“I was, um,” I stammered, motioning to the stairs, “going to change.”
Raphael slowly noticed my little outfit. I felt really weird under his stare, that’s for sure. At last he said, “No. You can change after our lesson. It won’t be long. I have other—” He clenched his fingers and then stretched them out. “—business to attend to.”
“Fine,” I pouted. “If you want everyone to smell my stank, who am I to stop you?” My arms were up in the air, a sign that I was so fed up with the day that was today.
For his part, Raphael just stood there and took it. Definitely a switch. Usually he yelled right back at me, gave me an equal amount of attitude that I gave him. We were normally at each other’s throats in minutes. Instead of yelling at me though, he remained silent and moved around me, heading into the library.
I begrudgingly followed him, wondering what had his panties in a bunch.
Max sniffed as he finished putting the books back in their rightful places. “I don’t think you smell that bad…”
“What?” I asked, tone harsh.
Gabriel grinned at me. “The door was open. We heard it all.”
An uneasy silence hung over the room until I asked, “Why is Max here?”
Max wasn’t the one who answered. It was Raphael. My dear, old buddy, Raphael, of whom I loathed very much currently. “I thought it would be beneficial for all of you if he partook in our lessons. Do you have a problem with this arrangement, Kassandra?”
I stood up aggressively. “Actually, yes. I do.” I quickly glanced to Max. “It’s nothing against you, Max.” I glared back at Raphael. “But I don’t like having these lessons in the first place. They’re dumb. I’ve learned all this before. Well,” I corrected myself, “pretty much all of it.”
The half grin stayed on his face as he responded, “There is nothing you can do to change it. Now sit down so we can begin.”
But I, being the girl with the slight anger problem, couldn’t sit so we could start the lesson. I just couldn’t deal with Raphael anymore. Not now. Without saying another word, I stormed out and ran down the stairs. Michael was in the kitchen reading the paper, what he always did, but I didn’t stop to relay the situation with him.
I kept going. I slammed the front door open and ran down the driveway, slipping as I went down the little hill. I closed my eyes as I caught myself with my hands…except when I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t on my driveway anymore. I was in the desert. A sigh flowed from me as I stood up and gathered my bearings. The sun was hot on my skin as I turned around and spotted the tent—the same tent that I saw earlier today.
The same tent that was the cause of my agitation today.
Instead of leisurely taking in the magnificent sight of the golden guards and the oasis, I wasted no time and went straight into the tent. Only, this time I wished I had slowed down a bit to look at them.
Because I walked into the tent and saw something I did not ever need to see. The woman naked and on top of someone. In her bed. God. It was a gross scene.
Soon enough she rolled off him. Her makeup was still done perfectly and her body paint seemed untouched, and I highly doubted that it was. Untouched. She was just doing it with whoever that was, so I was pretty sure she was touched.
“Get up and go,” she barked out the orders.
Wow. I still was impressed on how mean she could be.
The man stood and I didn’t even bother to shield my eyes from his stark nakedness. I may have not seen any naked men in real life, but I’d seen shows on HBO. She spread herself out on her bed, looking utterly bored. “And leave no one alive, not even the Shifter. I warned him.” She gritted her teeth. “He thinks that I believe he is un-killable. But I know his strength lies in his amulet. If he is not wearing it, he can be killed, just like everyone else.”
The man began to dress himself. Everything aside, he had a nice butt. Once dressed, he sheathed his sword and was about to turn to face me when she stopped him.
She slithered to her feet, sizing him up. “And Crixis—” The woman licked her teeth slowly. “—be a good boy and do this quickly. We move at dawn.”
He started walking towards me, but his gaze lingered on her. Before I could see the man’s face, I felt a hand on my shoulder and was pulled back into reality.
I groaned as my eyes flew open. I was on the driveway, laying on my back, glaring up at the man whose hand tore me from my vision. Raphael. “What?” I asked him. “I was so close. If you could have just held off for one second, one second, I could have seen him.”
“Calm down,” he ordered me.
But no one ordered me around, and most definitely not him. Not when I was so close to seeing another piece of the puzzle. “No,” I told him simply, because as of now, it would be impossible for me to calm down.
“Yes.” His intense eyes stared into mine, forcing an inner tranquility to envelope me. “Calm down.”
I felt a wave of involuntary composure sweep over me. Weird. Like a big, warm hug on a cold night or some hot chocolate after hiking through a blizzard. I was at peace, calm. Everything in the world was right.
But I managed to shake the feeling off. The weird feeling, that was. The calmness stayed with me, for whatever reason.
“Now,” Raphael spoke coolly, taking his time, “what are you talking about?”
“I..” I placed a hand on my forehead. “I can’t say…”
He rested both of his hands on my small shoulders as I sat. “Yes, you can,” Raphael assured me. “Tell me.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I really can’t. I…don’t understand it yet.”
“Speak to me, then,” his voice was low. “I can help you, Kassandra.”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure that he could. And not because we were usually upset with each other. I didn’t know if he knew that I had visions. Dreams. Whatever you wanted to call them. And that they usually were omens for what was to come. Although, lately, I’d been thinking that my premonitions weren’t so much premonitions as they were visions of the past.
And if I was right, and these were visions of the past, then it would be a first.
“No,” I said, sounding greatly unsure, “no. I can’t.”
Raphael was quiet as he took his hands off me, letting his eyes linger on me for a few more seconds. “When you are able to, I will be glad to listen.”
I scratched the side of my head, but not because it was itchy. I just felt strange under his stare. The sudden calmness that came over me remained, and I grew more confused by the second.
“Now.” He tore his gaze away from me and started walking back to the house. “Come inside so we can begin our lesson.” Raphael halted at the front door and turned to look at me. But there was no need to.
Because I was right behind him, doing exactly what I was told, for once.
“Yeah. I was just standing there, thinking: but I never bought myself a cupcake dress. But they made me get into it anyways and do this little dance number in front of the whole school.” I could see the glint of Gabriel’s light blue eyes when he looked at me. “Weird dream, huh?”
I rolled my eyes as we continued meandering through the cemetery. Max was the one who talked first. “Wow. That is a weird dream,” he agreed with him. “That’s kind of like the one I had where I was a penguin at the zoo.”
“What?” Gabriel asked, completely incredulous. “A penguin? At the zoo? This I have to hear.”
Why, oh why did Michael force Max to go with us tonight?
So far the night had been a stalemate between him and Gabriel fighting for the nerd of the year award and no Nightwalkers. You would think that for a town filled with Demons, there’d be more Nightwalkers walking about, waiting for me to purify them.
Maybe we got all the recent ones last night.
“Uh-huh,” Max carried on, “I was in a penguin show, too. The mean zookeepers wanted me to go and perform my slip-and-slide trick without giving me a treat first. So all the other penguins
and I staged a coup, and we ran the zookeepers out of town. How, exactly, we did that, though, is a mystery to me.”
“That sounds like fun.” Gabriel turned to me. “You have any strange dreams lately? For example, one where you and I finally come together, get married with our pets as ring-bearers, and have a honeymoon in the Florida Keys?”
I laughed. “Not that I can remember, no.”
Max had a quizzical look on his face. “You two are engaged? Aren’t you related?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Gabriel beat me to it, saying, “No and, um, no. Not yet. About the engagement part. I plan on popping the question when she’s least expecting it.”
I smirked. I couldn’t help myself. Gabriel popping the question would be a sight to see, that’s for sure. I’d love to see Gabriel act serious for once and have a meaningful conversation that lasted more than two minutes.
“Right,” I spoke, “and then I plan on turning you down when you least expect it.”
Gabriel was silent for a few seconds before saying “Precisely an hour and thirty-two minutes after I get down on one knee? Way to leave me hanging on my knees, Kass. Although, I will admit, I’d get down on my knees any day for you.” He winked.
“That’s…disturbing,” I said slowly. “Very disturbing.” My eyes scanned the rows and rows of gravestones. I saw someone standing over a grave a good distance away.
“Ooh, see one.” Gabriel sneakily reached for his stake.
This person wasn’t a Nightwalker. I was sure of it, so I halted him, saying, “No. Wait.” Gabriel began to ask why, so I continued, “Just wait.”
We stood in silence for a few seconds, and when that person walked away, we went over by the gravestone. Fresh flowers rested before the stone.
Max spoke, “Do normal people visit graves in the middle of the night and leave flowers?”
Gabriel shook his head, saying, “I don’t think so. Not that I know anything about normal, so don’t take my word on it.”
I stared at the name that was engraved in it. Elaina Clarence. Mother of one. Born September first almost forty-five years ago. Dead three weeks ago. I saw the person walking away, too. I saw her short hair and big stature. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.
The person who left these flowers wasn’t normal.
Claire was far from it, with her athletic figure and AP status. Now I understood why she acted so mean to me. Her mother just died. I felt bad about my attitude toward her. If my mother had died (which she did, but I hardly remembered it), I would have acted like that, too.
Chapter Eleven – Vincent
I stood outside his house, in the bushes. If someone saw me here, I was certain they would think that I was stalking this man. Which, in a way, I was. But it didn’t bother me. Why? Because soon enough this man was going to be dead and I was going to be back in my own country.
Soon enough I would string this man up and strangle him with his own intestines…or something to that degree.
He sat in a recliner, reading the paper. He also happened to be alone. I could burst through the front door right now and deal with him. But that would be no fun.
The man scratched his chest, moving his necklace aside to reach the itchy spot. My necklace. My family’s necklace. He still wore it. Probably considered it a trophy, no doubt. That made me very angry. I wanted to rip it off his neck, put it on and show him what I could really do.
After all, that’s what he got for killing my whole family and leaving me as the sole survivor. It was his mistake. His fatal mistake.
Heaving a sigh, I turned and started walking down the sidewalk. Before walking across the street, I glanced across it. My hands were in my pocket and my head hung low. What was I going to do after this was all over, after I succeeded and finally killed this man? What was going to be my purpose? Was I even going to have a purpose, or was I going to be one of those people who lived for nothing?
I shook off the paranoia about how my life was going to change after the deed was done. I was a few blocks from his house when I rounded a street corner and slammed into a man. Without thinking, or perhaps out of habit, I said, “Sorry.” The situation reminded me of the girl I ran into at the park, at the strange way I felt pulled toward her.
The black-haired man didn’t say anything right away. He only glared at me with his bright green eyes. He looked me up and down as a strange grin appeared on his face.
What was his problem? My eyebrows wrinkled. He was about two seconds from having my fist in his face. And then my fist would turn into a spiked club. I felt my fists clench. I was just eager for a fight, and as a rule I usually didn’t make fights out of nothing. This guy was practically asking for it, though.
His green eyes returned to my blue contacts. “You’re welcome.” And with that, he walked away, not saying another word.
You’re welcome? I mouthed, thinking about what it meant. I said sorry and he responded with you’re welcome? It made no sense. I wasn’t thankful for anything that he did. All he did was run into me. Well, we ran into each other.
I’d never met that guy before anyway, so what did he mean by you’re welcome?
Chapter Twelve – Kass
Last night I didn’t dream at all. That was weird, because I dreamt all the time. I had visions now when I was awake, for God’s sake. I just wanted to know why I had so much of them at one point and then none at another.
It made no sense. But, hey, nothing ever made sense in my life, so why should things start making sense now?
I rolled out of bed, picked an outfit, and walked into the bathroom. Tried to, anyway, for the door was locked and the shower was going.
Right. Gabriel. The blonde boy who had to take so much time getting ready in the morning, which then gave me no time to get ready myself.
Leaning on the door, I stared at the picture that hung on the opposite side of the hallway. It was one of a purple sunset. I was not one for art and appreciating it, but I did have to say that this painting was beautiful. If I saw that sunset in real life, I’d take a step back and enjoy the moment, something I never did.
Soon enough, the door opened and Gabriel appeared, wet and wearing nothing but jeans. I couldn’t help but shake my head at him. This was a daily occurrence, I swore. He’d be in the bathroom that we were forced to share, and I’d be waiting, and he’d come out wearing just pants or a towel.
After the first few times I got used to it. It’s not like I hadn’t seen his body before. His half-nakedness just didn’t bother me anymore. Living together for a few years tended to do that to you.
“Fantastic.” Gabriel had a huge smile on his face. “That’s what I was hoping for. Soon enough you’ll be used to seeing me naked. And then we can start working on you.”
“Oh, God,” I exhaled. “That’s gross. And it’s also never going to happen.” I walked around him and into the bathroom.
But instead of leaving me be, which I so wished he did, he followed me and stood against the countertop, looking at me with that same stupid smile on his face. “I had a dream last night.”
“Yeah?” I questioned, attempting to pretend that I cared when in reality, I couldn’t care less about his dream. Why? Because it probably had something to do with me and him and flying horses. Something like that. Just for the heck of it, I said, “Did it involve me squeezing the life out of you?”
He chuckled and thought for a moment. “Well, no. But there was squeezing involved.”
My head drooped as I said, “Gabriel, that’s…”
“Awesomely dirty?” he finished my sentence for me.
“No.” I placed a dollop of toothpaste on my brush. “Unbelievably sickening.”
Gabriel puffed out his chest. “Go ahead and keep thinking that. But sooner or later you’re going to realize—”
Michael came into view in the doorway. “Koath is here to take you to school.”
“So much for blending in,” Gabriel mumbled as he pushed past Michael.
&nbs
p; “It’s that or the bus, and I figured you’d both rather do this,” he spoke to me. “So hurry up. Brush your teeth. Comb your hair. And for God’s sake,” his voice yelled to Gabriel, “please put a bloody shirt on.”
I laughed and bent down to spit. When I came up, I wasn’t in the bathroom anymore.
I knew my visions wouldn’t be gone for long.
The black armored man ran through the town, frantically searching its tanned inhabitants for his wife and child. I stood amongst the chaos and soon ran after him. People were dying left and right. And whatever was killing them moved impossibly fast. Like, so fast that I couldn’t even see it dealing the killing blows to any of the citizens.
Elders. Children. Women. All were falling down with giant sword gashes in their backs or stomachs. It was clear to me that whoever or whatever was doing this, was a monster of unmatched proportions.
The man ran inside his rock hut, where his family hid, scared for their lives. I covered my mouth. His wife was young, maybe thirty, and his son was no more than six years old. The terrified expressions on their faces told me that they knew these moments would be their last living ones.
He slid to his knees roughly. “You must leave. Now. You are not safe here.”
The woman began crying. “No. We won’t leave you.”
He gently placed a hand on her cheek and wiped away her tears. “You must. You have no choice.” He took off his orange amulet and tied it around his son’s neck. “I love you. Both of you. I will stay and delay him for as long as I can.” The man guided them to the back entrance of their small abode. “Go, I beg you.”
The woman sobbed and kissed her husband one, last time before grabbing her son’s hand and running swiftly away from him.
My ears heard no more screaming in the town. They were all dead. All of them. All except his wife and child, who he just sent out. I blinked, and soon the black armored man stood face to face with the other man that was sent to kill them all.
Staked! Page 36
