by Ruby Raine
One of those surprises they’d just have to maneuver around.
Emily was still out completely. Melinda barely conscious. She tried to mumble something, but it wasn’t audible.
Charlie returned to Lizzy’s side, ready to fight. Michael stayed just behind, near the crest, just to the side of the tree and the doorway, guarding his sister and girlfriend.
It was time.
They hoped all their planning would not be for nothing.
Stricker crossed the meadow, meeting Jack Howard’s foreboding frame. He stared down Stricker.
“Agreement fulfilled,” declared Jack on the Feyk’s behalf.
“Agreed. And thanks,” slithered the Feyk.
He expected Jack to step aside and allow him access to the door.
He did not.
“I told you I’d open the doorway and show you how to get in. I never agreed to let you inside.”
Stricker’s grin caved into a deadly glare.
“WHERE AM I?” QUESTIONED the ghostly frame that was now Eva Jordan.
She peered down over her lifeless body. It took her a moment to remember she had died.
It angered her to see William Wakefield lying next to her, only nearly dead.
She looked up, feeling odd. Her spirit body was light, her long white locks floating around her body; and yet it was hard to move. She flexed her spectral fingers; there was a strange electric-like sensation as they moved. Energy. That’s all she was now.
There was a strange swishing sound and she spun around. Her ghostly form reacting on her behalf.
“Where did that come from?”
It was a wooden door. Just standing erect in the middle of the woods.
Eva’s ghostly eyes widened. She knew what it was, and what had to be waiting on the other side.
The door started to open, creaking under the pressure.
The current that was now her body zapped out towards the door, it wanted to go through it. But her mind was still clear and her own. She refused, the electric tendrils retracting.
A familiar silhouette formed in the doorway.
“Dad?”
She floated towards him, just a little.
If she went through the door, could she be with him?
Would death not be as bad as she feared?
Her father’s shape floated just inside, he could not join her in the outside world.
“Don’t come through the door,” he warned. The look of fright in his spirit eyes scared her.
The current buzzed around her, her desire to go through the door mounting.
“You can still avenge our deaths,” he spoke of himself and his wife.
“Mom’s there, too?” asked Eva.
“Yes,” he replied. “But you don’t want to see her. You don’t want to come here.” His tone was filled with dread.
Eva had to fight the desire. It was as if her spirited body wanted to push her through the door. It was the energies’ instinct she supposed. To make it look and feel appealing, in order to get her through. To what? It obviously wasn’t any version of heaven.
“Wait, how are we talking? Ghosts can’t talk?”
“We can talk to each other, but not to the living. For that you need a vessel.”
A vessel... why did this sound familiar to her?
Eva looked up at her father to ask, but his form was fading.
“Stay out there,” he called to her. “You can save yourself. Avenge us. Make the Howard’s suffer for all they’ve done.” His voice wavered, his ghostly frame flying backwards, as if it being sucked inside.
“Save myself?”
The door slammed shut.
Eva had won that battle, for now. She forced her ghostly body to float back to her real body, lying dead on the ground. Her movements smoother.
She floated downward until the electric current sweeping through her hit the ground. It was a strange feeling, as if she was bouncing just off the surface, not really touching it. She punched her arm out in front of her. It moved in slow motion, leaving a wisp of misty-like essence as it came back to her.
She stepped over to a tree and reached out to touch it. Her ghostly skin caressed the outer edges, feeling a layer of energy in between her and the tree.
Eva heard a branch break and spun around as two shapes emerged in the clearing.
It was Lucas and Riley Deane. They froze upon seeing the bodies of Eva and William lying on the ground. Riley stepped right through her spirit body; leaving a warmth she’d never feel in her own body again.
“They can’t see me,” she realized.
RILEY’S feeling subsided. Replaced by guilt. And shame.
He stared at William, the atrociousness of what he’d done threatening to overwhelm him again.
Lucas checked Eva’s pulse. “Dead,” he told his brother.
“I hope it hurt, a lot,” Riley spoke flatly.
“I suspect it did.”
“Not enough. Not enough to make up for...” For everything I did.
“Riley, what happened was not your doing. It was Eva and the Feyk.”
“And me... some part of this was me.”
Lucas had no idea how to make his brother understand. He leaned over the vampire.
William had no pulse to check, but a weak groan escaped when he heard voices over him.
Riley closed his eyes. His feeling had brought him here to redeem himself. If even just a little. “We have to help him. I have to try to save him.”
Lucas looked around, wondering if they could find something to use as a makeshift gurney to lug him out of the woods. After a moment of searching, he decided it was a waste of time; something they feared William had little of.
“He needs more blood,” Lucas said.
“He can have mine,” offered Riley.
“What if that’s not enough, and you’re too weak to help me get him out of here?”
“We’ll have to carry him out then,” decided Riley.
He stared down at the helpless William, in disbelief that he had done this terrible thing to him. Some of William’s wounds had begun to heal, but many had not.
“I’m sorry,” mumbled Riley. It wasn’t enough. Two stupid fucking words were not enough. Could never be enough. Sorry seemed so meaningless.
Lucas came over. “Let’s get him some help.”
Riley nodded.
UP ABOVE THEM, EVA’S spirit mind was getting clearer, working faster. Her human memories and emotions returning to her in full measure. How could she save herself? How could she avenge her parent’s deaths when she was dead now too?
She gasped. “Oh, of course.” Her ghostly face lit up in nefarious intent.
It was almost too easy. Too perfect. She could save herself and hurt the Howard’s at the same time. Maybe even get a chance to take down the vampire again.
Eva willed her ghostly form to start moving. It flitted across the ground like a veil of white that faded and popped in again a few feet later. She floated right through Lucas, laughing as she did. She was getting a handle on this being dead thing, fast.
Lucas shivered, an icy chill enveloping him. He looked around as if expecting to see something.
“What’s wrong?” Riley hoped the Feyk hadn’t followed them.
“I don’t know. It’s the weirdest thing. I swear something just touched me.”
Riley scoured the area, seeing nothing. With the fireworks still exploding overhead, he could not hear anything making any noise nearby.
Lucas squinted. “What is that? Can you see it?”
Riley looked where Lucas had pointed but saw nothing.
“It’s gone now,” he told him, shaking his head.
“What did you see?”
“I don’t know. It looked like a white veil moving across the ground but then it disappeared. I think exhaustion is making me see things.”
“C’mon, let’s get William out of here,” bid Riley, grabbing one of the vampire’s arms. Lucas grabbed the other, and they yanked hi
m up off the ground. “What about Eva?”
“We’ll tell them where her body is, I’m sure the cleaners will handle it,” said Lucas.
“How about we just leave her to rot. Give the wildlife a free meal,” Riley suggested as they pulled William up between them.
“That’s one idea,” quipped Lucas darkly.
They made their way through the woods, heading towards the entrance of the park, where he hoped they could catch a ride into town. But where exactly did you bring a nearly dead vampire who needed medical assistance?
JACK, CHARLIE, AND Lizzy took aim at the Feyk closing in. Michael was a few feet behind them protecting Melinda and Emily.
They were outnumbered. They’d expected this. They’d prepared for it.
Jack called out, “Work your way to the tree, get through the doorway.” They didn’t know how they were going to get Melinda and Emily inside with them.
Stricker popped out of the center of the ravine with a shrill order for his Feyk to attack. He popped onto the safety of the embankment, overlooking the battle. “I guess the word of a Howard Witch is not as good as the word of a Feyk.” His beady eyes narrowed in on Jack.
The onslaught that followed came on frenzied and furious.
A slew of spells shot out of the Feyk’s hands towards the Howards, from all directions. Jack thrust his palm over his head, casting a spell to block the attack raining down over them.
Charlie crouched, willing the wolf to freedom.
He shed his humanity, his wolf stretching upward, towering over the Feyk.
Their lips parted in retaliation, snarls erupting through knife-like teeth. Charlie met every snarl with one of his own. His muscular frame soaked up blow after blow from their attack. The spells did nothing. The ring acting like a barrier of protection around him.
Lizzy blasted over Michael’s head, sending a Feyk flying backwards into a tree trunk; it had attempted to creep over the crest behind him.
Charlie’s eyes zoned in on the closest Feyk in front of him; he lunged, taking him down with a single bite.
Lizzy ran to aid Michael and grabbed hold of Melinda. She started towards the doorway with Melinda in tow, but just a few steps in had to veer towards the creek; there were too many Feyk popping in her path to keep going toward the doorway.
Michael picked up Emily and gasped, nearly dropping her when her eyes suddenly flew open, a deep inhale rushing into her lungs. She grabbed him to steady herself, suddenly awake and alert.
“Emily...” he wrapped his arms around her, relief washing through him.
“Michael,” she cried softly in return. “I’m okay. I got knocked out.”
Reality came crashing in when a spell whizzed by his ear. He grabbed her and they ran towards the doorway after Lizzy.
She hadn’t made it very far and had veered off course, trying to fight and move Melinda at the same time.
Michael and Emily stopped short, three Feyk popping in right in front of them. Michael pushed Emily to the side, diving with her to the ground. The spells flew across the meadow straight at Stricker. His eyes widened, but his palm raised and with a flick, the spells fizzled.
Michael grabbed a potion from his belt and threw it at the three. He shielded Emily with his body. The spell exploded upon impact, ending the three Feyk.
As Emily lay shielded by Michael, she glanced down at her wrist and let out a short gasp, covering it before he could see it.
Michael bounded upward, grasping her, working towards the doorway. In the chaos of the battle, he did not notice her grasping and covering her wrist.
Inside Emily’s body, a separate battle was taking place.
Emily, weakened and without her mother’s ring thanks to Stricker, found her body invaded by the spirit of Eva Jordan.
Emily knew she was there, she could sense Eva’s thoughts and emotions. But she could not force Eva out. “Michael. Michael,” she called out silently. She needed to warn him. But Eva’s spirit was too strong and overpowered Emily easily. She took control of her movements. Her voice. Her mind.
It felt like someone turning out the lights and falling off to sleep. Emily vanished deep into her own mind, into slumber she could not wake from.
You’re my body now. Oh the fun I’m about to have. Eva had to force the elated grin from showing on her face.
She looked down to see that Emily’s wound, the vampire bite on her wrist, was healing. She gasped, overjoyed. Her abilities from life stayed with her after death. And now she had a new body.
This is how she’d live again.
This is how she’d avenge her parents’ deaths and finish the job she and her father had come to the Isle to do.
She covered her arm to hide it from Michael so he would not notice the wound healing.
Lizzy cried out, stumbling and dropping Melinda.
A spell had swiped the side of her head while she’d been digging out a potion that had gotten stuck in her belt. She turned, ignoring the blood and the pain, potion in hand. The Feyk shot off a spell just as she threw hers. They collided, a shock wave hitting them both. The Feyk flew into the air landing hard against a thick branch overhead, its skull cracking.
Lizzy found herself thrown on her back, breath sucked out of her from the hardness of the impact. She startled when four muscular legs suddenly landed protectively around her tiny frame. Charlie’s silver eyes penetrated hers.
“I’m okay,” she heaved breathlessly. “I lost Melinda.”
Charlie bounded upward, standing erect and spun around. His eyes narrowing in on his sister, lying face down on the ground about ten feet away. Feyk closing in around her.
AT THE ENTRANCE TO White Pines, Mack paced anxiously, her eyes jutting into the park each time the battle stopped and started again. The Isle’s famous fireworks show had begun and was already half way over. If the battle didn’t end in time, it would make no difference now. There would be explosions all night long...
To their credit, the locals had stuck around, even after the sounds of battle got heavier and more intense. More and more of them started to show up as their store of fireworks ran out.
They heard another loud explosion.
Simultaneous inhales were followed by silence, and frightened stares. Each wishing there was more they could do to help. All they could do was wait for the outcome of the battle. Ready to assist if the need arose.
A voice called out, from somewhere just inside the park. It was too dark to see. She grabbed her largest flashlight and shone the light down the road.
“We need help,” the voice shouted.
Mack motioned for everyone to wait until she’d gotten a look at who it was. Three figures approached, two people carrying another between them.
“William,” she breathed out. She gave the okay and a few of the locals raced forward, helping the Deane brothers get William to the ambulance.
They placed him on a bed.
Mack couldn’t believe the sight of him. She had seen the sadistic video Eva had sent Charlie hours before. He looked a little better now. Regardless, it was shocking to see the normally virile vampire in such a helpless condition.
“Thank God we found you,” said Lucas. “We were afraid we’d need to find help in town somewhere.”
“He’s in rough shape,” said Riley, catching his breath.
Mack’s head shot up, peering at him suspiciously.
“Yes. Because of me. You don’t have to tell me what I did. I remember everything.”
“It’s really my brother though,” defended Lucas. “The Feyk removed the spell. My brother is... okay.” He wasn’t really. But he wouldn’t hurt anyone now.
Mack nodded, hoping this was true, and turned back to William.
“Mack,” started Alex the ambulance driver. “I have to admit, I have no idea how to treat a v-vampire,” he stammered in disbelief over the patient in front of him.
“He needs blood for one thing,” explained Lucas. “He’s barely hanging on and it’s the only thi
ng that can save him.”
“What blood type?” asked Alex, somewhat dazed.
“Any,” rattled Mack.
Alex tried to stick a needle into William’s arm. It broke.
Mack reached over, grabbed a blood pack and ripped it open, pouring the contents down William’s throat. He swallowed it, some spurting out as he tried to get his esophagus to work properly.
“Tie him down,” said Mack. “With every damn strap you have.”
Alex and Lucas hopped into the ambulance, grabbing every strap they could find.
“Why do you have to do that?” asked Riley.
“He’s going to be high on human blood. When he comes around, he might need a few minutes to calm down.”
Riley stood just at his side, staring into William’s face.
“God. I did this... I did this...” Riley couldn’t help it. Each word felt like a knife cutting into him.
“Look, Kid,” said Mack, hearing him. “He’ll be okay after some time. He might be a little pissed though. Maybe you should not be standin’ over him when he comes ‘round.”
Riley lifted his gaze and stared at the sheriff, so much pain etched in his gaze.
Maybe I should stay. Let him get his revenge over with now.
Not revenge... punishment.
“You really had a number done on ya,” Mack mumbled, feeling for him. “Damn. What this place does to people. William will recover.” Inside, she wondered if the same could be said for Riley. Poor kid. Got stuck in the middle of this clusterfuck of an island that has ruined so many lives.
Lucas pulled his brother away from William and set into strapping him down to the bed. “Eva Jordan is dead by the way,” he told the sheriff.
She let out a sharp exhale. “Well at least that’s done.” It should have brought some relief. But until all the Howards and their friends were out of the battle, she’d not get any peace. She glanced over at the blood packs in the cooler sitting at the back of the ambulance. “It’s not enough.” They needed to keep some on hand in case anyone else had a serious injury that required a transfusion.
