The Phoenix

by J R Stone

  Sarah was confused. He was wrong! She was touching him! They had just kissed!

  “This is all in your head. I’m gone. We’re gone,” he said caressing her belly. Tears streamed down her face.

  Sarah shook her head in denial. She looked down. She suspected she was pregnant, but she was not sure. She could not help crying. The pain she felt was indescribable.

  “I’m sorry, Sarah. This is all my fault. I should have done things differently. I deeply regret all the decisions I made that brought us to this,” he said unhappily.

  “We’re dead, is that what you’re saying?” she asked hesitantly. She feared the answer.

  “You aren’t,” he said. He touched her hair. “I love you. I’ll wait for you. Forever.”

  “No! Please! Take me with you. I don’t want to live without you,” begged Sarah.

  “I can’t.” She looked down. She was sobbing. “You need to be strong, Sarah. Look at me,” he said touching her chin. “You’re the best thing that could have happened to me. Never forget that.”

  She placed her hand in her belly. She had lost everything.

  “When you get back, you must make sure Uno does not live, do you hear me?” he asked incisively.

  “Yes,” she said firmly. She had no intention whatsoever to let Uno or any of the other wizards live. She would kill them all. “Come with me,” whimpered Sarah.

  Tzeel gently kissed her. “You need to be strong. Things will get worse,” he said worriedly.

  “What can possibly be worse than this?” she shouted. The pain was unbearable.

  “You’ll see.” He caressed her face.

  Sarah was dragged from the garden. She stretched her hands to Tzeel. He did not move.

  “No!” she shouted.

  “There’s something wrong,” said Uno harshly. “I can feel Tzeel’s power in me, but I don’t feel hers. Is she dead?” he asked Vincent.

  Vincent did not understand how the spell had not worked. He was sure Adam and he had said the right words. He did not want to touch her. Adam put his hands on her chest. Her heart was not beating.

  “She’s dead,” said Adam sadly. They had killed an innocent child. Adam looked down.

  Uno stared at her corpse. Her power was still in her, that was the only explanation he could find. When Tzeel died, Uno had immediately absorbed his power, but not Sarah’s. He asked himself how she could be holding on to her power. He moved closer to Sarah. “I’m taking what I want from you,” hissed Uno. He picked up a dagger and stabbed her uterus.

  Sarah opened her eyes and screamed, breaking the door into pieces. She grabbed Uno’s hands. He started mumbling some words. For some reason, she knew there was no spell he could possibly do that would be able to stop her. She had never felt that powerful before. She was in control. She was indestructible.

  She could hear Uno’s heart beating fast. She could hear all their hearts beat. The smell of their blood was driving her crazy. She sat up and sank her teeth in Uno’s neck, sucking him dry. The others tried to leave the room, but they could not. Her magic was not allowing them to leave. She would drink them all.

  Sarah bit Adam’s neck and pushed him away. He was the one doing the protective spell, she remembered. She would let him live.

  Someone hit her head. Sarah quickly turned and bit the man’s neck.

  “He’s my brother. We were protecting you!” whispered Adam. Sarah stopped. She would not hurt the ones who tried to protect her.

  Seth watched Sarah’s rage perform a true bloodbath. There was blood everywhere. She disemboweled some of the wizards and ate their insides.

  Darius and Victor watched with Seth everything from the corridor. They were about to run when she looked at them. Sarah jumped on Victor and bit him. Darius tried to push her away, but without success. She grabbed him and sunk her teeth in his neck. She would tear their heads off.

  Seth watched everything paralyzed. He was in shock. He knew he had to do something or else she would kill Darius and Victor. He composed himself. He ran into her, pushing her away.

  She looked at him. Her eyes were silver. She threw him against a wall.

  “How dare you try to stop me?” she screamed. She walked over to him. The smell of his blood was inebriating. She just wanted a taste of it. She would never do anything to harm him.

  She bit his neck. He tasted delicious. She closed her eyes.

  “Stop, Sarah,” said Seth almost inaudibly. She licked her lips.

  “I’m sorry, Seth,” she said getting back to the oval room. There was no one else alive there, but Vincent and Adam who were agonizing.

  Sarah looked at herself. She was completely covered in blood. She looked at Tzeel. He still had his eyes open. She shook him.

  “Wake up!” she cried. “Come on, you can’t leave me!” she screamed. “Please, come back, please. Don’t leave me, Tzeel!” begged Sarah caressing his face. She fell on her knees, her head in her hands.

  She got up, placed her hands on his chest and directed all her energy to him. She would try to bring him back. She repeated the process for several minutes, but Tzeel continued motionless, his heart dead. She put her head on his chest. “Come back,” whimpered Sarah.

  Seth walked over to them. Sorrow filled his heart. He remembered the last time he had talked to his brother. The last words he had said to him had been filled with jealousy and selfishness.

  “He’s gone,” he said, touching her shoulder. He had to be strong for Sarah. He owed that to Tzeel.

  “Help me release him from these chains. They are hurting him,” begged Sarah.

  “I can’t. I can’t feel my hands,” said Seth confused. He felt completely numb. Seth fell on the ground. An acute pain took over his body. He screamed.

  “Seth!” Sarah kneeled beside him. “Look at me. What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know.” He touched his neck, it was burning.

  “My bite poisoned you,” said Sarah apologetically. “There must be a way of reversing it.” Sarah placed her hand on Seth’s neck and murmured some words. She waited for a few seconds, but nothing happened. She could hear Seth’s heart starting to fail. Sarah closed her eyes. She had to connect to her energy if she wanted to save Seth. She believed her body would tell her what to do.

  Sarah felt the blood in her veins burn. She bit her wrist and placed it on Seth’s lips.

  “Drink it,” she said.

  “No,” he protested, pushing her hand away.

  “Please, Seth. It will save you.” Seeing that he hesitated, she insisted, “I can’t lose you too,” she said sadly.

  Seth’s lips touched her wrist. Her blood was hot and sweet. He loved the taste of it. He would drink her until the last drop, if she let him.

  “Enough,” she said.

  Seth touched his lips. He wanted more. He savored each drop of her.

  The way he looked at her made her uncomfortable. She quickly got up and moved closer to Tzeel as if he could protect her from any harm. Seth seemed ready to attack her.

  Seth saw her fear and was ashamed of himself. He looked down.

  “Darius and Victor may be dying too. You need to help them,” he said.

  Before helping Darius and Victor, Sarah helped Adam and Vincent. They had been the first one to be bitten and they were almost dead. She repeated the process with them and then with Victor and Darius.

  “What’s going on?” asked Enoch running to the oval room.

  “Not now, Enoch. Please, don’t come closer,” said Seth. He did not wish to involve his friend in all that.

  Enoch stopped walking. Seth was clearly altered. There was blood in the corridor and the atmosphere was sinister. Enoch slowly started walking back, one step at a time. Seth’s eyes became silver, and so did Darius’s and Victor’s.

  Much to Enoch’s despair, he felt someone behind him. Before he could turn around, Adam bit his neck. Seth wanted to run to help Enoch, but he was not sure he would be able to resist the temptation of drinking some of his bloo
d.

  “Sarah!” screamed Seth, hoping she could help.

  “Stop!” she said firmly.

  Adam stopped immediately. He felt an ultimate respect for Sarah and a strong will to obey her.

  Enoch fell to the ground, unconscious. Sarah got to him and gave him her blood.

  “My dear friend, you’ll be joining us,” she whispered to him. Sarah stood up and looked at the others. “We all share the same curse now,” she said bitterly. “Seth, I need help to take Tzeel to his room.”

  Without saying a word, Seth took his brother in his arms and walked with Sarah to Tzeel’s room. His body was cold, his eyes still open. Seth laid him in bed and closed his eyes. Sarah lay down beside him, her head on his shoulder. She cried, her hand on Tzeel’s neck pulling him to her in a desperate attempt to get him to come back to life.

  Seth left the room. He was having a hard time accepting Tzeel’s death as well, but he needed to figure out what had happened to them. Maybe there was a way to bring his brother back to life. He went to the main hall.

  “Who are you?” asked Seth to Adam and Vincent.

  “I’m Adam and this is my brother Vincent,” said Adam.

  “I don’t know why Sarah spared you, but I’m not willing to be so merciful,” threatened Seth, his eyes turning to silver.

  “We tried to protect her and the baby!” protested Vincent.

  “Baby?” asked Seth. Tears were coming to his eyes.

  “Yes. I’m afraid she didn’t know it,” said Adam sadly.

  Seth took his hand to his eyes and pressed them. Under no circumstance did Sarah deserve so much suffering.

  “Why would you care about her and her baby?” asked Seth sharply. He could barely control his anger.

  “We only joined Uno because we had no option. It was either joining him or being burned alive. I don’t know about you, but we were not eager to turn into ashes,” said Vincent coldly.

  Seeing Seth’s anger, Adam tried to soften things a bit. “When we heard that we were going to kill a woman and a baby, we wanted to give up, but we couldn’t leave. So, we used a protective spell to save her and the baby.”

  “Are you saying that we are like this because of you?” growled Seth.

  “No. There’s no spell to do what has just been done. Something else happened. We don’t know what,” said Adam. He feared Seth. He was strong, imponent, and, most importantly, he was full of hate. “That’s why she spared us. She knew we were trying to help.”

  “I wouldn’t call it help,” said Seth bitterly. He hoped Sarah did not know about the baby. That would just make things much more difficult for her. Seth was about to leave the main hall when he saw Enoch sitting in a dark corner.

  “Are you okay?” asked Seth.

  “How can I be okay? Tzeel is dead, I’m starving, all I can think about is blood… I don’t know what’s going on!” said Enoch grimly. “I had a bad feeling, so I came here to check on you all. Much to my regret.” Tears ran down Enoch’s face. “I’ll never be able to be with my daughter again, Seth.”

  “Why don’t you come with me? We’ll talk to Sarah,” said Seth trying to comfort Enoch.

  “Sarah? That’s not Sarah. That’s something else, Seth.”

  Seth saw fear in Enoch’s eyes. There was a chance Enoch was right, but Seth could not accept that. “You’re wrong, you’ll see,” he said, trying to convince himself that his words were true.

  Victor approached Seth on his way to Tzeel’s bedroom. He needed help.

  “I’m starving, Seth,” said Victor. “I ate about ten fruits and I’m still starving. I’m craving for something else. What’s happening?”

  Seth was ravenous too. “I don’t know. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Don’t leave. Don’t let anyone leave,” ordered Seth. Victor nodded.

  Seth knew he could trust Victor. He was one of his most loyal men. With any luck, the hunger they felt would not change that.

  Seth got to Tzeel’s room. He took a deep breath. He would give anything to change places with his brother.

  He walked in. Sarah was still lying by Tzeel’s side. Her eyes closed.

  “I’m sorry, Sarah, but we need to talk,” said Seth gently.

  “What do you want to talk about?” asked Sarah severely.

  “What happened to us?” asked Seth.

  “I don’t know. I got no instructions,” snarled Sarah.

  “We’re friends, remember?” asked Seth kindly. He knew the moment was bad, but they could not ignore that they were all thirsty for blood.

  Sarah got up and walked to him. “I don’t know what happened, Seth. I don’t know what we’ve become, but I feel an insatiable hunger. I’m trying my best not to focus on it. I drank up half of the people in that room and I’m still famished. I want more.”

  Sarah’s eyes were fixed on Seth’s. She knew he understood how she felt. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes,” said Seth shyly.

  “Drink me,” said Sarah stretching her wrist to him. Seth was confused for a moment, but he was so hungry that he could not turn that offer down. He sank his teeth into Sarah’s skin.

  Sarah immediately felt lustful. There was something wrong in his bite. Seth let go off her wrist and bit her neck. Sarah couldn’t help moaning. She felt disgusted. She pushed him, throwing him against a wall on the other side of the room.

  Seth was as confused as Sarah. Drinking her made him forget about everything else. Drinking her was heavenly.

  Sarah did not seem to hold the same opinion, though. There was repulsion on her face. She stormed out of the room. They would have to feed some other way.

  “Who’s hungry?” asked Sarah cruelly to the others in the main hall. Nobody answered. “Let’s grab a bite!” said Sarah opening the palace door. Enoch ran to her.

  “Please! My daughter! Don’t touch her!” begged Enoch.

  “Send her away,” ordered Sarah. “Feed first or else you will end up feeding on her,” said Sarah coldly. “The others follow me!” Sarah looked at the city. Even though it was still dark, she could see things better than ever. She felt a voracious appetite. She wanted carnage.

  Sarah and the others spent three days in the city. Only Seth remained in the palace. He wanted to get them back to the palace, but he was afraid he would hurt someone if he left. He did not want to become a monster.

  Seth spent those three days mourning Tzeel’s death. When Sarah and the others came back to the palace in the evening of the third day, not a single heart beat could be heard in the city.

  Sarah went straight to Tzeel’s room and lay beside him. “Please, wake up,” she murmured.

  She closed her eyes. She knew she would never need to sleep again, but she wanted to wander in her memories.

  More than three days went by without Sarah leaving the room. The others started to become impatient. They were starving and they wanted to leave Totkan. There was nothing left for them there.

  Since no one else had the guts to confront her, Seth went to her. He could barely walk. He had not fed in seven days.

  When he walked in, he saw Sarah still by Tzeel’s side. The room had a putrid smell.

  “Sarah?” Seth asked gently. “Sarah, we have to leave. We’re all starving.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I want to be here when he wakes up,” she said.

  Seth felt sorry for her. “He’s not waking up, Sarah. Look at him.”

  “No!” whimpered Sarah. “He’s waking up,” she held Tzeel more tightly.

  “Look at him,” insisted Seth.

  “No!” she shouted.

  “You need to face this, Sarah. Look at him,” he said getting close to her. Sarah started crying noisily. She looked at Tzeel. He was decomposing. Her tears splashed on his face as she kissed his lips.

  Seth touched her shoulder. “Come here,” he said, stretching his hand to her. Sarah got up. Seth hugged her. “You’re not alone, Sarah.”

  “Are you hungry?” asked Sarah.

  “Yes,”
murmured Seth.

  Sarah inclined her head moving her neck closer to Seth’s lips. He nibbled her skin. The lust that consumed him when he touched her made him feel horrible about himself. He sank his teeth into her neck.

  She tried to fight against the lust that was sweeping her, but she did not succeed. She moaned. He was ravenous, she could tell. She pushed him.

  “Get the others. Now!” commanded Sarah.

  Seth quickly left the room. He hated himself for desiring her like that. What’s the matter with me?

  “She wants to see you all,” said Seth to the others. “Follow me.” He took them to Tzeel’s room.

  Sarah was looking over the balcony at the city below. The sunset was beautiful. It brought darkness to the dead city. She wondered if its souls were resting in peace. She went back to the room; the others patiently waited for her.

  “Feed,” she said stretching her wrist. “All at the same time,” she said firmly. She wanted them to suck her dry. She wanted to die.

  Victor and Darius went straight to her neck while the others went for her arms. Seth watched from a distance. Unlike what had happened when Seth bit her, she felt no lust while the others fed on her. She looked at Seth. She wanted him there.

  “Come,” she whispered to him.

  He wanted to resist, but the temptation was stronger. Seth moved closer to her and pushed Darius and Victor away. His fingers went through her hair. He kissed her neck before biting it.

  Seth felt Sarah’s body relax. She was weaker, he could tell.

  “Enough,” hissed Seth pushing the others. He took Sarah in his arms and laid her on the divan.

  “Kill me,” she whispered.

  “I can’t,” said Seth apologetically.

  Sarah looked at Enoch. She knew he hated her for everything that had happened. He hated her for having to send his daughter away. He hated her for making it impossible for him to ever be with his daughter again. “Enoch, kill me!” she said pointing at a sword near Tzeel’s bed. She pushed Seth and paralyzed him and the others. She would not let anyone stop Enoch.

  “Why do you think I am willing to do you any favors?” asked Enoch bitterly.

  “Because deep inside you know I’ve never wanted any of this for any of us,” she said sadly.