That cackling laugh filled the early morning air. Mike rubbed his elbow as Alayna approached him.
She stopped giggling and composed herself. “Come on, Mike. Look at yourself. Look at your life. Why are you fighting me?”
“Because you aren’t real.” Mike’s shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts and stopped at K.
“Mike, forget about this stupid meeting. These people are going to get you killed if you follow them. Do you really think you can defeat a two-hundred-year-old wizard who holds some of the strongest dark magic out there?”
Mike gave her the finger with one hand and held the phone against his ear with the other. “Yo, what’s up? I need a ride over to the meeting. My transportation is outta commission.”
Alayna snapped her fingers to get his attention. “Mike, you should listen to me. You’re going to get yourself killed, you pretty-faced son of a bitch.”
Mike turned his back on her and covered his open ear. “Alright, man, I’ll see you in a few. Thanks.” Mike ended the call and put the phone back into his pocket. He turned around. “You still here?”
She shook her head. “Get it straight, Micheal. I’m not going anywhere.” She pronounced his name correctly like the classic Michael.
The words cut through his soul. He stood, frozen in place, subconsciously wondering where those words had been during his childhood. He’d bounced around so many houses from ten to twenty-one. Tears built up in his eyes but the levy held strong. No one had called him Micheal since his mother had died, unless they were pronouncing it with an extended ‘eel’ to make fun of him.
As if she were a mind reader, Alayna soothingly whispered, “You can exact revenge for her death. I know that’s why you went into Houlihan’s Circle the other night. You want to kill George.”
Mike couldn’t figure out why this woman could read him like a book. “Let’s say you are right about some of this. How could you help me?”
She chuckled. “Mike, you have the ability to be one of the most powerful wizards on earth. Unfortunately, ability means nothing. You have to go through some training and it will be some time until you can harness the full power. I can promise you one thing.”
Mike hung on her every word. “And what’s that?”
“It will be worth it a million times over.”
Mike probed further. “And if I don’t?”
A saddened look spread over her face, and she spoke in a sobering tone. “You’ll probably be dead by the week’s end. Best of luck without my help.”
Mike started to think that maybe this person might be real. However, he didn’t want to go through extensive training when he could die at any time from the cancer. Digging a hole for three grand sounded like a good deal. He didn’t know what to do.
A coughing fit doubled him over, and he covered his mouth. Something hit his palm. He took a peek, then wiped the glob of blood on the side of his house and used his shorts to get rid of the rest.
The same thing had happened the previous week, and it had scared the living daylights out of Mike. This episode hadn’t instilled any more confidence in the young man as he thought about death.
What good am I doing here? I’m never going to be anything. This faerie can’t be real. I’m never going to amount to shit.
The rumble of Kyle’s 350 engine caused Mike to snap out of it and remember the business at hand. Kyle came to a skidding halt about six feet from Mike and turned around. The back of the truck almost smacked Alayna in the face as it stopped just short of her nose.
She stood close enough to kiss the truck. Mike jogged up to the passenger’s door. He ripped the door open and jumped into the raised red pickup with huge wheels.
Looking out the back window, Mike said, “Peel out, man.”
Kyle never needed to be told twice to go fast. He slammed down the gas pedal. Mike smiled as a kicked-up cloud of dust slowly dispersed to reveal a coughing Alayna with her middle finger extended.
Kyle shouted, “Time to go make some serious money.”
The truck cruised down the street and the dwarf faded from Mike’s sight but her words bounced around his mind.
MIKE SAT AT A SQUARE white table with Emily and Kyle. He asked, “Why do we gotta dig it up at night? Why can’t we do it during the day?”
Emily explained, “That’s the rules. For the amount of money concerned here, I’d say it’s reasonable.”
Mike turned to gauge his best friend’s response before agreeing to anything. Too late. Kyle had already started talking. “I don’t know. Those directions are terrible, too. What if we dig in the exact spot you tell us, but there ain’t no amulet under there?”
Emily scratched her long, narrow nose and replied, “No amulet, no money. The directions are correct. Exact, actually.” She nodded her head for emphasis.
Mike objected, “Taking seven paces from the northern stone toward the center of the circle is pretty crappy directions. Why don’t you come with us, and you can see that we will dig in the spot you are talking about?”
Mike stared at her full lips as she responded. “I handle the business side. If you need me to find two other guys to make a lot of money for not much work...”
Kyle jumped in. “I’m gonna be super pissed if that thing isn’t in the exact spot you said. And I can mess a lot of stuff up when I get angry.”
Emily narrowed her eyes. “Is that a threat?”
Kyle put his hands up. “Nothin’ like that. Just sayin’ that if you are messing with us...”
“Was I messing around when I gave you two that cash advance?”
Mike had forgotten that Emily had given them both some money the night before. He vaguely remembered hiding it somewhere in his house. “We’ll do it tonight. Where can we meet afterward to get our money?”
Emily thought for a second and said, “Call me when you guys have the amulet, and I will come get it. I just have to give it to the guy and get the money.”
Kyle immediately threw his hands up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I thought you had the money. Now you have to get it from someone else.”
Emily smiled seductively and caught Mike’s attention. “Don’t worry. It’s as good as going to the bank.”
Mike didn’t hear what she said because he was mesmerized by this older, assertive woman.
She reassured them, “You will get the money tonight. It will take me ten minutes to get there, and the same to get back with your money. Fret not, boys.”
Mike convinced himself that she was sending him sexual signals, and he sent them right back. He tried to only look at her when she talked to play it cool.
Her haunting dark complexion and mysterious brown eyes seemed to be luring him in as his chin crept closer to the table.
Her glistening cherry lips began to move again, and Mike couldn’t help but stare. “So, do we still have a deal?” She glanced at Mike, then Kyle, back to Mike, then licked her lips.
Mike opened his mouth to talk but Kyle cut him off. “Yeah.”
Mike nodded in agreement and smiled at Emily.
Emily stood up, and the two men jumped up from the table.
“Do you guys have any questions? You can text or call me if you need something don’t forget.” She winked at Mike.
Mike smirked. “Sounds good. I’ll talk to you later. I mean, we’ll talk to you later.”
They walked toward the front door. Kyle said, “Those directions better be on point.”
Emily responded but Mike never heard her because he was starting at her shapely backside as she opened the door. He snapped out of it as he walked toward Kyle’s truck, and imagined going into the belly of the beast to dig up the amulet.
Chapter 11
THE AIR GREW THICKER as they neared the area immortalized in the 1933 massacre. With each unsure step, the foul odor of rotten eggs and sour urine intensified.
“Dude, I’m getting a real freaky feeling now,” Kyle said as the sun sank behind the Gray Cloud Hill
s.
The woods became darker and creepier with the shifting shadows.
Mike responded. “It’s not that bad. We should go now before it gets too dark. She just said dark and the sun is gone. Let’s go.”
Kyle nodded his head but stood frozen in place, with his shovel in his right hand in the middle of the two-square-mile plot of land known as Houlihan’s Square. The Square was pretty much all forest and a few open fields here and there.
Mike smacked the shovel head on his ankle because he was shaking so much from the trepidation. He already stood well within George’s grasp, but the lure of the six grand kept his feet moving. A howl at the moon caused Mike to drop the shovel and spin around several times.
“It’s getting freakier, man,” Kyle said, dragging his feet in the black dirt.
Mike tried to sound confident but failed in his effort. “Come on. It’s only three feet underground. We got this. All that stuff from the other night means he’s gone for a while now. We’re good. He already fed his hunger. This stuff only happens every couple of years.”
Mike had extra motivation—he didn’t want to let down Emily. He hoped she would sleep with him if he helped her make a lot of money.
A low branch snagged Mike’s shoulder. He stopped and pulled the flashlight out of his back pocket to light up the narrow trail.
Kyle followed closely behind, and his heavy breathing gave Mike reassurance. The smell persisted as Mike noticed a huge boulder straight ahead. Unhinging fear centered in the pit of his stomach and exploded throughout his body.
He stood within twenty feet of Houlihan’s Circle. The stale air grew thicker still, adding another element to this adventure.
Houlihan’s Circle was an open dirt area with a black circle burnt into mother earth and thirteen gray boulders at various points around the circle. Warm sweat leaked from Mike’s skin at the sight, and he sensed a strange magnetism which made the air seem even denser as he got closer to the Circle.
Breathing became more difficult as the two men silently searched for the largest boulder.
Mike whispered, “It’s got to be that one, right?”
Kyle nodded as he stared into the dark abyss. A wild howl scared the two men senseless. As Mike’s first step landed inside the circle, a burning sensation flowed from his heel to the tips of his toes. He felt like he was walking on coals, and tried to jump back and forth from foot to foot.
Without reason, the sensation shifted to freezing. Mike tried to fight through the magnetic field and get to the biggest boulder as his body was tossed back and forth.
Then he felt the presence and sniffed the smell of spoiled meat. He spun around, and an invisible magnetic force grabbed him and launched him into the Northern Boulder. Kyle, who had somehow avoided the supernatural storm, ran over to Mike.
With Kyle’s help, Mike got back on his feet. Mike intended to tell Kyle to put his back against the boulder but his words were stolen by fear. It didn’t matter, because Kyle stood with his broad shoulders against the Boulder and took seven paces toward the center of the Circle.
The magical force died down, and Mike fought his way into the middle. The two men commenced digging. They both feverishly tore into the soft soil and flung it left and right without regard. They tried to dig a wide hole as fast as they could.
Mike kept hoping to hit something, but each shovel only brought up more dirt. An echoing growl haunted Mike’s ears, and he stopped in his tracks. His feet were freezing yet his head poured perspiration, and a sudden dizziness set in.
The woozy sensation had Mike drop to one knee. He tried to correct his breathing, and he could hear Kyle’s distorted voice, yelling at him to get up.
Mike used the shovel to prop himself up to his feet only to fall again. Something unidentifiable prevented him from performing a menial task, the digging, and the only culprit he could come up with was cancer. He made it back to his feet and grabbed the shovel.
The moon and stars lit up the open area enough so that flashlights weren’t necessary. Mike scooped out two more full shovels of dirt, and almost soiled himself when he laid eyes on the beast inside the Circle.
Mike dropped the shovel and stared at the snarling, gruesome creature that looked like a Sasquatch in a Victorian-style suit and long dress coat with a tapered tail. It was the same face and teeth he had seen in the mirror at his house. The malodorous legend crept toward them.
Mike could only kick Kyle in the good knee to get his attention as he backed away, but Kyle kept digging. The beast stood taller than Kyle and seemed undaunted as he continued getting closer. Kyle looked up at the last second and swatted the beast across the mouth.
The crunch of an iron shovel against skull and teeth preceded the yelp of an injured animal. The beast fell to the ground.
Mike screamed, “Dude, let’s get outta here. Come on.” He continued to back away from the center of the Circle.
Kyle yelled back, “Fuck that. I’m taking this bastard out and getting our money.”
Kyle wound up for a wild overhand swing to surprise the beast before he could get back up. George’s arm, covered with a gray suit jacket, shot into the air and grabbed the shaft of the shovel to stop it. George ripped the shovel from Kyle and whipped it against one of the boulders.
The beast growled as he made it to his feet and rushed Kyle, who stepped to the side and tossed him down. Kyle rushed in and booted George in the side of his head. Mike watched the fight as the magnetic force came back.
As Mike watched, Kyle punched George three more times. He started to think his best friend might win. Kyle came down with an overhand right as George was trying to get to his feet and knocked out one of his long fangs.
A blood curdling growl started to build from within the beast. George sprang to his feet just as Kyle’s fist was about to make contact. A mouth full of gnarly, jagged teeth opened at the last second and gobbled up Kyle’s entire hand up to the wrist.
An unnerving chomping sound followed, and Mike threw up in front of the Northern Boulder. Kyle belted out a desperate scream the likes of which Mike had never heard in fourteen years of friendship with the young man.
Mike could barely look at the blood spurting from Kyle’s hand. George threw a quick head-butt into Kyle’s mouth, and the sound of busted tooth roots caused Mike to cringe. Kyle spit a mouthful of bloody teeth in the face of the beast.
The growl had reached a fever pitch as Kyle threw a straight left fist that George caught in his hairy palm. The agile beast deftly dropped to one knee and yanked Kyle’s arm down, smashing Kyle’s elbow over his shoulder.
The audio effects caused Mike to throw up again as he witnessed his best friend’s bone bust through his skin. The moonlight glimmered off the bone and blood.
George pushed Kyle to the ground and pounced on top of him, sinking his remaining fang into the giant man’s shoulder.
Mike didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help Kyle, but it appeared that ship had already sailed. He turned and ran like a coward once his best friend had gone motionless. He made it outside the Circle and could breathe again. The hideous smells remained as he scrambled to get out of Houlihan’s Square.
If he traveled in the correct direction, he needed to make it about a mile. George’s growl tickled his spine as Mike tried to walk on air to keep silent. When he figured he couldn’t do that successfully, he broke out into a dead sprint as he blindly ran through the woods, bouncing between small bushes and low hanging branches.
The flashlight fell, but Mike couldn’t stop now.
Another rumbling growl seemed to be within feet as Mike continued his frantic escape. A strange feeling around Mike’s neck suddenly shifted inside his body. A bony hand reached through his skin, layer by layer, and wrapped an index finger around his larynx.
A slight squeeze cut off Mike’s air and made him slow to a walk. The pressure ceased, but he could still feel the hand inside his neck. He took ten more steps and the finger constricted. Mike fell flat on his face.
Shallow wisps and gasps tried to capture some elusive air. No success.
The growing bass of the beast’s grunting felt like it would shatter his eardrums. The finger tensed around his windpipe again, and Mike started to accept death. He could sense George was closing in on him.
Chapter 12
A SONG BROKE OUT IN the deserted forest. Mike’s mom hummed a tune of inspiration for his ears only. The soothing tones woke up his soul. Time to fight back. Her humming stopped.
Mike scratched at the ground, scrambling to get to his feet. He didn’t have the courage to turn around yet. He built up his speed again, trying to stay on the narrow path. The resounding soundwaves of a harsh growl rattled his nerves. Not slowing any, Mike peered over both shoulders. Nothing.
After a few seconds, he slowed down to catch his breath. The air tasted harsh, rushing out before his lungs could fully appreciate it. His sore bones screamed at him to stop and give in to the pain shooting through his body.
The rumbling call of the beast sharpened his senses and filled his lungs with oxygen. In a few moments, Mike was on his way again. Aimlessly running through the haunted forest of Houlihan’s Square, Mike jerked his head left and right, expecting to find the predator. The beast was nowhere to be seen.
A half hour went by, and Mike worried that he was heading in the wrong direction. He stopped for a moment, lungs burning and trepidation thumping in his chest. Suddenly, the alien feeling invaded his chest and brought him to his knees. Four fingertips were tapping on his heart. A harsh squeeze caused Mike to see streaming stars of every color. He fell on his face in the dirt.
The pressure increased, and Mike placed his right palm over his chest. The world started spinning out of control. He wanted to pass out as the swirling bright colors fought with each other to gain his attention. Scattered scenes from his life started to flash in between them.
All the colors meshed into one. Purple. The only color he could see was a burning amethyst. The killer grip on his heart unraveled finger by finger, until the blood flow returned to his head. Limbs shaky, Mike pushed himself up and got to his feet.
Modern Merlin: A Standalone Prequel (Bloodline Awakened Supernatural Thriller Series Book 3) Page 6