The Phantom Oracle (Vampire Innocent Book 5)

by Matthew S. Cox

  A loud scrape of stone sliding over the floor echoes in the hall.

  “Here comes big bird,” I mutter.

  “Think we should bug out.”

  “Yeah. So how’s this work?”

  He wraps his arms around me from behind. “Pick her up.”

  You know, after tearing Scott up with my bare hands, touching a well-preserved mummy doesn’t bother me at all. Without the slightest hesitation—a 1,200 pound homicidal statue is quite a motivator by the way—I grasp Coralie’s body as gently as possible and lift her. I’m initially startled at how light she is, but then I realize I probably made myself strong enough to lift up one end of a car right before walloping that thing over the head. Guess it works in a way akin to vampire adrenaline… takes a few minutes to wear off.

  “Okay. Got her.”

  A ring of blackness washes over me from behind as I fall backward down a well of endless darkness. The void closes around us, leaving me once more in a swirling, colorless world. Roaring wind fills my ears, so loud I couldn’t shout over it even if my voice worked. I catch a vague glimpse of the gargoyle’s glowing blue eyes turning toward us, but we’re down the hall in seconds and bird man is gone behind the corner.

  Glim must be flying upside down and backward. I feel like a drowning swimmer being pulled to shore. It’s super disorienting not to mention freaky as hell having no control over where I’m going while falling ass-first at the speed of a jet aircraft. Before I completely lose my shit, I close my eyes. The rapid swaying of turns bothers me much less when I don’t have to see the twisting landscape awash in churning dark vapors going by.

  Not that I have much of a sense of time, but it doesn’t seem to be that long before all the motion and deafening whooshing cease. My head stops spinning a few seconds later with the realization that my feet are on the ground and Glim is no longer hugging me.

  “You can open your eyes.” He chuckles. “We’re clear.”

  I risk a peek, and find myself standing outside my house. “Oh, wow. I didn’t realize you brought me all the way back here.”

  “Much easier than conventional flying with a third passenger.” He smiles. “And faster.”

  “No kidding. Thank you!” I set Coralie on her feet to free one arm so I can sorta-hug him. “I’m really sorry you got hurt.”

  “It’s hardly the worst thing I’ve experienced since my Transference. I hope you never encounter a land mine. Regenerating an entire leg is not fun.”

  I cringe. “Ouch.”

  “Indeed. Well… I’m off to find something to eat.”

  “Okay. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, please let me know.”

  He winks. “Perhaps you can visit me in the usual spot tomorrow or the next day and bring some beer.”

  I grin. “You got it.”

  13

  A Quiet Roommate

  One thing I never expected would happen is to have my parents catch me carrying a dead woman into our house.

  They’re both still up watching TV, and glance over as I walk inside and nudge the door closed with my foot. I’m carrying Coralie sideways kind of like an ironing board under my left arm. She’s a bit unwieldy after all considering she’s about as flexible as my old high school’s dress code.

  “Hey guys,” I say, like I’m not holding a corpse. “How was the movie? Did the boat still sink?”

  Mom smirks.

  “What’s that?” asks Dad. “Aren’t you a bit old for dolls? I thought you were over them around twelve.”

  “Coralie’s not a doll.”

  Mom gasps, stares for a few seconds, then points. “Is that a… a…”

  “Mummy dearest.” I hold her upright so they can see her.

  “Sarah…” Dad gives me his fake scolding look. “I thought we spoke about your bringing dead bodies into the house.”

  “Sorry, I know I said I wouldn’t, but this is kind of an unusual situation. And I didn’t kill her. I’m saving her.”

  “Shoes,” says Mom.

  I set Coralie down and lean her against the wall, remove my sneakers, and pick her up again. Before I can even take a step, Mom clears her throat.

  “What?”

  She points. “Your friend still has her shoes on.”

  I glance down at Coralie’s boots. The leather’s in worse shape than her skin. “Umm, Mom, she’s a mummy. I don’t think her shoes can come off.”

  Dad, the more adventurous of my parents, gets up and walks over for a closer look. “Oh, wow. Poor thing. So, umm… you’re carrying a dead body into the house.”

  “Yep.”

  “Like it’s completely normal a thing to do,” says Mom.

  I shrug, making Coralie bob up and down. “Yep.”

  “Umm, why?” asks Dad.

  “Some people were keeping her prisoner, and she asked me to get her out of there. So, I did. Not sure where she wants to go since I haven’t seen her in a bit, so I brought her here. She’s not going to stay that long and she’s a really quiet roommate. Won’t make any noise or mess. Is it okay if she stays here for a little while?”

  Mom pinches the bridge of her nose. “I don’t think it’s legal to have human remains in a house.”

  “Even if they’ve been dead for like two centuries?” I ask.

  Dad looks back and forth between us with a ‘don’t ask me’ face.

  “I’m going to keep her in my room for now. If anyone finds her, I’ll just make them forget. She won’t cause any trouble.”

  Mom turns away, hands up in her ‘I can’t even’ posture. “That’s so unsettling. I don’t know, Jonathan. I understand our daughter has certain new challenges to face, but I’m not sure about keeping a dead woman in the house.”

  “I’m sure there’s a good reason behind this. Sarah wouldn’t even ask if it wasn’t important. You’ll explain this in more detail soon, I hope?”

  “I promise it’s important. And yeah. I’ll definitely give you the deets.”

  Mom points at me. “You will not let your siblings find, play with, or even see her.”

  “Promise.”

  Honestly? I’d rather they find Coralie than catch me with Hunter. The near miss with Sophia the other day was beyond embarrassing.

  My parents resume muttering with each other as I go by, carrying Coralie into the kitchen and maneuvering her down the stairs to the basement. Damn. I had hoped they’d be asleep by now. After this, perhaps dialing back the weird is a good idea. Mom needs a nice couple months of everything being as normal as possible. Her dropping hints about mind-tweaking her boss should’ve been a sign that she’s fraying at the seams. Or maybe she’s not above a little manipulation of circumstance to keep from losing a job she’s had for like sixteen years over things beyond her control.

  Right so, just a dead woman coming over to hang out. Not a big deal.

  I carry her into my room, look at the closets for a moment—too full—then, somewhat reluctantly, set her down on the floor and slide her under my bed. It’s inglorious, but at least the littles won’t see her there.

  No sooner do I stand up than Coralie’s ghost is right next to me with a dismayed expression.

  “Eep!” I jump back and land seated upon the bed, clutching my chest. “Holy crap you scared me.”

  She looks at me like I just stole her lunch at school.

  “Sorry. I know. Hiding under the bed is the first place someone will look. But, I can’t put you in a chair without breaking bones… and I can’t let my siblings find you.”

  Coralie bows her head. “It’s all right. I’m grateful that you’ve brought me away from the influence of their enchantments. Even if I’ve been relegated to a space under your bed. You’ve done me a great service I am unsure I will ever be able to repay. For that, you shall always have my thanks.”

  I let myself fall back, and stare at the ceiling. “You’re welcome.”

  There’s a dead woman under my bed. Wow, my life has gone to plaid.

  14

&nb
sp; The Oracle

  Coralie paces around my bedroom, her expression curious.

  My mind spins with images of that stupid gargoyle. Did I really just see a live gargoyle? Is magic like an actual thing? Holy crap that thing nearly took my head off.

  Speaking of which.

  I lift my head up from the mattress enough to peer at her. “Coralie?”

  She pivots to face me. “Yes?”

  “Why didn’t you tell us about that gargoyle? It would’ve been nice to know why you asked me to take that shield.”

  “Gargoyle?”

  I explain what happened inside the ‘vault.’

  “Oh!” she gasps, covering her mouth. “I am sorry. I did not know exactly what would happen. Only, when I saw that shield on the wall I knew you should have it.”

  “That’s really freaky. It saved my life… or, well… you know what I mean.”

  She giggles. “I knew it would, but not how. Now that I am free from the Aurora Aurea, I can speak openly. They used me as an oracle of sorts.”

  “What, so you like see the future?” I sit up, arms crossed in my lap.

  “In a manner of speaking, yes. The same way vampires have different strengths from one to the next, so too do spirits who choose not to pass on, or cannot. My strength is receiving flashes of insight regarding future events.”

  “Oh. Is it because you died so young, you’re not ready to go on yet?”

  “No.” Coralie sighs, shaking her head. “My husband was a member of that order. We met when I was only sixteen, though back in those days at that age, I was ready to marry. Our wedding happened about a year after we met. I’d been fascinated by the strange things he studied, and he told me that I had a gift. A few of the small tricks he showed me, I was able to do, so I wanted to learn more. He discovered a ritual and told me it would unlock a greater power inside me. Of course, I expected something quite different from what happened.”

  “He killed you…”

  “The elixir they gave me did, yes. I do not think it was their intent to end my life, but in doing so, they bound me here as a spirit with the ability to see into the future. Their goal had been to create an oracle all along. Although my death surprised them, they weren’t too upset by it. What happened did not deter them from using me as the tool they had hoped to create.”

  I rest my chin in both hands. “Ugh. I know the feeling.”

  “You do?”

  “Well, my boyfriend killed me. Both men we thought we loved killed us.”

  Coralie sits on the bed beside me. “I’m so sorry. You are too young. Even younger than I was.”

  “I’m not as young as I look. I’m eighteen.”

  She tsks. “That is still too young.”

  “You died at twenty. Two years.”

  “I suppose I should pity myself then, too.” She fake pouts.

  “Right.”

  “Your boyfriend, he is a vampire?”

  “Briefly, by accident.”

  Coralie blinks. “He did not kill you to make you into what you are?”

  “No… He was just pissed that I dumped him, so he stabbed me in a fit of rage. He didn’t stab me to make me into a vampire. The vampire who turned me only did it to save me. He thought I was a kid and couldn’t bear to watch me die or something like that.”

  “Aww, that is so gallant.”

  “That’s a word for it.” I shrug, smiling.

  “And your boyfriend?”

  I explain how Dalton thought he killed Scott, but the asshole got back up as a Scrap and I wound up dealing with him. “Did you ever take revenge on your—oh wait, you said you didn’t warn him of his death.”

  She nods. “It upset me most never having a family. I wanted children.”

  “Sorry. I dunno how I’d have felt if things had been normal, but I’m okay with not being able to. I guess because I was so much older than my siblings it kinda feels like I’ve already done the mom thing.”

  Coralie smiles. “That is sweet of you to take care of them.”

  “Ehh. I wasn’t exactly the best big sister for the last year or two of my mortal life, but it’s not like I was mean. Just busy, wanted to do other stuff. Really, what fifteen-year-old wants to spend all day hanging out with their eight, seven, and six-year-old siblings?”

  “Families were much closer when I was a child. I had three older siblings and we did everything together.” She wipes a spectral tear. “The worst part of dying was watching them lose me.”

  A giant lump forms in my throat. “Yeah… I can sympathize with that, too. It’s why I came home instead of running off with Dalton.”

  “I demanded they tell my family I remained as a ghost and that they be allowed to visit me whenever they wished.” Coralie fusses at her frilled sleeves. “There was a room at the old lodge that made it much easier for me to appear to the living.”

  I nod.

  We spend a little while more commiserating about being murdered by men we thought we loved, and family stuff. She asks about what I meant regarding a disastrous attempt at stealing, so I tell her about that stupid spyglass. It’s a much needed topic change from grieving relatives, that leaves us laughing.

  I start to groan at myself over the mound of calculus homework, but it is the weekend and I’m caught up with everything else, so I have time yet.

  “What should we do with your remains now?” I ask.

  “Is your attic dry?”

  “No, not really. I saw some mold on the window. You’re probably better off in here for now. But… I’m sure you don’t want to spend eternity under my bed.”

  Coralie scrunches up her face. “It makes me feel too much like a piece of ugly furniture tucked out of the way.”

  “What about a coffin and burying you somewhere?”

  She ponders that idea for a little while, then shakes her head. “I think it would be too scary. Being shut in a box isn’t nice. That is for the dead.”

  I tilt my head. “But you are dead.”

  “So are you. Would you care to be in a box?”

  “No… that sucked.”

  She blinks. “You were?”

  “Morgue cooler. Close enough. You’re right. Screw that.”

  “They screw them closed?”

  I laugh, startling her. “No, it’s a phrase. You’re right. Being in a box is too scary.”

  “I am happy enough to be free from the Aurora Aurea that I will gladly sleep on your floor for a while.”

  “The who?”

  “No, not a band.”

  I smirk. “Now I know you’re doing that on purpose.”

  She grins. “You may have heard of them referred to as the Golden Dawn.”

  “Nope. Sorry.”

  Coralie sighs. “Well, the world has largely thought them disbanded since 1903. I shouldn’t be surprised you haven’t heard of them. They are an order devoted to occultism, magic, and paranormal studies that have been around in one form or another since the late 1600s, though they did not always use that name. It was adopted in 1887, quite a while after my death, by a group of men in Great Britain when they attempted to bring magical studies into public awareness. It did not go well. I warned them that society would hunt down every last person with any scrap of magical gift and burn them to death. The masters of the order decided to allow the world to think of them as eccentric fools, and publicly disbanded as a show. They enacted internal laws of secrecy and forbid open displays of magic.”

  “Yeah, people probably loved the idea of magic about as much as they’d love vampires. Probably why we still hide.”

  “I’d imagine your kind would be less welcomed.”

  “You’re probably right. Though the government knows about us.”

  She nods. “Yes. But they think they know more than they do.”

  “Hey, can you tell me if anything bad is going to happen to my siblings? Like my one sister is terrified she’s going to be shot at school.”

  “So tragic what happens in this country these d
ays.” Coralie shakes her head. “Alas, my abilities don’t work like that. I will, however, keep her in my thoughts. It is the least I can do for you.”

  “Keep her in your thoughts?” I scratch my head. “How will that help?”

  “If something horrible comes along the thread of fate for Sophia, Sierra, or Samuel, I will see it ahead of time. Much like I saw the riots and burnings of the mystics.” She inclines her head ever so slightly. “Something significant involves Sophia relatively soon, but I do not think it bad.”

  “Wait. Something’s going to happen to her?”

  Coralie nods. “Yes. Her path will bend in a way it had not originally been meant to, but you should not worry. It is not dangerous and I do not believe she will mind. She is adorable.”

  “You’ve seen her?”

  “Yes. I followed you home some days ago out of curiosity.”

  “I thought you were stuck at the school? I think Sophia somehow felt you here.”

  “She did. The girl is sensitive.”

  “Heh. Yeah, no kidding. She cries at everything.”

  “Not that kind of sensitive.” Coralie giggles. “You are correct. I was stuck at the school before you removed my remains. But a being such as yourself has enough energy that I was able to hitch a ride so to speak. I could not, however, stay away long before the enchantments dragged me back. Oh, it is so good to be free of it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I am happy to remain here as long as necessary, though I don’t think your parents are too pleased with my presence.”

  “Yeah. Mom’s a bit freaked out. Not sure if you talking to them would help or hurt that. But…” I sigh at the carpet. “For what to do with your remains… I’ll figure something out eventually.”

  “I’m pleased it doesn’t bother you to share your room with what’s left of my body.”

  I shrug. “I don’t have any trouble passing out at bedtime anymore. Yeah, it is kinda creepy, but I guess I technically am a corpse too when I zonk.”

  “We are mostly underground.”

  “Please don’t call my bedroom a tomb.” I flash a weak smile. “I’m trying to have a normal life.”