Malevolence - Legacy Series Book Two (The Legacy Series)

by Devyn Dawson

  I whispered to him “what are you doing here?”

  He shrugged his shoulders and said “I work here.” He gave me the eye as if telling me to shut up. He reeked of vanilla and then I remembered that was what he used to mask himself from the vampires.

  “Hurry along everyone, I don’t have all day. Chop, chop….. I don’t like a lot of lollygagging.” He clapped his hands to us and we all stood to follow the awkward little man.

  The room’s dank and dreary décor with the smell of mildew made my stomach lurch a little. It was like a dungeon with the heavy stone walls and old cabin-like tables littered with memorabilia and little description cards. I recognized the old fashioned stake box, velvet lined; the stake was carved out of cow bones. The Indians would bless it with Indian magic to kill the Vampire with the first blow. In the old days it was easy to find Indians that would help the white man. Up until they were betrayed and lied to by the government one too many times. Their land became scarce and their numbers dwindled. They no longer gave the stakes out; they told the white man to figure it out themselves. That was when it was learned that we could make our own stake, but instead of magic to kill the vampire, the item would have to go through the heart. If the vampire didn’t disintegrate into ash and become one with the earth again, it was imperative to decapitate them.

  I took in everything; I could actually feel the pain of the person that wielded the stake. I could sense the despair and tears. Looking over at Abel, knowing he was empathic, I wondered if he could feel it too. From the look on his face, I knew he too felt the heaviness. I wanted to run out and never return. I touched one of the stakes and shrieked as I removed my hand quickly. I could see the faces of victims that the vampire had claimed as theirs and heard their pleas. I could feel the anger of the hunter as he staked the vampire. I sensed that several people were staked that weren’t infected with the Vampiric Human Virus (HVV), they had lived amongst the vampires for so long it was believed they were one too. The grief and blood was everywhere. Oakley slid his arm around me so I could feel his love for me palpitate through him. He could tell that I was fading into the darkness.

  “Pru, breath through it. You can overcome this, stay focused as to why we are here.” Oakley thought to me. He gave me a little squeeze and I felt myself coming out of the trepidation. Abel’s face had cleared from the crinkled up look of disgust. He must have been able to overcome the feelings. His strength was growing by leaps and bounds.

  Chapter 23. Pack

  “The she-wolf crept into the stable.” Gossip Wolf and the Fox ~ Grimm’s Household Tales

  ABEL

  I sat on the bench waiting for the three o’clock appointment. Recently I learned that I could tune people out, or I could tune in to their essence. As a pack, we could hear one another think thoughts to us. As alpha, I chose when someone could talk to me. I didn’t typically tune everyone out, not unless I felt it appropriate.

  Dolly sat next to me, her hands balled up into fists, her breathing even and controlled. I tapped into her without her knowing I was there. Guilt plagued me when I did it, like walking into someone’s bedroom without their permission. I never told anyone that I could do it; I thought it would make them nervous. Something deep inside of me told me it should stay a secret. It was as if I was afraid if they were captured and tortured they would be forced to share my secrets.

  I heard the footsteps on the other side of the wall. I tried to tune into the person approaching but only got scrambled messages. They weren’t human but they weren’t a vampire either. I stood and straightened out my jacket, double checking my pockets for my gloves. The stake in my waistband felt strange as it scratched my back. Stand straight, don’t hunch over, shoulders back, and never avert your eyes. I could still hear the General’s voice in my head repeating those words over and over.

  The door opened and I was overwhelmed with the smell of vanilla. The antsy little man said his name was Earl. Pru thought to me that the guy was the faerie that gave her the card saying Dolly was at risk. I remembered her telling me that vanilla hid their scent from the vampires. I didn’t know what it did for his size though. He couldn’t have been five feet tall with heels on. He didn’t even look like a human, more like an elf, a Keebler elf to be exact. All he needed was a tree and some cookies and he’d be on his way to stardom. I stifled a laugh at my visual.

  I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming sense of dread that emitted from the room. I made the mistake of touching one of the books that wasn’t behind glass. I could feel someone frantically searching through the book. They were looking for something, but I couldn’t pick up what it was. It felt like a man, and he was injured but not a life threatening injury. His heart was pounding as if he had run a marathon. He was upset, possibly even crying. His anger was fueled by his grief. I had to turn off the feelings, it was one of the easiest things I had learned to do as a wolf. Pru had said it would be difficult to turn it off once it started, but I didn’t seem to have problems with it.

  Earl clapped his hands together, telling us to “Chop, chop.” He led us to another room; the floor was creaky with every step we took. I heard another set of footsteps that tried to match our stride, but it was always one step off. I peeked over at Oakley to see if he heard it too. To my surprise, it was Dolly that mentioned it first.

  “I don’t think we’re alone in the room. If you listen closely, you’ll hear another set of footsteps. Watch your back.” Dolly broadcast to all of us together.

  “I hear it too. What do you think it is?” I thought back, only to Dolly. “Do you think it’s a ghost?”

  “Highly unlikely but then these are items that have killed people. If you and Pru are picking up human resonance it could be.” Dolly replied.

  “What brings the Phelan family to Paris? Pleasure I hope,” Earl said.

  “We are looking for a book. It is rather old and is the only book that states there is a cure to the Vampiric virus. It is a book of mythology of course,” Gus said. “I’m doing a lecture about the phenomenon of the modern day vampire.”

  Earl tilted his head to the side and tapped his finger to his chin. His hands were dirty, with clumps of dried up dirt caked on the back of his hand. His clothes were meticulous, from his dark gray trousers to his navy blue sweater. We all stood in silence and perfectly still, until he yelled out “oh right, that one.” He spun around dizzily, almost frantic looking around the room. “Janet! Hey Janet, they want to see the vampire exorcism book!” He yelled out so loud that Pru actually startled a little.

  “Exorcism? No, I want a book by Nilas Diefenbaker, he wrote dark poetry about vampires in the seventeen hundreds,” Gus said sarcastically.

  Earls face went ashen at the mention of Diefenbaker’s name. “Absolutely not, that is not acceptable. His poetry is not for the likes of you.” He looked up and around the room and said, “I’ll let you take a look around while I find a book more relevant to today’s vampire lore. If you need anything, look up into one of the cameras, Janet will notice you for certain.” He lifted his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes up; obviously he wanted us to notice we were being watched.

  “The likes of you? What is that supposed to mean?” Gus snapped. Pru put her hand on his shoulder, obviously trying to calm him down. He shrugged her hand off and turned to Earl and glared him down.

  Earl’s eyebrows were twitching, his mouth was puckering and unpuckering and his head jerked to the side. His ticks were like a kid I knew in school that had Tourettes Syndrome. Great, we had obviously pushed the faerie over the edge and he would have a nervous breakdown before we made it out of the building.

  “I assure you, you’ll like the beautiful poetry I will share with you,” Gus said.

  “Why are you busting his balls?” I thought to Gus.

  “I’m not; I’m trying to make sure he isn’t jerking us around. You’d know if I was busting his balls.” Gus replied.

  Obviously this visit was going to turn out to be a big pissing contest. Pru put he
r arm through his and snuggled in close. Oakley took a deep breath. Chad wedged himself behind Gus and in front of Oakley to keep the peace. Dolly motioned for me to watch the door and she leaned forward whispering something to Earl.

  I closed my eyes and said a little prayer. Dear Patron Saint of Werewolves, please keep the guys from killing each other today. We just want to find the poem with the antidote and get out of here, please protect us. Amen

  I wasn’t overly religious, but I did pray sometimes.

  I watched Earl go from Mr. Lollygag to a nervous wreck. Obviously it was time to get everyone on the same page to find the poetry. “I’m not certain what is going on with everyone, but we are here for a reason. Earl is on our side, as far as I can tell. He let everyone know that we are being watched, so look around and get some clues.” The feeling that someone else was in the room was still with me.

  From the corner of the room, a bookshelf full of knick-knacks started to pivot to a secret passage. It reminded me of one of the secret rooms Scooby-Doo and Shaggy always found. Zikes! A woman walked through the passage without as much as a creak in the old wooden floors.

  “Good afternoon, my name is Christina and I will be your guide through the rest of the museum. I’m delighted you found your way to our little jewel.” She smiled the same way Julie Tidsdale always had, fake and toothy. “The good stuff is on the other side of the bookcase. It wouldn’t be a vampire museum without secret passages, now would it? Come, all of you, it really is worth the trip.” She held her hand out, motioning for us to go ahead of her.

  “This can’t be good.” Pru thought.

  The first thing I noticed was the wooden shelves from floor to ceiling with nothing but books. An intricately carved ladder mounted on a track to slide around the room was nothing less than a work of art. There wasn’t a speck of dust in the room and the damp musty smell was gone too. The only thing I could smell was hints of vanilla and the old book smell. It would take years to read all of the books. A massive desk with a leather desk chair was in one of the corners of the massive room. Flanking each side of the desk were two museum quality glass cases on glass pedestals. One held a large leather book that was bound with leather strings. The pages were ragged on the edges and the stately gold monogram on the cover was only the letter V. I was guessing it was someone’s personal journal. Who did it belong to, I wondered. The book in the other case was positioned where I couldn’t make out what it was.

  “It is really a sight to see isn’t it?” Christina said dramatically. “I’ll leave you alone for you to look at all of the beautiful books. There is a lounge for you to relax and thumb through them if you’d like.”

  “Thank you, out of curiosity; can we actually touch the books in the glass cabinets?” I asked. I could feel that everyone in the room was holding their breath as we waited for the answer.

  Christina pursed her lips together, her arms where crossed and she drummed her fingers on her arm. I opted not to stare her down so I fixated on her long white fingernails. I knew in the pit of my stomach that she was a vampire. Her arrogance and formal speech pattern gave it away. The lack of color to her skin was another no-brainer. Something didn’t sit well though.

  “You’re American, aren’t you?” I asked.

  “I am,” she said. “I’m a cowgirl at heart. Born and raised in Texas, I park my boots in Paris right now.”

  So she was from Texas, which was directly below Oklahoma that was smack dab in the middle of the big supernatural trade scandal. “Texas, I wouldn’t have guessed, your accent sounds more eastern United States.” I quit looking at her finger’s and studied her for a tell sign.

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” She pointed at the door and said, “I’ll return soon, please feel free to read any books you can reach. The ladder is an insurance nightmare, they won’t allow us to let the customers use it, sorry.” As quietly as she appeared, she left.

  “Take mental notes of everything, split up, it will be easier,” I thought to everyone.

  Gus stayed close to Pru, never any further apart than arms length. Oakley was going to flip out on him sooner or later. I sure as hell hoped I was not around to witness the show down. I was not sure if Oakley was jealous of Gus because he was her bodyguard while in Paris or because he thought she was attracted to him. “I need you to cover me Oakley. I want to take a look at the shelf in the corner. You and Dolly make a scene over a book, and act interested in it. The cameras are all pointed to the center; I don’t notice anything pointed upwards. Trust me.”

  We all moved into place, I browsed around still aware of that feeling of being followed; it was giving me the willies. My jumping and landing skills had vastly improved since last year when I broke my ankles. I pulled a book off the shelf and acted bored as I leafed through it. I heard Dolly and Oakley having a conversation about vampires and I took my opportunity. Pru and Gus were looking into the glass case, hopeful the museum would let them look at it. I took in a deep breath as I focused on the shelf above me, it was now or never.

  I’d learned through trial and error how to jump with control. If I stayed within a visual of my target, I just imagined myself there and I’d be there without a hitch. Slightly bending my knees…I jumped. My newest trick was my ability to hover for about thirty seconds before dropping to my landing. I had been practicing to hover for a longer time but it wouldn’t happen. The top shelf was as dust free as the rest of the room, meaning they keep track with what was there. “You said Diefenbaker right? I found one by him. First time charmed.” I slid the book in the waistband of my pants and landed without as much as a grunt. Who’s the badass now? I thought to myself.

  To my left a door swung open so hard it hit the bookcase causing it to rattle a little bit. Earl came barging through it holding only a small leather bound book. He handed it to Dolly and Oakley and I moved in closer. Opening the book we noticed a business card with a note written on it.

  All of you need to leave NOW - you’re not safe. I’ll meet you at the café down the street. LEAVE!

  Dolly took her finger and wiped it across the card as Pru had told her she did with the other note. Why would he risk faerie magic with a vampire around?

  “We should at least look through the book, since we made such a big deal out of it.” I thought to everyone.

  “You’re not going to believe this; but I need to go to the restroom. Too much coffee today,” Pru said. “I’m guessing there is one close by. Gus will go with me.”

  “Hurry up; I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.” Dolly leaned into Pru saying, “We’ll meet you in the lobby. Don’t go snooping.”

  “Have I done something to piss her off?” Oakley said as he and Chad pushed on the bookcase to take us back the way we came.

  “Don’t be so sensitive. You’re here for Dolly, Gus is an innocent bystander. Go with the flow dude.” Dolly and I stepped through the opening and to our surprise we were outside near the patio. “What the hell? Ughh, I hate mind games.”

  Chad and Oakley pulled their stake out of their waistband and hid it inside their sleeve. “I think we need to get Pru and Gus and leave.” Oakley said as he headed back to the door that led inside.

  A minute later he came through the door, the look on his face was pure rage. “It isn’t the same girl at the desk. There is some Jamican woman with a huge fluffy afro telling me she hasn’t seen any red-headed girls come through the lobby. Damn woman told me her name is Mylandra.”

  Dolly pulled away from Chad and it took all three of us to keep her from ripping the door off of the hinges. “I have no idea what is going on around here, but my daughter better reappear in the next sixty seconds or everyone will pay.”

  “Woman, you must settle your temper,” Mylandra said. “Who is dis woman you look for? I’ve only been here for thirty minutes.” Her eyes were shifting back and forth to every one of us. “You must be Dolly Phelan, I know you. I dink my friend Kenneth visit you, no?”

  Dolly closed the space between herself and
the desk; she put both hands on the front and leaned in for Mylandra to hear her. “That is my daughter, and if anything as much as a hair is removed from her head, you will die a very gruesome death. I will personally rip every single appendage from yours and anyone else involved body, very slowly……with my teeth. I suggest, you get up off your ass, and find out what has happened to my daughter.” Dolly said through gritted teeth.

  Chapter 24. Aine

  “Open the window that the lies may fly out.” The Ditmarsch Tale of Wonders ~ Grimm’s Household Tales

  PRU

  I found the sad little excuse of a bathroom just on the other side of the receptionist’s desk. Gus stood guard while I went in and tried to project myself into the building. It wasn’t hard to do, but my physical body needed to be free of interruption. I chose to only project my spirit and not my body. I was pretty sure vampires couldn’t see spirits.

  I went back to the room with the artifacts to take a second look. Something in me was telling me that we were sideswiped into thinking the other room had the secrets. Why would a room have so many cameras if it was mainly stakes and relics? I wasn’t buying it.