by brett hicks
The ghouls looked at Rachelle through beady red eyes. She tried to pretend that she wasn’t revolted by them, but only because she loved me.
“Fine, they can stay below the streets. We have storm drains down below. But, they have to help keep watch at night.”
Lyra’s voice carried a heavy note of finality. The ghoul near me screamed in joy and he grabbed Lyra up into a tight hug. She managed to not shift or claw his face off!
‘Thank you mean kitty!”
She growled in annoyance but managed to restrain herself.
“This might be pretty interesting.”
Jaden smirked in a sassy manner. Lyra looked heavenward.
“What did I do to deserve this!?”
She faux-sulked, and sauntered off, out of sight. Jaden snickered and waved and blew a kiss at us.
“Glad to see you’re up Mel, I have a certain bad kitty to help maintain order around here”
Lyra yelled up, “I heard that!”
Jaden waved again and walked out the door. That left me with Rachelle, Ellison, and two very childish, and simple ghouls.
Epilogue:
Rachelle fed me more blood and kept me in bed until my stomach had healed up. It only took me two days. That was a serious wound for one of my kind. Apparently, that blade had some nasty lingering magic on it. I tossed my cookies a few times, and my body fought off magical poison, of some kind.
Ellison had stuck around for a while and helped with some planning. He seemed to be hell bent on wedeling his way into my mother’s good graces. Rachelle was too busy tending to me, to keep her brother on a leash. She swore up and down that he wouldn’t cause any harm. I tried to remind her that harm was a relative concept for a master vampire. She wisely, didn’t disagree.
I had waited two days, and one lifetime, to see my mother. By the time I woke on the third day, I had barely remembered to take a shower, I was in such a hurry to meet her. I didn’t count a quick glimpse in a dank vampire dungeon as a proper meeting!
She was sitting oriental-style, with her legs tucked under her. Her katana balanced on her upper thighs, and her eyes were closed. She seemed to be meditating. My eyes took her in. My first real look at her. She was fully Japanese, even if very lightly complexed. She had brown hair with some raven mixed in. She had full-lips, and her body was built very similar to mine, except hers was taut with muscles that looked to be etched from stone. She was the apex of feminine perfection.
Her eyes fluttered open and her light-brown toned eyes drank me in. Her smile was heartwarming, and instant. I could feel a deep sense of her motherly pride as she looked upon me. I bit my lip, my insecurities rushing ahead of me.
I gave her a weak little wave of greeting. My former shyness making a return appearance.
“Good morning my child.”
She looked maybe two-years older than me, if that! But, her voice held the mysteries of the unfathomable ages. Times not recorded by man, nor witnessed by many. She was like the last living link to our prehistory. That was probably truer than I wished.
“Hi, sorry to interrupt… I just…”
Her eyes had a knowing comprehension in them. She nodded slightly.
“Join me, it’s about time you learn to meditate, to connect with the world around you. There will be time to discuss all that weighs upon you later. For now, come and appreciate nature with your old mother.”
She had a twinkle of humor at her age joke. I could see so much of myself in her, yet there were many things about me that didn’t come from her. Things beyond my mixed heritage, and beyond my blood cravings.
Still, I took a seat, folding my legs under me. She smiled wider, and she closed her eyes. I could feel the world rushing around me, energy, life, and emotion. I could feel it all connecting, swirling in some complicated rhythm that no musical composer has ever managed to capture.
‘This is the chi-flow. Through it, you shall learn what it is to be my daughter. Through balance, respect, love, and compassion. All traits that have bloomed strongly in you, even though I was not there to guide you.’
I could feel her regret, and the turmoil of emotions, but I felt her give it up. I felt the negativity flee her body, released into the air. I watched in my mind’s eye, as her sadness, her pain, and all her loss were lifted from her, like they grew wings and flew away.
I marveled in the simplicity and complexity of her ritual. I felt her energy rush, much more potently now. It collected around her, settling on her like a wild mantle.
‘It is through surrender of our struggles, fears, and negativities, that we can achieve peace. You have hurts and scars on your soul. You must learn to release them my child. They tether you to your mortal-coil. We do not just manipulate chi, or emotion. We become one with it. Learn from my mistakes, so that you and your friends can forge a new future for all peoples. Our energies were always meant to mix my daughter. The old guard must change!’
I listened, felt, and connected. I was eager to learn my mother’s first lesson. I was just eager to sit with her in this yard. I knew that a storm was brewing, something far worse than a rogue succubus, and a colony of ghouls.
We were on the brink of all-out war. I wasn’t even sure if we could stop it. I just knew that my tameness had to disappear, and this new Melony would have to face down all that lay ahead, or we might not survive!
Thank you for reading ‘Born Suspect’ please check out some if Brett Hicks’ other titles!
Be ready for Book 3 in September!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brett studied English Lit in college. He has been writing full length manuscripts for about ten years consistently now. He lives in Richmond, VA on the East Coast. Writing is not a hobby. It is something he does as soon as he wakes up in the morning. Brett grew up an "outsider" socially. It has gifted him a unique perspective that he endeavors to capture to its fullest in his work every day.
Links:
https://bretthicksbooks.wordpress.com
Twitter: @BrettHicksx86
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brett.hicks.1694