Melabeth Forgive Me, For I Am Sin! (10 page)

Alice piped in with a pleasant voice, “I don’t need to do homework; I brought you. So try your hardest to make yourself useful dear.”

Michael gave a dark chuckle, “Yes, I wouldn’t want to be useless. Well there is a dining hall that is in the middle of being refurbished. The ship is just over half full, they have enough room in the main dining hall. The secondary dining hall is located towards the stern of the ship. It happens to be surrounded by empty cabins.”

“Well, let's go see how the remodeling is going,” I said with excitement. I couldn’t wait until we caught up with Alex. Alice and Michael should be able to take care of the vampire, and I’ll take care of Alex.

Alice stopped suddenly, and I almost ran into her. She turned, then faced me, “What’s going on dear?”

I answered like I had no idea what she could be talking about, “What do you mean?”

Alice scrutinized me for a second, she now knew me through my blood. She let it go, “My mistake, I thought you might be up to something. Here’s the plan; Michael and I will search the rooms. Melabeth, you go check out the dining hall. Don’t go in; just make sure no one goes out. I am positive the Wizard will setup in there. Michael and I need to flush out the vampire first… everyone ready to go play?”

I answered quickly, “Ready.”

Michael’s answer was hesitant, “Ready… after you Alice.”

Alice and Michael left me in front of a set of double doors as they headed down the hall together. I watched them as they rounded the first corner. I looked at the doors with a paper sign hanging on them that said this area was closed for future improvements. I had no intention on waiting for those two to get back; this Wizard was mine.

I opened one of the doors and went in quietly. The room was large and dark. There were rows of chairs stacked up in one corner of the room. Next to that, they had metal carts full of round tables that were stacked up like a deck of cards. On the other side of the room they had built scaffolding against the wall. The carpet had been ripped up in one corner there was a pile of old carpet. I walked slowly into the room using my second sight.

The boy vampire called Peter came causally out from behind a stack of chairs. He walked up to me, slowly, silently with a lazy look on his face. Now that he wasn’t standing next to Alex, I looked at him for the first time. He was young looking with brown hair. His hair was short and neat; he was taller than I remembered. He stood at least six foot
, but was built like a runner. All in all I would have called him good looking.

He reached behind him; I prepared myself for battle
. He noticed me reading myself, and thin smile crossed his face. His hand slowly came out, and, in it, was a book. The book wasn’t very big, six by nine. It was a hardback and looked very old. An old metal clasp held the book shut, and the clasp looked as if might need a key.

He spoke very pleasantly to me, “I have what you want. Here it is; all you have to do is take it. It appe
ars that we both have choices. You have made yours, but what about me. Should I fight for this old book or just give it to you? What should I do?”

Wow, this guy is something, I about laughed when I answered him. “What, stalling for time? You don’t look as if you’re thinking about it.”

He smiled, but it was false. He spoke like a car salesmen, “Well I can see you mean to get down to business. And you’re right; by now I should know what I mean to do. And I have decided… to give you the book.”

With his outstretched hand, he held out the book for me. All I had to do was take four steps forward and grab it. I was still using my second sight, and, so far, it was just me and him, but there was no book in his hand. I didn’t care to play games
with this man, “That’s nice, but save it. I don’t want the book, where is the Wizard?”

The smile fell from his
lips, and he looked at me with wonder in his eyes. He spoke again, but this time he spoke seriously without the game, “Why do you seek the Wizard?”

His question was straightforward, and I felt obliged to answer him. “Well, it’s kind of a long story. I will give you the short version… he raped and killed me, and now I want revenge. And I was told he knows how to get back to Kansas.”

His eyes widened a bit; he spoke with a careful tone. “Oh, I see. Well, I had no idea. That really was the short version. I’m sure there is more to it, but first I would like to ask you something.”

“What?” I spit it out. I was in a hurry.

“The girl vampire on deck, where is she?” His eyes narrowed as he finished his question.

It’s impossible to lie to some vampires, and, knowing my luck, this would be one of them. I was in a hurry so I hoped they’re right when they say that the truth will set you free.
I needed to get a move on. Fighting with this guy would only delay things even longer. With a cold voice I answered, “Fish food.”

His face was full of rage. He was almost screaming when he spoke, “Why?… why would you do that? How could you do that? You were no match for her. I was a fool; I should have stayed.” He calmed down as he spoke as his anger turned to remorse. “She was my dearest friend for over two hundred years, and in a blink of an eye, some nobody kills her.”

Well, so much for not fighting him, but, after calling me a nobody, he needed to die. He dropped the book on the ground, and it disappeared. I was still looking at his eyes when my second sight noticed movement. He was using his mind powers; he had flashed to the right of me. He was working his way around behind me. I pretended that I still thought he was standing in front of me. At the same time, my right hand was playing with my dress. In truth, it was loosening the strap that held my pistol.

He flashed up behind me, but I saw him coming. I dropped to the floor and rolled away. I came up on my feet with my gun pointing at him. If he thought he was surprised by that, he would really be surprised by my ammunition. It was special bullets that burst into flames when they hit something, a gift from one of Alice’s friends.

I fired, but this time I was in for the shock. He flashed and moved like nothing I have ever seen before. By the time the slide locked open on the thirteenth round, he was still standing in front of me with a smile on his face. The bullets did burst into flames, but harmlessly against the far wall where they burned for a minute before going out.

He laughed, and then held one hand forward; his hand
in a fist. He opened his hand, and there inside was one of my bullets. He tossed it behind him where it smacked against the wall making another small fire.

With mocking tones he spoke, “I am Peter the Lionheart. I have walked this world for over eight hundred years. Know this, girl; you have brought a smile to my face. Now prepare to die.”

I threw the gun at him; he moved his head with ease as it flew by harmlessly. With no fear in my voice, I said, “We’ll see about that, Lionheart, let’s see what you’re made of.”

The next ten minutes I got to see what Peter was made of, and he was made of badass
. He was faster, and stronger. If that would have been it, I could have beaten him, but it wasn’t. He was a better fighter; even with my second sight, I couldn’t out fight this guy. He could have shown Ezra some moves. He cut me and broke bones in every move, lucky for me I healed quickly.

I had been attempting to kick him when he grabbed my leg and tossed me into the wall. On contact with the wall I heard and felt my collarbone snap. I landed on my feet and shook it off, then pulled my shoulder straight
. It started to heal right away. Peter was not following up on his attack, lucky for me.

Instead he watched me with curious eyes. This gave me time for my shoulder to heal, but I wasn’t sure what good that did me. The time fighting this guy gave Alex more time to get away, and, of course, it gave more time for me to get killed.

He spoke with a commanding voice, “What matter of vampire are you?”

I was a little taken aback by his question, “What do you mean? I am just a vampire.”

At this he laughed, “You don’t believe that; I can hear it in your voice. You fight with a second sight, and you heal fast, even for a vampire.”

I hadn’t noticed that I had healed any faster than normal vampires, but then again I had never really paid attention. What he said made me ask a question without thinking about it, “I thought vampires healed faster the more powerful they were. And what do you know about my second sight?”

It was probably best if I kept him talking, I would need Alice and Michael to bail me out of this one. Lucky for me, I was intriguing him. Peter answered, mildly amused, “I am stronger than you, but I would be lucky to heal that fast. I don’t know anything about your second sight, girl, but I know you have one. You fight with your eyes closed, and none of my illusions work. You react from attacks from behind you as if you had eyes in the back of your head. I can now tell how you killed my friend on deck. I can also tell that you’re young, too young for all the power which you possess. Who is your master, girl?”

I answered trying not to sound too bitchy, “First, my name is not girl; it is Melabeth. Second, I have no master that I
can remember. I woke alone, in the state that I am in.”

He considered my words, “It will be a shame to kill you.”

I laughed nervously, “It will be a shame to die.”

He looked as if he were about to attack, then something caught his eye. The walls were bleeding; blood poured down the walls and puddles formed on the floor. The light became darker and more menacing.

The room filled with a dark smoke, Peter spun around looking for the source. “What magic is this? Come out little Wizard and meet Peter the Lionheart.”

People started to come out of the smoke filled room. They were dressed in very old clothes and some of them looked to be knights. I recognized some of their outfits from pictures in books I had read; they were Templar Knights from the Crusades. They were thin and looked starved, nothing but skin and bones.

Peter yelled out in rage and anger, “What is this black magic? Why do you show me these things?  Oh Lord, show thy mercy.”

Peter grabbed his head and fell to his knees in self inflicted pain. I had known as soon as it all started this was nothing but one of Alice’s illusions. I had no idea how powerful she was until this very moment as she spit out nightmares of this man’s past.

With my second sight I flashed over to where I knew Alice was. I spoke my gratitude for saving me, “Thank you…”

Alice didn’t let me finish. “You’re a bad girl. I had hoped to help you with this Wizard, but now I must deal with him myself.”

I felt bad, “What now?”

Alice lifted the brim of her hat so she could look up at me. With her childlike voice she asked, “Are you dense? Go get the book… and Melabeth, be careful. This Wizard has had a lot of time to prepare. He’ll be ready for you; Michael’s waiting... hurry.”

As I headed for the door I could see Peter standing. There was rage on his face as he screamed, “I know you’re in here; I will kill you for THIS.”

He may have been blind, but I would have been blind to think he was not dangerous. As I shut the door, I saw Michael standing at the end of the hall waiting for me. His face said it all, disapproving; I had not followed Alice’s instructions. As I flashed over to join him, I couldn’t help but think, I hope my actions, my need for revenge doesn’t get Alice hurt or killed.

Michael’s voice was tight, “Later you will need to explain to me why you can’t follow directions.”

I snapped back, “I don’t need to explain shit to you. Let’s get a move on before this Wizard escapes.”

Michael growled, “After you, your highness.”

I was moving through the corridors with Michael right behind me. I stopped at every door and listened. My hearing was good eno
ugh to hear a man breathing, but no one was supposed to be in these cabins. I came to a T-section, and came to a halt; it was so sudden that Michael almost ran into me. The hallway to the T-section was a bridge between the rooms and two different staircases. The door to one of the staircases now lay behind me, and the other staircase was down the hall, between me and a surprised Wizard. He had been heading towards us until I had stepped out in front of him.

He didn’t pause for a second; he cast some kind of spell; not waiting to see what it was, I flashed forward.

I came to a halt ten feet away as my body was pulled to a sudden stop. I knew then that the Wizard had cast a protection spell from spirits. It was the same spell that the spell casters used to protect their homes. It was also where the legend of vampires needing to be invited in came from. If the house had this protection on it, we could not come in unless someone invited us. It would keep out or keep in the dead, and now Alex was using it to keep us out.

Michael was quick. H
e had flashed down halls and popped up behind Alex and in front of the door that led to the other set of staircases. Alex may have protected himself from my attack, but he also allowed us to trap him in the hall.

A slow wicked smile spread across Alex’s face. He spoke with contempt, “You are not ready to face me little one. Who is your master?”

I bared my teeth, and snarled out, “You will die.”

Michael spoke with an even voice, “You don’t have to die. Give us the book, and you can go free.”