Staked!

by Candace Wondrak

  We rose our hands.

  “Dweebs,” he muttered, flying to the DVD stand. Funny how he called us dweebs when he was the one who acted like a dweeb. “We got a choice between Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, or Pocahontas.”

  I weighed the pros and cons of each movie. Why did each one have death or sadness? Why couldn’t there be a movie that was happy through and through?

  Max moved to sit on his feet. He certainly didn’t look like a happy camper, though I guess none of us would be considered a happy camper. The danger Michael was in, let alone the whole world, the decision I made about working with Crixis, and the fact we couldn’t do anything to help only made things worse.

  “I’ve never seen Lion King,” Max said softly, hoping to go unnoticed.

  “What?” Gabriel shrieked, yanking out the orange DVD holder. “Our choice is made.”

  A voice seemed to come from nowhere, saying, “A fine tale of betrayal.” Crixis.

  While Gabriel glared at him and said “You would know all about betrayal,” I said as I narrowed my gaze to the evil Daywalker, wondering why he was still here. Since my mind could not grasp it, I decided to ask.

  “What are you doing here?” My voice came out tougher than I anticipated, both surprising me and making me proud.

  “Where else would I be?” Crixis smugly countered.

  An incredulous smirk crossed my face for a split-second before it disappeared into a detesting sneer. “Anywhere but here?” I suggested, finding it was the perfect proposal. If Crixis was anywhere but here, my level of happiness would increase at least two-fold.

  “If I wasn’t here, then who’d be the one to protect you if something ensues?” With a lifted eyebrow, Crixis paused as Gabriel coughed and pointed to himself.

  He had to know how contradictory that was, right? Crixis protecting me, protecting us.

  What a load of crap. Liz probably forgot all about the Daywalker in her fit about Michael. If anyone should’ve gone to see what was holding Michael up, it should’ve been Crixis. This was his mess, after all.

  Chapter Thirty-Four – Liz

  “Where are we headed?” Taiton spoke the first words since we left the house.

  I could barely formulate my answer, “Ninth floor, room three twenty-five.” Cleo had to live on the top floor of one of the highest buildings in town, it was Murphy’s Law. Just our bloody luck.

  My mind ran through all the possibilities of what we would encounter: a tortured Michael, an unconscious Michael, a…dead Michael. No. Michael couldn’t be gone. I refused to believe it. If Michael died, then I would end her, even if it was the last thing I ever did.

  Raphael glanced to the stairs, saying, “I’ll go on ahead. If something’s taking place, I’ll stop it.”

  Beginning to uncover the sword that was hidden beneath my jacket, I inquired, “Do you want the sword?” The look in his eyes told me exactly what I thought he would say: no. Why would a greater Vampire need a sword?

  It was awfully hard to think straight.

  After making sure no one was near to witness it, Raphael flickered out of view.

  “Come,” I said as my quaking legs took me to the elevator. The ever faithful Taiton was beside me in seconds and my finger harshly pressed the final number. The time passed slowly as we quietly stood in unsettled calmness.

  We barely passed the sixth level when a small tremor shook the elevator, causing the power to shut off completely.

  “No,” I muttered as another, stronger seism followed. Hitting the doors, I held back anger and fury. This couldn’t stop us. An unexpected power outage was not going to be the thing that stopped us…was it?

  No.

  Taiton shoved me aside and, using his almost unearthly strength, began to pry open the doors. Within seconds, the elevator doors were forced open, and he levered the floor’s door enough so that I could crawl through.

  “Go,” Taiton commanded, utilizing his supreme muscle to hold both doors open.

  I squirmed out of my jacket, knowing I’d need all the extra space I could get, and handed the sword to Taiton, saying, “Here.”

  He took the blade and helped to push me through, giving me the dragon sword shortly after. There was exigency in his dark eyes, as I assumed there was in mine, when he said, “Run. I will be right behind you.”

  I ran.

  I ran because the fate of Michael, and perhaps the entire world, depended on me.

  Chapter Thirty-Five – Raphael

  In truth, Michael should have just taken one of us with him. If he hadn’t insisted on going alone, there was a possibility we could have avoided this. Then again, maybe everything would have played out the same regardless.

  It was far too late now to wish I could change the past.

  I landed outside her apartment in mere seconds, and without delay I kicked open the wooden door, fracturing it. The easiness of smashing it down gave me slight pause. Though I had supernatural power, the door itself should have resisted a bit.

  It was as if the door wasn’t even locked. Something wasn’t right…

  A hasty look was thrown around the room and, sensing the presences behind the closed door, I flashed myself closer. My ears picked up a woman’s voice muttering an incantation of some sort.

  With a growl, I lifted my foot to kick this door down, like I had the first one. Coming into this, I truly had no idea what to expect, but I could certainly say that I wasn’t expecting to be paralyzed by a hex on the floor.

  My leg had made it only six inches in the air before I was frozen in place. Throwing a glance through the room, I found that the immobilization hex had engulfed the entire apartment floor. I must have triggered it by stepping into the home or breaking down the door, and it must have taken a few seconds to materialize…if I was human, I wouldn’t have made it this close to the second door.

  Luckily, though, Elizabeth and Taiton weren’t here to get paralyzed as well. It was a good thing I went on ahead, otherwise all would have been lost.

  The light of the room failed, and it would have left me in darkness if it weren’t for the green runic symbols on the floor.

  Once Cleo was dealt with, stopped or killed, the hex would disappear, and I’d be mobile. The only thing I could do now was pray that the two Council members would hurry and stop her. If Sephira was raised, and if she was indeed as cruel and wicked as I heard she was…Crixis would seem like an angel.

  Chapter Thirty-Six – Cleo

  I sensed the ancient magic the moment it entered my building. Liz Abby and her Agent Taiton must have brought someone with them. Or, as my magic told me, something. Stopping the power was only the first defense. That diversion, plus that paralyzing spell, which was a pain to cast, would give me enough time to summon her early, if it came to it.

  And the activation of my spell told me it was time to start the ritual.

  With a quick hand, I yanked the needle and tubing from Michael, who finally began to wake. His dazed eyes slowly opened. Once he realized he was skillfully tied to the bed, he shot his eyes to the fully assembled mistress.

  “Cleo,” he warned, “don’t do this.”

  I chose to overlook the comment as I sprinkled a pentagram onto the wooden floor, using a mixture of earth, water, and salt. “I wish you and your friends weren’t forcing me to do this before the full moon. I had hopes of completing the ritual in the light of the night sky.” A relaxed breath escaped me when I lit the match and set the pentagram on fire.

  Normally, the mixture wouldn’t catch fire, but in normal circumstances, there wasn’t a Witch to help it grow.

  “It would have been purely symbolic, of course,” I continued, retrieving a golden dagger, one I stole from a museum. The museum had no idea what this golden dagger was, because it was the first and last of its kind discovered.

  The cub made sure of that.

  “If you do this—” There was a significant tone change in his voice. I never would have guessed that Michael could become that na
sty. “—I’ll make sure you pay the price.”

  Slitting my palm, I laughed outright. If only Michael knew what was headed his way…if only he knew. “Ancient fire, I call to thee, take my life in exchange for salvation. Awake Sephira, whose time was taken from thee. Give her life and show her enemies true damnation.”

  Repeating the phrase louder, I slit my other hand and threw the dagger down. The energy flowed from me. It left my body through the slashes on my palms, twisting and winding its way to the mistress.

  The dark, ancient magic entered her mummified mouth, filling in her taught cheeks.

  I wished I would be alive to see her in her untamed glory, but the moment she opened her eyes would be the moment I had to close mine. For good.

  A low, breathless moan came from me as I watched the tips of my fingers swirl into the same black energy that had just left my palms. The faster I disappeared, the faster she would awaken.

  Her mouth was now plump and red, her eyes seared with permanent eyeliner, her hair rejuvenated and healthy. The mummified arms became restored. The elaborate paint that used to cover her entire body was there once more.

  My eyelids closed, and I welcomed the pure nothingness of oblivion, knowing that I was successful in doing what I was meant to do: resurrect Sephira.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven – Liz

  I wasn’t sure how far behind me Taiton was, and truthfully it was one of the last things on my mind. Michael was my top priority; I knew that now. If only it didn’t take me so long to realize. I wished we would have known what we were doing, what we were getting into, all those years ago.

  Now it might be too late.

  My breath was nearly exhausted when I reached the top floor. But I wasn’t there yet. Pick up the pace, I told my fatigued mind, pick up the bleeding pace. If I didn’t make it in time to save Michael, then I had to stop Cleo.

  Sephira, the Vampire she was attempting to revive, was an Original, and from the tales that were told around the Council headquarters, I knew she was the worst.

  The darkness was a bit stifling. It made it obscenely difficult to find the apartment numbers on the walls. Nevertheless, I came upon a busted door and knew it was Cleo’s place. Raphael must have gotten in.

  “What is this?” I swiftly asked, running to Raphael’s side. He was frozen upon a field of churning green symbols. While he answered, I dashed to the door he stood before and banged against it.

  Taiton better be on his way.

  “A paralyzing hex,” he was quick to say. “I’ll be freed once the Witch is—” There was a pause, causing me to face him. Raphael was too busy watching the floor’s greenness dissipate. “—dead.”

  Oh, dear. If he was able to move now, then that could only mean…

  His eyes locked with mine when he starkly told me, “Move.” I relocated my position, so that he could break down the door. With a gust of wind, I saw the wood splinter and collapse on the ground.

  Sprinting inside the room, I yelled, “Stop!”

  Cleo was no longer here. There was no trace of her. Oh, no.

  I drew my eyes from the pentagonal flames and stared at the man tied to the bedpost. “Michael!”

  Michael called to my attention, saying, “Elizabeth—get out! Run before…” His endearing English tone dwindled when his dark eyes met with the body standing in the corner.

  My ears heard Taiton’s deafening footsteps behind me, but all I could focus on was the Original in the body frame. Sephira. Gripping the sword tighter, I observed her black eyes open. I imagined she looked as terrifyingly malevolent now as she did thousands of years ago.

  We failed.

  Raphael began to mutter something under his breath. It was scarcely audible, but what I heard I recognized as an ancient language. His hands glowed a dark blue as he flashed before Sephira, who hadn’t moved a muscle.

  She let loose a petrifying growl as she took one look at the blue of his hands. Staring into his eyes, Sephira compelled him in perfect English—a language she shouldn’t have even known, “Stop.” The cobalt glowing soon ceased, leaving Raphael to wonder what happened. A kick to his chest sent him through the wall and into the neighboring kitchen.

  “Here,” I handed Taiton the silver sword before I ran to Michael. My frantic fingers were having minor problems with the knots, and I was sure the trembling didn’t help.

  “I’m telling you,” he whispered, “go. Leave me.”

  “No,” I told him. Two of his limbs were now free. All Michael had to do was untie his last hand and leg. Feeling my heart pounding through my chest, I turned back to Taiton, who had just missed cutting off the Original’s head. Even with his towering figure, he appeared powerless to Sephira.

  Taiton, I willed, be careful.

  “In all of my travels,” Sephira said with a sly twitch of a smile, “I have never come across a behemoth such as you.” Her jeweled hand held his arm at bay. In the blink of an eye, Taiton fell to the floor and the sword slid to my feet.

  Raphael appeared, full of dust and plaster, allowing me to witness the transformation. His eyes were a bright green, his teeth elongated to the extreme. If there wasn’t an Original in the room, I’d have second thoughts about having something like that on my team.

  He lunged for her, but she masterfully evaded, countering with an exceptional punch to the gut. While the two Demons fought, Taiton shook off his fall and made motions to get to his feet.

  I bent to grab the sword and toss it to him, but was cut off by a body that was thrown at me, causing me to tumble back and hit the ground. Raphael was certainly heavier than he appeared to be, and I couldn’t move him off for the life of me.

  “Be a good boy and stay down.” Sephira’s eyes narrowed at Raphael, who immediately felt heftier.

  I didn’t blame Raphael, for I knew she was an Original, therefore she had more power than him. In Demon terms, he was her subordinate. There was no possible way he could avoid her compulsion. I simply wished that he hadn’t landed on top of me.

  I also wished this was all a bad dream.

  “Michael,” I gasped, outstretching my hand to the bed, “I can’t…breathe…” I spotted Sephira using my peripherals. She had Taiton back on the floor; one foot rested on his chest and the other on his chin.

  “A shame I didn’t encounter you when I was looking for soldiers.” Her bare foot traced his cheek. “You would have gone far.”

  Michael’s knees intercepted my perception of the scene that was transpiring less than ten feet from us. He tried peeling Raphael off me, saying, “He’s too heavy. I can’t lift him.” There was sadness in his eyes, just as there was in mine.

  I pointed to the sword that lay a few inches from me.

  Determination replaced the sadness as he pounced on the sword and stood. An earsplitting crack echoed in the room as Michael yelled, “No!”

  Paining to move my neck to wholly view the commotion, I hoped that wasn’t Taiton’s neck. It couldn’t be. The smile that curved on Sephira’s lips and the blankness in his dark eyes told me all I didn’t want to know.

  Taiton was dead, his huge, lumbering body collapsing to the floor, head bent unnaturally.

  Her evil eyes fell to Michael as she opened her mouth, exposing her knife-like teeth. They were much sharper and longer than a normal Vampire’s. A flash blurred my vision. I blinked and prayed for Michael. I couldn’t lose him.

  “I smell him in you,” Sephira snarled as she viciously sent her fangs into the base of his neck. The sound of Michael’s ripping flesh took out what little breath I had away.

  Wetness fell from my eyes when the silver sword was dropped before my face. During the next few seconds, I could hardly think. It was difficult to capture a breath, Michael was being drained dry, and I was powerless to stop it. Taiton was gone, and we were all about to follow suit. All was lost.

  Those thoughts were abruptly stopped when Sephira brusquely tore her teeth from Michael’s neck and dropped him to the floor. Her face had twinges of confus
ion when she whispered, “Tainted blood…” In an instant, her teeth shrunk to normal size.

  What was she talking about?

  Not tearing her gaze from Michael, who had his hand pressed hard against his neck to stop the bleeding, Sephira said in a stupor, “Rise, my child, do my bidding and kill those who oppose me.” In a Vampiric flash, she was gone.

  Raphael rolled off me, giving my lungs enough room to inhale deeply. “I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized.

  I would have said that it was all right, because it wasn’t his fault, but I was too entranced at Taiton, who maladroitly stood. His pupil and iris faded into nothing; all that remained in his eyes was a pure white.

  “A zombie?” Michael picked up the sword with his free hand. “Bloody hell.”

  “Michael,” I cautioned, “you’re injured.” Sephira was long gone, and I wasn’t about to let him stumble into a battle he had no hopes of winning.

  “I know,” he replied as Taiton ineptly took a mechanical step toward him. “Raphael, go protect Kass.”

  “I’m on it,” Raphael spoke before he dashed away.

  Taiton set his foot on the magic flames, setting his leg on fire. He didn’t seem to mind at all.

  Michael glared up at him, saying “Elizabeth, stay back. There’s a dead man walking that I need to take care of.”

  Nodding, I dug my cell from my pocket and dialed the house’s number.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight – Kass

  I’d seen Lion King a million times, and somehow this time I decided to get teary eyed when Mufasa died. Or, in reality, was murdered.

  God, I hated Crixis.

  Speaking (or thinking) of the Demon, I glanced around the room, where was he?