Electric

by Stokes, Tawny

  "So, did you find out anything?"

  "Just that Deanna was a bit of a..." she paused and looked abashed.

  "Of a what?"

  She gave me a look. "I don't want to speak ill of the dead, you know?"

  I nodded. "She slept around."

  "Yes."

  "Did anyone mention if she hung out anywhere frequently? Like a coffee house or a bar or anything like that?"

  "Someone did mention a dive downtown called The Ye Old Tavern."

  "Sounds like a place Merlin would go to." I picked at the rest of my lunch, no longer really hungry.

  "You're planning on going down there are you?"

  "I have to Chloe. I can't let anyone else die because of me." I went to pop the tab on my Coke, when a football landed on our table, spilling Chloe's drink.

  We both got up before the drink could drench us both. I looked over to see who threw the ball and saw one of the jock straps, Kevin, laughing at his stellar aim. I picked up the football and spun it around in my hands.

  "Hey, Vale, throw it back," he shouted.

  "Oh you want your ball back?"

  The others in his brat pack were all laughing. All except for plastic posse princess Heather. She was watching but she didn't look none too happy about it. Which I found odd since in the past she would’ve been the one to egg the situation on.

  "Toss it back," Kevin started toward us.

  Instead of throwing it at him, I reached into my back pocket, whipped out my pocket knife, a gift from Trevor, opened the blade and stabbed it into the pig skin. I only had to do it once to pierce the leather, my cambion strength a bonus in this situation. Once the ball was completed deflated, I then threw back to Kevin.

  "Here you go. Have fun with it."

  Kevin glared at me. "You're a freak, Vale."

  "Duh!" I flipped him the middle finger, then Chloe and I gathered the rest of our stuff and went back into the school. Heather watched us the entire time without even a glimmer of a smile on her face.

  What was up with that?

  After school, I went home and waited for Kyle. I wasn't sure how I was going to brooch the subject of Deanna Moser, but all I knew was I had to somehow. Before I did though, I scoured the newspaper and the news websites to make sure they hadn't released her name yet as the deceased teen found in the dumpster. They hadn't yet, but I knew it would only be a matter of time. It would probably be all over the place by tomorrow. The media had no respect for the dead.

  I made myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich and parked myself in the living room to wait. A sandwich, glass of milk and an episode of My Little Pony later, Kyle finally dragged his ass through the front door.

  He was a bit surprised to see me lying in wait, as I usually spent my time locked in my room or I was out either at work or out with Trevor.

  "What's the matter, Trevor and you break up?" He kicked off his runners and dumped his backpack in the corner.

  "No."

  I got up and followed him into the kitchen.

  He opened the refrigerator and took out a can of Coke, opened it and chugged half of it down. He stared at me. "What's going on? You were acting weird last night, now this." He gestured to me, as I sat on a bar stool at the counter and smiled at him.

  "Can't you and I just have a normal conversation?"

  He slammed the rest of the pop down and tossed the can in the recycle bin. "What gives? Do you need money or something? Are you in trouble again?"

  "No I'm not in trouble." I wriggled on my seat. Liar. Liar. Pants on fire.

  "You better not be. Last time nearly killed Mom. I won't let you do that to her. To us again."

  For the first time since being back, I realized how much I had worried Kyle as well as my mom. I guess I never thought of how much he truly cared. We loved each other, sure, like siblings do, but this was beyond that. It wasn’t just blood that bonded us.

  "Everything's good, Kyle. Don't worry." I gave him my most sincere smile.

  It must've worked because his shoulders drooped a little. The tension he'd been holding was vanishing a little.

  "The thing is, I'm working on a project for the...um, yearbook committee, and I wanted to ask you about a picture I saw."

  His eyes widened. "The yearbook committee? Since when do you play nice with others?"

  "Since I thought it would be a good idea to be a predictive member of society."

  That made Kyle laugh. And it nearly made me want to throw up in my mouth. No wonder he didn't believe what I was saying to him, I didn't believe it either.

  "Seriously Kyle, can you just help me out."

  He shook his head, but then sighed. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

  I took out the crumbled page from Chloe's yearbook that she tore out for me and spread it out on the counter for him to see. I pointed to Deanna. "Who is that girl? I don't remember her."

  "Deanna Moser? Why do you want to know about her?"

  "I told you it's a project I'm doing."

  He eyed me for a bit probably trying to figure out what I was up to. Then said, "She was the good time girl, you know?"

  "No, I don't know."

  "For a good time call..." He lifted his eyebrow.

  "You had sex with her?"

  "No." He put up his hands in defense. "I didn't but lots of other guys did."

  "Why were you in this picture together?"

  "Because we were friendly. We had the same chem class. She used to help me."

  "She helped you?" I found that puzzling since my brother was a really good student.

  He nodded. "She was a lot smarter than people gave her credit for. I guess everyone assumed she was stupid because she messed around a lot. I think she had a lot of issues at home."

  "You liked her."

  "Yeah, I did."

  I slid off the stool and went to him for a hug. He tried to avert me, but I was too strong and quick and I pulled him in for a big bear squeeze. He struggled for a second, then succumbed to the sisterly love.

  "What's that for?"

  "For being a good guy."

  He shook his head, but I caught his little lop-sided grin of his. Even though I was a constant pain in the ass for him, he still loved his little sister.

  "Thanks."

  I turned to head to my room, when Kyle said, "You should talk to your boy about her."

  "My boy?"

  "Yeah, Jamie. I'm pretty sure I heard that he slept with her a few times."

  Once I was in my room with the door shut tight, I was on the phone to Chloe.

  "Did you tell Jamie about Deanna?"

  "Yeah," she said cautiously, "Wasn't I suppose to?"

  "That's why he wasn't in school."

  "Ah, I don't get it. It wasn't like he knew her."

  I sighed. "He did, Chloe. Big time from what Kyle just told me. He had sex with her."

  She was silent, and I knew it was because she was probably feeling really guilty.

  "Don't cry, Chloe."

  "I'm not." But I heard the sniffles.

  "We need to go over and see him," I said.

  "Do you want me to come pick you up?"

  I really needed to get a car. Well, I guess I needed a driver's license first. I just never liked the idea of driving. And especially not now when I could travel across the world through the shadows. That thought always blew my mind. I mean, I could step into a shadow-way take a left turn and end up in Turin, Italy. Very cool.

  "Yeah, I'll wait out front for you."

  Twenty minutes later, Chloe and I were standing on Jamie's doorstep ringing the doorbell. His dad answered after the third time I'd pressed the button, and he didn't look none too happy.

  "What do you want?"

  "Is Jamie home?" I asked, with the sweetest voice I could muster.

  Still frowning, he opened the door wide and stepped aside so we could enter.

  "He's in his room."

  I could hear the thumping of heavy bass before we even reached Jamie's room on
the second floor. Chloe pounded on the door.

  "Jamie! Open the door!"

  He didn't.

  "I'm going in."

  Chloe's eyes bugged out. "Tell me you are not going to ooze into his room under the door or something."

  "We have to do something."

  "Sale, you're going to freak him out even more."

  "It's too bad. He has to stop acting like a damn baby." I took a step away from the door and looked around the second floor landing for the biggest and deepest shadow. There was one in front of the master bedroom.

  Taking a deep breath I stepped into it, and closed my eyes. I envisioned the inside of Jamie's room. I'd been there countless times so it was easy to do. Within moments, I oozed into the shadow, my molecules breaking apart into infinity.

  I didn't open my eyes while I was in the shadow-way. I didn't want to be enticed to explore. But I did feel something while I walked the black corridor. And I heard someone whispering my name...

  "Salem."

  I knew who it was who called to me. I knew his voice like I knew my own. I'd been dreaming about him every night. Merlin had a seductive voice. It was full of magic. But I pressed on. I kept going until I was safely reanimated inside Jamie's room.

  He screamed and rolled off his bed when he saw me materialize from the shadow in the corner of his room. I rushed to his side, but he was already scrambling away from my touch. I didn't think he'd ever be able to be normal with me again. I could see that now. What I had done to him was too ingrained in his mind, in his soul. I was his Thane.

  The thought sickened me. My gut roiled in revulsion.

  "Jesus Salem! What the fuck?"

  "Sorry man, but you weren't letting us in." I went to the door, unlocked it and let Chloe in.

  She rushed to Jamie's side. He'd settled back onto his bed after I'd stopped advancing on him. She sat beside him, her arm around his shoulders.

  "Why didn't you say something when I told you about the girl in the dumpster?" she asked him.

  "I don't know. I was in shock maybe."

  "Why didn't you tell us you were sleeping with her?" I asked,

  "Do I have to share everything with the two of you?" He glared at me. "You don't tell me about everyone you have sex with. Besides, I don't want to know. Why share that stuff?" He shivered. "It's TMI."

  "Bullshit Jamie," I said. "You happily told us about Amber and Lacey, and...Who was that last one?"

  "Jennifer," Chloe finished for me.

  "You like sharing your gory disgusting details. It's who you are. It's part of your charming personality." I gave him that look that said, I'm on to your bullshit. "Why hide Deanna?"

  His head dropped and he stared at the floor. "Because she was my first, okay? I lost my virginity to her."

  "So?"

  His head came up then and he glared at me. "And I liked her. A lot. And now she's dead because of you."

  He said it with such venom that I staggered back a little at the fierceness of it. In all the years I'd known him, Jamie had never spoken to me like that. In fact, I'd never heard him speak to anyone with that tone. The tone that told me that he'd rather I'd died than Deanna.

  "That's not fair, Jamie," Chloe said.

  "No, it's all right Chloe. He's right. She's dead because of me."

  She stood and reached for me. "Salem..."

  I put my hand up to stop her. "Merlin killed her as a message to me. It's true. But you don't think I'd change that if I could? That I hate that this is happening. That I wish to God every damn day that I wasn't turned into this..." I put my arms out in display. "I can't help what happened to me, Jamie, what I am now. And fuck you for making me feeling guilty about it all the time."

  "Get out," he spat.

  "What?"

  "I said get the fuck out!" He bolted to his feet and pushed me back.

  "Jamie! Stop!" Chloe tried to grab him but he was too strong for her.

  "I hate you! You're a monster!"

  My heart rate zoomed to top speed. I was trying to control my breathing but it was difficult. I could feel the change coming. I wanted to push it back down, but it had a mind of its own.

  My vision clouded. All I could see was the red of Jamie's aura as it pulsed violently around him. I wanted to reach out and grab him around the throat, hold him still and suck him dry. He deserved it. He was begging me for it.

  Blinking hard I tried to clear my eyes, but it was no use. It was just getting redder and redder. A delicious dark crimson color that made my gut clench with anticipation. I lifted my hands. Reaching for him. Straining to grab him, to strangle him. That was when I noticed the long razor sharp talons protruding from the tips of my outstretched fingers.

  Chloe's eyes widened with horror. "Salem! Jesus!"

  Jamie and she huddled together on the bed, trembling with fear. The sight of them did no favors for my insatiable hunger clawing at my insides. They looked so pathetic but beautiful in their terror.

  I took a step toward them. My body quivering with need, with hunger. It had been too long since I fed. Oh God, I wanted to. I needed to. This was what I was made for.

  I stroked my tongue over the kitten fangs inside my mouth. Saliva pooled inside my mouth. "Hold still," I growled in a low guttural voice that even I didn't recognize.

  "Salem! Stop! Don't kill us!" Tears shone in Chloe's eyes.

  I recognized those tears.

  Closing my eyes, I tramped down on the beast, holding her at bay. I didn't want this. This was not who I truly was.

  Without another thought, I turned and ran into the dark corner and dissolved into the floor.

  Chapter Seven

  I didn't know where I wanted to go so that hesitation had me materializing in one of the corridors of the shadow-ways. It was okay though. I wasn't afraid. I was angry and hurt.

  I bent over and got control of my breathing. The red haze dissipated leaving me in the darkness. But at least I knew I was back to normal. I felt in my mouth for my fangs. They had receded into my gums. My talons had also retracted into my fingers.

  After one last deep intake of air, I stalked through the darkness knowing instinctively where I was heading. The same place I always went to when I was down here in oblivion.

  When I stepped into the large cavernous room the coffin was there as it always was. But unlike my dreams, the coffin was empty. Broken open. I had done that months ago when I'd found Merlin and taken the sword. The sword that I'd used to kill Thane and Devon.

  My fingers itched for that sword now.

  As I neared the coffin my skin prickled. The little hairs on my arms and on the back of my neck drew to attention. I shivered despite myself. The air was always cooler in the shadows. As if nowhere was really 100 feet underground. Maybe in essence it was. Thinking about it always gave me a headache so I stopped trying to analyze it.

  Light emanated from the glass box as if it had life of its own. Any maybe it did. I spread my hand across its surface wanting to feel its essence. It was cold to the touch, but there was something else there. A pulsing. I wouldn't say heartbeat because that would’ve been too gross to consider, but something similar. A fluttering of life I suppose.

  "Salem."

  My heart thudding hard in my chest as I turned toward the whisper.

  I was fully expected to see Merlin standing there watching me, but the room was empty. Physically empty, but still there was a presence near me. I could feel it brushing up against my skin. Caressing my cheek, my chin, and my lips. I knew that touch.

  Spinning around I came face to face with Thane. Again.

  "Hello Sugarpop," he drawled.

  I shook my head. "You are not real."

  "Does it matter? I'm here ain't I? And so are you...without the sword." He made a pouty face. "Poor little Salem."

  "Cut the shit. I know it's you Merlin." I tried to keep my voice steady but I knew I was failing. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, so I shoved them into my jacket pockets. "Are you too scared to face me yourse
lf?"

  I knew I was poking the dragon, but I was beyond caring. In a way I wanted to get this all over and done with, one way or another, all of this was going to stop.

  Thane's grin faded, then it was as if his face was melting. His hair elongated and paled until it was a flowing white mane cascading over his shoulders. His eyes turned color and changed shape. His nose changed as well, growing and becoming a hawk-like protrusion on his angular aged face. His lips thinned out until they were a long cruel line.

  After another few minutes, Thane no longer stood before me. In his place was the first cambion ever conceived. Merlin the Magician.

  His presence pressed down on me. It was nearly suffocating being near him. My whole body shook in abject fear of standing in front of my living nightmare.

  "You are gustier than I gave you credit for." His voice was deep and musical. The lilt of it was definitely pre-Christianity Britain. And unfortunately I liked the sound of it. That made me shudder all over again.

  "What do you want? Why are you here?"

  "Well, for one thing, I would like my sword back."

  "And the other?"

  He grinned, and my blood froze in my veins. I had never seen pure evil until this very moment.

  I took a step backward. I'd made a huge mistake. I'd been a huge fool calling him on. I couldn't win this war.

  He lifted his hands, and I saw white blue electricity zigzagging between his fingers. "Prepare to feel so much pain you'll beg me to end you."

  I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out before I vanished into thin air. I was pulled through the ether and then I was reassembled in the middle of Trevor's apartment, his arms around me.

  "What the hell, Sale? Do you want to die?" He pulled away from me, angry and upset.

  "No."

  "Then quit doing things to put yourself in danger. Jesus."

  "I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to end up there." Tears, hot and stinging, welled in my eyes. "Jamie screamed at me, told me to get out of his house and I panicked. I didn't know where I was going." Unable to hold them in any longer, the tears rolled down my cheeks. My nose started to run. I was a really ugly crier. "Then Thane was there, but he wasn't, and I was so mad I called Merlin out and he showed up," I said it all in one wet rush.