by Susan Stec
"I said Marcus doesn't believe Eval is the one that summoned her," Mom said. "He thinks Eval is trying to stop them."
"So why didn't the nasty man just tell us that?" JoAnn asked to a background of tinkling glass.
"JoAnn, who cares?" Mom answered. "Just tell Dorius what Marcus thinks about Eval so he can question him before heading to the house in the morning."
* * * *
We made our way through the dark church and onto the altar where the wolf had a mouth full of carpet, dragging it across the stage.
Gibbie flew at us, pointing at Paul. "It's under there, and I've been trying to remember the incantation so we can summon Erzsebet. Do you want to try it in the office, Susan?"
"Susan will not be summoning tonight! We will all go home and study the drawings before we make an attempt at contacting anyone!" Marcus said as Christopher climbed onto a ledge over the stage. He began snapping off pictures, his flash momentarily lighting up the area.
"See, that's why I give you such a hard time, sweetie," I ground out. "We need to work on that control thing."
Before Marcus could answer, Christopher said, "I can download these as soon as we get home. I've already downloaded the other two, and I think this one is the same." He jumped twenty feet down to the floor with ease.
I really didn't want to summon a demon or Erzsebet either for that matter, but I wouldn't tell him that. I hopped up on the stage to study the pentagram as the wolf sniffed the floor around it. I could feel Marcus' eyes on me.
"It looks like it's written in blood," I said, throwing an arm over Paul and giving the fur behind his ears a good scratch. The wolf snuffed his agreement.
"This one was scribed with something to make it last. The others were in chalk." Marcus dragged the carpet back in place. "We'll cover it back up and leave it. At the very least, it will provide a suitable bit of evidence, should the local police get close to our cover. We can lead them here. They'll chalk the murders up to devil worship, linking the ministry instead of us."
I have to admit it was a great idea. I stood staring at the strip of masking tape drawn across the middle of the carpet. It fell right over the center of the pentagram underneath.
"Well, finally you're all acting like a team. I want to be the one to do the summoning. We can try it later tonight," Mom said.
"Chick, your powers don't have squat to do with witchcraft," Christopher said. "Susan has to do it."
Marcus sounded like waves hitting the shore in a storm.
~~~
Chapter 21
So what you wanna know, tragedy's child…
~~~
"Are the pentagrams the same?" Mom asked, leaning over Christopher as he studied them on the laptop.
"Yep, no surprise there. I'm printing the one from the church so we can copy it on the floor in the living room."
The printer hummed to life, spitting out the copy as I stood ready to grab it. Marcus sat on the couch, not at all amused with our idea. Paul and Jake got tired of listening to us argue and went out to pick up a pizza. Resi and Zaire were down in their room listening to music loud enough to vibrate the glasses in the kitchen sink.
Gibbie strutted up and down the table, his hands on his hips.
"You ready to recite the incantation?" Christopher asked with his fingers poised over the keyboard.
"Umm, hey you guys, she won't actually come when I recite this, will she?" I sure wasn't ready to fight Erzsebet, in or out of my body.
"We have to draw the pentagram first." Gibbie flew to the laptop. "You have to light the candles and drop a little blood. Then you chant the summons."
"Whoa, slow down there. Back up to the cut my wrist thing," I squeaked.
"You use blood with witchcraft. You didn't know that?" Gibbie walked along the laptop like a tightrope as he scrunched his face up at me. "What kind of witch are you, for crying out loud? Witches always use blood to seal a spell."
"Maybe we should get out a few of your dime store books," Christopher teased.
I shot him a nasty look. When he first turned me, I only had a basket of fantasy books to figure out how to live undead, since Christopher left me in the restroom to fend for myself.
"I don't think Susabella can summon anything more than a headache," Mom giggled.
I glared at her.
Marcus sighed.
"Let's have it, fairy." Christopher shot me a look that made me clamp my mouth shut.
Gibbie closed his eyes and recited the chant:
From the year sixteen-ten
I call a spirit, born again
I summon thee with protection
Your spirit locked in reflection
Blood spilled, seals the act
Our meeting ended, I take it back
A red candle, the passage is lit
Appear before me, Erzsebet
"That's pretty simple. You sure you remembered all of it?" Mom asked. She began to dance and sing the chant.
"Mom, stop strutting around like a chicken. We have to draw the pentagram," I said.
Gibbie cackled and flew through the sliding door. "I'm going to check on the troll. Don't anybody do anything 'till I get back."
"Susan, could I have a moment with you, alone?" Marcus gave me his best, 'we need to discuss this' look.
I gave him dancing eyebrows.
Marcus climbed over the coffee table Mom had shoved up against the couch. "I think we should wait for Dorius before you take this any further. He has experience with this woman."
"He sure does, and we all know how far that got him." I dared him to answer that one.
He walked toward me.
Just for the hell of it, I pulled up a barrier and he bounced off it, mid-step.
"Not funny, darling. Put it away." Marcus stood on the other side of the shimmering barrier with his hands on his hips and an irritated scowl on his face.
"Just wanted to test out the protection, sweet cheeks."
"The question is not whether you can protect us. It's whether all of you can work together to fight this demon should it end up inside the shield with us," Marcus said.
Everyone stared at the barrier. I pondered his statement. I've trapped a deer inside. But never anything that was a threat. To drop the shield I had to touch it. The rest of my family was as helpless inside as out.
Mom kicked the shield several times then shot a ray of light at it from her extended arm. When it didn't budge, she cussed, "We know the damn thing works. Now get the hell out of there and draw the figging pentagram. Worse comes to worse, I'll pitch Susan through the goddamned thing."
Mom's telekinetic powers couldn't penetrate the shield. Resi couldn't manipulate me with her Mentalist powers from outside, either. And since Zaire's strength was hand to hand combat, she was shit out of luck as well. I was thinking maybe we all needed to revisit our individual skills as a team. We're talking demons and sorcerers, man, and if I was going to put my ass, and theirs, on the line, I wanted to see some team work.
"I think maybe Marcus is right," I admitted. "We could all use some practice before we summon her."
Marcus put his palms on the barrier, leaning into it, his eyes telling me he wanted to take it upstairs.
I kicked the shield. It dissolved. Marcus fell into the picnic table.
"I'm going out to feed." Mom looked disgusted as she headed for the front door. "When Dorius and his goons get here, we can all head out to the field and duke it out. For once in your undead life, you're making sense, Susan."
Marcus ground his teeth and pulled himself off the table.
"Christopher, let's start the pentagram. I'll go round up the stuff we need." I walked away from Marcus' concerned look.
Fifteen minutes later I tied a small nail to the end of a ball of string, tapped it into the middle of the oak floor in the living room, and slid the ball in Christopher's direction. I picked up a tape measure and held the end of the ruler part to the nail, offering the housing to Marcus. He grudgingly ran it along the
string, measuring three feet. Christopher tied a washable red marker to the end. We could now run a perfect six-foot circle.
I put my foot on the nail as Christopher crawled along the floor, keeping the string taught as he marked the circle. Now all we had to do was draw the five pointed star across the circle to finish the pentagram. I started drawing the lines while Marcus hovered over me.
"I suggest you both feed before they get here. I'm sure my brother will show all of you no mercy, and if he's bringing reinforcements, you'll have a match you are surely not ready for," Marcus said, heading toward the kitchen.
"I thought you and I could feed upstairs later." I was trying for nonchalant. It sounded coy.
Marcus jerked his head in my direction.
"Can you toss me a bag of blood?" Christopher booted up the computer.
Mom walked in the front door, stopping in the middle of the living room. She watched me finish the last connecting line with a big smile on her face. I stood up and she started reciting the incantation, strutting around the middle of the pentagram.
I ignored her because Jake and Paul were right behind, and Paul was smiling at me, his crystal blue eyes sparkling. "What?"
"So, we get to battle later. I'm looking forward to it. Have you ever fought a wolf, Susan?" Paul questioned.
"Only at the rodeo when you dragged my ass through—"
"I think you should fight in human form," Marcus suggested.
"Not on your life, buddy. Gonna show her the big bad wolf up close and personal. It's a full moon tomorrow, nature calls." Paul laughed.
Marcus got all alpha. "I'll also be there, Wolf. I suggest you keep that in mind."
I ignored him and challenged Paul. "I'm not Little Red Riding Hood, sweetie, and Jake can fix anything I break." I tossed Marcus a snide grin. He had a disturbed look on his face.
"I just emailed a report to BAMVC," Christopher told us. "They wanted a total of the immortal animals we've killed. Dennis requested it. I wonder what Jeni and JoAnn are up too? Have any of you heard from them?"
"Nope, and I'm not going to go looking for them, especially JoAnn," I answered. "Dorius shoves her in my face every chance he gets. He knows she keeps reminding me I killed her dog. It wasn't my fault Tootles was in the wrong place at the right time." I glanced at Paul. He was still grinning at me. I was so ready to get up on his shit.
Gibbie flew in the open sliding glass doors from the back porch. "Mort wants to get in on the action. He's gonna head over to the field when he sees Dorius arrive. Boy, does he have a few things up his sleeve for you guys."
"He doesn't have sleeves." This might turn out to be fun. I grinned wickedly, thinking I'd get out my bow.
Mom looked all refreshed after her hunt. "What did you feed off of?" I quizzed.
"Don't worry. He's still alive and he had a big smile on his face when I left him."
"I hope you don't think this is finished." Gibbie hovered over the pentagram.
"No, we still have to draw symbols on the points. You wanna do it?" Christopher tossed the attitude right back.
Gibbie pulled his sword as he flew at him. "Not funny, little man. You know I can't pick up that marker anymore then you—"
"You could always turn into the sexy black man." Mom shot Christopher a 'go ahead and start some shit' face.
"Not tonight, Chick." Marcus ignored Mom's eyes, went right to the sexy black man threat.
Jake opened a pizza box and took a seat at the table. Paul joined him, and both men dug in. Gibbie landed on the rim of the box and started pulling cheese into his mouth. I felt Marcus watching me as I bit into a slice.
"Paul, can you go give the girls a heads-up?" Mom asked, heading upstairs. "Dorius should be here soon, and he's not happy. He called when I was out. He's only an hour away."
Paul got up, wiping his hands as he headed to the girls room.
"Did you tell him about our practice fight tonight?" I yelled after her.
"You bet'cha," Mom yelled back, "and he evidently has some pent up anger to blow off, because he's very ready to face off with us tonight. He said Paul, Jake and Christopher will be on his team."
"You wanna finish the pentagram?" I asked Christopher, pulling my hair out of my mouth with oily fingers as I took another bite. Dang, I was glad I could still enjoy eating pizza. Marcus hardly ever ate food. I felt sorry for him.
"Let's wait until after the fight. I'm going to go get changed." Christopher grabbed a piece of pizza and headed downstairs. He looked awful happy about meeting me in battle. I wondered what he had up his sleeve.
I was munching quietly with Jake, Marcus on the couch watching us, when Paul walked back up the stairs.
"They said they'd be out in a few. I told them about the fight and they're all excited." He got a soda out of the refrigerator.
"I'm excited, too," Jake said with a mouth full of pizza.
"Hey, no dragon," I said, my head full of imaginary visions of him doing his rape and pillage thing.
"Susan, if you can't fight a dragon how will you ever fight a demon?" Marcus tried, getting his point across, again.
I put my greasy hands on my butt, cocked my hip and leered at Jake. He burped and stuck his face back in the pizza as Marcus walked up behind me.
"I really don't want to fight you guys," Jake said and bit into his pizza.
"I'm not supposed to change unless it's necessary, and I'm a healer, not a fighter. I don't care what Dorius says."
Paul grinned, grabbing a big slice. "Not me, I wanna maim and kill, baby." He looked directly at me.
I couldn't see Marcus, but I was sure he was sending cute little alpha eyebrows at Paul.
"Coming with me, darling? I'm going to get out of these church clothes." Marcus ran a thumb up my back, getting a yelp out of me."
I drew in a nose full of air and followed him up the stairs.
He shut the door behind us, throwing the latch.
"Are we just supping or can we play a little?" His eyes on mine, he walked toward me.
"Oh, I don't know, I really shouldn't expend too much energy. I don't want to be all tired later." I grinned.
"You gain strength when we mate." He put his hands on my hips and pushed me against the dresser.
I reached down for the clasp on his dress pants, snapped it open and slid my hand inside.
He tightened his grip, picked me up, set me on top and slid my dress up my legs, his hands leaving a hot trail.
Snatching my panties, he yanked, tearing them from my body.
Now, I read a lot, and this has been written in books many times. I always thought tearing someone's underwear off would hurt like hell. Not so much.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, his belly cool between my thighs.
"Bite me, Susan," his lips whispered against my throat as he jerked me closer.
I sucked in a breath.
He danced his tongue over my shoulder, licking the place where he'd marked me. It sent shivers up my body. "Bite me, my love."
My fangs slid into his neck as easily as he slid into me.
* * * *
Two hours later, Zaire walked into the kitchen looking like Xena Warrior Princess. "So let's rumble!" She had on a leather halter-top sporting plenty of boobage, a studded metal bracelet on each arm that stretched from wrist to elbow, tight leather pants tucked into knee-high black boots, and a dagger in a sheath hung from her hip.
"Oh, hell no, I can't wait to see my daughter." I laughed.
Resi stepped into the room looking just as ridiculous with a brown suede halter-top, her nipples barely covered, and a ripped and slashed animal-skin skirt like Tarzan's loincloth. Her arms had matching metal bracelets. She had on tall suede boots tied up to her knees, a large curved knife strapped to one of them.
Paul whistled. "Damn shame all the good looking ones are lesbians."
Mom laughed like hell. She could hardly talk. "What… what… oh hell. Wait a minute." One hand on her mouth, the other outstretched, her legs cros
sed, she pointed at Zaire and hopped several times fanning her fingers. "Jesus… oh God… Someone go get a camera. I gotta get this on film. Where the hell did you two get those get-ups?"
"At the mall," Resi said, a bit put out.
"You look… you look like… you're both dressed for an MTV video." Mom laughed harder.
"You're just jealous because you don't have one to wear," Resi pouted.
Marcus walked up beside me and grinned at Resi. "Do you think we can borrow yours later tonight?"
Resi shrieked then cackled. "See, how can any member of the narcissistic side of the human race fight with this?" She fanned her hand up and down her body.
Paul looked amused.
I looked up at Marcus. "I put that on, you're toast."
"It would be my pleasure, darling."
"Shall I swing from a vine while yodeling, dear?" I leered at him.
"Wait till Dorius gets here." Mom was still laughing.
"I'm here and I hope you do not think you are summoning up Erzsebet with this pentagram," Dorius' loud voice boomed.
"Susan, you're not bringing that demon woman into our house!" JoAnn shrieked.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," Jeni said.
I skidded into the living room. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Your sister wanted to come home." Dorius grinned at me. "We brought the surveillance van. It's parked outside. The girls can monitor us anywhere from there. A team will be here tomorrow to hook up systems in the house as well."
"Swell," I said with plenty of exaggeration.
~~~
Chapter 22
You ain't seen nothin' yet…
~~~
After a brief argument, we'd split up into two opposing teams for the big training fight. Dorius changed his mind and wanted to take us girls on all alone, but I told him it was either two equally proportioned teams or none at all. Marcus didn't butt in once during the whole confrontation.
Mom, Resi, Zaire, Gibbie and I were on one team. Dorius, Christopher, Jake, Mort and Paul were on the opposing team. JoAnn and Jeni where each monitoring a team, and Marcus was told he'd have to step down and could only observe.
"Where the hell are they?" I said, compound bow in hand, my quiver strung on my back waiting to give up an arrow. I had two knives, one strapped to my hip, the other tucked in the back of my jeans. I was so ready to kick Dorius' ass.