by R. J. Rogers
“The Association has managed to acquire an army and will be storming over the hill in a matter of minutes!” I can hear the urgency in High Priestess’ voice as she talks.
“It is time, children” Grandma Jean adds, smiling proudly at us. Nic and I acknowledge them both with a nod of our heads before stepping away from everyone. As much as I want to be near them all, we are not sure what will happen when our power is combined and released. Better safe than sorry.
Dominic takes my hand. Gripping it tight in his, our fingers locked, he pulls me into him, not an ounce of space between our bodies as though he is trying to shelter me from the world around us. This is the moment, our moment, we stare into each other’s eyes focusing only on us. Our breathing quickens, our heart beats pounding rhythmically in unison. Leaning towards my ear, he whispers; “I love you Alina. Remember, we do this together, as one.” I nod ever so slightly, lift my lips to his, he leans in and we kiss. I kiss him with every ounce of my being. He and I are one soul, tied together, forever. As we continue to kiss each other, our magic begins to stir, waking from its slumber, swirling outward.
We call on our power letting the sheer magnitude of it wash over our bodies from head to toe. The air itself is crackling with an electrical intensity that which we have never felt before, it feels different than from last night even, as if it knows that what we are about to do will be the most important thing we will ever do in this life time. We are encompassed in a tornado like whirlwind as our magic engulfs us. Like a whip, the electricity that is us, lashes out in white-blue streaks across the sky and to any who try to get near us, stopping them in their tracks.
Just when the Association Army can be seen at the hill, our powers surge and weave together, we become encapsulated within the white-blue energy that is our magic. The sky above us darkens and the world around us becomes deathly still. Suddenly our power bursts outward from us in a blindingly bright white light, going in every which direction; North, East, West and South.
What happens next seems to be viewed like it is occurring in slow motion, as if the world is being set in rewind. Once the light has faded out, our magic having been reigned back and bottled up within us, Nic and I are able to open our eyes and look out to the scene before us as the world slowly begins to move once more. The battle field has been completely wiped clean, no evidence of a battle having ever taken place. Where bodies were once littered upon the ground nothing lies. Not a trace of blood that had soaked the earth just minutes prior can be seen anywhere. All Weapons of death and destruction have disappeared.
However, the most astounding sight to behold is that of the dead standing, living and breathing, as though the kiss of death had never laid its lips upon them. Yes, there had been casualties as is the case when being involved in battles and war. However, we must focus on the word, HAD. Is there a word stronger than astonished?
Both hunter and witch alike are looking to their neighbors, their enemies, friends and foes questioning what has just occurred. Where there were weapons clanking and clashing, empty hands swing. Where there were wounds and screams of agony there are now just people standing, sitting, lying on the ground, frozen in shock, wonder, and curiosity, trying to sort out why death is no longer calling to them.
Everyone seems to be stunned into silence. Baffled expressions are on every face that I look at. Unbelievable is definitely the most appropriate word to use at this moment, for sure. Maybe even unfathomable… I know there is a word befitting this moment, it just seems to abate me at this time.
I have both of my arms wrapped around Dominic’s right arm with my right hand locked within his. I tip my head slightly and look into his eyes, wide smiles spread across both our faces. I have never felt happier, nor more joy in my life than at this exact moment. It literally feels like my soul is singing. I honestly can’t tell if what we have just done has ended the feud for good or if it has just delayed the inevitable and tomorrow everyone will be at each other’s throats again but hopefully it was at least an eye-opening experience for everyone involved and new ways to get along with one another can be implemented for the greater good of all humanity.
As we stare at each other, oblivious to those around us, I go to kiss Nic but a sudden wave of dizziness washes over me. My body suddenly feels numb. My legs begin to shake, and I feel like I can no longer stand on my own. What the hell, I want to shout out, but I’ve become functionless. Stars flash across my vision like fireworks, causing momentary seconds of blindness. Something is happening to me and I don’t know what or why it is. Fear floods me and my smile wavers and fades, replaced by worry, I feel as though I may collapse. I try to convey my concern to Nic but no words will form; it is as though my tongue is frozen to the roof of my mouth. I can feel my hand slipping from Nic’s and I want to hold on all the tighter, but my muscles won’t listen to my brain. Suddenly my grip upon Dominic is gone. The last thing I see is Nic’s beautiful eyes as he begins to realize something is wrong with me. I want nothing more than to stare into his eyes, to get lost in them forever. His eye color reminds me of the ocean a dark blue color, like waves crashing against a cliff. I want to tell him that everything will be okay, so I can see the blue in his eyes turn back to their amazing light blue that keeps me held captivated for hours, but I can’t. Instead I end up slumping to the ground at Dominic’s feet and black out.
Chapter32
Dominic
Looking into Ali’s emerald green eyes, I see them turn dark green with worry all of a sudden. I feel her grip weaken upon my hand as though she is having an issue trying to keep hold of me. I am racked with pain and as I try to take a breath, try to breathe though this pain, I feel Ali go limp and crumble to the ground before I am able to catch her.
I sit on the ground cross-legged clutching Alina in my arms, pressing her against my chest, nearly crushing her to me as I rock back and forth. “I never had the chance to tell you what my last name means,” I whisper against her cheek. I laugh a humorless laugh as I continue speaking to her, unsure as to whether she can even hear me at this point. “Salvino, is Latin and when translated means, protector. I know, what a joke right?” I can feel myself at the breaking point, on the verge of hysterics. I tilt my face sky-ward and scream in anguish. This was not what the outcome was supposed be. This cannot possibly be how our story ends!
Her heart beat is faint at best. I hurt so much, my heart feels like it is shattering into a million pieces. The chord that connects our souls together is held by the thinnest of threads and diminishing rapidly. I am afraid to move either of us for fear of the final strand shredding, ripping us apart. The pain of being torn from her spiritually is pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I can physically feel death creeping over her body, its ice-cold hands locking onto her as her hands start to turn cold.
Desperately I begin looking, I search the crowd that has formed around she and I for help. Her father James and her best friend Ella stand frozen to their spots, fear and sadness etched on their faces. Her mother stands further away, closer to the other hunters than to us, just staring, not attempting in the slightest to get any closer to us. Her new friends stand on the opposite side; everyone from my brother Devon to Natalie Harris look to their fellow witches for advice or thoughts on what we can possibly do to save Ali.
They are whispering amongst their selves as they debate the best solution. None of their words are audible to my ears until I hear Riley say; “Make way, Grandma Jean is coming through.”
Chris turns and offers his arm to Grandma and they walk over to us. Jean with the help of Chris, slowly kneels down beside me before speaking. “Dom dear, place her flat on the ground so that I may feel her over.”
I nod to Grandma and ever so slowly place Ali on the ground. Still supporting her head in my lap, I wiggle out of my leather jacket and put it under her head as a make-shift pillow and then I move to her left side so that I can still be as near as possible to her as Jean positions herself on Alina’s right side. Grandma plac
es her hands above Ali’s forehead, allowing them to hover a couple inches over her body and then with closed eyes, Jean’s hands travel the length of Ali’s body without ever actually touching her.
I can see bright light emanating from Grandma’s hands as she does all this, and I keep tight-lipped, holding my breath for the duration of the inspection. Once she finishes, she reaches her hand out to Chris for assistance back up. A grim expression is on her face, a tear drop escapes her silver eyes and I feel the last tethered stitch tear apart that had been Alina’s life-line and inner-connection to me. She is gone.
SHE IS GONE! I scream in agony. I grab at my chest; the pain is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. At this exact moment, it feels as though someone is repeatedly stabbing the most jagged of hunting knifes into my heart. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to feel. I cannot comprehend that she isn’t part of this earth any longer. My body shuts down, goes numb. I see nothing but red.
In a blind rage, I try to stand, but stumble. Devon reaches out to steady me, but I yank my arm from his grasp. Tears are streaming freely down my face, but I don’t try to hide them, don’t try to wipe them away. I turn on my heel and simply walk away from everything and everyone…
THE END… FOR NOW!
Delve into my world… I’ve always loved anything associated with the supernatural – Vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. I was not an avid reader in my youth until I came across the series Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith in 1990/91. I was either 11 or 12 years of age and I fell in love! I so badly wanted to find a Stefan or Damon of my own. Alas, this wasn’t to be, so I decided to write my own stories.
This is my first finished novel and I hope it has the same effect on you the reader, as V.D.’s had on me!
I, along with my family, all reside in Ohio. In my spare time I maintain a full-time job, hang out with my preteen son, my parents, my twin sister, her husband, and their 6-year-old daughter (my niece), and in my spare, spare time, I write, and I listen to music.
R.J. Rogers