Eternal Changes (Mikah)

by Tiffany Berry

  Ophelia jerked her head to the right as she heard leaves rustling across the ground. Something snapped in the woods not too far from her and Ophelia tried to sit up, but couldn’t. She shifted her head to the left. Blue eyes glittered back at her as a cougar stalked up to her.

  “I know where the girl’s at,” Ophelia said through gritted teeth as the fire continued to move from her leg to her hip. “Take me to the Dragomir and I’ll tell them where the Haemon are located.”

  The cougar shifted into a tall Amazon looking woman. Her muscles were well defined and they rippled as she moved. Her long silver hair was pulled back into a braid as if she was ready for a battle.

  “Why should I believe you?” Braelyn asked as she looked at the vampire closely. The vampire’s eyes were scrunched closed as she clutched onto her leg. Braelyn knelt down on the ground beside the female and she touched the vampire’s skin. Braelyn jerked her hand back as the heat seared her hand. “What’s wrong with you?” Braelyn asked.

  Ophelia looked up at the woman in front of her. “I’ve been poisoned and I don’t have much time left,” she said. “If you don’t take me the Dragomir soon, it’ll be too late.”

  Braelyn picked up the vampire in her arms and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes and looked down at the vampire. The female’s black eyes fluttered and slid shut. Braelyn shook her. “You need to stay awake,” Braelyn said as she rushed down the hall and headed for Talmadge’s room.

  “I’m trying,” Ophelia groaned. “Just make haste.”

  Braelyn increased her speed as she weaved in and out of the vampires that were scattered along the hall. She pushed open the door to Talmadge’s room and rushed in.

  “What’s going on?” Talmadge asked as Braelyn plowed into the room and laid a woman onto his couch.

  “I found her in the woods by your daughter’s house,” Braelyn told him as she looked at him. “She said she knows where the Haemon are.”

  Talmadge moved around Braelyn to get a closer look at the woman lying on his couch. Caoilainn came up beside him and looked into the woman’s pain filled face.

  “Do you know here?” Caoilainn asked.

  “Ophelia?” Talmadge whispered.

  Ophelia slowly opened her eyes as she heard a familiar voice. “Hello old friend,” she said. “Long time no see.”

  “Why are you here?” Talmadge asked.

  “For revenge!” Ophelia hissed as pain lacerated her body. “Jaymes injected a mixture of the dogwood flower into my leg.”

  Talmadge bent down and pulled up her pant leg to look at the wound. He flinched as the wound came into view. The skin and tissue had been eaten away along with some of the bone. Caoilainn turned her head away as the hideous smell wafted through the air. It smelled like a mixture of burning hair and rotted flesh. “How long ago did he inject you?” he asked as he placed the clothing back over her disfigured leg.

  “A few hours ago….” Ophelia moaned as her eyes slid shut.

  “Do you know who killed Malachi?” Caoilainn asked.

  “Yes.” Ophelia groaned as a sharp pain rolled through her. “It was …”

  Caoilainn touched Ophelia’s face. “Who?”

  Ophelia’s eyes cracked open before sliding back shut. “Jaymes.”

  Talmadge took ahold of Ophelia’s face in his hands. “It’s almost midnight, Ophelia. I need to know where the Haemon are.”

  Ophelia’s eyes fluttered open. “You’ll find them in the Kartchner Caverns. Find Jaymes and make him suffer….”

  Talmadge let go of Ophelia’s face as her body started to disintegrate. Her shrill scream pierced the air. Talmadge stood up and backed away. Within seconds, nothing of Ophelia remained.

  Talamadge looked over at Braelyn. “We need to find out where exactly the Kartchner Caverns are located. Then we’ll gather everyone that we can and take over those caves.”

  “I’ll find out where they’re located,” Braelyn said right before she flashed out of the room.

  Caoilainn walked up to Talmadge. “Do you think we’ll find Lucy in time?”

  Talmadge pulled Caoilainn to him and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m not sure.”

  Caoilainn laid her head on his soft shoulder. “Do you think we did the right thing?” she asked as she looked up at him. “By giving Lucy to a human family until she turned?”

  A sigh left Talmadge’s lips as he looked into Caoilainn’s eyes. “I’m not sure of that either.”

  Caoilainn stepped away from him as Braelyn flashed into the room.

  “I found it,” Braelyn said. “Kartchner Caverns are in Benson, Arizona.”

  “Caoilainn go tell your people and I’ll tell mine,” Talmadge said as he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’ll meet on the platform in the middle of the caves in fifteen minutes.”

  Chapter 22

  This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Ashton threw a shirt onto Lucy’s bed in frustration. There was nothing giving him any indication of where the Haemon could be. He kept searching hoping he’d find something…anything. Instead, her room just reminded him of how much he missed her.

  The alarm clock by her bed stood out like a sore thumb as the red numbers flashed up at him. It was a minute after midnight. Ashton closed his eyes. “Lucy?” he asked as he attempted to reach her.

  “Something’s happening to me, Ashton,” Lucy whispered.

  Ashton felt pain radiating from her. “Just keep talking to me, Luce,” he said as he tried to concentrate. “I’ll try to take some of the pain away.” Wave after wave of pain rolled through him and he dropped to the floor on his knees. He clenched his hands together and gritted his teeth as the pain lacerated his body.

  “What’s happening to me, Ashton?” Lucy asked.

  “Your body is slowly preparing itself for the change,” Ashton murmured.

  “But it isn’t supposed to be time yet,” Lucy said. “My birthday’s still a few days away.”

  Ashton flinched. “Your adopted parents set your birthday on the day that they received you, but it isn’t your actual birthday,” he said. “Today is.”

  “I think this is the worst birthday ever,” Lucy said.

  “I’m so sorry, baby,” Ashton said as her scream rung through his head as another wave of pain hit her. Tears slid down his cheeks. “I’ve failed you in every way.”

  “Don’t say that,” she moaned. “This isn’t your fault, Ashton. My fate was sealed the day I was conceived.”

  Ashton shook his head in denial. “But it was my duty to protect you, Lucy.”

  “I’ll be fine, Ashton,” Lucy murmured. “I was going to have this pain even if you were sitting next to me.”

  Ashton felt another wave of pain rock through her and Lucy’s gasp whispered through his mind. “I’d be able to ease it more than I’m able to right now,” he said. “You wouldn’t be going through it alone.”

  “But I’m not going through it alone,” Lucy said. “You’re here with me.”

  “I love you, Lucy,” Ashton whispered. “I know it feels like this has all happened way too fast, but I’ve been waiting hundreds of years for you. If I die tomorrow, I die happy because of you. Until you, I didn’t know what happiness and love was like.”

  “My feelings are so strong for you that it scares me sometimes.” Lucy said. “I still feel so young and unsure of myself. The feelings I have for you are unlike anything that I’ve ever felt before. When I’m in your arms, I feel like I belong.”

  Pain punched him in the gut as Lucy’s screamed. His insides burned and flames licked across his veins. A small gasp left his lips as the pain left his body. “Lucy?”

  Ashton tried to focus on anything else in the room as the silence gnawed at him. He looked around at the complete chaos he had created. Clothes were strewn across the floor and the sheets to her bed had been ripped off and piled in a heap on the floor. Dresser drawers hung open and broken glass littered the floor.

  Ashton walked over to Lucy’s closet and pulle
d the door open. Her scent floated through the air and he took a deep breath as he started searching through her things.

  “We know where the Haemon are, Ashton,” Talmadge said as appeared in Lucy’s room.

  Ashton dropped the jeans he was holding and left the closet. “Where?”

  “They’re in Arizona,” Talmadge said as Ashton walked up to him. “Braelyn found one of the Haemon, Ophelia, not far from here. Ophelia had been poisoned with dogwood,” he said. “She was in bad shape when I saw her.”

  “Whoever poisoned her with dogwood wanted her to suffer before she died,” Ashton said. “That’s a rough way for a vampire to die.”

  Talmadge nodded in agreement. “We need to meet the shifters back at the caves. It’s already past midnight and Lucy’s probably going to go through the change soon.”

  “It’s already started,” Ashton said.

  Talmadge paused and looked over at Ashton. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Ashton said. “I felt some of the pain she was feeling when I was able to talk to her earlier.”

  “No one’s ever gone through the change without someone there to take some of the pain away,” Talmadge said as he ran his hand through his brown hair. “We need to go.”

  Talmadge and Ashton dissipated from Lucy’s room and reappeared on the platform in the middle of the caves. The rest of their clan was already there waiting, along with Braelyn and Cail.

  “Caoilainn will be here in a few moments,” Cail said. “She’s trying to convince our people to come into your lair.”

  “We don’t have the time to waste waiting for them to get here,” Ashton said as he paced back and forth. “It’s already well after midnight.” He paused and looked over at Talmadge. “We need to move NOW.”

  “Give me a minute. I’ll bring her back,” Talmadge said right before he dissipated.

  Talmadge solidified in Caoilainn’s bedroom and looked around. The room was empty.

  “Where are you, Caoilainn?” Talmadge asked as he reached out to her with his mind.

  “I’m in the middle of the city trying to convince my stubborn people that your home is safe,” Caoilainn said.

  “Maybe I can help,” Talmadge said right before he dissipated.

  Talmadge solidified in the middle of Othniel. Caoilainn stopped speaking to her people as she glanced over at him. Talmadge walked over to her as murmurs floated through the air. Caoilainn nodded her head at Talmadge as he turned to speak to the crowd.

  “We’ve lived hundreds of years at odds with each other,” Talmadge said as he looked into the faces of the Daroch. “My people are not the Haemon. We can’t change the fact that we’re vampires. We can’t change the fact that we need blood to survive. Most of my people would if it was an option. We have no desire to harm any human or creature. All we want to do is to live in peace.”

  “All the vampires we’ve seen have created nothing but destruction and chaos,” a voice from the crowd yelled.

  Talmadge looked at the crowd as most of them nodded in agreement. “That may have been the case hundreds of years ago,” he said. “but times have changed. All we want is a chance to prove ourselves.”

  “What do you say?” Caoilainn asked as she stepped forward. “Are we going to join forces with the Dragomir and track down Malachi’s killer? Or are we going to sit here and be a bunch of cowards?”

  The crowd broke out in murmurs.

  “We’ll give the Dragomir a chance,” someone from the crowd yelled, “but only one chance.”

  Talmadge bowed to the crowd before dissipating. He arrived back on the platform in the caves where Ashton was still pacing.

  “Well?” Ashton asked as he turned to Talmadge.

  Talmadge spread out his arms and Caoilainn and her people appeared.

  Ashton’s eyes widened as he looked at the large number of people in front of him. “Impressive.”

  “Looks like we’re ready,” Caoilainn said as she surveyed the crowd.

  “Let’s do this,” Ashton said.

  Chapter 23

  Lucy woke up screaming as her body burned. It felt like someone was pouring acid on each one of her organs. Another scream erupted from her lips as a bone in her arm cracked and popped. She squeezed her eyes closed as she touched her arm. Her breathing came in short, hard gasps.

  “Please make it stop,” Lucy moaned.

  “She’s converting,” Karver whispered as he entered the room and sauntered over to the bed.

  Lucy’s screamed as her leg bone snapped and shifted. Her hands clenched together as another bone popped. Tears poured down her cheeks as she screamed again.

  “Lucy? Baby, what’s happening?”Ashton asked as his voice whispered through her mind.

  “Oh God. Oh God. It’s starting again,” Lucy moaned. “I’m on fire and my bones are breaking. I don’t want it to be time.”

  “Just hold on.” Ashton said.

  “It hurts, Ashton,” Lucy whispered. “I don’t think I can take this.”

  “I’m on the way, baby,” Ashton said. “Just hold on.”

  “Hurry!” Lucy screamed as another bone snapped.

  “I can hear the cracking of your bones,” Karver murmured as he leaned over her.

  Sweat poured off Lucy’s face as wave after wave of pain flowed through her. Her stomach churned and rolled. “I’m gonna be sick,” she moaned as she leaned her head over the bed and vomited on Karver’s shoe.

  “Your body’s getting rid of all the waste,” Karver said as he shook the vomit off his shoe. “It’s preparing itself for your new life as a Mikah. Soon the bloodlust will consume you.”

  An electrical current ran through Lucy’s veins and her lungs felt heavy as she tried to catch her breath. Her heart beat stuttered and she gasped.

  “Ashton?” Lucy whispered.

  “Are you ok?” Ashton asked.

  ““I can’t do this, Ashton,” Lucy sobbed. “I feel like I’m dying. I can barely breathe.”

  “Then it’s almost over baby,” Ashton whispered. “The pain will soon go away and the change will be complete. Don’t fight it. Just hang on a little while longer.”

  Lucy gasped for a breath as everything around her blurred.

  Karver smiled down at Lucy’s lifeless body. “It’s almost time for the grand finale,” he whispered as he turned and left the room.

  Karver’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his people. Their eyes were blood red as they hovered around his room. Karver grabbed a blonde male standing to close too him and ripped out the males heart. Karver squished the organ in his hand and he looked around the hall. “Leave,” he said. “Or this will happen to you.”

  Karver tossed the organ into the air and watched it burn as the others dissipated. The hall was empty as he turned and walked towards where he was keeping the boy.

  Karver entered the room and found the boy cowered in a corner with his head lying on his knees. “Get up,” Karver hissed as he grabbed ahold of the boy’s arm.

  The boy stood up and tried to pull his arm away from him. “Let go of me,” he screamed.

  Karver tilted his head back and laughed. “It’s pointless to fight me, boy. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead,” he said as he looked at the boy and shrugged. “I was only taking you to see your friend.”

  Michael stopped struggling. “You’re taking me to see Lucy?”

  “Yes,” Karver said as he stepped away. “So you can follow me and see her or go back to sitting in your miserable corner.”

  Karver left the room and the boy followed. He smiled as he arrived at his room with the boy right on his heels. He could hear the boy’s heart pumping and the flow of his blood. Hunger stirred and Karver’s fangs started to lengthen. Karver shook his head and entered the room. The room felt like a sauna as heat radiated from Lucy’s body. She lay pale and lifeless on his bed.

  “Lucy?” the boy asked in a whisper as he ran towards her. “Lucy!” He pulled her up into his arms to hug her to him. Her body lay limp in hi
s arms. He laid his head against hers. “You!” he screamed as he turned and pointed at Karver. “You killed her.”

  Karver smiled as the boy rushed forward and tried to tackle him to the ground. Karver didn’t move an inch as the boy pushed against him. Maniacal laughter filled the room as Karver pushed the little pest away.

  “What are you?” the boy asked as he fell to the ground.

  Karver leered down at the boy in front of him as he stopped laughing. “I’m what you have nightmares about boy,” he said as he bared his fangs.