Relics and Runes Anthology

by Heather Marie Adkins

  Hope bloomed in Nicky’s chest. Finally: progress! She darted to her room to get changed into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. If she had to, she could fight in a dress again, but she would always take jeans where she could. Worried about it falling out of her pocket, Nicky draped the chain around her neck and tucked the coin under her shirt and out of view. Grabbing her jacket, she gave Nebula a stern look.

  “You’re in charge. Leave the tree alone.” She turned to Corrine. “Let’s get going.”

  9

  Corrine didn't like enclosed spaces. Nicky learned that the hard way. It had never occurred to her that several years of not being in a car could make someone claustrophobic. It probably didn't help that Nicky's car was fairly small. The ceiling was low, and Corrine kept slinking down until she was half-lying in the passenger seat as they drove to this witch’s place in the next town over; the town where Corrine preferred to hunt.

  As she drove, it occurred to Nicky that Corrine might have been luring her to her hunting ground just to kill her. After all, she didn't hunt where she bought her boots, but she might not have any problem relocating her prey.

  Just as the paranoia began to get the better of Nicky, Corrine grasped at her own seatbelt. “Pull over,” she gasped. “Pull over right now!”

  Nicky stared between Corrine and the road in front of her.

  “We’re on the highway, and it's the middle of the night. I can't just pull over!”

  “Pull over!” Corrine repeated.

  Nicky did, but only because Corrine sounded close to tears, and because nobody else was on the road. She signaled to the right and veered onto the shoulder. The car gave a loud shudder as she passed over the rubble strip past the bright yellow line. The second they stopped, Corrine was out of the car. Cold air hit Nicky's side, making her shiver. She put the car in park, pulled up the emergency brake, and hit the button for the four-way flashers. There was no way she was going to risk getting out of the car. With her luck, a transport would come by the second she set foot onto the road. At least she could yell at Corrine through the open passenger door.

  “Get back in here!”

  Corrine rested her palms on her thighs and shook her head.

  “No way. I'm not getting into that coffin.”

  The comparison made Nicky pause. As far as she knew, vampires didn't actually sleep in coffins, not in this town, at least. It was sometimes a necessity in areas with too much sunlight, but it was far from common. It had never occurred to her that Corrine, or any vampire she'd ever run into, had spent any time in an actual coffin. Now, though, she had to wonder. Maybe it wasn't the lack of traveling in cars for a while that had made Corrine anxious.

  “I'm not going to just leave you on the side of the highway.”

  Corrine straightened up, stretching her arms out. She seemed much more at ease out in the fresh air, even with how cold it was. Flakes of snow fell on her face. There was relief in her expression. In the single streetlight, her honey-blonde hair flowed like a frizzy halo. For a second, Nicky couldn't help but stare, feeling that familiar pang of attraction in her gut. God; she really needed to get laid.

  Corrine turned to Nicky.

  “Do you have a pen?” She asked, her voice chipper again. “I'll give you the address and meet you there.”

  Nicky handed her phone over with Maps open. There was probably a pen and some paper in the mess, but this was easier. Corrine typed in the address and then handed the phone back to Nicky.

  “How the hell are you going to get there? Walk?”

  “Run. That's how I always get there.”

  Obviously. Corrine flashed a bright grin, and then she was gone in a gust of cold air. At least she had the sense to close the car door. Grumbling to herself, Nicky turned the radio on and the heat up.

  It seemed a long distance for Corrine to run. Vampires were sprinters. They could run a few hundred feet in seconds, but then they'd need to stop.

  Every now and then, Nicky swore she caught side of a figure standing on the shoulder or a rush of movement out of the corner of her eye, and she realized what was happening. Corrine was running ahead of her, then either waiting for her to catch up or taking a break. Nicky laughed despite herself. We're all vampires like that, or was it just Corrine?

  The drive was much easier with only the radio for company. She didn't have to worry about whether Corrine was going to throw up or tear her throat out. Nicky didn't much like being in confined spaces with vampires, either. Who could blame her?

  Nicky's phone guided her to the small house at the end of a long, winding road. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. She didn't know many witches. Most managed to keep a lower profile than vampires and didn't much like bothering anybody or being bothered. She had only ever heard of one causing enough problems warrant being hunted. Actually, there were quite a few witches that were hunters.

  So then why did a vampire know one?

  Corrine was waiting for her at the end of the long driveway. She waved Nicky over. Her eyes and teeth shone bright.

  She's not your friend, she's a vampire, Nicky reminded herself for what was starting to feel like the hundredth time as she cut the engine to her car and got out.

  “There you are!” Corrine said, as if she'd been waiting for so long.

  “Yup,” was all Nicky said. She looked over the house. If she'd given any thought to what kind of place a witch would live, she would have pictured either a shack like in the old fairy tales, or some kind of mansion. This was neither. It was just a house. A small, out-of-the-way house. It was the sort of place anyone might have lived. It was somehow disappointing, and made her wonder if Corrine wasn't wrong or screwing her around. But she'd trusted Corrine this far. Now wasn't the time to start doubting her.

  Still, Nicky touched the knife through her jacket under the guise of adjusting it. She followed Corrine up the three steps leading to the front door. Corrine pounded her fist against the door. Lights turned on in the house, following the inhabitant’s path through the house.

  The woman who opened the door looked… normal. She wasn't a goth or anything; not like what Nicky was expecting form a witch. She looked like she could have been an elementary school teacher or a librarian. Was she really who they were looking for? Granted, it was the middle of the night. During the day, she probably didn't wear a pale pink housecoat and matching slippers, or keep her hair in curlers, but still...

  “Regina Marrow?” Corrine asked. The woman — Regina — nodded. “We need a reading. Now.”

  Regina frowned. “Now? Do you have any idea what time it is? It's almost midnight! If you want a reading, it'll have to be during the day. Good night.”

  With those final words, Regina slammed the door. Nicky winced, waiting for the inevitable bang. It never came. Corrine’s hand caught the door. She lifted her foot to rest on the ledge of the doorframe, but didn't go further. She couldn't. Nicky moved forward to watch her face. If Corrine couldn't get into the house, she probably couldn't actually hurt Regina, but it was better to be safe than really fucking sorry.

  Corrine gave one of those slow grins; the one that showed off those sharp fangs. All the color drained from Regina’s face. She stammered, switching the start of her sentence repeatedly. Nicky suspected this might have been the first time she'd seen a vampire up close.

  “You— You can’t come in here!” She finally cried, though she didn't sound quite so sure about that.

  “No,” Corrine agreed, “but she can.”

  Corrine shot Nicky a look that made Nicky blanch. Was she supposed to threaten Regina? Force her way inside? This wasn't what she had in mind. But this was what she should have expected, trusting a vampire. They were violent and dangerous. This was how they solved their problems, and it was Nicky’s own fault for forgetting that-- or, not forgetting it. She hadn’t forgotten it, she'd been constantly reminding herself of it from the moment she even considered asking Corrine for help. It was more so because the fact had felt more abstract, less real.
Like the knowledge that sticking a knife in a toaster would electrocute her. She knew it, but it’d never felt real, and probably wouldn't until she actually tried it.

  Not that she would. She wasn't quite that stupid. Trust a vampire? Sure. Stick a knife in a toaster? That was where she drew the line.

  God, she needed to get her priorities right.

  Corrine stared at her expectantly, jerking her head towards Regina just slightly. Regina was trembling too hard to notice. Nicky had to do something. This was her only lead. If she didn't do something, she might lose her only chance to figure out who was controlling the soul eater. Corrine stepped back to give her space, her hand still holding the door open, and Nicky put her foot where Corrine’s had been. It wasn't inside the house, though. She might have been physically capable of forcing her way inside, but she was raised better than that. Plus, there was no sense in making enemies if she didn't have to. They might end up needing this witch again one day, and Nicky didn't want to jeopardize a possible alliance. She also didn't want to get hexed or cursed. She didn't entirely trust witches not to hurt her much more than she did vampires.

  “I know its late. I'm sorry. Were really not interested in hurting you, I promise. We just need help tracking a soul eater, or at least the witch controlling it.”

  Regina hesitated. “A soul eater?”

  “It's already killed one person in Abundance Falls. I really need your help.”

  Jessica had told her once that people inherently wanted to help others, so the best way to get help was to ask for it. But people also liked to defer to others if they could, which led to the bystander effect, so it was important to ask directly. Nicky asking for Regina's help was better than the two of them asking for help in general.

  Whether it was the psychology or the fear that Nicky would barge in anyway, Regina sighed and stepped back.

  “Come in, but does your vampire have to come, too?”

  Nicky glanced back at Corrine. She had that innocent, almost human look on her face again. Nicky sighed and nodded. As much as she hated to admit it, Corrine was the only reason she'd gotten this far. It wasn't fair to leave her out of this.

  “Fine. You can come in, too.”

  Regina led them to the dining room. The furniture looked old and expensive. They followed Regina's lead and sat at the high-back chairs. The seat was hard and uncomfortable, but Nicky wasn't about to complain. Corrine dropped the coin in front of Regina.

  “We think this belongs to the witch that is controlling the soul eater,” she said. “Can you tell us where it is?”

  Regina took the chain between her fingers and held it up until the coin rotated over the table. She hummed to herself, a soft melody that Nicky didn't recognize. Above them, the lights flickered. Bad wiring? Burned-out lightbulb? Part of her was still reluctant to believe in magic. As she was preparing to dismiss this all as a waste of time, Regina's eyes rolled back in her head, all the way back until only the whites were visible. They glowed softly, not unlike the way Corrine’s did in dim light.

  What the actual fuck?

  It was so completely unnatural that even Nicky, who spent most of her time dealing with the supernatural, shuddered. Corrine shifted uneasily. When Regina spoke, it was in a voice that wasn’t her own. It was distorted, with an eerie magnified echo that seemed to be coming from everywhere and vibrated in Nicky’s bones.

  “I am the soul eater,” the voice said. “I am bound by blood and bone to the one who commands me.”

  “Who commands you?” Nicky asked.

  “I am commanded by one who is called The Revenant.”

  The Revenant? If this guy — it felt safe to assume, now, that it was a guy — hadn't killed at least one person, Nicky would have laughed at how absolutely lame that name was. One who is called The Revenant. What were they dealing with, a fourteen-year-old boy?

  “Where are you?’ Nicky asked.

  “You will find me where the Great Oak fell.”

  The Great Oak? Could that mean… A tornado had passed through Abundance Falls some thirty years ago, taking out several homes and the largest oak tree in town. It had been over a hundred years old and sixty feet wide branch-to-branch, making it larger than the average oak. It had been a local landmark before the tornado had ripped it out of the ground. There was still a dip in the earth where it had been.

  Nicky’s heart sped up. Could it be that she could actually find this thing and kill it? Could this all be over tonight?

  “What does that mean?” Corrine demanded.

  “You will find me where the Great Oak fell,” Regina repeated. The glow faded from her eyes, and they rolled back to their natural position. The echo disappeared from her voice. “That's all I can tell you. Now get out of my house!”

  “But—” Nicky began.

  She still didn't know how to kill the soul eater, or at least sever the connection between it and The Revenant.

  “I said, that's it!”

  If that was it, that was it. Who knew what else Regina could do? Nicky grabbed Corrine’s shoulder, even as Corrine hissed her irritation at Regina, and hauled her out of the house. Regina slammed the door behind her hard enough to rattle it. The sound echoed into the night.

  “Well, that was useless,” Corrine muttered. “Sorry. I guess we'll have to look for this oak tomorrow.”

  “Why not tonight?” Nicky asked, almost cautiously.

  If Corrine didn't know where the oak was, Nicky didn't want to tip her hand.

  “It’s late. You probably have work tomorrow morning, don't you? We'll meet up at sundown and figure it out. I can do some research tonight to see if I can find anything about this tree.”

  “We can find it tonight,” Nicky insisted.

  Should she tell Corrine she knew where the oak was?

  “I said tomorrow.” The finality in her tone gave no room for argument. “We’ll regroup tomorrow. Get some rest. You looked wiped.”

  Now that she mentioned it, Nicky did feel wiped. But the rush of knowing she could avenge Lauren and protect everyone else from the soul eater gave her a second wind.

  Before Nicky could say anything, Corrine pressed a kiss to Nicky’s cheek and, for the second time that night, disappeared. The scent of earth and flowers lingered after her.

  Nicky stared at the empty space where Corrine had been. Corrine had not kissed her cheek. She'd imagined that. She had to have imagine that. There was no way—but what if she hadn’t imagined it? Nicky smiled in spite of herself. Her first true smile since Lauren had died.

  The smile fell from her face as quickly as it had appeared. Lauren. She had to find the soul eater, and tonight. This couldn't keep going on any longer, for her sake and for the town’s.

  10

  Nicky drove back to Abundance Falls at nearly twice the speed limit. There was no time to waste. If the soul eater was going to be at the Great Oak, then she had to be there, too; the sooner the better. Regina had said that the soul eater would be at the Great Oak. Did that mean it would be there when she arrived, or that it would arrive after her? Or would it arrive tomorrow? She wished she'd been able to ask Regina more questions. She wished she'd asked Corrine more questions about how to deal with a soul eater. All she had in her arsenal was the dagger.

  Not for the first time, Nicky wished she wasn't the only hunter in town. If there was ever a time to call for backup, this was it. At Columbus, she'd known almost every hunter in the area. In fact, when she'd started school, she'd personally gone to every hunter on the list her dad had given her to introduce herself and offer whatever help she could. Most people had laughed at her; namely the older men. Both Jessica and Alison had had the same problem, Jessica particularity. Alison at least had the goth look and her bulky figure going for her. Jessica was a cheerleader and she looked like one. People didn't even take her seriously as a forensic science major; why would they take her seriously as a vampire hunter? At least Nicky looked slightly more intimidating to the average human.

  None
of those hunters would be any help now. They were too far away. The ones close enough to call for help hadn't been particularly helpful last time she'd called them, but it had seemed worth the effort. She doubted any of them would care enough to try and stop her the way Corrine would.

  Does Corrine care about me?

  The thought made her jaw drop a little. Her car trembled over the rumble strip, and she yanked her car back into the lane. Dammit, if she wasn't careful, she was going to get herself killed before she even found the soul eater or figured out who was controlling it.

  That was the important part, wasn't it? Even if she stopped the soul eater, there was always the chance that the witch could find another one. They might even be able to find some other demon to do its dirty work for it. Hell, they might just start killing people themselves.

  Her dad had once said that vampires were predictable, but humans were crazy. Witches fell squarely into the crazy category.

  Keeping her eyes on the snow falling through the window, Nicky tapped at her phone screen to bring up her text messages. It was far from the safest thing to do while driving. If there were any other cars on the road, she wouldn't have done it. Right now, she needed to see if Alison had any information more than she cared about safe driving. Her mom didn't need to know.

  There was nothing, not from anybody.

  After the surprisingly constant chatter coming from Corrine on the drive down, Nicky felt more alone than she had in a while. Without thinking about it, she scrolled down to the last message from Lauren and tapped the contact picture Nicky had set for her. The phone rang once before a woman's voice said, “The number you have reached is not in service. Please hang up and try your call again.”

  A lump rose in Nicky's throat and her vision blurred until she had to pull over onto the shoulder. She parked the car and hit the four-way flashers for the second time that night. She'd never been much of a crier, or at least tried not to be. People died. That was life. That was her life. If she hadn't known about demons and vampires, she would have thought Lauren had died of a seizure the way everybody else did. Would that have made it easier? Nicky wasn't sure but at least this way, she could do something about it. And she was going to.