Magestorm: The Reckoning

by Chris Fornwalt

  “Yes, my queen.”

  “Good. Now go make preparations for my visitor.”

  They nodded and walked off, leaving her to imagine the great ‘what ifs’ that might come from the second coming of the great wizard. Maybe, just maybe, it was time he joined her as the king. Then this weak witch they were following could be destroyed. The thought made her smile broadly.

  “Very good.”

  Far below, in the sewers, another interested party listened contently. Unaware of the vampire on the rooftop, Demian heard the planned patrols and smiled. Surely Dhane would want to know about this. It would leave him the perfect opportunity to stage an assault or robbery at the Grand. It was time to truly begin his revenge.

  11

  The morning came with new questions for Dhane. Samantha was lying in bed next to him, his arm around her, their bodies firmly against each other. They were still dressed from the night before, and after some heavy petting, exhaustion got to both of them and they slept together in the literal sense. He hadn’t slept much, though. There was uncertainty about what exactly the night before was about, and in the back of his mind Amelia still lurked.

  Samantha began to stir and he wondered if he should slip away while he had the chance. It was possible she was simply distraught and needed closeness, which she may regret now, or act weird about. He slowly pulled his arm off her, and she took his wrist and pulled the arm back over her. So much for regret.

  A while longer they laid there, and then she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She walked over to the dresser and dug through her clothes for something to wear. Without a word, she vanished into the bathroom and the shower kicked on.

  What the hell do I do now?

  He didn’t have to think about it long, as a knock on the door drew him from bed and he cautiously looking out the window. With a sigh he opened the door to Cassandra and Amber.

  “You want to go get some breakfast?”

  Dhane nodded and they waited for Samantha to get dressed, while he simply changed his shirt and threw on fresh socks with his shoes. For two hours they sat at a nearby restaurant, going over all that happened when Dhane left for six months, and what he’d been doing in secret with the vampires. Cassandra and Samantha barely ate, but Amber wasn’t fazed and finished off all three plates.

  After all the questions were answered, they sat silently in the booth. The truth about Algernon was a shock to Cassandra. If the council had known, maybe they would’ve treated Dhane differently. Probably not, but maybe. She found one more question.

  “So, you have memorized the spell book then?”

  “Yes, but that’s not all. In fighting the vampires I started using a series of spells from the two spell books my father had. There’s a pattern inside the spells, which links them together. It was in that pattern that I found the serpent tongue spell.”

  Cassandra’s eyes got wide. Nobody was entirely sure if that rumor was true, that Algernon had such an ability. It seems he did, and now Dhane did too. But that likely meant...

  “Oh God.”

  “What?”

  “Elisabeth will likely have the ability, too. That’s part of what made Algernon so hard to stop. It’s hard to counter a person’s spell if you can’t hear what it is.”

  Nodding, Dhane stood up from the table and walked outside. He hadn’t thought of that, and if she did figure it out, the battle between them would likely destroy anyone and everyone around them. Time was of the essence, and he could only hope she was behind in her studies.

  “Dhane?”

  The soft voice made him close his eyes and take a deep breath. Opening them, he turned around to face Samantha. She looked so sad, so lost, that all he could do was force a smile to try and relieve her worry.

  “Hey, are you done eating?”

  “I am. Not really that hungry to begin with. Listen, about last night...”

  Ah, here it was. After much reflection, she must’ve realized that things wouldn’t, couldn’t work between them. The kiss was a mistake, for sure. The cuddling afterwards, all night, was just so she wouldn’t feel all alone in what had turned into a very cold world. Right?

  “Yeah, last night. It was fine, I know...”

  “I wanted more. All night I waited for you to touch me, to take me. Am I not attractive to you? It’s okay, I understand if that’s it.”

  “No, it’s not that,” he put his arms around her and hugged her, hoping she wasn’t about to start crying. “I just didn’t feel right about doing that considering everything. You were in a sensitive state, I think. And then there’s...”

  “Amelia.”

  She looked up into his eyes and he nodded. Though he didn’t know where she was, Amelia was the only thing he wanted. The funny thing was, by the time he realized that, she slipped from his grasp. Even preparing for a war that could very possibly cost him his life, he longed for her touch just one more time.

  “You don’t even know where she went or why she left. Maybe things weren’t meant to be with her.”

  “I know, I just...”

  “I’m not trying to push you or anything. Tonight, when I go to bed, I’ll be naked under the covers. If you want me, even just for one night, join me. If not, there will be no hard feelings.”

  Samantha started walking down the sidewalk back to the motel. After a couple of minutes, Cassandra exited the diner with Amber and looked at Dhane curiously.

  “What was that about?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  The three of them walked back to the motel together, mostly in silence, thinking about what may lie ahead. As they passed the motel office, the clerk came running out them. He was a lanky young man, all arms and legs, and looked as coordinated as a one-legged dog.

  “Sir, I have a message for you. A gentleman stopped by last night, but I wasn’t able to catch you before you left this morning.”

  The clerk handed Dhane an envelope that had his name on the front, and simply a “D” on the back. He didn’t really want to open it in front of Cassandra, but he didn’t really have a choice right now. Reluctantly he tore open the envelope and looked at the expected scratchy writing of Demian. After studying the spell pages he had handwritten, it was easy now.

  “I have to run.”

  “Where are you going?”

  He hesitated. If he told her, surely they would come along. On the chance that Elisabeth had learned the serpent tongue, it was too risky for anyone but himself. Besides, if it turned out to be a trap, he may need someone to rescue him. Cassandra closed her eyes took a deep breath. Finally she opened them, not happy, but nodded in understanding.

  “Be careful.”

  “Always.”

  12

  It was obvious that there were very few actual guards at the Grand. After watching for over three hours, Dhane saw no patrols circle the building. Instead, a guard would pop his head out each of the exits, look around real quick, and then head back in. And it was always the same guard. Clearly they were short-handed.

  Quietly but quickly, he crept up to the hotel and peered through windows, watching for any signs of life. Once he was sure things were all clear he checked the windows, hoping to find one unlocked. Room after room he checked until finally the sixth empty room had an unlocked window. Gently he slid it up and listened for any alarms. There were none.

  He climbed inside and slid it shut behind him. Next he waited patiently for the guard to come down the hall again and check out the back door. Once he finished his check, he disappeared back into the lobby and Dhane had about fifteen minutes of freedom in the hall.

  The question now was, would Elisabeth keep the spell books in her own room, the library, or the council room? Assuming she had taken Cassandra’s suite, it would be difficult to get into that room upstairs. This floor housed both the library and council room, so that was where he would start.

  First came the library, and a spell of invisibility kept him from any prying eyes that might show up. The spell was great fr
om a distance, and kept the video cameras from picking him up. He just needed to be careful not to bump anything. The library vault was wide open and empty, so it was off to the council room.

  He pushed the door slowly open, hoping nobody was inside to catch him. Once he could see into the room, a quick glance didn’t reveal anyone, and there were several piles of books on the table. Perhaps the spell book was among them.

  Once he had slipped inside, he crept silently in the dark to where the books sat, wondering why he hadn’t brought a flashlight with him. The table prevented any spells, and he couldn’t risk the lights being on, so he carefully worked his way through the stack. Most of the books didn’t feel right, either in size or weight, and a couple had covers that clearly didn’t match. Once he had a small stack of possibilities sat aside, he turned and stepped towards the door.

  “Hello, lover.”

  The lights flicked on and he froze. The last person he ever wanted to see again was standing in the doorway. Wearing tight leather pants and a crimson blouse that nearly revealed everything, the smile on Heather’s face was one of a starving lion that just found a hobbled gazelle. It was dinner time, and Dhane was on the menu.

  Soon he became aware of the other four vampires in the room and he knew he was done. The psycho bitch had led him into the one room where his powers were useless. One way or another, she would pay for this... eventually.

  A glance at the books in his hands revealed what he already knew. The spell book wasn’t here. With a swing of his arms, he tossed books in all directions and charged towards the door. For a moment, he thought he just might reach it. Instead two of the vampires caught him and he crashed to the ground with a thud. Overpowered, he struggled none-the-less.

  “Relax, lover. You’re with me now, and forever.”

  “Get the fuck away from me, you bi...”

  Her teeth sunk into his neck and soon the fight was taken from him. Lightheaded and weak, despite all the fight he could muster, he lost his hold on consciousness. The last thought to cross his mind was a brief hope that he wouldn’t wake up from this.

  “Cover him and take him to my room. Put him straight to bed and take your places at the doors.”

  Three vampires nodded and carried the mage down the hallway with a blanket over him. They would pretend it was the fourth of Heather’s soldiers, if anyone asked. Once they were out of sight, Heather looked to the other remaining vampire.

  “Clean this up and make sure there are no traces of him even showing up here. After that is done, you will take charge of the others. I want nothing to interrupt my honeymoon.”

  “If Elisabeth catches you with him, you know what she’ll do.”

  “She will do nothing! He is mine, period. Besides, once I have him securely under my control, she’ll get what’s coming to her.”

  13

  Soon darkness would overtake the afternoon sky, and evening would arrive. That was when the moment of truth would come for her. Either she would begin her eternity alone, or she would feel the embrace of the world’s last hero.

  Both thoughts made Samantha feel anxious, but in different ways. In one scenario, she would feel alive again, touched, held, kissed, and so much more. However, she would always know the truth, that she was the ‘other option’ to his true love. Would his second choice be better than no one’s choice?

  Stop thinking, just do.

  Into the shower she headed, shaving her legs, trimming her pubic hair, and washing thoroughly. Strawberry shampoo washed through her hair and left its after-smell behind. Once she was out, her toenails and fingernails were cleaned and colored, her teeth brushed, a nice perfume put on, and then she headed to the closet.

  Should I really be naked? Maybe it would be better to have something I could remove seductively. Oh screw it.

  She climbed into the bed and laid back, thinking about what might happen. Looking at the clock, she realized he probably wouldn’t be home real soon. Back out of bed she went, and started cleaning things up. Nervous energy was threatening to consume her.

  A knock at the door made her heart leap into her throat. A split second of thinking it was Dhane had frozen her for a moment. The realization that he had a key and wouldn’t knock finally sunk in. Grabbing a robe and tying it tightly, she hurried to the door and peered through the peephole.

  “Hey Cassandra,” she said as she opened the door

  The former council head smiled as she entered. When the whiff of perfume caught her nose, she suddenly wondered if she was interrupting. Dhane wouldn’t likely be back from where he went this soon.

  “Is everything okay, Samantha?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

  Cassandra sat on the bed next to her and smiled again. This time the smile was sad and Samantha looked down at her hands. She hated feeling this way and hated that everyone could tell. Hiding her feelings wasn’t her strong point, it seemed.

  “I know you’ve been struggling with things since we had to leave the Grand. It will get better. I truly believe that.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure it will. Dhane said the same thing.”

  “Listen, it’s easy to do something you might regret later when you feel down. Trying to grasp onto something for all the wrong reasons won’t make it better. When all is said and done, you’ll probably only feel worse.”

  She nodded, though she wasn’t sure she agreed. Perhaps this was what both of them needed, something to rejuvenate them before trying to take back the spell books, the Grand, and everything else. Regardless, she had put herself out there and it was for him to decide what might come next. Either he would have her or leave her lonely, and she would accept his decision.

  “I appreciate you coming to talk with me and giving your advice. However, I think the decision on whether two consenting adults get together is between them. I’ve offered myself to Dhane, and whatever he wants to do is fine with me. I don’t believe I’ll regret it either way.”

  “I just don’t want him confused, filled with thoughts of should he, or shouldn’t he. The death of Lila, and disappearance of Amelia have been hard on him. I don’t really know where his head is at, even now. These trips off alone, putting himself in danger against vampires, it’s not him. He may come to have strong feelings for you, or he may not. Trying to push a decision like this on him isn’t fair. Just...be careful with him.”

  “As I said, he can decide what to do from here. I made a single offer to him, and I’ll leave it at that. I promise.”

  Cassandra nodded solemnly and rose from the bed. There was more to say, she was sure of it, but nothing came to mind. Of course, Samantha was right; this was between Dhane and her.

  “Oh, Cassandra, one more thing. I contacted an old friend from my previous council. She did some checking and found a werewolf that used to date Veronica. I’ve left a message for him. Maybe he can help us find and rescue her.”

  “Ok, great. Thanks Samantha.”

  With that, she said a quick goodbye and exited the room. There was a chill in the air as she walked a few doors down to the room she shared with Amber. Inside, she tried to warm herself by the radiator, but the chill just wouldn’t leave. Amber walked over to her and put her arms around her.

  “I drew you a bath. Come and let me bathe you.”

  “Thanks Amber, I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Amber walked into the next room and Cassandra started to undress. There was nothing more to say or even think about in regards to their friends. She could only hope he would make the right decision, whatever that was.

  14

  “Wake up, lover,” Heather whispered into Dhane’s ear.

  Gently petting him, running her fingers over his bare skin, she was lying naked next to him on the bed. Attached to the headboard was a piece of kryptonite: a small block of the council room table, removed from underneath where nobody would notice. No magic would be taking place in this room.

  He stirred and realized his head was absolutely throbbing. There was a pain in
his neck as well, pulsing on the left side. It took him a little bit to remember where he was. Surely he was with Amelia. Yes, that was it. She had retrieved him from the farmhouse after the attack. That’s why he was in pain and so foggy.

  “Amelia.”

  With a smile, she slid her hand down his body and between his legs. Gently stroking her fingers across his manhood, he quickly became erect. This was just what he needed, she imagined. United again, it would remind him just how perfect they were together, even if he was struggling to realize who he was with right now.

  “Yes, my dear. Do you want me?”

  Soft kisses up his neck, across his cheek, and to his lips egged him on. He responded by returning the kiss and her excitement soared. She yanked the sheet off of him to reveal his naked body and climbed onto his lap.

  She took him inside her wetness quickly and forcefully. Moans and grunts escaped them both as she rode him hard. Moving his hands to her breasts, she held them there and encouraged him to clutch her tightly.

  Hips in steady motion, she wished he was in a condition to fuck her the way she wanted. She would take what she could get though. The solid erection pumping into her was just what she needed.

  As she continued to work him, Dhane began to gain some clarity of the situation. What had started as a dream about Amelia was suddenly a nightmare. His eyes focused and he became determined to get her off of him. As if on queue, she leaned over him and bit into his neck. Blood flowed into her, satisfying one appetite, just as the other was filled as well. Dhane was powerless to stop her.

  Try as he might, spells weren’t working and he was too weak to physically overpower her. Of course, if he could, she would just think it was foreplay. It didn’t take long for him to pass out again from the loss of blood. He managed two words before he did.

  “Crazy bitch...”