Modern Monsters Ch. 15&16

Chapter Fifteen:
Mixed Coalition.
“You can never choose who will be in your group. Sometimes it’s better to say nothing so everyone else is happy even at the cost of your happiness.”
— Words to the Wise

DAMIEN

“NOW WHO ARE WE GETTING? I thought we were going to meet this Clair you’ve said we’re going to protect,” Divinity complained.

         She was really starting to get on my nerves. Sighing so I wouldn’t chuck the oak tree I was about to pull out of the ground, I answered, “There’s one last person we need to meet with.”

         “And who would that be?” Damien asked as one of the numerous humans passed through him. After much arguing, I had finally won it and made everyone stay on the first plane to avoid problems with the non-Magyck people.

         “Alexis,” I replied.

         “Who’s she?” Rain inquired.

         “My adopted cousin.”

         “Well, why don’t we just invite everyone you’ve ever come into contact with to help us protect this Clair,” Divinity drawled sarcastically. “How do you even know if she’s trustworthy?”

         “Do you see this?” I asked stopping in the middle of the sidewalk of downtown Oklahoma City. I rolled up the sleeve of the borrowed clothes Mrs. MacCormin had given me and showed them a thin scar that ran down it from my elbow to my wrist. “I got this when she first learned she was an Entity. She thought she was possessed by something and so she tried to kill herself every time she was left alone. When she and her adopted sisters spent one summer with us, she got angry at someone who teased her about her hair. Her Magyck broke out of her control seriously injuring him when he was struck by a bolt of lightning. Later, after everything was taken care of, she tried to kill herself with a kitchen knife. I happened to be the one that found her. She tried to kill me, but I took the knife away and talked some sense into her. Now she thinks of me as her best friend since I showed her how to live with her strange ability with the weather. She would do anything I asked of her without a question being asked. That’s why I trust her,” I said gazing into each of my companions eyes.

         They started at me in silence. Finally, Divinity broke it. “Well, let’s go get this cousin of yours. Hopefully there isn’t anyone else you need to recruit, is there?” she asked sardonically with a raised eyebrow aimed at me.

         “Alexis is the last person we need to meet with,” I assured her. Without another word, I led them down the main street of Oklahoma City. When we came to one of the many streets leading off from the main road, I turned down it and continued at my brisk pace until I came to Alexis’s home, or at least what had once been her home. Instead of a small, one-story house with white paint and black trim, there was an empty lot. Signs of a recent fire showed in the remaining foundation and the scarred and blackened yard.

         “So, where is she?” Damien asked turning to look at me.

         “She used to live here,” I replied quietly. Sending a sliver of Magyck out over the ruined house, I searched for the remains of a body. To my relief, I didn’t find any. I stretched the range of my Magyck until I couldn’t reach any further. “Alexis?” I asked using my bubble of power to help me reach a greater distance than I normally could use. “Are you there? It’s your cousin, Damien Little.”

         “Damien? What are you doing here? Is everything all right? Are you hurt? Do I need to call —?” she asked growing more frantic by the second.

         “No! I’m fine, everything’s fine,” I quickly assured her.

         “Oh, then why are you here?”

         “I need your help.”

         “I’ll be there before you can blink an eye. Oh, and make sure you don’t stand to close when I’m coming down. I might accidentally squish you,” she warned.

         “I’ll be sure to tell the others.”

         “Others? How many are with you?”

         Instead of giving me a chance to answer, Alexis followed the line of Magyck that connected us and looked through my eyes at the others.

         “Well, you sure do like to travel with dangerous company, don’t you cousin?”

         “I do what I must,” I said simply.

         “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” she said as she pulled back into her own body.

         “Hey, slack-jawed Elf! Is anyone in that brain of your’s or are we going to have to stay here until we die of old age?” Divinity called while shaking my shoulders gently enough to rattle my teeth.

         “Quit!” I snapped jerking out of her hold.

         “Easy fella, I was just trying to get your attention to tell you someone’s here.”

         “Who?”

         “Those people over there,” she answered pointing. “And them, and that group, and that one over there,” she added indicating three others. Looking at them, I realized they were all dressed the same, black clothes loose enough to hide any kind of weapon they choose to wear, and a silver embossed letter H on the right side of their shirt.

         The moment they saw Divinity point them out, they began closing ranks until they surrounded us. From the corner of my eye, I watched Divinity unclasped three daggers, one for each hand and the other for her mouth. She did it all faster than I could watch. I reached for my own knife and silently told the others to prepare for a possible fight. Something about these people smelled wrong and combined with how they moved and how Divinity reacted to them being here, I thought it would be best if we were ready to fight. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

         The others with me retrieved weapons of their own and stood ready to fight or run, depending on whatever we needed to do. The black clothed men and women circling us outnumbered us nearly five to one, something I didn’t like but my crazed Vampire friend loved.

         Grasping my knife firmly, I stepped closer to the oncoming strangers. “What do you want?” I inquired firmly as they came to a stop.

         “Your head on a silver platter for our Master,” a deep male voice replied.

         Looking for the source of the speaker, I found myself gazing at a shorter human with black hair.

         “And why would you want something like that?” Damien asked pulling me closer so that our little circle was closed once more.

         “What does an answer matter when you’ll be dead?”

         “I just think it’s kind of nice to know why someone thinks I should die.”

         “Oh, shut up! Let’s just get this over with L. I’m getting hungry,” one of the women snapped.

         “Chill C, we’ll depose of them easily,” L whispered.

         “There are the Unwanted in their group!” she cried loudly. “I’m not going to stand here and let them live! We have orders L!” She didn’t even wait for him to respond. Instead, she produced a long knife from under her loose pant’s waist and lunged at Rain, hate burning deep within her eyes.

         In a flash, Rain had lunged forward, disarmed the woman, and ripped her head off. Blood stained the front of her shirt and claws and dripped slowly to the ground. The dead woman fell with a sickening thud before the strangers surrounding us realized something had happened. When the sight registered in their minds, they screamed their fury and charged us without another word.

         I planted my feet more firmly on the ground and brought my dagger up in time to hold off the attacking of a buff human. Looking the others over while my opponent made another attack, I realized they were all humans.

         Seeing that his friend was having trouble, the leader, L came to the big fellow’s aid. Out of nowhere Divinity came up behind L and grabbed him around his waist and bodily lifted him and threw him over her head to land on his back in an undignified manner.

         “Thanks,” I called as I removed my attacker’s knife from his hand with an easy flick of the wrist.

         “Don’t mention it!” she shouted back with a huge grin as she helped Rain kill another attacker.

         “Damien!”

         “What?” Damien and I cried together.

         Gazing up, I watched as Alexis came out from behind the shimmers of heat waves that kept her hidden from view of the humans. The whistling of a passing thrown knife warned me something deadly was heading toward me.

         “Don’t let it touch you!” Divinity yelled as she raced in front of it and caught it by the handle and threw it back at its owner to hit her square in the middle of the chest.

         And then the whirlwind began. I covered my eyes to protect them from the swirling dust. Our attackers were lifted and thrown high into the air.

         “Quick! Get us out of here Damien. More of them are coming. I’d much rather preserve my energy then waste it on fighting these people,” Alexis said as she landed next to me and gave me a quick hug.

         “Grab hands!” I yelled at the others. They swiftly did as I commanded. Without a word from me, all of them, except Alexis, gave me a sliver of their Magyck. I held it firmly within myself while adding my own link. Concentrating on the ring adorning my right hand, I sought where Matthew and Clair were. They weren’t where they’d said they’d be. Instead, they were in the Wasatch Mountain range in Utah.

         Something must have happened to them.

         I cleared my mind of all thought and used the link between Matthew, Clair, and I with our rings to teleport to them. Three heartbeats later, we landed in a small clearing surrounded by ancient pines. With four links of Magyck running through me and mine being used at full capacity, it was no wonder after I released the borrowed power and my own that I fainted where I stood. As I’ve said before, I’m not very good with the teleporting thing.

MATTHEW
I

I PRETENDED TO BE ASLEEP SO I wouldn’t concern Clair any more. I knew she was worried. Even I was worried about myself. I’d never been this weak before. Clair knew something had happened while she’d been unconscious, but I didn’t have the guts to tell her what though I could see the question in her blue eyes.

         Clair sighed heavily. I wondered what she was thinking lying there in her sleeping bag with nothing to do but lay there and stare at the ceiling of the beige tent. I pretended to turn over in my sleep so I could peek at her through tightly closed lids. She was staring right at me, her penetrating blue eyes gazing at my contours. She silently watched me, her cheeks growing red as the minutes ticked by. I wondered what she was thinking to make her look so uncomfortable. I wanted to stop this charade and open my eyes and ask her what was wrong.

         Suddenly, her head snapped up and her face turned ashen. “Matthew! Wake up! Someone’s coming,” she whispered while shaking my shoulder.

         I uncovered myself from my sleeping bag and slowly unzipped the door to look for the people who were coming.

         Outside, five people, one of them being carried by the only other male walked into view.

         “Jeez, you sure are a hard person to find Matthew Kelzby,” a female drawled coming to a stop in front of the tent with her arms folded across her chest.

         “Divinity? What are you doing here?” I asked helping Clair out of the tent. She shivered against my side. Unconsciously, I covered her with my wings and pulled her closer.

         “Ow! Watch the arm Matthew,” Clair said pushing against my wing.

         “Oh, sorry,” I apologized. I lifted my wing slightly so I wasn’t squishing her.

         “I’m here because Damien decided to drag me out here to protect someone named Clair.” She shifted her gaze from me to Clair with a raised eyebrow. “That’s her, isn’t it?”

         I nodded.

         Before Divinity could say anything more, Clair pushed her way out from under my wing and went to the large man carrying Damien.

         “What happened to him?” she asked as she felt the Elf’s head with her pale hand.

         “He was the center of the Magyck we gave him so all of us could teleport here. It was too much for him to handle,” the black-haired Werewolf replied quietly.

         “Then the best thing for him to do is to lie down. Can you bring him in here please, um ...?” She came to a halt in her words since she didn’t know his name as she stood in front of the opening to the tent.

         “Damien Carter,” he replied with a nod, “but call me Carter. It’ll get confusing if both Little and I are referred to as Damien.”

         “Very well then, Carter,” she said with a small smile. “Let’s get Damien into the tent.”

         Carter carried the incapacitated Elf into the small, two-man tent before coming back out while Clair held the door flap open.

         “Well, since no else seems they’re going to introduce themselves, I guess I will at least.” The shortest female among our new companions stepped forward and extended her hand to me. “My name’s Alexis Knight. Damien’s my cousin. What’s your name?” she asked with a large grin stretching from ear to ear.

         “Matthew Kelzby,” I replied slowly. This woman’s personality was startling; I’d never been confronted with someone like her.

         “Who’s she?” Alexis inquired with a nod toward Clair.

         “Duh! She’s the one we’re here to protect,” Divinity said sarcastically.

         “My name is Clair Cooper,” she answered before the crazed Vampire could continue her tirade. She looked at Divinity and the Werewolf who I was sure was named Rain.

         “I’m Rain MacCormin and this is my adopted sister Divinity,” the Werewolf stated. So I’d been right in my assumption.

         “Yo, Vamgoyle! Got any blood I can have?” Divinity asked as we went to sit on the ground to give Damien some peace and quiet.

         “Do I look like a blood bank to you?”

         “Actually, yeah you do.”

         “Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t have that sort of thing,” I snapped.

         Divinity sighed heavily. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a pack of blood pills. The sight of them made my stomach churn.

         “Do you have any food?” Alexis inquired.

         “Come with me and I’ll get some for everyone,” Clair replied as she led the purple-haired woman toward where the packs were stashed under an elderly pine.

         “What did you do to her?” Divinity wondered quietly as she inspected a gleaming dagger that seemed to come out of nowhere.

         “What are you talking about?” I asked turning from watching Clair and Alexis.

         “Oh come now Kelzby, you really can’t be that stupid, can you?”

         My eyes flashed with anger. I wanted to rip her head off for insulting me like she always did whenever we saw each other. Taking a breath, I calmed myself and turned away from her. “If you’re not going to talk civilly then I see no point in talking with you.”

         She sighed again. “Look, we both know with how long I’ve been around I have to find some way to keep myself entertained. So, if I do make you mad, then … well, I’m … s—s … sorry,” she said fumbling toward the end.

         I stared at her in silent disbelief. Never before had she apologized to me.

         Before either of us could say anything, Clair and Alexis came back, their arms laden with peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and a large pack of beef jerky; probably all that I’d packed. Following practically on top of Clair’s heels, Kii-harrah strutted proudly, her bushy tail waving regally behind her.

         “Here,” Clair said offering me two sandwiches. I took them with a thankful smile. “Jerky?”

         After I took my fair share of the dried stripes of meat, they moved on to Rain who took three sandwiches and two large handfuls of beef jerky. Before Clair could offer some to Divinity, the Vampire shook her head.

         “I can’t eat that kind of stuff; it tastes like ash if I do,” she explained.

         “Can I have her share then?” Rain asked. She was already finished with one sandwich and half of another was gone.

         “Here.” Clair held out the last two.

         “What about you?”

         “I’m not really hungry for this sort of thing right now. I’ll eat later.”

         “Well, if you’re sure,” Rain said with a shrug as she took the sandwiches.

         As everyone ate, Clair sat next to me and began fiddling with her hair. Finally, when the silence dragged for longer than it seemed she could handle she turned to me. “I’m going for a walk to look for some food to stock up on. Kii-harrah says there’s a clearing not to far from here full of berries the birds haven’t found yet. I’ll take Jha’nae with me.”

         I looked into her blue eyes and saw the desperate need to be alone burning deep within them. I sighed. I couldn’t say no to the look she gave me. “Go ahead. But if anything happens, scream. We’ll be there to help you as quick as we can.”

         She smiled before standing and calling Jha’nae to her side. I watched her leave with a worried look.

         “Oh don’t look so down,” Divinity said with a hard slap on my back. I hardly felt the pain as I continued to gaze after where Clair had disappeared.

Chapter Sixteen:
Mixed Coincidence.
“Things that are connected or even seem to be connected should never be ignored.”
— Words to the Wise

CLAIRYSSAH

I JUST COULDN’T STAND IT ANYMORE. All those people together after it’d just been Matthew and I. I had to get away for a while and get my mind straight. Sometimes I swore I could hear voices talking that weren’t my own. I had to do something about this power; it was driving me crazy since I didn’t know what I could do with it. Shaking my head, I moved deeper into the forest, following Kii-harrah as she led me down a small animal path. I easily dodged around branches hanging out in the middle of the pathway and logs strewn across the way.

         The sudden urge to run caught me off guard, causing me to halt in my steps. It’d been forever since the last time I’d last run just for the fun of it. Back when I had been in middle school, I’d done track and played basketball because I loved to run. Kii-harrah sensed my urge and jumped in excited circles. That decided it for me. Come on Kii-harrah, Jha’nae, let’s run! I cried with a laugh as I bounded ahead of them.

         Kii-harrah surged ahead so she was still leading the way. After a brisk run of what felt about ten minutes, we came to a small clearing filled with wild elderberries, huckleberries, and raspberries. I thought you said the clearing wasn’t that far, I said looking around with my senses for the third time to make sure nothing out here could harm us.

         “It’s not that far.”

         I shook my head. Well, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can just sit and relax for a little while. I took out the empty pack I’d stuffed into my pocket and, with Kii-harrah’s help to point out the ripe ones, I picked berries until the bag was stuffed. I sighed as I set the pack down and sat under the shadow of a giant pine. Closing my eyes, I began to try and clear my mind to prepare myself for the trip back and the time I’d spend being around so many people after such a long time being alone with just Matthew and his steady and calm peace keeping me from entering and reading his mind. I knew I could do it because I’d heard the thoughts of others that I shouldn’t have been able to hear while we were walking through Time Square. Either something was different about Matthew’s mind, or I was unconsciously trying not to read what he was thinking. With the new creatures that were going to stay with us, there was a larger chance of me hearing what they were thinking.

KURO
I

“KURO! Come at once,” Nekarro called down the hallway. I ran to comply with his command. “Have you been able to find Lumena yet?”

         “Yes,” I answered as I bowed before him.

         “Show me.”

         I took a sliver of Magyck and produced a see-through mist which hung between us in midair. A picture of a young woman sitting under the shade of an old pine slowly formed. Her raven hair gleamed in the afternoon sunlight as her intense blue eyes followed a small fox that was chasing after a leaf being blown by the wind.

         “You are certain this is her?” Nekarro asked as he watched the pale woman with hunger in his eyes.

         “Positive. I heard the Vamgoyle male call her Clair,” I assured him quickly.

         He moved closer to the image of Clair. “She looks so like Lumena, especially now that her hair is black and her skin paler. I’ve never seen such a likeness of the Ai’yume since Lumena herself was alive.” He lifted his hand and gently caressed the side of Clair’s cheek making the picture shimmer out of focus for a moment.

         I watched him suspiciously. That look on his face was too close to longing for my taste.

         He turned to look at me and a smile spread across his face. “Send Damika and let’s watch what she does to harry our little Lumenancer.”

         I bowed my head and went to call on Damika to tell her what the Master wished of her.

MATTHEW
II

“SO, WHAT’S HAPPENED TO THE TWO OF you? It looks like you’ve been through a lot,” Rain said as she finished her last handful of beef jerky.

         I nodded absently.

         “Well, are you going to tell us what happened?”

         “I’d prefer to wait till Damien wakes and Clair comes back. Besides, I must go to Salt Lake,” I replied turning to look at her.

         “Why?” Divinity asked sheathing the dagger she’d been twirling in the air out of boredom.

         “I need to visit the blood bank there.”

         “Then I’m going with you,” she said fiercely.

         There was nothing I could say that would convince her other wise. With a sigh I resigned myself to my fate. “Very well,” I finally said, “but we’re going to have to travel cross country. I don’t have enough energy to teleport myself let alone both of us.”

         Divinity grinned. “Think you can fly faster than I can run?” she challenged.

         “I’ve the winds to help me, sister,” I said, a grin of my own lighting my eyes.

         “Yeah? And I’ve centuries of practice behind me.”

         “Wait!” Rain cried before we could start our race. “We need other things, don’t we? Like food and clothes. I don’t want to be seen with you while you’re wearing that thing Matthew. Just look at it.”

         I did as she said and was surprised. I was covered in dried blood and smelled. “I guess you’re right,” I said.

         Rain took a small notebook from out of her pocket and wrote a quick list. “That should last us for a little while at least as long as you get enough.”

         “And you expect us to be able to carry and pay for all this?” I asked incredulously as I gazed at the list.

         “Use the Kaemyns and this to pay for everything,” she replied handing me her black purse that came with a summoned word.

         “I can’t ...” I began but she cut me off with a glare. I took the purse silently so as not to make her angry.

         “Oh yeah, let me see that list again,” she said taking it from my hand before I could pass it to her. She scribbled something else. Handing it back, I read it before putting it into my pocket. She’d written two new things for the list: two four man tents and bedding for five. Divinity didn’t need any since she never slept even if she wanted to.

         I sighed and looked at the Werewolf. “We’ll teleport back when we’re done,” I said. She nodded her understanding. I turned to Divinity. “Ready?”

         “Of course, Vamgoyle. I was born ready!” She sprinted away before I even knew we were starting.

         “Cheater!” I yelled after her.

         Her laughter mocked me as I called the Kaemyns to me and soared into the sky with a wave to Alexis, Carter, and Rain as I flew after Divinity as she ran in the opposite direction Clair had gone.

CLAIRYSSAH
III

I SIGHED AS I ROSE TO MY feet. Well, I guess we should go back to the others. I liked just sitting here alone with Kii-harrah and Jha’nae and thinking of nothing; it was relaxing and something I needed after everything I’d been through. I was still trying to grasp the concept that Kii-harrah and I were bonded. I was also trying to understand what I felt every time I looked at Matthew. It didn’t make any sense. Practically every thought I had was about him.

         I shook my head and shoved my feelings to the side. Lead the way, I told Kii-harrah. She bounded in front of me and took off down the path. Jha’nae trialed behind us keeping an eye on the rear. I sent my senses out to make sure there was no one around.

         Directly ahead of us on the trail was a large female grizzly. I froze as the bear’s eyes focused on mine. Kii-harrah whimpered allowing me to tear my gaze away from the bear. She was stuck under a massive forepaw. Kii-harrah! I screamed rushing forward without a thought for my own safety.

         —“No!”— Jha’nae yelled jumping in front of me and blocking my path. I tried to force her out of my way, but she resisted until I stopped as the grizzly lifted Kii-harrah into the air and looked at her. After a moment of inspection, it threw her to the side like a piece of trash. Kii-harrah flew through the air and struck a rock with a yelp. My link to her blinked out as blood oozed down her fur as she landed on the ground with a soft thud.

         No! I sobbed running to her side. The bear blocked my path, a grin stretching across her face. I knew this wasn’t a regular grizzly; it was too intelligent, almost to the point of being human. I flung myself at it, my eyes burning with anger and hate. Dimly, I was aware of my fingernails lengthening and something which felt like fangs scrape my bottom lip, but I took no notice of it; I was intent on killing the one who had killed my Kii-harrah.

         Jha’nae flew over my head and latched onto the grizzly’s back clawing ferociously. I halted in my tracks and watched the spectacle before me. Both creatures moved at an impossible speed; Jha’nae was nothing more than a blur of motion as she harried the beast away from me. Though the grizzly moved slower than the Kaemyn, she still moved faster than she should have.

         —“Get out of here!”— she yelled.

         I held my ground. I wasn’t going to leave Kii-harrah’s broken body here. With my mouth opened in a silent snarl, I lunged at the bear. Nothing was going to stop me, not even a Superior Kaemyn. Sinking my fangs into the neck of my opponent, I clawed at its head with my sharp fingernails. Jha’nae was too occupied trying to stay out of reach of its deadly claws to tell me to do as she’d commanded. I was her Master, after all.

         And then the bear was gone. My claws raked empty air as an eagle flew away with a screech. Jha’nae sat back, her teeth gleaming in an angry growl. —“A shifter. They’re all cowards when they know they can’t win. Always changing and evading a fight.”—

         I followed after the bird with my senses until it winked out of existence as it teleported. I snarled in anger, my chance at vengeance having been foiled. Fuming, I turned away from Jha’nae before she could say anything and went to Kii-harrah’s side. To my joy I found she was still alive, but just barely. A large gash stretched down her spine as I moved the rock so I could get a look at her without moving her. Her breathing was ragged, making her chest rise and fall faster than it should have been. I needed a healer, now.

         —Míane! Come to me! I know you are near enough to hear me, so come to my summons!— I shouted into the silent forest. Instantly, she came, her small form appearing directly in front of me.

         —“What is your wish of me, Master?”— she asked bowing her head to me.

         Heal my Kii-harrah, I commanded, my eyes turning to look at the young fox.

         She moved closer on her cloven hooves. —“Are you willing to pay the price?”—

         Only if you are able to heal her, I replied, meeting her intelligent gaze.

         —“You are a wise creature to see if I actually can do what I was made to do. However, I can not heal anyone until someone has paid the price I name. It is why I am so seldom called unless no one else can heal the one hurt,”— she stated.

         Then what is it you ask for?

         She stared at me in silence for a long time before finally answering. —“To join your group and heal you and your companions.”—

         But how is that paying you?

         —“I want to be closer to Matthew,”— she responded simply.

         Very well then, I accept your price and shall allow you to join our group gladly.

         Míane smiled before moving to Kii-harrah’s side. Gently placing her horn against the wound, she muttered words I didn’t understand and would never be able to repeat. A soothing warmth filled the air helping to ease my aching arm. Slowly, the wound on the fox disappeared. When Míane backed away, Kii-harrah no longer breathed so heavily. Instead, she slept peacefully.

         —“There, it is done,”— she said lifting her head to look at me.

         Thank you, I whispered.

         —“Now, let me see that arm of yours,”— she commanded coming to stand in front of me.

         Silently, I shifted my body until my arm was closer to her. She gently placed her horn against the wound and healed it. I thanked her again as I stood with Kii-harrah held close to my chest. Let’s go, I said. Jha’nae followed behind as I sent a sliver of my senses ahead so I could find the others as Míane kept pace next to me.

DIVINITY
IV

I LEANED AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE building inspecting one of a matching set of black daggers, waiting. I’d been standing here for nearly five minutes before that idiot of a man came into view. “What took you so long?” I asked as I straightened to my full height. “It seems even with the help of the air currents you still can’t fly faster than I can run.” I smiled as his eyes flashed with irritation.

         “Let’s just get this over with,” he snapped. It seemed his good mood was gone.

         Though it was a perfect opportunity to pester him, I decided against it. Besides, it was more fun keeping silent and watching his inner plight with Clair. I’d hardly been with them for an hour and I already knew they liked each other. It wasn’t that hard to miss.

         He strode in front of me down the side street as he made his way to the blood bank, his back ramrod straight. If I hadn’t been bored out of my mind sitting waiting for Clair and been running out of my supply of blood pills, I would have stayed back at the camp and found something else to occupy my time.

         Near the middle of the street, we finally came to the nondescript building. Matthew shoved the door open and held it for me. “Ah, why thank you, you’re such a gentleman,” I said sweetly just so I could see his angry face again. To my disappointment, he smiled back just as sweetly. So he did have a sense of humor inside that thick skull of his.

         Side by side we walked to the counter where an elderly human male stood with a bored look on his face. When he realized we were coming toward him, he straightened and put a fake smile on his wrinkled face. Even from this distance I could scent his fear that filled the air.

         “Welcome young sir, miss. How may I help you?” he asked a slight tremor in his voice.

         “We require a supply of blood pills and packs,” Matthew said leaning on the counter to rest.

         “I’m afraid we don’t have any packs in stock at the moment. We do have plenty of pills though,” he stated solemnly as his eyes darted toward the woman working at the desk next to him. His head nodded ever so slightly. “Let me go and get you some. How many boxes would you like?”

         “Three,” I answered when Matthew turned to look at me.

         “Very well then, please wait here and I’ll be back in a moment.” He moved out of sight with the woman following. Yeah, sure they were getting my pills. They were more like planning our demise instead.

         Matthew closed his eyes for a moment until an audible click made him jerk toward the door. It had been locked. So I’d been right.

         The banker slowly rounded the corner, his eyes filled with fear and hate as he held a shotgun to his chest. “We have you surrounded, vermin! Don’t even think about moving!” he cried his voice shaking.

         “What? You mean like this?” In an instant I was gone and back again faster than a human’s eyes could follow. I moved again, this time coming to stand in front of the human male. Taking his gun by its nozzle, I bent it with exaggerated slowness. With a screeching noise, I broke it in half.

         “Attack!” a new, younger male yelled as the back door burst open and ten people rushed in carrying various weapons lined with silver, gold, or poison.

         Matthew hissed in frustration, his wings snapping open. —“Knives!”— he commanded with a spell. His hands curled around two short daggers as he rushed forward.

         Of course I moved faster than he did and knocked out six of them by the time he’d done the same to the last four.

         With a whistling twang, an arrow moved through the air as if in slow motion. I caught it in midair with my right hand and threw back at the woman blood dealer. The look of shock went with her to her death.

         “Let’s get out of here,” I said running to the door with Matthew in tow. He stumbled at the fast pace I was forcing him to maintain. He’d used too much energy fighting the Hunters who’d attacked us. Crashing though the locked door, I pulled Matthew to an even faster pace. He stumbled continuously until, with a sigh, I threw him over my shoulder and carried him like a sack of potatoes.

         “Hey!” he cried indignantly.

         “Oh shut up and deal with it,” I snapped. I wasn’t in the mood to fight with him; I just wanted to get as far away from that blood bank as possible without teleporting back to the others. We still had other things to do.

         Finally, we came to Wal-mart. I set Matthew on his feet before walking through the sliding doors.

         “Who were those people and why did they attack us?” he asked as if I would know the answer. It was a good thing I did.

         “They were Hunters.”

         His eyes widened. “You mean they’ve come back?”

         “They never really left. It’s just been recently that they’ve started Hunting more viciously. No one’s really sure why though.”

         Matthew shook his head in disgust.

         “Well, let’s get this shopping over with, shall we?” I said reaching into his pocket and grabbing the list and purse.

         “Hey!” he yelled as I ran off with a laugh. The oblivious non-Magyck shoppers continued on with their dismal day.

         “Catch me if you can lazy bones!” I called over my shoulder. I’d let him catch me. Eventually.

Next Chapters: Chapter 17: Hiding Plans, & Chapter 18: Hiding Places.