The Halloween Collection

  “You didn’t think it was so cool a few minutes ago when you were about to cry.” Keegan nudged her.

  “Yeah, yeah, I admit it. I was terrified.” Lauren smiled sheepishly.

  “Well, fairies aren’t exactly known for their bravery.” Keegan smirked.

  “Hey, that is not true. I didn’t see you tapping into your elfin powers. I think we were all too scared to think straight.”

  “Why did your husband kill you?” Anna asked.

  “He thought I was cheating on him with his brother.”

  “Were you?” They all said in unison.

  “Of course not. He was just a crazy fool.”

  Just then Anna’s mother, Jennifer, breezed through the closed door. “Wow, Anna, your mom is awesome.” Lauren clapped her hands together smiling. “It’s so cool to see her in her spirit form.”

  Anna’s mother stood before the other woman. She was just as translucent, although Anna’s mother had a golden aura surrounding her.

  “What is your name?” Jennifer asked softly.

  “My name is Olivia. I am very grateful you agreed to come see me. Your presence humbles me. I was hoping you could help me move on from this life? I made a mistake, and I do not wish to be left here for eternity.”

  “This is against regulations. You missed your opportunity. When death arrives you should not hold onto your old life.”

  “I’m sorry. I couldn’t let go at the time. The spirit walker explained the rules and I still refused to go. If I could turn back the hands of time I would. I allowed revenge to cloud my judgment.”

  “Tell me your story Olivia,” the spirit walker said gently.

  The girls listened in awe while the woman told the story of her life and how it ended at the hands of her husband.

  “I will take you. I believe you crossed paths with my daughter for this reason. Take my hand.” As the two women joined hands, they suddenly disappeared.

  “That was crazy cool.” Anna jumped up. “I’m so glad we could help her. Can you imagine being stuck in a house for generations? That would really suck.”

  “Let’s get out of here.” Keegan reached for the door and pulled. “You have to be kidding me! We are still locked in.” Keegan slammed her hand on the door.

  “Calm down Keegan. We have our phones, remember?” Lauren shook her head.

  “Who should we call?” Keegan turned to stare at them.

  “Who do we always call when we are in trouble?” Anna grinned.

  “Oh yeah, I’ll call my Aunt Katrina. She’ll love to be part of this.” Keegan dialed her aunt’s number. “Hey Kat, we’re in a bind.”

  “Have you girls been drinking?” Katrina asked wearily.

  “No, we haven’t been drinking.” Keegan chuckled. “We’re locked in a room at a haunted house.”

  “Do I dare ask how that happened? You don’t sound very scared so I take it you are ok?”

  “Yes, we’re fine. We’ll fill you in when you get here. It was actually pretty cool. You know the old Wilson’s house they set up every year? That’s where we are.”

  “Keegan, I really don’t know about you guys sometimes.” She sighed.

  “Just come in through the front door and go straight up the stairs. You’ll see a door at the end of the hallway.”

  They heard scratching on the door about fifteen minutes later. They huddled closer together again. “Bahahahaha I’m coming to get you my pretties.”

  They relaxed and laughed. Katrina was such a dork at times.

  The door swung open. “It wasn’t even locked. What is wrong with you girls?” Katrina put her flashlight under her chin and attempted to make a scary face.

  “I always have to bail you three out of trouble.”

  “We know you love it.” Keegan grinned. “Wait till you hear what happened…”

  * * *

  Read more about Keegan and her friends in Coexist.

  Look for Book 2 Conflicted coming in September 2011

  Julia Crane writes young adult novels of elves, love, and destiny and the struggle between light and dark. She can most often be found at her home in Dubai hunched over her laptop with a two year old clinging upside down to her head.

  https://coexistjuliacrane.blogspot.com/

  To Taste of Shimmering Revenge

  Jack Wallen

  England 1611

  Castle of the King

  The King’s daughter. Madrial. Her name was a lilting music on my vampiric tongue. I had longed to taste her pure, blue blood since her birth and now, at a time when my power seemed to know no bounds, I would have her.

  “Come to me my sweet. Have me. Drink of me.” Madrial’s sweet whisper entreated me to partake. The time had arrived…my destiny. From the branches of the tree I would devour the royal lineage until there was nothing left of the crown or throne. My hatred for the king was an intense fire ignited by his refusal to allow Madrial to be my bride. And when the King sequestered his daughter from me, I knew she had to die. The King would suffer as I suffered; only I would feel Madrial live on in my blood.

  The nearer I drew to Madrial, the more enthralled I became. Her scent was that of life and sex itself. Beauty had been completely redefined upon her birth…and she would be mine.

  Her soft, frail neck tilted just enough such that it gave me access to her sweetest of meats. I could see, hear, feel her pulse racing; her blood burning to be drawn.

  “I am yours.”

  This was a moment I would remember for all eternity. My teeth dropped and I gently bit into the supple, virginal flesh of the young maiden. Madrial’s blood rushed into my mouth, like a river of lust and passion. I immediately knew something was amiss. There was a hidden taste to the life-giving liquid. Madrial’s blood held something not human…something not right.

  In the distance, a low, haunting laughter could be heard. The sound mingled with Madrial’s beating heart. As the sounds blended together, I could feel myself falling into the black abyss of sleep. The laugh belonged to the King’s Mage. Madrial had been a trap.

  “Vampire, you shall sleep in the earth forever.” The raspy voice of the King’s Mage proclaimed my fate with a sickening pride.

  United States, 2011

  Los Angeles, California

  “I have returned!”

  My voice echoed out over a vastly changed landscape. What was once a thick forest of evergreen and moss-covered stone was now nothing more than a panorama of filthy industry and humanity. What had happened? The last waking moment I remembered was locking my fangs onto the fragile neck of the king’s most precious of daughters.

  Madrial’s blood was as intoxicating as her scent and she gave herself to me willingly. Almost too willingly.

  Images of that moment flooded my system; Madrial tilting her head to me to offer her flesh, my fangs piercing the virgin skin…and a laugh…of the King’s Mage. In a cold flash of rage it all hit me; the blood of the King’s daughter had been enchanted and I, the most feared and hated Vampire since Vlad Tepes, had been tricked into torpor.

  How long had I been asleep? What was the year? Where was I?

  And how would I exact my revenge on the King?

  These questions would all be answered in due time. And along with those answers would come a revenge that would be whispered in fear for all eternity. The land would tremble at the very mention of the name Vlad…Vlad…

  Oh Hell, I couldn’t even remember my name!

  “Creatures of the night, answer my call.” I yelled out into the darkness for my darling children to join me at my side. Certainly the years would have brought to life more of my kind. Extinction is no beast to best the vampire. With their assistance, I would feed and then I would rain down chaos across the country side until I had the answers I sought.

  “Dude, what’s your deal?” The strange young man approached me with a brevity I had never witnessed.

  “You dare confront a creature as feared…”

  “Holy shit! Can you do that again? I wa
nt to catch that on my phone. You’re fucking hilarious man.” The stranger laughed.

  The insignificant whelp reached into the pocket of his pants. Certainly he was about to dash me with holy water. In my weakened state, I would be no match for the blessed liquid. The weapon he revealed was nothing I had ever seen. I might have misjudged the man.

  “Okay, dude, say exactly what you said again. This will go on Youtube and bring me fame and bitches! Ready. One, two…”

  “Come to me.” The scent of the young man was overwhelming. My blood lust was beginning to boil from deep within. I had to feed. I had to take this stranger and devour him skin to soul. Reflexes overtook me and my fangs dropped. The young man had no idea the candle of his life was about to be snuffed.

  “Holy shit! That’s awesome! How did you do that? Where did you get that grill?” Joy issued from the mouth of the babe.

  “Insolent mortal, you will bow before me.” My voice carried my wrath, but hid my curiosity as to how the human sapling hadn’t dropped to his knees in dread fear. It must be my weakened state. Time had sapped me of my powers. Soon they would return and my triumph would be glorious.

  “Oh my God, this is too much. Dude, you must be lost. Oh fuck, wait—it’s Halloween. The premier of Nightfall is like ten miles north of us. How in the hell did you get this far off? Come on, let me drive you…it’s the least I can do in exchange for the fucking entertainment.”

  The young man’s aura was twirling with the colors of honesty and joy. He was completely unaware of who and what I was—an advantage I would certainly use. I had no idea what premiere he was referring to, but if he was willing to aid me in my time of need…I would allow for the assistance until the moment came for me to finally sate my ravenous hunger.

  “Name’s Alex by the way.” He smiled the grin of ignorance I’d seen so many times over the years.

  In the name of Vlad Dracula I wanted so desperately to tear into the insolent flesh of this boy, end my suffering, and snuff out his dim-witted light. Instead, I allowed myself to step into his odd machine, unsure of what was to happen.

  “Don’t worry, I’m a good driver.” Alex grinned.

  As soon as the heavy door was shut, the metal box shot forward as if it were propelled by the machines of Hell. The speed of the machine was incredible. I had only ever travelled this quickly when in bat form, flitting through the darkened night sky. The feeling was exhilarating. We would arrive as instantaneously as thought.

  “Damn, chicks dig the whole vampire shit now. You dress up like this to get laid? Does it work?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer Alex. The colloquialism get laid escaped my comprehension. Instead of making an absolute fool of myself, and arousing any suspicions, I joined the man in his odd celebration of vampire shit getting laid. Our combined laughter echoed off the metallic beast carrying us into the night.

  “What did you think of the first film? Personally I thought it was gay. Seriously, when did vampires sparkle? I wasn’t sure if it was the casting of all those pretty boys, but the vampires were lame. If I had the power of mother fuckin’ Dracula, I wouldn’t let some grade-B piece of ass mesmerize me with her stoner eyes and promise of nothing in the sack. Stupid Hollywood fucks.”

  The ice cold heart in my chest caught fire at the sound of the farcical troll invoking the name ‘Dracula.’ This simply would not do. No human ever spoke the name of the King of Kings and lived without consequences. Rage and reflex took hold and my hand shot over so that my fingers could wrap around the neck of Alex. I could feel some of my powers returning…enough to control the yammering insect.

  “What the hell! Dude, let go. Seriously.” One of the mortal boy’s hands grabbed at mine, but to no avail. Even in my weakened state a human was no match for my strength.

  “Stop the vehicle.” My voice carried with it the ability to hypnotize by mere suggestion. My powers were gaining strength. They would become endless once again.

  The car came to a squealing halt. Alex was motionless in my grip, save the tears of fear flowing freely down his cheeks. The intoxicating stench of urine tickled my nostrils, giving me a much needed boost. All that was left was the first blood. After such a long slumber, first blood could prove a shock the system. The trick was not to take in too much at once, lest the ecstasy of the moment drive me to the ground, a helpless, paralyzed victim awaiting final death in the morning sun. But this was my third time coming out of torpor, so I was more than familiar with the ways of torporial recovery.

  “Alex, I am about to drink from you. But before I do, I have a few questions you must answer.”

  “Yes.”

  Alex was safely in trance. The power I exerted over mankind often had me giddy with delight. Even a vampire of my age and status could be giddy. There was no shame in joy.

  “Alex, what year is it?”

  “Two thousand eleven.”

  The date hit me like thousand rays of sunshine. I had been under for nearly four hundred years. And with the King’s Mage most certainly gone, my revenge would have to take on a different form.

  Not realizing my grip had tightened, bones began to snap in Alex’s neck.

  “What is this Nightfall?”

  “Vampire movie. Sequel to Dawn’s Breaking.”

  “Alex, I am going to feed on you now. I want you to begin counting out loud as I do. When I am done with you, you will take me to this Nightfall. Is that clear?”

  “Yes.”

  Alex’s voice was soft, transfixed on some point in time that either never had or ever would exist. He was lost and would remain so until I broke the tether to his mortal life.

  I twisted the young man’s neck to reveal his pulsing artery. It had been so long, this feast would be like none I ever had. When my fangs dropped and broke the sweaty skin of his neck, the rush of a thousand joys washed over me. My body spasmed as the flood poured into me, giving me life.

  “1, 2, 3, 4…” Alex’s voice was a distant drone, but the numbers were clear enough for me to know. To avoid disaster I had until the count of sixty. Beyond that, I would die the final death as the drunkenness of too much first blood rendered me unconscious, ready for sun to have its holy way with my flesh.

  “…15, 16, 17…”

  Alex’s memories overcame me in glimpses. A fragment of his first awkward sexual encounter, the death of his younger sister, our fateful meeting…everything from his short, insignificant life came to me in bits and pieces.

  “…39, 40, 41…”

  Souls began to intermingle, I was getting lost in Alex, he in me; where I ended and he began was becoming ever more indistinguishable.

  “…45, 46, 47…”

  There was no need to tempt the fates any longer, so I pulled out of the embrace. Alex’s head fell forward, his body temporarily without the will to continue on. He would survive.

  “Now, my friend, take me to the premier of Nightfall.”

  “Yes…master.”

  Ah the endearing Master. The word carried such loyalty, spoke of power and ownership. Over the years I had possessed many whose servitude was always repaid in kind with a life longer than their humanity would normally allow. Granted this life was spent serving me and my whims…whims often leaning toward the sadistic.

  “We have arrived.” My ward’s voice brought me back into the moment.

  I had been so lost in memories of my various servants I hadn’t realized the mechanized beast had carried us to our destination. Four hundred years had certainly brought man into a new age. I wasn’t sure I cared for their progress.

  “Alex, you are to remain here until I return. Do not move, do not speak.”

  When the night air hit me this time, it was not the air of death but the air of life. My strength had returned, my senses were alive, my name remembered.

  I am Vlad Kurval, progeny of Vlad Dracul. I am the ruiner of land. I am a plague. I am a pestilence on mankind.

  I had returned to sow the seeds of sorrow and waste among the firmament of
Earth.

  “Kneel before me weak and powerless vermin. You are but cattle to me and I will taste of your…”

  “Woo! Team Tyler! Go Vamp or go home!”

  The young female dared cross my path and not revere me or kneel in abject terror. Instead she held her hand aloft, bearing a haughty pagan gesture with her finger and laughed.

  “Trick or mother fuckin’ treat, Count Chocula.”

  The male escort accompanying the wench shouted over his shoulder.

  Somehow I had missed the crowd of people around me, standing in line. Were they waiting for slaughter? Judging from their light colored auras, if they were being lead to the slaughter, they were completely unaware. Such a shame to waste fear and horror with ignorance.

  Above the heads of the crowed, in brilliantly lit letters, was Nightfall. Below the letters was a perfectly rendered portrait of what looked like two lovers in thrall. Only…only…the male was…

  Vampire.

  This could not be. When I was put to earth, I was the only one of my kind. Now, now I must contend with an overly coiffed, made up, fop laying claim to fangs.

  “Go Team Tyler!”

  Another young girl spouted the same nonsense. I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to me.

  “Who is this Tyler?” My spell took hold immediately.

  “V-Vampire. In the movie.” Her voice was distant, powerless as she pointed toward the portrait in the spotlight.

  “Take me to Tyler immediately.”

  I released my grip on the girl. She turned toward the building, and began to walk. As I followed, the other scraplings yelled in some misbegotten anger.

  “Fucking cutter!”

  “Where do you think you’re going jerk face?”

  “Look at the loser in the cape.”

  Careful children, lest I lose my temper.

  “Tickets please.” The man behind the glass demanded.

  My stare needed no voice to back up the spell. The young man silently waved us on, into the building and insisted we “Enjoy the movie”.

  Once inside, the smells and the sounds were caustic. The voices were too young, too shrill. Young ladies, who should have had more self-respect than to parade themselves around in such little attire, bounced about as if they were nothing more than piglets on their way to the meat house. There were select few in the crowd paying homage to the vampire in overly done make up and false fangs. Had I not been intent on finding this ‘Tyler’ I would have paused to rip the teeth from the masqueraders and introduce them to the truth.