72Yikes! So, hello again. Yes, I am alive and No, I haven't given up on this story. So it's been two months or so since the last time I updated. That's enough for me to drive myself mad. Anyway, I guess I just needed a break from this writing here. Though I'm back and I plan to finish this before the end of the year, that's my set goal. If I fail, you all will have the right to throw toilet paper at my house free of charge lol.
Now on to the story, I actually had some serious writer's block with this specific chapter. I don't know why, I just never liked how it played out. I honestly still don't like it, but trust me it's better than the other drafts. You're just going to have to take my word on it.
This chapter is not written all in Iris' POV.
- staticmind
In a clearing just outside Beardstown there stood a mysterious man in a cloak. He held a bright yellow orb in his right hand. The man in his mid twenties with bright silver hair was waiting for something. He had a playful smirk on his smooth stone face. He was juggling the yellow orb in his hand when moments later the yellow orb was gone. Another cloak figure appeared holding the orb between her fingers. The slender woman with thick blonde hair held the small yellow orb between her pale fingers. A mimicking playful smirk appeared on her youthful face.
"I didn't know you were here for the occasion" the woman voiced playfully.
"Nora didn't give me a choice" the man replied.
The woman stared at the man for a moment, "Kane, she is our queen. We must never disobey her orders." Kane wasn't sure if she was joking or was serious. He didn't really care for that matter. He had given up caring long ago. This kind of stuff was old news for him.
Kane didn't respond and moved his gaze to the wildlife surrounding the clearing. Big long trees bordered around. Thick green grass blew lightly against the small breeze.
While Kane distracted himself with the surroundings of the place, the woman started to concentrate on the yellow orb in her hand. With both of her black eyes focusing on the yellow orb; the orb started to levitate above her slender pale hand.
After another second of focusing the yellow round orb exploded into a thousand little shards. Though they didn't scatter on the green grass, but stayed levitated above the woman's hand. She kept her focus waiting for Kane to do something.
"Come on" she encouraged.
"Celeste" he hissed at her attempt to make him use his ability.
"This will be practice" Celeste informed, "I know you've been practicing. I noticed the shards tucked in your nightstand."
"You searched through my things" Kane looked at Celeste with annoyance.
"You know you could have asked me to help, it's easier with my power" she commented never looking away from the shards.
"I don't need your help" Kane shot back as he focused slightly on the shards stuck in mid-air above Celeste's hand. Immediately the shard's had formed back into the yellow orb. Celeste started juggling the orb between her pale hands.
"Excellent. A bowling ball will be no problem for you now."
"Will you be able to keep it still?" Kane asked snatching the orb back.
"That stupid bowling ball could be turned into dust if I wanted to, but Nora has plans for it. So, we must disable it and you'll bring it back."
"Of course."
Kane hid the orb inside his cloak. Celeste played with the tips of her perfect blonde hair. She was about to say something when Kane interrupted, "The animals can feel it coming."
Celeste rolled her eyes looking into the surrounding trees, "I bet humans feel it too. I feel it; I feel it run through my body... Excitement!"
Kane touched his temple with his index finger, "Fear. The animal's sense the danger."
"We are no threat to them" Celeste noted, "Unless you want to downgrade yourself and eat a deer… a rat?"
"No thanks."
"I thought so. After Nora gets what she wants, how bout we go and find ourselves some dinner?"
"No."
The moment Kane replied another figure wrapped his giant arms around Kane's average pale body.
"I'll go" the beefy figure added.
"Larkin, how nice of you to interrupt!" Celeste hissed behind a fake smile.
Kane wrestled his way out of the strong grip around his body.
"I'm ready to party!" Larkin cheered loudly.
Celeste looked at Larkin's appearance, "Why are you dressed as a school boy?"
"I look like a hot football star. I'm willingly to be bait for the chicks" he winked at Celeste.
She made a gagging sound as she turned around to look at calm Kane.
Celeste wished to enter his mind, she wondered about his thoughts.
A small frown was printed on Celeste's beautiful face for only a second as soon as Kane turned around, she plastered a smile.
He moved his gaze to Larkin, "Status?"
"We have to wait until everyone shows up" Larkin informed.
"Of course."
Moments later two more cloaked figures appeared. A short boy with bright red hair, Fredrick. The other figure, tall and muscular with locks of black hair, Luciano.
"Where's Suzanne?" Larkin asked.
"She had a little human problem" Luciano answered.
All five figures stood in a medium circle facing each other. The moon was shinning bright over the dark clear sky. The wind was picking up speed. The air around the five individuals stayed calm thanks to Fredrick's force field.
Outside the force field a slender woman approached the five figures. The woman with long brown curly hair made her way slowly looking like a true angel. Her white dress blowing to the side with the wind, contrasting with the darkness of the night. All five figures tilted their heads down once the woman entered the force field and her dress stopped swaying around her slim legs.
"Status?" Nora ordered in a quiet low manner. She was feeling confident.
"Hours ago, a black box was brought to a closed down property. We suspect animal blood. We couldn't pick up any human substance near the property" Luciano informed.
"Fools. They can't quench the thirst of the beast with animal blood. It will never stop until it has fed on human blood. It will kill her, which is not what we want. We need her alive!"
"We don't know if she has started to awaken, but they are preparing."
"Predictable Leopard, he can't prepare for what is to happen if she doesn't get human blood. Leopard has always been a fool. If any of you have a range on him, I want him finished!"
They all said in unison, "Yes my queen."
Iris' P.O.V.
"Who's here?" I asked loudly. The room had gone still.
All three figures in front of me looked like statues.
"Who's -" I was going to repeat, but Leo interrupted, "She's near…"
"Two miles" Leo said more to himself.
"That's crazy. NO!" Santino suddenly yelled with evident authority in his voice that startled me.
"It's her only chance."
"She will never make it alone."
"Then you go with her, I'll face Nora!"
"Leo, you won't last a second alone" Santino tried to reason.
We all stared at Leo and Santino argue. Brad, Vivian and I stood still like we all knew that something was wrong. I didn't know, but I had a weird feeling in my gut that something was going to rip itself open inside of me.
"How did you know about her arrival?" Leo asked Vivian.
"There was this outsider at a baseball game. He was dressed as a school boy. Vampire was obvious, human drinker. He wasn't wearing any of the school's colors. He was bait."
"What did he look like?"
"He was a big guy. Dark short black hair, he had unique scars on his skin that I doubt can be seen with human eyes. He had a scar down his whole cheek, I think it was a -"
"Check mark" Santino and Leo completed in unison.
"Yes" Vivian answered.
"Larkin" Leo said.
"Who's Larkin?" I asked.
"Yes, who is this Larkin fellow?" Brad talked for the first time since Vivian entered.
"Larkin is one of the six ancients. He is the one we have to look out for, he senses things. He is able to get to a person easily if he has a clear picture of what they look like. That's why…" Leo explained as he handed each of us black cloaks, "we will all wear these specific cloaks. Ancients will always wear these no matter what. It will be harder for him to locate us. It will give us just enough time."
"Enough time?"
"We must prepare our grounds" Santino ordered as he dialed away on his cell phone.
I stood motionless as three figures of blur danced around the room in and out. I didn't understand, I didn't know. I -
"Iris" a calming voice rang in my ear. I turned around confused.
"My Iris" the voice sang.
"Whose there?" I whispered.
"Come here, my precious Iris. Follow my voice…"
I ended up walking into another room that was connected to the bedroom. It was small with a mattress on the ground. The windows were open wide with the air blowing in.
"Follow my voice…"
I stood in front of the window, the curtain blowing in my face. I pushed the curtain to the side.
Darkness consumed the outdoors.
"Just as beautiful as your mother" the voice sang slowly.
The owner of the voice appeared from the darkness. The individual concealed in a black cloak removed the hood. Long locks of brown hair draped over the woman's shoulders. Her bright pale face alarmed me.
"I bring you a gift…" the woman expressed fishing a white flower out of her enormous cloak.
I stared confused, amazed? Who was she?
"Take it, it's a gift…" she offered extending the flower just close enough for me to reach for it.
I slowly reached over, I was about two seconds away from touching the flower when two loud voices rang in my head, "Don't take the gift!" I stepped back, "No, Iris. Take my gift. It's harmless, just a simple flower. It was your mother's favorite" the woman informed quietly.
"Was? I think -"
"Your mother was fond of flowers and roses. Though she always loved these types of flowers. You do recognize what type it is, right?"
"I - no…"
"You are named after said flower. Iris. This is a white iris" she informed extending her hand further closer to the window frame.
"Take it…" her voice rang with sweetness. I couldn't turn it down, I needed the flower between my hands. In one swift movement, I took the flower. The woman smiled, "Foolish just like your mother" the woman laughed, all sweetness washed away as poison soaked out of her voice.
"Foolish" she repeated before I felt pulled back. Next thing I knew I had all previous figures staring at me alarmed.
"What?" I asked.
"You didn't take the gift did you?" Leo asked.
"It was just a flower" I voiced taking the flower out of my cloak where I felt it touch my skin, "How did it get there?"
"Nora has the power to call through her mind, she called your mind and you followed. Your body was always here, but your mind was with her. The "gift" appeared on your body because you took it from her."
"So she's right outside?"
"No, she's close enough to call on you. Or it just might be because you guys are -"
"We will deal with that later" Leo interrupted Santino in mid-sentence.
Santino stared at Leo and sighed in frustration.
"We are what?" I asked placing the flower on the bed.
"Nothing" Leo snapped.
"I think she has the right to know everything. I've put up with most of all your demands, but this time I just can't. Either you tell her or I will" Santino suddenly voiced back.
Santino and Leo shared the same angered expression. They were passing different expressions in a short time like if they were talking mentally.
"Fine, I'll do it." Leo shouted, "just not right now. We'll discuss it when we know if Nora is going to strike…"
"I agree" Santino responded.
"Take her to the mall like planned and I will go face Nora" Leo informed.
"You are not going alone, I'm going with you" Santino said, "and that is final!"
Leo didn't try to argue he just gave me one last look and nodded toward me. I didn't know what was going on and it was breaking me apart. I saw Santino and Leo leave and I feared that it might be the last time I would see them... it was a feeling I had that was screaming out to me.
"Come on, we must hurry" Vivian said as she patted my shoulder leading me out of the room.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"It's the least I can do, after tonight the red veil will be taken off and everything will change for her. She's going to hate us, mainly I for everything I didn't do and things I should have done." Leo responded quietly as they approached the wide clearing.
"She's here" Santino whispered to Leo.
"If anything happens I want you to go, I'll finish it" Leo said to Santino as he took a defensive stance.
"You're ordering me?" Santino laughed, "I'll have you know that I'm older than you by decades. Besides some fun would do good to my old bones."
Santino knew then at that moment that something wrong was going to happen. He thought that they should have worked up a better plan than just go and face her like if she was just some creature.
"You know… I'm reconsidering if this was such a good idea…" Santino confessed his worry.
"Old man, everything will work out just fine. You just don't know something I do" Leo concluded as a white speck made it's way toward them.
"Gentlemen, it's nice to see you. Here alone I see" Nora voiced playfully.
Santino stood frozen while Leo was in a defensive stance baring his teeth.
"Oh Leopard is that you? My has time drifted us apart."
"Cut with the introductions. We all know why you're here!" Leo sneered.
"Oh you do?"
"You're not taking her!"
"Aaaah poor idiotic Leopard. I'm not taking anyone... she'll come to me" Nora informed.
"Don't!" Santino extended his arm toward Leo's shoulder as Leo seemed ready to charge.
"You see humans are so frail... human connections are these powerful bonds. The things that they come up with" Nora laughed as she paced slowly in front of them.
Santino and Leo stared confused for a moment, but then realization came to Santino. One name came into his head, one human name, Miles.
"I've had my eyes on her since the very beginning since she came out to the open. Since she was brought to this territory." Nora took a breath, not that she needed one, "Now that Leopard was foolish. You know I try to see your motives, but you confuse me sometimes. I'm thinking rational here; if she was safe in her hideout which I now know was California. I'll give you that smart move take her into their land, but you just aren't smart enough to keep her there and I know why…"
Leo narrowed his eyes at Nora.
"Yeah, you see it's crystal clear. So these humans these frail humans… Iris our little Iris. The tragedy if she too picked a human over you Leopard. That would be the second time wouldn't it? The second time that a human becomes more important than you…"
"I don't have to listen to you" Leo snapped.
"It's too late for that" Nora said as six cloaked figures surrounded Leo and Santino, "I'm just doing this so you know that we're on the same page. So like I was saying, Iris picking a human over you would be monstrous in your bubbly world. She had the greatest opportunities to get a catch with all those friends she had in California. Yes, it would be easy if she fell in love with a human she's known since grade school. Too easy, again that human part of her anyway. You couldn't let that happen so you take her out of her element. Move her across the country, but yet silly Leopard you bring her here. It's like you placed her in my hands." Nora stated rubbing her hands for emphasis of her last statement.
"Bravo! Bravo, you think that this might be your chance to make a move on her. A shy, lonely girl moving away from her life to live in a town where she knows no one. The perfect scenario for a helpful person to just come and sweep her off her feet. Yet, this is the good part, you weren't that guy. A human guy."
"You don't know anything" Leo sneered.
"Leopard, you're an open book and simply predictable. Don't tell me Iris loves you? She loves the one person that changed her life before she was even born. Everything would have been different if you'd had never intervened. You know she might have not even been born which had been much better. If was enough to have her mother be a half-ling, it would have been better if her offspring was fully vampire, but what is done is done. Now, after all that we are here and just like before I have the upper hand" Nora concluded.
"It might appear like it" Leo stated.
"It is so" Nora assured.
"Santino is it?" Nora directed her attention to him.
"Nora" he said quietly.
"I will ask nicely that you stop trying to read my mind. It's useless to try" she said politely. Leo rolled his eyes at her in frustration.
"What's the rush? I mean after all I know the plan already" Nora challenged.
"You are not getting her."
Nora laughed, "I have a question for you Leopard. What's at the mall? Why sent her there?"
Leo stiffened.
"Come on Leopard, what's at the mall?"
"That does not concern you" Leo sneered.
"Well it does concern Iris oh and the three men I sent to deliver a special message to her" Nora smiled menacingly.
Iris' P.O.V
"Why are we breaking into the Beardstown mall?" I asked alarm, "This is illegal!"
"If it's worth a life, I think we can pass on the being illegal part" Vivian huffed as she turned off the alarm system.
"What are we even doing here?" I questioned, but didn't get a reply as Vivian led me out of the security room into the dark corridors leading into the first floor of the mall. It felt weird without a single noise. Everything seemed to be on mute. It was eerie. Once on the first floor there was minimal light from the emergency lights.
"Ladies, I will guide thy to safety" Brad voiced as he twirled ahead of us leading to a store, Spike Mikes.
"I'm going to get some things. I'll meet you girlies there" he chimed as he evidently had a key to the store.
"Are you feeling weak?" Vivian asked as we kept walking further inside the mall.
"No" I gulped, "I feel concern more than weak."
"Hope it helps to know that you'll soon know why we protect you so much and I hope you'll understand."
"See that's what I don't get… what I'm I suppose to know when I know this entire new world. This world that was ordinary in a matter of days turned into something else…"
"I can tell you this; it was never supposed to be this way. Everything could have been different… a lot happier for everyone." Vivian confessed patting my hand as we turned the corner leading toward the water fountain.
I felt kindness behind her words, behind what she seemed to try to tell me. I smiled a little and kept walking with her.
We stopped in front of Le Livres de Madame Zefka. Vivian took out a key from her pocket and opened the door. "Come on" she said. I stared but didn't question her command.
"You work here, so I think you can help us find an orb" Vivian went on as she walked to the back room.
"An orb?" I whispered taking off the black cloak following her actions into the back room.
"Yes it might be like this big" Vivian brought up her hands to show the size.
"Wha - what color is it?" I stuttered without realizing it at first.
"Black" she said looking through the dozens of boxes.
"I've never seen it" I voiced rubbing my hands over my arms. I felt cold all of a sudden; Vivian seemed unaffected.
"It must be hidden somewhere… but where?" she kept going on as she looked through the whole stack of boxes proceeding to check the ceiling and walls for a hidden door or compartment.
I just stared at her fast paced.
"Don't just stand there help!" she shouted.
"I don't even know what an orb is?"
"It's one of those human things. Human thing, round and black…" she trailed off.
She continued her search through the shelves on the ground. I decided to stay out of her way instead of asking questions. I stood behind the counter looking through a book that was left on the counter.
There was movement in my peripheral vision that took me out of the book.
"I think someone's outside" I voiced.
I peered through the glass when suddenly Brad made an attempt to scare me by appearing in front of the glass.
"Never mind, it's just Brad" I voiced monotonously.
"It's not here" Vivian voiced in frustration.
"The old lady said it would be here… maybe you're not looking hard enough Vivi" Brad said calmly.
"Don't call me Vivi!" Vivian snarled.
"Touché."
Moments later they found a hidden compartment beside the third shelf and were trying to figure out the password. I gazed over the buttons, they were all hieroglyphics.
"What do you think might happen if we press the wrong ones?" Brad voiced quietly.
"We're already dead, what's the worst that can happen?" she answered back. I made a weird sound in the back of my throat.
"Oh right" Vivian glanced at me.
"Right" Brad hummed as he took out his cell phone and dialed away.
"We have bigger problems" Brad mentioned staring at the entrance of the store.
Vivian and I peeked from the corner of the shelf to see three enormous figures pressed up against the glass.
"Any idea how they entered without setting off an alarm?"
"Your guess is as good as mine" Vivian replied.
"Aaah, I had my pedicure done yesterday…" Brad rambled on.
There was cold sweat running down my back, the unusual feeling was resurfacing.
Something rammed into me causing me to fall over in pain.
"Just perfect" I heard Vivian snap.
"Hey, hey this is no dam time to drift to blackness" I heard Vivian's voice far away and a jolt of pain on my face. I was resurfacing to notice that Vivian was bitch slapping me. "Ow ow" I was able to mouth out before she smacked me again. "You'll thank me later" she said as she extended her hand toward me.
"What are they waiting for?"
"I don't know, but I don't think we should wait to find out."
I rubbed my hands on my fired cheeks, "I think… they can't get in."
"Three Shalos not able to get into a store… they don't need permission unlike us."
"No, see there are these markings carved into the door and painted all along the entrance. Zefka told me that it was to protect against certain evils" I informed.
Brad and Vivian looked over the markings, "The problem with these is that it doesn't take long for them to break the spell."
"It's her" I yelled pointing to a woman in white approaching in no hurry at all.
"I think it's time to go now" Vivian rushed as she dragged me toward the back room.
"But, there is no back exit" I protested.
"I guess we're going to have to make one."
Once we turned into the door, the whole front part of the store just crumbled. All the shelves fell over. I heard Brad whisper, "So much for certain evils."
"Not a good time to be joking around" Vivian mouthed back.
"Might as well, I heard it pisses her off" Brad smiled.
I could feel my heart pumping in my chest like it was ready to run a marathon.
I swallowed hard and stared at the woman with now six other people behind her.
"Wow, it's been a long time since I've used my own bits" she smiled.
"Are you wondering the same thing I'm wondering?"
I didn't know who she was directing her question, but by the way Brad stiffened I think she was talking to him.
"Yes, I too would wonder about your friends" she said running her hand through her brown curly hair.
"This whole thing was sort of foolish. Did you guys honestly believe you could beat me? Honestly…"
Vivian was about to say something, but Nora interrupted her, "Don't answer that!"
"So…" Nora cleared her throat, "I've come to negotiate."
"We are not -" Brad was beginning to say before Nora interrupted him as well; "I didn't come to negotiate with you. I came to negotiate with Iris" she said letting my name linger in her mouth. It gave me goosebumps.
"Hey sweet pea" she said to me in the sweetest voice I had ever heard. It caught me off guard.
"You're such a big girl now."
Suddenly Vivian and Brad reacted, "How dare you!"
I didn't get what was going on, but my heart was hammering hard into my ribcage.
"It's been so long since I last saw you" Nora continued to use the sweet voice that called to me. It made me feel warm; I almost wanted to just smile at her.
"Stop!" Vivian said standing in front of Brad and I.
"You have no right!" Vivian yelled before two of Nora's figures took Vivian down. It almost seemed that Vivian didn't even put up a fight.
Nora smiled, "So, Iris I've come to negotiate a trade."
"A trade?" I heard myself whisper.
"I have something that is important to you and I know you'll do anything to have this something be safe because that is what comes with the territory of love after all."
I stared blankly at her. I didn't really process what she just said. I think she knew that she had lost me within her sentence.
"I'll return Miles to you unharmed and all you'll have to do is come with me."
I felt my mind do a three-sixty in my skull. "You - you have Miles?" I squeaked.
"As a matter of fact, he's just outside. Larkin, get the boy" Nora voiced over her shoulder.
"Oh and don't mind the eyes, its just hypnosis so he won't remember anything" she said as I stared at his black eyes. He was empty, a walking corpse. His two ocean color eyes were now two black holes. I felt like crying, there was a piece inside of me that was shaking. I then realized that I was sobbing, my whole body was shaking. I wanted to just hug him and feel him close to me.
"He's not hurt, we've been taking good care of him" Nora voiced as she leaned on his shoulder. "He can't feel a thing" she went on as she trailed her fingers along his neck.
"He could simply be killed and he won't know what hit him" she laughed playfully wrapping herself around his waist. "He's quiet handsome" Nora drawled.
Out of nowhere a rippling snarl left my mouth, "Leave him alone!"
"So, do we have a trade?"
Without thinking it a second I responded, "Yes!"
I could hear Brad sigh behind me, it was the rational thing to do. After all Miles was just an innocent in all this. He didn't need to be involved in the tangled web that had turned out to be my life.
So, that's it. Sorry for the long - long wait on this chapter. I swear if you're not interested in this story I totally understand. I'm not a great quick updater, I'm sorry.
If you're still on with this bumpy ride until 12/31/09 then I hope to hear from you soon. This story will probably have like 30 chapters maybe, I haven't decided but it's pretty close.
Thanks and please don't hestiate to leave me a review saying what a bad updater I am. Trust me, I know I am.
I'd appreciate it if you leave any kind of review so at least I know that someone is reading my story.
I don't know what else to say...
- staticmind