The Vessel

by Felicia Tatum

  “Forgive me, but where are we?” I questioned.

  “Arrow Rock, Tennessee.”

  “Tennessee. Wow. I lived in Maryland, you know…before,” I responded.

  He glanced over, sizing me up. “You really don’t remember? Before, I could see your aura, but not now. And I trust Olivia. It’s just weird, man. When that…thing was controlling your body, he killed my girlfriend. It’s hard to forget.” His knuckles turned white from him ferociously clutching the steering wheel.

  “I would imagine so. I don’t really know what to say or do about that.”

  He nodded, slowing the car and pointing out his window. “That’s our big grocery store. It doesn’t have much, but you can usually find the staples.”

  He drove a few blocks more, then pulled into a parking lot. “This is Arrow Rock High,” he said, looking at me, “You’ll have to go here…but I don’t know how to explain you. Olivia said your last name is different?”

  “Yeah, Aiden Rivers.”

  “Ok, Rivers instead of Cavalier, and those blue eyes. We have to think of a story.”

  “I thought Olivia said Cavalier was a senior?”

  “Yeah, but you and her both missed the last two weeks of school. You didn’t graduate.”

  “Oh, well I don’t remember any of my high school experience, except my freshman year,” I admitted.

  A hint of pity and sadness crossed his eyes briefly as he inspected me. “Rough. Maybe….,” he stared out the window, lost in thought, mumbling, “I’d have to ask Anna. It may work…”

  “What may work?”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize you could hear me. I was thinking, maybe we could cast a disguising spell. To make you look like someone else. Just alter your features some, so students wouldn’t recognize you. Then, you could be in class with Olivia, Juniper, and me.”

  “Ok…I guess it can’t be any worse than what that evil guy did to me.”

  “Oh, no. It wouldn’t hurt or anything. And we would still see the real you, it would be for people that didn’t know Aiden Rivers,” he explained.

  I nodded. “Ok. Let’s see the rest of the town.”

  “Dude, this is just about it. Once we turn that corner right up there, we’re right back to Juniper’s house.”

  I chuckled. “Really?” I asked in amazement.

  He nodded, laughing, “Mmhmm. This town has a lot of nothing.”

  I looked out the window, taking in my surroundings. Tons of trees lined the streets casting a shadow on the roads. Nice homes peeked out in between them, reminding me of a child sneaking around a corner. The buildings were old, but seemed…familiar. Seeing the hominess of it all made me long for my family. I still didn’t know what happened to them. Were they hurt? Did they wonder where I was?

  “Hey, Mark? Can I get on the internet somewhere?”

  He forked over his phone, “Here ya go.”

  “Thanks, man.” I got on the browser, googling my own name. There were a few stories that came up regarding a skiing accident. I clicked the first, perusing the article for details. My heart sped up when I saw the words “assumed dead.” I shut the phone off, unable to read more. A deep sorrow stirred within me thinking of what my family must have gone through. A search, a funeral, believing I was gone. How would I fix that? Explain it? Would I ever be able to contact them again?

  “You ok, Rivers?”

  I shook my head, “Everyone back home…they think I’m dead.”

  Mark gasped beside me. I handed his phone back, slouching in my seat. I’d lost everything.

  “Let’s head back.”

  I didn’t respond. The extremely small town passed slowly as we drove back. I didn’t have much time to contemplate any aspect of my situation, though, because when we pulled into Juniper’s driveway, she and Olivia were standing off with a guy I hadn’t been introduced to. I looked to Mark for answers, but the shock on his face was enough to make me sick with worry.

  “Kyle?” he shockingly whispered as he flew out of the car. I followed, hot on his heels, worried about Olivia’s safety.

  Scott

  “The Destroyers are a group of sorcerers and vampires that consider themselves vigilantes, and they are far from the good guys. Normally, the two groups do not interact, under no circumstances. But,” Grandma paused. My insides were twisted, causing nausea to roll through me like a truck. “Sometimes—and I mean, very rarely—we end up with a situation that calls for the two intermingling. A long time ago, when I was still a new sorceress, I heard a story about a vampire male falling in love with a sorceress. Now, granted, I don’t know how true it was, but it called for a group to be formed: The Harmonious Gathering is what they are called.”

  “Are called? They still exist?” Sadie asked.

  Grandma nodded in agreement. “They do. They chose their name based off the fact that they are there to ensure any…consequences resulting from the groups interactions are dealt with.”

  “Consequences? What are you talking about, Grandma?” I questioned her, annoyed with her for withholding information.

  “Children, little one. Sometimes, the relationships would result in children, and The Harmonious Gathering is in charge of the rules and regulations of said children. They are the unknown. The Gathering is there to protect us.”

  “Ok, so what do The Destroyers have to do with this?”

  “The Destroyers don’t agree with the regulations in place. This group believes all unions between vampires and sorcerers are unnatural and should be dealt with. They…murder those who fall in love. And if they can’t accomplish that, they go after the children involved. They are evil. They torture people for simply falling in love,” she said regrettably.

  “They’re sorcerers?”

  “Ironically, both parties have members in it. As much as they hate for interaction, they don’t seem to mind if it’s for murderous reasons,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

  I paced in front of her, my mind racing. Why did they want Livvie’s parents? Would they survive? Was my love next on their list?

  Grandma stood beside me, resting her hand on my shoulder. Massaging my arm in soothing circles, she said, “I don’t know why they took them. But I know her father’s jacket definitely showed me The Destroyers. We have to rescue them before it’s too late….”

  Her eyes got a distant look to them, and I knew what she wasn’t saying; if it wasn’t already too late. I couldn’t tell Livvie that, though. She was scared enough as it was. We had to find a way to figure out where they were being held and get them back safely. I couldn’t think of the worst. Livvie would know if I kept this from her. Maybe…

  “Grandma? If we teach Livvie to espy, do you thing she could find them? Or perhaps dream walking? We saw the place, but if we could get her to focus, maybe she could actually find them?” I asked her hopefully.

  Sucking in a deep breath, she started, “I don’t know, little one. More than likely, they are in a place with tons of wards and protection barriers.”

  “But…she’s their daughter. There has to be a way.” I hung my head, desperate for an idea.

  Any idea.

  My gaze caught Grandma’s. I saw the fear and disappointment in her bright blue eyes. The knot in my stomach fell, and my heartbeat sped up. Grandma didn’t see us succeeding in this endeavor.

  Olivia

  My brother was standing in front of me.

  My brother, with his full foot of height on me, his tousled light brown hair, and his green eyes that matched mine, was standing in front of me. Juniper was in as much shock as I. She had met him once when we were younger, but he generally didn’t come around enough for her to know him. Holidays and special occasions, but he stayed off to himself, so no one really knew him very well. I didn’t even think my parents knew that much about him.

  His stance was rigid, but his eyes showed nervousness. He kept glancing over his shoulder, looking for I don’t know what. He seemed off, not as cocky and angry as usual. I looked to
J for support and finally gained the courage to speak. “Kyle, what are you doing here? It’s not a holiday.” It was a low blow, but I didn’t care. He’d always treated me as if he despised me.

  “Where are mom and dad, Olivia?”

  Sighing, I opened my mouth to speak when I heard Mark and Aiden running towards us. Their heavy boots trampled up the driveway sending rocks flying in their path. I turned to them in shock, wondering what the hurry was.

  “Are you guys ok? Why is he here?” Mark asked, sizing Kyle up as he spoke.

  “I was trying to figure that out. Why are you two running like that?” I said as Kyle muttered under his breath.

  Ignoring him, Aiden answered me. “Mark was freaking me out with the worried expression, so I followed him. I thought you were in danger.”

  I was touched by their concern, but I had to roll my eyes at their manly display, like I couldn’t take care of myself. Scott did the same thing, and it was getting a little old. “I appreciate that, but I’ve got it under control.”

  They both put their hands up in surrender and backed away. I turned back to Kyle, torn over what to tell him. I could lie to him, telling him our parents were away on business or vacation, or I could tell him the truth, that I somehow lost them after I was abducted by a psycho. I shifted uneasily, avoiding his gaze, when I noticed a car slowly rolling down the street. It was long and sleek with the windows slightly tinted. The passenger window was rolled part of the way down, and I could see two men inside. They stared at us, a darkness deep within them. My stomach sunk. I reached out and clutched J’s hand. She stepped closer, her protective nature in full force. Kyle noticed and followed our eyes to the road. He clenched his fists and stepped in front of us…like he was protecting us.

  “We have to get out of here. We can’t stay in the open,” he whispered out the side of his mouth.

  I squeezed J’s hand and she pulled me toward the house. I reached out, grasping his shirt and tugging on the fabric slightly. He took the hint and followed us. I didn’t stop to see if Mark and Aiden were behind us, because I sensed Kyle was the one in danger here, not us. We made our way inside, Mark bringing up the end, closing the door and locking the bolts. Kyle stepped over to the window, shutting the blinds and peeking out the side of the window. He relaxed a bit, then, turned to us.

  “Want to explain who they are?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. They’ve been following me for a month or so. I came here to find out from mom and dad. Pretty sure they know what’s going on,” he said with a look of hatred on his face.

  “Why would they know?” I questioned, thoroughly confused.

  “Oh, come on, you should know by now. The binding? Everything they did to us? Don’t tell me you’re not angry about it.”

  The binding. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I didn’t let on. “They’re missing, Kyle. I don’t know where they are,” I explained.

  “What do you mean missing? They can’t be.”

  “Tell me when this happened. Every detail,” I demanded. I looked at J and she was perched on the side of the loveseat with a pen and paper, prepared to take notes for me. I smiled in appreciation. Leave it to J to read my mind.

  “Like I said, about a month ago this started. I noticed the same car seemed to be everywhere I was. I would see people hanging around when I got off work, trying not to be noticeable, but it was obvious they were following me. At night, I can look out my apartment window and a car just like the one that drove by is parked across the street. I feel like the mob is after me or something,” he admitted.

  I could see the terror in his eyes. This was a serious situation, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do with what Anna said earlier about The Destroyers. “Ok, that’s a little scary. Why would I be mad at mom and dad, though?”

  His head snapped to attention, his eyes boring into mine. “You mean, they didn’t tell you? How long have they been missing?”

  “Umm…well, see…it’s a long story. But I was kind of taken by someone too, in May, and we think they’ve been gone since then. But I just got rescued a day or so ago, so I really haven’t been able to look into it yet.”

  He tentatively stepped closer to me. Awkwardly, he patted my arm, and asked, “Are you ok, sis?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, it was just scary.”

  His head tilted slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing it. “So…you don’t know about the binding?”

  I chuckled, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I threw my hands up in defeat.

  He looked around at our group. “Can we go home, so we can have some privacy?” he asked uncomfortably.

  I contemplated it. I hadn’t been home since the abduction. Terror rose in me, coursing through my veins like it belonged. I turned to J, helplessly seeking her assistance. She only shrugged. This was something I would have to face, at one point or another. I simply nodded. “Do you have your car?”

  “Yep, follow me.”

  Ignoring the gnawing in my tummy, I did as he said.

  Aiden

  Olivia was barely out the door, when I turned to her friends outraged. “Are we just letting her go with this guy?”

  “Relax, new Aiden. He’s her brother. Not like he’s gonna kill her or something,” Juniper said, rolling her freaky red rimmed eyes.

  “You don’t know that,” I spat at her.

  She moved in an unnatural speed, suddenly right in my face. She cocked her head, making her look even more un-human. I wasn’t sure what exactly she was, but she definitely made me uncomfortable. A long finger with a deep red nail was in my face, and she scolded, “Yes, I do. Now back off before you make me angry.”

  I heard Mark chuckle behind me. I’m glad someone was enjoying this.

  “Fine,” I said, “but I was supposed to stay with her, so now what?”

  “I guess you’re hanging with us, New Aiden.”

  New Aiden. I had a feeling this was going to get old really fast. “Technically, I’m Old Aiden considering my body and life were stolen from me,” I glared at her.

  She stepped back, crossing her slender arms. “True. But I like the nickname, so it stays.”

  “Are you always this bossy?” I questioned, mocking her stance.

  “When it comes to Liv, yes I am.”

  “Can I ask what exactly you are? All this sorcerer stuff is a lot for me to wrap around my brain, but you’re different. What’s with the eyes?”

  Mark rushed to her side, an angry gleam in his eyes. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

  I raised my hands, “Sorry, man, but I’m curious.”

  She caressed his arm, smiling at him lovingly. “It’s ok, Mark. I can tell him. I think he’s only being like that ‘cause I haven’t exactly been nice to him.” She actually looked a little guilty. “New Aiden, your body killed me at the dance where I finally got asked out by this boy here. You slit my throat. Well, that spirit in control did, and I died instantly. Lucky for me, Scott and his grandma were able to bring me back to life. But since my soul was already gone, I couldn’t come back as a human. I’m now an immortal. That’s the only word they’ve described me as, so I’m assuming it’s the official name for my…condition.”

  I sat in silence. I knew it wasn’t me that took her life, but I still felt like I was to blame somehow. “I don’t remember anything from when…he was in control. I’m sorry, though. I…wish I could have somehow stopped him or something.”

  She sat beside me, resting her hand on my knee. She was cold. Really cold. It seeped through my clothing, chilling my skin. “I apologize. I’ve been rude. I think we should start over,” she suggested.

  “Ok,” I said, smiling. The brown of her eyes was warm and kind. The only thing about her that was off was the red. “I think that’s a good idea. Mark has an idea so I can go to school with you guys.”

  She looked at him, grinning, “Yeah?”

  He nodded, stepping closer to hold her hand. We spent the next hour or so tal
king about his plans and getting to know each other a little more.

  Scott

  “How will I tell Livvie?” I asked into the wind. I was seated outside on Grandma’s porch, rocking in her oversized chair. I didn’t expect anyone to follow me.

  “That her parents are probably long gone? I dunno, bro. But you better do something quick, so she can try to save them if there’s a chance,” Sadie said, sliding to sit cross legged in front of me. Her eyes were wide, and her face showed no emotion, but I knew she was worried. Sarcasm was her defense when she was scared.

  “Yeah, that’ll go over well. I think…I’ll just teach her how to dream walk. I don’t want to tell her how serious this is yet.”

  “Scottie…I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need to tell her the whole situation,” Sadie urged. She picked aimlessly at her nails, signifying there was something more on her mind. She only did that when she didn’t want to talk about something. I noticed it when she was about five years old…she broke my favorite toy, and she didn’t know she was a sorceress yet, so she thought it was long gone. She’d sat in my room for an hour, just picking at her nails, before finally admitting she had broken my favorite Gameboy. Thinking back, it was difficult to believe it was such a hot item with all the amazing gadgets available now.

  “What is it, Sadie?”

  “Hmm?” She glanced up, her eyes distant. Her teeth had pulled her bottom lip inside, and she sat gnawing on it. I was convinced blood would start spouting out any minute.

  “Snap out of it, Sadie. What’s going on? Eating your lip and your nails? Something bad is going on, so tell me,” I demanded.

  Sighing heavily, she leaned forward. She finally released her lip, and it was blood red. “Scottie…who do you think had Olivia and Aiden?”

  “I don’t know,” I said curtly. This wasn’t something I could deal with right now. Anger soared through my veins. My heartbeat quickened, my palms sweated, and I fought the urge to physically hurt someone, anyone at this point.