Catalyst

by Shelly Crane

"Wait for what? Ryan, what's wrong with you," he said and struggled against him.

  "This is the Lighter who helped us at the facility."

  "Daniel," Lillian said softly and ran towards them. I followed.

  There he was; dirty, disgusting, his clothes a mangled and torn mess. And he was watching Max's stake with wary eyes.

  "Move, Max. Let him in!" Lillian insisted.

  "He's a Lighter, Lillian. Have you lost your senses?"

  "He's hurt," she said and pushed Max away, but he caught her by the arm and moved her behind him.

  "What has gotten into you?" he asked her and then looked to Ryan. "Ryan-" he started.

  "It's true, Max. He helped us," Ryan explained. "Daniel, how did you find us?"

  "I…" he looked at Lillian guiltily, "I followed you that day."

  "See!" Max insisted. "A tame Lighter is still a Lighter."

  "No, let him in," Lillian pleaded. "He's hurt and dirty."

  "He's not a puppy, Lillian," he scolded. "You can't just bring a Lighter in from the cold."

  "Daniel," Ryan tried again. He seemed to be the only level headed one operating. "Why did you come?"

  "I can no longer work at the facilities. My cover is no more. They figured it out, they didn't know it was me, but they became very suspicious. I had to leave before they found me out."

  "You didn't answer my question," he said quietly.

  "I came because…I was invited," Daniel told him and looked at Lillian, then at me. "Does the offer still stand?"

  "No!" Max boomed and looked at Lillian and I sternly. "Don't even think about it. What in the worlds has gotten into you two?"

  "Merrick was the one who invited him, Max," I rebutted.

  "Well Merrick isn't here now, so no is my answer."

  "Max," Ryan said and his eyes moved and bulged slightly as he looked at him. They were fighting in their heads. You could tell who was talking because their head moved slightly with the vehemence of their words.

  "He's a Lighter, Ryan!" Max bellowed. "A Lighter! The very opposite of us. I don’t care what he did, he's not coming in here." He thought for a second. "As a matter of fact, we have to kill him."

  He moved to push the stake through Daniel's belly. We all moved forward, but there was no stopping the swiftness of a Keeper on a mission. Except another Keeper. Ryan and Max were locked in a never ending battle of arms and wills. I heard Ellie's small gasp and looked to see her covering her lips with her fingers in clear distress.

  I needed to intervene.

  "Max," I said softly and went to stand next to them. They both strained against the other in a silent and strangely still fight. "He saved me, Max. He saved Lillian and Cain. He would have turned us in already if he was going to."

  Max looked at me and I saw him soften the smallest bit, but he still scowled at me as he said, "Look, I'm not Merrick. I'm not going to just give you whatever you want because you pout at me."

  "I'm not pouting. I'm asking," I said steadily.

  "This is on you," he said, but still didn't let Ryan go. Or maybe it was the other way around.

  "Understood."

  He took a deep breath and looked at Ryan, who removed his hands and the stake. Max swept his arm wide with a sardonic twist to his lips for Daniel to enter. Daniel, the most polite Lighter I knew, thanked him, but Max just scoffed and stomped off. But not before yelling over his shoulder, "All on you!"

  Daniel, Lillian, Ryan and I stood at the stairs awkwardly. Finally Daniel spoke.

  "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I told you before that I would not be accepted."

  "It's fine," I answered. "Max is old school," I said, but forgot and changed it to something more simple. "He hasn't…acclimated like some of the other Keepers have to our way of thinking."

  "So you said you got caught?" Lillian asked getting right down to business. "What happened?"

  "Well," Daniel drawled like he wasn't sure…or didn't want to say. He lifted his shirt and showed us a massive gash on his side. Lillian gasped and knelt to look at it. "Normally, my skin would have healed by now. I don't understand it, but I had to kill my brother who gave me this. If I can't heal, I have no idea how I would keep that from them."

  I glanced at Ryan. He was gaping at Daniel's wound like it was a bomb.

  "Wait," I stopped Daniel. "You're not…spurting light like the others do, from your wound."

  He looked at me pointedly and nodded grimly. "I know."

  "What could that mean?" I asked him as I went to the cabinet and got some gauze and tape.

  "I can not conjure a response for that."

  I almost smiled at his formal tone and language. Lillian held her hand out for the supplies and didn't even look at me. Again, I wanted to smile. Oh boy…the boys were not going to like this when they got home.

  "What the…" Max said and we looked up. He was white as a ghost. "How is that possible?"

  "I don't-"

  Max wasn't giving him any room to talk. He marched right up to him to examine himself. "It went clean through." He looked up at Daniel's face. "You were run through."

  Daniel nodded. "Yes, he found me sneaking water bottles. We fought. I lost until…I didn’t lose anymore. He died when I ran him through. I didn't."

  "What does this mean?" I asked Max.

  "Your guess is as good as mine."

  Then Lily walked in.

  "Hi!" I heard brightly behind me. We all turned and Lily was standing there with her doll; innocent and oblivious.

  "Lily, get back!" Max barked and I looked at him funny. He looked at Daniel and then back at me. "I have no idea what this means, Sherry. Are you willing to risk it?"

  I huffed, but before I could say anything either way, Lily came forward and grabbed my hand.

  "Hi," she said to Daniel.

  "Hello."

  It was then that I finally looked up to his face. He was fully involved in the Lily trance; full blown, no way out, tractor beam. I pressed my lips together to stop the smile. Max was in no mood for anything above the line of disgruntled.

  "Does that hurt?" Lily asked and scrunched her nose at his stomach.

  "It does. Yes," he answered cautiously and a little stiffly.

  "You should put a band-aid on it. Mommy has plenty," she said and tugged on my hand. She then moved her head and eyes in an impatient gesture. "Get him a band-aid, Mommy."

  "Honey, he needs a little bit more than just a band-aid."

  "Ooooooooh," she said like it was a light bulb kind of revelation. Then, "Well, we can help him."

  "How?" I asked, but immediately felt chagrinned for doing so. Lily however walked right up to him. Max started to stop her but I held my hand out. For some strange reason…I needed to see this out. She crooked her finger to beckon him down to her. He went without hesitation to his knees in front of her. He held his side out of pain, but the grimace was replaced with a small surprised smile as she took his face in between her small alabaster hands.

  "I see you in there," she said to him softly. I gasped a little, not knowing what to make of it all. She looked back at me. "It's ok, Mommy. He's not a bad man. I can help him."

  She reached her finger to his face again, agonizingly slow. She touched the end of his nose with one finger and we all held our breath and waited. Then Daniel grunted and his face turned red from strain. He fell to the ground in a forward drop and didn't even try to catch himself as his face and head smashed into the floor. Lillian was there in a second and looked up at Lily curiously.

  "Lily," I said and bent down to look at her. "Why did you do that to him?" I asked softly. "I thought you said he wasn't bad."

  "Just wait," she said and giggled a little like I was being silly. I was being terrified is what I was. I glanced up at Max and Ryan, but all they could do was watch, fascinated. Then Daniel's coughing subsided slowly. He began to take deep breaths as he rolled over to his back. And when he did, we all gasped in horror.

  And shock.

  And relief.


  Not only was Daniel's stomach healed of all traces of his wound, but his skin was a normal human healthy color and his black eyes had softened into a silver. He sat up and looked at her. He looked so human, it was unreal. I mean he still had insanely dark hair and all. You could tell he was a Lighter, no doubt, but you could also tell there was something different about him. And when he spoke, his voice was wrapped with richness and gratitude.

  "Thank you, little one."

  "You're welcome, Daniel."

  "How did you know my given name?" he said on a breath.

  "I just do," she answered calmly. The air was crackly with tension.

  "Lily, what did you do?" Ryan asked in awe.

  "Nothing," Max said with surety. "She didn't do that, he healed himself like all Lighters do. Maybe it took a little longer than normal. It was just a coincidence."

  "I don't agree, brother," Ryan said as his eyes bounced between Daniel and Lily. "I think our Lily has made herself a new friend."

  "Yeah!" Lily said loudly and grabbed Daniel's hand. "Do you know how to play Spoons?"

  "Uh…."

  "Lily, we need to talk to Daniel and it's your naptime," I interrupted.

  After some persuasion, I got her to go to bed with the promise that Daniel would be there we she woke. When I came out of her room, Lillian and Daniel were speaking in low tones as Ryan and Max glared at each other and spoke in Keeper form. I sat between Ellie and Lillian.

  "Please, stay," Lillian was saying as they sat opposite each other on the couches. "Max is just protective. He'll come around like the rest of them."

  "I will not be the wedge in your line. You need to be a collected unit, together, as one. I will only make you weak in their indecision of what to do with me."

  "Did you not see what just happened?" she asked a little hysterically. "Lily just healed you!" She glanced at me and then back to him. "We didn’t know she could do that, but she did. She even said it, she said…she saw you in there, which means she knew you were a good person. Stay. That's the best way to be redeemed."

  "Why do wish for me to stay so badly?" he asked softly and inched forward as if to hear her response better.

  Max stormed off behind us in a blur and Ryan huffed, causing Ellie to look at him. He looked over and waved away our gazes. "He'll be fine. Just needs to cool off. For Daniel to show up the first day that the others left is just…bad timing. Sorry," he said to Daniel and I smiled at him hoping to convey my thanks. He was trying with Daniel, just as Merrick had.

  Of course oblivious Ryan had no clue what my smile was for.

  "What?"

  I shook my head at him and turned to see Ellie watching me. She didn't seem mad, but she didn't exactly look happy either. I smiled at her too, and she kind of returned it before getting up and making her way to Ryan. He smiled at her in an I'm completely oblivious kind of way.

  But even I could see as they walked away together that Ryan would not the one making the first move in that relationship. Hmm. Maybe Ryan needed a little nudge.

  Menace

  Chapter 16 - Malachi

  So…the humans, after all the incentives I'd given, all the rules put into place and punishments outlined, were still rebelling.

  "Whatever happened to following the crown to thy death?" I asked no one in particular. "Whatever happened to the good of the many outweigh the good of the few? Don't they know it's not good for the ones we find when they rebel like this? Don't they know it's the other ones that suffer?"

  I looked down into her sweet, oval, pale, human face. She was begging me silently with her eyes. She was so desperate I could practically taste it in the air. I narrowed my eyes at her and she whimpered, looking away.

  "Please, my…Lord," she said awkwardly and I almost wanted to laugh. She didn't actually believe that nor did she want to call me by that name. She was just trying to save her own neck, no matter how futile the effort.

  "Quiet," I said gently. See, humans were programmed to respond to certain tones and implications. Regardless of what word was said, if it was said in the right way, the humans guard would automatically be lowered. I could feel her rapidly beating pulse under my fingertips slowing. She wasn't conceding to her death. No…no. She was tricking herself into believing that there was a way out. I waited for it. Wait for it….wait for it….

  "My Lord, I'll do anything you want."

  There it is!!! I smiled to myself, boasting a skill I'd always possessed, letting my disgust for the human's predictability slide for a moment.

  "Yes, I agree that you would."

  "I'll…I can be your girl if you like," she croaked and it sounded like she gagged on the words.

  "Oh," I laughed, "don't sound so thrilled about it."

  "I'll do anything-"

  "Silence."

  I looked to one of the many minions running the mansion and held my hand out. I did so much fret about getting my hands bloody on her already bloody body. In this century, it was impossible to find a good shirt. I'd ruined many a cuff with blood splatters. So I placed the robe that the minion gave me, placing it on myself in a flourish. I raised my palm and let her see my light showing through. She gawked at it silently, wide eyed and even though she knew this would be the instrument of her death, she was fascinated.

  "Beautiful isn't it?" I murmured and glanced at my palm. So ordinary, so plain, yet so utterly vicious in its stealth.

  "What is that? What are you? You're going to kill me?" she whispered her questions in a hollow rush.

  "Why not?"

  "I'm not a rebel! Please. I didn't do anything wrong."

  "Moot," I said evenly. "I have to set an example. Sadly, you are just the means to the end. Sorry," I said and laughed at how stupid and insignificant that word sounded.

  I pulled her to me, placing her in my arms gently; the trembling in her body giving me my own shivers of delight. I lay my hand on her chest, but her words stopped me.

  "Why? Why do I have to die?"

  "Because I follow tradition," I told her and smiled. "Call me sentimental."

  Then I pulled her life force to me. My palm tingled as she jerked and screamed, but was unable to evade me. I held tight and let it flow into me. I sighed and even heard myself moan. I licked my lips and savored the human's life. She filled me. Some humans were different than others for some reason. They tasted and felt different as they entered my body. This human was exceptionally delectable.

  All too soon, she was on empty and I was full…for the moment.

  I dropped her ashen, dead body to the floor and immediately disrobed. It was a hot maroon thing that was very ceremonial, but necessary. I took a deep breath, my lungs pulsing with new life. I threw the robe to a minion. It clung to his back as he leaned down to remove her body from the room.

  I swiped my hands through my hair and stopped mid-swipe. I cursed loudly and one of the minions came to bow at my feet as he said, "What is it that you require, sir?"

  "I got her blood on my sleeve," I sulked and removed the shirt. Human blood was disgusting and after my boys took care of the humans in interrogation, then they were given to me. And they were always wet and bloody. Maybe I should rethink the arrangement.

  "I'll get you another, a clean one."

  "You do that."

  He ran off. Literally, he ran. My good little minion. I turned to the other two who were left in the room.

  "Well, I'm already soiled. Bring in another."

  As they dragged in another human, a male who wept more than the female had, I rubbed my chest against my hands in anticipation.

  One of the humans asked me if I was a vampire once. I had laughed at him and his stupidity. I told him that I was not a vampire. He asked what the difference between the two was. I explained that a vampire could get his fill, and that I was a never ending basin. His eyes were round as lemons and it made me smile. He didn't scream when I took his life like the others. It was as if he understood there was no stopping his end.

  No, I was not a v
ampire. And I wasn't after a measly meal. I was after all that there was on this planet. And I was going to have it all.

  Perpetual Misunderstanding

  Chapter 17 - Lillian

  "Well, we can find you a room. You can take a shower, too. Have you eaten? Do Lighters…..eat?" Sherry asked him.

  "We do," Daniel answered. "Our bodies are as human as yours."

  "Ok. Are you hungry? Would you like something?"

  "I don't want to trouble you-"

  Sherry touched his hand and he stopped.

  "You fed me, remember? It's the least I can do. Besides," she stood, "it's kind of my thing here. I have some pea soup ready. Not the most desirable thing, but-"

  "That would be acceptable. Thank you, Sherry."

  She smiled and went to the kitchen. The girl practically lived in there.

  I turned back to Daniel and almost gasped at his closeness. He'd inched forward some more. He seemed concerned and edgy.

  "What's the matter?" I asked.

  "I just…can not comprehend that I am here."

  "Well, you are."

  "You did not answer my question," he said quietly.

  "What question?"

  "Why do you wish for me to stay?"

  "Because it's not safe out there for you now."

  "I can fend for myself."

  I looked at his side and grimaced as I replied, "You sure about that?"

  "This," he palmed his side, "was merely a miscalculation."

  "A pretty big miscalculation. You could have died."

  "But I did not."

  "But you could have!" I yelled. He didn’t recoil at my tone. In fact, he inched closer.

  "You are very upset," he observed.

  "I am."

  "But why? You act as though you are invested in my welfare."

  "I am…I…don't want to see you get hurt."

  He inched further still. I realized he was now kneeling on the floor in front of me. I should stop him. I shouldn't let him get any closer. But there I sat.

  "Lillian," he said my name in a soft growl, "my chest hurts."

  "It does? Where? What-"

  "My human heart," he answered. "It beats uncontrollably."