Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World)

by Brandy Nacole

  “Wait, metal is made from iron and other natural elements, right?” Danika nods her head as Ethan continues on hopeful and ever so optimistic. “So you should be able to do this then, right? Metal may not be a natural element but some of the contents within the metal itself is natural.”

  But Danika shakes her head slowly watching as Ethan’s head drops in defeat. “It would take someone of Eldrida’s experience to do that. And even if she could, we would still have to have the dogs. You can’t turn a non-living thing into a living thing.”

  Okay so not impossible but almost. “What about a glamour?”

  Danika peers back over the seat to look at me. “I don’t know. It’s possible but what if it fades or someone sees through it?”

  I give her a pointed look, “This isn’t life or death you know. So what if someone sees through the glamour? They’re not going to behead us for driving a vehicle. They’re just going to think we’re weird and come up with some dumbass explanation as to how we got here.”

  Ethan raises his eyebrows and nods in agreement. “We can hide it a few miles out of town and hike the rest of the way in.”

  When we’re a few miles from town, we start looking for the most covered spot to leave the car. We spot a tree with some small bushes around the bottom that would encircle the vehicle. Deciding it’s our best option, we park the car.

  Everyone exits the car. The town is viewable from here but is probably a good three mile hike. I wonder if anyone would mind if I went ahead and flew into town. I could do some research, knock back a few cocoas and be ready to go before they got there. Yeah, like I would do that.

  Even though we have spent the last couple of days protecting one another, I still don’t know how far I can trust the group who surround me. I know that I can’t just leave them to fend for themselves. With the luck we have been having, the Chimera would attack and make mush out of their frozen bodies. Nope, can’t do it. I want to. Oh do I ever want to. But nope, I can’t. I refuse.

  I look down at my tennis shoes and across the snow and ice that’s getting thicker by the minute. My feet should be nice and frosty once we get there. Why didn’t I grab my boots off the plane?

  I glance at the others to see what they’re wearing. No different from me. We all have tennis shoes on except Ethan, who wouldn’t be bothered by the snow if it was up to his dang neck. We all have a regular jeans, shirt, and coat combo.

  I really don’t know why I’m complaining. Danika and Coy will be the one’s suffering the most. While the cold does bother me, I can normally adjust to it after a little time. It’s as if my body gets so cold and then just stops, like it has a reserve once it reaches a ‘that’s enough point,’ allowing my body temperature to smooth out and adjust. Weird, I know.

  I watch as everyone steps back from the vehicle giving Danika the space she needs, or at least the space they think she needs, to perform the glamour spell. First she lights some kind of stick that appears to be made out of hay or grass. Then she walks around the car invoking the spirits of the east, north, west, and south. She slowly walks back to the north. I listen closely as she quietly says her spell.

  Since I’m oblivious to everything supernatural but am a true creature of this world, I better start paying attention, or else the Chimera and whoever’s behind them are going to eat my ass up for dinner.

  “Goddess of the Moon, Earth, and Sun,

  Sacred Mother, as you see,

  I call upon thee,

  I call upon thy sight,

  Give me your light,

  Let others perceive, what is not seen,

  May it be strong and true,

  Blessed Mother, shining bright,

  Give them their second sight,

  So they may not impede my path,

  So mote it be, Blessed be”

  Then Danika bends over throwing a few handfuls of snow onto the car. She ends the spell by putting out the hay stick. She had looked very peaceful and intent while she was talking to her Goddess. I can see her strength better than ever as she walks away from the car, grabbing Ethan’s arm and saying, “Ready,” with a smile.

  Chapter Twenty

  We all make it into town a few hours later, barely. Ethan ended up carrying Danika the last mile or so. Poor Coy looked like a blue popsicle stick. I had offered to carry him but he’d refused. Although every time I asked him, it looked as if his resolve was dimming and dimming.

  Of course, Jared didn’t get cold. How can an undead creature get cold? They can’t, but by golly they can complain. He complained about his shoes getting ruined, as if the rest of our shoes had magical protection to keep them safe. That thought had crossed my mind. I had almost asked Danika if there was anything she could do but I wasn’t going to bother her with that. She isn’t a freaking genie after all.

  If she had been a genie though, I would have wished Jared to become a mute. He kept on and on about how dreadful trudging through the snow was. I mean come on he’s a freaking Vampire for god’s sake. A creature with strength and power beyond any human and yet Coy wasn’t complaining a bit. I was almost tempted to pick Jared’s butt up and carry him, almost.

  Once we reach the small town of Deline, it doesn’t take us long to find the library. It’s a small building with log siding. Unlike your typical libraries that are all shelves and books, this one is open and welcoming. There are shelves that are lined up against the wall, a few shelves sit in the middle of the room. Art work is not only displayed in frames but painted on the walls themselves. A few wooden statues of animals sit randomly around the room.

  Off in the back corner are a few computers. The desk they sit on is beautifully carved with a scene of a wolf and eagle. The edges are rough but smooth with a clear coat to ward off wear and splinters. Only one computer was available with Internet access. Jared took the computer while the rest of us hit the books. After an hour of reading, Danika’s phone rings.

  I tune into the conversation. Extending my hearing so I can hear whoever is on the other line. When I hear Eldrida’s voice, I hold my breath as my hitches up a beat.

  “Hi dear, how close are you to the airport?”

  “A few hours out,” Danika says, peering out the window at the dark clouds rolling in.

  “Okay, well we believe the location is Greenland. That’s the only place that was untouched. We are going to meet you in Nuuk, Greenland. Get there as soon as you can but be safe.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Danika snaps her phone shut as she walks toward the door, the rest of us following behind.

  The track back to the car is just as treacherous as before, maybe even worse. Jared’s complaining is at an all-time high. The snow has picked up, dampening our clothes.

  After walking for hours, I start looking for the car. Apparently so is everyone else. Coy pulls his arms closer to his chest, his body shaking uncontrollably. He looks like a human jackhammer. He’s desperately searching around, hoping to see the car. I take a glance around and spot it immediately next to the tree where we left it.

  “It’s right there.” I say pointing.

  “Where?” He continues looking around but doesn’t seem to spot it. I start to worry about his brain shutting down or something. Oh that’s right, he’s human. He can’t see through the glamour. Maybe my brains shutting down.

  “I’ll take care of that.” Danika turns toward where the car is parked and raises her hand.

  “Goddess of the Moon, Earth, and Sun

  May this spell be lifted,

  And I now gifted,

  Mote it be, Blessed be”

  I don’t see the glamour lift but Coy does. He breaks into a run for the vehicle. Once he reaches it, he throws the back door open and jumps in. Danika’s just as excited as him. After turning down Ethan’s offer to carry her again, the girl was probably frozen to the bone. But it’s not like much warmth will be felt inside, the door’s still missing. At least we’ll get some shelter from the wet snow.

  The trip to the airport was uneventful
. Everyone seemed too exhausted to say much. The weather did take a hard turn for the worst. The snow began falling so hard all you could see was a bright white. Luckily we had magic on our side and made it through with no worries. It was pretty awesome to be tracking through the country side in a vehicle, when no roads where available.

  Back in Deline we did find a few vehicles, although those were mostly for town officials. Everyone else just seemed to own a snow mobile. On our track back to the airport, I could see where snow mobiles and dog sleds had been used but no vehicle tracks. Magic is awesome!

  Once on the plane, the boys sack out. I figured as much. I was just getting cozy on one of the couches, when I noticed Danika sitting up looking through a book. I’m just about to drift off to La-La Land when apprehension slams into me.

  When we land, mayhem could arise. If the Vampire in question is indeed in Greenland, an outright war is going to break out. Us fighting for the ones we love, them fighting to keep the Shadows they have. Cerelia is the biggest obstacle, which is probably why the Coven Elders are joining us in Greenland.

  Then the questions start running through my head. What are we truly up against? Is it beatable? Will we make it out alive? Am I prepared for what we might find? Is anyone? Thoughts just keep running together. Fully awake, although my body says otherwise, I get up to see what Danika’s looking at.

  “What is it?” I ask, peering over her shoulder to get a glimpse. It’s a spell book.

  “My grandma’s book of shadows. I’m trying to find a spell that will enhance all of our strength and power.”

  “Why?”

  Danika swivels around to look at me. “Don’t stand there and pretend that you’re not scared too. Your fear is keeping you from resting now, just like mine. I’m worried about what’s going to happen.”

  I take the seat next to her, choosing to look at my lap instead of her. The shame of the fear I have is making me feel weak and guilty. Never did I want the others to know how much I fear what’s going to happen. I have always tried to come across as a rock. This whole ordeal has caused me to let my guard down enough that others can see.

  “You’re right. I’m scared too.” I look at her book of shadows. “Is there a spell that can do that?”

  Now it’s her turn to look ashamed. “I don’t know. Even if there were, it’s forbidden.”

  “Well that’s stupid. Why would they make a dumb rule like that?” I mean come on; if you were able to take out all the bad guys in the world by enhancing yourself, wouldn’t you do it? Heck yeah!

  “Actually it keeps Witches from turning into someone like Cerelia. When we start using our magic to enhance ourselves, and then enhancing others around us so we get what we want, it becomes a power struggle. Pretty soon there are no limits. The world is yours for the taking. It’s happened several times before.”

  Okay, makes sense. “Yeah but what if you’re using it for something good? Like this? How can that be considered a power struggle?”

  “Think about it. You knock out one bad guy; you think you can knock them all out. Then once they’re all gone, the feeling of power is still humming through your body. You’ll start to think that you can change things. That your way is right and no one else’s is. It’s like eating chocolate. Once you get a taste of it, you want more.”

  “I don’t like chocolate.”

  Danika rolls her eyes. “You know what I meant.”

  “I know. So now what?”

  “We give them all we got and hope it’s enough.” She looks back at the book before shutting it.

  “What if you would had found a spell?” Danika drops her head, unwilling to look at me. “Tell me Danika. What would you have done?”

  She finally raises her head. Uneasily she says, “I don’t know.”

  Silence blankets the plane as we sit there thinking about what’s and ifs. Honestly the more I think about it, the more exhausted I become. Yet the more I think about, the more my brain keeps running with new questions.

  “Okay, well let’s be as prepared as we can be. We know that the creatures will most likely be on guard. Cerelia will more than likely be present on the inside once we get through. We know the leader is a Vampire. What we don’t know is what to expect when we see the prisoners. We don’t know what kind of magic is being used on them, how they are kept captive or their physical condition.” I conclude.

  “Plus, we don’t know if they know we are coming. Somehow they always know where we are. I don’t know how but they do.”

  True, every time the creatures attacked us, they were prepared. They attacked us outside the Vampire lair and then again in London. They were always prepared. It wasn’t some random run-in where they spotted us then attacked. They were there and waiting.

  “What about Cerelia? Is that why the Coven Elders are coming?”

  “That’s a big reason. Plus, like you said, we don’t know what kind of spells are being used on the prisoners. We may need them to break through those spells and any other spell guarding the whole area.” Yea, we’re definitely going to need all the power we can get.

  “As far as the creatures, it didn’t seem like any of them had kept their powers. I think that when they were dissected, they lost them, or at least most of it. I did notice the thing they all had in common was strength. Can Cerelia do that sort of thing?” I ask

  “There’s no telling what she can do,” Danika huffs.

  We fall silent for a moment. “I’m still curious about the fairies.” The thought of the impending deadline comes to my mind.

  “What about them?” The life seems to have been drained from Danika. The exhaustion finally weighing her down, her voice is barely audible over the roar of the plane engines.

  “Why the fairy queen is human size? Shouldn’t she be small like her court?” This thought had been slipping in and out of my mind ever since I met the fairy queen. “I know you said she’s full Fae so why the size different?”

  “Well, it’s actually a long story and I’m tired.” Danika says with a yawn.

  I give her a soft smile. “How about the cliff note version?”

  Danika lets out a soft sigh. A small smile displayed across her face but with no real humor behind it. Poor girl, she’s exhausted. “Legend has it that the fairy queen was made to be mundane size to better protect the Fae. She’s able to become as small as the other Fae but only when she is in immense danger. It’s a power that is bestowed upon her once she becomes queen. The other fairies get this privilege too but only for a short period of time.”

  Interesting. “Why?”

  “That will have to wait for another time. I’m too tired and there is no Cliffs Notes version for that conversation.” Danika retreats to the back in the private room. Ethan and the boys are all passed out in the chairs. I choose a couch and finally let sleep take me under.

  ~

  I can feel it happening to me. I am being pulled under into a dream that I don’t want to face. No matter how hard I try, I kept getting pulled and tugged until the darkness fades and I am back in the dungeon. Panic takes over. Not just in the dream sense either. I can feel my heart racing in my real body. I can feel myself jerking, trying to get out of this nightmare.

  I do notice this dream is different. This time I’m alone in the dungeon. The others are nowhere in sight. The room is so quiet my ears ring.

  Then I hear it, the dreadful steps of someone coming closer to the door, the sound of the bolt sliding open. My heart slams harder and harder. My body starts trembling with dread. Last time I was here, I could feel the pain of the blade sliding through my body. This time could be worse. He may be successful in killing me.

  The Vampire opens the door way, shaking his head under the cloak. “I told you to stop Racquel. Why didn’t you listen?” Then he brings his hands up to his hood. He’s going to do it. He’s going to reveal his face before killing me.

  Just as his hood’s about to come off, I’m ripped from the dream. I open my eyes gasping like I had been he
ld under water too long.

  Coy stands over me. He kneels down beside me, holding my hand. “Are you okay?” His touch is reassures me that I’m okay and back to reality. That’s when I feel a sting on my cheek. I raise my other hand to my face.

  “What happened?” I rub my cheek to get rid of the pain radiating through it. The sting momentarily takes my mind off what could have happened if I hadn’t woke up.

  Coy looks at me, ashamed. “I’m so sorry, Racquel. It was the only thing I could think of to wake you up.” He reaches down to caress my cheek. When he does, I see the back of his hand is red.

  Understanding hits me. “It’s okay. You probably actually saved my life. Although it would have been nice if you could have waited two seconds.”

  “Why, what happened?”

  I re-cap the whole dream. How I couldn’t escape even though I could still feel my body. How it was just me this time. Coy went still when I told him about the near-unveiling.

  “If I had known, I would have waited. It would’ve been nice to know more about who we are dealing with. But on the bright side I’m glad I woke you up. I don’t think him unveiling himself is a good sign.”

  “Me neither. I pretty sure my death was a few taunts away.”

  He nods his head in agreement but doesn’t say anything. By this point I’m sitting up, allowing him to move off the floor. I want nothing else but to lay my head on his chest and feel his strong arms wrap around me.

  It’s funny how I can find comfort and safety from a human. The one with the least power and is in more danger than the rest of us.

  Seeming to have picked up on my want of comfort, Coy brings me to him. He wraps both arms around me tightly. Nothing is said, just a feeling of comfort and peace. I want to cry. Never wanting to feel alone or abandoned again. After having let myself open up to him and him accepting me, I don’t want to let him go.

  Sadness grips me at the same time. I know he doesn’t want this life nor to even have any part of it. It’s selfish of me to keep dragging this along. Selfish to keep him just so I don’t have to be alone. Then there’s the whole dying issue. Even if I keep him now, one day he will grow old and die.