Monster

by Yolanda Olson

  “What?” I asked sharply.

  “Nothing. I just think it's funny that you're going to play the piano. I mean after all, you were a war general.”

  The grin he had on his face was driving me mad. How did he know that? I hadn't told him and I was sure that he and Finn didn't spend their time gossiping about me or any of us.

  “How did you know?” I asked him irritated.

  Grinning, he tapped his temple. I wasn't sure what that meant, but then I remembered what he was. An angel and a demon. He was as old as time itself. Of course he would know.

  I didn't respond. There was nothing to say really. I sighed and turned to make my way down the hall, when I heard the stool scrape and the sound of his footsteps behind me. I rolled my eyes but let him follow me anyway.

  When we reached the music room, I slid the door open and stepped back to let him pass first. He nodded and walked past me. He made his way to one of my favorite antique couches and laid down on it, crossing his legs on the arm.

  “Can you at least take your shoes off?” I asked irritably.

  Chuckling, he used his feet to shove his shoes off. They each hit the floor with a thud and I cringed. I was getting more agitated as the seconds ticked by.

  Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to ignore him and sat myself down on the piano bench.

  I placed my hand on the fall and for a moment let it rest there. I suddenly had an idea. I retrieved the pen from my pocket and opened Finnegan's journal. I leafed through until I reached the back of the page that Charlie had written on.

  I stared at it for a moment, then started to carve out a strategy for the showdown with Skiles and the minions I was sure he'd have on his side. My mind started working as it did when I was a war general and I felt completely at ease for the first time in a long time.

  As the grandfather clock on the other side of the room ticked away the time, I sat there drawing out the battlefield that had been picked from Finn's mind. She was right about one thing. I could read her mind. Not only hers, but the minds of anyone I chose. And I knew she had chosen this place subconsciously, so it would be where the battle would take place, if I had to find everyone and take them there myself.

  I drew a line down the center. I placed an x for Skiles and an x for Finn. I knew that the main battle would involve those two. To the right of Skiles I placed an a for Ava and to the right of Finn, a k for myself. Everyone knew that Ava would be my responsibility.

  To the left of Skiles I placed a p for Phoebe and to the left of Finn I placed a c for Cody. That was going to be the most interesting fight in this showdown. I didn't know if he had it in him to kill his own sister for the girl that he loved so much.

  Directly to the right of Ava I placed a b for Billie; to the right of me, another c but this one was for Charlie. I smiled. With as malicious as Billie was, I knew that Charlie was going to make me proud.

  On the left of Phoebe, I placed a k; this time for Kendrick. They didn't know, but I read his intentions when I gave him away in the dark of his tattoo shop and he would be on Skiles' side. I sat there for a moment and stared at the paper. I grinned.

  To the left of Charlie, I placed an r for Remy. With her bullwhip and skill, she'd make short work of Kendrick.

  I held up the paper and looked at it again. I racked my brain trying to remember who was left. Oh yes. To the left of Ava, I placed an m for Maxwell.

  Distraught as he was over having lost Finnegan when she was human, he could care less for her now and would do whatever Kendrick asked of him. I knew he was very powerful since he had a heartbeat, so I placed our strongest to the left of Cody.

  Another r, this one for the newly changed gypsy king, Ryker. Strong in human form, he was even stronger now as a monster.

  I sat there and looked at my work, satisfied that all points had been covered, when it dawned on me. There was still Drake. Even though I believed what he had done, he had done for the greater good, I didn't know where to place him on the battlefield.

  I looked over at Cody. Once again he was staring straight at the ceiling with a blank expression on his face. I don't know why but something deep within me wanted his opinion.

  “Look at this and tell me what you think,” I said tossing the book at him.

  He caught the book effortlessly with one hand without as much as a glance in my direction. Clearing his throat, he flipped the pages until he got to the end. I watched his face as he studied the layout. He sat up and closed the book, running a hand over his face.

  “Something wrong with it?” I asked him.

  “No. I just forgot about my sister,” he replied in a tired voice.

  “What are you going to do then?”

  “I don't know,” he said quietly.

  Phoebe's my sister. It's always been me and her, I can't betray her for Finnegan.

  But I can't let her kill her either. I guess I can always try to fight on both sides.

  I looked at him differently now after picking that thought out of his mind. I didn't like it. Not one bit. For his sister, he would turn on us and attack us all.

  I made sure that my face showed no signs of his impending betrayal. After all, he may be able to have the ability to see things that will come to pass, but I will have the ability to stop them when the opportunities present themselves.

  “Other than that, what do you think?”

  “It's okay I guess. Listen I'm gonna go for a walk,” he said suddenly. As he stood up he tossed the book back to me.

  Leaning over the side of the couch, he grabbed his shoes and slid them back on. I sat there and watched him trying to pick through his brain again. I couldn't hear anything for some reason.

  “One thought's enough,” he said giving me a level stare as he rose.

  “Sorry, I couldn't help it. It was there,” I responded with a shrug.

  “Which one was it, if you don't mind me asking.”

  “I couldn't get one thought in particular,” I lied. “Your mind is pretty full what with two different species constantly warring in there.”

  It sounded perfect. I knew he bought it when I saw his face relax. It was true. I had tried to read his mind since Finnegan first brought him home. It took a while to be able to root out specific ones and even longer to be able to decipher them. I was pretty proud of myself for being able to do it now so easily.

  Cody reached up and scratched his head. Sighing, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room. I stood up and walked over to the window.

  Pulling the drapes back I watched as he walked down the driveway and out of sight. I sighed happily. I was alone in my home again, just the way I preferred.

  I placed Finnegan's journal next to me on the piano bench and pushed the fall up. I already knew what I wanted to play. I rearranged myself on the bench to be completely comfortable. Letting my fingers glide over the keys, I started to play

  Prelude in E Minor.

  The haunting feeling of the song seemed appropriate. As I played I thought of Finnegan. Of how she felt the evening she woke up in the cemetery, no longer human. I thought of how she spent most of her new life consumed with finding Skiles and extracting her revenge for what happened to her.

  I thought of Cody and his love for her. How it was tearing his sister and himself apart. How it was consuming his mind and how he still at this point didn't know if he would be able to kill his sister to save his only love.

  I thought of Charlie out in the cold of the night, alone searching for her friend. Would she be able to find her? Would she get lost? One thing I knew was that she wouldn't give up. She had left with such a determination that I knew that she would find Finnegan and make sure that no harm had come to her.

  Closing my eyes, I thought of Ryker and Remy. The gypsy king now a monster, yet still undeniably human. He would not kill his people because of his overwhelming love for them. I thought of how Remy, even though knowing that he could break at any moment and destroy his band, staying with him because she knew that she w
ould be able to stop him if she needed too.

  I felt a sad smile playing across my lips. I knew that they were a brave bunch and I knew that they would fight valiantly. I didn't however, know if they would all survive that fight.

  I didn't know if I would survive the fight. I had been on this earth long enough and if I was defeated or killed in battle, it would be, in a way, avenging my soldiers who had loved and cared for me so much before I slaughtered them mercilessly to save myself.

  Sighing, I finished the song. No one was here to appreciate what I had just played. No one was here pushing me off the bench to get their turn to play.

  Finnegan. Where are you?

  I thought of her again as I began Nocturne in E. She had a love of classical music as I did. I know she would have enjoyed my playing right now and that made my heart ache.

  Such a good friend, my Finnegan.

  I made my vow to the silence that night as I continued to play. The vow that I would give my own life in battle to ensure that she would survive. After all, my second life had to mean something eventually.

  As the notes escalated, I closed my eyes again. I let the music take me to a dark place. A place where I could be the monster that I knew that I would have to be in a few short days. The monster that would have to kill indiscriminately to keep all those on the side of good safe from death and or harm.

  I would have to let myself go and be taken over by the evil that dwelled inside of me. The evil that so longed to surface at the sight of humans. At the smell of their intoxicating blood. At their life force that would beckon to me when I caught their scent.

  But on that night it would not be a fight to keep myself from killing a human. It would be me letting go but holding on enough to hopefully go back to the way I am now. The kind of being, that even though once a relentless killer, would be able to control those urges and show compassion for others.

  I opened my eyes again.

  I just finished playing the last haunting notes of the song. I looked down at Finnegan's journal again. I would leave it here, of course, in the hopes that if she returned, she would find it and continue to write in it.

  I opened it and flipped the pages once more to a clean sheet, next to my battle plans.

  Dearest Finnegan,

  I've gone to find you.

  Should I not return, worry not about me.

  I'll see you on the battlefield.

  Should I die there, cry not for me.

  Death comes for us all.

  With love,

  Kaeden

  Satisfied that my possible last words might bring her some solace in the event of my death, I stood up and took one last look around my new home. I leaned over and brought the fall down over the piano keys and walked out of the music room. I slid the door closed behind me and headed for the front doors.

  I'm coming Finnegan. I'm coming.

  Part III

  Cody

  23. Control

  (Midnight of Day 25)

  Doo doo doo. Finnie, Finnie, where are you?

  I laughed.

  I had actually made a song out of trying to find my Finn. It was a wonder that she loved me. If she loved me anyway. The jury was still out on that one. I liked to believe for my own sanity though that she did.

  True, she hadn't said the words out loud, but it was certain little things she did. Like kissing me instead of me kissing her. Snuggling up to me on the roof. Putting herself in harm's way for me. She had to love me. She just had too.

  But of course if I let myself get lost in those thoughts, I'd lose my mind and forget why I was walking through Devils Lake to begin with.

  At the same time, I was trying to not let the knowledge of being tailed bother me. Of course it wasn’t much of a secret, since I could feel her close by. I looked to my right and grinned. Looks like she switched sides.

  “You know you can come out here and walk with me if you want too. I’m pretty sure we’re going the same way,” I called out.

  I sensed her hesitation and I laughed. I knew what she was thinking. We were on opposite teams here and she was worried that when she stepped out of the darkness, I’d possess myself then kill her. That was the least thing from my mind.

  “Billie, I’m not going to kill you. Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I sang.

  I stopped walking and looked over at the row of cars that was parked on the street. Slowly, she started to show herself from behind the Hummer that had completely obstructed her from my sight.

  She looked hesitant.

  She should be. If she hurt my Finnegan I’ll drag her to hell and let the demons have their way with her.

  I watched her place her hands on the hood of the car and look at me. She was trying to get a feel for my emotions. She wanted to make sure it was safe to approach me and walk with me.

  Hm. Let’s play a little game of trust.

  I let the demonic side of me take over and fill my eyes. It was just for a moment, but enough to make her jump back and disappear into the shadows again.

  I stood there for a moment, then used my strength to pull the enormous car from the floor. Reaching down, I grabbed the shadow that had merged in with the others and threw it into the middle of the street.

  Forcing my possession to stop, I started to laugh when I saw her cowering.

  “Come off it. I’m normal. See?” I dramatically bat my eyelashes at her like I had seen once in an old movie.

  “You’re trying to trick me aren’t you,” she said.

  I noticed her voice cracked when she said it. I must’ve worried her more than I thought I did. Trying to show her that I wasn’t trying to trick her was going to be tricky in itself.

  A tricky trick.

  The thought of that made me laugh. Once I regained my composure, I leaned down to help her up.

  “Nah. It’s not a trick. But I’ll tell you this much, if you or any of your friends have my Finn, I suggest you tell me now. Or I’ll show you a real trick.” I let my eyes possess themselves again for a moment and then forced it away.

  I really am getting better at that, I thought happily.

  “I don’t have Finnegan. Neither does your sister,” she said letting me pull her up off the street.

  She fell into step beside me as I walked on. I felt her giving me a curious look. I wasn’t going to share with her. I didn’t trust her, angel or not.

  “Are you telling me that she’s missing?” she asked in a slightly awed voice.

  “Can’t say for sure. Of course when I catch up with her, whoever took her better be prepared to die the most brutal death known to man. I’ve got things planned for her kidnapper. If she was kidnapped that is.”

  “And if she just walked away of her own volition?”

  I scratched my head for a second. It never dawned on me that my Finn would just walk away from all of us.

  “Then I’ll probably have one of those microchips inserted into her,” I said with a chuckle.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the amused look on her face. It’s not that I cared whether I made her smile or not, it was that I wanted to see if I could get her to trust me. Someone on her end knew something about where Finn was and I wanted to know who.

  “Do you have any idea where she might be?” she asked curiously.

  “I do. I’m actually headed that way now.”

  “And you’ll let me go with you?”

  “On one condition,” I said stopping.

  She looked nervous again and I had to bite back a grin. It was funny to know that I had her so scared. I wondered if everyone on that side of the grass was as scared of me. It would be really cool if they were.

  “What condition is that?”

  “Hm? Oh. Yeah. You have to swear to me that you don’t know where she is,” I said looking at her seriously.

  She wasn’t going to lie to me. She couldn’t. She’s an angel; angels don’t lie.

  “I swear that I don’t,” she replied solemnly.

  �
�Okay.”

  I turned back to the road in front of him and continued walking. I smiled to myself. I knew that Charlie had headed to the tattoo shop. That’s where the vampire smell lingered the longest. I also knew that once she became frustrated from not being able to distinguish the different scents, she would head off in the direction I was going. I hadn’t been there in years. It would be nice to see if it had changed at all.

  With a side-glance at Billie, I realized I’d have to ditch her soon. True she didn’t know where Finn was, but what’s to say when she found out where I was going she wouldn’t go running back to Phoebe.

  Then again nothing I just thought made any sense.

  Everyone knew in one way or another where this fight was going to take place.

  Sometimes I think my thoughts are a waste of time. Like this one that I’m having right now. Why am I even having it? Other times I think I just let thoughts run through my head to hear myself think. Wait. I’m confusing myself. Never mind.

  “So how’s my sister doing?” I asked conversationally.

  “She’s stressed out. She thinks you don’t love her anymore. She thinks Finnegan has taken all of your love and that you don’t have any left for her. She’s really messed up right now, Cody.”

  I rolled my eyes. Even as kids Pheebs had been dramatic. Of course she never had anyone to take my attention away from her before. Not until that night that Finn was born. Before that we were inseparable.

  So in a way I get it.

  I really do.

  But we can’t be attached at the hip for eternity. Maybe if she realized that, she would stop showing people how to possess themselves and stop making my girlfriend target practice.

  I thought about asking Billie about it, but I wasn’t sure if she knew what Phoebe had been doing. I didn’t want to rat my sister out so I figured if she knew, I’d let her bring it up.

  Above us the sun was starting to push the moon out of the sky as it came up over the horizon. I smiled and thought about how as children, Pheebs and me would always ask why that happened. We never did get a straight answer now that I think about it.