The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven

by Jessica Miller

  I turned my body around to face my attacker. “Ah-uh, I’d stay down if I were you,” he threatened. I felt the need to comply, only because I was weaponless. I knew I would have to stay put until I came up with a plan of attack.

  “Come on Ella, I guess you really are that dumb. A blind man would have known those two were brothers,” he laughed.

  “Did you just come here to insult me? Because I’m really not in the mood,” I glared.

  “The insults are just a bonus. I only came for the show.” I watched him take a few steps to the left. He walked casually, like it was just a stroll down the street. “You should have seen Tristan’s face when I told him that your Roman was in fact his brother Roman.” He shook his head smiling. “I guess he just had to see for himself. The only girl he loved left him for his baby brother.” He walked closer to me and bent down in front of me. I tried to put up my shield but nothing happened. The alcohol, I thought. It had to be the alcohol I drank and that was why my powers weren’t working.

  “Talk about a punch in the nuts. You really know how to break hearts, don’t you?” He was so close I could attack, but from this advantage it would be sloppy and Jack was smarter than that. I had to keep him talking.

  “How did you even get in here?” I asked, thinking they really needed to work on their security.

  “I guess I can tell you since I’m going to kill you anyways.” He stood up and started pacing again. “I picked up a nifty little trick while I was in Ireland – some gypsy with the ability to use glamour’s. It’s a shame she couldn’t stick around, but she was just so damn tasty,” he smirked. “They’re a nasty mess to clean up too. I prefer not to kill Romanians. They have a foul habit of cursing their victim’s attacker so better safe than sorry,” he shrugged like it was nothing. “All this talk of killing is making me hungry. So how about we just get to it.” He stopped and turned to me, ready to attack.

  I narrowed my eyes at him wanting to be sick. “What makes you think this time you’ll succeed? I mean really Jack, haven’t you heard three strikes and you’re out?” I needed to stall, hoping I could send a message to Dean to get help. Even with the alcohol, I knew I could get through to Dean. Blood was thicker than any magical power.

  “You can’t project from here,” Jack said. “It’s protected by magic. So none of those little tricks.” He wagged his finger at me.

  “But how’d you even?” I asked shocked. Jack didn’t have that kind of power.

  “My little spies…and yes, they’re everywhere. I know you can read minds, project thoughts, move things, heal, and even that sweet shield you have. Not to mention all the powers you have yet to receive. I know it all and that is why I had one of my little witch friends cast a spell to block your powers.”

  “What are you talking about? I don’t have any more powers.”

  “Not yet,” he corrected, holding up a finger. “That little gypsy was more useful than I thought. When I threatened her daughter she sang like a bird, giving me all sorts of good information.”

  I bit my tongue to keep from letting him get to me. Despite what he said, I still tried to get to Dean. I had broken through Mackenzie’s spell so it was worth a shot. “How do you plan to get my powers if I’m dead?”

  “Sweet little gypsy woman. She was so useful in more ways than one. According to legend, you can kill a vampire and still obtain their powers with a spell.”

  “You really want to take that risk, believing in some old wives tale?”

  “Enough talk,” he said, agitated that I would question him. He looked almost as unsure as I was whether or not if it would work. “I’m ready for this show to end. And from what I hear, it’s going to be a killer.” He lunged for me.

  I was quicker. That was always Jack’s problem. He talked too much, was in to the theatrics, so I always knew when he was about to make his move. Not happy that I was able to knock him to the side, he attacked again and I countered his attack.

  I kept trying to use my powers, but all that concentration was making me weak. I flashed back to the day Gabe had told us we needed to learn to fight as if we had no powers at all. We had spent the whole day on hand to hand combat. I was never so thankful for that day, because without my powers, I was struggling. My damn dress wasn’t making it any easier either. I needed to stall to catch my breath. “Where are your goons this time, Jack? Waiting in the wings?”

  He smiled. “I decided tonight would be a private party.”

  Not wasting any time, my instincts kicked in and I went head to head with Jack; knocking him down as many times as he knocked me down. I kicked him in his side, he flew onto the ledge of the fountain, and I heard his ribs break. Satisfied with my hit, I went to attack again to get the upper hand, but he grunted through the pain and knocked me on my behind.

  “Ella!” I heard someone call my name in the distance.

  “I’m in the center,” I screamed back before Jack had my throat.

  “That was very dumb of you,” he growled.

  I heard more people screaming my name. “So, which one of your Romeos is here to rescue you?”

  I clawed at his arms, leaving scratch marks everywhere, and drawing blood. But he barely flinched. He was crushing my wind pipe and I was quickly losing the struggle. Not wanting to die like that, I went for the cheap shot and nailed him right in the groin. He fell over in pain and I was so happy Josie convinced me to go with the pointed toe heels tonight.

  “You’re going to pay for that.”

  I pushed myself up trying to catch my breath. “Sorry, but can’t risk having you produce a bunch of little bastards,” I smiled cockily.

  “Ella! Ella!” more people cried.

  Jack stood and shook off his injury. “Roman, Tristan, Roman, Tristan,” Jack said, holding his hands out like he was weighing the pros and cons. “Unfortunately, you’ll never get to see who your knight in shining armor is because you’ll be dead before he gets here,” he leaped, throwing his full force of weight on me.

  He knocked me over into the fountain and I cracked my head on the bottom. I stood back up, ignoring the blood that was dripping down my face. Tired of this battle I said, “Let’s finish this.”

  “Gladly,” he smiled, coming at me.

  We fell down in the water from the slippery tiles beneath us; thrashing back and forth, getting nowhere. I tried to climb out of the fountain so I could regain some balance. I knew I could defeat Jack on solid ground. He had a different idea. Jack grabbed my foot, my shoe slipped off, freeing me for a spilt second. I grabbed the edge of the fountain to pull myself out. Jack grabbed my ankle and tugged me back in as my arms and hands scrapped against the jagged edge of the concrete surrounding the fountain. I cried out in pain, feeling the burn from the cuts. I kicked and struggled to free myself and when I turned to escape, Jack grabbed my hair and shoved me under water.

  I pushed and kicked and tried everything I could to get free, but the more I struggled the worse it got. So once again I found myself about to die at the hands of Jack. I was going to drown.

  As the water filled my lungs and burned my chest I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. I did not want to die like this. My lungs started to constrict. I was losing the fight. I could feel my legs start to go limp, no more strength left to kick. I could feel my body giving up, making it harder and harder to fight back, but I still tried. I would not let him win. I tried to push myself off the floor but my hands slipped on the tile. I stopped struggling. The pain was too much and I couldn’t take it anymore. I could hear Dean projecting to me in my head and I knew the spell was breaking, because I was dying.

  Just when I thought that was it, I saw the faintest glow from my hand, and then I heard my grandmother’s voice. “You are the strongest person I know. The power you possess lives deep down inside you and no one can take that away from you.”

  At that moment I knew. No spell could hold me. No amount of magic could keep me from using my powers. I had McCallister magic with me. There were generation
s of it on my bracelet. And it was in my blood.

  The glow from the bracelet started to grow. The spell was breaking.

  I pulled what little strength I had left and reached for my powers. They were there, deep down and I knew I could find them if I just pushed a little harder. I pulled strength from the ground as Ms. Kraft had taught me. I pulled strength from the bracelet that was blessed with magic from generations of McCallister women.

  I felt a sudden burst inside me and I slammed my hand down, hard, on the bottom of the fountain. Water sprayed out from every angle bursting out and throwing Jack off of me. I clenched on to the side of the fountain coughing up water and gasping for air. “Ella!” Tristan called, busting through the entrance. He pulled me from the fountain and held me tight in his arms.

  Once I could catch my breath, I pushed Tristan away from me. “Ella, what are you doing?” he asked, trying to hold on to me.

  I saw Jack in the corner. He was starting to come to and I knew I had a very small window of opportunity. I stole the stake from inside Tristan’s pocket. “Whoa, hey,” he said, trying to take it back.

  I ignored him. My only concern was Jack.

  I stood over him, stake ready to plunge into his heart, but I couldn’t do it. It just didn’t seem fair for it to end this way and I hated the thought of having to kill another person even though they tried to kill me several times. I backed away and waited until more help arrived. Tristan ran over to me and took the stake from my hands. It took all I had not to collapse in his arms. I laid my hands on his chest and rested my head softly. “It’s going to be alright,” he soothed.

  Before I could react Jack was up. He threw Tristan into the fountain, knocking him unconscious, and then turned on me, knocking me to the ground. “You’re pathetic. I knew you would be too weak to kill and that’s why I will win. Why I always win,” Jack said, exposing his fangs.

  I went to kick him again, but this time he was prepared. He had all his weight on my legs and was holding my arms down. I struggled to get free; twisting and turning. I saw the stake out of the corner of my eye. I managed to slip one of my arms free. I socked Jack in the jaw, knocking him off of me. I rolled over on to my stomach and reached for the stake, but Jack was already on me, and dragging me across the stones. I twisted and turned and clawed my way closer to the stake, but Jack dragged me further away scrapping my back and sides against the stones. I winced from the pain, but fought through it. “You can’t do it Ella. You never could. Just face it. You will always be the weaker link, a bottom feeder.”

  I was not going to let him win. I was tired of being called weak. I stretched my arm out. The stake was just out of reach. I cried out using every ounce of energy I had left to call the stake to me. It slid across the ground and straight into my hand. A victory smile played across my face. Panicked, Jack dropped my leg and dove on top of me. I swung around and plunged the stake into Jack’s heart. His face paled and turned to shock as he saw what I had done.

  “Wrong Jack. You lose.” I finished him off by pushing the stake all the way in. Blood poured from his chest and dripped down on to my arms. He coughed, spitting blood. I let go of the stake and scooted backward.

  Jack looked down at the pointed stick protruding from his chest and then up at me. He gave me a bloodied smile. “Congrats Ella, you are officially no better than me.” He fell on his hand, holding the other to his chest. He looked up at me. “See you in hell,” was his final words before he fell on his side and then rolled over on his back. His chest rose and then fell and then he was still. His body lay there motionless.

  I heard a noise over by the fountain. Tristan. I pushed myself up from the ground and made my way over to him. He was struggling to get up. I wrapped my arm around his waist and he grabbed his side, wincing in pain. His lip was busted and he had a gash on his head. “How bad are you hurt?” I asked, checking for other injuries.

  “I’m fine,” he grunted. “Nothing that can’t be fixed. What about you? And where’s Jack?”

  “Dead,” I pointed over my shoulder.

  Tristan hobbled around to look, then turned to me and looked deep into my eyes. His hand gently caressed my cheek. I tried to smile, but I was too weak. I collapsed into his arms and he slowly brought us both to the ground. Tristan leaned his back against the stone wall of the fountain. He positioned me carefully in between his legs and wrapped the arm that wasn’t holding his side around me. I shivered. He carefully took off his jacket, wincing with every movement, and wrapped it around me. I wanted to stay in the comfort of his arms forever.

  He kissed my forehead gently. “It’s over Ella. It’s finally over.”

  “Why don’t I feel like it is? Why do I feel like this is only the beginning?”

  The end…for now

  Unforgiven Playlist

  Chapter one

  Longest night (Journal entry) * Brooke Annibale – You Don’t Know

  Just a Dream (Dream/ jack) * Empires – Hello Lover

  Chapter two

  The Garden (Drive from airport) * Hey Marseilles – To Travels and Trunks

  Belief (Ride to hotel/ella’s struggle with drinking blood) * Jann Arden – Hanging By a Thread

  This Nowhere (Search for Tristan) * Barcelona – Slipping Away

  Chapter three

  Untamed (Ride to club) * Dropkick Murphys * I’m Shipping up to Boston

  The girls in their summer dresses (Inside club)* Robin Thicke – Give It 2 U

  Smells like teen spirit (Slow dance w/Josef) * Jason Mraz – I won’t give up

  If it kills me (Fight to get out) * Dropkick Murphys – Hang ‘Em High

  Chapter four

  Roll away your stone (Wakeup/working in garden) * Fitz and the Tantrums – Dear Mr. President

  Let it go (Crying with Deirdre) * Dum Dum Girls – Coming down

  Shake it out (Café/phone calls) * Gavin Degraw – Let It Go

  Best thing I never had (Roman’s call) * Gavin Degraw – Jealous Guy

  Falling slowly (Journal) * Howie Day – The Longest Night

  Chapter five

  Something’s gotta a hold on me (Bar) * Manchester Orchestra – I’ve Got Friends

  Breaking the Habit (Fight) * Disturbed – Down with the Sickness

  Miracle Mile (Finding Tristan) * Birdy – Without a Word

  Chapter six

  Love Don’t Die (Cleaning Tristan/waking up) * Sleeping At Last – Atlantic

  Promises (Ella’s confession/Tristan freaks) * Plumb – Don’t Deserve You

  Chapter seven

  Come a little closer (Tristan/Ella talking) * Sara Bareilles – Satellite Call

  Waiting Game (Ella/Tristan in bed) * Adele – Make You Feel My Love

  How I feel (First time) * Rhianna ft Mikky Ekko – Stay

  Chapter eight

  Take it All (Talking in bed/ remembering dreams) *The Civil Wars – Pressing Flowers

  Chapter nine

  Someone Like You (Dean’s omission about Cameron) * Adele – Daydreams

  Chapter ten

  Dirty Little Secret (Tells Tristan about roman) * Cary Brothers – Never Tear Us Apart

  It’s Time (Bathtub) * Carousel – Iron and Wine

  True Color (Ella/Deirdre) * Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee

  The Arms of an Angel (Dance with Tristan) * The Airborne Toxic Event – All for a woman

  Chapter eleven

  Can’t Live Without You (Finds out Josie is leaving) * Jakob Dylan – In the Arms of a Ghost

  Chapter twelve

  Hanging by a thread (Ella says goodbye to Josie) * David Gray – The Other Side

  Don’t Let Go Yet (Tristan) * The Naked and Famous – Hearts like ours

  Chapter thirteen

  Wake Me Up (Letter from Tristan) * Noah Gunderson and The Forest Rangers – Day is Gone

  Homeward Bound (Plane ride home) * Phil Phillips – Home

  Chapter fourteen

  I Never Told You (Dad’s present) * Sarah Blasko – Illus
ory Light

  White Wedding (Engagement party) * Cults – Most Wanted

  Breathe me (Talk with Danni) * Eminem ft Rhianna –The Monster

  Chapter fifteen

  I did a bad thing (Dean /Cameron) * Meiko – Bad Things

  Courage Is (Ella talking to Grandma Bea/ Danni) * Passenger – Patient Love

  Chapter sixteen

  It Doesn’t Mean a Thing (Danni and Xander) * Kari Kimmel – Remember

  Chapter seventeen

  Good is Good (Birthday celebration) * Carrie Underwood – See You Again

  Faith (Gift from Grandma Bea/letter) * Cary Brothers – Run Away

  Chapter eighteen

  The First Cut is the Deepest (Roman seeks out Ella) * Little Dragon – Twice

  Say Something (Argue w/roman) * Shontelle – Impossible

  Ring the Alarm (Tree) * Carrie Underwood – So Small

  Chapter nineteen

  When I’m Gone (Talk with Aidan about memorial) * The Strange Familiar – Redemption

  Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Begging roman to stay) * Damien Rice – 9 crimes

  Instant Karma (Walk outside) * Leagues – Walking Backwards

  Chapter twenty

  Cemetery Drive (Dream graves) * 30 Seconds to Mars – Northern Lights

  Get Up (Pep talk w/ Josie) * Jagwar Ma – Come Save Me

  Stars are Blind (Talk with riley) * Wake Owl – Gold

  Chapter twenty one

  Head On Collision (Talk w/Roman outside library) * Christina Grimmie – With Love

  Homecoming (Getting ready for memorial) * Cold Play – Til Kingdom Come

  Lights and Sound (Memorial) * The Kodaline – All I Want

  Chapter twenty two

  Build Me Up Buttercup (Saying goodbye to friends) * In-Flight Safety – Destroy

  If You Wanna Be Happy (Shopping)* Paper Route – Better Life