. “Nothing, just glad you’re doin’ better is all.”
Diablo charges from behind the trees, stopping beside me. I softly stroke his neck as he nuzzles my face. “Hey, boy,” I whisper.
Seeming to sense my exhaustion, Diablo lowers his body to ease my mount…as if he knows I had some trouble earlier and feels bad he wasn’t there for me.
“Meet you at Demon Bar?” I ask as Diablo rises to his full height.
Kieron revs his engine. “Yup.”
We both take off racing down the trails, leaving nothing but dust and rubble in our wake.
Chapter 8. Liora
Oh, my God…what the…?
A thousand angry butcher knives stab mercilessly through my head. Moaning, I roll over in bed. I try to swallow but can’t; my mouth feels like it’s filled with cotton. There’s an old glass of water on my nightstand and I eagerly chug it down, but it’s like drinking fire. As soon as the liquid hits my queasy stomach, my body spasms and I vomit on the floor beside the bed.
Oh, God. I’m dying. Lucky finally got us killed. I fall back on the bed, unable to sit up; my head is spinning out of control.
But I’m at home. If Lucky had gotten hurt or poisoned, wouldn’t I still be out in the woods somewhere?
“Tattie,” I call out weakly, “Tat, I need help…”
Within moments she glides into my room carrying a tray with a small loaf of bread, some oatmeal, a banana, and a pink-tinted water concoction.
“There, there, don’t worry. This will pass. You just didn’t have enough time to metabolize.” She places the tray beside my bed and disappears into the bathroom.
I cover my face with a pillow, the sight of food bringing me to the brink of upheaving again. “She did this on purpose,” I moan.
“Now, now, dear…I don’t think she was being malicious.” Tatiana returns from the bathroom with a wet wash cloth and gently wipes my forehead. The cool sensation eases my dizziness a bit, but I still feel like I’m dying. I wish I was dead.
“She had a rough night last night. Her emotions were overcharged, and she was weak. You know what that can do to her body.”
“She did it on purpose. This is payback for the dumpster, I know it is. She hates me.”
“She wasn’t pleased, but I believe she understood the necessity. Just as you will now.” She pushes the tray of food closer, and I make a sour face. “Drink this first,” she instructs, holding the glass of mystery liquid, “…then eat a little bit, but do it slowly. Your body will re-adjust faster. Otherwise it may take several hours for you to recover.”
I moan and roll over again, wishing Tatiana would leave me to die in peace. But then I remember yesterday; more specifically, I remember Kieron. Even though my brain hurts too much to form any real thoughts, I know I have to see him.
Tentatively, I sit up and force myself to sip some of Tatiana’s drink. As I do, I realize I’m still wearing Lucky’s dress from last night. That’s odd. Normally I wake up naked, as Lucky never wants me anywhere near her clothes. If she didn’t even have enough time to change, then I suppose I’m just fortunate she managed to make it home at all. Once, she’d left me in the middle of the forest. Man, was Tatiana pissed off about that. I really wish I could’ve witnessed the ass-chewing she gave Lucky that night. Whatever she said obviously worked, as I’ve never since woken up anywhere other than my own bed, albeit it usually nude, and always cold.
Tatiana’s potion must be kicking in because I’m actually able to keep down a slice of the bread and some of the oatmeal. After a few minutes I feel almost close to normal. But even if I still felt like death, nothing is keeping me from school today.
I have to see him.
Tatiana returns with a fresh, damp cloth and sits beside me. “Better?”
I nod. “I need to get ready,” I say getting out of bed.
“I don’t know if it’s wise for you to go to school today,” Tatiana says, a concerned look on her face.
“Why? I feel much better. Great, even. You should sell that little hangover potion of yours, you’d make a killing—”
“That’s not it,” she says with a frown. “There is a stain of darkness there; a cloud hangs most menacingly…I feel something terrible has passed, or will soon.”
“Well, duh, I could’ve told you that. I refer to it as P.E. class,” I mutter.
She shakes her head again, but I’m already halfway to the shower. “I’ll be fine, Tat. It’s school. You know if anything really terrible happens Lucky will show up. It’s in her best interest to keep me safe too, right?”
I weave through the woods at a brisk pace, and actually catch myself humming a happy tune. I’m not thinking about how awful I felt when I woke up or Tatiana’s cryptic warning.
I’m thinking about him.
Spending yesterday with Kieron was the best time I’d had in years. After recovering from my initial shock at his chosen locale—I mean really, who studies in a cemetery?—Kieron explained to me why he’d brought me there, and why that place was so special to him. He’d stumbled across it soon after coming to town, and its quiet,
haunting sadness had deeply affected him.
Turns out the cemetery was used to bury soldiers who died during the Civil War. Many of the weathered tombstones had dates on them, but no names. Most bore the Confederate symbol, but a few had the Union mark. So many young men had sacrificed their lives fighting for what they thought was right, only to be buried unnamed, ignored, and forgotten.
I had to admit, there was something strangely comforting about being in the quiet yard, with its cracked headstones, overgrown grass, and deadened vines clinging around its wrought-iron fence. It was as if just being there, acknowledging the past and the soldiers who died for what they believed in, somehow made me feel part of something bigger than myself. I felt a connection to the young men who died in battle, many interred for eternity beside their enemy, who, in another life, under different circumstances, might have been a friend.
We’d each ‘adopted’ a soldier, leaning against his tombstone while I caught Kieron up on his reading. The few hours we spent together passed in a comfortable blur. We’d left well before twilight, but not before making plans to meet up again today.
It’s funny how just having this to look forward to makes my whole world seem brighter. Happier. I smile to myself, remembering the sexy way he grins with half his mouth and how he looks up at me with crystalline eyes through those dark lashes…
The wail of a siren startles me from my reverie. Curious, and concerned, I furrow my brow and pick up the pace. It sounds like several sirens, all heading in the direction of the school.
I jog through the last line of trees to the main road, just in time to see a cop car zoom by, quickly followed by an ambulance.
What the hell…?
A crowd is gathering in the parking lot, and yellow police tape already cordons off the west side of the school. People rush around frantically; many students hug each other with tear-stained faces. A fat policeman and a dainty policewoman work in tandem, herding people off to the side of the entrance. Near the atrium, a TV news crew is preparing to start filming.
My heart thuds ominously, and I survey the chaos looking for any sign of him.