Cards of Death Box Set

by Tamara Geraeds

Kale wraps his hands around his head, messing up his hair even more. “You keep saying that, but I still don’t see any change.”

  “Right now we have to do what we’re told. But you will win. Soon.”

  I slowly let out my breath and take a step back.

  Kale turns around and picks up a shirt from the bench behind him. “Yeah, and how will I win then? By cheating, too? I don’t think so, coach. I’m sick of this. I’m taking this up with whomever arranged it.”

  As he throws his shirt over his head, he notices me and Vicky in the doorway. His expression hardens even more. “What do you want?”

  Vicky pushes me forward and I try to think of the right way to tell him the truth, while I pray for the minotaur not to rebuild my face. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I might be able to help.”

  He looks me up and down and snorts. “Really?”

  There’s so much disdain in his voice, that something snaps inside me.

  I cross my arms and for a moment I forget about the other person in the room. “Yes, really.”

  Vicky touches my arm. “Dante, take it easy. Remember what we’re trying to prevent.”

  “I remember, but for some reason I don’t have much faith in it. Strange, isn’t it?”

  Kale steps up to us and stabs his finger in my chest. “I don’t know what you’re really here for, but I suggest you turn around and find the nearest exit before I throw you through it.”

  My teeth crunch as I clench my jaw hard. “Oh yes, this is going to be very difficult.”

  Vicky’s hand tightens around my arm. “Maybe we should leave this to D’Maeo. Or…” Her eyebrows shoot up as she looks at me. “I could help you with your anger.”

  I snort. “It’s not my anger that needs help, and your power will wear off if you use it on him.”

  But I’m not willing to let this go just yet. I never asked for this mission. I never wanted to be chased by demons, trying to save someone who looks at me as if I’m nothing more than dirt under his shoe.

  “We’re not leaving.”

  Kale brings his face closer to mine. Our noses almost touch. “Wanna bet?”

  “Okay okay.” The minotaur pushes his pupil back. “Take it easy, son. You’re angry, and you have a right to, but this boy has done nothing to you.”

  His friendliness pulls me out of my daze. I relax a little, but give my power core a little push, just in case.

  Kale breathes out loudly a couple of times. He looks like he’s about to explode.

  The minotaur sticks out his hand to me. “I apologize for his behavior. He’s upset right now, but he’ll come around. He’s a good kid.”

  “I’m not a kid!” Kale yells, before sitting down on the bench and putting his head in his hands.

  “Compared to me you are,” the minotaur laughs. He turns back to me. “I’m Sal, nice to meet you.”

  I introduce myself and Vicky. Sal seems friendly enough. Maybe we should talk to him instead of Kale.

  “You said something about helping?” Sal says. “What did you mean by that?”

  “I don’t need help,” Kale mumbles from the bench.

  “Shut up, you,” Sal says lightly. “Go throw some water in your face or something.”

  Kale huffs, but stays where he is.

  The minotaur gestures to the bench to his left. “Would you like to sit down?”

  It’s a bit hard to look him in the eye while I talk to him, but I don’t want him to know his appearance gives me the jitters, so I decline. “No, thanks.”

  While I search for words to explain what we’re doing here, Vicky steps in. “We have reason to believe someone is trying to make you snap, Kale.”

  The Mage just stares at her, while Sal lets out a hearty laugh. “Kale? Snap? Please… he’s all talk and no game. He’s never hurt a fly in his life.” He tilts his giant head. “Except in the ring of course.”

  Vicky never loses her grim expression. “Well, anyone can snap if you push the right buttons.”

  The minotaur puts a sharp nail against his chin. “I guess you’re right. But why would someone push Kale’s buttons? He’s already losing.”

  I turn my gaze on Vicky. “That’s a good question.” I meet her eyes and frown. Could we be wrong?

  She lifts her finger. “One moment, please.” Before I can protest, she pulls me around the corner. “We can’t tell him the truth. What if it’s not him?”

  I press my lips together for a moment. “Yes, you’re right. But who else could it be?”

  While we ponder on that, Kale and his coach leave the dressing room.

  Kale smiles at us. “It was nice to meet you both. I hope I’ll see you again when my luck changes. I’ll be in a better mood then.”

  “That would be nice,” Vicky says, because I’m standing there lost for words again. “Just try to keep your cool and you’ll be fine.”

  He raises a thumb while he walks on. “Will do!”

  The minotaur stops in front of me and looks me in the eye. “When you’re ready to explain what you were trying to warn us about, call me.” He pushes a business card into my hand.

  “Okay,” I mumble.

  We stare at them until they walk through the door at the end of the hallway.

  A deep sigh escapes me. “So does this mean we have to start our search for the next victim all over?”

  Vicky is still staring at the door.

  “Hello?” I wave a hand in front of her face.

  “Were we wrong?” I repeat.

  “No, I don’t think so.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a knife. “I think I know how they’re choosing these souls.”

  “Okay, great.” I follow her gaze, which is locked onto the door. “Why are you holding a knife?”

  “Because I hear someone approaching.”

  In a flash I’ve summoned a lightning bolt. “Demons?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Do they have Kale?”

  She narrows her eyes, then shakes her head. “I don’t hear him.”

  “Then why are we waiting here to get our asses kicked. Let’s get out of here.”

  We turn and walk past the dressing room.

  Behind us, a loud voice fills the hallway. “That was great. Did you see his face? He’s such a cry baby.”

  Vicky and I hide behind a row of lockers.

  “Is that the Snapper?” I whisper. “That crab hybrid?”

  “I think so.”

  A impatient voice grumbles an answer. “Our job is not to make him cry, Craig.”

  “I know. Don’t worry, I’m going to crush him on magic media. He’ll get angry.”

  “He’d better. I want that reward.”

  I press myself against the wall when their footsteps approach. What if they see us? We’ve heard something we shouldn’t have.

  “Where are you going?” the tired voice says.

  “To the gym of course, to train.” His voice is almost next to us and I hold my breath.

  “Are you crazy? I’m not training anymore today. You just won your fiftieth match in a row, everybody’s waiting for you at the bar.”

  There’s a low chuckle. “Well, we don’t want to keep them waiting for too long, do we?” The footsteps retreat and a minute later the shower starts running.

  I take Vicky’s hand and pull her away from the dressing room. We peer around the corner of the gym before entering. It’s huge and reminds me of Q’s testing lab. There’s dolls made of all kinds of material, standing next to each other in front of one wall. Some are headless, others are burnt. To our left there is a soundproof room, surrounded by windows. Against the third wall an array of boxing balls is placed. In the middle there is a boxing ring. Dark splatters decorate the inside.

  “Well, this looks nice,” I observe.

  Vicky turns to every side. “Where is the exit?”

  “I guess there’s only one.”

  She sighs. “We should�
��ve just gone back the way we came.”

  I walk to the far wall. “And risk that crazy crab man seeing us? I don’t think so.”

  She follows me and puts her hands on the wall. “Yeah, you’re right. He was nasty.” She turns her head my way and winks. “But we’re pretty tough, too, don’t forget that.”

  I take in her body from head to toe. Her straight black hair, with the blonde tips. Her dazzling blue eyes. The half laced black top that shows just enough of what’s hidden beneath. And the tight black pants with the high boots.

  She puts a hand on her hip. “What? You don’t agree?”

  I lean against the wall and take in every detail of her body again. “Oh, you’re the toughest girl I’ve ever met. And even if you weren’t, people would get burned just by looking at you. That’s how hot you are.”

  She bends over laughing.

  “Too much?” I ask.

  She raises a hand, her thumb and index finger an inch apart. “Just a bit.”

  I shrug. “Well, I meant it.”

  She stands up and pushes me against the cold stones behind me in one swift move that knocks the air out of me. “I know you did.”

  Her foot shoves my legs apart and she presses her lower body against mine.

  With a soft moan I close my eyes and surrender to her.

  But then I’m suddenly falling.

  CHAPTER 28

  When I open my eyes I’m on the floor. Vicky lands on top of me. The secret door that has swung open hits my feet as it tries to close again. I pull my legs in and to my regret Vicky rolls off of me.

  Her eyes grow wide. “Look at this. It’s like a worship room or something.”

  She rises to her feet and pulls me up. We’re standing in a dark room. The only light comes from a dim bulb in the corner.

  I take out my phone, hit the flashlight icon and illuminate the space around us.

  Vicky is right, it looks like someone has been worshipping some kind of evil here. The walls are painted black, but not with paint. I regret it instantly when I touch it with my finger. It’s some slick substance that reminds me of the tar that covered the demons coming for Myah, the soul we saved last. It stings my skin and when I wipe it on my pants it burns a hole in it.

  I curse and step away from the wall.

  Vicky is standing in front of the altar in the middle of the room. It’s made of stone and has a red pentagram carved into it.

  I move the light over it. “I thought pentagrams were for good magic.”

  “No, pentagrams can be used for any kind of magic. The points of the star represent the spirit and the four elements, which can be used for good or evil.”

  “So this could also be the room of a good person?”

  She gestures at the dark walls, the blood stains on the altar and the skull and bones placed on a side table. “What does it look like to you?”

  I let the light travel around the room. “Yeah, pretty much like someone celebrated the birth of the Anti-Christ.” I pause and step closer to another small table. “Hey, look at this.”

  Vicky follows me, carefully avoiding the altar.

  We stare at a wooden board with letters on it. The edges are chipped, as if someone chewed on it, and there are burn marks all over it.

  “It’s a Ouija board.” I examine it from up close, without touching it. “But not a normal one, I think. Look at that horned head in the middle. It kind of reminds me of…”

  “The Devil,” Vicky finishes.

  I step back. “Oh my God. Has someone been talking to Lucifer here?”

  Vicky’s hands hover above the Ouija board. “It sure looks that way. Feels that way, too.” Slowly one finger moves closer to the board. For half a second she touches the wood. “Craig.”

  “The Snapper? The crab man?”

  “Yes, he’s been talking to the Devil.”

  My finger burns and I wipe my hand on my pants again. “Well, that explains why he tried to reconstruct Kale’s face.”

  Vicky walks around the altar, studying every detail of it. “That confirms my suspicions.”

  I lean closer to the Ouija board. “Which suspicions?”

  “Just before we were interrupted by Mr. Crab and his coach, something occurred to me.” She stands still and looks at me in the dim light. “I think the people they chose are valuable because they have no tendencies towards the sin they will be convicted for. They do something that is essentially against their nature. They are driven to it by despair.”

  I scratch my chin, trying to grasp what she’s saying.

  “Think about Kale. His coach said he is really a nice kid. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. Yet his sin will be violence, if we don’t stop him. If it’s him, I mean. They push him until he breaks.”

  My mind goes back to the phoenix we saved. “And Myah’s need to save her parents made her commit fraud.”

  “Exactly! She was never the type for fraud, but she didn’t see any other way out.”

  My head bobs up and down in agreement. “Right. I guess the sin weighs more if it comes from a good soul. It makes it more powerful.”

  We fall silent for a while, lost in our own thoughts.

  The beeping of my phone, warning me that the flashlight is quickly draining the battery, pulls us back into reality.

  “We should stop Craig from messing with Kale,” I say. “Maybe you can make him feel guilty.”

  Vicky shakes her head. “By the looks of it, he’s been getting instructions from the Devil himself. His hold on Craig is probably too strong for me to break.”

  I shrug. “We could try.”

  “I guess.”

  “Or…” I step closer to the Ouija board, “… we send him a message back.” In a reflex I pick up the board and slam it onto the altar. “Let him know that we see through his plans.”

  She steps in front of me. “Are you crazy? Do you really want to provoke the most powerful evil entity in the universe?”

  I tilt my head. “Well, I’m destined to fight him, so why not?”

  She places her hands on her slender hips. “Because you’ll piss him off!”

  I’m not sure why, but with every second I want to use that board more. “Wouldn’t make much of a difference, since he’s always pissed off.”

  My hand shoots forward and grabs the planchette stuck to the top of the board. “Just a short message, it’ll only take a minute.”

  “No!” Vicky yanks the board out from under my hands. “This is a bad idea. We should leave the board alone and focus on Craig and Kale.”

  I wave the planchette in front of her face. “Actually, I think it’s the best idea we’ve had yet. I’ll let this bastard know he can’t mess with me anymore.”

  She steps away from me. “I’m pretty sure he can do more than mess with you.”

  With a grin I follow her. “I don’t mind, I’m ready.”

  She shakes her head, still walking away from me. I really really want that board. I want to call the Devil and tell him what a complete asshole he is.

  Vicky is trying to open the door with one hand, meanwhile keeping her eyes on me. “Please be reasonable, Dante. We’re not strong enough to face him yet. Let’s just put this stuff down and get out of here. Please?”

  Her blue eyes cloud over and I throw my hand up to block her gaze. “You’re trying to use your power on me? I can’t believe you!” Angry red blotches obscure my vision and something shifts in my mind. I dive for the board, knocking Vicky over. “Give it to me!”

  She holds on tight and throws the door open with all her might.

  Bright light blinds me. I yank at the board, but she pulls it right back. Together we roll through the doorway, into the gym.

  The yearning to talk to the Devil fades. I look down at my hands and wonder why I even want that Ouija board. I let go and lean back with my hands on the floor.

  It takes a while before my heart and breathing steady.

  Vicky
stares at me without speaking.

  When the secret door closes with a loud click, we both jump.

  I haul myself to my feet and hold out my hand to Vicky. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what happened. For a moment I couldn’t think straight anymore.”

  She puts the board on the floor and takes my hand. “I know what happened.” With one swift move she pulls my hand to her face and studies my index finger. “It’s that black stuff. When you touch it, it numbs all rational thought and amplifies your reckless tendencies. But it doesn’t like bright light. See?”

  She holds my hand closer to the lamp above our heads. The last of the black on my finger evaporates with a soft sizzle.

  I rub it against my pants again and look at the ghost girl standing calmly before me. “Thanks for keeping it cool and preventing me from doing something really stupid.”

  “Don’t mention it. Good thing your orders don’t work when you don’t really mean them. Otherwise we would’ve had a serious problem.”

  “They don’t?” I pick up the Ouija board and try to remember what I said to her. I did order her to give it to me, so I guess she’s right. “What are we going to do with this?”

  She pats down her static hair. “Let’s take it with us. We might be able to do something useful with it. And if not, at least that crab guy won’t be able to use it.”

  I put the board under my arm and make for the door back to the hallway. “Won’t he just buy another?”

  “No, these particular ones are hard to find. Hopefully it’ll keep him off Kale’s back for a while.”

  She picks up the planchette and clicks it back onto the board. When I start walking, she grabs my arm again and stops me.

  She places a finger on her lips. “Someone’s coming.”

  “I think I left it in the back room,” Craig’s voice says. “I’ll be right back.”

  “We’d better hide.” Five steps later I realize Vicky isn’t following me. I turn and hiss, “Come on! Hurry up.”

  Vicky just stares at me. Slowly she tilts her head, further and further, until it lays flat on her shoulder.

  I shiver. “Vicky?”

  She straightens her head, bends over backwards and lets out a high shriek.

  I jump back. “What’s happening? What are you doing?”