by Tara Chau
“Di, you’re off patrol-”
I cut her off quickly before she has the chance to give me away. "Alice, I know where I'm patrolling today. Daniel said that there was a mix-up, and he gave me a place himself,” I say, eyes pleading, begging her not to throw me in with the sharks.
She looks at me suspiciously, then to Anne, who still looks completely clueless. Thank the gods. Alice looks back to me, nodding reluctantly.
“Good-good. I will see you tomorrow then,” Alice says. She directs it at me as more of a question.
I nod surely, smiling my thanks before both I and Anne turn down a different corridor, leading out and up to the back. Exiting the building, we squint at the light. I look to Anne, smiling before stepping away.
“Where are you going?” Anne asks, stopping me, “Just in case you don’t come back within the next few hours, it would be nice to know,” she declares wisely.
I decide to tell her the truth concerning my location, well, more or less.
"Believe it or not, I'm going to be watching a few streets north of my place,” I say, praying that she doesn’t remember that it’s where Lucien’s house happens to be.
“Stay safe, call if you need,” Anne gives me a tight hug, and I grip her harder, closing my eyes to savour the warm feeling of her closeness.
"I should be back soon,” I say before racing abnormally fast towards the dead street.
Five minutes later, I'm back in front of Lucien's house. Everything is exactly as it was a month ago. Approaching the driveway, I quickly remember what happened last time. Phantom spiders crawl up my back, making me shiver, though I know they're not there.
“Come out. I don’t have all fricking day!” I say impatiently.
“The seven sins… horrible things.” I hear his voice behind me, and I turn around slowly, biting my tongue hard. His face is contorted and supernatural, wrong.
“Who’d you kill today?” I ask coldly.
“One man,” he admits.
“Did you even do it for a good reason?”
Lucien shrugs and makes a show of actually thinking about it before looking back at me. “I was tired,” he states simply.
“Then-then why not just go to sleep?” I stutter.
"I don't sleep, and it's alright. The man wasn't even nice, pretty sure he was hitting his wife,” he says, taking a step closer. I don't move.
“Lucy… what are you planning to do with an old Christian teaching about the seven sins? How are you planning to destroy the whole Protectors race with that?”
"Ah, it's not what I'm going to do. It's what we’re going to do,” he explains, gesturing to the both of us.
“Like hell,” I spit.
“Everyone must do their part,” he smiles.
I watch as his grotesque features start to melt back into his human face, slowly, only leaving behind his yellowish skin.
“What happened to you?” I ask sadly.
Lucien looks me up and down curiously before replying. "The same as what happened to you, I found out about the Protectors."
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” I whisper. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t there to explain things to you when you found out about all this. I wish we could go back to when things weren’t crazy….”
“But we can’t,” Lucien finishes. “Don’t fret pip-squeak, the universe put us here for a reason, and I’m just finding mine.”
"If your reason for being here is to destroy hundreds of thousands of people, then mine is to stop you."
Drawing out my dagger, I slow time down just enough to aim and lob it in Lucien’s direction. As the dagger approaches, time speeds up again from my lack of concentration. Lucien's eyes widen, but he sidesteps the dagger easily, dodging it. Turning back to me, he looks flabbergasted.
“Now you really are like them,” he says, “You should improve on your speed. If you really are planning to fight me at some point, then speed will ensure that our match takes longer than five seconds,” he boasts.
Reaching for another knife, I curse. What kind of idiot only brings one dagger to face a demon? Me.
Lucien’s eyes sparkle in amusement, silently mocking me. “Everyone has to do their part,” he whispers.
Launching myself at him, I hit the ground hard, right where he should have been. Looking around me as I scramble up, only to realise that he’s disappeared again.
Throwing my arms up, I out an exasperated scream and yank the dagger from the tree trunk it had hit, beginning the trudge back to my house.
* * *
Winds shake the trees, causing loud noises which prevent me from sleep, also sending branches and sticks onto the small porch outside my bedroom. Rolling to the side, I gaze at my clock and groan, still another five hours before I have to wake up for school. Giving up on the idea of sleep, I sit up and venture out into the living room. Collapsing onto the couch, I try sorting through everything that I’ve gathered from talking to Lucien over the past few weeks.
Somehow, the seven deadly sins are connected to what he’s planning to do with the Book of Beings and the Protectors. He also needs to gain the Xavia’s trust or co-operation at least. Lucien, he needs me.
Shivers run down my back; I switch to a sitting position instead. Not knowing why and what he needs me for is keeping me on edge. Lucien isn’t the same person I once knew; it’s been six years, after all. How is it he has these powers; how did he find out about this in the first place? With my thoughts running wild, I rise from the couch and walk back towards my room in search of the regrettably thin folder Gabe had once retrieved for me containing information on Lucien.
As I stride quietly through my door, I sense its presence before seeing it. The vampire springs, throwing me to the floor, its heavy mass pinning me violently. I buck desperately, attempting futilely to throw him off me. The vamp shifts an inch, trying to grapple for my wrists. I stab my elbow into his jaw. He hisses but is momentarily compromised. I scramble to my feet and run for my bed. Tugging my dagger out from under the mattress, I turn to face the vamp once again. It grins wickedly, looking me up and down before jumping towards me. Thrusting my hand out, I stop the vamp in mid-air. It squirms in confusion, looking down at the floor a metre below it. Using my other hand, I fling the dagger at his chest.
Its eyes widen, his pupils constrict as the dagger finds its target, lodging straight into its dead useless heart. Closing my hand into a fist, the vamp’s limp body collapses to the ground, black blood pooling onto the floor. Huffing in satisfaction, I steel my nerves as I yank the dagger from its hard figure. Walking over to my washing basket, I pull out an old t-shirt and use it to wipe the blood from my blade. Rubbing my finger across the vines of the handle, I look over at the body in the middle of my room.
Something tugs painfully at my hair from behind me. Unable to help myself, I let out a shriek of pain, praying that Dad didn't hear me. If he walks in here, he will see whatever this thing is, and it would kill him, painfully. I take a deep breath and kick out, using my heel to bash the things kneecap. It stifles but doesn't let go; instead, it spins me around.
I look at its face. A human with no eyes, simply black sockets where they should have been. Biting my tongue hard, I try to block out the retched smell, like rotting flesh or infected skin…
* * *
My head pounds. Without touching it, I can feel the bump on the right side of my skull. I open my eyes, squinting, attempting to see through the dark to what is in front of me. I move my head an inch, sending a blinding hot pain shooting through my head. I groan, trying to bring my hands to my forehead, realising that I can't. As all of my senses come back to life, I begin to move my wrists against my rope bindings, testing how much room they gave me, none.
I'm tied to a chair with my hands behind my back in a pitch-dark room. The only thing I can see is a small stage made from large chalk blocks and a table. Turning my head slowly, I take a better look around.
Rows and
rows of chairs are in front of the stage. I'm on the first seat closest to the aisle at the front. There's a clock right above the makeshift stage. I've been out for about an hour, making it six o'clock. Something shuffles from behind me, attempting to swivel around. I cause another wave of vertigo to smash down on me.
“Everyone must do their part,” Comes a familiar whisper.
“You rotten son of a bitch,” I spit, though I’ve given up on trying to move my head.
"Sorry about the head. Sheath doesn't know the meaning of unharmed. You might have a concussion."
Just as he says that, an overwhelming sense of nausea rises. “Don’t-don’t suppose you can magic up a bucket, can you?” I stutter.
My ears ring loudly, drowning out Lucien's response. My whole body starts to shake. A tingling sensation flows through my bloodstream; it turns into burning. From my toes through to my mind, it feels like acid burning away what's inside. I let out a cry, which then turns into a moan of relief. My mind clears, and I no longer have the urge to vomit all over the impeccably clean floor. Looking up, I see Lucien standing over the top of me.
“You’re still a sadistic jerk,” I seethe.
He scoffs, “In thirty minutes, this whole hall is going to be filled with members of the Xavia, ready to witness the birth of the seven deadly sins,” he says.
"What?" I ask.
"The Book of beings holds a spell to bring to life the seven sins. All that is required is the presence of exactly two hundred born Shifters and a maiden unburdened by the sins. I chose you. These days no one is completely immune to any of the sins, but you are extremely pure compared to some others,” he explains.
“Are you going to kill me?” I ask, trying my hardest to look sweet and young, not allowing my fear to shine through my mask.
"No, I'm just going to take half of your blood. Hopefully, you're stronger than they think." Lucien looks at me sadly. It's only seconds before his pitying smile becomes a feral grin.
"The Protectors know where I am. They're gonna come for me and end up finding two hundred rouges. Christmas came early for us, I suppose," I say, trying my best to sound confidant.
“Yes, it did, but not for the Protectors.”
Lucien straightens and walks out of the two wooden double doors, leaving me seated, strapped to a chair, and very hungry. As soon as he leaves, I look around for possible exits. Two big windows above the doors, useless. One smaller one to my right could be useful. Though the sun should have risen by now, it still looks dark outside. It is probably so that the vampires can enter without being burnt.
As the minutes' tick by, I find that Lucien really isn’t taking any risks on my escape. If I strain, I could just hear the slight sounds of feet shifting behind the doors, guards. There are only two possible exits, both also monitored. My thoughts swim to the other side of the pool as I realise what Dad will do when he finds the dead vampire on my floor and me missing. My wrists ache heatedly from attempting to wriggle the bindings loose. Eventually, I end up closing my eyes, imagining my power untying the rope. I almost cry with glee as I feel the ropes loosen half an inch. I try again, picturing my power forming like hands that undo the rest of the knot. I sigh as the pressure releases, allowing me to shake the tension from my shoulders.
Just as the first knot is undone, the doors burst open, giving way to a huge crowd of Shifters. Even a dozen wolves come through, growling at anyone who gets in the way. I freeze, the thing that brought me here, it takes its place upon the stage, it stares at me, I get the feeling that it somehow knows what I'm doing. Sheath, that's what Lucien called it, takes a step towards me. I stop, the last knot is nearly undone, but I'd rather sit here for a little while longer, just until Sheath is occupied. Lucien walks through the doors last; he's changed into a red shirt and black jeans, striding up to the stage. He gives me a wink before addressing the Xavia.
“For hundreds of years, Shifters have always been second to the Protectors, always thought to be the monsters, always told to stay away and be good little things. Not anymore-”
Something burst through the door, a cloud of fog fills the room. My breathing quickens as the place becomes a riot of shouts and screams. Something moves behind me. I yell at nothing to no one; there is no one here for me.
“Shut up,” he hisses.
I freeze. I shut up.
My bindings finally fall off. I jump up only to be hit by another wave of nausea. I begin to fall; a familiarly firm and warm body catches me. The faint whiff of cinnamon and chestnut hits me full in the face, making me shudder and cringe. Damn it.
As he leads me out of the room, I trip as something crabs at my leg. Looking behind me, I see that Sheath is smiling down at me. I jump back up, picking up a small knife from the ground. Someone pulls me back, but I refuse. Thrusting my hand out, I blast Sheath back a couple of metres and into a Lycan. I turn around to meet blazing ember eyes. I let out a huge sigh and continue to run out the exit and into the daylight. Only it's not light. There's some kind of dome separating us from the light.
Looking behind me, I see that every single Shifter is after us.
Gabe runs ahead, leading me to the edge of the dome. I reach out, picturing huge hands tearing open the shield. There is a huge fighting force attempting to block me out. As we approach the edge, though, it splits open, just enough for us to squeeze through sideways. I frantically close the breach, sealing the Shifters inside.
Both Gabe and I continue to run until we’re at least three blocks away. He leads me up into a rundown apartment, opening the door to a small room where a single couch and bench lay. My breathing is ragged and unnaturally fast, not only from the endless running it took to reach this place but from the tense boy in front of me. I stand up straight and cast my eyes across the darkroom. There’s one other room which is a bathroom and shower. The whole living room is about the size of my bedroom, small but not suffocating. I try to delay the inevitable by walking around to inspect the old, neglected building, looking at everything but Gabe.
"Back at four am, the first thing I do is check on you. I then find that your gone, a dead vamp in your place. I'm not even going to ask why." Gabe's voice is stiff and cold, not how I imagined our reunion.
“Yes, you probably don’t want to know,” I answer softly.
My back is still to Gabe; not wanting to see the look on his face, I go and stare out and down at the street below from the balcony. I feel the floorboards creek as he comes to step closer to me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and turn around. A strangled gasp escapes me. Gabe's face is littered with bruises. I can also see the tip of a white bandage poking out from under his t-shirt. His weight is all on his right leg, giving me the impression that he's hurt his leg as well. I don't like how quiet he is, how he's not shouting at me for being so foolish and rash. My breathing speeds up as he takes a step closer to me, eyes hard as stone, my neck and wrists still aching.
“I-I…”
I can't form proper sentences; my heartbeat is thudding in my ears, blocking out all common sense. With each step he takes, I take one back, I don't know why, but eventually, I'm backed against the glass window, Gabe so close I can feel his warm breath against the tip of my nose.
“Could-could you just say something …?” I whisper.
He lets out a shaky breath, watching me with weary eyes. I can feel the rhythm of his frantic heartbeat against mine, the way his shoulders bunch. I can tell he’s angry.
“I thought you were smarter than that,” he whispers.
Gabe leans forward, slowly and at first hesitantly. . . I inhale sharply as his lips brush mine carefully. There's a moment of fear between us before I lean into his touch. Gabe’s lips are soft and fit mine perfectly, making me shiver with quiet delight. My lips tingle with warmth, and I have to force myself to breathe. His arm wraps around my waist, pulling me in closer. Sliding my arms around his neck, I twine my fingers through his hair. Gabe uses his lips to slowly separate mine.
I feel the tip of his tongue brush against my bottom lip. Lightning surges through me, making me light up. Gabe explores my mouth, making me forget everything about the Xavia and Lucien. His body is solid and comforting against mine, gripping me harder. I press closer to him. A deep growl escapes from him, making me shiver.
To my dismay, Gabe pulls back, just enough to look me in the eyes. “You’re still in so much trouble,” he warns, though he's unable to keep the longing from his voice. He kisses me again. This time it's less desperate, lazier.
"It's not like I went after them. They came after me,” I protest once he pulls back again.
Gabe releases me, and I let out a disapproving huff.
“But I know that you have been going to see Lucien,” he says, taking another step back.
I curse loudly, earning myself a deadly look. “How do you know?”
“Vain, she’s the reason I’m out at all. She also warned me that you’ve been doing stupid and reckless stuff,” he answers, crossing his arms.
“Yes,” I say simply, reminding myself to ‘thank’ her later.
“That’s it? You’re not going to deny it?” he asks suspiciously.
"No, there's no point. I did it because we needed as much information as we could get,” I say with a casual shrug.
“You couldn’t think of any other way to get it? Maybe one that doesn’t involve you risking your life?” he asks madly.
I shake my head, looking around the room once again. “Where are we anyway?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
You’d think that Gabe would still have the Skile, considering the fact that he was just kissing me about a minute ago, and now, he looks like he himself will kill me.
"A safe house, the Protectors have them all over the place, in case something like this happens,” he answers coolly. Gabe rubs his face, closing his eyes, he massages his temples.
“Thank you for coming to get me,” I say.
Gabe looks up, giving me a small smile. He turns to sit on the couch. "Do the rest of them know you're back?" I ask as I sit on the couch next to him, back against the corner, and legs draw up under my chin.
