Magic, Mystery & Zombies: YA starter set

by Elle Klass

  “They won’t do you any good in there.”

  She had a point. He slipped the sack off his shoulder, dug his hand inside, pulling out a stake, and handed it to Alison. Then pulled another out for him.

  Rodham closed his eyes in concentration. “They’re everywhere, preparing for the new moon when they… feast.” The word lingered on his tongue.

  Alison’s phone wailed inside her pocket. “Crap!”

  Veronica and Rodham’s eyes dug blades into her as she yanked the phone from her pocket and turned it off, but it was too late. A figure, tall and lanky, loomed behind Rodham. He turned on his heel, both hands on the wooden stake in front of him.

  The figure moved closer.

  Behind you, Al. Another crept towards her. She lowered her torso, the stake in her hands. Several bodies skulked from out of the shadows, surrounding them.

  “Look what you’ve done, Al,” said Veronica with a sigh as she dusted off her fingertips.

  A male, average height with a thin muscular build, ambled towards them through the darkness. His face silhouetted by a sliver of the moon’s light. A long, rectangular face, evenly set eyes and a straight nose. From where Alison stood he looked like a hunky male human. One of them spoke in a low throaty voice:

  “Those weapons won’t do you any good.”

  His words hung in the humid air. With each step, they moved closer. From the corner of her eye, Alison saw light, no bigger than a keychain flashlight.

  “Move away,” said Veronica, her feet crunching the thick blades of grass. “This light gets much bigger.”

  The light cast a glow on the one in front. His cobalt eyes stared into Alison’s. Walk with me, he commanded inside her head. She knew better, the journal and Gran warned about their eyes, and now she was under his spell. Her legs and feet moved but not under her power. Drifting towards him, she tried to close her eyes and stop it, but she couldn’t. It was too late. She heard and saw no one else but him. Part of her wanted to panic, scream and run, the part under his control was relaxed.

  Suddenly, he doubled over, clutching his ears. Alison’s senses came back online, voices rushed at her. “Run!” Run Alison. Her feet pounded the Earth, away from the Bloodseekers. Lights flashed behind her, illuminating the sky. She didn’t look back as she sprinted several blocks before realizing she’d abandoned Veronica and Rodham. Ogling her surroundings, she was lost, nothing looked familiar.

  Out of breath, her heart racing like a Nascar driver, she slowed to a walk, her hand still clutching the stake. Houses surrounded her, but in the distance were bright street lights, downtown - business - life. She ran towards them, focused on getting back to humanity.

  People milling the streets was a welcome sound as she skirted past St. Augustine’s nightlife. A couple walked towards her, nipping each other’s lips. She turned away from them and slipped the stake into her waistband, pulling her shirt over it.

  Horse drawn carriages clopped against the road; pirates in full costume mingled outside the local taverns. She sighed at the relief.

  Safety, a relative word at the moment. The security she felt wrapped inside the night life of St. Augustine brought forth a new fear. Rodham. Is he OK? Where is he? How am I getting home? At the moment, she hoped he was OK and tuned into her private thoughts, but she didn’t hear him - only silence.

  Lost in her thoughts, panic setting in, and a car slowed to a crawl behind her. The headlights beamed against her back. Panic times three. She escaped Bloodseekers, lost Rodham, and now was about to get kidnapped. Her eyes darting everywhere, searching for options. She could go straight instead needed somewhere the car couldn’t follow.

  It pulled up beside her and someone shouted from inside it. “Alison?”

  Rodham

  Alison sprinted out of harm’s way. The Bloodseekers recovered quickly from the ear-splitting noise and rushed towards them. Fangs bared and pointy tongues licking their lips. Deformed, wrinkly hands, sharp claws distended from their fingertips instead of nails, and onyx eyes devoid of pupils. Rodham held the stake, combat ready, to gorge whichever dared approach first.

  Thoughts of rage emitted from the strands of their vile brains. You will pay, you’re mine, ricocheted in unison as each carried the same thought.

  Veronica and Rodham stood back to back, moving in slow circles. An abrupt burst of light erupted from behind Rodham. The Seeker closest raised his yellowed, weathered claw over his elongated face. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Rodham thrust the stake into his heart. It crunched through his frame, along his ribs, and gurgled as he pulled it out, poised to spar and take them all on.

  Crimson dripped from his hand, Veronica grabbed it. Electricity diffused through him, expelling through his fingertips in a web of lightning, detonating against the Seekers, penetrating their cores. Like wax, their bodies melted, puddling on the trampled grass.

  Rodham’s feet levitated off the ground, and his head jerked backwards, his mind entering the dark cave of Veronica’s mind. An overpowering sorrow filled him as the wail of a small baby screamed through the gloom. An obscure light, no bigger than a pin, opened through the blackness of her mind.

  He floated through as an onlooker, having no control over his extremities. The baby’s cry continued as he drifted towards the light. The pitch blackness was too dark for him to discern if anyone or anything was close by, or to see the baby.

  The pin-light enlarged as he glided towards it, shielding his eyes from its blinding glow. His body shifted and squeezed through the light portal. Its intensity forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. The baby’s wail changed to joyful coos.

  “We gotta go now!” echoed inside Rodham’s head, jerking him out of her mind and into the present. Veronica’s eyes bored into his as she released her grasp and sprinted around the corner. Dazed, he shook it off and followed her. His long strides allowed him to catch up to her quickly and his stamina gave him the ability to pace himself with her. They raced through the darkness, following the same path they took into the subdivision of Bloodseekers.

  When they reached the parking lot, Veronica bent over, hands on her knees as she took several deep breaths. The magic of the amulet allowed him to stroll alongside her, breathing light and easy.

  He gave her a minute to catch her breath, then blasted her with a question. “How did you know to take my hand?”

  She brushed the bangs out of her eyes and lifted her torso. “I didn’t. When I touched you earlier we sparked. I took a chance.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It worked. My light spread through you, fusing with yours, and we baked them inside out like a microwave dinner.”

  After that description he wouldn’t be eating any microwaved foods until the vision cleared from his head - maybe never. “What are you?”

  “Alison calls me a witch of the light, but I don’t know. I pursue Bloodseekers, and toy with them mano a mano, or two on one, making them suffer before pulling their plug in a gruesome death. This is part of me, and I can’t stop it. Another part of me feels great sadness when I look at their dead, decaying bodies, like I’ve killed a sibling. I’m two parts of a whole lot of messed up.”

  She sighed. “I couldn’t take them all on, not the ten or so that rushed towards us, and your stake wouldn’t have been enough. But together our energy compounded into a small nuclear blast.”

  Alison. Where is Alison? He reached out to her through his mind, but couldn’t find her signature, the cord that contained her string of thoughts was severed. He pulled up nothing, his eyes darted back and forth, scanning the flagpole and surrounding area. “We need to find Alison.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I guess we do.”

  He’d had all of Veronica’s perky sarcasm that he could handle for the day. “My car’s not far. Do you need a ride?” He hoped she’d say no, yet knew he needed a second set of eyes searching for Alison.

  Ignoring his question, she marched towards a bush and dug through it, pulling out a bicycle. She steered it towards him. “We can put thi
s in your car and hunt for your girlfriend.”

  They walked in silence to the lot where he’d parked. Once they reached it, he beeped the car locks and her eyes lit up. “Oh, I get to ride in your shiny green Charger. Every girls dream.” She jumped up and down and clapped her hands, mimicking joy.

  “And if you play nice maybe I’ll let you sit in the front seat.”

  “Oh boy, oh boy!” She did an eye roll as she opened the door and took a seat - shotgun.

  They cruised slowly up and down the city streets, their eyes peeled, as Veronica jeered, ‘Slow down, I think I see her. No, sorry, not her.’ Each time he bought it, desperate to find Alison.

  After the fourth time he took her home, his heart thundering up and down the tracks of a never ending rollercoaster. She lived in the same subdivision, only further back. The lawn was manicured to perfection and a string of bushes shaped like boxes against the house.

  He pulled the Charger alongside her driveway and she tilted her head towards him. “I’m sure Alison is fine.”

  He nodded and unlocked the trunk. “You can get your bike.”

  She stepped out of the car, went around the back and lifted it out, strolling up the driveway towards the house. Resting her bike against the garage she formed a tiny light ball in her hands, carving her lips into an O she blew it towards him.

  The small lightning bolt hit the vehicle, grounding through the tires, and Veronica’s voice came through the speakers, “Thank you.”

  Alison

  The female voice was familiar. Alison stopped and turned on her heel. Through the windshield she recognized the blonde tresses and blue eyes. “Lacey?”

  “Get in the car.” She stopped, allowing Alison into the passenger seat. “What are you doing?”

  “I… umm… it’s been a long night. Whose car?”

  “My mom’s. She sent me to pick up food from her favorite restaurant. I’m her errand girl.” Her familiar smile warmed Alison and the aromas of the food wafted towards her. In the back seat were four white, sealed Styrofoam cartons.

  “I was here with Rodham and we got separated. We were with Veronica, walking in a subdivision I guess, but the homes were old. A gang of guys surrounded us. We ran and that’s when we got separated. I don’t know where he is and don’t know how to get back there.” The fibs came easily now. Enough practice, anyone can become a pro at whatever their heart desires. In this case, the fibs were necessary.

  Lacey raised an eyebrow. “Veronica. She’s bad news, there’s something creepy about her.”

  “You’re right, but I thought I’d give her a chance. This isn’t her fault.” It was my fault for not turning off my phone.

  “Forget Veronica. You’re on foot. We must be close.”

  “You have food to get home. I’m grateful you found me.”

  She shrugged. “My mom will get pissed, but why don’t we take a short drive around before going home? I’ll just tell her traffic was bad.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “It’s no big. It’s what friends do, help each other.”

  Alison searched every face, turning her head twice when she saw someone resembling Rodham. A bouncing pony tail caught her eye, giving her hope that it was Veronica. As they cruised past, the pony tail belonged to a face much older. Her hope vanished and worry ate at her insides, snaking around her heart.

  The city vanishing behind them, Highway One opening before them, she imagined Rodham home when she got there, his cute dimple teasing his cheek, and emerald eyes searching hers.

  When they pulled into the parking lot she craned her neck searching for his Charger. Her heart sank deeper inside her chest when it wasn’t there.

  “He’s OK.” Lacey turned to Alison as she shifted into park.

  “Yeah, he’s probably looking for me.” She forced a smile. “Thanks, Lacey.” She climbed out of the car and ran-walked to the apartment, searching her pocket for the key. Empty. She groaned, remembering she’d slid it under Rodham’s doormat. She hoped he’d put it back. The night gave her the creeps, and every sound made her jump.

  She pushed her foot under the mat and tipped it, the key was there. She picked it up and scampered to her door. Chills chasing her spine as she fumbled the key into the lock. Footfalls walking towards the breezeway hurried her process. Hurry up! She got the door open, her heart thumping like a rabid hyena, when a hand touched her shoulder, electricity blazing through her body.

  “You’re OK.”

  She turned and wrapped her arms around Rodham’s brawny middle. “And so are you. I thought…”

  His arms folded around Alison, resting his chin on her head. “I couldn’t read you for almost two hours. Your thoughts came back when you were with Lacey, almost home.”

  “What happened tonight?”

  “Hmm hmm…” A familiar throat clearing. “Mom.” Alison’s eyes and arms dropped as she faced her parental unit. Rodham tucked his arms to his sides.

  “Al, are you going to introduce me?” She forced a smile. Alison had avoided Rodham conversations, now she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

  “This is Rodham. He lives across the hall.” She bit her bottom lip.

  “Hi, Ms. Parker. I was just bringing her home.”

  “She’s home. Thank you.” Mom grabbed the side of the door. Her way of saying the reunion was over and Alison had explaining to do. Having a boyfriend wasn’t the problem - keeping him secret was. On the bright side, she still had the twenty dollar bill her mother gave her earlier.

  Rodham nodded and walked across the breezeway to his apartment, turning once as Mom shut their door. His face vanishing from her sight.

  “A boyfriend, Al?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “Yeah, kind of.” Several lies waltzed across her mind, but none that sounded realistic enough that her mom would be gullible enough to believe.

  “Sit down.” She motioned to the love seat, and followed Alison to it, taking a seat beside her. “Al, you can have a boyfriend, but why haven’t you told me about him?”

  Time to spill her guts. She dodged the crazy Bloodseeker/Slayer stuff, choosing her words carefully. “At first he wasn’t. He was just the hot guy across the hall, but we were both so annoyed with the crazy neighbors we started talking. And well… we kissed. We’re not… going steady, like you and dad did.”

  She nodded, a wide smile stretching across her round face. “That’s old terminology, ‘going steady’. Al, just talk to me. Don’t leave me in the dark.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom.” If she knew what was really going on and how close Alison had come to death three times in less than a week, she’d freak out. Alison knew that. A boyfriend was the lesser of the evils and easier to explain.

  She threw her arms around Alison and squeezed. “I love you!”

  She returned her hug, the scent of her lavender body spray and beat of her heart soothed Alison. “Love you, Mom.”

  “Now get to bed.”

  She debated on taking the couch again, but had too many questions for Gran. She’d be upset too by putting herself and Rodham, another Slayer, in unnecessary danger.

  She tiptoed to her room, lifted the covers and crawled underneath. “Gran?” she whispered.

  “I’m not sleeping. What you did was dangerous.”

  “But you don’t know what I did.”

  She raised her torso, folded her pillow and leaned against it. “I can read your body language. So tell the story.”

  Alison burst like a balloon and told her everything; Veronica killing the Bloodseeker at the game, how she and Rodham met her tonight. Every bit of it.

  When she finished, Gran sat quiet for a moment in contemplation. “You are convinced she’s a witch of the light?”

  “I’ve seen her light. Is she?”

  “There’s a legend about two witches, one of the light the other of the dark. They fell in love, shirked their responsibilities and ran off together. A spell was cast on them and they died a gruesome death.”

/>   Alison licked her lips, considering Gran’s words and the tale. “I shouldn’t trust her.”

  “Be careful. Bloodseekers and Slayers alike were created by witch spells. They have been around since the beginning of time. Witches of the dark arts are descendants of the sorceress and original Bloodseeker, they protect the Seekers. Those of the light protect us. But never forget who started it all. Witches always have their own agenda.”

  Chapter 15

  Mom flipped the pancakes bubbling in the pan, and gave the scrambled eggs and grits a quick stir. Gran strolled out of the bedroom and took a seat beside Alison on the couch while the TV hummed in the background. Gran leaned towards her. “We’re going back tonight.”

  Dread surged through Alison’s body, recalling her near death experiences and thinking Rodham was gone. She narrowed her eyes and nodded no. She didn’t ever want to go back!

  “We have to. It’s good Veronica showed you that place. We need to know where they live in the highest concentrations, that’s where your light will have the most impact. Its radius is only so far.”

  Alison bit her lower lip. Suck it up, be brave, she told herself. To be a Slayer I need to be strong, instead of a big chicken. “OK, I know.” Fear pulsed in her gut as the words dropped from her mouth.

  A network of fine lines graced the corners of Gran’s eyes as she smiled.

  Alison’s mind drifted to Vicky, it wasn’t Vicky’s fault her call gave away their location. Alison wore that on her shoulders and really needed her bestie right now. She lifted herself from the couch and padded outside, closing the sliding glass door for privacy. She missed Vicky and her quiet life in Virginia.

  “Hi, Al!” beamed Vicky’s voice after a single ring.

  Warmth carried away the anxiety resting in her gut. “Hey, Vick. You won’t believe what I’m going to tell you. It keeps getting crazier.”

  She filled her in on their Bloodseeker slayings, Veronica, and their near death experiences.

  “You’re going back? OMG, this is so exciting!”