Shift - 02

by M. R. Merrick

  I could feel Rayna’s hands moving over my neck, checking for a pulse.

  “Come on, Chase, work with me!"

  I pushed through the fear and met Rayna’s eyes. She stared down at me, assuring me that I’d be okay. I realized then, that besides my mother, I'd never completely trusted anyone. Not like I did Rayna. It should’ve worried me that I had such faith in her. Worried that one day she might leave, too. I should’ve been scared, but I wasn’t.

  Drops of water bubbled inside me as her element latched to mine. The power grounded me and gave me the push I needed to come back to reality.

  “Just focus and let my magic guide you.” Rayna's voice was strong. Her slit pupils grew as I stared into them, and they didn’t bother me; they made me feel safe. They weren’t the eyes of a demon anymore. They were the eyes of someone I cared about. They were Rayna’s.

  As the water filled me, I focused on the magic healing my arm. It wasn’t like all the other times. It wasn't smooth and calming. It was painful, and it took all my strength not to cry out and lose focus.

  I felt the skin growing, moving, and tearing over battered flesh. Skin grew down from my neck, and a million needles plunged through my arm at once. The water raged under my skin, but I didn't lose control. I clung to Rayna's magic and let it steer the element down to my hand until I felt the warmth of fresh skin wrap around my fingers.

  When Rayna’s element unraveled from mine, I opened my eyes. She still kneeled above me, but the worry had faded, and relief painted her face. Parts of my arm were fully healed, but most of my skin was red, sore, and scarred. I tried to move my fingers, and although it hurt, I had full function of my hand. I silently thanked the gods and collapsed back onto the mat.

  “How does it feel?” Rayna asked.

  I shook my head at first, fighting the exhaustion. Sleep pulled at my eyes. I was fading fast.

  “Sore. Are you…”

  Her skin was a shade of gray with dark blue veins beneath it, but as the minutes passed, the pale color came back, pushing the veins beneath her naturally milky white skin. The blue of her lips washed away and a soft pink hue came back into her pouty smile. The glossy film that covered her eyes was gone, and aside from wet hair that clung to her face, she looked normal again.

  “I'll be fine,” Rayna said, still wheezing.

  I tried for a smile, but it came across as more of a wince.

  “What happened? It's like you went to another place,” Rayna said.

  I knew she could handle it. I knew I could trust her more than anyone else, but I couldn’t tell her. She had enough going on with the shift; she didn’t need my insecurities dragging her down further.

  “Nothing. I…I just lost control.”

  Rayna’s lips fell into a pout and she pulled her eyes away.

  “I think that’s probably enough fun for one day.”

  “I’d say so,” Rayna said.

  “Fun? You Earth people have a strange idea of fun.” Tiki shook his head.

  “That’s not what…never mind.”

  I moved to my feet and black dots flooded my vision. Tiki reached out and helped me regain my balance.

  “Are you sure you're both okay?” He eyed us carefully.

  Rayna and I nodded.

  “Good.” He smiled. “So we're still going to Revelations?”

  “Maybe later. I need to lie down,” I said.

  I took a few steps forward, but the darkness took over more of my vision and I stumbled to the ground. I caught myself on my knee and brought myself down to the mats. The cold fabric squished and molded against my face.

  “Chase, what's wrong?” Rayna's voice echoed in my head.

  “I'm fine…I just need to rest.” I heard Rayna start to speak, but the words were lost. I couldn’t fight it anymore and I let myself fall into darkness.

  Chapter 7

  I opened my eyes to a soft chirping. I was in my bed, and Rai’s bright white feathers were gleaming on the bedpost from the incoming moonlight.

  “Hey, girl.”

  Rai chirped, flapping her wings idly. Light flickered in her blue eyes, and she leapt from the bed, flying out of the room.

  I tried to roll over, but winced as my arm touched the mattress. The skin was red and purple, bruises and blisters spotting the half healed flesh. A strip of white skin that had fully healed left a long scar that spiraled up my arm and disappeared under my shirt. I made a fist and clenched my teeth through the pain, trying to call my element.

  The water came up in a surge of smooth, calm power. I envisioned the pain vanishing and the pale tones returning to my skin. Nothing happened. The magic coursed back and forth under my arm like a tide rolling in, before falling back to my soul.

  I unclenched my fist and cursed under my breath, swinging my feet over the bed. The pain in my arm faded to a simmer, but it hummed along with an annoying consistency. I pulled my neck from side to side, letting the bones crack down my spine. Aside from the pain of my arm, I felt great.

  I heard the soft tap of footsteps coming down the hall and Rayna appeared. My eyes opened wide as she leaned in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat.

  A tight black dress wrapped around her small frame with thin straps that crossed in the back. The dress was short, stopping just above her mid-thigh, revealing long, toned legs. A low v-neck showed more than I was comfortable with, but voicing my opinion wouldn’t change anything. Then again, I wasn’t sure why it bothered me at all. It was just Rayna.

  “Hi…” I said, my voice raspy and hoarse.

  Rayna smirked and rested her head against the doorway, red and black ringlets curling down to frame her features. “Feeling better?”

  “I’m good.” I nodded. “Look, about earlier, I…”

  “I know,” she said, lips curling into a half smile. “The magic is really starting to take its toll, huh?”

  “You could say that.” I looked down at my battered arm.

  “We're getting ready to leave. I wasn't sure if you’d still be up for coming with us.”

  “I'll come. Just let me grab Willy."

  “He's not coming…” Her eyes fell to the floor.

  “What is it?”

  “He doesn’t look so great.”

  “But it’s been twenty four hours. He should be fine by now.”

  “He should be.”

  I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I told Rayna I’d be down in a few minutes. First I wanted to check on Willy.

  I pulled on a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved white shirt, and put my black cap on backwards. This was as dressed up as I got.

  I knocked on the door to the spare room until I heard a rough cough and a gravelly voice. “Co–, come in.”

  The door was silent as I pushed it, and I cringed as the smell of sweat and body odor hit me. Willy was under the covers. His discolored face was a greenish-gray, and a thick layer of sweat gleamed off the surface.

  “God, Willy, are you okay?”

  Willy's brown eyes watched me as I inched closer. They were glassy.

  “I'll b–, be fi–, fine…My bo–, body is just fighting the infec–, infection.”

  “You don't look so great. Maybe I should call Grams…”

  “No!" Willy said. "I'll be fi–, fine, Chase.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m su–, sure. I’m ju–, just going to re–, rest,” he said, but it wasn't his usual stutter. He was trembling. “I'll be good in a da–, day, or two. Promise.”

  I eyed Willy; his glossy brown eyes seemed to look right through me.

  “Re–, really. I'll be o–, okay.”

  “We're taking Tiki to Revelations for a while. I'll be back soon to check on you. Okay?”

  “Tha–, thanks Ch–, Chase.”

  I nodded and closed the door. I knew demons couldn't get sick and they didn’t get infections, but something wasn't right, and the feeling in my stomach told me it was my fault.

  I started down the stairs and decided if he wa
sn’t better by tomorrow, I would call Grams. I shuddered at the thought. For a decrepit old lady, she was scary, and that was before you considered she was a powerful witch. But he had gotten hurt because of me, and if I couldn’t fix it, I wouldn’t avoid her and risk something worse happening to him.

  “What do you think?” Tiki asked as I came into the kitchen. He was wearing the tight, sheer leopard print shirt he'd bought. It looked flashy against his caramel skin, but oddly, it didn't look horrible. Light gray dress pants, however, seemed out of place below the glossy fabric.

  “It's…nice.” I tried for a smile.

  Rayna laughed and a smile broke over her freshly glossed lips.

  “And me?” Rayna twirled, black and red ringlets bouncing as she moved.

  “Judging by your outfit, it looks like you shop in the little girl’s section, but you look good.” I smirked.

  “Good?” She sounded disappointed. “What do you think Tiki?”

  “You look incredible.” He grinned.

  “Thank you.” She tilted her head, lips curling into a smile.

  “I said you looked good, is that bad?”

  Rayna shrugged. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

  ********

  Stonewall, New York wasn’t different from any other city now, but at one time it had been a thriving mom and pop community. That world died sometime in the sixties when it became more of a business center than a family run town. The rundown buildings and burnt out neon signs still littered the streets in the seedier part of downtown, showing what once lived here.

  Revelations was at the end of an unlit alley, and as we neared the entrance, we had to break the glamour. As it peeled away, the red and blue neon signs flashed Open and Revelations, casting a glow over the entrance. The front door was at the bottom of a concrete stairway, a solid steel slab covered with dents. It was the only thing that separated us from the half-demon world behind it.

  Rayna went first, pulling the door open with ease, and the aura of Revelations overloaded my senses. The smell of sweat, blood, and something more filled my nostrils while rock music blared into my ears. The tingling sensation that all hunters got around demons shot through my body, leaving goose bumps spiraling up my arms.

  The doorman was well over seven feet tall, with a messy beard that covered his face. Tribal tattoos covered his body and metal rings hung off his ears, eyebrows, lips, and nose. His thick body swelled as we approached, the ink moving with his flesh as his muscles bulged. Solid black eyes stared down at us and the expression on his face was blank, yet somehow managed to be intimidating.

  “Weapons,” he demanded, and the voice suited him perfectly: deep, dark, and scratchy.

  Rayna reached out and handed him two small blades and the bouncer raised a brow.

  “Where does she hide weapons in that tiny…dress?” Tiki asked.

  Rayna turned around and eyed us both. “You’d be surprised.” She winked.

  I pulled both daggers out of the sheath on my lower back and the bouncer grunted, holding out an enormous hand. I placed both blades in it and tried not to make eye contact. I’d never encountered any problems here before, but I wasn’t exactly a welcomed patron at establishments like this.

  Revelations was packed and we weaved our way through rows of full tables. Underworlders occupied the pool tables, dart boards, and the dance floor. There was even a line in front of the jukebox.

  We followed Rayna as she navigated through the crowds until she stopped at a small, empty table with four stools. Chills rode up my arms, and I was happy to see Vincent’s usual booth was vacant.

  “What do you want?” The waitress glared at me.

  Her jet black hair was pulled back in a tight pony tail. Dark makeup was painted on her face, and a barbed wire tattoo that started at her neck disappeared under a tight pink tank top that read Get It Yourself in glitter.

  “I’ll have a Coke,” I said.

  “Me too,” added Rayna.

  The waitress looked to Tiki who shrugged. “I will have this Coke they speak of.”

  The waitress stared blankly at him and Tiki's lips curled into a sheepish grin. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath before walking away, hips swaying in her short red and black plaid skirt.

  Tiki’s orange eyes floated around the room and a smile crept over his lips. “I’ve never seen so many of them.”

  “Well, if you’re going to stay here you better get used to it,” I said.

  An awkward expression fell over Tiki’s face as two pretty girls stalked towards our table. Seductive glares swallowed him as they moved in on their prey.

  They both had knee high leather boots, matching black dresses, and white as milk skin. Long, blonde hair hung down their backs, and the only difference between them was their eyes. One had blue, while the other girl’s eyes were green.

  They closed the gap between us, their eyes devouring Tiki. “You have to dance with me,” one girl said.

  “With us,” the other added.

  Tiki’s eyes turned away from them quickly, but his smile grew.

  “Aww, he’s shy,” said the first girl.

  “Maybe he just needs a little push,” the second added, a moist pink tongue slipping out over her lips and flicking the long ivory fangs that dropped from her gums.

  Both girls giggled and reached out their hands.

  The sight of the fangs kicked my instincts into gear and I reached around for my blades. I sighed in disappointment as the sheath was empty, and Rayna grabbed my arm.

  “Chase, relax.”

  I looked back to the girls who were paying no attention to me, and they each slipped a pale hand decorated in fake nails and an array of bracelets around Tiki’s. Tiki looked to me with a goofy smile and let the girls lead him to the dance floor. It only took a moment before they threw their bodies around him.

  Rayna arched a brow. “Wow. He makes friends fast.”

  “I’ll say.”

  The waitress came and dropped our drinks at the table. Pop splashed over the edge of each glass as she set them down and walked away without a word.

  Rayna and I sat quietly across from one another. Her nails tapped idly on her glass and her eyes wandered around the club.

  “You sure you’re okay? I know you said you were, but what happened in the training room…it was pretty intense,” I said.

  Rayna played with the straw between her lips, letting feline eyes move over my face. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before she pulled the straw from her mouth. “I’m fine. I shouldn’t have pushed you when you didn’t feel ready. But we really need to get control of this before someone gets killed.”

  “It’s not that easy…”

  “Look at it like this. Why is it when we’re in a fight your control is impeccable, but when you try to call your elements in a controlled environment your magic goes everywhere?”

  “When we’re fighting, things are different. I’m calling my element and unleashing it on an enemy. I don’t care how it happens and I’m not trying to control it. I turn it on, let it out, and turn it off. When we’re training, I’m trying to bend it to my will. It’s easier to start a fire than it is to contain one.”

  “We need to try something different. Find something that works for you. Your elements are different than Marcus’ and mine. Maybe we need to train them differently.”

  “Well, whatever it is, I hope we figure it out soon. Something bad is going to happen. I can feel it.”

  “With Riley?” Rayna’s eyes locked with mine and I turned away, searching for Tiki in the mesh of people rubbing up on the dance floor. “Chase, talk to me.”

  I sighed. “I saw him.”

  Rayna perked up in her seat and pushed her drink to the side. “What? When?”

  “In the street when we went shopping, and again when we were training.”

  “When we were training?”

  “I had a vision, or I went somewhere else. I don’t know. But he was there...with my mom.”


  “Your mom?” Rayna asked.

  I explained the visions as vaguely as I could. I had no desire to relive it in detail again. Rayna’s expression turned from surprise to sadness, and I turned back to the dance floor. Tiki was in the middle of the two girls, not really moving, but he was grinning as they danced against him. Tiki waved eagerly and his excitement forced a smile to my face.

  “I don’t really think he needed us to be here.”

  Rayna smirked, but didn’t look at Tiki; her eyes were all for me in that moment. “You know I’m here, right? If you want to talk about…I mean, I’ve been where you are. I know what you’re going through.”

  I watched the ice clank against the side of my glass, and I stirred it around the dark liquid with my straw. I didn’t want to talk about it, but as the tension crept up between us, I realized I’d rather be open with her than have things be uncomfortable.

  “I just don’t know what to say. Does it hurt? Yeah, of course it does. But talking about how much it sucks that she’s gone won’t bring her back. My father killed her, but it’s my fault.”

  “It’s not your fault! How can you even think that?”

  “I’m the reason it all happened. If I hadn’t pushed you to go to Vincent’s, we wouldn’t have had to get the scroll. If I would’ve waited for Marcus to go to your old house, they’d never have found out you were the key. Everything that happened was because of me, and my mom had to come save my ass, all because I didn’t listen. I was too stupid to see the dangers.”

  “First off, that’s a lot of ifs. Second, you saved my life. Riley and the Dark Brothers would’ve found me one way or another. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.”

  “Maybe…”

  “No maybe. You saved me, and if you hadn’t gotten the scroll, Vincent would’ve found another way to get it. Then he’d have the scroll, the Mark, and the ring too.”

  “The mark that does nothing, a ring that just sits here and looks fancy, and powers I can’t control.”

  “This place is fantastic.” Tiki ran up to the table. He took a drink of his soda and spit it across the table and all over my face. “What is this? Poison?”