Wolf Spell 1 (13 page)

– Esmerelda –

I stopped at the doorway and scanned Meadow’s room. Trevor and Ree both sat in the corner with their eyes closed as if they meditated, summoning the strength to accomplish the task, I supposed.

Victor sat beside the bed, resting his elbows on the soft mattress, his face buried in his hands. I wondered at what pain he went through, his face contorted in agonizing scrunches.

The curtains were open, filling the room with yellow streaks of the morning sunlight. I could feel a hand on my lower back, leading me further into the room. It comforted me to know Jarak was with me, my personal bodyguard. I let him guide me to where Meadow lay near death. I gave my best try at a smile, seeing that her eyes were open and centered on me.

“I’m so happy.” The weakness in her voice made me cringe. My heart ached over seeing her this way. Black and purple welts covered her face from the accident. Her sunk-in chest rose slowly with jagged effects, showing how labored her breathing was. Tears welled in my eyes. I picked up her hand, keeping my touch and grasp light so I wouldn’t hurt her.

“I’m happy too,” I lied.

I glanced over at Victor. He still sat motionless, as if he prayed. I reached out in my mind for his energy that connected us as he taught me earlier, but it was blocked.

Ree was at my side before I knew she’d moved from her seat in the corner. Her hand rested on my shoulder. “Are you sure you can help her?”

I nodded, biting my lips to keep from screaming, ‘
No!’

Another blur and Trevor stood beside Victor, on the other side of the bed.

The arm around my waist tightened. I turned my head to see Jarak staring at me, concern etched in his eyes.

My heart raced as the anticipation rose, and it felt as if it sucked all the oxygen from the bedroom. “I’ll be fine,” I whispered. Another lie.

Somewhere in my mind, I looked for how Meadow turning into a vampire was justifiable. Where’s the justice in that? My soul churned. I was sick over how she thought that she needed to choose this.

Somewhere I could feel Victor’s presence inside my mind.
It is time
, he said, without actually speaking at all, creeping me out.

Trevor leaned over my mom, whispering next to her cheek. “Alma Bella, recordarán este dolor no más.” He rose up and with his lips grazing her skin, placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Beautiful soul, you will remember this pain no more.” Jarak’s hot breath whispered the translation into my ear.

I was so far past being strong. Those words broke the well that housed all my tears. Jarak pulled me to him. His strong arms encircled around me. I was grateful he held me because my legs were weak and I had a hard time keeping myself up. Streams of hot tears flowed from my eyes as I buried my face in his shoulder.

The sound of a scream made me turn around. Ree held Meadow’s wrist to her mouth, devouring her blood. The coppery smell filled the room and I covered my mouth to still my own cries of protest. I couldn’t see Trevor’s face. He buried it in the crook of her neck. A trickle of red streamed down her collarbone.

Ree growled, and her eyes furrowed as she sucked. She lifted her mouth and pushed herself away—fast, hitting the wall by the door in her haste to get away. Her chin dripped with the crimson liquid. I spun back to the safety of Jarak’s supporting arms and squeezed my eyes shut, burying my face deeper into his chest.

A slight moan came from the bed. I braced myself against Jarak, grasping his shirt in my fists and looked. Trevor pulled back from Meadow’s neck with his jaw clenched. He used the back of his hand to wipe away the blood, but it only smeared across his face. He held on to the edge of the bed, clutching it with white knuckles. “Su sangre es ferte.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Lo que nos convoca,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

I shook my head, pleading with Trevor for an explanation. “I don’t understand.”

My grip tightened, and I looked up at Jarak. “Please, I don’t understand.” Panic filled me. Did something go wrong?

Jarak moved his eyes away from me. “Her blood is so strong that it’s calling to them. They’re having a hard time finishing the job without killing her.”

“No!” I tried to move out of his hold. I looked at Ree. She doubled over with her arms wrapped around her middle and heaved with deep breathes.

“Every ounce of blood—that we take—we must replace with our venom.” Ree coughed and gasped in between her words as she worked to slow her breathing.

I looked around to everyone. “I don’t understand. I thought you just had to bite her.”

Ree stood up straight and ambled toward the bed once again. “We have to bite and draw blood. Then find a clean opening and without sucking any, release our venom into her blood stream.”

Lights went off in my head. I understood what the problem was. They already had a hard time leaving the first bite without sucking her dry. How would they bite and taste her blood without sucking any at all, as they released their venom.

Trevor nodded and stared at Ree with his eyes softening. “Creamos solo suficiente veneno para cada onza de sangre que tomamos.”

“What does that mean?” I grasped Jarak’s shirt tighter.

Ree panted, “I’m having a hard time and I’m not sure I can do this. He reminded me that we can only create enough venom for each ounce of blood we take. In other words, he can’t help her without me. I’ve already taken her blood, and it needs to be replaced.” She licked her lips, some of the blood already drying in the cracks.

I gulped. Meadow wouldn’t make it after all. Instead, I might as well have signed the death certificate myself, agreeing to watch her ending. I gagged on the bile rising in my throat.

Red tears flowed from Ree’s copper eyes. “I promise I’ll do my best.”

Victor raised his head for a short moment. His eyes narrowed in on Ree. “You better.” He stared for another second before lowering his head back to his hands and concentrated again.

Ree fidgeted with her hands and nodded, inching her way closer to the bed.

Trevor held Meadow’s arm, raising it to his mouth, letting his fangs hover above her skin before clamping down. His eyes squeezed shut. Pain etched his face as he held his end of the promise, pushing his venom into her body. He laid her arm back down then left the room, moving so quick that he was nothing more than a blur.

I watched as Ree’s eyes widened. The new bite wound drizzled fresh blood onto the bedspread. She gulped and leaned over, grasping Meadow’s bare shoulder and clamping her mouth down on her neck.

Ree, cried out against the skin, her hands dug into Meadow’s shoulder deep enough to draw more blood. She jerked back, trying to pry herself away. Then, she vanished from the room as fast as Trevor had.

My mouth dropped open. “Is Ree okay?” Victor continued to hold my mom’s hand with his eyes squeezed shut. I knew he concentrated on helping her through the turning. It was soon going to be my turn to help.

Jarak nodded his head. “Until she turns, they will probably stay hidden. Meadow’s blood is exceptionally strong.”

“What do you mean her blood is strong? Somebody tell me what’s going on!”

Jarak squeezed me tighter. “Witches and Warlocks are like the sweetest candy to a vampire. You carry all the perfect ingredients for the most delectable dinner. Vampires are the ones to create crossbreeds, not witches. Because of the difficulties, I can't think of another witch who turned successfully into a crossbreed. Either way, magical blood is worth killing over.”

I wrapped my hands around my neck to cover it.

“Don’t worry Es, they won’t hurt you. In fact, you can do more damage to them than they can to you.” He smiled down at me.

“Esmerelda, she needs your help.” Victor sounded strained. I turned to see him cringing.

I nodded and dropped to the floor on my knees. I grasped her hand, closing my eyes. There was a tug stronger than what I’d experienced when practicing with Victor. I knew at once this was her. She called out to me. She needed me.

I let my energy flow through that connection, following it to her pain. Intense fiery throbbing threatened to engulf every inch of my body as my mind traipsed closer to the venom. I cried out as I held my place, allowing the searing pain to attach to me—absorbing it into my inner core. I could feel empty spots—the gaps that the venom missed in her DNA. I pushed out as I did earlier, trying to fill them with whatever energy that seemed to fit like a puzzle.

I could feel Jarak drop to his knees with me, wrapping his arms around me, giving me his strength. “Breathe, Es, just breathe.”

Somewhere I heard Jarak’s voice deep in my mind, calling to me. I wanted nothing more than to leave this pain and find his calm voice. Blackness consumed me, surrounding me. I welcomed the black void because I couldn’t feel the pain in the darkness.

“
Don’t give in to it Esmerelda
.” Victor’s voice demanded from somewhere beyond the void.

I couldn’t hold on any longer, but I couldn’t leave either. The blackness sucked me in until I was useless, even against my own body. My hope was that by still being there, I was still helping Meadow before I died myself.

A cool feeling overwhelmed me after being in the inferno. I no longer felt like myself, as if my body detached from reality. Somehow, I knew that was bad, something went wrong.

Blood Red Tears

– Esmerelda –

A light fog surrounded me. I walked through it, looking for something, but I couldn’t remember what it was. Wisps of grey and white smoke drifted away, and I walked through the middle of it.

I stopped to listen, hoping for a clue as to why I was here. Garbled voices floated around me, making it hard to hear anything legible.

My shoulders slumped. Where was I? I tried to remember, but nothing came to my mind. Everything was gone.

“Esmerelda, I knew I’d find you here. I could feel your spirit calling out.”
I spun around looking for the familiar voice. My heart raced.

A dark figure emerged from the fog. I gasped as I ran and embraced him.
“Dad.”

Was this real? I knew he wasn’t my biological dad, but I didn’t care. I was so happy to see him. I hugged him tight, not wanting to let him go.

“Yes and no to answer your question. Yes, this is real. It’s a witch’s torment to be here. You’ve pushed yourself too far. What would make you push yourself over the edge?”
He held his hands out and grabbed my shoulders. He still wore the black suit from Meadow’s funeral.
“I don’t have a lot of time... I can already feel the pull taking me away… I have to tell you something, but I can’t. It can only mean she’s still alive. I did it for you. Just remember that.”

As quickly as he came to me, he disappeared, dematerializing into the fog that surrounded me. I squeezed my eyes closed. I wasn’t truly here; this was all in my head. This is what Victor told me would happen if I didn’t back off when I reached my limit. Bry was just a vision in my mind, brought on from the pain.

I gritted my teeth. I was strong enough. The pain wouldn’t push me over again.

I cried out, hoping Meadow would hear me through an inward connection. “
I’m here, I won’t leave again. I promise.
”

“
Esmerelda! Help
.
You’re so much stronger than me…
” Her voice sounded grave, her strength was all but gone. I knew no one else heard her, only me.

“
Victor, she needs strength, or she won’t make it
.” The brush of his inward energy shot past me, faster than even Ree could move. It went straight into the fiery wall of pain.

“
Yes Esmerelda, use your powers.”
I could hear Victor in my head.

My breathing labored, and my mind burned with pain.

I no longer needed my eyes closed. It was as if I could feel what I needed to do. I fanned my hands out, revealing my palms, facing them toward Meadow. I wasn’t sure if what I was doing was right, but I needed to try something and this felt right. Second nature. Isn’t that what Victor said it would be? I concentrated and sensed a stirring inside my soul. My hands glowed like they did before, and before I knew what happened, streaks of energy, or what I guessed was energy, shot from my hands. Blue and green flashes mixed, and singed the gaping holes of her newly formed tissues together. I relaxed, my shoulders slumping. My job was finished.