“You bounced back, and my sister never did. The boy moved onto another girl after he’d used my sister for her virtue, and once Dahlia learned of his betrayal, she snapped. Her heart turned colder. She went years before finding love again, and the next time she did, it was for a vile creature—a vampire.” He glanced up to see Kitty’s eye widen.
With her hands clasping at her neck, more tears spilled down her cheeks. “Vampires are real too? Like neck-biting, blood-sucking vampires?”
Dominic nodded. “Yes, Kitty, I’m afraid so. And my sister fell in love with one of their darkest sons, Rhys. Their nature is not like ours, you see. They are completely thrown off-balance in nature, while we witches govern balance. Dahlia convinced me that her love was pure and he was worthy. I hadn’t seen my sister so happy or in love for years. So when they got into trouble, he was taken away and held prisoner. Dahlia, being a witch, was dealt with differently, and her magic was held until she was sentenced. She convinced me to stand up for her and Rhys. And that was my biggest mistake.”
Picking up Kitty’s chair, he offered it to her. “My stepmother never liked me and she was embarrassed by Dahlia’s vampire lover so much that she ordered him killed and she punished us both. Neither of us is allowed to go home until our probation is up and we’ve fulfilled the terms of our punishment.”
“Witch probation must be terrible,” said Kitty. “What are the terms?”
He took the chair closest to her and sat. The tears still streaked down her face, but she was enthralled with his every word. “You’re right, it isn’t exactly community service. My sister and I are limited to a life of darkness because of our sympathy for vampires who only exist by night. Our powers are very limited as well, which is why we can only shift into nocturnal creatures instead of anything we desire.”
“Is that why your sister loves moths so much?” Allowing herself to be closer to him, Kitty leaned her elbow on the table.
“No, but she’s always fancied them and not only for their beauty. There’s an old tale that moths are the souls of witches. Some believe that if you sleep on your back, the moth will fly to you, crawl into your mouth, and possess you.” He watched as Kitty’s eyes widened.
Thankful for the habit of sleeping on her stomach, she swallowed hard. “Is that true? Could someone become a witch from swallowing a moth?”
“Witches can take shapes, but we cannot possess. Only demons and ghosts can do that and ghosts pretty much suck at it. But we can control animals and use them in spells.” He slowly took her hand where it rested on the table and stroked her long, slim fingers with his thumb. “My sister is actually on another mission. You see, we’re not only cursed to spend a hundred years in darkness, but if we’re to get through this, without aging, and without losing our powers all together, then every Halloween there must be a sacrifice.” Kitty’s hand tensed, but she kept it in his and let him stroke it even though it was shaking. “Blood sacrifices are not usually life-taking rituals for my people, and when they are, it’s for a very strong spell like resurrection. My stepmother didn’t realize when she was dealing out our punishments that she was giving my sister everything she needed to bring Rhys back from the dead.”
“But wasn’t Rhys already dead, I mean, he is a vampire and aren’t vampires undead?” Kitty’s mind was racing and trying to make sense of it all. “So would he be human again?”
“I’m afraid he’ll be an ever bigger abomination than he already was. One hundred years of sacrifice— blood and bone from all those victims. She’s using that moth to collect it and once she’s completed her punishment and we go home, she’ll raise Rhys. She can only kill once a year. So you see that’s why you’re safe until Halloween. All of you.”
“But there are two people who go missing every Halloween,” said Kitty. She watched his face fall and slowly pulled her hand away. “You have to make your own sacrifice, don’t you?” Tears pooled in her eyes again at the thought of such a beautiful creature having to commit such horrible acts.
“Yes, Kitty, that’s why there have been two. But I only do it as a mercy. I promise.”
“A mercy? Those girls didn’t want to die, Dominic! They were just girls, young like me. I’ve heard the stories about how they just disappeared, and about the trials and how those innocent people suffered. Their families searched for months.” She watched the tears well up in his eyes, confused by why it bothered him only now. She stood and made her way to the door where she stopped. She turned to see him standing, but he didn’t try to stop her this time. “This is a lot to take in, Dominic. I need to be alone.”
“I will trust you not tell anyone, Kitty. Everyone’s safety depends on it. My plan is to take her from here tomorrow. She’ll want to prepare the victims tomorrow night after midnight.” He slowly walked to her, took her hand and kissed it. “I will make sure nothing happens to you and your friends. Trust me, Kitty.”
Without another word, she turned and headed home. A night bird’s screech hurried her pace. The reality that a girl and boy could make themselves into birds was just too much. What else can they become? She started to jog. She’d trust Dominic to try, but she wasn’t going to sit by and wait and do nothing to protect her friends.
Chapter Nine
The hard floor dug into her hipbone as Kitty rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. After a minute, she remembered why she was there. Words like owls, witches, and sacrifice flooded back to her brain. Unable to sleep the night before, she’d been working on the plans for her and Jenna’s project. So far the only plan B she could think of was to fake a séance in her attic using the spirit board, and that was only if the witches left town. Witches— what hard pill to swallow, but no matter how hard it was to believe, the image of the snow white owl reminded her it was a bitter pill of truth.
Dragging butt down the stairs, she was shocked when she didn’t get her normal greeting of which chores would be waiting for her when she got home. She found her mom asleep on the couch surrounded by a box of tissues. She thought her mom had sounded hoarse the day before, but the woman was so stubborn she wouldn’t slow down to rest when Kitty suggested it. Instead she’d worn herself down and now she was paying the price. Although she worried about her mother’s health, this put a hitch in her plans. As she stood there staring at her mom, the woman awakened and was startled by her presence.
“Geez—“she said, peering up at Kitty with red-rimmed eyes and nose.
“Sorry, Mom, I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just checking on you.” Kitty sat at her mother’s feet and tucked them under the afghan her grandma had made when they’d gotten new furniture three years earlier.
“No worries. What’s on your mind?” She watched her daughter shrug. “Go on tell me, I can tell you want to say something. I can always tell, Kitten.” Kitty rolled her eyes at her mom’s sappy tone, which sounded even sappier while hoarse.
“I wanted Jenna to come over to spend the night, but since you’re sick, maybe it should wait.” She wanted to make sure Jenna was safe, and this was the only way she knew how.
“Honey, I’m fine. I’m going to be up and about later just as soon as this medicine kicks in, so you do your thing. I’m just glad that you’ve come to your senses and want to make amends.” With a wink she kicked the covers off her feet.
Laughing, Kitty shook her head. “You’re impossible. You should rest. But if you don’t mind, I think I will ask her.”
“So did you decide to forgive and forget, or did Colt pull the same game on Jenna?” Her mother took a tissue and wiped her watery eyes while Kitty responded.
“Yeah, he did. I don’t know why guys have to be such jerks. I mean, he was always so interested in me and then he gets with Jenna and then doesn’t even wait a month before moving on to the next girl. It wouldn’t be so horrible if we weren’t all such good friends. We’ve known each other too long and perhaps that was the problem all along. We should have both just kept it friendly with Colt and not let some boy ruin our friendshi
p. I guess I have to blame myself as much as Jenna. I’d gotten to where he was all I talked about. Anyway, I’m hoping we can move past it.” Kitty checked the clock above the mantle and decided she better get ready for school. Jenna’s mother would be coming soon.
As she walked away, her mother called to her. “Kitty, don’t be too hard on Colt. He’s young and still learning his way, too. I’m sure one day you can all be friends again.” She closed her eyes and shrugged the afghan up over her shoulder.
As she climbed the stairs, Kitty wasn’t sure the three of them could be friends anymore, but she was sure that she wanted them both alive and well to try.
***
Friday at school, Jenna met up with Kitty at her locker. “Thanks again for inviting me over, Kitt. Even though it’s only been a couple of weeks, I feel like I haven’t stayed over in forever.” Leaning back against the lockers, she sighed and propped her books against her chest.
Kitty finished brushing out her hair, which was a daily locker ritual, and then grabbed her notebooks and slammed the metal door. “That’s because we were grounded before,” Kitty reminded.
Jenna sighed. “Ah, yes, I’d almost forgotten the two weeks of misery. Thanks for the reminder.” Jenna’s mother had taken away all of her privileges and hers was the worse grounding of the three. Her mother had always been the strictest, and Kitty usually got off easy. “So what are we going to do tonight, and can you promise me no Heavenly Pizza. I’m seriously burned out on it. I swear one day that boy is going to turn into a big slice of pineapple, or worse, a ham.”
“I’ve got it covered. I thought we’d stay in, catch some videos for inspiration, and maybe talk about the project over nachos. You didn’t talk to Colt did you? Is he still mad or do you think we can use the camera? My phone is going to be terrible in the dark if we have to use it.” Kitty didn’t want to be the one to go asking Colt for the camera, but in this situation, she just might have to.
“I haven’t talked to him. Sorry, I’m just not ready to.” Jenna crossed her arms in front of her, as if the thought gave her a stomach ache.
“Wait, have you seen him today?” Kitty wondered if Colt had survived his last visitor after all. She wasn’t going to trust Dominic fully knowing that there were three of them and only two necessary sacrifices needed, and Dahlia seemed to want to target them. She watched Jenna’s carefree attitude, calmer than she’d seen her in weeks, and wondered if she should shake it up. She really didn’t have a choice.
“He’s around, I saw him at his locker, but I walked right on by. I bet he hates that Dahlia doesn’t go to school here. What’s up with her and Dominic anyway? I guess they not only get to be ridiculously attractive, but homeschooled to boot. Life’s unfair, Kitt.”
Kitty was relieved that Colt had made it to school and that for the next several hours they’d all be safe. She’d keep Jenna safe at her house until Sunday and see if the girl wanted to try and mend things with Colt enough to be friends and perhaps check on him. As much as she hated it, there was nothing she could do for Colt. She hoped that Dominic was telling the truth and that he’d protect them all and take his sister away. She couldn’t believe the trouble they were in now. “Yeah, life isn’t fair at all.” And as she pondered those words, she couldn’t help but think of Dominic and his fate.
***
Dominic brushed the dust off an old chair in the attic and sat, watching his sister who was standing in front of a broken mirror raking her hands through her hair. The red tips disappeared into her ink black locks as she freed the strands from tangles. “It’s time to go, Dahl. We can still make it to another town and find other sacrifices. Let’s not waste more time here. We’re both up early; let’s make the best of it.” Dominic lifted a shoulder and then leaned back on his hands to await her response that didn’t come right away.
Finally Dahlia sighed and licked her lips before pinching her cheeks. The blood pooled giving her blush and her eyes sparkled as she turned to her brother and lifted a brow. “Are you still worried about your little Kitty? I promised I wouldn’t hurt her, Dom. But I do intend to get that pin back before I leave town, if you haven’t forgotten.”
Dom hadn’t forgotten anything. “I’ll get the pin as soon as you agree to leave here and come with me to the city. We can even sneak into the prison again. I know how much you enjoyed that the last time.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said pausing only long enough to giggle. “No. There I thought about it.” She hadn’t played that game with him since they were children, and like then, Dominic wasn’t amused. This was going to come to a stand-off, and so far he’d never won one against his sister.
He only had one more card to play, and he wasn’t sure if it would make things better or worse when he did. “I know what you’re up to, Sister. I know why you’re keeping that pin. It’s not a souvenir. It’s an amulet. I’m guessing you need all that blood and bone to do a spell powerful enough to bring back Rhys.”
Her jaw tensed, and he heard the sound of her teeth grinding together like two shards of glass. “So what if I am, clever Dominic? What does it matter to you?”
The answer he’d gotten was exactly what he expected. What did it matter to him? All these years he’d been defending her, staying by her side, helping her no matter the cost to his own conscience, and not to mention cleaning her messes. Those words meant more than she understood as they made him realize that no matter how hard he tried to help his sister, she was beyond redemption. No matter how many years he stood by her, her end game was never going to change. Their lives were never going back to how they were before. She only cared about Rhys—the one who’d gotten them into this mess. He’d known it for some time now, but only now, hearing her cold response, did it sink in. It didn’t matter at all to him. He needed to go on with his own life, and as soon as he saved Kitty and her friends, he’d do just that.
As soon as the sun went down, Dahlia giggled breaking the silence. “See you later, Brother. Happy hunting.” As she disappeared he was certain he wouldn’t see her again until after her reaping. He’d have to do all he could to stop her. Walking over to the dusty table, where Jenna’s planchette still lay, he raked his finger into the dust and wrote the alphabet and two words— yes and no. It wasn’t a proper board, but he figured since the table belonged to the man he was trying to reach, it would do just fine. He picked up the planchette which had little spikes on it for feet and concentrated. The spirits were there. The kids themselves had almost made contact until Kitty freaked out. He placed his fingers slightly on the table and then he asked a single question “Who are you?” As the wind kicked up around him, the planchette started to move, spelling out the answer he’d been hoping for. L-I-A-M. Liam Barker, the boy who’d broken his sister’s heart—the man whose own wife was Dominic’s first mercy killing. He only hoped that Liam understood, and that he wouldn’t hold a grudge. He had a feeling the spirit knew exactly who was responsible for their fate.
***
The room filled with the smell of nail polish and remover as the girls sat painting each other’s toes. “Don’t move,” Kitty said, trying hard to keep her own foot steady. “Seriously, or I’m going to paint your whole foot.” She stifled her own laughter, but was glad the two were friends again.
“I can’t help it, it’s hilarious. The expression on Colt’s face—I haven’t thought about it since, but it was so funny. He thought he was going to jail. Getting grounded was terrible, but that face with those tears, almost make it worth it now.” Jenna brushed the last swipe of polish onto Kitty’s toe and then closed the bottle.
“Yeah, I don’t think he’ll ever take that boat without permission again. You know, maybe when we’re done we should call him about the camera,” Kitty said as a sinking feeling washed over her. And to see if he’s still alive.
Wrinkling her nose, Jenna replied, “I’m not calling him, Kitt. You call him. I’m sure he’s with Dahlia anyway.”
Let’s hope not. “Well, I just might
. We really do need that camera, and besides, we’ve been friends for too long. If I can forgive him, so can you.” Just as she finished painting and closed the bottle of Bikini Pink, a hoot from an owl sounded outside and sent chills down her spine. She jumped up, not minding her wet toes and peeked out the window. In the nearest tree branch perched an owl. To Kitty’s relief it seemed to be the same brown owl that Dominic had shifted into and not the white barn owl, like his sister. The relief only lasted a second as she realized that if Dominic was still in town, then so was Dahlia. Surely this owl was Dominic. It was too close to her window and the sound was definitely to get her attention. She figured that as long as he was there watching, they’d be safe. But then panic stuck her and she darted for her phone. “I’m going to call him now.”
“Kitt, you’re scaring me. It’s just an owl. Why so jumpy? You just ruined your polish and quite possibly the carpet.” Hobbling to the window on her heels she peeked out. She shifted her glance to Kitty who was already waiting for Colt to pick up.
After the fifth ring, Kitty was growing nervous. Three more rings and that meant his voice mail would pick up. No, no, no. Pick up, pick up. “Hey Kitt, what’s up?” Colt answered, taking the hundred pound weight off her chest.
With a sigh of relief she responded, “Hey, I um…I just wanted to say hey. I didn’t think you were going to answer.” She watched as Jenna made faces and then flipped the bird at the phone. Kitty waved her away smiling.
“Yeah, I was in the shower,” he said. “I have to be up early so I’m getting ready to turn in. What’s up with you? You don’t hate me anymore, just Jenna, right?”
“We don’t hate you—“
“Speak for yourself, Kitt.” Jenna mumbled.
Kitty waved her hand across her neck and then went over to stand at the window. She was glad Colt was safe and at home and planning to stay there. “Look, Colt, we’ve all been friends too long to let things come between us. Besides, Dominic said that he and his sister are not staying here. They’re leaving soon so—“
Darkness Echoes: A Spooky YA Short Story Collection Page 14