Anarchy Rising

by Nicole Coverdale

  “But how can we trust that you’ll take care of her?” Jorja asked as she rose to her feet. “After everything you’ve done?”

  “I guess you’ll just have to,” Liam said laughing. “Now, get back to work!”

  He shouted the words, wind rushing from his lips. Josslyn, Jasmine, and Jorja gasped, falling to the ground, watching as Liam disappeared from sight.

  “So let me get this straight,” Jasmine said. “First, he sent Sky to who knows where, and now he’s taken our powers, taken the girls, and now Julie? What can’t he do?”

  “He’s only powerful because of the sapphire, Jas,” Jorja said, as she snatched the list out of Josslyn’s hand.

  “Then maybe it’s time we think about getting the sapphire back.”

  “What?” Jorja and Jasmine swung toward Josslyn. “Joss, we can’t!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because he’ll kill the girls!”

  “The girls are already in danger,” Josslyn said, as she made her way across the sandy terrain. “They have been, from the moment they were brought into this life, but I can’t just stand by and let Liam get away with this. He’s caused so much damage already, I refuse to let him cause anymore. So are you with me?”

  “I am!” Jasmine cried, hurrying after Josslyn. “After what he did to Sky, I would like nothing more than to send his sorry ass to hell.”

  “But we can’t defeat him, Jasmine,” Jorja said, as she followed them. “Only an angel with the power can.

  “You mean Sky.”

  “Yes,” Jorja said. “But just maybe, we can mess with his plans a little until Sky gets back.” She paused, glancing above her as nightfall descended over the wasteland. “But if we’re going to do this, we better wait until dark. I’ll be our best chance at stealing the sapphire and getting to the girls.”

  Chapter 14

  “I distinctively remember us saying, that we weren’t coming back down here, until after we get our powers back,” Jade said, glaring at Ashwin, before turning to peer around the corner, as they appeared in the underworld in a whirl of black smoke.

  “I don’t think we have a choice, Jade,” Ashwin said, peering over her shoulder. “Elijah said…”

  “I know what Elijah said!” Jade snapped. “I have ears, you know.”

  “Is that what those things are?”

  “Ashwin!”

  “Are you two done bickering?” Elijah asked, tapping his foot nervously, as he peered around the corner. “I would really like to get this over with, considering the whole magical community is out looking for me. I’ve kind of pissed off a lot of people.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Ashwin muttered under his breath.

  Elijah sighed. “Ashwin, do we really have to do this… again?”

  “I’ve spent the better part of my demonic life, hunting you down, hell-bent on making you pay for what you’ve done, Elijah. It’s not like that’s going to go away overnight.”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “Sorry doesn’t cut it, Elijah. You betrayed us. You betrayed your family. You…”

  “Chose evil over my own flesh and blood, I know, but I was just a kid, Ashwin! What was I supposed to do? Tell them now, when they offered me the chance to be powerful? When the offered me a chance to be part of this world? To be part of something bigger?”

  “Yes!” Ashwin shouted. “We were…”

  “My family, I know,” Elijah finished for him. “And I have to live with what I did for the rest of my life, Ashwin.”

  “Do you regret what you did?”

  Elijah stopped, staring at Ashwin a moment. Did he regret what he’d done? It had been a long time since he’d thought about that. Centuries, in fact. “Yes and no,” he finally said. “On one hand, I hate what I did to you, to Mom, to Dad, you were my family! We were close… once, but on the other hand, I’m evil. I love hearing people suffer, having power, and you all deserved what you got after all you put me through.”

  “What we…

  “Oh my God, will you both just stop already?” Jade snapped, interrupting their arguing. “For goodness sakes, we can talk about this whole thing later, right now we have more important things!” She glanced at Elijah. “Although that was pretty cruel. No one deserves to die like that.”

  “Thank you, Jade.”

  “And you.” She jabbed a finger at Ashwin. “Be glad you have a brother still. I know you say you hate him, that you want him dead, but I think deep down inside you still want the brother you grew up with.”

  “Well, don’t sugar coat it, Jade,” Ashwin muttered, staring at her, then over at Elijah. “And you might be right.”

  “I usually am,” Jade said, peering around the corner once more. “I thin it’s clear. Come on.” The turned, hurrying down the hallway.

  “Jade,” Elijah grabbed her by the arm, pulling her inside the room to their right. “In here.”

  “What? But—” She gasped, as he shushed her, pressing a finger to her lips, gesturing to the demons as they raced past.

  “Did you hear that?” one of the large demons asked, as he walked past the room.

  “I did,” a smaller, green demon said. “Elijah’s back.”

  “And we are going to capture him!”

  “Capture me my ass,” Elijah muttered. “They’ll torture me, kill me, then give my remains to the new leader of the underworld, once he rises.”

  “It could be a she,” Jade pointed out.

  “True, but in all my centuries of being a demon, no woman has ever risen to the task.”

  “And some of those demons, are hoping you will reclaim your spot as the leader of the underworld,” Ashwin pointed out. “Are you saying you don’t want it anymore?”

  “I don’t,” Elijah said, truthfully. “A few months ago, I would have killed to have that position here in the underworld, but something has changed. Something has wanted me to be better.”

  “Julie,” Jade said. “You really do have feelings for her, don’t you?”

  “She makes me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time,” Elijah told her. “I just have to convince her to give me a second chance.”

  “Good luck with that. She’s hell-bent on never seeing you ever again,” Jade said. “Now, can we get on with this? Where are we going?”

  “To find a sorceress I trust very much,” Elijah told her, as they continued down the path, and up the stairs. He paused, glancing around the corner. “Cost is clear,” he said, gesturing them forward, and they hurried down the hallway. He turned into a doorway, and the door slammed shut behind them.

  “Well, well, well, I knew you’d show up sooner or later,” a dark, red-haired woman said, as she turned from the mirror she was standing in front of. She drew the comb through the long strands, her lips a bright red, as she smiled at them, her fangs hovering over her bottom lip.

  “Talia?” Elijah’s mouth dropped open. “You’re here? But how? I banished you!”

  “You do know that all curses can be broken, right, Elijah?” Talia said, snapping her fingers. Bats flew down from above them, materializing into their human form, as vampires swarmed around them. “And boy, have things changed. Last I knew, you were the leader of the underworld and look at the place now. Now it’s all mine.”

  “You’re leading the underworld?” Jade asked.

  “Not yet, sweet child, but I will be soon. Once I find that damned book!” She smiled, her eyes locking with Ashwin’s. “Why, hello, Ashwin.”

  “Hello, Talia.” Ashwin nodded to her. “Good to see you again.”

  “Oh please. You would rather drive a stake through my heart,” Talia said, rolling her eyes. “After all, you have betrayed me once already.” She walked forward, her black and red patterned dress swirling around her as she walked. “I remember you when you were just a young vampire, Ashwin,” she said, pausing in front of him, and lifting a hand. She stroked his cheek, her thumb grazing along his bottom lip. “We grew up together. We feasted together. We kille
d together, and then, you turned your back on us, for that witch.” Her eyes flashed. “How were you able to keep your humanity alive, well after you died, Ashwin?”

  “Because I’m better than all of you,” Ashwin said, lifting his hand, and wrapping his fingers around Talia’s wrist. He lowered her arm. “And I have a soul.”

  “Oh yes. I’ve heard the rumors.” Talia turned away from him, her eyes connecting with Jade’s. “And you. You are quite lovely,” she said, licking her lips, as she walked around Jade. She reached a hand forward, brushing a strand of Jade’s dark hair from her face. “I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?”

  “I was in the room when Ashwin sent you through that portal,” Jade said, jerking her head away, frowning, when her body didn’t move. “What are you ding to me?”

  “She’s got you under her trance,” Elijah said, gritting his teeth, as his feet refused to move. “She has us all under her trance, and no one I know has ever been able to break free of it.

  “And there, is the fun of it,” Talia said, laughing, as the three struggled to break free from her spell. “And now, I can taste something, I’ve only tasted once. When I got to feed on Julie.” She brushed her long, black nails along Jade’s neck, her heart thumping as she knicked her. She leaned forward, licking the blood, her head jerking up. “Wait. The power. It’s gone!”

  “That’s right,” Jade said, her eyes connecting with Talia’s. “I have no powers. Liam took them away, and you don’t have the power to hold me.” She jerked her arms up, shoving Talia back.

  “Jade! You broke free from it!”

  “How?” Talia asked, her eyes wide, as she stared at Jade. “How can you break free from my trance, when no one else has been able to?”

  “Because I’m a chosen one,” Jade told her. “And I’m strong, just like my mother.” She grabbed the wooden stick up off the floor, breaking it over her knee, and swung it toward the vampires as they started toward her. “Nah. Uh. Uh. I wouldn’t do that unless you want to be turned to dust!”

  “No! Leave them alone!”

  “Get her!”

  “Jade, run!” Ashwin shouted as the vampires lunged toward her. “You have to find the seer!”

  “But what about you?” Jade asked, ducking under the outstretched hands that reached for her, her eyes locking with Ashwin.

  “Come back for us!” Elijah told her. “If I’m still alive that is!”

  Chapter 15

  “Jessi, wake up.”

  The voice sounded nearby, and Jessi groaned, batting a hand away. “No. I don’t want to. Go away!”

  “Jessi! For goodness sakes, wake up!”

  Hands wrapped around her shoulders, shaking her, and she jerked awake. She blinked, staring into familiar, blue eyes. “Jami?”

  “About time you woke up,” Jami said, rolling her eyes, as she rose to her feet. “It’s nightfall. We need to go.”

  “Already?” Jessi asked, blinking, as she stared out at the darkness of the night. “Whoa. I fell asleep?”

  “Like a light,” Mark told her. “And were snoring too.” He followed them down the ladder, jumping to the grassy terrain below. “You know, there’s a reason I don’t do roommates.”

  “You don’t do roommates, because you’re the only one who lives here,” Jessi told him. “And I bet you snore too!”

  “I wouldn’t know. It’s been a long time since anyone’s been able to tell me,” Mark said, pouting. “I miss my family.”

  “Where are you from?” Jami asked, glancing over her shoulder at Mark, as they zigzagged through the trees.

  “California,” Mark told her. “Where the sun is always shining, and where I get to enjoy the sound of the ocean.” He sighed. “I miss it.”

  “Maybe we can help you get back there!” Jessi cried. “Once we get out of here.”

  “You think you can do that?”

  Jami shrugged. “Why not. After all, we are good witches, and we know what it’s like to be separated from your family. We’ll get you back to them, Mark, I promise.”

  “Wait. Jami!” Mark grabbed her by the arm, slowing her to a stop. “You’ve gotta watch where you’re walking,” he said, picking up a rock, and tossing it at the mound of dirt in front of them.

  “Snap!”

  The sound echoed through the forest, and Jami jumped, gulping as she saw the metal teeth snap together. “What is that?”

  “A trap one of the demons put out,” Mark said, dragging them into the bushes, as running feet sounded nearby.

  “I got something!” A skeleton demon cried as he bounded forward. He rummaged through the dirt, growling. “No! I got a rock!” He chucked the rock into the bushes, turning and sniffing. “But I smell something! I think I smell a witch!” He turned and raced off into the trees.

  “What is that thing?” Jessi whispered.

  “A Skeletor demon,” Mark told her. “They have no skin, and vary in color. I’ve only seen three colors while I’ve been here, red, black, and white, but they all like their knives! And the can sense witches. They feed off of witches, and from what I’ve heard if a demon kills a witch while in the wasteland, he is free to roam the earth once more.”

  “So note to self, don’t get killed,” Jessi said, nodding. “Got it.”

  “I think I hear something,” Jami whispered, a chippering sound filling her ears.

  “It’s the beetles,” Mark told her, pointing above, as they flew overhead. “They’re looking for you.”

  “Ugh. Don’t remind me,” Jami said, shuddering, as she remembered back to when they’d been in heaven and the white goo that had enveloped around them. “I still remember their white goo rising up inside that capsule. It was gross!”

  “And poisonous,” Jessi said. “I heard Liam say, that we could die from it.”

  “They’re gone,” Mark said. “You don’t have to worry about them right now. Now come on, you want to save your sister and cousin, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Is that where we need to go?” Mark asked, pointing to the blue hue illuminating in the distance.

  “Yeah, that’s the sapphire,” Jami said, as she stepped out from behind the tree. “Come on! Let’s go!”

  They hurried forward, zig-zagging through the trees and she slid to a stop, staring at the sapphire as it glowed brightly. “Ooh. It’s so pretty.”

  “And dangerous!” Jessi cried. “Don’t forget all the things it can do!”

  “Oh, believe me, I couldn’t if I even tried,” Jami said, as she scanned the area. “I don’t see Liam.”

  “That’s a good thing!” Mark cried, pausing, as a rustle sounded from behind him. “Ah, Jessi, Jami, did you hear that?”

  “Yup, I did,” Jami said, grabbing the tree branch leaning against the tree, and raising it high in the air. “And whoever is out there, is about to get seriously whacked!”

  ***

  “Josslyn.”

  “What?” Josslyn asked, creaking an eye open. “I’m trying to sleep, Jorja.”

  “You can sleep later,” Jasmine told her, as she peeked out from behind the bushes. “It’s nightfall.” She pointed to the dark hues, as they descended over the wasteland. “It’s actually kind of pretty.”

  “Pretty is not something I would describe the wasteland as,” Josslyn grumbled, as she rose to her feet.

  “Were you really sleeping?” Jorja asked, as they stepped out from the bushes, and started across the sandy terrain. “In the middle of all of this happening?”

  “Are you kidding? Of course I didn’t sleep!” Josslyn cried. “All I did was think about the girls, and however since they met me, their lives have been in danger repeatedly!”

  “You can’t blame yourself, Joss,” Jasmine told her. “This is who they are! And you’re not the only one who can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see Sky.” She swallowed. “I miss him.”

  “I know, Jas,” Josslyn said, squeezing her shoulder. “But I’m also afraid the moment I close my eyes, some demo
n is going to kill me. Do you think it’s true? That if they kill one of us, they’re free from the wasteland?”

  “Beats me,” Jorja said, glancing over her shoulder at them. “But then there is a lot about this world I still don’t know.”

  “There are some things we don’t even know!” Jasmine cried. “Sky always said that the magical world is always changing.”

  “And Julie? Do you think she’s okay?” Jorja asked. “I don’t like the fact that Liam has her.”

  “Neither do I,” Josslyn said. “We should have never let him take her.”

  “How would we have stopped him?” Jasmine asked. “He’s all-powerful, Joss!”

  “And who’s fault is that?” Josslyn snapped. “Ours! Remember, we’re the ones who found the damned sapphire. We’re the ones who put it together. We’re the ones responsible for this whole damned mess!”

  “Joss. Control yourself.”

  “Why? What’s the point? We’re going to die here anyways.”

  “Joss!”

  “Ahh!”

  Jasmine suddenly let out a shriek, and Josslyn swung around, as a hand wrapped around Jasmine’s ankle. “Jasmine! Hold on!” She swallowed, watching as the swamp-like demon’s head rose from the sand, it’s long hair damp, and she lunged forward. “I’ve got you!

  “We both do!” Jorja cried, lunging forward.

  “You’re a chosen one,” the demon said, as he tightened his grip around her ankle. “My ticket to freedom!”

  “Let her go you freak!” Jorja cried, trying to pull Jasmine free from the demon to no avail. “Joss, I need a little help here!”

  “I’m trying!” Josslyn cried. “But this sand is deep!” She gritted her teeth together, mustering as much strength as she could, and lunged forward.

  “Be careful!” Jasmine cried as they tried to dislodge her from the demon. “My arm, it’s…”

  “Broken. I know,” Jorja said, as she stared at her sister. “But this is going to hurt.” She pulled, and a hand wrapped around her leg.

  “Ahh!”

  “Oh my God! They’re everywhere!” Josslyn cried as fingers broke through the surface. She jumped back, her feet slipping in the sand. She yelped, falling, her body seeping downward. “It’s quicksand!” she cried, struggling to break free.