Heiress to a Curse

by Zandria Munson

  They reached the second floor. Alexandra swung the door open and the darkness retreated down the stairwell.

  April fixed her with a look of confusion. “What are you doing?” She grabbed her arm.

  “April, I have to go on alone now. Those things are after me, not you.”

  “They want to kill you!” April said in a distressed whisper. “I can’t let you do this!” Her full brown eyes shimmered with the first misting of tears.

  Alexandra knew that her friend cared for her dearly, but she also cared for April, and dragging her into impending danger was hardly the way to show it.

  The gargoyle’s steps were moving closer and he’d picked up his pace. Alexandra grabbed April’s hands and held them tightly. She looked into her eyes, imploring.

  “Please. I need you alive. And not just because you’re my best friend. There’s a house, 115 Berkley Avenue. You have to get the police to search it. It’s the Penn State Serial Killer’s residence.” She peered into the darkness. The gargoyle would be upon them at any moment.

  “What are you talking about?” April asked, following her gaze.

  “I found an address, in criminal records, of the guy I think committed those murders in the Penn State area. I’m also sure he kidnapped that little girl from the Bronx, Mady Halman.” At April’s confused look she groaned. “Look, I don’t have time to explain. I just need you to do this for me. Now go!”

  Without waiting for April’s response, she spun around and ran down the hall of the second floor. Behind her she could hear April’s heels racing down the stairs. Her friend would be safe. That knowledge eased some of her worries. Now all she had to think about was how she was going to get away with her own life.

  The entire floor seemed empty—doors had been left open and only silence could be heard. She guessed that the building had been evacuated. Slipping into one of the open apartments, she shut the door and locked it securely. All the lights were off except for a small lamp on an accent table. Careful fingers turned the switch off. She had to be as quiet as possible. With her ear pressed against the door, she waited. As the gargoyle advanced up the hallway, each heavy footfall could be heard. He paused a few times and she imagined he was listening. She held her breath, not wanting to make a sound.

  Then a loud noise nearly made her cry out, but she clamped her hands over her mouth. She didn’t have to be psychic to know what had just happened—the gargoyle had kicked in a door and by the sound of it, it was the apartment adjacent to the one she was in.

  As quietly as possible, she backed away from the door, feeling her way through the darkened, unfamiliar room. When she reached the hallway, she turned and headed toward the bedroom. She was only on the second floor and was certain she could get help from the balcony.

  A popping noise that reminded her of firecrackers on the Fourth of July emerged from somewhere outside. But no fireworks were being displayed tonight. It was gunfire. A surge of relief filled her—the police had arrived!

  She was just about to turn the bedroom doorknob when the sound of the door to the apartment being kicked in gave her a start. Fear coursed through her entire body. She spun around. The light pouring into the living room and the huge shadow moving on the wall was enough to tell her that she was in danger.

  She inhaled two deep breaths and steadied her thinking. This was no time to lose her wits. Her survival depended on how well she kept it together. Without taking her eyes from the image on the wall, she reached back and took hold of the doorknob. Slowly, she turned it and eased it open wide enough for her to disappear into the enveloping darkness. Once inside the bedroom, she shot a desperate glance at the sliding door. It was closed. She would have no time to open it and escape. She had to hide and hope that the gargoyle didn’t pinpoint her exact location.

  The sound of footsteps in the hall made her entire body shake. Quickly she dived beneath the bed. There was no bed skirt, so she could see the exact moment when the door was pushed open and two large boots stomped in. In the dim light she could make out small silver spikes that wrapped around the ankles, and she was reminded of heavy-metal music.

  She remained perfectly still and kept a hand clamped over her lips, in case her body should betray her and utter a squeak.

  A spiked tail whipped back and forth and the creature inhaled deeply. “I know you are here, Descendant.” He spoke in a guttural voice that was accent rich. “Show yourself.”

  Alexandra’s gaze followed as he moved toward the closet and threw the door open. Why was he calling her Descendant? Had they all mistaken her for someone else?

  Her heart was pounding so loudly that she wondered if he could hear it. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will herself to remain calm, but it was useless. It seemed that with each passing second, it was getting harder to breathe, to think.

  The bathroom door creaked and her eyes flew open. There was a shuffling noise and she guessed that he’d yanked the shower curtain aside. Her eyes bolted toward the door and she wondered if she could make a run for it. The thought was dashed just as fast as it had come to mind. There was no way she could outrun the gargoyle. She wouldn’t even get as far as the hallway. She had no weapon, nothing to protect herself. The most she could do was to wait and hope that he gave up or that the police came to rescue her. April should be on the ground floor by now, and she was sure her friend would instruct the officers where she had last seen her.

  “Why don’t you make this easy for both of us?” he continued. “Do you think I have anything against you? No, it is nothing personal. Show yourself, Descendant, and I may even give you the opportunity to bid your lover farewell.”

  Alexandra inched toward the other end of the bed as he approached. He stopped when his knees touched the mattress and he inhaled again. “Hmm, thank you for giving me the honor of drawing your blood,” he said with what sounded like sincere gratitude.

  Without warning he gripped the mattress and toppled it off the bed frame, uncovering her hiding place. Alexandra screamed and rolled out of reach as he lunged for her.

  With tremors traveling through her body, she backed herself into a corner. He stepped over the iron bars and moved toward her. She was trapped! There was no way out, no way around him.

  She began to hyperventilate and a thin film of perspiration formed on her skin. Shaking her head, she attempted to clear her blurring vision, but it was no use. She felt as if she would pass out.

  The hazy image of the gargoyle hovered above her. “It is easy to see why my brother is so taken with you. You are very beautiful. It is a pity that you have to die, but I assure you, had your meeting been under different circumstances, our family would have gladly welcomed you.”

  His words echoed in her mind as if she was in a dream. Her head was spinning. An emotion far greater than fear was rising within her. It was a sensation she’d never experienced before, one she couldn’t name.

  Her body jerked into an arch and her mouth opened. Words that she hadn’t conjured spilled forth. “Sînge şi death ashes şi decay. Un plin moon ridicare şi al tău days de drum liber eşti număr! I vară art hot. Mare puternic de abadron, conducător de la a umbri!” she hissed.

  He paused and his face twisted into an incredulous scowl. It was obvious that he understood every word she said, even though she didn’t. She did know that the language pouring from her mouth was similar to Romanian. She’d listened to her mother’s music enough times to recognize it, but what she spoke was far from the modern language.

  What is happening to me?

  She slid to her knees. “Mai art hot. Foc de un thousand iad erup ie cu tu.”

  “Silence, witch!” he shouted and lifted his blade high for the attack.

  Alexandra raised her hands in front of her and a surge of energy shot through her body. Before she knew what was happening, a bright blaze erupted before her. The gargoyle’s yell rang in her ears and he stumbled back, twitching as if he’d been assailed by a great pain.

  Drained of all ener
gy, she collapsed on the floor. She tried to drag herself back to the surface of consciousness. She lay there for a moment, watching the unbelievable scene before her. Bright red flames surged through the gargoyle’s mouth and slowly engulfed him, yet he didn’t burn! There was no doubt in her mind that she’d just done that to him, but how?

  Strength seeped back into her limbs and she sat up.

  “Witch!” the gargoyle screamed. “I will make you regret the day you ever heard the Drakon name!”

  The fire that had been consuming him only moments ago was dying slowly. Alexandra decided that it was time to leave. She would figure out what had just happened later, when she was safe. She stood and stumbled toward the sliding door. When she shoved it open the rain greeted her, falling in heavy slanting pellets.

  Unfortunately, the balcony overlooked the side of the building. She could see the flashing lights of the squad cars that were no doubt posted in front of the complex. All she had to do to live was make it there.

  She swung one leg over the rail and then the other. She was contemplating the best way to jump from a second-story balcony when the gargoyle she’d left inside smashed through the glass door. A small flame still flickered at his throat, dipping in and out of his nostrils, but he seemed to be back to normal—and quite ready to return the favor.

  He charged at her and swung his blade madly. Alexandra screamed and leaped to the ground below, landing on a strip of manicured grass. The wind got knocked from her lungs and she gasped in pain. She crawled to her feet and looked up to see him shaking off the last of the fire. That gave her just enough time to race around the side of the building. She could see about a dozen squad cars, two Special Forces armored trucks and a bevy of armed guards.

  With renewed energy, she raced toward them, her bare feet hitting the wet stone pavement. A throng of onlookers with umbrellas and raincoats and some with no protection at all had gathered behind the yellow tape. The street had been barricaded and there were a number of abandoned cars parked down the middle. As she neared, a series of screams erupted and several hands lifted to point at the sky behind her. She shot a look over her shoulder in time to see the gargoyle advancing, his large wings spread to their full length and slapping against the heavy rainfall.

  With a scream, she dropped to her knees just as he swooped down, missing her by a few feet. The onlookers began to scatter, yelling in terror, and the police aimed their weapons, firing when the creature got near enough. He disappeared into the heavy rain clouds above.

  Alexandra stood and backed up a step, ignoring the burning pain in her knees where the skin had been scraped away. The gargoyle would attack again, she was sure. An officer holding a large assault rifle was heading her way, wildly motioning for her to leave the perimeter. She spared him a glance, then her attention was drawn again to the sky. Lightning flashed and what she thought she’d seen was confirmed. The gargoyle was returning, only this time he was hefting something large—something that resembled a broadcasting satellite. And he was heading directly toward the officers. They abandoned their vehicles and began to scatter, some firing off a few rounds in an attempt to stop the creature.

  Alexandra turned on her heel and fled the other way. She’d only taken a few steps when there was a loud crashing noise closely followed by a deafening explosion that shook the earth and sent cracks snaking up the sidewalk. She fell forward and covered her ears. Gunshots rang out behind her and she braved a look back. Three squad cars were engulfed in flames and a large, circular satellite lay in the middle of the street, smoking from the attack.

  The creature hovered in the air, far out of shooting range as he admired his handiwork. Then he turned his attention to her. He dived gracefully then surged forward, only to be stopped by another gargoyle that appeared out of nowhere.

  Marius, Alexandra thought with mixed emotions. She wasn’t quite ready to accept any of what was happening, but something within told her that Marius had spoken the truth to her. With that comforting thought at the back of her mind, she turned and fled up the street.

  Marius slammed a fist into Nicholas’s abdomen. “I warned you, brother!” he growled.

  The other gargoyle recovered quickly and leaped over him, gripping his neck from behind in a deadly lock. “You are a disgrace to our family!” Nicholas shouted.

  Marius spun in circles as he tried desperately to dislodge his brother, and together they went smashing into the side of the building, raining brick and glass down on the onlookers.

  He pinned Nicholas to the wall. “Harm her and you will forfeit your life!” he told his brother in a lethal voice.

  After leaving Alexandra in his apartment, he’d gone to confront his brothers. They’d demanded to know where he’d taken her, and he’d warned them to leave before he lost his temper. Only a few minutes had lapsed before they all heard the door to her apartment open. That was when Nicholas had attacked him. Marius had fought his brother as if he’d been fighting for his own life. He realized now that he was willing to betray his family for Alexandra, yet his motive eluded him.

  “So this is how it is, then?” Nicholas gritted out. “You choose to betray your family to protect our enemy—that witch?”

  Marius’s grip tightened on his brother. “She is no more a witch than you or I,” he countered.

  Nicholas heaved his arms up, shoving him off. “So quick to defend her, I see,” he scoffed. “Do you honestly think she would do the same for you? Look at yourself—or have you forgotten what we are? And do not forget—after the equinox is done, she will be possessed by the spirit of Lady Vivian. What words of defense will you utter then?”

  Marius didn’t respond. They remained as they were in silence, their breathing heavy as they hovered high above the ground. Nicholas is right, Marius thought. Soon he would be drawn again into the fierce cycle of existing as a gargoyle during the night and being trapped in stone during the day. And Alexandra would be a mere vessel. But he would concern himself with that when the time came. For now he would do everything in his power to prevent his brothers from completing the Lunar Ritual.

  Nicholas rose a few feet above him. “It is obvious that you have allowed yourself to be bewitched, brother. You have fallen prey to her evil and now look at yourself. Pathetic! I am sure our father will not be pleased to hear of your defection.”

  With that he swooped upward and faded into the dark storm clouds. Thunder rumbled and Marius gazed down at the crowded streets some ten stories below. Inwardly, he knew that what had taken place this night could never be undone. There would be no turning back, no redemption.

  Alexandra was huddled in the shadows beneath an overpass. The rain continued to pour down and lightning flashed. Sirens could be heard in the distance, but the gunfire had ceased. She sniffed. She’d been crying for the last hour. All she could think was that her parents should be alive today. The car crash had been no accident—they’d been murdered. She couldn’t understand why their lives had been taken or why her own was in jeopardy. They were normal people with no great amount of wealth or status. Or were they? Her mind kept drifting to what had happened in the apartment. Something had taken her over, dousing her with an ability that far surpassed her gift.

  She glanced at her watch. The small face was illuminated. It was 11:45 p.m. She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out her cell phone. Apparently, the rain had damaged it, for it refused to turn on. It seemed she would have to leave her hiding place to seek help after all.

  Carefully, she crawled over the small pools of water that had settled beneath the overpass. She stood and tried to see past the heavy curtain of rain. The bright headlights of cars zooming by and the orange glow of streetlights were visible. All the stores would be closed now, but she was sure she could find a restaurant where she’d be allowed to use a telephone.

  Hugging her arms around herself, she stepped into the rain. Her thin, spaghetti-strapped sundress didn’t provide much protection from the elements. And to top it off, she was baref
oot. Quickly she walked across the small stretch of grass that would take her to a main street.

  Midway she stopped suddenly. The low rumble of thunder wasn’t enough to disguise the noise she heard. It sounded like a forceful wind—a brief gust—but she knew better.

  Tossing her head back, she searched the sky and a scream formed in the pit of her stomach but never surfaced. The dark shadow lunged toward her, scooping her up with one swift effort. The air left her body and Alexandra found herself dangling over the broad shoulder of one of the gargoyles. He soared higher, his powerful wings propelling them forward.

  She quickly overcame the shock and began pounding against his broad back with her fists. She kicked and screamed, yet he maintained a steady pace. The streets below grew smaller and smaller, and soon she couldn’t see them at all. Her vision was obscured by the thick haze of a low-altitude storm cloud. Her chest became tight and she gasped for breath.

  I am going to die!

  Her vision faded and blackness engulfed her.

  Chapter 14

  She had a dull headache. Alexandra moaned and turned her head to the other side. Her neck was sore, too. Her eyes opened a measure and she squinted against the soft lighting. Through the blur of her vision, she could see the pale fingers of dawn, filtering in through cracks in boarded-up windows. Outside, the rain continued; the soft sound was lulling, tempting her to fall back into her dreams.

  Then the memory of all that had taken place came flooding back to her and her eyes widened. She tried to sit up and a sharp pain tore through her back and ribs. Biting down on her lips, she eased backward until she lay flat again. She moved to cradle a sore spot on her chest and realized that her hands and feet were bound. She began to struggle madly, but it was useless. The thick lengths of frayed rope had been tied with an expertise that would make a veteran sailor proud. She gave up and made an attempt to sit again.