Magestorm: The Embracing

by Chris Fornwalt

  She couldn’t obey her own command and full scale panic began to set in. There was only one way to lose the connection completely, other than her removing it. Could he be…?

  “Don’t say it.”

  With a yank, she pulled a towel off the rack and dried quickly. Her hair was still dripping as she marched into the bedroom and threw on clothes and shoes. Then she was out the door and down the stairs, into the street and headed for the Grand Hotel. That was as good a place to start her search as any. And God help him when she found him.

  1 9

  The car pulled off the main highway and down a dirt road through the trees that filled this area. After driving down the overgrown path until they were hidden deep within, the driver stopped the car and got out. Two female passengers followed suit and exited the car. Once all three were at the back, they opened the trunk to reveal Dhane.

  He was sure he died during the trip. After drifting into nothingness, seeing a light and remembering all the important moments of his life, he saw a face. It jolted him and brought him back from the brink. Even so, he was sure it was a face he would never see again. Sheer will could only carry him so far.

  As hands grabbed his various body parts, he tried to open his eyes but failed. They pulled him from the car and dragged him some ways into the woods. Finally they dropped him on the hard ground, at the spot they had determined would be his final resting place. He struggled again to see and was able to open his eyes.

  “Looks like he’s not quite done yet,” the driver said.

  “Let’s have a final snack.”

  The two women crouched down and bit into Dhane, one on the neck, one on his wrist. The driver just watched with a grin on his face. Haze began to set in, and the mage knew this was about to be it for him. Eyes closed, his lips began to move, mumbling words that even he didn’t know what they meant.

  Suddenly a flash of light shot out in all directions from his body and the two vampires feeding on him fell away and started spitting out his blood.

  “Oh God, this tastes like shit.”

  “I think he poisoned us with his final breath.”

  The driver laughed and leaned down over Dhane as the light was fading. Once the light was gone and there was no movement or signs of breathing, the vampire was satisfied and stood again.

  “He’s done, let’s get going.”

  The three of them walked back to the car and maneuvered their way out of the woods. A few moments later they were gone, and the only sound remaining were the typical sounds of animals and cracking tree branches.

  For a while, Dhane laid there listening to the sounds. An owl asked its question nearby, and a deer scurried through a short time later. Other scurrying sounds came and went. The cool night air began to make him shiver. Or was he going into shock? At this point, it didn’t much matter. The darkness was coming to claim him.

  He was now gone, no longer a part of this world, it seemed. The sounds were gone, the cold night air was gone, and he was just waiting for the light to return. He didn’t hear the footsteps breaking branches, or the voice that called out. He didn’t feel the hands reach down and pick him up.

  “What the hell happened to you, son?”

  The older man was dressed in overalls and a flannel shirt, and he had a rifle slung over his shoulder. He was strong for his age, which was at least fifty. Carefully the man walked through the woods, heading to his home deeper within. The only question was whether he was carrying a survivor or a corpse.

  20

  Xander arrived at the Grand and the place was clearly buzzing. He hadn’t seen Nicole all day and now Cassandra needed urgently to meet with him. If he didn’t know for a fact she was fine, he would probably be in full werewolf form and demanding answers.

  A few vampires were in the lobby, mostly heading out. They gave him the creeps, and judging by the looks he got, he did the same to them. At least the morning sun would be up shortly. That would clear out these bloodsuckers for a while.

  “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

  Cassandra hurried up and shook his hand before leading him back to the council room. She didn’t say much until they got inside and closed the door. Alone, she took a deep breath before she began.

  “The vampire king is here, and they want to push for a vote sooner rather than later.”

  “Like how soon?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  He cringed and sat down in one of the council room chairs. He was regretting even proposing they open up the council. Intending to unite the werewolves and witches into a cohesive group against outside invaders, and possibly help prevent an uprising like Algernon inspired, had turned into a bad idea as soon as the vampires found out about it.

  “I’d still like to know who told the vampires.”

  “That makes two of us. At this point, it doesn’t matter. They know, they want to be included, and I hope to not have a war come out of this.”

  “They won’t war with us, especially if our groups are united. I wish this would’ve come later, after the werewolf vote had been completed separately. That would give us a chance to have votes on the council and not cloud the issue. Instead, I think everyone will figure it’s all or nothing with opening up the council.”

  Cassandra walked over to the table and sat down. The vote was weighing heavy on her, and with Dhane gone, she felt horribly alone. Now more than ever she wished her relationship with Amber didn’t have to be kept secret. In light of the potential new members, however, it was vital that it stayed that way.

  “You’re right, I fear. I had a preliminary vote, to get an idea where people’s heads were at. The vote to open up the council was nearly unanimous. It looks like the vote for adding the groups will be just enough for each. This is going to happen.”

  “I guess this is a case of ‘be careful what you ask for.’ At least it will take a little bit to get all the rules written and such. It will give us time to find out what we’ve gotten into.”

  “Do you know much about the vampire royalty?”

  Xander shook his head.

  “Unfortunately, Sebastian would be the best source of information on them. I avoided dealing with political situations like that. Not really my forte.”

  Cassandra laughed and he responded with a grin. It wasn’t really Sebastian’s forte either. He was really all about himself as much as anything.

  “Isn’t it ironic that he could have the information we need to better understand our situation?”

  “It is indeed.”

  21

  On the outskirts of town, an old abandoned hospital sat empty for years. Numerous windows were broken out, and the light blue paint job had peeled badly. The lawn was overgrown with thick weeds mixed with tall grass. Nobody came around here anymore, even out of curiosity. That is, until a few months ago.

  A light was on inside one of the rooms on the third floor. It was the floor with the most intact windows and farthest from prying eyes on the ground. Inside, two people had made a home there, knowing they wouldn’t be disturbed.

  Through the grass and weeds, a stranger walked confidently towards the front door. He climbed through a broken window and stepped into the hospital lobby. Signs directed him to the left, where he found the stairs and walked up to the third floor.

  The clicking of his shoes alerted the residents of an intruder. Dawn was just approaching, and that limited the werewolf’s abilities. He stepped into the hall to confront the man, anyhow.

  “This is private property. You’re not welcome here.”

  Sebastian stood tall with his fists clutched. His dark eyes peered out from behind dark hair. Wearing anger and determination on his face, he knew he could take down any human or werewolf at this time of morning, and no vampire would dare be out. The stranger wasn’t impressed.

  “Actually, this is public property, though soon that will change. I have made an offer to the city. Don’t worry, though, you’re not being evicted.”

  “Good thing, for you.”


  The stranger laughed as he approached the werewolf, and as he got closer, his pointed teeth could be seen. Sebastian thought the man to be a fool, who would soon be irrelevant as the sun was barely a moment from emerging.

  “If I may take a few minutes of your time, I’ve come with a proposition for you and your mate. I think you will find it mutually profitable.”

  “Sorry buddy, I don’t deal with dead men.”

  The sun broke into view and sunshine showered them both through the large hospital windows. The vampire was unaffected, much to Sebastian’s surprise. He couldn’t hide the shock on his face, which caused the vampire to laugh loudly.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Victor, prince of the royal vampire family. And I have a special gift in regards to the sun.”

  He reached into his shirt and pulled out the necklace he was wearing. On the end was a pendant, a blood red ruby adorned in gold. The ruby seemed to be glowing, and was clearly protecting him.

  “That’s amazing.”

  “It’s a gift from a great wizard, which I rightfully stole for my own.”

  “Ok, so what’s this proposition you were mentioning.”

  The vampire stepped up to the doorway and glanced into Sebastian’s private quarters. He glanced around at the very basic living quarters and had a feeling the werewolf hated the place and thought this was beneath him. That could be taken advantage of.

  “As I said before, I’m with the royal family, and you are a well-respected member of the werewolves. We have an opportunity to use our influence to our utmost advantage, and join forces to overtake the witches.”

  As the vampire spoke, Rachel returned and overheard the conversation. She hid out of view and listened to them as they continued with their discussion.

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I can’t go into all the details right now, but the first part involves your home. We would like to use this as a base of operations. Basically, use this as our version of the witches Grand Hotel. Another important detail involves your woman.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed as he wondered where this was going. If the vampire wasn’t careful, he’d get to see a werewolf’s temper.

  “Basically, I’d like her to see if she can replicate this necklace. It would obviously benefit us greatly to be able to walk during the day in greater numbers. And, if we are aligned, it would therefore benefit you.”

  “What exactly is my gain here?”

  “Instead of living like this, you could become something you probably never imagined. We will declare you werewolf royalty. As such, you would have a portion of the city to rule, and once we have control and begin to expand, you would have an ever increasing empire of your own, as would we.”

  That offer got the wolf’s attention and he began to pace as his mind raced on what he could do as a king. The endless possibilities made an inevitable smile cross his face. Victor knew he had a hook in now.

  “I’ll have to think it over, and discuss it with Rachel.”

  “Of course. The witch council is voting soon on whether to allow werewolves and vampires into the council. If it goes well, we’ll destroy them from the inside out. If not, we’ll do this the hard way. I’ll return in a few days for your answer. If you plan to accept, please start reaching out to your loyal werewolves and prepare them to join the army.”

  The vampire bowed and walked away. His footsteps disappeared down the stairs as Sebastian returned to his room. He watched the visitor depart the hospital and walk down the street.

  “A vampire that can walk in the daytime is a dangerous thing.”

  His voice was quiet, but he knew it was loud enough for Rachel to hear as she approached from behind. She stopped next to him and watched out the window in silence. Finally she looked over and could hold her tongue no more, with her temper as fiery as her red hair and lips.

  “What are you thinking? Do you want to destroy the council?”

  “I could really care less about them. However, the council possesses Algernon’s spell book, and if they have someone to use it, they will take ultimate power here. So we have a choice to make. We can flee now, or we can stay and fight for our home against all comers. Ultimately, that will mean we must possess the book, join forces with the king, or take out the royal vampire family once and for all.

  22

  A figure appeared in the distance, crossing the open fields, headed directly for the house containing the mage. His rescuer spotted the figure and walked to his hallway closet. Out came a rifle and a box of ammunition. He crouched near the front window as he loaded the gun and did a routine check of the gun.

  The figure continued towards them, a steady and determined demeanor to the footsteps. It would only be another ten minutes until the figure was good and close for a shot. The man hoped he wouldn’t have to do it, but he was fully prepared to defend his home and anyone within.

  He stood and started towards the door, preparing to step onto the porch to issue his warning. A creak from behind caused him to spin and raise the gun, prepared to fire.

  “Whoa, sorry to startle you, John. What’s going on?”

  Dhane clung tightly to the banister as he stepped down from the stairs. Another creak and he was on the ground floor, still holding on. He hated feeling so weak, but all things considered, he was happy to just be alive.

  “There’s a stranger approaching. Stay down and away from the windows.”

  He obeyed, if only because he needed to sit down. John opened the door and stepped out onto the porch as the stranger reached the edge of his yard.

  “That’s close enough. What do you want here?”

  “I seek someone very important to me. If you are holding him captive, I suggest you flee while you can.”

  Dhane heard the female voice and struggled to his feet. Walking to the doorway, then struggling to hold himself up, he saw the last person he wanted to see in his present condition: weak.

  “You know this woman?”

  “Yeah, John, I do. Everything is fine. Hi Amelia.”

  “Greetings sire. I’m glad to see you are feeling better.”

  John helped the mage to a chair on the porch and sat him down before excusing himself into the house. He knew they needed their privacy right now. Amelia stepped up onto the porch and sat down in a nearby chair. For nearly ten minutes, the two sat in silence, until she finally spoke up.

  “Are you okay, Dhane?”

  “I guess so. I was nearly killed though.”

  “I know. I could sense what you went through. That’s why I came looking for you.”

  He knew that should make him feel good. She had sought him out to help him. Somehow, it just made him think of that day in the hospital when he was cold to her. It really was intended to be for her own good.

  “I’m sorry about the things I said to you, and that I left without saying goodbye. I actually didn’t say goodbye to anyone when I left. It was a huge mistake on my part, obviously. Anyway, I’m really sorry.”

  “Dhane,” she started after several more minutes of silence, “I’m not going to play games. I care for you, but I’m not going to be used when it’s convenient, and tossed aside when it’s not. I’m no longer a greeter, and Xander has taught me to stand up for myself.”

  After another extended silence, he was wondering if he could possibly find her more attractive than he did right then. She was right though. Either he was in this for real, or he wasn’t and they should part ways.

  “You’re right. Before this conversation moves and further, can I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  “Have you been with anyone recently? Like, I don’t know, Tuesday night?”

  “No, why that night in particular?”

  He cleared his throat and wondered if he should really press this. It was obvious she was having sex that night, and since she wasn’t a greeter anymore, he had to know if she was remotely serious about whoever she had been with.

  “I c
ould sense you having sex that night. Are you serious at all with him, whoever it is?”

  A smile crept across her face as she realized he had a hint of jealousy in his voice. It was for no reason, though.

  “I was with myself. I have needs of my own that need to be filled. Since you weren’t around, I had to take care of it personally.”

  A laugh shot out of him before he could catch himself. Her smile remained and the tension was broken at last.

  “In that case, yes, I would like to give us a serious try.”

  “Good. However, we must be fully honest with us. What did you think you were protecting me from when you pushed me away?”

  Shit.

  This wasn’t a conversation he was mentally prepared for. There was no getting out of this now. He was still deciding how much to say when it just started spilling out. By the time he was done, he was exhausted. Then again, it could be from the near-death experience he recently had. Either way, weakness was consuming him.

  “I know it was probably immature of me to be having relations with you both at the same time. By the time I tried to end things, she made a threat towards you, and I decided the best thing was for me to leave.”

  Amelia was silent for a few minutes. Finally it ended as she began to laugh loudly. It startled him initially, and then he looked at her as though he thought she’d gone crazy. Gaining control of herself, she smiled at him.

  “First and foremost, no vampire is a remote threat to me. I would remove her limbs one by one while she tried to do any sort of harm. Trust me on that.”

  The look in her eye told him she spoke what she believed. He just wasn’t sure what kind of connections Heather might have, and what kind of numbers she could attack with. Instead of making any argument, he wisely stayed silent instead while she continued.

  “Secondly, we were not dating before. Not really, anyway. I did not expect you to only see me intimately. That is a different story if we are to date seriously.”