by Martha Woods
“How long has it been since we last saw each other?” I ask, afraid of the answer.
“Two days, Anna. It’s been two days,” he says as he helps me to walk across the room and out of the house.
“What the hell just happened in there?” Darien asks, his voice wavering as he follows us down the stairs and onto the sidewalk.
All I can think about is my next meal and hopefully a shower as I lean heavily on Morgan. He leans me against the car and opens the door for me, but I pause and look back at Darien. It seems there is no hiding now as the sunlight rests on my face.
“I’ve been trapped in that house for two days, completely unconscious. Morgan will take me to recover and then I’ll be by to explain everything,” I tell him, unsure of what words are the most appropriate for the situation.
“Then come to the house. We can take care of you there,” Darien quickly responds as he walks up to me, afraid of what is going on. I look away from him as I glance over at Morgan.
“That’s probably a good idea, Anna. We shouldn’t stay in the city after that explosion,” Morgan admits. I nod my head in agreement as I sit down into the passenger seat. I hear Darien climb into the back seat, followed by the sound of the engine starting and the feeling of the car pulling away.
“Try to stay awake, Anna,” I hear Morgan say, but I can’t help but fall asleep knowing I’m now safe.
Chapter 7
I take a deep breath when I finally wake up again. Thankfully, my dreams were blank and empty, allowing me to truly rest. At first I feel the soft sheets on my naked body as I wonder how I both ended up in bed and without any clothes. The next thing I feel is a small pain in my arm and as I open my eyes to the dimly lit room, I can see someone has inserted an IV into my right arm as a long tube runs down from a clear bag hanging over the bed post. As my eyes start to travel, I realize I’m not alone as I stare back into black eyes.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Morgan whispers as he brushes a fallen strand of hair from my face as I tilt my head towards him. He is lying beside me, completely unmoving.
“Your handy work, I presume?” I ask as I raise my arm. Morgan smiles as he glances down at the IV.
“Your vitals were weak, so I made sure to do everything I could to keep you alive, besides forcing food down your throat,” he explains as he moves from the bed and tosses a pair of clothes at me. “I even made sure you were bathed before I started your IV.”
“How kind of you,” I say sarcastically as I push myself up into a seated position.
“It is very kind. I could have just eaten you instead.” Morgan returns to my side as he checks the IV bag and inspects the port in my arm. “Once you’ve eaten normal human food, I’ll remove this.”
“And what of the rest of the household?” I ask once I realize what room I’m in. The familiar blanket makes me feel like I am finally home.
“Patiently waiting for your full recovery. I haven’t told them anything yet, if that is what you’re asking.”
“That is what I’m most worried about,” I admit as I start wiggling my fingers and toes. Having feeling again in my body helps me feel alive and awake. Morgan leaves my side as he walks over to the door and pushes it open.
“I’ll go down and let them know you’re ready for visitors. I’ll also mention you need lots of food and drink,” he says as he sticks his head out the door. “Oh, and one more thing. Your mother called me, surprisingly. She wants to know what’s been going on.” Morgan gives me a wink before he disappears out the door. I sigh as I think about what I’m going to tell my mother. She won’t be pleased that I fell into a token trap…again. But as I think about what happened in there, I slowly start to remember what the muse had told me. It gives me a lot to think about, and if what she says is absolutely true, then we will have to approach the supernatural realm from a different playing field.
A knock on the door brings me out of my thoughts as Elizabeth and John come walking into the room, both with trays in their hands, followed by Darien closely behind. I can’t help but smile brightly as they set the trays on the bed beside me and take turns crawling into bed and giving me a light hug.
“This looks marvelous, you three. You seem to really out done yourself,” I say as I lift the lid and see all manner of foods from breakfast dishes ranging to burgers and fries. I start eating bits and pieces of food, trying to eat carefully as not to shock my system after not eating for three days.
“We were so worried about you. When Darien received a phone call that you’d been in a horrible accident, we all came home immediately,” Elizabeth says as she takes my hand and holds it. I look over at Darien, wondering who had made the call and thinking that Eliana had really done what Malbious had tricked her into doing.
“Well you don’t have to worry now. I’m alright and by the looks of things, I have been well looked after.”
“But what happened to you?” John asks softly by my side. I smile weakly at him as I rest a hand on his head for a moment.
“I got in big trouble looking for something in a place I shouldn’t have been alone. But your brother arrived just in time to rescue me,” I say convincingly as both Elizabeth and John’s eyes light up with surprise.
“Speaking of trouble, I’d like to talk to you, alone, about what happened,” Darien finally speaks up. I give a quick nod as I continue to eat small bites of food. Darien ushers his siblings out of the room as he lets them know they can come back in a few minutes to visit. Then he takes a seat on the edge of the bed and at first, he doesn’t look at me.
“I’m sorry that you got dragged into all of this,” I speak, hoping to break the acquired tension between us as I continue to eat.
“And what exactly is ‘this’?” Darien asks in a stern voice as he lifts his eyes from the floor and focuses them on me. I can tell that he is having a hard time wrapping his head around what he saw, and more than likely he is a bit scared.
“My mother wasn’t happy about me leaving home, so I promised her while I was here I would make sure to find any antique pieces that someone might owe us. Specifically, objects that we call tokens,” I begin as I push the food away.
“Why would someone owe your parents this token?” Darien asks as he turns his body towards me, giving me his full attention.
“Anyone who knows what a token is understands that my family has been searching for them for generations. We are trying to collect them all and either destroy them or contain them. More importantly, we want them hidden where they can’t be used anymore.”
Darien gives a weak chuckle as he looks away momentarily before looking back at me. “You speak as though these tokens are as dangerous as nuclear weapons.”
“No, not as deadly or dangerous as a nuc, but they equally have the ability to affect a large number of the human population.”
“Then just tell me what they are, Anna,” Darien pleads as he leans closer to me.
“Tokens are objects that have trapped demonic and spiritual powers within them. They contain the creatures from the supernatural realm. A place my ancestors were able to tap into, creating gates between our worlds where creatures could pass through. Thankfully, the most powerful creatures were contained inside these tokens, but most have been lost through time. That is why my family has always been so active in the antique industry. We are trying to relocate these tokens and find a way to close the gates for good.”
Darien looks like he is going to be sick as his face pales and he nervously starts looking around the room. “This has to be some kind of joke. You just don’t want to tell me the truth.”
“Darien, go open the blinds. I can tell the sun is still up. If you want proof, I’ll give it to you,” I stammer as I use my leg to move him off the bed. He does as I ask, allowing the setting sun to flood the room. I scooch to the end of the bed with the sheet wrapped tightly against my naked body and motion for Darien to come close. Turning my face towards the windows I say, “Look into my eyes and tell me what you see.�
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I keep my eyes focused on the window as he bends down and looks at me. I hear his breath catch in his throat, causing me to lose my focus and look at him. He looks confused as he continues to stare into my eyes. I had imagined this moment so many times, and now that I was sharing my secrets with a normal human, I was becoming as scared as Darien.
“It’s like watching a fireplace burning at the back of your eyes,” Darien says softly as he sits next to me on the bed. I move back to rest my body against the pillows and to adjust the IV line that is tugging at me.
“What you see are my powers, constantly moving and burning, ready to be used. My people call it ‘hell fire’ because the flames were acquired from the beings we destroy. It’s our only defense against supernatural creatures. And though I rarely use it, I had to unleash every ounce of my power to free myself from the trap I had fallen into.”
“So, that was the trouble you were in?” Darien asks, the color in his face seeming to return and his voice sounds stronger. I can tell his concern for me is over riding the fear he his.
I can’t help but chuckle at the memories of Malbious. “Touching a token released the trapped spirit inside. But each token has a contingency spell for such occasions. The creature is trapped with the person who touches the token and they are given an unknown amount of time to escape. If they don’t find a way out, the person who touches the token is destroyed and the creature is sent back to its realm. This way the creature can’t be unleashed on our Earth and the person who touches it is never given a chance to do something so foolish again.”
“So, you found a way out?” Darian then asks softly.
I shake my head as I look away from him. “I created my own way out. I burned everything and everyone trapped with me. Then I woke up.” For the next few minutes we were silent. I could tell Darien had more questions but for a moment he simply thought about what I had said.
“Is this what happened in the house all those years ago?” he finally asks as the sun dips below the horizon, allowing me to hide once again. I nod my head as I close my eyes and fight back the tears that want to spill through. Now that I know more about the environment of these token traps, it tempts me to rethink if there would have been anyway out for both my uncle and me. It would be easy to lose myself in the idea of what I could have done differently, allowing me to be with my uncle this day instead of continuing to mourn him through my guilt.
“I’m glad you alive, at least. For now, I can just focus on that thought and try to forget everything else,” Darien says after a while. I open my eyes as he stands from the bed and walks over, leans down, and places a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I grab his shirt and hold tightly to keep him close to me. I hear him chuckle as he raises his hand and starts to run his fingers through my hair. At that moment, I’m thankful that Morgan took the time to clean me as I smell the sweet aroma coming from my hair.
“There was a moment that I honestly thought I would never see you ever again. I tried to keep your image in my mind as I prepared to destroy everything, including myself. I was so relieved when I woke and saw you next to me, even if that meant I’d have to tell you the truth,” I ramble as I try to calm my breathing and keep myself from having a complete breakdown.
“Shhh…” Darien speaks into my ear as I continue to hold him and he keeps his face pressed up against mine as his fingers stay tangled in my hair. It is only when we hear a knock on the door that Darien straightens up and I pull my hand back to my side.
“Come in,” I call as Darien steps back so I can see who has come to visit.
“Are you feeling better?” Morgan asks as he immediacy enters the room and begins checking my IV bag.
“Yes,” I say confidently as I take another bite of food.
“Then let’s get this out so you can get up and shower. You need to get up and move around before your muscles start to weaken,” Morgan instructs as he removes the IV with one swift motion. I ignore the pain as I keep my eyes on Morgan, seeing if he’ll fall into temptation and lick the blood from the IV line.
“Since when do you care about my strength?” I joke with Morgan as he deposes of the medical supplies in the bathroom waste basket.
“Since you’ve been battling against demons,” Morgan replies. Based on his choiceswords, I can tell he heard the whole conversation I had with Darien.
“A djinn and a muse, to be more precise,” I explain as I use my arms to keep the sheet wrapped around my body as I scooch to the edge of the bed and finally stand. Blood rushes to my head as I wait for the wave of dizziness to pass. I feel Morgan’s arm on me but I quickly shrug it away. A warrior always wants to prove their strength when given an opportunity to.
“Will you be needing any further assistance?” Morgan asks, the familiar sly grin crossing his face. I can’t help but smile back as I take a step towards the bathroom.
“Thank you, Morgan. But your exceptional skills are no longer needed at this time. If I need anything else, I’m sure Darien can give me a hand,” I say as I glance over at Darien. His face seems to brighten as his checks flush.
“As you wish, Princess,” Morgan speaks as he crosses the room and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.
“Princess?” Darien questions as he offers his arm. I gladly take it as he leads me steadily to the bathroom.
“My people are called ‘warriors’ in English. And my father just so happens to be their ruler and King, making me their Princess. Titles are used more for political use than anything else. My people are ranked more on their ability to fight than what families they are born into,” I explain as I take easy steps till I can rest against the vanity in the bathroom.
“Sounds interesting enough,” Darien comments as he steps back and pauses at the door. “Do you need any help?”
I can’t help but smirk as I consider dropping the sheet right in front of him. “As tempting as that offer is, I’m sure Monica wouldn’t appreciate your assistance.” It sounds good to hear Darien really laugh as he looks away.
“Actually, I don’t think Monica will be coming around any time soon. She wasn’t particularly pleased when we left her to come rescue you,” Darien admits before he gives me a wink. “I’ll have Elizabeth come check on you in a bit, if you don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind at all, thank you.” Darien responds by closing the bathroom door. I let the sheet fall as I stretch and lean over to start the shower. I enjoy a few minutes alone as I let the hot water run against my skin, forcing my blood pressure to rise. I enjoy the sensation as it confirms that I’m really alive and that everything I see and hear isn’t a dream. I take the time to lather my skin in scented soap and wash my hair several times before I turn off the water. I pat my skin dray with a plush towel, then wrap it around my body before I step back into the bedroom.
“You’re looking better already,” Elizabeth says as she fusses with the clothe that Morgan had acquired for me. “I had picked these for you from Mom’s closet.” I can tell it’s upsetting for her as she wipes a tear away. I near her, I can smell her mother’s scent in the air.
“I appreciate all your help,” I say as I help her lay the clothes out on the bed. When she looks up at me, my breath catches in my throat as the last rays of the sun reflect in her eyes. I step closer to her and raise my hand to her chin to steady her face so I can closely analyze her.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, her voice quivering from the intense look I am giving her.
“It can’t be….” I say softly as I look into one eye and then the other, switching back and forth as I angel her face towards the last bits of sunlight.
“What? What do you see?” I can tell that I’m starting to scare Elizabeth as I release her face and turn away from her.
“I just can’t believe how much you look like your mother,” I lie as I start dressing into a simple t-shirt and dress pants. I hear Elizabeth sigh as she rings her hands against the bed post and I try to calm myself after looking into the hell fir
e in her eyes. My mind is racing, trying to understand why Elizabeth possess not only my people’s ability, but particular my blue hell fire.
“Anna, do you mind if I ask you something personal?” she asks as I look back at her. With the sun now set, her eyes have returned to normal.
“Of course,” I say as I walk back into the bathroom to brush my hair and tie it back.
“Well, something happened earlier today and I don’t feel comfortable talking to Darien about it,” she starts as I motion for her to sit on the small sofa in the room. “Well…you see…I started my period and I don’t know what to do.” She is fidgeting with her fingers, unwilling to look at me. I sigh, happy to hear that it isn’t a serious issue I was fearing. A part of me wondered if she had accidently burned something. But it makes sense since I also started my period when my hell fire first appeared behind my eyes.
“I understand why you wouldn’t want to talk to Darien about it. Let’s get you the stuff you’ll need and we can talk more about it,” I offer. She looks up at me and smiles as I take her hand in mine and lead her from the room.
Chapter 8
“She has my blue flame, Morgan,” I speak once we are back in my room and I’m confident everyone else has fallen asleep. After a long evening of watching movies and eating a ridiculous amount of junk food, I was ready to sleep. But my bothered thoughts kept me awake. Thankfully I had a night creature to keep me company.
“What do you mean? Who?” he asks as kicks off his shoes and stretches out on the bed. After being unconscious for the better part of three days, I wasn’t ready to get back into bed. Instead, I start pacing the room as I try to understand how Elizabeth acquired my hell fire.
“Elizabeth. I looked into her eyes in the setting sun and I saw my blue flames in her eyes,” I explain as I continue moving.
“How is that even possible, Anastasi? And is that why the little girl smells of dead blood?” Morgan asks as he props himself up on his elbow and throws aside his glasses, finally revealing his pitch-black eyes.
