by Dawn Gray
I drew a pentacle in the sand and set, on each corner, one candle, the red one to the very northern point, one magenta to the left and the right and one purple on the last two points. Each candle had been rubbed down with the two different oils, the patchouli from the wick to end, to attract the protection it supplied, and from end to wick with the Dragon's Blood, to repel the evil. After they had been coated in the oil, they were rolled in the mixture of the Vervain, Lemon Verbena, and Cloves. Justin laughed at me as I danced around the circle with the lit cinnamon incense, surrounding the area with the power and strength the incense let off.
Bobbie and Taryn came only a few minutes after we set up and so we began. Bobbie stood to the east point of the star, Taryn to the west, Justin to the south and I stood at the northern point. I looked over at Justin and laughed, reminding me of the second time that I had met him, when I was doing a small spell, to attract him to me. I watched his concentration as he tried to focus on that night's events.
"So, what are you?" I asked him. He looked at me, with one eye closed, the other opened and staring. "A witch or a vampire?"
"Isn't this supposed to be serious?" He asked, jokingly.
"Laughter is the greatest magic of them all." I replied. I looked at the two girls, who were giggling quietly. I sighed and rolled my shoulders. "Let's get his show off the ground, shall we?" I watched them nod, and I grabbed the long wooden rod that lay at my feet. I started to walk in a circle, three times, clockwise around the three of them.
"We conjure thee, oh; great circle of power, to aid us in this consecration. Please, be our boundary as we work to dispel the evil among us, be our protection between the realm of the living, and the world of the mighty spirits." I stopped after I ended the circle for the third time, and looked into the fire in front of me. "As above, so below. We wish you welcome." I leaned down and pounded on the ground three times. "This circle is sealed, let no harm come to those who stand within its protective walls."
The four of us took a moment to be settled, and then I turned and looked towards the north, my arms crossed over my chest. I opened my eyes wide, so that I could see all the stars in the heavens. "Hail to the spirits of the North, Element of Earth, be with us tonight. Please, accept our open arms and bear witness to the magic we release tonight. Bring to us your stability, your empathy, and your prosperity. Help us to complete this working. So, mote it be."
"So, mote it be." The other three echoed. Bobbie, standing at the East point, turned in that direction and crossed her arms. She looked directly towards the full moon and smiled.
"Hail to the spirits of the East, element of Air, be with us tonight. Please, accept our open arms and bear witness to the magic we release tonight." She repeated. "Bring to us, your knowledge, your inspiration and your freedom. Help us to complete this working. So, mote it be."
"So, mote it be." We all answered.
Justin spoke up, his voice went right to my heart, and my body ached for him. "Hail to the spirits of the South, Element of Fire, be with us tonight. Please, accept our open arms and bear witness to the magic we release tonight. Bring to us, your vision, love and healing. Help us to complete this working. So, mote it be."
"So mote it be." I whispered to myself, letting Justin's voice penetrate my thoughts.
Taryn glanced from me to Justin and smiled. "Hail to the spirits of the West, element of Water, be with us tonight. Please, accept our open arms and bear witness to the magic we release tonight. Bring to us, your, happiness, emotions and your friendship. Help us to complete this working. So, mote it be."
We all turned and looked at the fire before us, and I closed my eyes, letting the light of the moon just wash over me. When I opened my eyes, the three of them were looking at me. I smiled and looked up at the sky, my arms wide open, and I focused on the moon.
"With open eyes and open arms, I look upon the heavens and ask, If things are wrong, please make them right. End these nightmares; stop the fright. I beg and plead, on this full moon night, to rid the evil that resides, within the darkness of my mind." I stopped, and looked at the fire, as it suddenly turned black. This wasn't right; this wasn't supposed to be happening. Something was wrong, very, very wrong.
Suddenly, as if it were a rush of the wind, I was knocked over and out of the circle. Justin turned to look at me, as I lay half-sprawled out on the sand. He wanted to move, I could see it in his face, but he looked down at is shoes, trying to move his feet. It was as if they were rooted to the ground. The two girls yelled, but all I could see was the black fire and the sudden blackness that jumped out from it. He stood above me, as if by magic, the man from my dreams.
He smiled down at me, then, bending his knees, he came closer and smiled at me. "You can't get rid of me, child. I am eternal."
I listened to him, then gathered all my strength and scurried backwards, away from him. He laughed, got up, and followed me. The nearer he got, the faster I moved. I closed my eyes and began to envision the blue wall around me, protecting me, and with a burst of power that I hadn't felt since I first met Justin, I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by the protective blue light. The man backed away, but he continued to smile at me.
"You little magic tricks won't protect you forever, my dear. I'm out, thanks to you, and your little friends, and all hell is about to break loose." He smiled.
"You weren't supposed to come out; you were supposed to go away!" I said sternly, but my voice seemed to choke. He laughed aloud and then shook his head.
"Silly girl, you must have read the spell wrong." He mocked.
I couldn't figure out what was going on. He reached out and touched the blue wall and I watched, in horror, as it slowly faded. He grabbed my arm as I tried to shield my face, and brought me closer to him. I looked into his dead black eyes and noticed the power there. He smiled wider and wrapped his arms around me.
I watched, as he drew me closer, as the fangs began to grow, and with one quick motion, his fangs were at my neck. I struggled with him as I felt them penetrate my skin. I pushed, screamed and pulled at his hair, but he didn't let go until I heard a voice, very authoritative, who yelled his name.
"VICTOR!" He yelled, and this made Victor look up, breaking his hold on me. I listened to the deep throated laugh that came from the man who held me, and then he dropped me, letting me fall to the ground. I looked up at David, as he stood there, in all his brilliance, with a wooden stake in his hand. "Get away from her!"
"David, my dear friend." Victor smiled at him. I tried to move, but I was weak from the blood loss. The world around me was fading and all I saw was darkness.
Chapter 12
David watched as Sage's eyes slowly closed, as she looked weakly up at him, and the dark puddle of blood, near her neck, grew. His heart started to beat, wildly, thinking about the death of another friend and his eyes turned red with anger. He looked towards Victor, who glanced at Sage, then back at David.
"What are you going to do, David? There isn't enough time. Kill me, or save her." He laughed and moved closer to him, and when he was only a foot away; he spoke, in a low, quiet voice. "It's her or me, David. Who are you going to chose?"
"I'm going to send you back to the hell you escaped from." David snarled. Victor laughed, and clapped his hands together.
"So, you made your choice? Kill me, and let your precious girl die?" He smiled, and then it faded a bit. "Know this one small detail, before you let her go. Choosing wrong will result in not only her life lost, but also the life of her unborn child."
David stopped, as he raised the stake to go after him, and looked at Sage. He knew it. He had felt it in the library, earlier that day. She had been alive with power, a kind she didn't have when he first met her. He looked at Victor, again, and then walked up to him.
"The next time we meet, you better be prepared to die." David threatened. Victor's smile returned.
"You can't kill me, you silly boy. I'm already dead." He laughed, then, slowly, faded away. David looked throug
h the transparent Victor, then walked passed him to Sage.
David knelt by her, and closed his eyes, as he reached down and touched her neck, feeling for a pulse. He sighed as he felt the rhythmic beating in her veins, but then he looked at her neck, and saw that the two holes that Victor had left were slowly healing. He looked over at the other three.
"Justin!" He hollered. "Uproot your feet and get your ass over here."
Justin struggled with his roots, then, as if commanded, it let him go, making him stumble to regain his balance. He walked over and knelt by Sage, looking up at David.
"You need to give her blood." David whispered. Justin shook his head. "She's lost a lot, Justin. She's going to die."
"I can't, I promised Michael that I wouldn't do an exchange with her." He sighed.
"Listen, I don't think you understand the magnitude of this." David assured him. "This isn't just her life we're dealing with."
"What does that mean?" Justin asked. David looked at him, shocked to see that the young man had no clue about the condition his girlfriend was in. Justin, seeing the strange look on David's face; looked down at Sage. "Tell me, what you know about her."
"She's pregnant, Justin." David whispered, and then looked up at Taryn and Bobbie, who were just coming over from the fire. He looked back down at Justin. "Look, I don't think she knows yet, or I'm sure she would have told you, which means that the girls don't know yet."
"Wait, how do you know?" Justin asked, suddenly.
"Victor just told me, but after he did, I thought about it, and she's different. Her presence is stronger; her power is, too. Don't you feel it?" David asked. Justin sighed; he had felt it, but it never occurred to him that pregnancy would be the problem, or the cause. "Do it, Justin. The child is yours, it won't harm it any to have your blood."
"How can I be sure it's mine? Vampires can't have children." Justin sighed, suddenly, doubting.
"Julian told us what happened that night, when he brought Sage to meet his friend. Didn't she tell you what Caitlyn said about the Kingdom of the Nine? A vampire child. I was sitting right there when she told you." David insisted. Justin shook his head, closed his eyes and thought back to that night.
He had been sitting in the chair, in the second floor family room, when David had come in to get a book and Sage followed, telling them both about the incredible story of the nine young men. He opened his eyes and looked down at Sage.
"Do it, Justin." David said and took him by the wrist. "Your blood won't hurt her or the baby."
"What about Michael?"
"What about him?" David replied. "I think he'd rather see her alive than dead, Justin."
"Is she all right?" Taryn asked. David looked up at her, and then at Justin, who rolled up his sleeve.
"She will be." David replied. Justin used one of his fingernails to make a small cut on his forearm. He then took one hand and slipped it under her neck, then placed his bleeding wound close to her mouth. David leaned down close to her ear. "Sage, come on, baby. You have to do this."
Justin closed his eyes, as he felt her tongue touching his flesh, and she began to take from him, but, as if knowing her limits, she pushed him away. David watched as Justin pulled her close and her eyes opened. She looked quickly at David, then at the two girls, and back at Justin.
"I let Victor out." She whispered, almost inaudible
"It is okay, Sage." Justin whispered, and kissed her forehead. "He would have gotten out one way or another."
"But, the circle is broken." She whispered again. David giggled, and she reached back and grabbed his hand. "It's important that the quarters are released and the circle is taken down."
"We know, Sage." Bobbie said, softly. "It will be down; just let the boys bring you back to the house." She looked at Justin and David, then at Sage. "Let them take care of you."
"Okay." Sage whispered. Justin picked her up and then three of them walked back to the house.
* * * * *
I sat by the window, looking out at the bomb fire that still burned on the beach, then, as I sighed, I looked at Justin, who sat on the bed, then at David, who stood by the door.
"How did I screw up?" I asked them then shook my head. "I thought I did everything right."
"There's some sort of logical explanation for this." David sighed. A wave of nausea suddenly, came over me, and I closed my eyes. "Sage?" I put my hand up, and then sighed. "What is it?"
"Maybe it's just the blood Justin gave me, or the fact that it's about three in the morning, and I'm tired." I replied.
"Maybe you should go to sleep." Justin said, softly, walking over to me. I nodded, then got up and walked over to the bed, passing the dresser on the way by. I stopped, when I saw the spell book on dresser and looked down at its open page, the one I had taken the spell from. I looked at the title of the spell, For Stopping Nightmares, and then watched in horror as it changed right before my eyes: For Releasing Nightmares. "Sage, what's wrong."
"He did it." I said, swallowing hard, and then I grabbed the book and looked at Justin. "He switched the spell. Look!" Both David and Justin walked over and looked at the book in my hand. I shook my head. "The son of a bitch let himself out."
"You couldn't have known." David sighed. "But, I think we should tell Michael and Julian." He looked at the two of us, then at me. "No, wait. You go to bed; Justin and I will explain this to them."
"I don't know if I can sleep." I sighed. Justin ushered me into bed and then looked me in the eyes. I could hear his voice in my mind as he stared me down. I let him do it, put me to sleep, and I welcomed it.
* * * * *
David looked at Justin, who in turn looked at the room full of men, then back at him. Justin shrugged, and then looked at Michael.
"Victor's out." He said bluntly. The two of them listened to the how and whys of the others, then Justin put up his hand. "Listen, relax, and we'll tell you what happened."
They quieted down and listened as Justin explained the spell he had found, and the circle they had cast out on the beach, then how Victor had come out of the fire, and Sage was knocked from the circle. Justin explained how he was trapped in the spot where he stood, and he couldn't get loose to stop him from biting her, which made Michael jump up, and Quinn and Cristian's eyes become angry.
Justin told them about how David made him let go of her, and faced him, choosing to help Sage rather than fight with him right then. Victor leaving the circle seemed to break the hold on him and he was able to go over and help her. Justin looked at David, who shrugged at him, letting him know that it was his call to tell them about the baby. Justin looked back at the others, then only at Michael.
"She was going to die, she had lost a lot of blood, and at the time there seemed to be only one thing to do." He said and sighed, as he put his hands on his hips. "I'm sorry Michael. I broke my promise to you."
"What do you mean?" Michael asked. He watched Justin look down, shake his head, and then he rolled up his sleeve, showing the faint, quickly fading scare on his forearm. Michael looked at it, then at Justin's eyes, which pleaded for forgiveness, and he left the room.
"You didn't." Julian asked. Justin nodded and looked over at him.
"It was the only way to save her." He whispered. "I had to, I had no other choice."
"There's always another way." Cristian replied. Justin looked at him, then, as his eyes darkened again, he shook his head.
"I saved her life." He replied, in an angry voice. "I did what I had to do, and I have my reasons for doing them. If you can't understand that, than I am sorry."
Justin turned and left the room. He walked down the hallway, his arms crossed in front of him and his head down, until he felt Michael. Justin turned and looked at the blond haired man, who stood in the doorway where he had stopped.
"I let you see her on one condition, a very simple condition, Justin." Michael said; anger in his voice. "What possessed you to do that?"
"She was dying, Michael." Justin replied. "Would you rath
er I had left her lay there and die? I'm sorry, but I couldn't do that. Her life means too much to me."
"She would have healed fine on her own." Michael yelled.
"Not fast enough to survive." He answered. "There were other reasons, Mike, other circumstances that brought me to my decision."
"Which are?" He asked. Justin thought about telling Michael about the child, but he couldn't, not before Sage knew.
"They're unimportant now." He replied, and then looked up the stairs. He suddenly looked back at Michael. "I'm too involved to leave her now, Mike. I love her too much to do that, so, with or without your approval, I'm not leaving."
"I never asked you too." Michael replied. "I never implied that I wanted you to end this with her. What I said was, at the time, I let you continue on one condition." He paused, then, as he rubbed his head, he continued. "You saved her, David saved her, and for that I am and always will be grateful, but it was just the way you did it that struck me. I've always feared that it would come down to that, and I knew that her reaction to it might not be pleasant."
"She took it well. She's a bit nauseous, but right now, she's sleeping." Justin replied. He wanted to go on and let it all out of the bag, but he just sighed and turned to go upstairs. "Goodnight, Michael."
"Goodnight, Justin." Michael replied, and turned away from him. Justin looked down the hallway towards David, who nodded and disappeared himself, and then he continued up to the room where Sage slept soundly on the bed. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the covers.
Justin pulled Sage close to him and placed a hand on her little belly. He smiled, kissed her neck, then closed his eyes and tried to sleep. His dreams were full of images of a tiny baby and Sage.
Justin slipped out of the comfort of his bed shortly before sunrise three uneventful nights later. He stood by the window, glancing back and forth between Sage and the slowly setting moon. He caught a glimpse of movement down by the beach and he turned and walked out of the room.