Staked!

by Candace Wondrak

  I needed to leave and get home. I needed to take Claire and Steven home, and then I had to go home where I wouldn’t put any civilians in danger. Unfortunately, if I was right, Claire’s house was in the opposite direction of mine, meaning that it would take longer for me to take her home first.

  But I couldn’t leave her in the care of her asinine uncle, could I? Well, I could, but I didn’t want to.

  I watched lightning strike a tree a good distance away, pushing me to say, “Claire, we have to get out of this storm. Come on.” I felt her head nod, so I carefully turned her away from the casket and walked her to her uncle’s car.

  Instead of closing the door after she was safely in and running straight home, which I should have done, I got in next to her, telling Steven, “Go.” His dark eyes stared at me through the mirror before he put the car in drive.

  Not knowing where else to take her, I helped her up into her room. Claire fell easily onto her bed. I sat and gazed at her. I didn’t want to just drop her off and run, though that’s what I should have done.

  I really felt bad for her.

  Living with Steven was going to be like living in Hell, I could tell. The car ride here had been silent and awkward. The only noises were all coming from Claire. Sniffs, sharp intakes of breaths, and coughs.

  I felt so bad. So, so bad.

  Wiping her eyes, Claire spoke, “Thank you.” She sniffed.

  A man appeared in the doorway. Steven’s hands were each gripping the wooden frame and he was still dressed in his funeral ensemble. “Kass. I better get you home before this storm gets worse.”

  Claire looked up at me as the power flickered. “Go. I’ll be fine. I’ll…see you at school Monday.”

  I bit my lip, glancing from Claire to Steven. I did need to leave, it was true. “Are you going to be alright?” She had just said she’ll be fine, but deep down I didn’t believe her.

  She nodded.

  Before I stood up, I hugged her. I wasn’t one for hugs, but this situation called for it.

  “Goodbye, Kass,” Claire whispered, pushing me away.

  “Bye.” Making it to her door, I waved. My stomach lurched all around, making me feel like I wanted to throw up. Maybe it was because of this storm…or maybe it was because I knew something bad was about to happen.

  I started down the hallway, stopping unexpectedly when the power went out. Only this time, it didn’t come back on. I knew the stairs were around here somewhere, but for the life of me, couldn’t see exactly where. Steven must not have seen me stop, for he walked into my back, lurching me forward.

  And making me realize that the stairs were a lot closer than I thought.

  Chapter Thirty-Two – Raphael

  The lightning flashed, leaving remnants of daylight in the decrepit church for a split-second. Many years ago, I was certain this church would have been beautiful. However now, it was just plain creepy.

  Leaning by the window, I saw firsthand another flash of bright yellow. This storm certainly was not going away any time soon, was it?

  A tense hand ran through my hair as I turned to face the giant cross that hung in the back of the altar. My thoughts wandered back to the first time I had seen a cross similar to that. Teeth clenching, I remembered it with anger.

  And hatred. Much hatred.

  On the other side of the church, my cell rang. In seconds I grabbed it and said, “Michael?”

  “Raphael,” Michael’s voice was thick with his English accent. Meaning that he was either upset or worried. “I need you to do me a favor. Gabriel won’t stop pestering me because he thinks Kass is in bloody trouble. Why they left her with Claire and Steven, I’ll never know…” he started rambling.

  But I barely heard anything he said after her name. Kassandra. Of course. She never was smart. So foolish all the time.

  “I know where she is,” I finally managed to say.

  There was a long pause on the other side of the phone. “How?”

  Breathing deeply, I said slowly, “Michael.”

  He kept going. “How do you know where she is?”

  “Don’t question me. Tell Gabriel that I found her walking home through the graveyard. I’ll be right there.”

  “But—”

  “Just do it,” I barked in the phone before closing it.

  Kassandra wasn’t in the graveyard. But I was going to get her. I threw my coat on and stormed outside, braving the harsh weather. Nothing was going to happen to her, not if I had a say about it.

  Chapter Thirty-Three – Kass

  It was like I was falling forever. Like I was trapped in an eternal fall. Nothing existed, but that was all that ran through my head as I fell. That and why, oh why did I decide to do this?

  I was stupid. I was dumb. I was the most idiotic person that ever walked the face of the earth.

  Except when I landed, I didn’t exactly land on the floor. On Claire’s house’s floor.

  Fire lapped at my feet and my eyes fell on two people. The wife was dead. The man, laying on his back, was close to it. The orange amulet rested on his severely beaten chest.

  Gasping, I realized that I had seen this scene before. The fire. The house. The couple that was going to die together. The other person, the one who did this.

  I saw his shoes walk to the other side of the beaten man, who did not move. The offending man kneeled down, revealing his face to me. Oh, my God…no.

  No. I refused to believe this.

  His hands reached to the nearly dead man’s neck, which bled profusely. Was he really going to finish him off by snapping his neck? This couldn’t be happening.

  The murderer couldn’t be…Koath, could it? He would never hurt innocents. Never.

  Soon my eyes observed that he wasn’t strangling him or choking the life out of him, much to my relief. He was trying to stop the blood, getting himself full of the red stuff in the process. Koath wiped his own eyes dry, saying, “I’m so sorry, my friend…I came too late…”

  Grabbing his hand away from his neck, the bleeding man coughed out, “My…he was in his room…get him…”

  “I’m sorry, but he’s gone. I searched for him and found no trace.”

  “He must have gotten out,” the dying man’s voice was soft and subdued, giving the telltale sign that he had given up on himself. “Find him. And give this…” He struggled to get the amulet off. He lifted it to the kneeling man. “…to…”

  Before the other man could reach out and take the amulet, the lifted hand fell to the floor, bouncing once.

  The kneeling man covered his mouth, getting more blood on his young face. It was obvious to me that he was shocked by the other man’s passing. “Live well. Die better. You will be remembered, my friend.”

  With a shaky hand, he took the orange amulet and stood. After blinking down at the two bodies a few times, he turned and walked away, covering his mouth with a rag to avoid inhaling the smoke and fumes.

  I was frozen. For that was the first time that I noticed the small orange eyes staring out of the tiny crack of the closet door that was directly across from me, and across from the two bodies.

  The two bodies of his parents.

  The blackness of Claire’s hallway hit me like a brick. The sensation of falling was once again in my stomach. But I quickly recognized the fact that I wasn’t falling anymore. A warm hand gripped my own, keeping me from tumbling straight down the steps.

  Steven must have caught my hand at the last moment. What great reflexes, practically cat-like.

  He pulled me back, letting me stand straight on my own two feet. For a moment I just gazed up at him with my eyebrows creased.

  “Sorry about that.” Steven paused as the power flicked back on. “I didn’t see you stop.”

  “It’s fine.” I looked down to his hand, which still had a firm grip on mine. Steven realized what I was staring at and swiftly let go. Mentally shaking off my concern that Steven had too great of reflexes to be human, I added, “And thanks for, uh, catching me.”<
br />
  “Any time.” Steven said quickly, “Well, I didn’t mean—what I meant was—”

  Ignoring him, I ran down the stairs, saying, “I’ve got to go.”

  “Right.” Steven was right behind me. “I’ll drive you.” He opened the front door and jumped, noticing the person who was standing there in the rain. And he didn’t look too happy.

  His light hair was splattered on his face, almost covering his green eyes. His coat was soaked thoroughly. His high cheekbones were dripping wet. The water ran down his face and into his slightly open mouth.

  Did I mention that he didn’t look too happy? Well, I meant that he looked pissed. But, hey. What’s new? Raphael was always pissed when it came to me, and I, it seemed, was always equally pissed.

  Steven sensed something wasn’t right and tried closing the door, but Raphael caught it with force, saying, “Kassandra. You are needed at home.”

  I told Steven, “I’ve got to go. Stay with Claire. She won’t say it,” I paused, “but she needs you. And, for God’s sake, be nice, okay?” I didn’t wait for an answer. I didn’t have time. Walking out of the house, I closed the door behind me and lifted my chin to Raphael. “Let’s go.”

  Raphael was silent. He nodded and turned, stomping down the driveway and…not to his car. How did he get here so fast? He shot a green-eyed glare at me. “Come. I know a shortcut to your house.”

  We started hiking through the woods and I asked, “Why are you here?”

  “Michael called. Said Gabriel’s worried about you.” Raphael stepped over a fallen tree.

  “Okay.” I marched around the same tree. “Is it even safe to be walking in a forest in a thunderstorm?”

  That question caused Raphael to stop and face me. “We can take the safer way, but that will take much longer. I figured that you, of all people, would want to get home as soon as possible.”

  “You’re right,” I said reluctantly.

  “Then let us continue.” He turned his back to me and I angrily shook my head at him. Of all people, he had to be the one who came to get me?

  Chapter Thirty-Four – Vincent

  Gradually my eyes opened. They were disinclined to do so and were beyond heavy. But, as it was, I’d already been sleeping for too long. For years, it felt like.

  Feeling an abnormal breeze on my chest, my hands went to it and discovered that my shirt was gone, and in its place were three large gashes, spread along me diagonally from my shoulder to my lower stomach.

  That Zeny got me good.

  My mind suddenly remembered the girl. The same girl who I ran into at the park. This was her house. Her friends had stitched me up. But, most importantly, she said that the Zeny was taken care of.

  I wasn’t convinced that a small girl like her could do anything but run in fear from something like that. Especially since it took me down in almost one blow.

  Pathetic. That’s what it was.

  My expert ears heard two voices in the adjacent room.

  “How was it?” The first one carried an English tone.

  “It was a funeral. You can imagine how it was.” The second one was low. “Any change?”

  “No. Last time I checked, he was still out like a light.”

  Leaning up, I grabbed my chest. These wounds hurt. Who knew when they’d fully heal? Without a doubt there would be huge, ugly scars in their places. That’s a pisser, I thought as I realized my head still ached as well.

  Was there anything on me that didn’t hurt? No. The answer to that was no.

  The English voice spoke, “Where is Kass?” Ah, so that must be the girl’s name. “Why didn’t she come back with you?”

  “Just noticed that now, did you?” A third voice entered the conversation, and it sounded extremely sarcastic.

  The second voice said quickly, “She wanted to stay with Claire. I could not force her to do otherwise, you both know that.”

  “Michael, call her. Call her and tell her to come home now,” the third voice demanded of whoever Michael was.

  “How am I going to do that?” Michael, the English one, asked. “She doesn’t have a cell.”

  “Call Raphael then.” The third voice sounded frantic, making me wonder just why he wanted Kass home so badly. “You’ve got to call someone.”

  “Raphael doesn’t know where she is.” Michael was clearly exasperated. Silence. “Fine. I will call, but I promise nothing.”

  My attention turned to the flickering lights. How I was unaware of the thunderstorm outside until now eluded me. Usually those kinds of things were the first that I noticed. But not this time. I was too engrossed in the ache in my chest.

  I tried moving my legs and standing up as quietly as I could, but, much to my annoyance, made a groaning sound as I stood. Eyes widening, I covered my mouth with a quick hand and looked to the doorframe that was between me and a room full of people worried about Kass.

  There was a slight problem, because there was a person in the doorframe, frozen and staring at me just as I was him. If you considered a little red-haired nerd in huge glasses a person. For a moment there, I thought he was a Demon leprechaun from the nineties. No joke. It scared me more than that Zeny did.

  Then I remembered where I was and that I wasn’t stuck in the awful nineties. Though I reserved judgment on the Demonic leprechaun part. That part remained to be seen.

  He blinked at me before yelling, “He’s awake.”

  I blinked in shock at his voice. It was deeper than I thought any Demonic leprechaun’s voice could be.

  A thirty-something man appeared next to him, saying, “He is.” The English Michael.

  Two other people came into the picture, making me set my jaw and my heart freeze. One was a blonde boy that was practically as big as me. How that was possible, I had no idea. It took me years to get my body like this, so how did a teenager get that large?

  The man beside the abnormally wide teenager spoke, “Is no one going to welcome the man back to the land of the living? Well then, let me be the first to say it.” He paused as he walked over to me, holding out a hand. “Welcome back. You were out quite a while.”

  I glared at the hand outstretched toward me, sluggishly bringing my stare to meet his. A small smirk crossed my face as I slowly held up my hand.

  This man had no clue, did he? Who I was. And that I knew what he was. A monster.

  I remembered his face from twenty years ago. It was forever etched in my mind, haunting my sleep like a reoccurring nightmare. Of course, he was younger back then. Back then, maybe, he was a match for me. But now…now I could beat him in a matter of seconds, even in the state I was in.

  The power surged, going out. That couldn’t have been more perfect. In the darkness, I grabbed his neck and threw him against the wall. He was stunned and did not move.

  “What the—” The blonde boy’s voice echoed throughout the dark room.

  My breath came out slow and furious. I could feel my eyes burning through my colored contacts. My grip on his neck compressed and I heard him gasp for breath as the lights came back on.

  The man in my grasp wheezed out, “You…”

  “Yes,” I snarled, “me. Bet you’re wishing you took a look in the closet all those years ago, aren’t you?”

  “Get off him.” The blonde boy approached me with a stance that I knew meant he was a competent fighter.

  “Gabriel, no,” the man in my hold choked out.

  But it was too late. Using my other hand and transforming it into a thin blade, I lashed behind me, slicing in a straight line. The boy stumbled back, falling over with a deep gash in his torso.

  Unless my eyes deceived me, the boy’s wound soon healed and he was on his feet in a matter of seconds. What…what was he?

  “Wow,” the boy said, glaring at me with intense hatred, “I forgot about that.” He took a few more steps to me, but stopped hastily as the front door was thrown open.

  Chapter Thirty-Five – Kass

  When I opened the giant front door, I
didn’t expect to see the commotion in the living room. I certainly didn’t think I’d see Koath in a chokehold by the man Gabriel and I saved from the Demon-dog. And I sure didn’t think I’d watch him attack Gabriel with a sword in place of his arm, creating an injury I knew must have hurt.

  Thank God Gabriel got back up immediately and said, “Wow, I forgot about that.” For a second there, I forgot he could heal, too.

  I rushed into the house, for all the eyes in the room were on me. Raphael reached out to pull me back as he came in behind me, but I avoided it, saying, “Koath.”

  Everyone was frozen. They didn’t move, all they did was watch me walk into the picture.

  The brown-haired man turned his eyes to me, causing me to gasp. His irises were bright orange. An odd, unnatural color to say the least. It wasn’t every day that you saw someone with eyes like that.

  And if it was…then I must not get out much.

  “Take one more step and I will kill him,” the man said, bringing his hand/sword up to Koath’s neck.

  Then it hit me. Who this man was. He was the kid hiding in the closet, watching the deaths of his parents in the fiery house. He was the one who watched a man come down over his father. He watched Koath kneel down and strangle him.

  At least that’s what his skewed perspective of it was.

  But Koath didn’t strangle him. He tried to stop the bleeding. He was the dead family’s friend. All the adrenaline and emotion running through his mind, and the fact that he was peeking out through a crack, caused him to distort fact from fiction.

  I had to say something. I just hoped that I could convince this man that what he thought happened years ago was not true. But if I said something wrong, Koath would have to pay with his life.

  It was pretty much all or nothing here.

  “Please,” I begged him, taking a cautious step to him. “Koath isn’t the one you’re looking for.”