by M. J. Caan
“No tea?” I asked. It was strange seeing her without her special brew of herbs steeping away in a porcelain mug.
“No, not today. I haven ’t slept and I don’t need anything with even a hint of caffeine in it.”
“I don’t think anyone slept last night.”
“Can you blame them?” She turned to face me as I sat down beside her.
“Do you think I’ve made a mistake, Aunt Lena?”
She sighed, pursing her lips together tightly before speaking. “Allie. I can’t tell you that. With what we are up against, I agree that we need all the help we can get. Would I, in my day, have offered asylum to a vampire? Never. But these are different times. And you’re a different kind of witch.”
Her words were meant to calm me, but they didn’t work. I sipped from the mug, enjoying the feel of the hot liquid making its way through my body, warming me and providing just the right amount of energy to start to feel like myself.
“I know it sounds weird, but I just feel the this is the right thing to do,” I said.
“And that’s enough for your aunt and I. Witches must always their instincts.”
“But something about this still bothers you, right?”
She sighed and smiled at me. “It isn’t the vampire locked in the basement that makes me nervous, although your aunt might argue that point; rather, it’s everything he told us.”
I crossed my legs and sat facing her, leaning in with my cup between us. “Do you believe everything he said?”
She nodded slowly. “I do, Allie. And that terrifies me. What he is saying rewrites the history books on witches and magic. Quite frankly, the fact that a vampire knows more about our history than we do scares me. What else is going on of which we are blissfully unaware?”
I knew what she meant, and yet I wasn’t sure how to comfort her.
“There’s something else, Allie,” she continued. “This witch that he speaks of— Mallis’s new lover—who is she and where did she come from? If she is as powerful as Elion claims, then how did she make her way into town without us knowing about her? Magical markers that bright aren’t easy to shield.”
“Maybe it’s someone that was already here?”
Aunt Lena shook her head. “Not possible. We would know if there was another witch like that in town. No, something is just not right about this.”
“You sound like Gar. Do you think Elion is lying to us?”
She thought about this for a moment before answering. “No. I am sure he is telling us everything that he knows about the situation. I just think there are other aspects that have been kept from him.”
We sat there in silence as I sipped my coffee. Finally, I looked at her and said, “You realize that in order for us to have a chance at winning this, we need help, right?”
She sighed and smiled. “Yes. But keep both eyes open around that vampire, Allie.”
“I’m not talking about the vampire, Aunt Lena.”
She frowned and couldn’t hold my gaze. “Allie, I don’t know about trying that…even your Aunt Vivian thinks it’s a bad idea.”
“Aunt Lena, please,” I implored. “Even with Kendra and the rest of the shifters in town, we can’t stand up to an army of supernaturals and an entire pack of werewolves. We need more shifters to stand with us.”
“And you think Totem Shifters are the answer?”
“You saw the way Elion kept looking at Jhamal. He wasn’t sure what he was. And he said that in his weakened state Jhamal would have no trouble finishing him off. I think he feared not knowing what Jhamal was…well, at least as much as he could fear anything, I guess. So it’s the only option we have.”
“Allie, we don’t even know how Jhamal was created.”
“His aunt said that he was given a totem, his necklace, and that was what allowed him to reach the creature that lived within him…his true self. His abilities are based in magic.”
“So you want to reverse engineer that magic and create more like him?”
“It’s worth a try. Without more supernaturals, we can’t win. And if we lose…”
“Yes. I know what that means.”
“Then help me. Between the three of us, we should be able to figure out the magic that unlocked totem shifting and recreate it. I’m a Reliquary! I have all of this power inside of me that you said I could tap into to create wonders. What good is having the power if I don’t use it for something that can save the world? My mother used her power to lock evil away from the world of man, saving countless lives. Maybe I inherited her powers so that I can do the same thing for my generation? Maybe I’m meant to make a grand gesture that not only saves mankind but helps people in the process? Jhamal told me how much pain he was in before he could reach his totem—before he could make himself whole. How many more people are out there like him? Just waiting for someone to make them whole.”
I stopped, swallowing hard. Aunt Lena reached over and took my hand in hers.
“You’re a good person, Allie. Don’t ever forget that. Your aunt and I will do what we can to help you. But like you said, you’re the Reliquary. We don’t have the power to make such things a reality.” She reached up and cupped my chin in her hand and turned me to face her. “I’m proud of you. We are going to get through this, and you want to know how I know that?”
“Magic?”
She laughed, her eyes lighting up with joy. “No, child. Because someone like you is meant to do great things. Not die at the hand of some crazed vampire and his haggard witch of a lover.”
And just like that, everything felt right in the world again. I set my coffee down and rested my head on her shoulder.
“I’m afraid, Aunt Lena.”
“That’s a good thing. It means you feel the weight of just how serious this is. It means you realize just what all you stand to lose in this fight. Use that fear to help make you stronger. Something tells me you’re going to have to make some hard decisions in the next couple of days, but I know you’ll do the right thing.”
I looked up at her, intending to respond. But then, before I could get anything out, I felt the deck begin to sway beneath me. The sky tilted towards the ground and I felt the sudden urge to vomit. Then, everything went black, and I started to fall.
5
I felt myself falling deeper than the deck should have allowed. My aunt was screaming into the darkness and calling out my name. No matter how badly I wanted to reach up to her, I couldn’t. My body was frozen…and yet falling at the same time. The blackness around me was suffocating; my own screams were sucked away by the vacuum that I was suddenly trapped within.
Cody’s voice broke through the pitch and reached my ears.
“Allie! Allie! What’s wrong with her?” he was screaming.
“I don’t know,” said Aunt Lena. “She just got this weird look on her face and then went out. Someone get a pillow to put under her head!”
Her voice was starting to sound farther away, like it was coming from the end of a tunnel that was getting longer. The darkness was pressing in around me, making it more and more difficult to breathe, and my inner self was the verge of a full-blown panic attack.
What the hell was happening to me? I still felt like I was falling, deeper and deeper into quick sand. But according to what I was hearing, my body was probably lying on the deck. I’ve fainted before, from physical exertion in gym class during the heat of summer. But this was totally different. So…how was this happening?
Magic. That was what I needed. To grab onto my magic and get myself out of here. I focused, making myself slow my breathing as I reached for the mystic fire that simmered within me. I would stoke it, call it forth…use it to blast my way out of…wherever I was. I would…do nothing. There was nothing there…no magic spark of any kind.
Okay, maybe panicking wasn’t such a bad idea.
I could hear my breathing suddenly became slow and more forceful, rattling the space around me. At least I assumed it was my breathing…but my physical body w
as not here. Which meant I wouldn’t be able to hear my breath. So if I’m not the one breathing like that, then who—or what—is?
Weightless and in complete darkness, orientation meant nothing to me. Was I face-up, down, sideways? I had no way of knowing and therefore no way of knowing where the sound was coming from. I listened closer: it was a huff with sharp exhalations, followed by a low growl. Now, that was a sound I was familiar with. Werewolf.
Suddenly, the wolf was beside me, below me, in front of me…it was everywhere at once. Somehow, without making a sound, it padded up to me until it was inches from my face. Vertigo had me spinning almost uncontrollably, but no matter what direction I ended up in, there it was: fangs and yellow eyes to my face.
It opened its mouth and I was sure it was about to bite me, but instead, it spoke.
“Allie,” it growled, “it’s so nice to meet you in person.”
The fear I felt before skyrocketed to heights I had never dreamt of. Since when the hell do these things speak while in animal form?
“Oh we’ve always been able to speak,” said the wolf, noting my surprise, “it’s just that for the most part we choose not to. Oh, and in case you’re wondering about the fact that I just read your mind…yeah, we hang out in here a lot, when possible.”
Where’s here? I thought.
“The space between. The fold between worlds. The no-dawn. Or you may know it simply as The Grey. I probably shouldn’t be telling you all of this, but you’ll be dead in a matter of minutes so it really doesn’t matter.”
I felt/saw/heard the wolf move even closer to me. Again, it opened its jaws, snaking a long red tongue out to lick delicately at my face. Jesus, I could feel the sandpapery bit of flesh on me! It was not smooth like a normal canine; more feline-esque if anything.
“This place is foreign to you,” continued the wolf. “Your magic has abandoned you. No friends coming to your rescue this time. Just you and me— finally.”
Fuck you, monster! You don’t know me. If you’re going to kill me please just shut up and get it over with!
A dry chuckle filled the space around my ears. “Such an eager little witch. And you’re wrong; I do know you. I know you oh so well…I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”
And just like that, I knew. Just as the creature opened his mouth, showing fangs that I knew could sever my neck in a single bite, I knew.
I knew who the thing was, and the shock of that knowledge catapulted me into action.
No way was I dying at the hands—er jaws—of any supernatural. I had made a promise to people that I loved, and I was damned sure going to keep it. Summoning all of the inner reserves I had, I screamed and lashed out at the werewolf with all the strength I had. Although I couldn’t feel my arms or legs, I willed them to strike, propelling the beast away from me. Somehow, that primal urge to survive struck a mystical nerve inside me and my magic flared to life.
Blue light and familiar heat flashed all around me. I gathered it and channeled it outward at the wolf, his howl matching my screams. I struck with everything inside me, commanding my magic to suffocate the darkness.
And just like that, I opened my eyes to find myself staring up at the ceiling in my aunts’ living room.
“What happened?” I asked, sitting up a little too fast. The room began to spin around me and for one panicked moment I thought I was falling back into the darkness.
“It’s okay, Allie,” said Aunt Vivian taking me by the hand. “You’re back and everything is fine now.”
Looking around, it took me a moment to recognize the room I was in. The coffee table and end tables were upturned, the area rug was singed and smoking, and nearly all of the little knick-knacks on the now smashed display shelves were in ruins.
“What…oh my God, what happened?”
“You did,” said Gar. That was when I noticed that he, Hope, and Jhamal were standing far away from me. The look in Hope’s eyes scared me as much as the place I had just been lost in.
“I did this?” I put one hand on my head, trying to steady my reeling senses.
“Just relax,” said Aunt Vivian, trying to gently press me back into a reclined position. “Your aunt and I felt the swell of magic inside you before the release. We were able to get a shield up around everyone. No one was hurt.”
Yeah, at least not physically. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Hope again. My aunt’s hand felt warm in mine as I gave her a slight squeeze. Thankfully, they had been here when this happened.
“How did I get in here?” I asked. “The last thing I remember was being outside on the deck with Aunt Lena.”
“She called for help when you collapsed, dear. Cody was kind enough to carry you inside and place you on the couch.”
Cody!
Against my aunts’ wishes I sat up, looking around for my boyfriend. At the same instant, he walked into the room with a cold compress and rushed to my side when he saw I was awake.
“I asked him to get a cold cloth for your head after you came out of…whatever was happening to you,” said Aunt Vivian. “Allie, what happened?”
“I…I’m not sure,” I said, staring at Cody. “But wherever I just got sucked into, you were there. Or rather, your wolf was there.”
“What do you mean?” he responded. “I haven’t left the house, Allie.”
“I know. Like I said, it wasn’t you the man, but it was definitely you the wolf. I have no idea how that would be possible.”
Aunt Lena sat down next to me on the couch. “Allie, where were you? What do you remember?”
“I remember everything, Aunt Lena. We were on the deck talking, and suddenly, out of nowhere, it felt like I was passing out. Only without the losing-consciousness part. Everything went dark and I was falling, only I didn’t feel myself hitting the deck. I just kept falling, through everything, and into this pitch black nothingness that seemed like it wanted to swallow me whole. At first I could hear you calling to me, and then…I heard other voices as well. They sounded so far away, and I couldn’t answer back. I just kept falling. I even heard you, Cody…”
“Lena,” said Aunt Vivian, “did you notice anything strange when it happened?”
“No,” replied my aunt. “Like she said, one minute we were talking, and the next she was out cold. I did feel a slight…shiver almost, pass through her body, but it was so brief that I didn’t think anything of it. I certainly didn’t feel any type of malevolent magics at work around her.”
“You said my wolf was there,” said Cody. “Like you were dreaming, or do you mean…literally?”
“It wasn’t a dream. The fear I felt was way too real. I was falling, and I couldn’t make heads or tails of which way was what. Everything seemed to meld together. I even tried using my magic, but there was nothing there; nothing worked. But then I heard breathing coming at me from all sides. Then a growl, that unmistakable growl of a shifter. It was close, until all at once it appeared in front of me: a werewolf. It spoke to me—”
“I’m sorry, it spoke?” said Aunt Vivian. “Are you certain?”
“As certain as I can be about anything that just happened. But I wasn’t imagining it, that I know. It said it knew me and everyone else up here. It told me it was there to kill me, and that this time there would be no friends to save me. I believed it…it meant to end my life. And its voice, its eyes…” I shivered at the memory and gripped my aunt’s hand tighter, “it was you, Cody…and that final realization, just as you were about to bite me, filled me with so much fear that I lashed out with everything I had. Next thing I knew, I was here.”
“Could she have been astral projecting?” asked Aunt Lena.
“Possibly,” said Aunt Vivian. “Her description is what one would expect from an unprepared witch on her first venture into the astral plane. But…why would she have encountered anything there that meant her harm? The astral plane is a place of spiritual awakening.”
My eyes widened as I remembered something else. “The Grey! Cody…er�
�the wolf, told me the place we were in was called The Grey. He said it didn’t matter if I knew or not because I would be dead soon.”
“The Grey?” said Gar. “Do you know what that means?” I could only shake my head.
“The Grey is the space that resides between this world and that of the supernaturals.” We all turned at the sound of Elion’s voice to see him standing in the doorway that led from the main level to the basement. “It’s a no man’s land. A place where spirits walk.”
“How are you up and about in the daylight?” said Aunt Lena.
“More importantly, how did you get out of that warded room?” added Cody angrily.
“I am perfectly capable of moving about during daytime as long as I am not in direct sunlight,” he said, glancing around him. Where he stood, no light from the windows reached and I noticed that he was careful to make no movements to indicate that he might try to step into the main area of the house. “As for the wards, I felt them dissipate moments ago. All of them.” His voice was pointed and directed at me.
“Right,” said Aunt Vivian. “They must have been taken out when Allie came to. Lena, I’ll go restore the ones around the property line. You watch him.” With that, she left the room and headed up the stairs towards the large study that they used as a home office-cum-sanctum.
“I’ll go with you,” said Hope, hurrying after her. She clearly would have preferred to be anywhere than in the same room as Elion.
“Elion, do you know what just happened to Allie?” said Aunt Lena.
The vampire nodded before speaking. “I know where she was, but how it happened, I can only guess. Your aunt was partially correct, what happened to you was akin to astral projection. Your spiritual self left your physical body and traveled to The Grey. In there, your astral form was as vulnerable to attack as your physical body is here.”