Chase Tinker and the HOUSE OF DESTINY

by Malia Ann Haberman

  "But it wasn't us!" he squeaked out. He tried to pull away, but her jagged fingernails were caught in the shirt's fabric and digging into his skin.

  "Besides being thieves, you are liars, as well!"

  "Let go of him!" Persephone grabbed Chase's arm to help yank him away.

  "We're not liars!" yelled Nori. "Or thieves!"

  "Delphine, all your bickering is giving me a horrendous headache," moaned Michael.

  Delphine moved closer to Chase, her mouth wide open and her yellowing fangs bared. The silver around Chase's neck glimmered in the candlelight. She jerked back, spitting and hissing. "You will pay for your wickedness and thievery," she whispered, her top lip curled up in disdain.

  "You have to believe me," Chase said as the heinous woman turned and wobbled back to her chaise lounge. "We didn't do this to you!" He rubbed his chest where the skin stung and burned now.

  "And pray tell, why should we believe lowly humans such as yourselves?" asked a petite blonde girl from a settee next to the wall.

  "How old are you?" asked Nori.

  "Nine hundred and forty-two next month," she answered with a half-hearted flick of her hand.

  "Angelique may look young, but she's the oldest vampire here," said Aiden.

  Angelique shrugged. "I was changed when I was sixteen. Answer my question!"

  "The thing is the evil creeps who attacked you," said Chase, "are doing the same awful things to other magical beings. We came to ask your help to stop them."

  Aiden laughed and then started to cough. He cleared his throat and said hoarsely, "Us? Help you? We can't even help ourselves. Since we lost our powers we can't spellbind anyone into letting us drink their blood, the source of our essence and existence. We can't even trick the rats or other lower creatures. But thank you. I haven't had a good laugh in a frightfully long time."

  "I haven't had the strength to move for months," said Jared, his voice filled with misery. "And I'm as blind as a bat on a bright summer's day."

  "Why don't you go get blood from hospitals?" asked Alex.

  Delphine slumped lower on her chaise lounge. "Try sneaking into one of those places and not getting caught," she whined. "We used to travel like the wind, but no longer. I'm like a ten-thousand-year-old woman now. I'll never be beautiful again."

  "Who cares?" whispered Angelique. "We're all doomed."

  "They came like a creeping fog and stole us away," said Jared. "How does one fight fog? Before returning us here, they put us through the worst pain imaginable."

  "The worst," echoed Angelique.

  Chase knew exactly the sort of pain they were talking about. "Are all the other vampires in the world like you guys?" he asked.

  "We have heard reports they are suffering as well," said Aiden. "As are most other supernatural creatures."

  "Great!" said Nori. "This whole trip has been nothing but a big waste of time."

  "We can still see how the witches are doing, can't we?" said Persephone.

  Chase's shoulders slumped as he turned to leave. "I don't know what to do anymore. It's—"

  "Though, Michael might have additional news," added Aiden. "He does try his best to continue to be the dashing, debonair vamp about town."

  Michael slapped his hand to his forehead dramatically. "But I can't believe I let those fool warlocks—"

  "Warlocks?" exclaimed Chase, swinging back around. "You know warlocks?"

  "Indeed," said Michael. "And they had the nerve to steal the gold pocket watch I stole from Benjamin Franklin himself!"

  "Now, instead of his constant bragging," wheezed Delphine, "we have to hear his incessant whining."

  Michael rolled onto his side. "I dragged my charming self out to the local Ghoulsters Club—"

  "Ghoulsters Club?" Nori mouthed to Alex as she wrinkled her nose.

  "—the place was quite dead, by the way." Michael grinned crookedly. "Get it? Dead?"

  Chase rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he said impatiently. "Just tell us about the warlocks."

  "Warlocks!" spat Michael. "May their magic and trickery be—"

  "They really had magic? When did you see them? Where can we find them?" Chase wanted to grab Michael by his lapels and shake the answers out of him.

  "All right. All right," said Michael. He heaved a long dramatic sigh. "Why does food always have to be so tedious?"

  "We're not food," muttered Nori.

  "I'll tell you what they told me," continued Michael. "The leader of their coven—or whatever the blasted thing is called—was told by a revered Chinese Shaman that an ancient Mayan artifact could be the key to destroying the evil that's destroying them—and us—which would then restore all our magicks and return us to our normal selves. Six weeks ago, Landon and Marcus—those pesky Warlocks—were sent to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico to retrieve this mystical artifact from some museum."

  "And did they get it?" asked Alex.

  "They did. But they never had the chance to test it," said Michael. "When they returned to Los Angeles, they were too late. In order for the spell-casting to be effective, a large number of magical beings need to take part in the ritual."

  "Everyone's magic had already been taken," said Chase, his voice filled with anger.

  Michael nodded. "When I ran into Marcus and Landon, they were getting ready to rush off to Haven's Port, Massachusetts, where one of the largest, most powerful covens resides."

  "They're in a hurry to save all magic, and they stopped to party at a club?" said Nori with raised eyebrows.

  "They were looking to hire a couple monstrous bodyguards for the long trip." Michael closed his eyes and yawned. "This was five days ago. Now go away and let me rest. All this jabbering has sorely tested my fortitude."

  "Looks like we're going to Massachusetts," said Chase to the other three kids. "We have to get our hands on that artifact."

  "Too late. You're too late," murmured Angelique. "All the magic is gone…forever…"

  "Not if I have any say in it," said Chase grimly.

  "Are you sure you won't stay for dinner?" said Jared. "I promise I'll be a perfect gentleman."

  "Sorry, but we've already eaten," said Chase.

  "That's not what he means," hissed Persephone.

  "I know!" said Chase out of the corner of his mouth. He gave the vampires a quick wave. "Thanks for all the info, guys. We, uh, gotta go save magic now. I hope."

  The kids scurried up the tunnel and back to the sewers. "Whew! Am I happy to be out of there," said Nori.

  "I kind of feel sorry for them, being sick and all," said Persephone.

  "If they weren't," said Alex, "they most likely would have jumped on us like a pack of rabid wolves."

  "Do you guys think what Michael told us was the truth?" Persephone asked.

  Chase's heart skipped several beats as he replied, "I guess we'll soon find out."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The Witching Hour

  "I still smell sewer!" said Nori after the wild ride in the magical portal ended. She sniffed her hair and clothing. "My whole body is permeated. I think I'm going to puke."

  "At least wait 'til we're out of here," said Chase.

  They stepped through the shimmering barrier onto a country road bordered with wild, overgrown foliage. A half-moon lit up the area with its golden glow. After being in the smelly, dank sewers, the night air was cool and refreshing. They all took several deep cleansing breaths.

  "Now I'm happy to say I can mark go-visit-a-gross-ratty-sewer-packed-with-vampires off my bucket list," said Nori with a wry twist of her lips.

  "No one has more fun than we do," said Persephone as she walked to a sign dangling halfway off its post. "Welcome to Haven's Port, Massachusetts," she read. "We're in the right spot."

  "This must be the way to town," said Alex as he pointed down the road.

  "Oh, and we don't need these anymore," said Nori. She clicked her fingers and everyone's silver necklaces
disappeared.

  "Wait," said Chase. "Before we go…" He pulled off his backpack and unzipped it. Maxwell poked his nose out and hissed. Chase glanced at the others out of the corner of his eye before whispering, "I know. I'm sorry. But you really wouldn't've liked the sewers."

  He held the backpack close to the ground. Maxwell leaped out and scurried into the bushes by the side of the road. "He needs to stretch his legs," said Chase.

  It didn't take long for Maxwell to lope back to them. Chase scooped him up and set him on his shoulder. "Now we can go."

  "Why don't we leave our things here?" said Nori as she shoved her backpack behind a thick bush. "I'm sick of lugging this sucker around."

  "Good idea," said Persephone.

  They all piled their packs behind the shrubbery before setting off once more.

  They walked for a few minutes without seeing anything except grass and trees and bushes, but then Chase started to notice the shadowy outlines of houses sitting off the road, half-hidden by stone fences and tall, tangled shrubbery. At last, they rounded a corner and a town came into view.

  It had a quaint, old-fashioned look about it. Gray stone cottages with wood-tiled roofs lined the road, but most of the homes had grimy windows and broken shutters. Weeds and overgrown vines crept up and along their walls. Chase jumped when one of the shutters slammed shut, while others creaked eerily in the swirling, chilly breeze. He moved closer to the other kids.

  They soon came to a small square. Eight flickering streetlamps illuminated things enough for them to see at least ten different shops, a couple restaurants and taverns, an inn, and a post office. They wandered around the square and glanced into the dusty, darkened windows.

  "Look," said Nori, pointing at a large, old-fashioned clock. "It's twenty minutes until midnight. The witching hour."

  "Why's it called the witching hour?" asked Alex.

  "It's supposed to be the time of day when magic is at its most powerful," said Persephone.

  Chase turned to walk backward as his eyes darted from shop to shop. "Where the heck is everyone?" he asked, shivering at the creepiness of it all.

  "Everything's so dirty and neglected," said Nori, pulling her jacket more snugly around herself. "And spooky. Reminds me of Blackshire."

  "Something tells me if Marcus and Landon made it here, they were too late," said Alex.

  "We need to find out for sure," said Persephone. "If all the magical beings who live here know what's been happening to the others, they might just be in hiding." She approached a three-story house on the edge of the square. It had a tall turret, several dormers, and a long porch. A crooked sign was stuck in the middle of the overgrown yard.

  PALM AND TAROT CARD READINGS

  FIND OUT WHAT IS IN YOUR FUTURE

  "Let's check out this place." Climbing the stairs, Persephone skirted a creaky porch swing and glanced into one of the paned-glass windows. "I can't see anything. Let's go inside." She walked to the front door and reached for the knob.

  "Hold it. Isn't that breaking and entering?" Chase called from the sidewalk.

  "Oh, that's nice, coming from you," said Persephone, rolling her eyes. "Mr. I've-hung-out-with-hoods-and-thieves."

  Chase's faced turned scarlet as he remembered some of his past misdeeds. "Yeah, but I've given up on my life of crime."

  "I guess it's time to bring it on again," said Nori, jogging up the stairs after Alex.

  Persephone twisted the handle. "It's unlocked. Come on."

  "Terrific," Chase grumbled as he trudged across the yard and up the steps. "I hope the jail here has good food. If we make it to jail, that is, since there are probably ghouls and zombies in there looking forward to eating our brains."

  "No worries for you, then," Nori quipped to him over her shoulder.

  "Ha ha. Real funny," said Chase, while wishing he was quicker at thinking up witty comebacks.

  They stepped into a musty hallway dimly lit by flickering wall sconces. Dust bunnies swirled across the floor. Several pairs of scruffy shoes sat underneath a side table.

  "Ugh! More dust and cobwebs to greet us," muttered Nori.

  "At least the moldy stink isn't as bad as the other places," said Chase, closing the door with a quiet click. "Hey! Look at those." He pointed to something in the corner. It looked like an umbrella holder, but it was filled with brooms. They were all draped in spider webs and their brown twig-bristles were bent and broken.

  "Broomsticks!" exclaimed Persephone. "We are in the right spot."

  "They really fly on those things?" said Chase.

  "Yep," said Nori. "Fun, huh?"

  Chase grimaced. "No. Looks painful."

  Slinking down the hallway, they glanced into two shadowy rooms filled with old-fashioned furnishings before coming to an elegant dining room. The long table was set as though waiting for people to enjoy a meal. More spider webs, and several ugly spiders, hung from the dusty chandelier.

  "Looks like no one's home," whispered Nori. "Except a bunch of nasty eight-legged freaks." She shuddered. "Which aren't any better than rats."

  Chase rubbed his twitching nose. All the dust was making it itch like crazy. He slapped a hand over it to stop a sneeze from escaping.

  "Mrow."

  "Who said that?" he whispered.

  "Said what?" said Alex over his shoulder.

  "Mrrr-ow!"

  Maxwell hissed as something rubbed across one of Chase's legs. The sharp sting of something needle-like pierced his calf. He jumped and flattened himself against the wall. "Ahh! Something's attacking me!"

  Nori, Persephone, and Alex swung around. "What? Where?" Alex exclaimed. His hands shot up, ready to spew out energy beams.

  "It's down there," Chase whispered.

  Everyone's gaze darted to the floor.

  "Mrow."

  "It's a cat," said Persephone. "You're being attacked by a plain old everyday house cat."

  Chase glanced down and stared into the intelligent, glowing yellow eyes of a black cat. It cocked its head to the side and licked its turned-up lips. "It doesn't look or sound plain-old to me. I think it's smiling."

  "It might be a familiar," said Persephone as she studied the scruffy animal.

  "Familiar with what?" asked Chase.

  "Not that kind of familiar, dork," said Nori, shooting him one of the you-have-to-be-kidding-me looks she saved especially for Chase.

  Persephone nodded. "A familiar is a special animal who helps some magical beings, especially witches. Many of them even have powers of their own."

  "Does this mean we're heading in the right direction?" asked Alex.

  "Looks like," Persephone answered.

  The cat scampered through the dining room, its tail in the air. It put its paws up on a door, gave it a push, and slipped through the opening.

  "Follow that cat!" said Persephone.

  The four kids barged through the door and into an enormous kitchen. They froze as dozens of eyes turned in their direction.

  "Uh-oh," said Chase under his breath.

  The room was packed with frightening-looking people. A bunch sat silently at a long table, while others huddled in tight groups all around the room. Thick smoke from the many burning candles drifted eerily above them.

  "Um, hi," said Nori with a small wave. "We, uh, were chasing a cat. Did any of you see it?"

  "Mrow," said the cat from atop a counter. It licked its paw and washed its ear.

  "What do you want with my Annabelle?" snapped a woman whose hair was so wild it looked like she must have rats and spiders nesting in it. "You have your own familiar." She pointed at Maxwell, who was still perched on Chase's shoulder.

  Chase licked his dry lips and stepped forward. "Um, yeah. This is Maxwell. My—my familiar. Of course." He glanced at the ferret. "Try looking familiarish," Chase mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.

  Maxwell blinked and yawned.

  "What do you want?" asked a red-haired youn
g man rudely.

  "We're not here to cause trouble," said Persephone quickly. "We're just searching for other good magical beings like—like ourselves."

  "Then come join us," said the wild-haired woman.

  The red-haired man glared at her. "We can't trust everyone who wanders in—"

  "All creatures of white magic are welcome here," said the woman firmly. "This has always been our way. My name's Helen, and this is my son, Garrett." She pointed to the red-haired young man. "This is our home. These others are also witches, wizards, and warlocks who have taken shelter with us. Please sit."

  The kids crowded onto the long bench. Besides dust and cobwebs, the table was covered with all sorts of magical paraphernalia. And witches' cast-iron cauldrons, Chase realized. The many vials and bottles were either empty or lying on their sides with the contents spilled across the table. Others were filled with moldy goo or dried, crusty gunk. Chase scrunched his face. One looked like it had shriveled lizards' eyeballs in it.

  "So, do—do any of you have any magic left?" asked Persephone, looking hopeful.

  Chase glanced around the room. He knew what the response would be. From every red-rimmed eye, pinched face, and stooped shoulder to the dark-red circle burned onto every temple, these people were definitely magicless.

  "It's gone. Stolen," said Garrett as he picked up a vial and threw it against the wall. "Every last bit of it!"

  "They came, like slithering fog in the night," said Helen in a low, whispery voice. "It was the worst sort of pain any of us had ever experienced."

  "I used to do fantastic magic with this." Garrett waved a thin stick through the air. "But now, all our wands are nothing but useless twigs. We've even lost our ability to make potions."

  "Every night we sit here and wait for midnight, the witching hour, and hope this special time will return our magic to us," said Helen.

  "It's never going to happen, Mother," said Garret, wiping his teary eyes on his shirt. "We're doomed."

  The other coven members nodded, while many cried on each others' shoulders.

  "We heard of an ancient, mystical artifact that could have the power to bring back magic," said Persephone. "Do you know anything about this?"