Moonfire

by M. Rae Gogetap

  “Chelsea, tell me. How did you come to be raised by your Aunt?” Michael asked.

  I watched the flickering candles of the chandelier, casting their faux firelight. Figuring he already knew the answer, I decided I may as well play along.

  “Well, she was the only family I had, after Mom died,” I said. Somehow this admission didn’t feel so painful as it usually did. Michael nodded.

  “It’s such a shame when a girl does not have a mother to teach her what she needs to know,” Michael said. He leaned forward. “My own Sofia lost her mother when she was fifteen, just at the age when you could say she needed her most.”

  My throat tightened, as I remembered my year as a fifteen-year-old. The emotions of others stifling me, controlling my own moods, suppressing my ability to go out in public. The migraines. The doctors skepticism. Meredith’s ignorance turned out to be purposeful neglect of a problem she could have handled better than any medical practitioner. Instead, she ignored me.

  I nodded in agreement. “Yes, but I am grateful to have Aunt Mer,” I lied. At the moment I felt about as grateful as the bear looming behind Michael’s shoulder. “She’s the only mother I’ve ever known since I was an infant.”

  “A tragic accident,” Michael said.

  “You knew Aunt Mer back when my mom was around?” I asked.

  “Excuse me; I was speaking of my own Stacey. Ah, the love of my life. We met in college, in Omaha, in fact. Broke dental student and head cheerleader, we made an odd couple. But Fia reminds me so much of her, so full of energy, so athletic. Fia hasn’t finished grieving the loss of her mother. I think that makes her a little more prickly than she would otherwise be.”

  I nodded at Michael as he spoke of the loss of his wife and his daughter with candor. Maybe his way of apologizing for her behavior at dinner. For a host whose dinner party had taken a disastrous turn, he acted downright serene. Full of charisma and the right things to say.

  Without thinking, I reached my energy field out to Michael’s. The searing heat I felt made me gasp, and instantly I pulled back. My hands flew to my temples, and I closed my eyes, feeling dizzy.

  “That’s a lovely dress,” Michael said.

  Holy. Crap. What just happened? Nausea made my stomach turn, but I opened my eyes to meet his gaze.

  “I would think a damselfly would be more appropriate for you, though.”

  I forced a laugh, struggling to keep my eyes focused. “Why is that?”

  “Dragonflies reveal themselves clearly, their wings always visible. Damselflies can hide their wings, appearing as innocent as the stalk of a water weed. You’re more innocent, not so out in the open, don’t you think?”

  The room tilted sideways when I stood. Michael’s words worried me. He knew more about me than I initially thought. “Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?”

  Michael gave me directions, and I attempted to walk in a straight line to the bathroom. The smell of something burning hit my nose. I slowed my steps near the kitchen, where I heard raised voices.

  “You need to let it go, Dan. She’s no longer your mission! You can’t pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. I see the way you look at her. You are insane to think-“

  “Get your hands off of me, Meredith,” Daniel said. “You are not my concern, at the moment. It’s your fault she’s here, now I will fix-“

  Meredith let out a hollow laugh. “Neither of us can fix this, now. Look at where we are.”

  “I will take care of everything!” Dan yelled.

  “Stop fooling yourself, Dan. Follow your orders and I’ll follow mine,” Meredith said. “Let her go.”

  Let me go? I groaned as the dizziness washed in waves from my head to my toes. Meredith and Dan both looked up from their argument. I shrugged, and leaned against the doorway, trying to look casual.

  “Ooops, I wasn’t eavesdropping,” I slurred. I felt drunk, after only one glass of wine. “But Aunt Mer, you reeeallly gotta take your own advice. You needa let me go since you weren’t much help before.”

  “Chelsea, calm down. You’ve no idea what’s happening,” Aunt Mer said, shaking her head.

  “That’s your fault, isn’t it!” I said, raising my voice, feeling the energy swirl around me again. “It’s because of you- you kept me in the dark all this time.”

  “Chelsea,” Dan said, showing me his palms. “We can all discuss this together.”

  “Why the sudden transparency? I mean, am I supposed to appreciate the tiny tidbits of information you gave me during the last five years? Both of you are still keeping something from me. You all can go to hell!” I shouted, then a burst of energy shot out of my outstretched hand, clanging the hanging pots and pans hanging above Meredith and Dan. The burning sensation I felt ricocheted into my sternum, causing me to fall to the ground. My head slammed into the wood floor. Stars dotted my eyes, but I watched as Meredith and Dan stared at me, stunned. Strong hands gripped under my arms, helping me up.

  “Chelsea, I think you’ve drunk a little too much, tonight. I’ll give her a ride home,” Kale said, looking at Meredith and Dan. My head pulsed with pain, lights too bright to keep my eyes open. I moaned as I accepted Kale’s arm around my waist and he assisted me out the front door.

  “Where’s Fia?” I mumbled as we walked through the entryway.

  “She’s staying here, tonight. She’s not aware of her limits, either.”

  “I know my limit, I barely drank a glass of wine,” I said, my voice raising. But the nausea and pounding headache felt similar to being drunk. My stomach turned. I hadn’t eaten enough today. I took a deep breath, smelling pine and violets. My head cleared somewhat. Firm fingers pressed my thumb knuckles, assuaging some of the sickness.

  “Must have been something in the air,” Kale said. We walked to Fia’s car, and he helped me into the front seat.

  Fia was right. Dinner had been a gigantic cluster. Kale told me not to trust anyone there. Dan told me to look for dark spots on people like everyone was afflicted with some Liar Plague. The prophecy. The connecting factor behind everyone at dinner. Where did we all fit in?

  “How could I have been so freaking blind?” I said. Kale glanced at me, dark brown eyes meeting mine. “I thought I was in love with Dan. I loved Meredith like a mother. What the hell are they up to, Kale?”

  Kale shrugged, his mouth set in a grim line. “I don’t know.”

  “What’s it like, being raised around people you can trust?” I leaned my head against the cool glass of the car window, tempering my heated forehead.

  “My community is close knit. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. Secrets are difficult to keep. Faith outside of your own self, it’s mandatory. Even when you know the worst about your neighbors. You interact with them every day. It’s survival.”

  “But I thought you said I shouldn’t trust them, back at the cabin.”

  “I didn’t say that. I said everyone at dinner had an agenda.”

  “So you’re saying I can trust someone, even when they aren’t truthful? That makes no sense.”

  “That’s one way to look at it. Maybe your Aunt had some reason for hiding your true origin. I’m not saying she did the right thing. But, perhaps you should trust her reasoning. For now.”

  “I’m never trusting anyone ever again,” I said, folding my arms across my chest.

  “Lonely are those who trust in no one but themselves,” Kale said. He drove the car to the gates of the apartment complex. I leaned over him to wave my card at the sensor to open the gate, just as Kale reached out to punch in the code. His fingers brushed the top of my dress, and I drew in a sharp breath.

  “Oh, uh sorry,” Kale said, turning red. My face warmed as well, and I sat back in the passenger seat.

  “No worries,” I said, but my heart raced. We walked into the building in an awkward silence.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Relativity

  “I’M GOING TO crash on the couch,” Kale said, locking the door behind us. He moved to the wind
ows, then disappeared into Fia’s room for a moment. “The locks are secure. I suggest you get some rest.”

  Locks only keep out the honest.

  My stomach twisted in pain. Kale lived in a community where people crossed through your house as a shortcut to the other side village. His neighbors didn’t lock their doors to keep away strangers. They had faith in the intentions of strangers and friends alike. To Kale, closing the door secured the people within. But with demons and who knows what else out there- if someone wanted to off me, a locked door wouldn’t stop them. Maybe locks could slow them down. But security depended on the resolve of the malfeasant, not on the strength of the guards.

  Who was Michael Fox, really? He was wealthy. He worked for a weapons dealer. His daughter was my roommate. He had a history with my Aunt.

  “You look pale.” Kale’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I stared at him. His copper skin shone in the dim light of a table lamp. Dark brown eyes looked at me, his mouth in a thin line. I sighed.

  “You don’t have to stay here, Kale. I’ll be fine.” And if not, then what could I do about it? Fia wasn’t here, so deep down I knew Kale shouldn’t be, either. Fia has some feelings for him, however outrageous. I didn’t want to step on her toes. The last thing I needed right now was to be a homeless half-human.

  I turned away from him, walking towards my bedroom.

  “I’m not leaving you alone right now. There’s too much we don’t understand.”

  I turned to him, my arms crossed. I ignored thoughts of his muscled arms and met his eyes. He narrowed his eyes as if daring me to argue. But my headache spread through my neck to my eyes. Kale’s resolve dissolved my will to get him to leave. I threw up my hands.

  “Fine, whatever. Good night,” I said, turning back around and slamming my bedroom door. The vibration shot straight through my neck, causing me to wince in pain. I took an ibuprofen and laid in bed. The evening replayed through my closed eyes, in choppy scenes. Meredith and Mike, Fia and Dan. Kale laid on the couch a few feet from me. How could I sleep now?

  I woke still wearing the silk dragonfly dress from last night. The damp material clung to my skin, sweaty and cold. Par for the course after the usual nightmare where I fell helpless from the sky. After a quick shower, I dressed in my apartment uniform- black yoga pants and a white tank top.

  Caffeine was a mandatory ritual of my morning, and on they way to the kitchen I mentally recited FDA immunization schedules to keep away more dangerous thoughts. I squealed when I felt a large hand grab my own.

  “Holy crap! Kale, why are you still here?” I said, concentrating on slowing the mad thumping in my chest.

  “I’ve been up for an hour.” He shook his head. “Fia called, gave me an earful. You sleep like the dead, by the way. I think I could have played the snare drums, and you’d still be snoring. And you say you don’t need protection.”

  I willed my toes to keep from cramping. “From whom? Apparently, everyone around me knows what I am. Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if they knew about the ceremony, too.”

  “What I know is Daniel and Meredith are demons. Until I understand where they stand with the ritual-”

  “How do you know they’re demons? What’s the difference between a demon and a human? What about Fia? And Michael? And Gabe for that matter? What are they?” Once the first question was out, I couldn’t stop.

  “They’re not demons. Demons can manipulate energies. Your Aunt tried to use her magic on me. She got a little singed,” Kale said. Straight white teeth gleamed against his brown skin. His sheepish grin distracted me. Even in wrinkled clothes from last night, he looked like a model.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, taking a seat next to him, avoiding looking at his face. “Burned? Like their power bounced back at them and psychically burned them?”

  “Has this happened to you?” Kale asked. Up close I felt his aura, solid and impenetrable, like concrete. I didn’t send out any energy feelers, though, still unnerved from last night's results.

  “Yeah, last night, I was… curious about Michael. I sent out a little wave towards him. I think that’s what made me so sick. He had a shield or something. When my energy bounced back to me, it hurt.”

  “Devils Claw,” Kale said. “It’s a plant. You can make an herbal tea from it, and it protects you from demonic powers. When you know what to look for, you can tell when a demon tries to use their magic on you.”

  “Damn, so my evil sorcery won’t work on everyone?” I said, tasting the coffee. It was bitter without milk, but we were out.

  “No, your powers don’t work on everyone,” Kale said. “But we need to figure out how they work and who they work on now, then make our plans. There’s not much time. I spoke with Ray and my grandmother. The ceremony is supposed to be done by the next solar eclipse.”

  “37 days away,” I said. Kale raised his eyebrows. He leaned forward, his warm hand resting on my own. I smelled sage, and my heart rate slowed. Kale grounded me. Despite the fact he sported only human genes, his strength filled me with hope. I didn’t feel as hopeless as I had the night before.

  “How did you-“

  “Dan told me. Well, his app told him,” I said. I explained how I spoke to Ray in his dream, and relayed the information to Dan, who interpreted the cryptic remarks for me.

  “You should stop discussing this with Daniel,” Kale said. “You shouldn’t be living here, either. You should move somewhere nearer the reservation, or stay at my apartment in Flag.”

  I could not live with someone who looked like Kale and keep the saliva in my mouth, much less conjure a plan to save the world. Pulling my hand from his, I smiled.

  “Hey, Kale, you’re a sweet guy. But it’s a little too early in our relationship to be buying curtains. And besides, do you really think Fia is evil? She’s just spoiled.”

  He raised his eyebrows, then laughed, shaking his head. His black hair fell free around his shoulders, shiny and thick. “She’s something else. But no, she’s not evil. Her father, on the other hand…”

  A bird chirped, and I jumped, and my eyes darted around the apartment. There better not be creepy birds in my apartment. Kale laughed again, holding up his phone.“My ring tone, excuse me,” he said. I nodded to him and stood to finish preparing coffee.

  My phone buzzed on the counter. My chest constricted as I answered.

  “Chelsea, don’t hang up. Come to breakfast with me at the hotel. It’s time we talked,” Aunt Meredith said in a rush. Her voice filled with determination, and something warmer than normal.

  “Fine, what time?” I asked, sipping the hot coffee. Thank Heaven for roasted caffeine filled beans. I’d need the extra energy for the face-off ahead.

  “How about brunch at 11 o’clock? I’ll see you then, kiddo. I do miss you,” she said with a sigh. My eyes prickled with tears. Despite it all, I missed my Aunt Mer, too.

  “Ok, see you then,” I said, my voice cracking. I ended the call and walked to the window, overlooking the parking lot. Fia slammed a car door I didn’t recognize. She stomped to the entryway.

  “Fia’s here!” I called to Kale, who was still on the phone in Fia’s room. He walked out in a hurry.

  “That was Daniel,” Kale said with a skeptical look. “He wants to meet me for lunch.”

  “Huh, do you need some back-up?” I winked at him. “We don’t want you alone with a demon.” I didn’t know what Dan wanted to speak with Kale about, but in my heart, I knew he wouldn’t hurt my friends. Since Dan knew more than Kale or me about the demons, we would need his insight.

  “Of course not,” Kale said, offense in his tone. He stood straight to show me he feared no one. “Besides, I take the tea. I’m immune to his manipulations.”

  The front door swung open, and Fia stormed in. Her short, blonde hair stuck up in all directions like she just rolled out of bed.

  Ha, so she didn’t always look perfect. The soft blue material of her Juicy Couture sweats didn’t mute her rage. She looked from Kale to me,
her green eyes like emerald fire.

  “What the hell- Chelsea I thought you were sleepin’ with Dan? Now you’re sleepin’ with my boyfriend?” Fia yelled. She slammed the front door shut, making me jump in surprise.

  “What? No, Kale just gave me a ride home last night, and-“

  “You spent the night with her? You asshole. You never stay the night with me!” Fia said. She charged Kale and shoved at his chest. I set my coffee cup on the counter and rushed over to them.

  “Fia, I slept on the couch. I couldn’t leave her alone-“

  “It’s always about Chelsea!” Fia yelled. “What about me? Huh? What about me?”

  “Fia, I’m sorry. Why are you so mad? Last night, you swore we were over.”

  I cringed. So not the right thing to say.

  “Yeah, because you’re always comparin’ me to Julia, my father’s always comparin’ me to my mother, no one cares about who I am!” Fia stomped to her room, shaking the walls with the door slam behind her.

  Biting my lip, I patted Kale’s arm. “Sorry for all the trouble, Kale.” He looked resigned, and I sent out an energy wisp to him. He glared at me. “Don’t you dare try to make me feel better, Chelsea. You’ll only get hurt, remember? It’s my right to deal with my feelings without any interference.”

  “Oops, sorry, okay,” I said. “Habit.”

  “I’m going to speak with the elders this weekend, get more insight into the ritual. Let’s meet for dinner Monday night,” he said. He hesitated at the door. “Are you going to be okay?”

  Did Kale think demons only came out at night, like vampires? All of a sudden he was all right with leaving me alone. My mind reeled from the conflicting vibes and actions from those around me. Ironic how I could manipulate energy but had no clue about anyone. Too bad I didn’t get the psychic genes. But then again, like Dan said, knowing when everyone told the truth had its downfalls.

  Confident all the disconnected information would fall into place and make sense, I put on a bright smile.