by M. R. Polish
“This is why vampires don’t cry, it makes too big of a mess.” Ree laughed as she tried joking with me.
“It’s actually… kind of beautiful.” I couldn’t explain it any better, but in a weird way, it was.
She rolled her eyes. “I think you need more rest.”
“Other than my head splitting in half, I think I’ll be okay.” I rubbed my temples once again to make my point. “Wait—how’s Meadow?”
Ree smiled. “She’s doing good. She went feeding with me last night after…”
“She’s already up?” I shoved the rest of the covers off me and stood up, careful not to move my head too fast.
Walking to the closet, I pulled a clean shirt off a hanger. A shower would have to wait, seeing Meadow was more important. I chose a low neck lined green shirt that was a little stretchy and a new pair of jeans.
Victor was right. I now thank him for breaking into my apartment and grabbing some clothes and things for me. Slipping on my favorite boots, that he managed to snag, I made my way to the door. Ree stood outside in the hall as she promised.
“You look beautiful, but you could use a good brushing.” She handed me a brush. I’d forgotten about my hair. It must look as if I’d gotten into a fight with a mountain lion. It sure felt like I had.
“Ugh, thanks.” I ran the brush through my thick red tresses as fast as I could make my hand move. Cringing as I pulled too hard on a tangle. I’m glad I didn’t embarrass myself in front of Jarak with my snarled mess. He might not ever look at me the same.
“Esmerelda.” I spun around to Meadow’s voice, my hand to my forehead, applying pressure to my temples. It was strange to hear her call me by a different name. It was even stranger to see her appear younger, more porcelain looking, except her skin was pale—almost translucent, but with no imperfections. She was flawless.
She ran up the stairs faster than I could have run down them, moving quickly but not quite as speedy as Ree and Trevor. Within seconds, she enveloped me in a tight hug, but it was short and unfeeling. “Thank you so much.” Her voice cracked. “How are you?”
She sounded too loud and excessively chipper. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” I squinted. The light hurt my eyes.
She took one of my hands and squeezed. “We did it.”
I peeked with one eye. “Well, you did.”
She shook her head, and let go of my hand. “No, we did. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I shrugged, unsure of what else to say. “I’m glad you’re not dead.” I should have stayed in bed. The noise hurt my head so much I was now sick.
“Not completely anyway.” She laughed as she helped guide me down the stairs to the open living area. “Victor and Jarak are already outside waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? You’re already pushing me out the door?” I slumped, and I could feel whatever was left of my mood depleting. She didn’t act the same. I thought she’d hug me and not let go, but instead she was ready to push me out the door as if I was nothing more than her ticket to the dark side, not a daughter. I guess now that I knew what happened she dropped her act of a mother. Either way, I was disappointed.
Ree stepped forward and grabbed my other arm. “Now that Meadow is better, you need to train.”
“Train? What am I doing, joining the Olympics?” Did everyone forget I battled a monstrous headache? Whatever they planned for me was not happening.
“All these years we kept you in the dark about who you are, you never learned what you’ll need to survive. Or who you’ll have to fight…” Meadow stopped talking. Her eyes focused outside the sliding glass door.
I gave a quick look with my other eye to see what was so fascinating; I smiled and knew she’d made the right decision. Victor stood outside of the door, holding a long stem rose. I never saw her smile this much in one day.
“Then what are we waiting for?” I stepped forward into the blinding light of the sun and stepped back again, grasping my head and bent over. Dry heaves started, and I held my hand out to stop anyone from coming too close. “Please tell me there is magic that can take this horrible migraine away?”
Meadow snickered. “I wish I could have shown you this as you grew up, but…” She picked up my hands and placed them at my forehead.
“Visualize a pool of cold water cleansing and cooling your pain. Repeat after me. ‘Magic mend and spirits yearn. Let this pain end and energy return.’”
I opened one eye and raised my eyebrow. “You’re serious? Those words?”
“Oh just behave and repeat them.”
I repeated the words and I smiled in relief as the pain reduced. Three more seconds passed, and then I felt brand new. All signs of my pain disappeared. She stepped away with a smug look.
“Can you do magic, even though you’re a vampire?”
“Yes, but not as much. I lost most of it during the turning process, but I can still do basic things, such as call on my earth element. Except, it doesn’t come through as full as it used to. So, in other words… I can make the earth tremble, but can’t split it open in a full quake. I am a little thirstier than usual too. I feel different. A little detached from who I was. Ree says it’s normal for me to feel that way.”
“What about me? How do you feel about me?” I was already certain I knew the answer, judging from her attitude toward me.
She glanced at Ree before answering. “I don’t feel connected to you. At least not the way I did. There are things I have to tell you, but I can’t right now. I’d rather drink your blood than to talk to you.”
I held my hand up. That was more than I wanted to know now. “That’s enough.” Ree and Meadow laughed together in unison. “So—you drank blood?”
She nodded. “It tastes a lot better than I thought it would. It’s very satisfying.”
I gagged, and fought the urge to throw up—again.
“I think the guys are getting restless outside.” Ree pointed to the door, bringing me back to the task. I think she knew I couldn’t talk to Meadow any more. She wasn’t the same person I grew up with and that alone made me sick. I didn’t know whether to cry or vomit.
I held my breath. I wasn’t sure what I would be expected to do, and I was leery, to say the least.
Magic in the Water
– Esmerelda –
October 22, 2012
The ground came up fast as I flew through the air. I hit the grass hard, knocking all breath out from my lungs. Victor was bound to win this round. I wasn’t nearly as strong as he was. He had over seventy–five years of experience.
“Get him Es!” I could hear Ailaina cheering me from the side of the pool. Since flying to Spain eleven days ago, she was my biggest supporter, especially since Meadow no longer had any motherly qualities, and our relationship we once had was gone. At times I still grieved for that loss. Ailaina didn’t miss any of my training sessions and took it upon herself to become my personal cheerleader. Even she had picked up on my given name and thought it was cool. She said it suited me better.
I waved her off with my hand, too tired to say anything. I wanted to speed up my training. It didn’t seem fair to me that Victor had so many years on me. My biggest astonishment is when I found out that Meadow was in reality, eighty–two years old. My pitiful eighteen was nothing more than a crack in the road. I guess being a witch had some pluses. I wouldn’t have to turn grey and wrinkled unless I wanted. Witches were immortal.
It excited me to hear that Jarak could also live immortally if he chose. However, it would require him to have a companion who could do the same. It was nice to know not everybody was old. I was relieved to know he wasn’t an eighty year old in a twenty two year old body. Well… that I knew of anyway. With all the secrets they kept me in the dark on, anything was possible.
I laid on my back on the cold grass as the moon waxed over us. It was still hard to breathe. “Get up. Do it again.” Victor’s voice showed no signs of weariness. Maybe seventy five ye
ar old warlocks never wore out.
“I’m tired,” I whined. I hated girls who did that, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“Come on Es, get up, show em’ who’s boss!” I seriously wanted to duct tape Ailaina’s mouth, but shot her a ‘shut up’ look instead.
Victor stood over me. I could see his eyes almost glowing in the night. “Nicholas won’t care if you’re tired. Now get up.”
“You’re impossible.” I pounded my fists onto the hard ground before rolling over and sitting up, brushing any blades of grass off my arms. Standing, I strolled over to the opposite side of the pool. “I’d like nothing more than to throw you in the cold water.” I murmured, but I knew he could hear me.
“Ah, I’d welcome the coolness, but I think it will have to wait because that’s simply something you can’t do.” I could hear the challenge in his tone. He’d been baiting me all week in our training together. We both knew my powers were growing, but I couldn’t bring them to the surface.
Meadow sat in a chair off to the side, close to Ailaina, never interfering. I glanced over at her. “Some help you are.”
She grinned. I could see it with the pool lighting. “Esmerelda you need to concentrate.”
I glared at her. “Oh go drink some blood or something.” She was certainly not the same since turning into a vampire. All she cared about was my training. It was like being a hostage at a witchcraft military training camp.
I let out an exasperated sigh and focused on my task. Tingles fluttered through my hands the more I thought. I lifted my hands and pushed in Victor’s direction, using all my energy. I caught him off guard and flipped him over into the pool with a big splash.
He came up coughing and sputtering. Water splashed onto the tile around me. Something about how I would pay left his wet lips. I didn’t care. I just accomplished throwing him in the pool, and it was worth it. I couldn’t keep the smile away.
“Oh my gosh! You did it. You did it.” Ailaina bounded over, grabbing my hands and jumped. Her smile lit up her whole face, but I was too tired to bounce around with her. She stopped and placed a hand on her hip. “You’re allowed to show excitement. I mean you finally did something to Victor.”
I grinned at her. I was so glad she was here with me. “I know, but you have enough for both of us. Right now, I’m just tired.”
Walking to the side of the pool, I offered my hand in a peace making gesture.
He waded over and took it, but caught me off guard and using his magic, flipped me over. I flew through the air, landing in the water behind him as he crawled out, dripping wet.
The chlorine burned my throat as I inhaled a mouth full of water. Gagging and coughing made it worse. Rising to the surface, I spit out the remaining water. “You jerk!” That was the only thing I said before his energy pushed me under again. I sucked in enough oxygen before going under, thankfully.
He released his energy on me before I ran out of air, allowing me to return to the surface. I could hear Victor laughing. “What was that my dear? I couldn’t hear you.”
Ailaina strode over and slugged him in the shoulder. He had a bemused look across his face. If I weren’t so mad, I would have laughed—her petite little self against an aged warlock. Her long blonde braid swung around as she retreated to her chair.
Victor squatted down by the water. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you get wet?”
I clenched my jaw so I wouldn’t spit out what I honestly thought and swam to the opposite side. I could feel his presence on the other side of the pool and concentrated my magic behind me, pretending I was finished.
I heard a loud splash and smiled wickedly. He deserved that one. Before I had the chance to stand up, a source of energy wrapped around my middle and pulled me back to the water. Learning from last time, I inhaled enough air before going under.
I bobbed to the surface and treaded the water, focusing my mind on the water, churning it like a whirlwind under my feet. Victor pushed me under, so now I’d suck him in from beneath. I watched as he sucked in air right before he went under the water.
I counted to ten then let go of the energy stirring the water, and released him. I jumped from the water and onto the tiled edge. It took more strength to pull myself from the water this time because of my heavy, soaked clothes. I scanned the now stilling surface. Where was he? My heart raced. What if I held him under too long? Meadow even raced to the edge of the pool, looking for him.
I couldn’t wait any longer. I jumped back in and dove under. I swam in all directions, popping above the surface to get air then dive back under. I touched the bottom and scanned it like a catfish. Panic set in. Where did he go?
Pushing off the floor of the pool, I rose for more oxygen after seeing nothing. I could see the moon’s reflection dancing on the water as I neared the surface. My head hit something hard as if the water turned into a sheet of glass on top. I pounded with my fists, and my chest burned from the lack of air. I thrust myself backward so I could kick the barrier.
Nothing worked. I pushed the fear and panic away. I knew this had to be a new test. The tingling from the lack of no oxygen started in my toes and fingers. Digging deep, I magicked the water around me to take form. I watched as the surface split with a crack, giving me hope. I pushed harder with my energy and gave a final push. It exploded, shooting upward then disappeared into the night air.
I floated up and out of the water, gasping for air. My throat and lungs burned with each breath. I spun in the water and spotted Victor standing beside the pool, still dripping wet.
“Very good. Now if you don’t mind, I’m wet and exhausted.” He turned, walking away.
Meadow held out a towel for me, “I’m extremely proud of you. That took a lot.”
I swam to the edge and jumped out, snatched the towel from her grasp, and scowled at her. “You just let him trap me like that?”
“He would never let anything happen to you. If you couldn’t figure it out, he would’ve lifted the spell. I knew you were safe.”
“Es, are you okay?” Ailaina was at my side, her arms around my shoulders. I nodded at her, but I lied. I was pissed.
Turning on my heel, I stomped away. I wanted a hot bath, food and bed… in that order.
October 26, 2012
I slammed my hands down on the grass as I lay on my back. “This is ridiculous.” Exhaustion crept into every part of my body, leaving me so weak that it came out in more of a whisper than the angry words I pushed for.
The last couple of weeks of training had been excruciating and painful. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to stop moving, and just roll over and die. Victor wanted perfection and expected nothing less from me. I learned everything fast, and I did things Victor never thought was possible, but it never was enough.
The thing he admired most was my ability to materialize objects or transport them through the air. However, today was different. Jarak was the one I trained with.
I was grateful for the change in pace, but when Victor told me what I’d be doing, my heart plummeted. It obviously wasn’t a drive to McDonalds.
Ailaina was of course, sitting in the shade with a book. Her grin was contagious as she flipped another page of Meant to Be, by Tiffany King. She giggled a little, and I knew she was absorbed into a whole other world. I sighed, wishing I could put my nose in a book, but instead I was stuck out in the sun with macho man. Training.
“You have to, Es. What if one day I’m not there to help?” Jarak interrupted my self-pity party and again posed himself in a fight position. He held his arms up as if he would box my eyes in.
I took a different stance, with my hands on my hips. “I have magic; I don’t need self-defense classes, especially from someone who supposedly calls a wolf to do their dirty work for them.” Okay, that was a low blow, and I knew it, but maybe playing dirty would make for a short lesson. All week Victor tossed me around the yard as I fought against his magic. I didn’t need fists in my face as well.
Jarak grit his teeth and tensed
up. “Some witch you are… how long did it take you to grow poison ivy with your magic? I doubt you could take me on anyway, with or without magic.”
I could feel the embarrassment heat my cheeks. I’d been trying all week to grow that dang weed with Meadow, how dare he throw that in my face. It took me fifteen tries before I understood the magic I needed. That plant was more obnoxious than I thought before.
He didn’t have magic, so he had no clue what I needed to learn. The more I thought, the more I got upset. I marched over to where Jarak stood, still posed. “Fine, but when you get hurt, I don’t want to hear you whine.”
“Don’t let him talk to you like that. Kick em’ where it counts!” It was good to know my bestie wasn’t too absorbed with the fictional hot Mark from the book, not to notice when I needed my sidekick.
He guffawed before swinging his arm wide and locking it around my neck, spinning me around. He leaned in next to my ear. His breath was hot and tickled my neck. “It’ll take more than a wimpy witch to make me whine.”
I stood there wide–eyed as he released me. The whole thing was fast and unexpected. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the stupid weed I’d worked with all week. The one he picked on me for. It sprouted about two inches off the ground where Victor brought it up for me to visualize.
Wimpy witch my ass, all of the week’s frustrations I had pent up, churned inside me. I’d show him. The sprout grew about an inch and blossoms formed into tiny leaves, letting me know I’d made a connection with it.
He used his hands to beckon me. “Come on, I have all night for you to make me whine.”
I ignored him and focused on growing the ivy. It was no longer a sprout, but a full–grown wild plant with wide leaves covering the ground.
“Hey, wait a minute Es, what are you doing.” His voice hinted at uncertainty with a small hesitation. He looked over to where I concentrated.