Magic, Mystery & Zombies: YA starter set
Page 32
The three stared at each other, then at both dead Bloodseekers. The only thing on Alison’s mind was how Rodham saved her again from the wrath of a horrible creature. Rodham sent her a message. Do you still have their key?
Yes.
Go get it. They decompose quickly, we’re going to put them inside their apartment before any neighbors notice what’s happened.
Without hesitation, she jumped over Blue Eyes’ body, unlocked the door, sprinted towards her room and grabbed the key from her jewelry box. Within seconds she unlocked their door, and Gran and Rodham dragged their bodies inside, tossing them like trash bags across the floor.
Gran’s strength and agility took Alison by surprise, she’d never thought of her as a warrior until this moment. In time she’d take her place and Gran would lose her abilities. Her body would age at a quick pace and… she shook the thought from her head, unwilling to think about it.
The rush of the event pulsed in Alison’s veins. She and Rodham killed someone, something, only seconds from taking her life. Gran lifted the hair falling across her neck.
“It’s only a surface wound, she barely broke the skin. A band aid and you’ll be fine.” In the excitement Alison forgot about the graze from the Bloodseeker’s fang.
“What would happen to me if…”
Gran interrupted, “You wouldn’t turn into one, but we don’t have a healer here so you would suffer great blood loss and illness but it would pass in a few days.”
She sighed, touching the broken skin. “What does it take to become one?”
“You have Slayer blood and cannot become one. Regular mortal humans can, when a Bloodseeker drains them and replaces their blood with their own. Most humans they drain, sucking the life from them, they don’t turn them. It’s not known why they choose someone to become Bloodseeker and why others they suck dry.”
As they exited the Bloodseekers’ apartment, a rustling from the bushes beside the building caught Alison’s attention. Gran’s arm around her, she looked over her shoulder, but it was merely a man walking his dog. The dark hair with gray strands reminded her of Mr. Turner. She giggled at the thought, then remembered he’d given them homework.
The three walked to Alison’s apartment, locking the door behind them. Gran’s sober expression said more than words could. She sucked in her breath and searched their eyes, electricity crackling between her and Rodham.
“You both have Bloodseeker blood on your hands. They will find their dead, who will be nothing but bones by the morning, and seek you out.” Her eyes shifted, meeting Alison’s. “Ally, at the new moon you have no choice but to take this amulet.” She lifted the object from beneath her top. “They will wait until then to seek their revenge and destroy you - both of you. That’s when they are strongest, and most human in form. They hold no fear, but when you place the amulet on your neck, the light will destroy every Seeker on the surface close enough to burst, and beneath. As long as light can get to them they will burn in flames, turning into a pile of ash.”
“I saw that outside Rodham’s window, the night he bonded with his amulet.”
Gran nodded. “Rodham told me the danger. The amulet spoke to him, now it allows him into the minds of others. You put yourself in danger.”
“I saw his white light. I knew what it was and…”
Rodham finished for her, “The fire jumped over her, burning the Bloodseeker. But how did it know if she didn’t come until seeing the white light? That happened as it touched my skin.”
Gran scrunched her eyebrows, puzzled. “Hmm… Topaz intervened.”
Alison’s mind sifted through Gran’s words, focusing on “most human in form”, she’d said this before but they appeared as human to Alison, with the exception of their vibrant eyes. Rodham passed the answer through her head. Once you wear the amulet, you see their true form. You have to do this Ally. It was a full moon and they were in hiding when I took possession of my amulet. I only killed the one…
He’d read her mind, answered her questions, but couldn’t stop the sinking feeling in her gut of losing Gran.
Chapter 12
Alison shifted in the plastic seat, last night playing through her mind, the scrunching sound of the stake penetrating Blue Eyes as it sank into her heart echoing in her mind. Magnified by the thought of losing Gran - her rock and mentor. The new moon only a week away, and tonight the football game. Lacey tossed a smile her way and Mr. Turner’s voice hummed beneath the surface of her thoughts.
She drifted through lunch and her classes. Rodham’s usual jovial humor didn’t appease her as he talked in her mind in an attempt to wipe away the glum and doom.
I will be your rock. We, the seven, have each other’s backs, we are one - family.
She pulled her lips into a strained smile, appearing constipated instead of happy.
A small thump hit her back, and a tiny ball of paper rolled to the ground beneath her chair. Alison glanced downward as the paper ball came to a stop beside her foot. Her first thought was Veronica. She craned her neck to see around the tall, dark-haired kid that sat between them.
Veronica leaned over her desk, dark eyes concentrating on tiny pieces of balled paper littering it, one rose and hung in the air. No fingers, no strings, it hovered over the others. One by one, each elevated above her desk, and danced in the air, then dropped when her eyes shifted, meeting Alison’s. Like a child caught stealing candy, she gathered the tiny paper balls and stuffed them into her backpack.
Did you see that? Alison asked Rodham.
See what?
Veronica. She made paper wads dance over her desk with her eyes!
No way! She’s weird, but how could she do that?
I don’t know. Maybe she’s some type of evil supernatural creature.
He chuckled out loud, catching Veronica’s and their teacher’s attention. They were taking a quiz, although he’d turned his in, noise wasn’t permitted until everyone finished.
“Something funny Mr. Winters?” asked their teacher, as he stood and strolled past Rodham’s desk.
“No.”
Veronica flashed dark eyes, void of pupils, toward Rodham. Alison’s pencil lifted off her desk, and hovered over her hand then plunged into her notepad, centimeters from Alison’s thumb. She watched with a mixture of disbelief and horror.
Rodham watched the entire episode while their teacher didn’t see a thing as his back was towards Alison. Rodham’s eyes grew into green saucers, sparking light, watching the twenty second episode. There’s no light in her, only darkness. I can’t read her mind, but sometimes I see broken images. I don’t know what she is, but she’s not one of us.
As if worrying about her new found responsibilities, and Bloodseekers, wasn’t enough, she had a new, profound, confessed enemy - Veronica.
After school, Rodham had football prep for the game, so Alison rushed home to Gran, anxious to tell her all about her experience with Veronica. She flung the door open, discovering the apartment empty. A note on the refrigerator said they went out for a late lunch. She’d lost track of time and mom’s schedule - she was off today and tomorrow. That’d make talking with Gran about Slayer stuff difficult.
She relied too much on Gran, who didn’t have a mentor but learned it all through the journal and experience. If I am to take possession of the amulet on the new moon, then it is high time I learned on my own. The journal lay inside her nightstand top drawer. She pulled it out, curled on her bed, tucking a pillow beneath her head, and opened the first page. It had to contain something about other supernatural creatures with the power of telekinesis and who knows what else.
All her bookworm years served her well as she dug into the meat of the journal, quickly reading through hundreds of Alda’s and Gran’s experiences. I’m a third generation Slayer, as are the other Slayers of my generation. But where are they and how soon before we find each other?
The original seven were made to rid the Earth of Bloodseekers. The amulets created and spelled were scattered
across the globe, as a test of their commitment they each had to find theirs. As a group, they sought their lights, fighting Bloodseekers along the way, taking possession of their amulets as each was found. To speed up the search, they separated into groups of two and three, one Slayer with their amulet per group. Alda and James were one group. Once each possessed their amulet and power, all seven were to rendezvous in St. Augustine.
James and Alda were the first group to reach St. Augustine. Alda was killed before the others reached the city. The original seven never had the chance to combine their light. It was over a century later when Alda guided Gran to her light. And nearly another century before all seven combined for the first time, each with their amulet, finally joining their lights and sending a burst of white light across the globe, destroying every Bloodseeker on the surface.
A Bloodseeker-free Earth prevailed and the seven split. Alda and Gran wrote of witches of the darkness and light. Descendants of the original Sorceress who created the Bloodseekers are called witches of the night, a black void inside them, and a tricky mind to read which served to protect the Seekers. The witch descendants of the original witch who spelled the amulets for the original Slayer seven are called witches of the light, they fight alongside the Slayers, balling and creating light within their fists.
Is Veronica a witch of darkness? Remembering Rodham’s words, I can’t read her mind but sometimes I see broken images.
She read on further. There are three ways to kill a Seeker; slicing off their head with a silver sword, plunging a wooden stake through their heart, and white light. The legends of Holy Water, crosses, and garlic do little but slow down a Seeker. To rid the Earth forever of all Seekers is to destroy the original Sorceress, the mother of all Bloodseekers and witches of the night.
The seven silver swords can be found hidden beneath the Cathedral Basilica in St. Augustine. Alison didn’t recognize the name, so she grabbed her tablet and did an internet search. The church is located inside the city, across from Flagler College. She’d seen the college. A black chain fence with spiked balls that reminded her of cannonballs surrounded the college. And a statue of Henry Flagler stood outside the front as if guarding it. Bloodseekers won’t go inside a Catholic Church. Maybe there was more to Holy Water or Holy entities than the Slayers realized.
“Al. We’re home.” Jolted from her thoughts, she slipped the journal into its drawer.
“Hi Mom, Gran.” Mom wrapped her arm around Alison’s back and gave it a quick squeeze. “Gran’s been trapped inside this apartment so we went for fresh air. Tomorrow we’ll all do something together. How was your day?”
Alison sent Gran an eye smile, she wished for Rodham’s gift so she and Gran could carry on a telepathic conversation. Gran returned an eye smile of her own and a knowing nod.
“It was normal, but tonight I’m picking up Lacey and we’re going to the first football game. It’s a home game.”
“Sounds fun, happy to see you making friends.”
“Where are we going tomorrow?”
“I thought we’d go to the Fort, maybe learn a little history. I’ve read that it was built in the late 1600s to protect the city from pirates. It’s made of coquina, a shell native to the area… ”
Alison’s mind wandered as her mother continued the history lesson. She absently interrupted, “Can we see the Cathedral Basilica too?”
Gran shot her a glance with eyes narrowed. Mom didn’t notice as she waltzed into the kitchen, stuffing their doggie bags into the fridge. Alison mouthed to Gran, “I’ve been reading.”
She nodded a yes and mouthed, “Don’t involve your mom. She can’t know.”
She scrunched her eyebrows. Telling mom wasn’t part of her plan. Why not tour the church? What was going to happen?
Gran waved Alison towards her bedroom. She plopped on the edge of her bed as Gran closed the door and scooted in beside her. “Ally, you can destroy the Seekers with your light on the new moon, only after possessing your amulet can you acquire your sword.”
“I didn’t see that in the journal.”
“You haven’t read it all. After you put the amulet on your neck, you can possess the sword. It’s heavier than you can hold and, like the amulet, it will bind to you when it’s time. The garnets in its handle will spiral into a red light, connecting it with the garnet in your amulet, giving you the ability to wield the sword.”
The door creaked open and mom’s head poked through the crack. “This is where you two went. I was in the living room talking to myself. Is there a secret here I’m missing?” She chuckled a little, then studied their faces for an answer.
“Just a little grandmother/granddaughter bonding.” Gran kissed Alison’s cheek then stood.
Mom pushed the door open wider and pulled a $20 bill from out of her pocket. “This is for the game.”
“Since I’m driving, Lacey is paying for our tickets.”
“You may get hungry.” She tucked the money into Alison’s hand.
Her first high school football game. In Virginia, Vicky and Alison spent Friday nights watching movies and indulging on popcorn, pizza, and enjoying the sugar rush of soda.
The parking lot was a mess of wandering teens and bad parking jobs. Thankful her car was small, she squished into a tiny spot between a brand new SUV and a convertible. They maneuvered through the teenaged crowd to the open gates where Lacey bought their tickets, and instead of sitting they mingled with the crowd. She barely knew anyone. A few she recognized from her classes, but they all knew her as “Rodham’s Girl”.
The title made her feel special, until she remembered that title would be short lived once she accepted and bonded with the amulet. Her stomach twisted and churned with the thought, losing her first ever almost-boyfriend and Gran. There was no escaping destiny, no matter how much she wished she could.
Rodham caught each pass thrown his way and ran in for a touchdown before half-time. His firm legs and agile feet pounding the grass with each thrust. A few minutes before the half, Lacey leaned towards her ear, “The refreshment stand and restrooms will be crazy. Why don’t we go now?” Alison nodded in agreement and followed her lead. Teens stood alongside the bleachers, yelling and hollering as the two squeezed through and down the steps.
Lacey handed her $10 and asked Alison to order while she veered towards the restroom. At the snack vendor, she ordered a large basket of nachos and two sodas. When Lacey arrived, she handed them off to her, along with her change, and bee-lined towards the bathroom.
The bathrooms and food vendors were located on the same side of the field as the home seats. The parking lot behind them. She reached for the bathroom door when a flash of light from the parking lot beyond blinded her for a second. The light wasn’t like Rodham’s, but stronger than the average flashlight.
Without forethought she walked towards it. The light flashed again. A female form stood at the edge of the parking lot, the tree line behind it, her hands outstretched as a ball of light balanced on her fingertips. A few feet from her stood another female form, her feet poised to run and hands extended in front of her. The light ball erupted from the girl’s fingertips, meeting the other form in her face. From Alison’s position she identify either female. Were they students? Bloodseekers? A witch of the light? She accepted that her mind was distracted and not everything strange was supernatural in nature. Crossing her fingers she hoped for nothing more than teens causing trouble, but she needed to get closer.
There was a small hole at the bottom of the chain-link fence separating her from them. She got down on her hands and knees and forced herself through it. The movement caught both females’ attention, their faces turned towards her. And she instantly recognized the one who held the ball of light. Veronica. The other rushed towards her, faster than any human, teeth bared, her face melting like wax. A Bloodseeker.
Chapter 13
Rodham
Rodham sat in the locker room as the coach mapped out the second half plays and the team manager gave th
em each a bottle of water. His mind was only half focused. He’d seen Alison in the bleachers with Lacey, and Veronica a few rows over and below. After Veronica’s display at school with the paper wads, it worried him that on the field he couldn’t protect Alison.
All he could do was use his gift to listen in, still not able to penetrate Veronica’s barrier. Her mind was a void, a deep, dark abyss filled with nothing. The journal talked about witches cloaking their minds. Watching her today, he was nearly positive she was a dark witch or a witch of the night as the journal called them.
The voices he’d heard tonight both helped him with the game and made it difficult to concentrate. He didn’t consider it cheating that he knew the opposing team’s plays. It was his firm grasp that caught the ball and his powerful legs that carried him over the line into the end zone. Focusing on the game took his attention away from Alison and other voices. Bloodseekers had a unique signature to their brain waves, very different from humans. Still fine tuning his telepathic ability, he had some difficulty separating streams of thought in crowded areas, such as the football game.
Jogging to the field, he searched the bleachers for Alison’s ginger head. When he couldn’t find her he sent out his telepathic feelers that had a channel for her only. Alison! he called with his mind. Alison, where are you? Something was interfering with his communication, blocking him like a thick wall.
Alison
Alison froze, her body halfway through the fence. Within a few seconds the Bloodseeker closed in, blocking her view of Veronica. She tried to scurry back through the fence but the edge of her blouse caught on a sharp piece of broken chain-link. The Seeker’s melting face healed as it grew closer to Alison, then something caught the Bloodseeker from behind and flung her into the air and crashing into the trees surrounding the parking lot, landing on a wooden fence post. It gored her insides, smashing through her heart, leaving her impaled body face down, unmoving, on the fence post.