“Mages haven’t had a great history with my people. Too many conflicts and too many grudges and hurt feelings. For the most part, she’s right. My people are dangerous.”
“Are you?”
“To some people,” he admitted. “But not you. Never to you.”
“Good, I’d hate to kick your ass,” I said, prompting Aidan to chuckle.
“I have more to tell you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Your people could be the nastiest people out there, but you’re…you. You’re the one constant in my life, and I’m not giving it up for anyone.”
“Good.” Aidan and I walked inside. We walked through a series of rooms before finding one with a plush red couch and a TV. I cuddled close to him as we flipped through the channels. The last few days may have been rough, but Aidan made everything better. Lying there, by his side, I felt more content and more loved than I ever have in my entire life, and nothing mattered other than him staying close to me.
Chapter 6
“This isn’t working!” I exclaimed as I kicked at the grass beneath my feet. Kat had been trying to teach me how to meditate for the last three days, and each time it was like pulling teeth.
“Try it again,” Kat insisted. “Forget about everything and focus on your breathing. Feel the air swirling around you. Feel the beating of your heart. Reach deep down in yourself to bond with your abilities.”
“God, you sound like a new age Yoda,” I grumbled. Kat rolled her eyes, and I sighed. “Fine, Fine!”
I closed my eyes and groaned. All I was in touch with was my desperate need for a sandwich. My stomach grumbled as I fidgeted in place. What felt like hours passed in the self-imposed blackness, and I groaned as I stood up.
“How long was that?”
“Five minutes,” Kat replied. “This is going to take time, Kacey. You need to focus and-”
“No offense,” Aidan interrupted, poking his head up from behind a log. “I think you guys are going about this in the wrong way.”
“What the hell would a Fey know about using magic?” Kat said, narrowing her eyes at him.
“More than you might think. I also know Kacey well and meditating isn’t going to happen. I’ve never seen her sit still for longer than five minutes. Ever. You’ve had her in the grass, motionless, on and off for the past three days. I have an idea.”
Aidan rushed off and returned with two pieces of wood carved in the vague shape of a sword. He tossed one to me, and I stared at him.
“A stick. You want me to use a stick,” I said, inspecting it.
“It’s called a Bokken.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s…well, it’s a stick.” I rolled my eyes at him, forcing him to chuckle. “I’m going to teach you how to use a sword.”
“What is this, the twelfth century? Who uses a sword these days?”
“A few people. A gun is a powerful weapon, but it requires your head to be everywhere to use it. You have to think about wind speed, bullet size and how your hand is shaking. Hell, for some of the longer shots you even need to think about gravity. A sword is simpler, purer. It’s not a weapon; it’s a piece of yourself. When you hold one in your hand, nothing exists but you and your opponent. Mastering one isn’t about mastering a machine. Using a sword is about controlling your body, mind, and soul.”
“You’re serious?”
“Not to mention a proper blade can hack a creature’s head off, destroy their heart, and disable them in a dozen different ways. Guns won’t bring vampires down; a sword will.”
“Okay, we’ll try it your way.” I held the stick loose in my hand, and Aidan flicked it away. It cartwheeled and landed in the dirt.
“Hold it tight,” he corrected. “This isn’t some stick you’re holding; it’s your life. It’s the one thing standing between you and a messy, bloody death.”
I went back and grabbed the stick, glaring at him. “So hold onto it, good tip. What’s next?”
“Try and attack me.”
I struck out, but the weapon sailed right past him. I felt a dull pain in my chest as Aidan’s stick hit my ribs. Time and time again I attacked, only for Aidan to send me crashing to the mud. I spat grass out of my mouth, and I glowered up at him, incensed.
“Why did I beat you?” he asked with maddening calm.
“Because you’re faster than me and stronger than me. Oh yeah, not to mention I’ve been using this thing for five minutes!”
“You’re angry.”
“No shit, you’ve been clubbing me.”
“If you get angry when I’m attacking you with a bokken, how can you hope to stay focused when a vampire attacks you? Breathe and focus.”
“You’re way too fast, and there’s no way…”
“You’re faster than me; you haven’t realized it. Breathe. All you need to do is to decide you’re going to win no matter what.”
I groaned in frustration and stood across from him. I took in a slow, deep breath, closing my eyes as I felt the world drift away. At that moment, everything slowed down. I felt the air swirl around us. I heard Aidan and Kat’s heart pumping in a smooth rhythm and sensed each grain of dirt moving beneath my feet. A spark welled up in the middle of my chest. As I focused, I felt it become an inferno, sending its heat and warmth flowing through every inch of my body.
“Holy shit,” Kat said, disbelieving as she watched me. “I think you did it, Kacey.”
I glanced at Aidan, grinning at the new strength I felt surging through me. He struck, but the attacks that used to be lightning fast moved like he was underwater. Each blow caught nothing between air. I whipped through each one and slammed the base of my palm against his chest. I winced at the force that surged through the strike and watched in shock as Aidan tumbled. He landed with a loud splash in the pond, sputtering as I walked over. Aidan climbed out with a wide grin on his face.
“You’re ready,” he announced, water dripping from his clothes.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve taken your first step. Let’s try that again. This time beat me without tossing me in the river."
We spent the rest of the afternoon sparring. I practiced until my arms felt like lead weights. As we trained, the stick felt less and less like a lump of wood. Each swing, parry, and strike made it feel like an extension of my arm. The next few days that passed felt like Aidan was training me to be a warrior. He had a new weapon waiting for me each day, and each day I trained with it until I was too tired to continue. I’d collapse into bed, exhausted, every night. I’d wake up refreshed, and Aidan pushed me harder. The more I trained, the more energy surged through me.
A whole new world began opening up to me. Even with my eyes closed, I felt every inch of the area around me. I could hear the tapping of an ant skittering across the hardwood floor, smell the bacon Kat would prepare hundreds of feet away on the opposite side of The Mansion. I felt the warm air of the heating system, and the air created a detailed image of the world. My senses reached heights I couldn’t even imagine. Working out was a brand new experience. Every day I’d go to the gym in The Mansion, and I’d thread hundreds of pounds onto the barbell, yet it would feel like I was lifting a feather. I was stronger and faster than I’d ever imagined I could be, capable of feats I would have sworn was impossible.
I whistled as I walked down the halls, ready for the next day’s training when Kat rounded the corner. I gave her a warm, excited grin, cocking my head at her as she blocked the way.
“Hey, Kat, what’s up? Are we training today?”
“We are, but it’s something different. Follow me.”
“Where are we goi
ng?”
“Follow me.” We strolled through the halls until we reached the garage. We filed into the huge black monstrosity she called a car. The vehicle lumbered to life, and we rolled down the path and onto the highway. The radio started playing show tunes and screeching singers that could shatter a wine glass at ninety paces. I endured the shrilling ballads and leaned back in the warm leather chairs as the vehicle crunched through the snow and ice of the Colorado winter.
“So my training’s going well,” I said, drumming my fingers on the dashboard to break the silence.
“Glad to hear it.”
“Yup, I think in another few days I’ll have everything down.”
Kat chuckled. “You think so?”
“Oh yeah.”
“So you’ve learned to expand your senses, right?”
“How did you know?”
“You thought there was an earthquake when I walked past your door the other day.”
I winced at the mistake as my cheeks burned. “Yeah, sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. All you need is a little practice. So if your senses are so sharp, what did I have for dinner last night?”
“Leftover pizza.” Kat glanced at me in surprise, and I grinned. “I was going to have the last two slices for breakfast, and when I woke up, they were gone. Aidan hates double anchovies, so I figured it was either you or dad.”
“Okay, fine. What did I have for dinner the night before?”
I let out a long breath as I concentrated, focusing my senses on Kat. The lilac and rose smell of her perfume became near overpowering, forcing me to gag as I tried to filter it out. The noxious smell of day old cigarettes caused me to pause, up at her in shock.
“You’ve been spending time with my dad,” I said in accusation.
“Focus on the challenge, please,” she returned as her cheeks became a bright pink. I focused on her until I groaned in defeat.
“I have no idea,” I returned.
“That’s part of why we’re going out. You’ve made tremendous progress, but you’ve just scratched the surface. Don’t get cocky.”
“Okay, lesson learned. What else?”
“We’ve arrived,” Kat announced. I peeked up to see a chipped and battered sign that stood on two warped and rotted legs. I scowled as I read the words.
“Macarthur Park? This place is a crap hole. The crap-holiest place in town. The people who come to this park are drug dealers, meth heads, and future mugging victims. What gives?”
“Come on, I’ll buy you a hot dog, and we’ll talk about it.” Kat gestured over to a bench. I sat down, and she walked over to a food stand. She beamed at the vendor and soon returned with a handful of food.
“So what do you see?” she asked, grabbing a fry from the bag.
I grimaced as I considered the question. I’d call the park rundown if it hadn’t always been awful. The grass was brown and sick, struggling to hold onto life. A rusty and bent swing set creaked nearby. Children played on it, and it creaked and groaned anytime they went too high. A group of homeless men muttered and grumbled over a flaming barrel.
“This place has some problems,” I stated, scowling at the signs of poverty around us.
“You’re not wrong,” Kat replied.
“So am I going to break up a purse snatching or something?”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Hell yeah. We could do a whole superhero thing. Do you know of any place that sells tights in bulk?”
Kat rolled her eyes. “That may seem like a good idea, but what happens after you bring in one, maybe two culprits? The criminals would adapt. They’d switch from switch blades to handguns, from handguns to Uzi. They’d also be nervous, which means they’d be more likely to use them. It’s called escalation. The troubled streets become a war zone. That little old lady, who would have had her purse taken, is left to bleed out onto the pavement. All because we decided to be superheroes. Do you see what I’m trying to say?”
“I think so,” I responded, as I watched the people walk past. “So what, we have to stand by and let it happen?”
“Of course not, but the problems this city has aren’t mystical. People have stopped caring. You can help, but as a Mage, you have to keep in mind that everything you do has long term consequences. Not to mention that if you expose yourself, you expose all of us. Mages have worked long and hard to stay secret, and we need to remain that way.”
“Why?”
Kat took a large bite of her hot dog as she considered the question, stroking her chin when she set her food back down.
“Some say it’s because ordinary people will start wanting supernatural solutions for their problems. I’m not sure I buy that, though. That assumes that people are lazy, and they’re all wanting to skate by on the easiest path possible. Everyone has ambitions. We all want to leave our mark on the world and magic wouldn’t change that. My primary concern is that people would fear us.”
“Why would people fear us? We’re no different from them.”
“Be honest with me, were you frightened of me when you first saw what I could do?”
“Hey, I was down a few dozen pints of blood. I thought you were an angel.”
Kat chuckled.
“I don’t know, maybe a little,” I admitted. “You can hurl lightning, and that’s scary.”
“Can you imagine how these abilities would seem to someone who was an average, everyday person? Can you imagine what they would do, considering we’ve been living under their nose this entire time?”
“Do you think it would be a big deal?”
“I do, and so does The Council.”
“Who are they?”
“They rule over all the Mages. They consist of the most powerful and intelligent Mages from all over the world. Some of them can boil the oceans with the blink of the eye. They keep an eye on our kind. They help us integrate with humanity, and dole out punishment if we violate their laws. They also place Mages in jobs in the human world, putting us where they can be beneficial, but not make waves.”
“Wait, they control what we can do? That’s fucked up.”
“It’s necessary. We live in a twenty-four-hour news cycle. Everybody has access to a camera these days. If a mage were to become famous, that would be millions of cameras pointed at them, all day, every day. It would take one small mistake for them to screw up and expose the entire mystical world. So the Council puts them in jobs away from the public eye. It may seem terrible, but it’s far better than the alternative.”
“What’s that?”
“War. We’ve lived in fear of war with the rest of humanity for years. Their power versus our magic would be terrible for both. You’d have men, women and sometimes even kids dragged out of their homes for a talent they don’t know exists. You’d have soldiers fighting Mages who can kill with them with a wave of their hand. If the wrong people fear us, the result would be chaos, death, and blood running down the streets. That’s why you,” she said, giving me a playful nudge, “need to learn when to use your powers, as well as how to use your abilities.”
“I get it; I get it. Do you think it would be that bad?”
“I don’t know. History has shown anytime those in power felt threatened or afraid, horrific crimes have happened. The Inquisition, the internment of Japanese Americans, lynch mobs, everything. They’ve all happened because of fear. So I think it’s best that we fly under the radar. It doesn’t mean that I think it’s right that we squander young talent, and it doesn’t mean I think it’s right that we pigeon hole Mages into certain areas out of fear, but it’s necessary.”
“I don’t like it either,” I admitted as I took a bite of the hot dog. I used to love them, but I smelt the dirt that was on the cart owner’s hand. I tasted the old grease the meat rolled in, and felt the day old staleness of the bun in my fingers. I shook my head as I pretended to enjoy it.
“The world’s not black and white, Kacey. Sometimes I wish it was. Still, having the Council out there and doing good is far better than the alternative. Come on, let’s head home.”
I followed her back to the car. I scowled at the half eaten hot dog and found myself anticipating the slimy, bland taste of the oatmeal at home. An unexpected side effect of developing my powers was that I was beginning to hate most foods. My increased senses amplified everything. Spicy foods became torture, feeling like I plunged my tongue into a vat of molten steel. Sweet foods tasted like I’d swallowed a gallon of syrup. For some reason, oatmeal was my go to food. Its bland taste was a refuge from the dizzying array of flavors and textures.
My phone buzzed, interrupting me from my thoughts as it jumped and danced in the cup holder. An unknown number flashed across the front of the display.
“Hello?” I asked, answering it.
“Is this Kacey Alexander?” a cold, mechanical voice buzzed over the phone.
“Yeah, it’s me. Who’s this?”
“This is the person who’s been hunting you. Listen close. In the next five minutes, I’m going to detonate a bomb that will cause everyone who works in your best friend’s gas station to burn and die.”
Chapter 7
I set the phone on speaker, placing it between the two of us.
“Who is this?” I asked, narrowing my eyes and concentrating on the speaker.
He was using some device that scrambled his voice, and even with my abilities, I couldn’t filter out the static. As I focused, though, I heard the sound of tires racing down the highway and the hiss of his brakes as he slowed to a stop. A train whistled in the distance, and I grinned as the pieces of where he began to fall into place.
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