by M. R. Polish
She shrugged. “Yeah, but that gets boring so on my downtime I hunt vamps.”
Ian stood up. “Can we please just get on with it already? Putting off his death is torturing me.”
Lauren stepped over Tony in a straddle and leaned down. She traced her stake down his face and stopped on his chest, right over his heart. “So I assume they’ve already asked you questions. I have this stake, and I will kill you with it, so you better talk fast.”
Tony’s eyes widened. “Then just kill me.”
Lauren shrugged. “Okay, but unless you talk it’s gonna take a long time, very painful.”
She began to push the tip of stake in his skin until he cried out. “Are you gonna talk?”
His face glistened as beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. He swallowed hard and cringed as she pressed harder.
I looked at Ian, who stood with his arms folded as he watched. Tony cried out, making me want to look away, but I didn’t. Lauren smiled as she pushed hard enough that the veins up his neck began to turn black. He gasped for air. “Okay… He’s back in Spain.”
My heart froze. Nightmares of his dark underground cells still haunted me. Spain was my least favorite place. It was also where Meadow was last seen.
“It doesn’t make sense. Why would he leave you here?” Ian stepped closer to me.
Tony gasped again. “He’s weak.”
“Lauren, let up.” Ian rushed forward and grabbed Tony’s shirt. “What do you mean he’s weak?”
“Just what I said. He had to return to Spain because he depleted his powers and is now unable to keep us alive.”
I stepped closer. “How did he deplete them?”
Tony laughed. Ian grabbed him tighter and Lauren replaced her stake to his chest, making him stop. “After you awakened the witches it did something to us, all of the breeds. We began to fall, most of us died. Nicholas gave us his blood to keep the few of us alive, but in return it weakened him. His powers are all but gone. He has to rejuvenate so he went into hiding.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “I don’t think returning to Spain is hiding out. Something’s up. It’s like he wanted us to find him. It was too easy to get information.”
Ian let go of Tony, letting him drop to the ground. “I agree. Something isn’t right.”
“You said only a few crossbreeds are left. How many are a few?” I asked.
Tony scanned each of our faces. “I’m not sure, but the last I heard there was only around a hundred or so left. But those of us left aren’t dying anymore.”
Well, that was comforting yet upsetting to know, as long as Nicholas couldn’t make any more I guess a hundred was doable. We could take them out. I nodded at Lauren and she finished with her stake. I looked away. I still didn’t like watching them die, even though it was a lot easier to handle now than it was in the beginning.
“I guess that leaves ninety-nine now,” Lauren quipped as she stepped over Tony’s now headless body. Ian was already disposing of Tony’s head behind the tree line.
Lauren clapped her hands together, startling me again. “So, what’s for lunch? I’m starved.”
“She’s here already?” Ailaina asked as she rounded the kitchen counter to the living room.
I tipped my head as I grabbed my cup of cocoa and followed her. “What do you mean? Did you know she was coming? You know, you could’ve told me; you’re supposed to be my Seer remember.”
We both sat on the couch and watched out the window to the porch as Ian and Lauren met up with Jarak and Julie.
“Are you gonna drink that before you crush the cup?”
“Huh?” I looked down and noticed my white knuckles that gripped the cup tightly. “Oh, um, I guess I was sidetracked.”
“Mmmhum, well, I can understand you being jealous. She’s cute. But I know that Ian loves you and nobody will change that.”
“You’re just saying that to be nice.” I blew on the hot chocolate then breathed in the warm steam that rose up.
“No, I am saying it because I know. If I wanted to be nice I’d tell you my recent vision.” She pretended to look at her manicured fingernails.
I sat my cup down on the coffee table. “Ailaina, what are you not telling me?”
“Okay, so I lied. What I saw wasn’t nice, but since you asked…” She sipped her drink slowly to drag it out some more.
I groaned. “Seriously?”
“Fine. You know, you could loosen up some, it wouldn’t hurt.” She took one more swig before setting her cup down too. “I saw us traveling back to Spain. We found Nicholas there, but he didn’t look so good, something was wrong with him. Then I saw a crossbreed. They weren’t the same. Something was different about them; they were stronger. I also saw a guy. I’m not sure what role he plays in all this just yet, but he was super sexy.”
I smirked at her last comment before flinging myself back into the couch. “This is not good.”
She shrugged. “Nope.”
I shivered. The front door opened and all four of them walked in. Ian gave me a forced smile and sat down next to me. Lauren stood by the window with her arms folded and Jarak and Julie sat on the other couch.
“What’s going on?” I asked Ian.
“Well, my brother here doesn’t think we should go back to Spain and his witch, er, I mean Julie, agrees.”
“Ian, knock it off. Seriously man, I want to keep her safe, just like you. Throwing her into a trap with Nicholas isn’t doing that,” Jarak grumbled.
Julie picked up his hand and held it in her lap. “That’s right. Having Esmerelda go to Spain is suicide. You do remember what a hard time she had awakening us back in Tennessee, don’t you?”
I stood up and clenched my fists at my sides. “You’re alive, aren’t you? You ungrateful, snotty little…”
“Es, not now,” Ian interrupted me. “Trust me, there are other ways.”
Ailaina let out a pfft. “Why not.”
Lauren smiled. “I know, seriously. Things were just getting interesting.”
“Lauren, stay out of it. Why are you here again?” Jarak glared at her.
She placed her hands on her hips. “I told you, to help.”
I let out a long breath. “Okay, guys, let’s just get along. I’m going to Spain because that’s where Nicholas is staying. End of story.” I spun around on my heel and marched up the stairs to the loft. I had no reason to stay down there and listen to them argue.
I threw myself on the bed and buried my face in a pillow. Why did life have to get so complicated? In the last six months my life spun around and flipped upside down. I really needed to get a grip on it.
I could hear light footsteps coming up the stairs, but I didn’t move. I knew who it was.
“Es, if it’s any help, I think it’s good that we are going back to Spain. I mean, I know that place has some bad memories for you, but maybe you can fix everything there?” The mattress bounced as Ailaina sat down on the bed with a big flop.
I lifted my head to talk, resting my chin in my hands. “I know. I’m just so sick of it all, and all their fighting doesn’t help. Seriously, can’t they just get along for one day?”
She puckered her lips as she thought. “I don’t know. Honestly I can’t see them ever getting along, but it’s okay because they don’t have to get along, they just have to fight with you.”
“True.” I buried my face again. “I just wish it wasn’t so stressful,” I mumbled.
Ailaina stroked my hair. “I know, but we can only work with what we’ve got and apparently we have two guys, a vampire hunter, and a prissy witch. I think we have our work cut out for us.” She laid on the bed next to me with a big sigh.
“Remember when life was just life?” I asked as I rolled over to my back.
“Yeah, you mean our little apartment and nights where we just watched movies, vampires sparkled and didn’t come after you in real life for your power and blood? Those were the days.”
“Es,” Ian called from downstairs
. “I know you’re upset but we have work to do.”
Ugh, not even five minutes of peace. “What do we have to do now?”
“Stop whining and just get down here.”
I looked at Ailaina who just shrugged and then I got up. “Is he for real? Man, I thought I was gonna have a day to myself.”
“Es,” he called again.
“I’m coming, you day-off Grinch,” I muttered loud enough for him to hear.
Chapter Five
Spain, Here We Go Again
Esmerelda
I plopped down on the forest floor. Moist leaves became my cushion as I refused to stand any longer. “If we practice any more I’m gonna fall over. I’m so tired that I can’t even think straight.”
Ian came and sat with me, draping his arm over my shoulders. “I just want you prepared. We’re leaving for Spain in the morning. I want to know that you’ll be okay over there and that you’ll know what to do to help protect yourself.”
“I know, I’m just exhausted,” I said through a yawn.
Honestly, if he tried to make me defend myself one more time I’d freak out. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my chin in the crevice they made. When I first learned I was a witch I thought it could be fun, but this training crap totally cleared that up for me. I wasn’t cut out for it and my body was quickly becoming exhausted. One more reason to go to Spain—to put an end to this stupid war. No war meant no training.
“I need to go talk with Ailaina before it gets any later.” I stood up, letting his arm fall ungracefully to his side.
He gave a fake pout. “Yeah, I figured you’d have to leave me pretty soon.”
“Well, don’t sound so butt hurt about it.” I rolled my eyes at him. He was such a dork sometimes. “You know why, jeesh.”
He stood up too and brushed his black pants with his hands, trying to get all the leaves and dirt off. “I guess it’s time to go inside then.”
I found Ailaina easily. She was upstairs in the bed we were sharing. “Hey, you,” I said as I plopped down on the bed and broke her meditation.
She lifted one eye open but then relaxed her shoulders. “It’s impossible to see anything for you when you interrupt all the time.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” I debated on whether or not to go back downstairs and shifted where I sat.
“It’s okay, I wasn’t getting anything new. Same old stuff I’ve been seeing.” She slumped lower and uncrossed her legs, stretching them out on the bed. “Although, I did see the cute guy again, but I didn’t see him long enough to even memorize his features.”
“So other than the guy nothing new at all?” I groaned. “But you’re sure we need to go to Spain, right? I wonder who that guy is, or why he’s in our future.”
She waved me off. “Girl, you just need to trust me. Spain is where you need to be. Besides, with your birthday coming up, it’ll be a great trip. We can spend your nineteenth running from the bulls.”
I raised a brow at her. “You mean running with the bulls, right?”
She smirked. “Oh heck no, I ain’t gonna be with them. I’m running from those suckers.”
I laughed with her. Of course that’s where she’d be. “Well I guess we should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be here soon.”
The small woman behind the terminal counter grabbed the handheld intercom mic. “It is now eleven-fifteen and United flight sixty-four-thirty-eight departing from Boise, Idaho to San Francisco will now be boarding.”
I picked up my zebra-print carry-on bag and flung it over my shoulder. “I guess it’s time to leave,” I muttered under my breath. I wasn’t so sure about this trip. My insides shook so badly I thought I was going to throw up. Maybe it was because I was close to fighting Nicholas. I didn’t feel ready, even though everyone around me assured me I was. Who was I kidding. I would rather fight Nicholas than fly, I hated flying.
Ian took my free hand. “Come on, Princess, we don’t have time to back out now.”
If there weren’t so many witnesses, I would’ve hit him with an electric ball of power. Something I was getting quite good at. I could feel myself getting defensive and tensed up.
“I’m just trying to calm you down, don’t freak out.”
“I know, I just have a lot on my mind, and honestly, I am scared to death about getting on that plane.”
We fell into line behind Ailaina and Lauren, who hit it off instantly and seemed to talk non-stop with each other. Ahead of them, Jarak and Julie handed their tickets to the attendant. My mom and dad weren’t coming with us yet. They were taking the next flight out later in the afternoon.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up and a chill spread over my whole body, causing me to shiver. Something was wrong. I glanced around nervously and felt out around us with my inner powers. There were so many people it was hard to focus long enough to know who was who.
Ian nudged me further ahead; we were next. Ailaina looked back over her shoulder at me with a questioning look. I shrugged and handed my ticket to the lady.
She handed it back with a fake smile plastered on her face. “Enjoy your flight.”
The fact that she talked barely registered with me. I gave her a partial nod but kept walking. The gray tunnel leading to the plane felt closed in, and I wanted to run away.
We all stopped as the passengers ahead of us found their seats before we were able to board. Jarak turned around and sought me out, looking between Lauren and Ailaina. “You doing okay, Es?”
Julie's shoulders slumped as she glared at me, then turned back around. “She’s fine. You don’t need to worry about her. You have me now.”
Jarak frowned but waited for me to answer. He almost sounded like the old him. At least, the one I met when I boarded my first plane to Spain right after Victor kidnapped me. I gave him a sad smile, wishing more than anything things could be the way they used to be between us. “Yeah, I’m fine.” All I wanted was to get to Frisco, get on our connecting flights, and be done.
Ian bent down closer to my ear. “Liar. I can feel your heartbeat pulsing in your hand.”
I gave him a quick elbow to his ribs.
He clutched his side dramatically. “Hey, watch it. I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I took a deep breath. Between my fear of flying and the strange feeling that something was wrong, I couldn’t say anything without my stomach unloading breakfast all over the floor. I shifted my weight. What is taking so long?
“Here,” Ian held his hand out, “let me take that for you.”
I handed him my carry-on with a forced smile. “Thanks.”
Finally, we shuffled onto the crowded plane and found our seats. Ian stopped the line of passengers to let me scoot in first so I could sit by the window. I immediately opened the tiny portal slider. I was already feeling closed in and needed to see outside. Ian slipped into the seat next to me. The plane was smaller, with only two seats on each side of the aisle. I sat forward and looked around for Ailaina. She was three rows in front of us and chatting away with Lauren. I shook my head. At least those two were getting along – and I was so worried Ailaina would hate her.
Ian laid his hand on my thigh. “It’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, sure.” I stared back out the window.
The closing of the door made me jump.
A female voice spoke over the intercom, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard United flight sixty-four-thirty-eight, service from Boise, Idaho to San Francisco, California. Our flight will take one hour and fifty-three minutes.”
The plane jerked and we began to move backwards. My heart hammered in my chest. I really hated flying.
“At this time we ask that you watch the nearest attendant as we prepare for takeoff.”
Thankfully, the closest attendant was right next to us. I followed her every gesture, needing to know where my exits and oxygen mask where located.
Ian chuckled. “You are too cute, you know that?”
“Shut up.” I gave him the best annoyed look I could come up with in my state of panic.
We taxied around to the runway strip. I gripped the armrest with white knuckles and tried to slow my breathing down, but it didn’t work. I might as well have had a paper bag held up to my mouth.
Ian was talking but I couldn’t focus on what he said because all I could concentrate on was the whirring sound of the engines winding up for takeoff. I stared out the window and watched as the plane shot forward and we lifted off the ground.
Ian grabbed my face in his hands and turned me to look at him. “Es, look at me. It’s okay, I promise.”
I nodded, but every muscle in my body remained tense.
Ian twisted in his seat to Jarak, who sat behind us. “Dude, how’d we get her to fly last time? She’s freaking out.”
The plane hit a small bump in turbulence on our incline and I grasped Ian’s shirt, pulling him closer to me.
I could hear Jarak laughing, but I didn’t care. Please tell me we’re almost there. There was no way I could survive almost two hours.
“A sleep spell. Victor did it the first flight I ever took with her, on the way back she was still recovering so she slept, and on our way to Tennessee Adonia helped with a sleep spell too.”
I thought back to just a couple months ago when we flew to Tennessee. He was right, I slept the whole time, but I didn’t know it was because of my mom.
“Seriously?” Julie whined. She hit the back of my head. I spun around to say something to her but everything started to fade out.
Ian
“What the hell, Julie?” I pulled Es’s listless body half over onto my lap. “You could have warned her or something.”
“What is the problem? She was freaking out and I fixed it.”
Ailaina looked over her shoulder at us. “Is Es okay?”
I waved her off. “Yeah, Julie just put her to sleep.”
Ailaina unbuckled and marched down the small aisle to the empty seat across the aisle from Jarak and leaned over. “You have some nerve.”
Julie groaned. “Why is everyone so pissy about me helping her?”