by J. E. Cluney
They were standing under a blossoming cherry tree, the petals raining around them, and Ariel was giggling as she stood between his parents, who looked happy and at ease.
“Are you going to paint yourself in?” I ask softly, noting that he hadn’t made any indication of such.
“I don’t think so. I just want this—seeing them so happy, fully at peace. I want to remember it always. They’re not broken or lost, traumatized by what happened. They’ve moved on, which is all I could ever ask for,” he murmured as he painted his mother’s hair ever so carefully.
“It’s beautiful,” I remarked as I rolled onto my side, gazing at the other few paintings he’d hung on his wall. His very first sketch of me, sleeping peacefully in his bed, was now framed and on the wall, and I smiled softly at it. Beside it was my wolf form under the northern lights, howling up at them.
The one of his family would look perfect over the head of his bed.
‘I think I’ll put it there then,’ he said sweetly as he heard my thoughts.
I smiled as I closed my eyes and rolled fully onto my back.
My smile fell as the heaviness of the last few days settled on me.
So much agony, pain, and loss.
“It’s over now,” Marcus said softly.
“Not yet. We’ve got the ceremony tomorrow apparently. I didn’t think it would be so soon, but Lucas got a call from his dad, and they’ve already cleaned up the whole town. All the broken down and abandoned cars have been returned and are being fixed, all bodies being either cremated or prepared for burial at their families wishes. They’ve gotten their shit together so quickly,” I murmured, still shocked at how fast they’d acted.
“They had to. We couldn’t have bodies lying around everywhere. Mr Brady and the Council wanted to restore order, regain the trust and faith of the people as best they could,” Marcus said as he paused, his brush hovering over the canvas.
“So many people died,” I whispered as my throat tightened.
At least Claire and her parents had been okay, and Skip had found out they’d been released from town late this morning to return home.
“Not too keen on this ceremony,” I admitted.
“I know,” Marcus said as he sighed and set his paintbrush and paint palette down. “All these people died, and they want to thank us for killing the guy who did it all. It doesn’t seem right,” he said as he joined me on the bed. “We only did what we had to, to save ourselves really.”
I nodded in agreement as he lay down beside me and pulled me into his side.
We lay in silence as we held each other, and I reached out mentally, finding Ollie was visiting his family, while Lucas was checking in with his.
Skip was drinking out on the verandah with Brad, even though it was barely lunchtime, while Trish was busying herself with making some lunch for us in the form of homemade turkey burgers.
I smiled at how I could see Ollie hugging his mom, who was just grateful he was okay. She apologized to him, while his father was overjoyed to see him, and Robert was there too.
Rebecca was asking him about the rest of us, making sure we were all okay, which I was touched by.
I switched to Lucas, glad he was spending quality time with his whole family. His mother was relieved to learn everyone was okay, and Lucas was thanking her for taking care of us.
Charlotte was off with Abel doing some last-minute house visits and sorting out things that needed to be sorted, like funeral arrangements and more.
“Seems this shitfest has at least brought everyone back together,” Marcus said softly as his thumb stroked my arm softly.
“Yeah. Did not expect Ollie’s mother and sister to change the way they did,” I agreed.
I wondered if it would last. I had a feeling Rebecca would be a changed woman now. She’d certainly stepped up when needed, fighting the zombies alongside us.
Zombies.
I still couldn’t believe that had actually happened. At least their bites hadn’t been contagious. They were merely animated corpses. As soon as Joseph fell, so did they.
It was quite sad actually, as I knew many families would be getting their loved ones back mangled or even beheaded.
“I try not to think of that. I had to do it at the time,” Marcus muttered, and I could feel his self-hatred surging forth.
“You saved so many, don’t think you ever did anything wrong. You gave your life to stop that bastard,” I assured him as I leaned up and cupped his cheek. “You saved me.”
“No, you saved me,” he retorted with a tender smile.
I stared down at him, gazing into those beautiful frosty eyes.
To think I’d thought he was a jerk when we first met all that time ago.
“Thanks,” he smirked, and I just chuckled.
“You were pretty dicky,” I reminded him.
“You were vampire bait,” he stated as he tapped my nose, causing me to scrunch it up.
“And I caught you. Hook, line, and sinker,” I shot back, loving my quick comeback a little too much as he laughed. The hearty, deep sound made my skin prickle as joy sparked through me.
“That you did, gorgeous,” he said as he leaned up to peck my lips.
“I’m glad I did,” I said with a soft sigh. “Even if my life has been one crazy rollercoaster ride since I first stepped foot in this house, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Neither would I.”
13
We went to the ceremony the founding families had organized for us, where we received recognition for our part in ending the disaster that had been brought upon us.
I’d dressed up in a nice black dress, not wanting to seem like I didn’t care about all the lives lost.
It had been a solemn ceremony, where we were recognized with little dragon pins. For some reason, they’d decided Ollie was the symbol of our triumph. He had been, although he’d pointed out it was ultimately me and the dagger.
I preferred it to be a dragon, a symbol of power and hope in my mind, something so rare yet so stunning and wise.
They’d commemorated us with a buffet lunch, which we did our best to enjoy, despite how shitty we all actually felt.
Sure, it was over, but the town was in recovery and mourning.
The memorial followed the day after on the University campus, where everyone paid their respects and horns were blown. Magic was fired into the air to celebrate the lives lost, and a stone monument was erected in the place Joseph had fallen, laying to rest all those we’d lost. Their names were carved into the white marble sphere, which had a rotating band around it that rippled with magic. Lucas informed me this was to protect it from graffiti, but also to add to the design.
It was a dark day as the whole town filled the grassy area of the campus, spilling into the buildings and walkways as Mr Brady acknowledged every life lost one by one and thanked those who fought against the monsters.
Tears had trickled down my cheeks silently as women wailed around me and people sobbed. Everyone wore dark clothing, either navy or black, although many wore jeans if they didn’t have dress pants for the occasion.
I doubted anyone cared.
Wreaths were laid by the monument, and I’d watched as people stepped forward, placing candles, stuffed toys, photos, and plenty more.
It wasn’t until a mother broke down weeping as she set down a baby blanket that I crumbled, and Marcus caught my arm as my legs gave out.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmured as he pulled me into his chest, where I struggled to keep my sobs quiet.
So many people had died, including women and children.
I’d tried not to think about it, but now it was glaring me in the face, and I clung to Marcus, hating Joseph and how I’d been so entwined in everything.
I’d fought so hard to keep from feeling guilt, but now it surged through me as I cried.
‘None of this is your fault. Please don’t think like that,’ Lucas said as he stared at me sadly from beside Marcus.
/> Skip was on the other side with Ollie, and they’d all managed to wrangle full black suits for today.
I gritted my teeth as the sobs tore through me, and Ollie moved around to stroke my back softly as Marcus caressed my hair.
How was it not in some way my fault? Sure, he’d planned it all, but the wendigo—Walter—came for me. I’d moved to Maple Grove to study and brought all this with me. It was my fault he’d chosen this town to destroy.
‘Please don’t think like that,’ Ollie said softly as he hugged me from behind so that I was sandwiched between them.
How could I not?
I felt their dismay at my self-loathing, but I couldn’t help it. I’d fought it, but today, it hit hard.
This town had been broken.
People cried and sobbed around me, and I heard a baby fussing as their mother tried to quiet them, while Mr Brady informed us there was a town wake happening on the oval, where free food and alcohol was on offer.
There would also be some live music to celebrate the lives they’d lived rather than focusing on their deaths.
Everyone started breaking off to find their way to the oval, and Marcus pulled me aside as I drew in a few shuddering breaths to calm myself.
“Please don’t hate yourself. You saved this town,” Marcus said as he pulled back to wipe the tears from my face.
“Remember what Mabel said? If it wasn’t you, it would’ve been someone else. As much as I wish it hadn’t been you, I think you are one of the only people I know who could have handled it and beaten him,” Skip said quietly as he stepped closer.
The four of them had me tucked within their little cluster, and I took comfort in their bodies around me.
I smiled at Skip, at the certainty in those sweet blue eyes.
He truly believed I was the only one who was strong enough to put Joseph down.
Some other poor, unlucky banshee would’ve struggled, but I’d found my mates and grown strong enough to stop him.
Perhaps fate had chosen me because I was lucky in that regard. I’d also taken on a true shifter mate who had been able to retrieve the dagger needed. How many other banshees were even out there that had found any mates?
I drew in a calming breath, focusing on that instead.
Perhaps that’s why it had been me—I was the only one strong enough to do it.
If it had been some other poor banshee, they may have died, and then how many people would have perished at his hands?
“Thanks,” I murmured as I sniffled, and Lucas offered me a tissue.
I gave him a grateful smile as I accepted and turned away from Marcus to blow my runny nose.
“Now, how about we go try to celebrate the lives of all those people? Be grateful they got to live, huh?” Skip said sweetly as he took my arm gently.
I nodded as I scrunched the tissue up and tossed it in a bin as we passed.
The others followed after us closely as we moved with the crowd to the oval.
The afternoon was oddly vibrant despite everything as people shared stories of their loved ones.
Many were unable to say anything, the loss still fresh as they cried, but I listened as stories of bubbly students were told, about their wild adventures and fun times they had.
I laughed at a story about how one koala shifter got drunk and wound up at Australia Zoo on the operating table because he’d shifted and fallen off a roof.
A civilian had found him and rushed him to the hospital, where they were very confused as to how he was as drunk as he was with an actual alcohol reading.
Mr Brady had had to handle the situation and wipe the minds of humans.
I’d not realized that was a thing, but apparently, warlocks had the ability to wipe human minds where needed. Lucas could do it too, although he was not freely permitted to unless badly required, like if the supe secret were to get out.
I then found out he’d done it twice, the first time Skip was drunk and got into an altercation with a man at a club, who wanted to fight him outside.
Skip had accepted, and shifted in an alley before kicking him into a wall.
Lucas had had to wipe the victim and his two friends’ minds after that.
His other time was when he’d been at a group sex party, and things had gotten too rowdy.
He tried to gloss over how he was being spit-roasted in male form, which I’d demanded to see memories of. I peeked into them despite his attempt to block me out, and I’d laughed as I tried not to allow it to arouse me. Now was not the time.
A dingo had ended up flashing his golden eyes, and despite playing it off as lighting, he’d had to wipe one guy’s mind.
As the hours dragged by and we enjoyed the free food and treats, I watched as people got more and more drunk on the free alcohol as we sat at a table that had been set up.
People started to brawl, which security stepped in for.
I’d noticed all the security when Lucas had pointed them out. They wore suits as well so blended in, but they had earpieces on.
Emotions were sky high as some people celebrated, others raged at one another, and many just cried and wallowed.
I wasn’t sure it was the greatest idea with how many fights were starting to be instigated, but Skip believed it was a necessary evil to help everyone mourn and move past this horrid time.
I spied Trish with Brad as they enjoyed some drinks, and Emma and George were with them. Trish was laughing and dancing with Emma, and a few people were joining in, their bubbly joy contagious. I knew my grandmother was just trying to help alleviate the situation, which I was grateful for. We’d taken separate cars, as Brad wanted to take Trish out afterwards for dinner. I felt she deserved it, since she’d been feeding us each day while we were gloomy and struggling.
She deserved a treat.
We hung around for only a little while longer, but I was growing tired. Lucas had recovered from his depletion, but I was much slower in returning to normal after everything.
I just wanted to go home and curl up in bed as someone tickled my back.
‘I can do that,’ Ollie said sweetly as he rose and offered me his hand.
I took it, and Skip hurried over to inform Trish and Emma we were headed off and to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening.
I had a feeling tonight was going to be mighty interesting, but I wasn’t up staying around to see what happened. Many others had also already called it quits and headed home, leaving only a third of the people who’d started at the wake.
We walked back to Skip’s beast in silence as Ollie held my hand and Lucas wrapped an arm around my waist.
I worried about how the town would recover, but all I could do was wait and see what happened.
Weeks had passed by like a dreary slog since Joseph was put down. The wake had apparently become quite wild, as Emma and George had stayed late. Trish had left before sunset with Brad, and they’d spent that night at his.
She’d stayed a few more days with us, then headed back to Natalie’s before flying home.
I felt bad we hadn’t been able to do more with her, but things had been too tense and dark for us to want to do fun things. Brad had been distraught, not wanting their time together to end, and he was planning on flying over to be with her on a working visa. I was curious if he’d actually see that one through. At least they planned to continue messaging since he’d introduced her to Facebook properly with her own account.
The dark clouds over the town and the household had started to lift after another week, and now I sat in a park on the main street that had been opened with a large marble memorial with all the names of those who’d fallen carved into it. I had remembered seeing the vacant block of land, but it had been turned into a gorgeous park now with a playground.
A golden dragon statue had been erected as well, commemorating those who’d stopped Joseph. A plaque mentioned a banshee, vampire, warlock, witches, and various shifters, including the dragon many had seen flying over the town.
I’d
heard rumors that many had first thought he was evil and working for Joseph until he started fighting the monsters.
Then people had become hopeful.
Mr Brady had made sure that no one outside of the small Council group that had been here and those he deemed necessary knew about Ollie’s dragon. His own family had made a pact to not utter a word of it to anyone else, even his mom, which had surprised me. He’d also added that he wanted my true powers to be kept under wraps, and preferably my banshee nature too.
Only those who already knew of me would continue to know.
I stared at the black marble wall before me, my gaze rolling down the list of names.
I still felt a pang of guilt at it, but it was growing less painful and sharp.
“So many people have moved away, it’s really throwing the local housing market out of whack,” Lucas said with a sigh as he peeled an orange while perched on the edge of the table.
We were all at a small picnic table before the marble wall, and I could hear childish laughter as some kids played in the playground while their parents supervised.
“Yeah, but the tourist demand has rocketed. I know a few who’ve simply moved and popped their houses up as short-term rentals. Everyone is flocking here now to see the town that had real-life zombies. I’ve even seen a zombie stall at the weekend markets now,” Skip added.
It was true—after the first week of mourning and grieving, we’d noticed an influx in visitors to the town.
Word had spread across the state to other supes about what went down here, and it had become an attraction.
It was strange, but at least it was good for businesses.
“Dad said there’s talks of the main street expanding and growing. More shops and cafés being put in now. Maple Grove might finally grow and become a proper town. The founding families are already looking at blueprints and designs. Quite a few houses in the main streets were sold, so they want to knock them down and put in buildings for businesses,” Ollie said as he leaned back against the table to soak up the rays of sun.
As much as I hated the reason behind it being an attraction, I was grateful for the businesses who’d been struggling.
