Staked!

by Candace Wondrak

  I looked as I lifted a finger to my cheek, where my mother touched me. Marked. Perhaps I wasn’t marked for death quiet yet. Not today.

  Raphael stood up and maladroitly stumbled over to us, watching the same sight we were. “I don’t understand.”

  “Neither do I,” I said.

  Michael felt his head, wiping off some of the red liquid from his eyes, and helped Alyssa into sitting position. “That was pure torture.”

  Alyssa’s eyes widened, oblivious to the blood that streaked down her face. “John.”

  Rain stirred and rolled over to his brother. He lifted my rose blade to his brother’s neck, about to cleave him in two, but stopped short. “John?”

  John moaned. His brown eyes turned to me. “Kirk,” he said, chest heaving. He sounded normal, like he did before the Osiris ritual. He glanced to his Witch sister. “Alyssa…I—I’m sorry.”

  “Me too,” I whispered, mostly to myself. This was pretty much all my fault. All the people he slaughtered, their deaths would weigh heavily on me for a long time.

  Gabriel hugged me again. “It’s not your fault. You can’t think that.”

  I nodded, secretly not believing him. Although, technically he could read my thoughts, so I wasn’t that secret about it. Anything I thought wasn’t a secret, not anymore. My eyes returned to John.

  It was John. John. The normal John. I could tell. His brown eyes were full of sadness, regret and self-hate. He wouldn’t even glance in my direction, too ashamed at the things he did to meet my stare.

  The tattoo was still on his skin, meaning that he still had Osiris’s powers. So why the sudden change?

  John brought his trembling hands to his mouth, wiping off my blood that stained his lips. “I…” He continued to watch Alyssa. “Do the spell. Kill me. Just…kill me. Please.” He covered his face.

  Alyssa ran over to John. Taking the sword gently out of Rain’s grasp, she said to him, “John.” She ran her fingers up to his temples. She exhaled and shut her eyes. In a few moments, she tore her hands away, staring down at him. “It really is you.” She embraced her brother in a giant bear hug. “How is that possible?”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight – John

  I was silent. I had nothing to say. Even if I did, I could not have said anything to make it okay. My lips were zipped tight.

  “John…it really is you.” Alyssa’s familiar, soft voice said, “How is that possible?”

  The stone driveway seemed to be the only place where my eyes belonged. I couldn’t bring myself to look at anyone, especially Kass. I could never look at her again. I didn’t deserve to, after what I did. After all the things I had done.

  Plus, she was in Gabriel’s arms.

  Not that it mattered anymore. It was done. I was done. I was a monster and I couldn’t change it. The only thing I could do was let Alyssa do her spell and let them kill me. For good.

  Besides, I was ready to die. I didn’t want to, but I had little choice after this past week. After everything I did. The people I killed. A couple walking in the park. The girl from the club. The family in the RV: a father, mother, son and baby girl. The woman I videotaped coming back to life. The florist. The school’s secretary and principal.

  If I lived, who was to say it would stop? Who’s to say that I wouldn’t go on another crazy rampage?

  Kirk’s intense eyes stared through me, waiting for me to say something, but I had nothing to say. Well, one thing, but it didn’t matter how many times it was said. It wouldn’t change what I did to all those people. What I thought of doing to Kass.

  “Kill me,” I spoke through chapped lips. “Just do it. I beg you. Do the spell…do whatever you have to.”

  “No.” Alyssa shook her head. Her black hair got in my face, but I didn’t care enough to move it. “No. I won’t. You’re back, John. Don’t you understand? You’re back! I’m not going to do the spell. You’re back. You’re your normal self. I saw it. We can help you deal with this. We’ll move to the mountains, help you—”

  I looked to Kirk. His jaw was clenched. It wasn’t a good sign. “Kirk…”

  Alyssa turned to him. “Kirk, it’s John. He’s himself now. We don’t have to do it.”

  Kirk ran a bruised hand through his hair. “We may not have a choice.” He glanced to Michael, who was standing behind Gabriel and Kass. “I wash my hands of this. It’s up to you. I…I’m not an objective third party to this.”

  Alyssa stared at Michael, full of hope and positively expectant that it was all going to be okay. But we weren’t in a fairy tale. Things in this life hardly ever turned out okay. The sooner she realized that the better off she’d be.

  I stood, struggling to get my balance. “Michael.” I walked over to him. “Tell them to do the spell. Tell them.”

  Michael was quiet as he looked to Raphael, Gabriel and Kass for guidance. He pushed his glasses up his nose and said, “The only thing I have to do is return a call to the Council. Raphael, will you help me find the number?”

  Raphael was solemn, nodding and walking into the house.

  Michael grabbed Kirk’s shoulder and whispered something.

  But I heard it. On account of my superhuman hearing.

  “Take him and get him under control. If you’re still here when I come back out, we will do the spell. And, for God’s sake, watch him like a bloody hawk, and if he shows any signs of regression, and I mean any, then I expect you will do the right thing. For everyone’s sake, you will.” And with that, Michael walked into the house, slamming the door.

  Deep down, I was upset. I wanted to die. That was what I deserved.

  How could I go on living?

  Chapter Thirty-Nine – Kass

  “Goodbye,” Alyssa said, hugging me tight. I couldn’t believe Michael was just going to let them go. I truly couldn’t believe it. What was he thinking? “And good luck.”

  “What?” I asked, bewildered.

  “You know.” Her dark eyes peered around me, at Gabriel, who was standing there, arms crossed and looking like an angry watchdog. “Just, good luck. Oh.” Alyssa remembered. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small ring. “Here.”

  “What?” I blinked. It was a small silver ring, decorated with Celtic designs and a small dark blue stone. “What’s this for?”

  A soft giggle escaped her lungs. “It’s for you. It’s…a good luck charm. When you wear it, I can sense you. If you ever run into trouble, put it on and I’ll have Kirk back here in a flash. Literally.”

  My hand closed around the ring. “Thank you, Alyssa. Thanks for everything.” I hugged her one, last time. “Good luck to you, too. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

  “I won’t.” She smiled and got in the car. I heard her say, “Are you going to say goodbye?”

  “No,” John told her, still not even glancing in my direction.

  That was fine. I wasn’t certain what I’d do if John looked at me. I hated him for everything he did, for those he murdered and the horrid things he did to me…but a small part of me still liked him, still held a torch for the guy. Sure, its flame dwindled, and in a few weeks, it’d be completely extinguished, but that didn’t dim what I felt right now, staring at their car.

  Shoulders slumping, I headed up the steps to the house, practically running into Rain.

  “Kass,” he spoke low.

  For a moment, I stared hard at his face. He looked remarkably like John, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I met him first, would things have turned out differently. But that was neither here nor there. It didn’t matter anymore.

  “Goodbye Rain, uh…I mean Kirk. I’ll see you around.” I waved and tried to step around him.

  But he got in my way. “No. If things go well, you’ll never see me again.”

  “Oh. For your information, people say I’ll see you around even if they know they’ll never see you again, around or not.” I attempted to evade him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

  “You might want to tell Gabriel to go in
the house. He might not want to hear this.” Rain’s dark eyes stared down at me.

  “In your dreams, ass-hat,” Gabriel growled, narrowing his sapphire gaze at Rain.

  “Kass,” Rain spoke, “I want you to know that I’ve only known you for less than a week, but it feels a lot longer than that. You…you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. Infuriating sometimes, yes, but so very different. If I’m honest, I don’t want to leave this place. I don’t want to leave you. Ridiculous, I know, because I barely know you.”

  “Okay,” I said, dragging out the word, not knowing where this little speech of his was going.

  “Goodbye, Kass,” Rain said coolly, glancing toward the blonde who’d moved beside me, shooting him an icy expression. “I’m leaving you in his hands.”

  Rain opened his car door. Before getting in, he looked at me and said, “Goodbye.” He sat in the driver’s seat and closed the door. The engine started up and soon he, Alyssa, and John were miles down the road, heading to God knew where.

  That was when I realized a few, crucial things: my one and only friend who didn’t live in my house was leaving me, probably for forever; Michael, the Englishman who practically breathed the Council handbook just let two Daywalkers and a Witch go; and I wanted to see them again, as soon as possible.

  Gabriel crossed his arms. “Well.”

  I tilted my head. “Well what?”

  “Well, I’m glad I stayed out here to watch that guy. I think he would’ve tried kissing you goodbye or something equally as wrong.”

  Putting my hands on my hips, I said, “Why do you suddenly seem so jealous of any male attention I get?”

  His blue eyes stayed on me, not wavering. “I’m not jealous. I have you in my pocket.”

  “I am not in your pocket, Gabriel.”

  “Come on, Kass, admit it. I have you, and I have you good.”

  I locked my jaw, not saying anything as I spun and entered the house.

  An explosive sigh came from his mouth. “Someday you’ll admit it.”

  I held up a hand. “Gabriel. You won’t catch me admitting anything like that while I’m conscious.” I started up the stairs, but he followed me.

  “You’re wrong, Kass. You don’t know you’re wrong, but you are.”

  Suddenly, I stopped and leaned on the stairwell, looking straight at him. He was two steps below me and yet he was still taller than me. Amazing.

  “Hey, I know I’m amazing.” Gabriel winked. “Let’s talk about this kiss.”

  “What kiss? There was no kiss—”

  “Thanks to me, there wasn’t. But I wasn’t talking about a kiss between you and that jerk.” Gabriel set his strong, tattooed hand on the handrail beside me. The cover-up we’d bought at the drug store was wearing off, and his flowing marks were beginning to grow more and more visible by the hour. “I was talking about the kiss between you and me.”

  Hearing him say it, I was slightly taken aback. “Gabriel, there will never be a kiss between us. Unless you steal another while I’m in another coma.” Smug, I spun and headed to the second level, leaving Gabriel motionless.

  “Kass.”

  The way he spoke my name, such seriousness, such fervor, made me stop and look at him. Really look at him. Judge him in a way I never did, something I left to other girls. He was devastating, so handsome it hurt, so attractive that I found it easier to ignore, to pretend I didn’t notice.

  But for a split-moment, I let myself see him.

  “It’s inevitable,” he mused with a wink.

  And just like that, the moment was done, and I was back to rolling my eyes at the blonde boy. Gabriel and me? How ridiculous.

  Shifters

  Chapter One – Vincent

  The ugly beast reared its head and charged, coming straight at me. With a light push of my foot, I twirled up in the air, twenty feet high, confusing the thing. The three-legged Demon skidded to a halt and looked everywhere for me.

  Everywhere but up.

  Swiftly my metal boot’s heel came down on its face, crushing it. It whimpered and backed away from me. I walked towards it, metal clinking loudly on the stone ground. With another harsh kick, the creature was dead and flames engulfed its form.

  A drop of wetness hit the top of my head. A growl echoed throughout the cave. Wiping the goo out of my hair, I glanced upwards to see another beast like the one I just killed. It dropped to the floor, landing expertly on its three legs. This one was a lot bigger than the last one, though.

  Maybe it’s the momma, or possibly the daddy.

  Not that I cared. Mom, dad, brother, sister. I couldn’t care less. Creatures like this deserved to die.

  Its slit, numerous eyes glanced at the fire of its dead relative, its jaw housing a low growl. It was slow to turn its full attention to me. Its double-jointed mouth opened fully, revealing layers and layers of teeth that twisted back and forth.

  This thing was ugly.

  With fantastic speed, it ran towards me so fast that I didn’t have the chance to run. I locked my arms together and readied myself. Ducking my head down, I felt its head on my skin. Focusing instantly, I breathed and grew spikes out of my arms in a matter of seconds. The spikes penetrated the beast’s head immediately. It growled weakly.

  It knew it lost this fight.

  I stood up and spread my arms out. I blinked as my right arm stretched out and narrowed into a mace. With a flick of my arm, the mace landed in its mouth. It chewed furiously, its last-ditch effort to defeat me.

  “I don’t think so,” my low voice said. I forced hundreds of long, pin-thin spikes to erupt from the mace, gashing the Demon in every possible way. It fell down, dead. Fires flicked to life on it soon after.

  Whatever this thing was, it was certainly an ugly mother—

  My watch beeped. As my arm returned to its normal shape, I clicked the side button, making the beeping stop. It was time for my flight.

  Heading to the good, old United States.

  Though I had heard some interesting stories about it. The food. The women. The entertainment. Now that I thought about it, following him to the U.S. maybe wasn’t too bad of an idea. After I kill him, I might actually stay there for a bit.

  Rolling my shoulders, I walked out of the cave calmly. Coolly. As if a giant gush of fire hadn’t enveloped the recently slain beast and dissolved its skin and bones, leaving no trace of battle that just took place.

  Chapter Two – Kass

  “Hey.” Gabriel called to me. “I got another one.”

  “Really?” I wiped the sweat off my face and followed his voice. “Holy crap, that’s the sixth one tonight.” I saw him bending down on his dragon sword, staring at a Nightwalker who bursted into flames due to its sudden headless state.

  Nightwalkers. Ugly little Demons, they were. They looked human, more or less. Except for the blackened veins, the long canine teeth, and the yellowed eyes. And they acted human, too. Except for the inhuman strength, speed, and the fact that all they wanted to do was suck your blood and eat your skin.

  Yeah. Not exactly the romantic brooding guys you imagined when you thought of Vampires. I blamed it on all the media and movies lately.

  Although, I caught myself, Daywalkers were completely different. They walked in the sun, could control themselves if they wanted to, and were usually hiding their deadly secrets behind perfect, handsome faces.

  John and his brother, Rain.

  A bad history led them to an even worse present, thanks to me and my bad luck.

  But it didn’t matter. They were gone now, since John saved me from Osiris’s light, I thought I killed him, turned out I didn’t and he went completely psychotic. I then met Rain/Kirk, his brother, found out that they were really Daywalkers and Alyssa was a Witch. They helped get John to the house and we were going to take care of him, for good, but something went wrong when this creature pulled me out of Alyssa’s grasp, interrupting her spell.

  Let’s just say it was a long story. All I knew was that when John drank
my blood, he turned normal. Well, at least, I thought it was normal for him. I couldn’t really be sure since I’d only known the boy for about two weeks.

  “Kass, behind you,” Gabriel yelled to me.

  I spun around, sweeping my rose blade cleanly through the air and expecting to cleave the Nightwalker easily into two with my brute strength. But nothing was there.

  “Made you look.” Gabriel slapped his knee, like it was the funniest thing ever. And it wasn’t. “You are so gullible.”

  I faked a laugh and said, “We’ll see how gullible I am after I shove this sword up your—” I brought the sword closer to his face, letting him inspect the intricate designs of my rose blade. The stem of the rose was the blade itself and the petals made up the guard and hilt. The pommel was a huge, elaborate rose.

  I, myself, wasn’t a big fan of flowers, but I had to admit this sword was awesome.

  “Whoa. I don’t think that I’ll think you’re any less gullible after you put it…there. Doing that will have no effect on my opinion of you. It will only break your sword.” Gabriel started walking through the rows of gravestones.

  “Why would my sword break?” I tilted my head at him, watching him shrug his broad shoulders and say something about his buns of steel.

  “Right,” I said, totally joking. But I didn’t think he took it that way.

  He turned his head and said, “You can feel it anytime you want, you know. I just ask for one thing in exchange.” I rose my eyebrows, knowing that this was going to be good. “I want to touch your butt if you get to touch mine. It’s an equal exchange.”

  Was it?

  Gabriel stopped walking abruptly, causing me to slam into his back. “It is. It really is.”

  Slamming a foot down on the dewy grass, I said, “Stop reading my mind.”

  Yeah. That was the weird thing about Gabriel. The past week he changed. A lot. Like, his hair became bleached blonde, even though he swore it was all natural. Let’s not forget the one morning he woke up and could suddenly read my mind. Just mine, too. No one else’s.