《Chosen (The Vampire Legends #4)》


 Page 1

    Chapter 1


    Rachel looked down at her green, scaly mermaid tail and her long, flowing red hair, and for a second, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she looked like a mermaid. Holding her hand as she swam under the sea was Benji. She looked down at his legs, which were no longer legs, but a green, scaly tail as well, and the water flowing through his beautiful mane of hair made it look irresistible as he gazed into her eyes. The warm water reminded her of the tropics. She could feel the sun beating down on her through the crystal blue water as she gazed back into Benji¡¯s eyes.


    He leaned in and kissed her, passionately, as if it were their first kiss. She felt tingley through her tail and hands and she could feel the little hairs on her arms stand up. As they kissed, Rachel could feel something being slipped into her hands. It was cold and metal with sharp edges.


    She looked down to see Benji had handed her a shiny, gold key.


    She looked at him, confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Gold Key, let¡¯s use it,¡± Benji said.


    ¡°Where? How?¡± Rachel asked, looking around the sea floor as if a treasure chest would magically appear.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Rach, you¡¯ve done this before, don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    ¡°Um, I think you¡¯re mistaken, I¡¯ve never seen this key before in my life!¡± Rachel assured him.


    ¡°This key is to the Golden Chest. You remember, the one that came out of the old ship.¡±


    Rachel stopped and thought for a moment and then a smile came across her face. Suddenly, she remembered it. Benji had found the key they¡¯d been looking for for ages. The key held the answers to what lie inside the ancient Golden Chest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Rachel said in excitement, as she grabbed Benji¡¯s hand and started swimming up towards the rays of the sun. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time!¡± Rachel said, swimming faster.


    ¡°I know, we have to move quickly!¡±


    The two swam quickly up towards the shore, passing other schools of fish, swimming around them. As they reached the top of the water, Rachel leaned in and kissed Benji one more time.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Benji said, in between kisses.


    ¡°I love you, more,¡± Rachel said back, smiling. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll never leave me?¡±


    ¡°I promise!¡± Benji said.


    ¡°Say it again,¡± Rachel begged.


    ¡°I promise! We will be together forever. Now, let¡¯s go find that treasure,¡± Benji said with excitement.


    ¡°OK!¡± Rachel said.


    As they emerged from the water, their mermaid bodies quickly turned back into human bodies, with legs and feet. They no longer had their tails and now they could breath oxygen. As if this were completely normal, it didn¡¯t faze either of them as they skipped together towards the Golden Chest.


    The sun quickly went behind the clouds and the sky grew dark¡ªdarker than Rachel had ever seen before. It was almost black, like midnight on Halloween. There was a bright orange streak where the sun had gone behind the clouds that cast an ominous shadow over the land. Rachel became scared and slunk into Benji¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rachel. We will be OK, we just have to get to the chest,¡± Benji assured her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared. What¡¯s happening?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time for questions. Hurry!¡± Benji pleaded. ¡°There¡¯s the chest, I see it, over there!¡± He pointed towards the rocks next to the ocean.


    The two ran quickly towards the rocks where the Golden Chest lay on its side. As they approached it, the two looked around to see if anyone was there or if anyone was watching them. They knew they had to move quickly so they didn¡¯t get caught.


    ¡°Hurry, get the key out!¡± Benji said to Rachel.


    Rachel fumbled around and reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out the shiny golden key. Her hands were shaking as she lifted it towards the key hole.


    ¡°I hope this works!¡± Rachel said.


    As she put the shiny key into the hole, a loud crash of thunder boomed above her, making her jump backwards.


    ¡°Try again!¡± Benji yelled. ¡°C¡¯mon, Rachel!¡±


    She quickly got back onto her feet and put the key back into the hole. She turned the key to the right, and a beam of light came out of the cracks of the chest. As she and Benji worked together to pry the lid off a huge wave came and crashed over them, getting them soaking wet. The waves kept coming, faster and faster, and Rachel felt drenched.


    Rachel woke with a start, and felt as if she were falling from a high cliff. She sat up, out of breath, looking around her as if it had all really just happened. She touched her legs to see if they were real or if she still had a tail. She couldn¡¯t remember how she¡¯d gotten to this place as she looked around to find herself washed up in a dark, damp cave. Panicked, she looked around for Benji. She couldn¡¯t find him anywhere, but heard someone breathing loudly around the bend.


    She leapt to her feet and peered around the bend of the eerie cave she¡¯d woken up in.


    ¡°Benji!¡± she cried, her voice echoing. ¡°Are you here?¡±


    Silence filled the air. The breathing she¡¯d heard just moments before grew louder and louder, as if following her. She started to whimper and tear up thinking that she may be alone in this cave with nobody to protect her.


    ¡°Benji, please! I need you!¡± Rachel cried.


    Rachel looked around to see stalagmites and stalagtites surrounding the ceiling and floor of the cave. She had to dodge them in the tight areas. Then, suddenly, she saw him, lying on the floor with blood coming out of his neck.


    Benji.


    She ran over towards him, slinking her body down next to his and lying across his body hysterically crying.


    ¡°No! Benji! No!¡±


    Chapter 2


    Rachel could see Benji¡¯s chest rising and falling. He was alive, but in great danger. The wound on his neck was still bleeding, dripping into a large puddle on the floor that looked as though it had been dripping for quite some time. She stood back cautiously, not wanting to hurt him, not wanting to cause any more damage to his body. What she really wanted to do was pick him up and hold him, kiss him and tell him everything would be OK¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t know if it would be OK. From the sight of Benji, she knew he was in trouble.


    ¡°Benji,¡± she whispered, hoping for a response.


    His quick breaths filled the air as she watched the blood continue to ooze from his neck.


    ¡°Benji, are you OK? Please tell me you¡¯re OK, PLEASE!¡± Rachel pleaded quietly, almost in tears.


    Nothing.


    Rachel got closer to his body, reached out and touched his ice cold hand, which sent a shiver down her spine. For a moment she¡¯d forgotten they were vampires. She tried to remember.


    She remembers clutching the Blue Tablet. Holding Benij¡¯s hand and jumping. Plunging to what she was sure would be her death. But, here she was, alive, breathing, trying to figure out how they got into this cave. Had the jump killed him?


    She looked down at her wrist, hoping her watch was still on, and it was. The time said 11:05am and the date was September 15th.


    ¡°September 15th?¡± she asked out loud.


    How could it be September? she thought to herself. The last thing she remembered was the Halloween Ball and it being almost Thanksgiving. She thought something must have gone wrong with her watch, maybe the battery was low or maybe it was broken. She grabbed Benji¡¯s arm and looked down at his watch in disbelief.


    September 15th. How could this be? Had they really been in this cave for almost a year?


    Then, out of nowhere, Benji started coughing and spitting up water.


    ¡°Benji! Are you ok? Answer me!¡± Rachel cried.


    Gurgling noises came from his throat as one of his eye lids opened and Rachel caught a glimpse of the whites of his eyes and his pupils rolling back in his head.


    ¡°Benji, please, don¡¯t die, you can¡¯t leave me!¡± Rachel begged. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Rachel looked at Benji¡¯s lips, which appeared to be mouthing something to her. She couldn¡¯t quite make it out. She listened carefully and heard a slight whisper.


    ¡°The Red Amulet,¡± Benji whispered softly, his eyes still not focusing.


    ¡°Red Amulet?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Then without another word, Benji¡¯s body slunk back into a state of unconsciousness and his body lay limp on the cave floor. She took another look at Benji and realized she needed to find help fast. She tried to pick him up¡ªbut he was too heavy. She couldn¡¯t lift him. She realized the only way was for her to leave him and go get help. She hated the idea of leaving him here alone¡ªbut she had no choice.


    Rachel walked quickly through the cave, trying to find a way out. It was dark and damp, and the screeching of bats echoed off the wall. She thought for a moment that she was still dreaming, or in some sort of horror movie.


    Terrified of being alone, she began to breathe quickly, and her heart started racing. She had to get out of there¡ªand fast. She ran towards a ray of light she saw towards the far back of the cave, but when she came upon it, realized it was only a small hole leading to the outside. She couldn¡¯t possibly fit through it.


    She walked towards the other end but found nothing but darkness and stalagmites. She walked to another end and luckily she saw a narrow passageway, just big enough for her to squeeze her way through.


    Sucking in her gut and barely breathing, she pushed her way though the small opening and followed the smell of fresh air and the warm rays of sun that were hitting her on the face. Thankfully, she¡¯d applied Hex Lotion in anticipation of getting out of the cave alive and so she wasn¡¯t worried about getting burnt or killed.


    With only the Red Amulet on her mind, Rachel knew she had to figure out what the Red Amulet was and where to find it. She knew Benji was in great danger, and perhaps this Red Amulet was the only thing that could save him now. She felt like a lost puppy and didn¡¯t know where to begin. She needed Benji now more than ever and he was unable to wake up or help her. She¡¯d wished he could have finished telling her about the Red Amulet before he fell back into his state of unconsciousness, but he didn¡¯t. Now it was up to her to put all the pieces together. It was up to her to make it right and save his life. After all, he¡¯d do anything for her. Now it was her turn to prove her love to him.

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    Rachel leapt into the air, felt her wings spread, felt the cool wind hit her in the face and knew, that no matter what she had to do, she would find it.


    Chapter 3


    Rob sprinted down the football field, holding the ball and charging for the endzone. He couldn¡¯t believe his speed and agility¡ªhe was faster than ever. He felt like a cheetah running through the African desert. He was unstoppable and nobody could keep up with him. He clutched the ball tightly in his hands as the croud cheered him on.


    ¡°Rob! Rob! Rob!¡± the kids yelled from the bleechers.


    Then, charging the last yard and into the end zone, Rob scored a touchdown. His tenth touchdown of the game. It was unheard of¡ªeven Rob couldn¡¯t believe his streak this game. He knew something was up, he didn¡¯t feel quite like himself tonight, and knew his powers were coming back.


    It had been almost a year since the incident with Violet, when he first felt his body changing and his powers strengthening; but then, all of a sudden, they disappeared. They went almost as quickly as they came, and now he was beginning to feel the powers come back in full force, even stronger than before, but he didn¡¯t know why.


    Why now? he thought to himself.


    ¡°Nice one, Rob!¡± a teammate said, slapping him on the back.


    ¡°Word!¡± another teammate said, high fiving him.


    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s gotten into you? You¡¯re da bomb,¡± another teammate said, chest-butting him.


    ¡°Rob, nice work! Now that¡¯s what I call an amazing game,¡± the coach yelled as he came barreling onto the field to congratulate Rob on winning the game.


    The cheerleaders danced onto the field, all running up to Rob and hugging and kissing him. He¡¯d never felt more loved or prized as he did at that moment. He felt like he was on top of the world, yet he knew it wasn¡¯t him. He knew there was someone or something behind this sudden surge of power.


    The team walked off the field together, smiling and high fiving each other on their way to the locker room. The crowd in the bleachers was still chanting his name and many of the kids were coming up to Rob in amazement, congratulating him on his win for the school.


    As he entered the locker room, Rob¡¯s head suddenly began to hurt; it felt as if someone were inside his brain, banging on the walls of his skull. It hurt so badly, he had to stop and sit down for a minute with his head in between his hands. Then, a hunger came raging through his body and he became ravenous. All he wanted to do was eat. He was craving blood, something he hadn¡¯t thought of in months. Now, suddenly, it was emerging from out of nowhere. He knew he had to let it subside; there were way too many people here and he knew he¡¯d get caught if he killed an animal and sucked its blood. But Rob wasn¡¯t craving an animal per se¡ªwhat he really wanted was human blood.


    Each person that came up to him was tempting to him. His eyes rolled back in his head, the hairs on his arms stood up and his body began to get goosebumps all over. He started shaking. He couldn¡¯t resist the sight and smell of all of these people. He ran to the end of the locker room, where his teammates were already in the shower and getting dressed to go out that night.


    Rob had been looking forward to the big post-game bash at his friends¡¯ house and hoped that this hunger and surge of power would subside and he would feel like his old self again. He didn¡¯t like these feelings; despite his strength and power, he felt helpless and out of control.


    One by one, his teammates passed him, by saying they¡¯d see him later at the party as they left the locker room. Within fifteen minutes, Rob was the only person left in the locker room, sitting on a bench with his head in between his hands. He prayed that this would all go away, that it wasn¡¯t returning for good this time.


    He lifted his head, stood up and opened his locker door. Inside the grey metal door was a picture of Rachel, still hanging from last season. He didn¡¯t have the heart to take it down; he still loved her and missed her. He thought about her every day, even though he¡¯d started seeing Becca, a senior in his class. He knew he¡¯d never see Rachel again and figured she¡¯d been killed, since nobody had seen her in almost a year.


    ¡°Rob!¡± Becca¡¯s voice called out through the door of the locker room. ¡°Rob, are you in there?¡±


    He rolled his eyes. He didn¡¯t want to answer but knew if he didn¡¯t she¡¯d come in and find him anyway.


    ¡°Yeah, be out in a minute,¡± Rob answered solemnly.


    ¡°Honey! You¡¯re taking so long. What¡¯s going on?¡± Becca yelled in again, in a high-pitched, snotty tone.


    Rob didn¡¯t answer; he figured if he was silent, she would just go away. He didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with her right now. He liked her and everything, but she was pretty high maintenance, and he wasn¡¯t in the mood for her antics at that moment.


    ¡°Robby bear! I know you¡¯re in there,¡± Becca called as her voice got closer and closer.


    ¡°There you are silly! I knew you were in here,¡± Becca said, leaping towards Rob to give him a kiss.


    ¡°Not now, Becca. I¡¯m not in the mood,¡± Rob said, still peering into his locker.


    ¡°Not her again,¡± Becca said, looking at the picture of Rachel in his locker. ¡°Why do you have her picture in your locker, Rob? Huh?¡±


    Not having a good answer, Rob shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°You need to get over that loser anyway, you have me now,¡± Becca said as she walked over and attempted to rip the picture down.


    ¡°Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Don¡¯t touch my stuff!¡± Rob yelled. ¡°Leave that picture where it is, it¡¯s not up to you to take it down.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know why you still have it up and why there isn¡¯t a picture of me hanging in your locker. What? Do I mean nothing to you? Do you not care about me as much as you cared about her? She¡¯s gone now, don¡¯t you realize Rob? She¡¯s never coming back,¡± Becca said in a snarky tone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that for sure, so stop saying that. She might come back, have faith,¡± Rob snapped back.


    ¡°Anyway, this is stupid. Let¡¯s get to the party! What are you going to wear?¡± Becca said, glancing down at his duffle bag full of wrinkled clothes. ¡°Hopefully nothing in that nasty bag of yours.¡±


    ¡°What is your deal Becca? Can¡¯t you just let me be? I¡¯ll wear whatever I want, and I don¡¯t need you hovering over me to make a decision. I can do it on my own,¡± Rob answered.


    ¡°Geeze, you¡¯re in a mood tonight Mr. Moody Pants,¡± Becca said in a sing-song voice.


    Rob couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He had to get her out of his sight.


    ¡°Becca, please leave now, I¡¯ll meet up with you later,¡± Rob said anxiously, his body begin to tremble and shake again due to hunger.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll wait here for you. I don¡¯t want to leave Mr. Moody all alone now do I?¡± she said again.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now and if you don¡¯t stop calling me that I¡¯m going to get really upset, Becca,¡± Rob said angrily. ¡°Go!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moody Pants, Mr. Moody Pants,¡± Becca called out in a chant.


    Suddenly Rob couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He launched at Becca as she fell to the floor, screaming in horror. ¡°What are you doing, Rob? Get off of me!¡± she yelled.


    ¡°You asked for it,¡± Rob said, as his large fangs emerged from inside of his gums.


    ¡°AHHH!!!¡± Becca screamed. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Who are you? Stop! Please!¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°I warned you. I tried to be nice, but there¡¯s only so much I can take,¡± Rob said as he leaned down towards her neck.


    ¡°Noooooo!!!!¡± Becca screamed. ¡°Noooooo!!!!!!!!!¡±


    It was the last words she uttered before Rob sank his fangs deep into her neck, sucking the blood out of her body and feeding a nice long feed on the blood of his girlfriend.


    Chapter 4


    Rob couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He had to find Rachel. He couldn¡¯t stand his life without her and had to find her. He loved her desperately and wanted to be with her. He also knew she held all the answers to why he was feeling this way, and why he was turned. He couldn¡¯t explain his desire or passion for finding her, but knew he had to follow his gut, his true animal instinct to be with her.


    He didn¡¯t linger in the locker room; he ran right out, without covering up the mess he¡¯d just made. Becca lay on the floor, blood dripping from her neck, convulsing as he slammed his locker door shut and ran out, without looking back. He figured it didn¡¯t matter anyway, because nobody would suspect anything, especially not from him.


    Rob knew the only way to find Rachel would be to ask her family. The only problem with that though, was that he¡¯d tried many times to go to her house, knocking on her door, but nobody answered. He couldn¡¯t understand why they were never home. He figured maybe they weren¡¯t up for company and were still mourning her loss, but he didn¡¯t know for sure.


    Lucky for Rob, he heard through his friends that Rachel¡¯s younger brother, Marc, would be at the party that night. Despite feeling tired and hungry, he knew he had to go to the party. He knew he had to find Marc and get to the bottom of this mystery. If anybody would know where to find Rachel it would be her own sibling, so off he went in his blue Audi to the party.


    As he arrived at the row of townhouses in the outskirts of town, he saw throngs of his peers going up the steep stoop and into the front door. He waited out front, with his car engine and his headlights off, sitting in the dark, watching, waiting for Marc to appear. After fifteen minutes, he figured he¡¯d better go inside and find him. Maybe he¡¯d gotten their earlier and was already inside.


    Rob entered the party and swarms of people surrounded him, cheering him on and congratulating him on his game. One after the next came up to him offering him a shot of vodka, tequila or a can of beer. Rob took a few shots, cheered himself on with his friends and then, once the excitement died down and he¡¯d greeted everyone, he went looking for Marc. He prowled around the townhouse as if he were a burglar. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have gone upstairs, but had to find Marc. He couldn¡¯t leave the party without speaking to him.

 Page 3

    Suddenly, Rob got a whiff of something familiar to him. He remembered passing Marc in the hallway recently, he remembered his scent and now, he smelled it again. The scent of his blood made Rob even hungrier as he prowled around looking for him. Then, he went to the open window that faced the back of the house, and spotted him outside, with a group of friends.


    Rob quickly turned around and headed downstairs and out the back door of the townhouse. He entered the small yard that was lined with a metal fence and other houses looking down onto their yard. This wasn¡¯t the typical Westchester house, but he didn¡¯t think much of it at this moment. He was on a mission.


    ¡°Marc, what¡¯s up bro?¡± Rob said, walking over to him.


    ¡°Yo, who¡¯s that?¡± Marc said, looking suspicious and putting something quickly into his pocket.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Rob, you know, your sister¡¯s friend,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh right, what up kid,¡± Marc said, in a tough voice.


    Rob was surprised to see him in baggy jeans, a hoodie and hanging out with the druggies of AHS. He didn¡¯t realize what a terrible path Marc had been led down, and couldn¡¯t understand why. He remembered Marc being a nice, innocent freshman last year, and now, it was as if he were a completely different person. Rob even spotted a tattoo coming up out of his sweatshirt and wrapping around the front of his neck.


    ¡°You have a minute?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Not really, not for you,¡± Marc said, in an obnoxious tone, obviously showing off to his new group of friends.


    ¡°Yeah Jock, we don¡¯t want you here, why¡¯d you come outside anyway?¡± one of the guys asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal, Man?¡± Rob answered back, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were talking with my home-boy and that¡¯s the same as talking to me, you hear?¡± the guy replied.


    ¡°Listen, Dude, chill out, I¡¯m talking to Marc,¡± Rob said back angrily. ¡°Marc, where¡¯s your sister? What happened to her?¡±


    Marc threw down his blunt and looked at Rob. He was clearly upset and disturbed by this question, and his group of friends could tell he was getting pissed off.


    ¡°Yo, Man, why did you have to bring that up? Don¡¯t you know you shouldn¡¯t talk about her?¡± another guy responded, equally as rude.


    ¡°Yeah, Bro, what¡¯s your deal? Leave him alone,¡± another guy yelled back.


    ¡°Chill out guys, I have to find her, I want to help,¡± Rob replied.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing you can do. You can¡¯t help us,¡± Marc said, approaching Rob.


    ¡°I can, trust me, I¡¯ll find her, I just need some clues,¡± Rob responded.


    ¡°What don¡¯t you understand, Rob? I said, No! You can¡¯t help us,¡± Marc yelled, walking towards him with a swagger.


    Rob watched as Marc got closer. He could see his bloodshot eyes and his wavering step. He knew he was high and drunk. Rob could see the hatred in Marc¡¯s eyes as he got closer and he began to wonder what was going to happen next.


    The smell of Marc¡¯s blood made his stomach weak. He waited and then, before he knew it, Marc¡¯s friends were surrounding him, ready to fight. Rob looked at them with ease, knowing his strength would prevail, and waited for them to lift their fists.


    Sure enough, one after the next charged at him, including Marc. They violently swung at Rob as he dodged each attempt and then, without thinking, struck back with one large swing, clipping each of them across the face and neck. He watched them fall to the ground like dominos.


    Marc lay there on the ground with his chin quivering, suddenly panicked as Rob came close to him.


    ¡°Tell me what you know?¡± Rob said again, this time in a more serious tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know,¡± Marc said, staring back at Rob who was hovering over him like a bat in a cave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Tell me, or, I¡¯ll¡­¡± Rob said, as he was interrupted by Marc.


    ¡°All I know is that my other sister Sarah might have an idea. That¡¯s all I know,¡± Marc said as his eyes rolled back into his head.


    Rob looked down at him and knew this could be the clue he¡¯d been waiting for, but he wasn¡¯t finished. He had to find out more.


    Slapping him across the face, Marc snapped to it again, opening his eyelids and focusing on him once again.


    ¡°Where is Sarah?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Um..¡± his eyes became unfocused. Rob slapped him again. ¡°She¡¯s in college now,¡± Marc replied.


    ¡°Where? What school?¡± Rob asked back.


    He waited but Marc didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Rob yelled down to Marc.


    ¡°Syracuse,¡± he said as his head rolled to the side.


    Rob looked down at his lifeless body and couldn¡¯t resist the urge. He took one last look at him as a human and then sank his large white teeth deep into his neck, sucking his blood quickly before anyone could see. He then sucked the blood of each of his druggie friends, not realizing they were so strung out on drugs that it actually passed through and he began to feel a bit woozy himself. It was a high he¡¯d never felt from sucking blood before.


    He quickly walked away from the scene, trying to make his escape from the party. He looked up and realized he had to go back through: there was no other way out. He had to move quickly so nobody would suspect anything when they came out and saw the blood drenched punks of AHS laying in the backyard.


    As he entered the townhouse, he was bombarded by Arielle, wearing a short black mini skirt, a halter-top, with her breast exploding out of it, and high heels. Rob looked her up and down thinking she looked hot, but not really focusing much on her. He had Rachel on his mind, and couldn¡¯t be distracted.


    ¡°Hey Robby,¡± Arielle said, in a seductive tone.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Rob answered quickly, still walking towards the front door to make his exit.


    ¡°Where are you going in a hurry?¡± she said in a sultry voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m outta here,¡± Rob answered.


    ¡°But why? The night is still young,¡± Arielle said, looking at him.


    Rob could tell she¡¯d had a few drinks by the way she was acting. She was basically throwing herself at him, which he found to be rather annoying and unattractive. He knew he had to find Sarah and quickly. He couldn¡¯t let any more time go on without finding his true love.


    ¡°Robby, come here, I want to show you something,¡± Arielle said, grabbing Rob¡¯s hand and pulling him backwards.


    ¡°I have to go now,¡± he replied, pulling his icy cold hand back.


    ¡°Just a few minutes, I think you¡¯re going to like it,¡± Arielle said, looking down at her body.


    Rob didn¡¯t know what to expect. He knew this would be easy for him if he stayed, but he really wasn¡¯t in the mood. He couldn¡¯t think of any other girl right now. His mind was set on finding Rachel.


    He felt a tug at his jacket and a warm hand go up his shirt. ¡°Rob, come on, let¡¯s go upstairs. There¡¯s something I want to show you now,¡± Arielle pleaded again.


    She pulled him into her arms and started rubbing her head against his neck and chest. Rob didn¡¯t know what to do. He kind of liked this, but was conflicted. He knew he had to leave. He couldn¡¯t stay for another minute.


    ¡°No Arielle! I said, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Rob said, pushing her off of him and walking quickly outside to get into his blue Audi.


    Arielle ran after him into the darkness and followed him into his car. She jumped in the passenger seat and started caressing his leg. Rob didn¡¯t know what to do. The smell of her body, of her blood was enticing him as she inched her way closer and closer towards him. He couldn¡¯t resist her anymore. He leaned in to her as if to kiss her, and his fangs emerged from his gums. He knew she was clueless as to what was happening, but before he could stop himself, he sunk his teeth deep down into her neck, sucking the blood out of her limp body.


    She lay there in his arms, her eyes twitching as she looked back at him with a glaze in her eye. Her body began to shake and he could see the transformation taking place in front of his eyes. He knew he had just turned her.


    He swiftly got out of his car, and ran to the passenger side, opened the door and scooped Arielle out. He lay her down on the grass by an old tree. He knew she¡¯d be safe there, safer than on the wild journey he was about to take. His only hope was that she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone what had happened.


    Chapter 5


    Rachel flew through the air at lightning speed to get to the place she thought would have some answers for her. She landed, then looked up at the castle as if it she didn¡¯t recognize it. It was completely different. There was scaffolding up over the entire outside with bright blue tarps hanging over the roof. She could see the cracks in the fa?ade and instantly knew what had happened. The Greslins. They invaded during the great war. She couldn¡¯t help but worry if everyone was all right. She hoped that Matilda and Uncle Drew were OK and that they were still living there.


    She quickly walked up the cracked marble staircase and into the grand foyer of the castle. She ran into the library to find Uncle Drew, but he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Uncle Drew, Uncle Drew!¡± Rachel called. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    She waited a few seconds and called his name again. Then, as if from thin air, Uncle Drew stood before her.


    ¡°Yes, my dear, what can I do for you?¡± Uncle Drew asked.


    ¡°Uncle Drew, you have to help me. It¡¯s Benji, there¡¯s something wrong,¡± she said, worried.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for almost a year. I heard you took the leap of faith with him,¡± Uncle Drew said. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Rachel. I knew you had it in you.¡±


    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Rachel said, ¡°Benji¡¯s in trouble, he¡¯s hurt and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s hurt?¡± Uncle Drew asked, sounding alarmed.


    In walked Matilda, who¡¯d overheard their conversation.


    ¡°Benji¡¯s hurt?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s bleeding from his neck, and he¡¯s unconscious. I need help. Fast!¡± Rachel yelled.

 Page 4

    ¡°Where is he?¡± Matilda asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the cave, where I left him. He was too heavy for me to carry but he¡¯s tucked away safely in the cave,¡± she said, hoping that it was true. She assumed he¡¯d be safe there for a few more days. After all, they¡¯d been there for almost a year and they were OK. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be in any danger from the Greslin Coven there; he seemed protected.


    ¡°You need to get back there,¡± Matilda said. ¡°You can¡¯t just assume he will be safe.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go until I find the Red Amulet,¡± Rachel said. ¡°He woke for only a moment and uttered those words.¡±


    ¡°The Red Amulet?¡± Uncle Drew asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard those words in thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°The Red Amulet is an ancient healing pendant. It¡¯s said to be able to cure any illness or injury known to the vampire people,¡± Uncle Drew said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the Red Amulet,¡± Matilda said, questioning him.


    ¡°That¡¯s because it has been hidden for many years, since your great grandfather used it to save his wife, Gertrude from imminent death,¡± Uncle Drew replied. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been seen since.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s our great grandfather now?¡± Matilda asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met him.¡±


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t met him. He lives in Europe now, with Gertrude. They live in Palpana Castle with her family. After the incident they grew into solitude and didn¡¯t talk to the family anymore,¡± Uncle Drew explained.


    ¡°So, how can I find it?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. I think the only one who still talks to your great grandfather is Hunter. I don¡¯t know if he would know, but it¡¯s worth a shot,¡± Uncle Drew said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Hunter?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in over a year!¡±


    ¡°Last I heard, he was back at his prep school,¡± Matilda said.


    ¡°Then I have to go there. I must go find him now,¡± Rachel said in a hurry.


    ¡°But wait! I want to come, too,¡± Matilda said, looking around and grabbing her coat.


    ¡°No, Matilda. This is something I must do on my own. I must be brave and strong,¡± Rachel said. ¡°Goodbye!¡±


    Chapter 6


    Rachel ran through the gates of Hunter¡¯s prep school and down the long driveway. She remembered the prep school from last year, but it looked a little different to her. Maybe her head was foggy, but she couldn¡¯t remember where Hunter¡¯s dorm was.


    She stopped and looked around at the identical red brick buildings with white shutters. The wind was blowing and the leaves that were falling off the trees were brushing past her as they travelled to the ground. She saw some kids walking around, but didn¡¯t recognize any of them. Why should she? She only came here once. She didn¡¯t know who to approach to ask about Hunter.


    Then, she spotted something familiar: the coffee shop. The bells rang as she entered through the door and saw some of the kids look up at her. She knew she wasn¡¯t a student here, but she couldn¡¯t understand all the cold stares. Was she trespassing? Unwelcome? She couldn¡¯t figure it out, but didn¡¯t care. All she cared about was finding Hunter and the Red Amulet.


    She walked over to the counter and waited for the man behind the counter to acknowledge her.


    ¡°Sir, excuse me!¡± Rachel said, trying to get him to turn around.


    ¡°Hello? Can you help me?¡± Rachel said again.


    ¡°Hello, Miss, what do you need?¡± the man behind the counter asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°I can try. I know most everyone around here,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°Well, I need to find Hunter,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Hunter who?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Um. I actually don¡¯t know his last name. You know Hunter, he¡¯s been going here for a while,¡± Rachel answered, trying to give him more information.


    ¡°Uh, why are you looking for Hunter?¡± a girl asked.


    ¡°I must find him,¡± Rachel said back, not wanting to explain herself.


    ¡°Why?¡± the girl asked again. ¡°What business do you have with Hunter?¡±


    ¡°Listen, this is really none of your business. I just need to speak with him,¡± Rachel replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hunter¡¯s girlfriend. That¡¯s why it is my business that another girl wants to see him so badly,¡± the girl replied. ¡°My name is Penelope.¡±


    ¡°Well Penelope, for your information, I am Benji¡¯s girlfriend. So, you can calm down. I¡¯m not after your man,¡± Rachel said, trying to get Penelope to stop being so jealous and threatened of her.


    ¡°Oh! Rachel?¡± Penelope said, suddenly looking aware of who she was.


    Rachel watched as her facial expression went from mad to smiling as if they were long lost friends reunited for the first time.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so!¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t realize I had to,¡± Rachel replied.


    The two of them walked out of the coffee shop together and then across campus to the large brick building where the art studio was located.


    ¡°Hunter is finishing up a watercolor painting he¡¯s been working on for weeks. It¡¯s a landscape of the campus in the fall. He¡¯s very proud of it,¡± Penelope said as they entered the building.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice,¡± Rachel said, trying to sound interested.


    All she really cared about was getting to Hunter to ask him about the Amulet. It was all she could think about. She knew every minute away from Benji could be fatal and she couldn¡¯t bear to be away from him any longer¡ªbut if she went back without the Amulet she didn¡¯t know what would happen. She knew she had to find it and hoped that Hunter would be the key to this mystery.


    As the two girls entered the art studio, Hunter stood there in the dim light, alone, painting with his headphones in. He didn¡¯t hear them come in as he continued to paint the orange tinged leaves on his landscape.


    ¡°Hunt,¡± Penelope says, tapping him on his shoulder, making him jump with surprise.


    ¡°Oh! Penelope, I wasn¡¯t expecting you,¡± Hunter said, turning around. ¡°Rachel? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hi Hunter,¡± Rachel said with a smile of relief. ¡°I¡¯ve come because you are the only person who can help me.¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hunter asked, sounding concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s Benji,¡± Rachel said, looking back at Hunter.


    ¡°Benji?¡± Hunter questioned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Benji?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hurt,¡± Rachel said, beginning to tear up. ¡°I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean he won¡¯t make it?¡± Hunter replied. ¡°Tell me this isn¡¯t true.¡±


    ¡°I wish it weren¡¯t,¡± Rachel said, the tears flowing down her cheeks. ¡°He¡¯s hurt and I don¡¯t know how to help him or how he got hurt in the first place.¡±


    ¡°So how can I help you? I¡¯ll do anything. Just name it,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Red Amulet,¡± Rachel whispered, not wanting to say something she shouldn¡¯t in a public place.


    Hunter looked around, ¡°The Red Amulet? How do you know about that?¡±


    ¡°The last words Benji said to me were about the Red Amulet and then he went unconscious. I didn¡¯t know what it meant, so I tracked down Uncle Drew and Matilda who said you were the only one who may know since you still have ties with your great grandfather.¡±


    ¡°I am the only person who my great grandfather still speaks to, but we don¡¯t speak often. No, he doesn¡¯t still have it. He told me that my mom was sick and he had to send her the Red Amulet to cure her,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Is she OK? Your mom, I mean?¡± Rachel asked, worried.


    ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t talk to my parents much anymore. I¡¯m not as close with them as I used to be,¡± Hunter replied with a sad face.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t call them to ask?¡± Rachel questioned with surprise.


    ¡°Well, if she wore the Red Amulet, than there is no chance she wouldn¡¯t be cured. It can cure anything, no matter how big,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°So where is it now then?¡± Rachel asked, thinking about Benji, still lying in the cave.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t know now,¡± Hunter replied. ¡°I think my mom sent it back to my great grandfather. I just do not know.¡±


    ¡°How can we find out. Is there anything we can do to find it?¡± Rachel asked, beginning to feel herself panic at the thought of not finding it.


    ¡°I hope we can find it. It¡¯s somewhere, we just have to find out where,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Would the old coven book have any information about the Red Amulet?¡± Penelope butted in. ¡°A long time ago I remember reading about the Red Amulet and how to locate it if it¡¯s lost.¡±


    Hunter looked back at Penelope in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re right! What a brilliant idea!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the old coven book?¡± Rachel asked quickly.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the Alpha Chi Delta library,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Greek organization off campus,¡± Hunter replied.


    ¡°Can we go?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°It would raise too much attention if we just walked in there in the middle of the day, but they have huge parties every night. In fact, they are having one tonight. Why don¡¯t we go later, and we can slip in in the middle of the party. I can cover for you and distract them, so nobody will see you sneaking into the library,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Why would it matter?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Why do they care if we look at the book?¡±


    ¡°Because the fraternity is not just a fraternity,¡± Hunter said.


    Penelope and Hunter exchanged a glance, ¡°Should we tell her?¡± Hunter asked.

 Page 5

    ¡°Yes,¡± Penelope said. ¡°She¡¯s one of us now.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°That fraternity is not all human. There are some of our kind in its ranks. They come from a different coven. We¡¯ve been keeping the peace for quite a while, but I wouldn¡¯t want to provoke them. I don¡¯t want to start an all-out vampire war at school. You have to keep a low profile when you get that book. Don¡¯t let any of them catch you,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°So when¡¯s the party? We have to move quickly,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not till later tonight,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my place and wait until there¡¯s time so nobody else sees you here,¡± Hunter said. ¡°And you can fill me in on everything that¡¯s happened to my brother since I¡¯ve last seen him.¡±


    Chapter 7


    Rachel took a sip of the blood that Hunter had poured for her into an old ivory shot glass. She felt better after the first sip. She didn¡¯t realize how hungry she was¡ªin fact, she couldn¡¯t remember the last time she fed. It must have been days but her adrenaline was keeping her going. Her mind was only focused on one thing and that was to save Benji. She couldn¡¯t give into her needs at a time like this¡ªshe had to find the Red Amulet and save him.


    ¡°So what have you and Benji been doing the last year?¡± Hunter asked.


    Rachel thought for a moment, then realized she couldn¡¯t answer that question. She honestly didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d been doing. She couldn¡¯t recall one thing that had happened since their jump into the water. The only thing she remembered was her crazy mermaid dream¡ªand even that was becoming a bit foggy to her. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was losing her mind or if someone had erased her memory. Was that even possible? Could someone have erased an entire year of her life? She didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s funny you should ask,¡± Rachel said. ¡°I happen to not remember what happened this year. It¡¯s all a blur and in fact I don¡¯t even feel a year older. It¡¯s like I went to sleep and woke up and it was a year later.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange feeling, I wish I could explain it better,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Hunter chimed in. ¡°Do you know then what happened to Benji? Why is he in danger and how did he get so hurt?¡±


    Rachel looked back at Hunter, then at Penelope in shame. She was so upset that she didn¡¯t know what had happened and that she couldn¡¯t have done anything to prevent it. She wished she could have been there for him, to protect him, to care for him through this time but she couldn¡¯t. Her emotions flooded her and she began to cry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel said. ¡°And that¡¯s what¡¯s so hard for me. I don¡¯t know what happened to Benji and I don¡¯t know how to help him. I¡¯m a terrible girlfriend. I just feel awful about the entire situation. I should have stopped it from happening.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Rachel. Benji loves you. Don¡¯t beat yourself up over this. We will find a way to save him. I know this is hard for you, but please don¡¯t blame yourself. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Hunter said. ¡°You are an amazing person and I know he feels lucky and blessed to have found you.¡±


    Rachel wiped her tears and looked back at Hunter.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t beat myself up, but I can¡¯t help it. Imagine how you would feel if something happened to Penelope on your watch and you could have done something to prevent it but you didn¡¯t. You would feel awful.¡±


    ¡°We will find the Red Amulet,¡± Penelope said. ¡°As soon as we locate the coven book, we will find out how to get it for you. Don¡¯t worry. I know this is a stressful time, but we will get through it together.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you guys appreciate the urgency here. This is not a joke. You didn¡¯t see him. I did. He¡¯s lying in a cave right now in the middle of nowhere, dying. I don¡¯t have time to sit around about talk about my feelings or yours or anyone¡¯s. I need to get the Red Amulet. Can we please go to the frat house now? Please?¡± Rachel begged.


    Hunter looked down at his watch, ¡°We can leave here in a five minutes. We don¡¯t want to be the firsts to arrive. We need to mix ourselves in with a big group of kids, too. We can¡¯t just show up to the door the three of us. It¡¯s too suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so worried about this other coven? Have they ever done anything bad?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t yet, but we are not of the same coven. We do not have the same beliefs or missions in life. When you have a difference like this, it can mean life and death if you step over the line. If you get into an argument with one of their kind, you have no idea the ramifications.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon guys, can we just leave now? I see a group of people walking over there now,¡± Rachel said as she peered out the window.


    ¡°I think we should be fine to go now Hunter,¡± Penelope said. ¡°Let¡¯s go find that book!¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel that Penelope and Hunter didn¡¯t take this seriously. Well, maybe they took it seriously, but not as urgently as she would have liked at a time like this. She wanted them to help her find the book so that she could forge ahead on this mission she was sent on. She didn¡¯t want to have to linger behind and wait on others to do it for her. She hated that. She never liked the idea of waiting for other people to make something happen. She knew that if she wanted it done, she would have to do it herself. But in this case, she couldn¡¯t do it by herself. She didn¡¯t know what the Red Amulet was nor did she know how to find it. It could be anywhere in the world, and she hadn¡¯t the slightest clue where to begin looking.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your coat,¡± Hunter said as he helped Rachel get her coat on.


    The three of them walked out of the dorm and into the crisp night air on their way to the party. Rachel was anxiously awaiting getting her hands on the coven book so she could save Benji.


    Chapter 8


    As they walked up to the door of Alpha Chi Delta there were two guys standing at the door wearing their navy blue and forest green fraternity uniform. They stood there with a grimace on their faces as they surveyed the kids one by one as they entered their house for the party. Rachel watched as they turned some kids away at the door while others were let in with a smile or a high five.


    Rachel could sense it. She knew they were vampires, she could tell by the look in their eyes, the fairness of their skin and the fragrance of their bodies. She knew she had to be careful because they probably sensed her as well. She didn¡¯t want to risk it and quickly took out her perfume and doused her body. She thought it couldn¡¯t hurt to try to cover up her vampire scent. She had nothing to lose.


    As they got closer to the two guys at the door, she felt her body tensing up. She turned to Penelope and Hunter and said, ¡°See you inside.¡± She walked at a quicker pace and then approached the two guys alone. She figured she¡¯d have a better shot at getting in solo rather than in a pack. The two guys surveyed her up and down, one of them squinting as he rubbed his nose.


    Oh no! They caught me. They won¡¯t let me in, Rachel thought to herself.


    Then, as if by chance, the house was bumrushed by thirty kids, all wearing their sports jerseys. Rachel was basically thrust through the front door and into the house. She wasn¡¯t stopped by the rush of football players nor was she denied entry to the party. It was her lucky day¡ªnow she only hoped that Penelope and Hunter got through the door as well. She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do if they got held up or turned away. She had to find the old coven book, but didn¡¯t have the slightest clue where to begin searching for it.


    She walked through the large foyer of the fraternity and through a large arched doorway with a deer head mounted to the wall. She never understood why people would want to adorn their walls with dead animals but it seemed to be a real trend in this fraternity. As she walked through the next room she saw rabbit, ox, elk and bear heads on the wall. She couldn¡¯t understand this form of art, but didn¡¯t really stop to think about it. All she could do was pray that Hunter and Penelope would come in.


    Each room was jam packed with kids, shoulder to shoulder, holding red plastic cups and drinking beer from kegs that sat on the floor. The room smelled like an old dirty basement and the noise level was through the roof. Music was playing loudly and everyone was screaming and cheering. When she turned her head towards the cheering she saw a big ping pong table with cups lined up at each end. It was a game of Beirut; a drinking game she¡¯d never played but heard about.


    Rachel looked around at all the different people that came together at this party. She knew some of them were vampires and some were humans. She couldn¡¯t understand this dynamic and found it to be quite odd that all these humans would be socializing with vampires. Granted, they probably didn¡¯t know they were vampires, she felt it was odd that the vampires would allow the humans into their house. She felt stares from the other vampires in the house. She could tell that they sensed she was there, but knew they hadn¡¯t pinpointed what coven she was from or if she was truly a vampire. But she knew they were on to her.


    Then, she felt a tap on her back¡ªit was Hunter and Penelope, standing there together motioning her to come into another room.


    ¡°Hurry, don¡¯t you feel it?¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Feel what?¡± Rachel replied. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°The stares?¡± Hunter said quietly.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I did,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°They¡¯re onto us,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rachel asked feeling a bit scared.


    ¡°They know we¡¯re here. Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What should we do now?¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°We have to move quick guys,¡± Penelope chimed in.


    ¡°Hurry, we have to get out of this room, they¡¯re going to find us here,¡± Hunter said as he motioned them to another room.

 Page 6

    The three walked into another room, and into a small mud room where they were alone. The room echoed from the loud music and cheering going on at the other end of the house.


    ¡°Where do we go now?¡± Rachel asked, looking at Hunter. ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°You have to go find the book,¡± Penelope said as Hunter nodded.


    ¡°Yes, you must find the book,¡± Hunter repeated.


    ¡°Where? Where is it?¡± Rachel asked in a panicked voice.


    ¡°The last time I saw it, it was upstairs in a secret bookcase in one of the bedrooms,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°That¡¯s vague,¡± Rachel replied. ¡°How will I ever find it?¡±


    ¡°You have to trust him,¡± Penelope said. ¡°You must search for it.¡±


    ¡°I think the room had plaid wall paper, but I¡¯m not sure. I can¡¯t really remember because I was rushed out so quickly¡ªI only took a quick glance at the book and then had to run,¡± Penelope added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that,¡± Hunter said, ¡°But I¡¯m a guy, I wouldn¡¯t notice that sort of thing anyway.¡±


    ¡°Ok, so upstairs, bedroom, secret book case, and plaid wall paper. Got it!¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°You have to hurry though before they catch us. We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll distract them down here, and you go upstairs. Hurry!¡± Hunter added.


    Rachel quickly turned around and then made a full circle and faced Hunter again.


    ¡°Wait, where¡¯s the stairs?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°That would be an important first step!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just through that room on your left,¡± Hunter replied.


    ¡°Now go! Quickly!¡± Penelope said.


    ¡°But wait, what happens if we get split up? What happens if I¡¯m caught?¡± Rachel asked in fear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to use your powers and if we get split up let¡¯s meet at the cemetery at midnight. It¡¯s the only place that we can¡¯t be sensed. We will be safe there,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Rachel said.


    Rachel turned back around and headed towards the stairs. She passed through the room with the Beirut game and quickly dodged the stares and smells of the other vampires. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her perfume was helping her cause. She hoped it was.


    As she got to the stairs, she looked around to make sure nobody was watching her and then quickly crept up the stairs. On her way up, a guy and a girl were on their way down, laughing and holding hands. They were almost tripping down the steps which lead her to believe they were drunk. She hoped they weren¡¯t vampires, although had a sinking feeling given their scent that they were. She hoped that their alcohol intake would hinder their ability to smell her or sense she was there.


    She was pretty sure by the time she got to the top of the steps she was in the clear. Nobody was fooling her and the two who went down didn¡¯t stop to notice her.


    At the top of the steps was a long hallway with many closed doors. She looked to her right and then to her left and didn¡¯t know which way to go first. She felt scared and pressured. Her heart was racing out of her chest and she knew she was tight on time and had to move quickly.


    She turned to her left and started with the first door on her left. She knocked ever so slightly on the door to make sure she wasn¡¯t barging in on anyone and when silence came from the other end, she opened the door slowly. She immediately looked at the wallpaper and saw that it was plaid. She figured she must be in the right room and was inwardly congratulating herself for finding it on the first try. She looked around for the hidden book shelf but didn¡¯t see any bookshelves. She went over to the walls and started pushing them gently to see if they moved.


    Nothing.


    Then she pushed on the furniture to see if that moved but it didn¡¯t. It was just furniture¡ªnot some secret bookcase.


    She began to doubt that this was the correct room and decided to leave it and try another room. She continued down the left side of the hallway and into the second door on her left. She looked first at the wall paper and was surprised to see that it was the exact same plaid as the first room. She became confused and wondered if all the rooms had the exact same plaid walls.


    She went around pushing on walls and tapping on surfaces to find this secret hidden bookcase but it was nowhere to be found. She tried a third and a fourth room with the same outcome. She felt like giving up but couldn¡¯t.


    Her heart was leaping out of her chest at the thought of entering another room and risking being caught by the other vampires. She didn¡¯t know what would happen if they were to find her. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be good, though, and was scared at the mere thought of it.


    As she approached the fifth door, she was hoping for a better outcome. She was petrified that someone would be in the room when she knocked, but luckily, it was empty. As she entered, she saw the same plaid wallpaper¡ªbut this room was a little different than the rest. On the far wall was a roaring fireplace with a large stone mantle above it. There was a sitting area in front of the fireplace and two walls of books on either side. Immediately, Rachel went over to the bookshelf to see if this was the secret bookcase and started pushing and tugging to find the secret door. After what felt like hours of prodding the right side of the bookcase, she found nothing. She even glanced at all the titles of the books and none of them was the old coven book.


    Then, as if by chance she looked over at the mirror and in its reflection saw a tiny glimmer of light coming from the other side of the bookshelf. She slowly walked towards the light and peeked in through the crack. It was so small that she couldn¡¯t see in the crack. Part of her was scared to touch it as the light poured out. It was almost as if the glow of an angle was behind the wall. She knew this was it, she knew this must be the secret bookshelf that Hunter was talking about. She had to find a way to open it though.


    She pressed and prodded, but nothing. The bookshelf would not open.


    Her mind kept going back to all those movies she used to watch where the detective would waltz into a room and swing open the secret bookshelf and find the missing link, but that wasn¡¯t happening to her. It was much harder than she expected. She knew now that it would not be easy and it would take much more than a simple push to open this so-called secret bookcase.


    She looked around the room, maybe it needed to be opened with some sort of key, she thought. She opened drawers and checked under the carpets for hidden keys, but nothing. There were no keys, nor did she see a key hole anywhere on the bookshelf so even if she had found some key she wouldn¡¯t even know where to put it.


    Then she stood in front of the bookcase, and if by sheer force willed it to open. She used Mind Control for the first time on something other than an animal or a human¡ªand it worked. The book shelf began to part and the ray of light that was peeking out of the small crack began to flood there room. For a second, Rachel thought she was entering the gates of Heaven.


    When the doors finally opened all the way, there, in the glowing ray of light, lay the old coven book. She knew this was it. It was the thickest book she¡¯d ever seen and must have been two feet tall, lying on its back looking up at her. It was bound in beautiful brown leather with a golden embossed cover which read CXB and under it was a picture of a panther with fangs. She wasn¡¯t sure what CXB stood for, but figured it had to do with something from this coven.


    She stood there for a second in awe of this enormous and beautiful book. She knew this book would hold the key to healing Benji, but she worried that it would take her days to find the right page with the information about the Red Amulet. She turned around to make sure that nobody had come in after her or sensed that she was upstairs before she opened the book. Then, she turned and lifted the front cover.


    The feel of the book reminded her of her father¡¯s old Encyclopedia collection that was bound in beautiful leather. She was hoping to find some sort of table of contents but there were none. She knew this was going to be tricky and also that it would take a while to find the correct page.


    All of a sudden, the pages of the old coven book began to turn themselves. Thousands of pages went by and then as if by magic the pages stopped and there, in front of her eyes was the exact page she was looking for.


    The heading read: The Red Amulet. Under the title was a picture of this mysterious Red Amulet in all its glory. The picture was beautiful, and very detailed. The Red Amulet was smaller than she¡¯d imagined, assuming that this picture was drawn to scale, and contained a red ruby, encased in silver.


    She began to read about the amulet, when she heard the door open to the room. She quickly turned around and tried to hide, but it was too late. The two guys who were standing at the front door as she entered had found her upstairs, searching through their coven book.


    She knew this was bad and stood there like a deer in headlights awaiting her fate as her heart leapt out of her chest. She could feel the beads of sweat pouring down her face, and the fact that the fireplace was roaring right behind her wasn¡¯t helping the cause.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± one of the guys said, staring at her.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel like a burglar being caught red handed.


    ¡°Um, Hi!¡± Rachel said, staring back at them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t Hi us,¡± the other guy said. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Rachel could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn¡¯t happy. She knew she shouldn¡¯t be up there and wished this had never happened. She wished she was still in the cave with Benji trying to save him in another way. She wished he¡¯d never uttered the words Red Amulet.


    ¡°Well?¡± the first guy repeated. ¡°What are you doing up here?¡±


    ¡°I, um, um, um¡± Rachel began to stutter.


    ¡°You um what?¡± the second guy asked again. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be up here. Who let you upstairs?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t know how to answer this.


    ¡°I, um, just let myself up. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Of course you knew,¡± the first guy said. ¡°If you didn¡¯t know then how would you have found the book?¡±

 Page 7

    Rachel was stunned. She was caught with no alibi.


    ¡°I was just looking for something,¡± she said back.


    ¡°We know exactly what you were doing. You¡¯re looking for the Red Amulet. Well, guess what, you¡¯ll never find it,¡± the second guy said knowingly. ¡°It¡¯s not in your coven anymore¡ªit¡¯s in ours.¡±


    Rachel could see that they were angry and didn¡¯t know what was going to happen next. The two guys started to walk towards her as if they were part of a marching band in a rhythmic pattern. She felt scared by this.


    As they were closing in on her she realized there was nowhere for her to go. Then, one guy leapt towards her and grabbed her by the neck, forcing her to the ground.


    ¡°Do you know what happens to people who see our coven book?¡± the guy said as his face turned bright red with rage.


    Before she could answer he began to speak again. ¡°We don¡¯t let you go.¡±


    Rachel felt panicked. She knew that she was going to die right then and there in that room. She said a quick prayer and then opened her eyes to see that both guys were hovering over her, their fangs out as if they were going to bite her. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Were they going to turn her into one of their members? She couldn¡¯t figure it out but knew she had to do something fast.


    She closed her eyes and her eyelids began to flutter and her body began to shake. The two guys backed off of her as her body convulsed uncontrollably in front of the fireplace. It was working, she was scaring them off using her Mind Control.


    Next, she rose her body straight up and hovered in midair in front of the two guys as she lay sideways thinking about her next move. Then, quickly, she dropped to her feet, ran over to the coven book, ripped out the page and then leapt out the open window and into the air. Before she left though, she sprayed the two guys with her Narly Potion that came out of her neck and it went right into their eyes. This potion made them temporarily blind and caused temporary amnesia. She hoped it would and that she would have gotten away with the Red Amulet page without being caught or remembered.


    Now, the only thing she had to do was let Hunter and Penelope know somehow that she had escaped great danger and to leave the house immediately.


    Chapter 9


    Rachel stood there, on the ground outside of the house in a deep panic. She didn¡¯t know what was going to happen to her next. All she knew was that she had just escaped what could have been the end of her. A tear streamed down her cheek as she thought about what had just happened. She was devastated at the thought of risking Benji¡¯s life for her carelessness in this mission to find the Red Amulet. She replayed the events of finding the coven book over and over in her head and thought of a dozen things she should have done differently. She was beating herself up over it.


    As she stood there with the torn out page in her hand, she felt a few raindrops from above. She looked down at the page and saw that it was getting wet, so she quickly folded it up and put it into her pants pocket for safety. She didn¡¯t want to risk having the ink or the pictures smudge. She didn¡¯t know what to do next, and looked down at her watch: it was half past twelve and she suddenly remembered that Hunter told her to meet them in the cemetery if they got split up.


    She was late.


    She knew she had to get to the cemetery fast if she had any chance of catching them before they left. She didn¡¯t know how long they¡¯d wait for her but hoped they would still be there. If not, she¡¯d be alone with the page from the coven book and nobody to help her read it.


    She flew in the air and hovered over the town. She didn¡¯t know where the cemetery was, so figured the best way to find out would be a bird''s eye view of the place. Then, she spotted it on the outskirts of town. It was a large cemetery, almost bigger than the center of town itself, she was surprised to see as she hovered over it from above. It was as if there were more dead people than living in this town. The thought of that was eerie to her.


    She hovered over the cemetery looking for signs of life. She was hoping that she¡¯d see Hunter and Penelope somewhere in the cemetery, even though she was over a half hour late. She hovered and hovered, but nothing. She didn¡¯t see them anywhere. All she could see were tombstones and mausoleums erected out of the ground. The air was cold and dry and the howling of the wind brushed past her as she hovered there, waiting, watching.


    Then as if by miracle, she saw four red lights coming out of one of the mausoleum. She didn¡¯t know what it was and flew a bit closer to find out. Then, she spotted them. It was Hunter and Penelope¡¯s eyes, lighting up the night with their red eyes.


    She swooped down out of the sky and landed right in front of them, giving them a jolt. They jumped up in the air and screamed. They weren¡¯t expecting her to land in front of them like that.


    Rachel laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me, don¡¯t worry!¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Where have you been? We¡¯ve been looking all over for you,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had us worried sick,¡± Penelope added. ¡°We thought they captured you.¡±


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°It was awful. They almost got me. I was almost turned into one of them. I was seconds away from it. I swear,¡± Rachel answered. ¡°It was terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Are you ok now?¡± Hunter asked, looking her over.


    ¡°I think so. I sprayed them with Narly Potion and I think they forgot everything. I think I got away with it.¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What did you find? Did you even find the book?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°It took me a while, but I did. I found it in one of the rooms, which by the way all have plaid wall paper,¡± Rachel replied.


    Penelope and Hunter both let out a laugh and Penelope said, ¡°Oops, sorry!¡±


    ¡°But anyway, I finally found the book. It was magical. The page opened right up to the Red Amulet. I didn¡¯t have to do anything, it just knew what information I was after,¡± Rachel said in amazement. ¡°Did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I forgot to mention it,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a big detail to forget, Hunter,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°I know, totally slipped my mind though,¡± Hunter said.


    As the stood there talking, the sky opened up and it began to pour. The three quickly ran inside the nearest mausoleum to take cover. As they entered the dark, cold structure Rachel took one whiff of the stale air, and couldn¡¯t help but think that she was inhaling the scent of dead bodies. The rain was coming down in sheets and it started to leak inside the mausoleum and drip onto the floor into a large puddle.


    Hunter reached into his pocket and took out a lighter and lit it so they could see each other. They stood there, all staring at each other, not knowing what their next move should be.


    ¡°So, what did the book say?¡± Penelope started.


    ¡°Yeah, tell us what you found?¡± Hunter added. ¡°You are our only hope now of saving Benji.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to read it,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°You what?¡± Hunter said. ¡°You didn¡¯t read it?¡±


    ¡°What were you doing that whole time?¡± Penelope said.


    ¡°Calm down guys, don¡¯t worry,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry? What do you mean don¡¯t worry? You missed your only opportunity to find the Red Amulet,¡± Hunter said. ¡°This is my brother¡¯s life you¡¯re playing with.¡±


    ¡°Hunter. Listen to me. I have it,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Have what?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°Before I left I tore the page out of the coven book. I took it with me.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°I took the page. I have it with me,¡± Rachel said, feeling good about herself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did that!¡± Hunter said, smiling. ¡°Genius!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean genius?¡± Penelope snapped back. ¡°Not genius.¡±


    ¡°Not genius? What are you talking about Penelope?¡± Hunter argued.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that you can be tracked down if you are in possession of any part of that book?¡± Penelope said in fear.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Well, if you have a page of that book, the coven members can track you down and turn you. They will find you easily so long as you are carrying that page with you,¡± Penelope answered.


    ¡°But, I¡­I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Rachel said, feeling scared.


    ¡°Hurry, what should we do?¡± Hunter said quickly.


    ¡°We have to read it,¡± Rachel said. ¡°We have to figure out what it means.¡±


    She reached into her pocked and took out the folded piece of paper. It crinkled in her hands as she unfolded it. Pieces of the gold etched drawing started to chip off and fall to the ground into the wet puddle beneath their feet.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Hunter said.


    Rachel looked down at the words and tried to decipher them, but couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°It¡¯s in another language,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What language?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Rachel said. ¡°It looks like ancient Latin to me, but it also is etched with hieroglyphics, too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Hunter said. ¡°Let me see.¡±


    Rachel took another glance at the piece of paper to confirm what she said was accurate and then handed it over to Hunter for him to look at.


    ¡°Wow! Look at this!¡± Hunter exclaimed. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this language in thousands of years. It¡¯s written in the old Coven Code.¡±


    ¡°Coven Code?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s similar to Latin, yet very different at the same time. It is often confused for Latin, so I see why you thought that,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°And the pictures?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Are they hieroglyphics?¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s part of the Coven Code as well,¡± Hunter replied.


    ¡°Well what does it say? I can¡¯t read it?¡± Rachel asked.


    Penelope took one look at it and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said.

 Page 8

    ¡°Hunter, do you know what it says?¡± Rachel asked hopefully.


    Hunter looked down and then shook his head, too. ¡°No! I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s so ancient it¡¯s before my days on this earth. Even though I¡¯ve been around for a long time, it is still foreign to me,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Well, what do we do now?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Penelope chimed in.


    ¡°Well, let me see¡­¡± Hunter said, scratching his head.


    ¡°We have to find someone who knows how to decipher this code. But who?¡± Penelope asked.


    Rachel waited, in silence as they all stood around thinking of who might know this ancient Coven Code.


    ¡°Oh! I know!¡± said Hunter. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot but I think I know just the people who can read this for us.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Who? Who?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°My parents,¡± Hunter replied.


    ¡°Your parents?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s the problem,¡± Hunter said, cutting her off. ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to them in many years.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do then?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°We have to find them,¡± Rachel said. ¡°We have to! For Benji¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go see them,¡± Hunter said, putting his head down.


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t go? You have to go!¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Hunter repeated. ¡°I can¡¯t bear it.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Rachel asked, with a worried look on her face.


    Hunter was silent and Rachel didn¡¯t want to pry anymore. She knew this could be painful for him, and didn¡¯t want to push her luck. She didn¡¯t want him to tell her things he wasn¡¯t comfortable with.


    Nobody spoke.


    Then after a few minutes of silence Hunter said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story really, I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, I respect that,¡± Rachel said. ¡°But what should we do about the page, is there anybody else who can read Coven Code?¡±


    ¡°Nobody that I know of,¡± Hunter said. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone.¡±


    ¡°Me either,¡± Penelope added. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone that old.¡±


    ¡°Well, can I go ask them?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone. They never have to know I was with you?¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t go alone. They wouldn¡¯t like that. I will have to go with you. For Benji,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°You will?¡± Rachel said, with a glimmer of hope. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will go,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Can I come, too?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course. I wouldn¡¯t go without you,¡± Hunter said, taking her hand.


    Rachel folded up the piece of paper, put it back into her pocket and set off into the night by air, with Hunter and Penelope by her side. They were off to find his parents to hopefully find the next clue in locating the Red Amulet.


    Chapter 10


    Rachel took to the air like she¡¯d been flying long distance her whole life. She knew this would be a long trek for her but didn¡¯t let her mind go there; she didn¡¯t want to discourage herself or doubt her abilities as a vampire. She knew she could make the trip, she knew she could fly eight hours and didn¡¯t want to jinx herself.


    As she flew up to the coast of Maine, she was blown away by the sights around her. She never realized America was so beautiful and lush before. Her wings spread out wide as she soared over the east coast like a bird in flight. In fact, she noticed many birds surrounding them as they flew. The air was brisk and cool as they moved through the air and her body felt cold. She didn¡¯t let it bother her though¡ªshe kept her eye on what really mattered and that was Benji. She didn¡¯t let her own minor issues get in the way of reaching his parent¡¯s ancestral home.


    She couldn¡¯t get over the natural beauty she was flying over. The tall trees with beautifully colored fall foliage, the vast grassy fields with cattle and silos, the coast line with the crashing waves and rocky boarder. She felt inspired by all this beauty she was seeing and it reminded her of the moment before she jumped off the cliff with Benji. The jagged rocky coast, the waves crashing up again them and then, their jump.


    ¡°Rachel, are you ok?¡± Hunter asked, looking back at her.


    Rachel snapped out of her thoughts and into the present, ¡°Oh me? Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Why so slow?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°Oh sorry, never flown this far before. I feel like I¡¯m flying a marathon!¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not that much farther,¡± Hunter said.


    Phew! Rachel thought to herself. Despite the beauty of her surroundings, she was beginning to feel a bit tired from all the flying. She hoped her wings would continue keeping up their stamina until they arrived. She didn¡¯t want to just drop out of the sky like a dead bird. She knew she had to continue.


    ¡°So what was your childhood like in the castle with your parents?¡± Rachel asked, curiously.


    ¡°Well,¡± Hunter said. ¡°It was a normal childhood, really. I mean normal to any vampire. I don¡¯t really know how to explain it.¡±


    ¡°Did you and Benji get along with your parents?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°In the beginning we did, well I did. I won¡¯t speak for Benji. But we got along for a while, until we didn¡¯t. Then it got bad,¡± Hunter replied.


    ¡°What do you mean it got bad?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t want to come with me?¡±


    ¡°Exactly the reason. It still hard to talk about, but let¡¯s just say we got into an argument, and since then haven¡¯t seen eye to eye on anything,¡± Hunter answered.


    ¡°An argument?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Over what?¡±


    Rachel waited for Hunter to answer, but he remained silent for a few minutes. She could tell by the look on his face that this conversation was upsetting him and making him feel uncomfortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Hunter answered.


    Rachel decided to drop that topic and change the subject. ¡°So was it just the five of you in the house growing up?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was really just four of us most of the time. My dad was away most days so it was just my mom, Benji and Matilda,¡± Hunter answered.


    ¡°Did you guys get along?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°I mean you and your siblings?¡±


    ¡°Here and there we¡¯d get into fights, but I think that¡¯s normal for any sibling relationship,¡± Hunter said. ¡°You have siblings, did you get along with them 24/7?¡±


    ¡°Me? HA! No way!¡± Rachel reMarced. ¡°It¡¯s only been recently that my sister and I get along at all. She¡¯s always been too cool to talk to me but for some reason after we moved from Pennsylvania to New York, she started being nicer to me. I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m not complaining. She¡¯s actually a pretty cool person!¡±


    ¡°And how about your brother?¡± Hunter asked. ¡°You do have a brother, too right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Marc. We kinda get along. He¡¯s younger so we don¡¯t really have much in common. And he¡¯s a boy, so that draws up apart even further. But he¡¯s OK I guess,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°See, you probably feel the same way I felt about my siblings growing up,¡± Hunter said. ¡°It¡¯s no different when you¡¯re a vampire.¡±


    ¡°How about your parents? Did they get along?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°I mean, did they argue a lot?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Well, since my dad was never home my mom would get mad at him often. She hated that he always left her. I remember that from when I was little. She would always cry to him that he never did anything and she was the only one who took care of the kids and the house. She was always in a bad mood of some kind. It was pretty hard actually. I remember being upset about it,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Yeah, It¡¯s pretty sad,¡± said Penelope. ¡°I feel so bad for Hunter. Poor thing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was long ago. You just asked so I told you,¡± Hunter said, as if it didn¡¯t bother him anymore.


    ¡°Enough about the past. We need to talk about what you can expect when we get there,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°What to expect?¡± Rachel asked confused.


    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t been here in many years. I don¡¯t remember the last time I was here actually, and as I told you I haven¡¯t spoken to my parents in a long time either. I don¡¯t even know if they will be here anymore. I don¡¯t even know if they live here still. I haven¡¯t kept up with them,¡± Hunter said. ¡°It is possible that they fled during the last war.¡±


    Rachel grew weak at the thought of what Hunter was saying. She would be beside herself if they weren¡¯t there. They were the key to Benji¡¯s health and survival and if they¡¯d moved on, than he was sure to die. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought.


    She thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Do you think they moved? I pray not.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t know the answer to that. I wish I did. To save us all time, but I don¡¯t,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Well what are we going to do if they¡¯re not there?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Yeah, how will we find them?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see what happens when we get there. We can¡¯t get discouraged yet,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just get there and see,¡± Rachel repeated. ¡°When will we be there anyway?¡±


    She was feeling even more exhausted as the flight continued and the thought that it might all be for nothing. She hated that Hunter just told them his parents might not live there anymore. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Hunter said. ¡°Look! I can see it in the distance!¡±

 Page 9

    Rachel looked in the direction Hunter was pointing. It was astonishing. A large stone castle in the distance with large turrets erected high in the air. It was unlike any castle she¡¯d ever seen before and certainly the biggest.


    As they neared the castle, Rachel saw that it was off the coastline of Maine on its own large island. She didn¡¯t even know there were islands off the coast of Maine.


    The castle took up most of island¡¯s surface and stood tall and proud. Around the island was dark ocean water that crashed up onto the walls of the castle with each wave. It looked a bit scary to Rachel as she lowered down out of the sky closer to the castle. It was uninviting, cold and dreary looking. There was also no sign of life to be seen from her vantage point. Nobody outside, no outside space actually, unless they were in the water. No green fields or woods or anything. She wondered how they fed, where did they go? Maybe they didn¡¯t feed on the same things? Many questions started swirling around in her head.


    ¡°How do you get inside?¡± Rachel asked as they hovered over the large castle.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure that out. It looks like the front door has been sealed up. I don¡¯t know what to do now,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Can we get in through another door?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°No! We can¡¯t enter through any other door. It¡¯s dangerous. It¡¯s highly armed and we can¡¯t risk being shot at,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Shot at?¡± Rachel asked in fear. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes, shot at! My parents had this place totally rigged after the last war. Every entrance was highly armed and guarded,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t the guards recognize you?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you lived there, don¡¯t they know who you are?¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point, and would totally make sense, but the thing is my parents probably put my name on this list of intruders. They don¡¯t want to see me, trust me on this one,¡± Hunter said. ¡°I¡¯m not welcome here anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh crap!¡± Rachel said. ¡°What are we going to do now? We can¡¯t just hover up here forever!¡±


    ¡°Wait, it just came to me. As a kid we would have our friends sneak into our castle through a small window off one of the balconies. We can try that. It¡¯s the only window that my parents felt was too small to guard. They assumed nobody could fit through, but as it turns out most can. The window has to be unlocked though, which could be our only set back,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°What are the chances it will be unlocked?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say 50/50,¡± Hunter said.


    The three flew to the opposite side of the castle. Rachel couldn¡¯t wait to land on her feet. To finally rest her wings and her body. She¡¯d never taken such a long trip before in flight and was glad it was just about over. She hoped anyway. She wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if the window were locked and they couldn¡¯t get it. She hoped they wouldn¡¯t fly back to Hunter¡¯s school.


    It was getting dark and the sun was setting over the castle. The sky had a pink and orange hue and the clouds were full and fluffy looking. The clouds felt moist as she soared through some on her way down to the balcony.


    ¡°Shh! We have to be quiet,¡± Hunter said. ¡°Nobody make a peep.¡±


    Rachel followed Hunter¡¯s orders and didn¡¯t say a word. She looked around at the stone balcony. She was surprised there was no railing, than realized that they really didn¡¯t need one even though they were so high up. If they fell, they could just extend their wings and fly to safety. She thought it was an odd design though. She¡¯d never seen a balcony that one could plunge to their death off of. It was odd to her, but that was probably because she was new to this whole thing. After all it hadn¡¯t been long since her days as a human.


    Hunter walked over to the small square window, which was probably the side of a bed pillow and looked in. The room on the other side was dark and there were no lights on. All Rachel could see was her reflection as she looked at the window. She noticed the paint was chipping around the window sill and wondered why they hadn¡¯t kept up the house. She thought it looked a little run down on the outside, but it was hard to tell since stone doesn¡¯t really weather much. It almost looked to her as if there was nobody living in the castle. She hoped it wasn¡¯t true though. She would be devastated to find the place abandoned.


    Hunter motioned Rachel and Penelope forward as he started prying open the window with a stick. Rachel watched as he fumbled with the hook on the window, jiggling it ever which way. He pulled and pushed and tugged at the window, but nothing. Then, he took out a small pocket knife and stuck it in the crack of the door, wiggled it ever so slightly and the window popped open. He turned to Penelope and Rachel and gave them both a thumbs up.


    Rachel was pleased at his accomplishment, smiled and gave him a thumbs up in return.


    ¡°Come inside,¡± Hunter whispered. ¡°It¡¯s a tight squeeze, but you can fit.¡±


    Rachel took one look at the small opening, and thought to herself it would be almost impossible for her to get her non model like body through. If only she hadn¡¯t eaten that pack of Oreo cookies yesterday, she thought to herself humorously. She thought it would be best to go feet first and then slide her top half through after. She put her right foot in the window trying to feel for a ledge or something to rest her feet on but there was nothing. It was high off the floor so she knew this was going to be tricky. She put her left foot in after and then slithered like a snake through the opening. Her hips just barely fit through the window and luckily that was her biggest asset of her body, and knew if they fit, the rest of her would slip right through. She knew she wouldn¡¯t have any trouble as her chest went through because she wasn¡¯t well endowed. Finally, her head, the last thing to get through the window and then she hung there clutching the window sill by her hands and looking down with her eyes at the floor below her. It was quite a drop, and she¡¯d wished Hunter had warned her that she would have to plunge fifteen feet to reach the floor. As her feet touched the wooden floor boards, they creaked beneath her feet. She stood there, in silence, trying to keep the floors from making noise. She stood there on her tippy toes, creeping across the room to make space for Penelope to land as she watched her body slide through the small window.


    After Hunter made his way through the window, having almost gotten himself stuck twice, the three of them stood there in this small room together. The room was the side of Rachel¡¯s bedroom in Bedford, except the ceilings of this room were soaring, they must have been 25 feet high. The room smelled of cedar and as she looked around, she saw storage bags and boxes of clothes. She realized they were in a storage closet, which was surprisingly big for a closet now that she thought about it. Never had she ever seen a closet this large before or a closet with a window. Where was she? She thought to herself. And all the clothes and storage boxes that filled the room were more than the contents of her entire house. She couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°We have to search for them,¡± Hunter said quietly.


    ¡°Them who?¡± Penelope asked.


    ¡°My parents, silly! Isn¡¯t that why we came?¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Why are we whispering?¡± Rachel asked curiously.


    ¡°In case there are guards here. We don¡¯t want them to find us. We don¡¯t want to risk being kicked out for good,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t they recognize you?¡± Rachel said. ¡°Didn¡¯t they used to work for you, too?¡±


    ¡°These guys turn over quickly here. Nobody stays working for my parents for long. They¡¯re hard to be around and certainly hard to work for. So, no, they wouldn¡¯t recognize me and even so, they wouldn¡¯t let anyone in who is unannounced. My parents do not take kindly to people showing up unannounced. Especially strangers,¡± Hunter said.


    A pang of nervousness ran through Rachel¡¯s body. She began to panic at the thought of his parents not being welcoming or accepting of strangers. She hoped they would like her. Actually, what she really hoped was that they would be home. That they would still live in this old castle.


    The three of them quietly exited the closet and headed down a narrow hallway, also built of stone. It was like this entire house was erected with stones both inside and out. It was the coldest and most unwelcoming place on the planet, Rachel thought to herself. Who would ever want to live in a place like this?


    The hall was lit up with candelabras, that hung from fixtures in the wall, which let off a soft, warm light. Their glow helped Rachel find her way in what would have been an otherwise pitch black hallway. The floors creaked beneath them as they walked which made them jump. They didn¡¯t stop moving though, they were on a mission and weren¡¯t going to let anything get in their way.


    At the end of the hall they came to the top of a double staircase that arched it way up from the main foyer below. The staircase was grand, perhaps the most grand entrance she¡¯d ever seen in her life. It reminded her of the houses she used to see on MTV¡¯s Cribs show. The stairs wound down onto a large black and white marble foyer, standing there at the door were four guards, holding up their rifles and ready to attack. Rachel¡¯s heart stopped for a moment as she looked at Hunter to see what he was going to do about this. She knew he was a smart guy and would be able to figure this out.


    Hunter then started walking backwards, back down the hall they¡¯d just came from and then turned to them and motioned for them to follow him. They walked down another adjacent hallway, similar to the first and then over to a wooden door with a large brass handle. He opened it slowly as it creaked open. Then he poked his head in and had the girls wait in the hallway until he came to get them. Rachel stood there with Penelope in silence as they waited for Hunter to return. After a few minutes, he came back and motioned them on. They crept through the door and down a narrow spiral staircase that smelled like chlorine. It was an odd smell for a castle Rachel thought but didn¡¯t dwell on it. To her it smelled like she was at a hotel going down the hall towards the indoor pool. Then she wondered if maybe there was a pool inside. It was a pretty big castle and although parts of it were run down, others were quite lavish. It was a weird dichotomy.

 Page 10

    Hunter turned and said, ¡°I think I know where they might be if they are here.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°The wine cellar,¡± Hunter said. ¡°It¡¯s underground but we can get to it from inside.¡±


    ¡°Wine cellar?¡± Penelope questioned. ¡°That¡¯s a strange place to hang out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just any old wine cellar, it¡¯s more like a wine tasting room. It¡¯s quite big actually and has chairs and everything. It¡¯s like a family room, but for drinking wine. My parents love wine, especially when they mix it with blood from their most recent feed. It really gives them a high,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it,¡± Penelope added.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty good,¡± Hunter said.


    As the continued to spiral down the stairs, Rachel heard a noise coming from below them. It was a man¡¯s voice, speaking softly and slowly. She couldn¡¯t make out the words he was saying, but she knew they were not alone in that castle. There were many people around, and she wasn¡¯t sure if this voice was the voice of Hunter¡¯s father or the voice of a guard. She hoped it was his father speaking, but didn¡¯t know what his voice sounded like so wasn¡¯t sure.


    As she got closer to the voice, she could hear him perfectly but realized he was speaking in another language. Could this be the old Coven Code she thought to herself? Was this her father speaking in the very language she¡¯d come to ask about?


    She thought it was too good to be true, but hoped it wasn¡¯t. As the came to the bottom of the staircase, Hunter put up his hand and motioned for them to stop and wait again. The girls stood there waiting, as Hunter peered around the bend, looking to see if the coast was clear.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± the man¡¯s voice shouted out.


    Hunter jumped back and nearly banged his body against the wall.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± the man asked again, loudly.


    Hunter waited, as the footsteps grew near. He quickly motioned for Rachel and Penelope to hide, so they ran back up the stairs until they were out of view. Rachel admired this about Hunter that he would take the brunt of their actions for them. He didn¡¯t want them to get hurt and was simply trying to protect them from any danger that might be on its way.


    The voice got louder and stronger as it neared the stairs and continued asking ¡°Who goes there?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t know why Hunter wasn¡¯t answering but figured he had a plan in doing so. Then, the man¡¯s body appeared. He was tall, heavy set, and bald. He wore a maroon robe and plaid slippers and was holding a glass of wine.


    ¡°Hunter?¡± the man said. ¡°Son? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hi Father,¡± Hunter said. ¡°I know, I should have let you know I was coming but it was really a last minute emergency and I had to come without warning.¡±


    ¡°You know we don¡¯t like surprises like this. Your mother is not happy about this,¡± his father said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you kind of glad to see me?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Son. Your mother and I have moved on,¡± he said.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe her ears. They¡¯ve moved on? What was that supposed to mean. Were they over him? Was this like some sort of relationship that is broken up? She couldn¡¯t figure out how his father would say such hurtful things to him.


    ¡°Hunter? Is that you?¡± his mother¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked in an angry tone.


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry to burst in like this,¡± Hunter said. ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡± his mother asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have better things to do than to come up here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, too, Mother,¡± Hunter replied sarcastically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be snippy with me,¡± his mother said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who started this whole thing anyway, so don¡¯t blame our resentment on us. This was your doing, Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Mother, stop it. Not now, we have some important things to discuss with you,¡± Hunter said.


    Rachel watched as his mother looked around. ¡°We?¡± she asked. ¡°Who is we?¡±


    She could see his mother¡¯s face turn red and her skin becoming blotchy with hives. Was she that fearful of people that she broke out in rashes?


    ¡°Oh, right. I meant to tell you. I have two friends with me,¡± Hunter said in a calm voice.


    He turned around and said, ¡°Rachel. Penelope. Come down here and say hello.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you brought strangers into our house,¡± his mother reMarced.


    ¡°You know your mother and I don¡¯t like to be surprised like this Hunter. Just seeing you was surprise enough, but now you brought others. You should know better than to do this,¡± his father replied.


    Rachel slowly crept down the stairs hoping to make a good impression on his parents. After all, these could be her future in laws. She was feeling a bit panicked at the thought of meeting them, especially under these circumstances. She knew this wasn¡¯t going to go over well, especially with the news she had brought.


    ¡°Mother, Father this is Penelope and Rachel,¡± Hunter introduced.


    ¡°Why did you bring them?¡± his mother said coldly, shaking her head in disapproval.


    ¡°I had to. It¡¯s important. It¡¯s about Benji,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°What¡¯s so important with Benji that you came back after all these years?¡± his father asked.


    Rachel knew she shouldn¡¯t butt in, but she had to. It was too hard for her to listen to Hunter skirt around this pressing issue. ¡°He¡¯s in trouble,¡± Rachel said softly. ¡°He¡¯s dying.¡±


    ¡°Dying?¡± his father asked calmly as if he didn¡¯t really care that much.


    ¡°Yes! He¡¯s dying. I have to save him, but I need your help,¡± Rachel said, cutting to the chase.


    ¡°We can¡¯t help you, sorry young lady,¡± her mother said.


    ¡°What do you mean? You can¡¯t help me?¡± Rachel questioned.


    ¡°No! We can¡¯t and we won¡¯t!¡± his mother answered.


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened between you and your sons, but something has to change here. This isn¡¯t about a stupid argument that you got in years ago. This is your own flesh and blood we¡¯re talking about. Benji needs you now more than ever. If you don¡¯t help me that he is sure to die,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Young lady, come with me,¡± his mother said, motioning her into another room.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± she said to Rachel.


    Rachel sat down in an oversized, overstuffed velvet chair with a matching ottoman and looked across at his mother who sat in an identical chair facing hers. The two sat in the wine cellar which smelled of oak barrels and vintage grapes.


    ¡°Who are you anyway?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t introduce myself properly. My name is Rachel Wood.¡±


    ¡°Rachel Wood, can you tell me how you know my son?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I met him recently and we have fallen in love,¡± Rachel said. She felt a little awkward telling this to his mother, especially having just met her, but she couldn¡¯t resist. She had to lay it all out on the table for her. If she had any shot of getting them to help her they had to understand that she was coming from a good place and that she truly loved their son.


    ¡°Fallen in love with Benji?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°Yes, completely. Head over heels for him.¡±


    ¡°So, what is the problem here? Why do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°I need to find the Red Amulet. I know you¡¯ve recently been cured by it, and now I need it. I have to bring it to Benji.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about the Red Amulet?¡± his mother asked quizzically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it except that it can heal anything,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°How did you even know about it?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°The last words Benji uttered was about the Red Amulet. He didn¡¯t say much about it and then fell back unconscious. I think it¡¯s the only thing that can save him at this point,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What happened to him anyway?¡± his mother asked seeming unconcerned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°I mean, I woke up next to him and saw that he was bleeding uncontrollably. There was nothing I could do to help him,¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°You know what happens if we lose all our blood right?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°No? What?¡± Rachel asked, suddenly feeling even more nervous than before.


    ¡°If we lose all our blood we die and can never be saved, no matter what we use. The Red Amulet won¡¯t save him if he¡¯s lost all his blood.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if that has happened yet, and I hope there is still time. I have to find the Red Amulet and bring it to him. Do you know where it is?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where it is anymore. We sent it away after we used it, and I¡¯m not sure who has it now,¡± his mother answered. ¡°Sorry, wish I could be more help to you.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me you know who has it!¡± Rachel begged. ¡°Can¡¯t you remember who you sent it to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry young lady, I can¡¯t help you,¡± his mother replied.


    ¡°Yes you can, you¡¯re the only one who can help me decipher the Coven Code. Hunter told me you could. Please don¡¯t walk away now,¡± Rachel begged. ¡°I need you.¡±


    Rachel reached into her pants pocket and pulled out the folded page from the old Coven book and opened it up. She turned it around and showed it to Hunter¡¯s mother to see.


    ¡°Where did you find that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I found it in the old Coven Book at Hunter¡¯s school. We just came from a party and nearly died trying to get it,¡± Rachel said. ¡°Now that I have it, it¡¯s useless because I can¡¯t read it. I¡¯ve never seen this language before in my life and Hunter says you are the only one who can help me.¡±

 Page 11

    His mom reached out and took the page from Rachel, scrolling over the words with her eyes and shaking her head and said, ¡°I can read this, but it won¡¯t do you any good. Contrary to what many believe the answers are not found on this piece of paper.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean the answers are not there. I was told that the page tells us how to locate the Red Amulet. Is that not true?¡± Rachel asked wearily. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s no information on that page.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young lady. There is nothing here that will help you,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°You said you are in love with Benji. Is that true?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes! Of course it¡¯s true,¡± Rachel said without hesitation.


    ¡°How much do you love him?¡± she asked.


    Rachel thought these questions were a bit irrelevant and out of place in this conversation about the Red Amulet but went along with them as to not upset her, especially after barging in on them without warning.


    ¡°With all my heart. I¡¯d do anything for him, which is why I am here right now, talking to you,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°I can tell that you really care about him,¡± his mother said. ¡°And while his father and I are not on good terms with him, we are glad that he has found someone like you.¡±


    Rachel felt surprisingly good to hear her say those words. She was glad that in some small way his mother approved of her. That maybe she even liked her. She didn¡¯t know but knew this wasn¡¯t helping her find the Red Amulet.


    ¡°So what does this have to do with the Red Amulet?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°It has everything to do with the Red Amulet,¡± she said. ¡°When you truly love someone you are the one that holds the key to finding it. You have the power to find it in this case. Nobody else does. The answer lies in your hands, Rachel. Only you can save Benji now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I hold the key to the Red Amulet? What does that mean?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°You will learn, young lady. You have all the answers you will need. You have to search within yourself to find them,¡± she said.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t. I promise. I have no clue where to find it. Please, help me out here,¡± Rachel begged. ¡°I can¡¯t do this on my own. I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You have to. You have no choice. The answer will come to you, I promise. Sleep on it, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Sleep on it?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Yes¡ªif you truly love him, it will come to you in your dreams. Go on now: go to one of our rooms upstairs. Sleep. Find the answer for yourself,¡± she said. ¡°Trust me, it will come.¡±


    Rachel followed directions. She left the room and went upstairs, winding her wat down the hall into one of the guest bedrooms.


    She crashed on the lush bed, and in moments fell asleep, hoping that his mom was right. She fell asleep, hoping and praying that she loved him enough¡ªand that all her answers would come to her in her dreams.


    Chapter 11


    Rachel lay there in silence staring up at the ceiling, which was beautifully painted with a landscape of a Roman garden with sculptures and fountains. She replayed her conversation over and over with Benji¡¯s mother, but couldn¡¯t figure out what she meant. She knew she didn¡¯t have the answers or the key to finding the Red Amulet and didn¡¯t feel any closer to finding it having spoken to her. She felt at a loss.


    Sleep on it she kept saying to herself over and over in her head. Those were his moms words of advice for her. She didn¡¯t quite understand, but wondered if maybe it would just come to her in her sleep.


    Rachel felt her eye lids getting heavier by the minute, and then before she knew it, she was fast asleep in a strange bed in a strange room in a new castle.


    The walls were a bright white and there was a bright blue pulsing light that hit each wall. There was no artwork, no furniture, no bed, no carpet, just stark white walls. Rachel stood there, alone, spinning in circles humming a childhood lullaby as she swung her arms around her. Her pink and yellow dress was long and flowed in the air around her. Suddenly, red balloons floated up out of nowhere with light blue ribbons which she held in her hand as she stared wondrously at the balloons, she saw a note attached to one of the ribbons.


    She reached out for the note and held it in the palm of her hand. A light was shining from the inside of the note. She opened it and it read; Dear Rachel, remember me? You looked through me once to determine your fate. You must return to me, I will give you everything you need. I will be the key to saving Benji. Now, find me.


    Rachel let go of the red balloons and watches as the floated through the air one by one and then popped as they reached the ceiling. The popped plastic came falling down and landed at her feet. Inside each balloon were rosemary leaves whose smell permeated the stark white room. The scent filled her body and her mind.


    Then the room became multicolored and started turning in circles with shapes and images on the walls. Red, Orange, Green, Pink, Violet, Yellow the room kept on changing colors and it turned around and around. Rachel started turning her body again over and over and over until she fell down on the ground.


    All of a sudden, her body shook as she awoke from her dream. Her head still spinning and she had a huge headache. She couldn¡¯t understand where it was coming from. She¡¯d never had a headache upon waking before. She knew something must have happened. She knew what she had to do.


    It came to her in her dream, the colors, the balloons, the note, the smell of rosemary and the spinning. It was all making sense to her now. She had to find the kaleidoscope that Benji had given her last year. It would hold the key to finding the Red Amulet. She knew it would, she just had to find it.


    Rachel thought long and hard as to where the kaleidoscope might be. It had been a long time since she¡¯d seen it or looked through it and couldn¡¯t remember exactly where she¡¯d left it. As she thought about all the possible places, the most probable place it could be was her house in Bedford. She knew she must have left it in her bedroom but couldn¡¯t remember exactly where. She had to go find it.


    She quickly got dressed and out of the bed she was laying in. She took one more look at the beautifully painted ceiling and then put her shoes on. She knew she didn¡¯t have much time to get out of the castle so she moved quickly.


    She tiptoed down the hall to the room that Hunter and Penelope were sharing. She knocked softly on the door but didn¡¯t hear anything. She opened it slowly, hoping to no witness anything she shouldn¡¯t and when she saw them both laying there sleeping she walked in.


    ¡°Guys, guy, it¡¯s me, wake up,¡± Rachel said in a whisper.


    She watched as they both started twitching and turning in the bed. They opened their eyes slowly to see what was going on.


    ¡°Sorry, guys, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you, but I¡¯m leaving now,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Rachel? What are you doing here?¡± said Hunter.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I have to go,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What? Now?¡± Penelope asked, wiping her eyes and looking over to check the time.


    ¡°Yes, right away, I figured it out,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not even light out yet,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Figured what out?¡± Penelope questioned.


    ¡°I figured out how I will locate the Red Amulet,¡± Rachel said excitedly.


    ¡°How?¡± Hunter said. ¡°I thought you needed my parents to tell you?¡±


    ¡°No, your mom helped me a lot, but the answer lies within myself. I know what to do and I have to go do it now,¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°Tell us!¡± Penelope said. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have to find the kaleidoscope,¡± Rachel said. ¡°Once I have that, I will have all the answers I need.¡±


    ¡°Kaleidoscope?¡± Hunter asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Benji gave it to me once. I don¡¯t have time to explain. I must leave you now,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Well, do you want us to come with you?¡± Hunter said, jumping out of bed.


    ¡°Yeah, we will come, too!¡± Penelope added.


    ¡°No, please. I must do this on my own,¡± Rachel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡± Penelope asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I just do, I can¡¯t explain it,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°All right then. Do what you have to do now,¡± Hunter said, with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°I wish I could bring you with me but I have to leave you at this point. I no longer need help,¡± Rachel reMarced.


    ¡°Ok, be safe out there. And guard the Red Amulet with your life,¡± Hunter said. ¡°And please, take care of Benji. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to him.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Rachel,¡± Penelope said as she walked out of their bedroom door and onto the balcony of the castle.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± Hunter yelled after her.


    Rachel stood there, looking at the passing clouds, wondering why she didn¡¯t think about the kaleidoscope in the first place. She remembered it had brought her such clarity in the past in regards to Benji that she should have thought of it first. But, she couldn¡¯t just stand there beating herself up over it, she had to move on. She had to make it right and find the kaleidoscope.


    She leaned over the balcony¡¯s edge and before she could count to three, her wings were in flight, she was about to take an even longer journey to her house in Bedford, New York. It was a little bit farther south than Hunter¡¯s boarding school, but she figured if she could make the trip yesterday, she could do it again today. The worst that could happen would be that she would have to stop off to rest her wings for a little bit.


    Not long after she took off, she realized she was starving. She hadn¡¯t fed in what felt like days, and perhaps was days. She couldn¡¯t remember. Her life was not a time warp and she couldn¡¯t place the days anymore. All she knew was that she had to feed and now. She peered down below like an owl after its prey. As she flew along the coastline, all she spotted were dolphins jumping up out of the water and a few minnows swimming around in schools. Neither of those appealed to her, especially because the dolphins reminded her of the last family vacation she took, back when she was human. Her family went to Florida and stopped off at the Dolphin Research Center where she spent the day learning, caring for and even swimming with dolphins. She knew they were an under populated species, and she didn¡¯t want to do anything to harm them, despite her relentless hunger.

 Page 12

    Then, she headed inland to see what kind of animals she might spot there. At first, she saw nothing. Nothing but tall trees, fields of grass and rolling mountains. She was desperate, the aches and pains in her stomach were becoming unbearable, her body began to quiver and shake as she flew through the morning sky. Her eyes became watery and her palms began to sweat. She knew she had to find something, and fast.


    Then, out of nowhere, she spotted one. A giant elk, standing atop one of the mountains, bending down chewing on grass. Rachel swooped down out of the sky withing seconds of spotting it, and captured it with the sharp claws that emerged from the tips of her fingers. As the elk lye dead on the ground, she took one quick look at it, kneeled down and dug her sharp white fangs into its body. As she slurped all the blood out, she remembered how good it felt to feed again. It had been a long time since she tasted blood, and she needed it. She craved it.


    As she sucked ever last ounce of blood from the deer, she stood up, checked her watch and then within seconds was back in flight to Bedford. She felt much better having fed, and drank all the blood so that she would have reserves since she didn¡¯t know the next time she would have time to feed would be.


    She soared over much of the same scenery as on her journey up to Maine. Still, finding herself blown away by the beauty below. The leaves were at their peak; all bring orange, red and yellow. The most beautiful fall landscape she¡¯d ever seen. If she were a painter, she would definitely paint this picture.


    She couldn¡¯t wait to get back to her house, although, part of her was dreading it. She hadn¡¯t seen her parents in over a year and the last time she saw them it didn¡¯t exactly go over well. They basically kicked her out of her house and sent her packing. So, needless to say, she was worried how they will react when they see her. In her ideal world, she would be able to slip into the house without anyone noticing her, go up to her room, find the kaleidoscope and then make a break for it. She¡¯d snuck out and in before, so knew it was possible, but didn¡¯t know how it would go over today.


    It was nearing the late afternoon as she began circling Bedford, New York. The sun was going down in the sky and the air was getting colder. The breeze picked up a bit, and threw her off balance a few times as she zeroed in on her house.


    She hovered for a few minutes to survey the situation. She wanted to see what was going on down there before she just landed on the front lawn. She had to make sure that nobody was outside, and that nobody was watching. She was also hoping to find some clues to see if here parents and brother were home. She knew Sarah wouldn¡¯t be home since she was away at college this year. As she looked down, she didn¡¯t see any cars in the driveway. She didn¡¯t see anyone in the yard or on the back porch. She didn¡¯t even see her grill on the back porch. When her father was home he was always grilling something; burgers, hotdogs, veggies. She knew if he were home, he¡¯d be outside doing something. But, she didn¡¯t see him or his grill.


    She knew she could land now. Nobody was outside and nobody was watching her. As she dropped out of the sky and landed on her front lawn she quickly scurried over to the side of the house. She peered through the side window which gave her a good view of the downstairs of the house and she didn¡¯t see anyone. She figured that nobody was home, so she went over to the front door and tried to open it. Her parents never locked their doors; they were very trusting people. So, the fact that it was locked was odd to her. She didn¡¯t quite know what to make of it. She went around to the back of the house and stood in front of the sliding glass door that entered the kitchen off the porch. She clutched the handle, and tried to slide it. That, too was locked.


    That¡¯s odd, she thought to herself.


    As she stood there, thinking about what to try next, the door slid open and a man stood there, staring at her.


    ¡°Hello? Can I help you?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Um, who are you?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked her back.


    ¡°What do you mean? I live here!¡± Rachel said. ¡°Well, I lived here.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Rachel asked the man.


    ¡°What do you mean? This is my home. I live here!¡± he replied.


    ¡°What do you mean? You don¡¯t live here. My family lives here. The Woods,¡± Rachel said, taking a step back to make sure she was at the right house. For a moment she thought she accidentally went to a neighbor¡¯s house. But, this was it. This was for sure the house she lived in with her family.


    ¡°Ah, yes, the Woods,¡± the man said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Oh, nothing! It¡¯s just that they moved out almost a year ago now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Moved out? What do you mean moved out?¡± Rachel asked, stunned.


    ¡°Well, they sold us this house,¡± he replied.


    ¡°What!¡± Rachel let out a scream. ¡°They sold you this house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you know that?¡± he asked her confused.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t been here in a year,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Are you the daughter that is in college?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s my older sister,¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not her?¡± he said, looking back at her in confusion.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m Rachel. Her younger sister,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Um..I didn¡¯t know they had three girls?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Three? No, there¡¯s just two girls and a boy,¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°Well, Um..¡± the man said, looking scared.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Well, your parents said you were dead,¡± the man replied, looking horrified.


    ¡°Dead!¡± Rachel said. ¡°Me?¡±


    Rachel stopped and then realized that she probably shouldn¡¯t have said anything. She should have just went along with his story, and said she was Sarah. Now, he¡¯s going to tell everyone she¡¯s alive. Or even worse, call her parents. This couldn¡¯t get any worse, she thought. She had to figure out a way to get out of this.


    ¡°I¡¯m the half sister, not the one who died,¡± Rachel said quickly, trying to cover herself.


    ¡°Oh, they didn¡¯t mention anything about their other children. I just know about the three kids,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Well, I only lived here a few months before I left for boarding school,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Interesting, they never mentioned that,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really a big deal anyway,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°So, where did they move to anyway?¡± Rachel asked, trying to get to the bottom of this story.


    ¡°They mentioned something about going back home,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Home?¡± Rachel questioned.


    ¡°Yeah, to Pennsylvania, I think,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°But why? Did they say?¡± Rachel asked, hoping to find the answers.


    ¡°Well, they just said that since the death of their daughter, things just haven¡¯t been the same for them. They said they should never have moved up here in the first place,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Rachel said, with a sigh. ¡°So, they went back to Pennsylvania, did they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what they said. I don¡¯t know for sure, but you can call them, they did leave their number, just in case anything should go wrong. But I assume you have their phone number. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you this,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Actually, I lost it. Maybe you could give it to me again?¡± Rachel said. She figured that even though she did have their cell phone numbers, she would be able to tell where they moved if he gave her their home phone number. If it was the same area code, then she would know they went back to Pennsylvania.


    ¡°Sure. Hold on a moment while I grab it. Why don¡¯t you come in for a moment,¡± the man said, ushering her inside the kitchen door.


    ¡°Ok, thanks,¡± Rachel said.


    As she got inside the kitchen and took one look around, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The kitchen was completely different. It has been remodeled and looked nothing like the ugly kitchen it was before. She remembered the smell of the kitchen and the fact that she hated this house. Now, looking around, she thought it actually looked good. Now she wished it were still her house.


    Rachel walked to the entrance of the kitchen where it leads into the other parts of the downstairs to sneak a quick peak at the place. It, too had been remodeled and looked better than ever. All the hideous paint colors and awkwardly configured rooms had been changed and reconstructed. She couldn¡¯t believe how much work this new family had done on the place. Perhaps they were trying to clear the air, cleanse the place after the ¡°death¡± of the girl that lived that before.


    Thinking about that, she was surprised that this family actually bought the house. She wouldn¡¯t ever buy a house that someone had died in, she thought to herself. That would be pretty creepy and scary. She was actually questioning why they bought this house anyway, especially in the shape it had been in. It was awful, really awful. Everything about it was ugly. She assumed they must have been desperate, or that her parents sold it for a good price. Those would be the only reasons someone would buy an ugly house from a family whose child had died.


    ¡°Here it is, young lady. What did you say your name was again. In case they call, I can tell them you stopped by,¡± the man said as he handed her a piece of paper with a phone number on it.


    Rachel dodged the question, she didn¡¯t want to repeat her name, especially now. She knew she had to leave quickly before he asked her again.


    ¡°You can use our telephone if you need to,¡± he said nicely.


    ¡°Oh no, that won¡¯t be necessary. I have my cell,¡± Rachel said as she put the folded piece of paper into her pocket and turned to walk out the door.


    ¡°What was your name again?¡± the man asked again.


    ¡°I should really get going now,¡± Rachel said awkwardly, trying to dodge his question.


    ¡°All right, well I¡¯ll let them know you stopped by then next time I hear from them,¡± the man said.

 Page 13

    ¡°It¡¯s ok, you don¡¯t have to do that. I will call them now,¡± Rachel said, trying to evade him again.


    ¡°Thanks for stopping by,¡± the man said with a smile. ¡°Tell your family we say hello!¡±


    ¡°Will do!¡± Rachel said. ¡°Bye now!¡±


    She quickly exited through the sliding glass door of the kitchen and into the back yard. She didn¡¯t quite know where to go from there. She knew her family had moved but she didn¡¯t know where they had gone. She couldn¡¯t believe they would move and not tell her, but in their defense, they thought she had died. Which saddened her, too. She didn¡¯t realize they thought she was dead. She was shocked. What would they do if they ever saw her again? She thought to herself.


    She then remembered the phone number, and took it out of her pants pocket and unfolded the piece of paper. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It was the exact same phone number that she had when she lived in Pennsylvania. It couldn¡¯t be, she thought to herself as she looked again at the phone number. It was the same.


    Could they have bought back our old house and moved back in? Did they realize they made a mistake by moving to New York? What about my dad¡¯s new job? Is he working back at his old company? What about Marc, is he back at our old school?


    So many questions were swarming around in Rachel¡¯s head. She couldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯d moved. She was still in shock by the whole thing. Then, her mind went back to Benji and the kaleidoscope. She had forgotten for a moment why she even went back to Bedford in the first place. Now, she knew it would be even harder for her to find it. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She felt at a loss.


    Chapter 12


    Rob drove his blue Audi all the way to Syracuse from the party that night. He didn¡¯t want to wait any longer to find Sarah. He knew she would have the answers to finding Rachel. He knew she would be able to tell him her whereabouts.


    As he pulled up to the campus, it was raining. His windshield wipers were on so fast, he could barely see the road in front of him. He stopped short at a crosswalk, almost hitting a group of coeds, crossing the street.


    Rob rolled down his window and said, ¡°Hey, where you guys headed?¡±


    He had a good feeling this group knew where the cool parties were that night and he assumed that Sarah would be at a party. He remembered her from high school, always doing the ¡°it¡± thing and always hanging with the popular crowd.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Sammy party,¡± one girl said, smiling.


    ¡°Where you headed sexy?¡± another girl asked.


    Rob looked back at her without flinching. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been hit on before in this manner, it was fairly common for him. Girls¡¯ couldn¡¯t seem to keep their hands off him these days.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Who, maybe we can help?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°Sarah Woods. Do you know here? She¡¯s a freshman,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°You mean S-Dawg?¡± the girl said with a laugh.


    ¡°Uh..?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Of course we know her. We¡¯re rushing the same sorority together!¡± the girl replied.


    ¡°Well, where is she?¡± Rob asked in a hurry. ¡°I have to find her!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush Dude?¡± the girl said. ¡°Come hang out with us!¡±


    ¡°I really need to find her. Please tell me where she is,¡± Rob said.


    The girl took out her cell and started to text her. ¡°I¡¯m texting her, hold on.¡±


    ¡°Will she be at the party? If so, I¡¯ll just meet you girls there,¡± Rob asked impatiently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Last I heard she wasn¡¯t feeling well, but I don¡¯t know really,¡± the girl said.


    The girl looked down at her buzzing phone and said, ¡°She¡¯s at her dorm getting ready.¡±


    ¡°What dorm?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s in Brewster,¡± the girl said, still smiling and batting her eye lashes.


    ¡°Brewster? Where¡¯s that?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Just go down that road and make a left and you will see it right there. You can¡¯t miss it,¡± the girl answered.


    ¡°Thanks so much, see you later,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°I hope so!¡± the girl said seductively.


    Rob speed away towards Brewster Hall, in hopes of finding Sarah there so that he could talk to her and find Rachel. He was desperate and needed to see her right away. He craved for her and missed her like he had never missed anyone before.


    He pulled into a parking spot outside the dorm, got out of the car and headed into Brewster Hall. It was an all-freshman dorm and it was evident. He saw packs of freshman walking in groups up and down the hallways of their dorms. As he passed some of the rooms, the doors were all open and there were girls inside getting ready; doing their makeup, and blow-drying their hair in their bathrobes. He passed some guys rooms with their doors open and saw them playing XBOX and drinking beers. How Rob longed for the college experience, but he¡¯d been turned right before he applied last year, and never got around to it. His life was turned upside down and he didn¡¯t get the chance to experience college.


    He saw a girl coming out of the bathroom on the third floor and said, ¡°Do you know where Sarah Wood¡¯s room is?¡±


    ¡°Sarah who?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°Sarah Wood,¡± Rob said again.


    ¡°Um..no, sorry. Don¡¯t know her,¡± the girl replied.


    ¡°K, thanks,¡± Rob said as he walked away.


    Then, he saw another girl towards the end of the hall opening her dorm room with her key.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Rob said. ¡°Do you know where Sarah Wood¡¯s room is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s on floor 4,¡± she said.


    ¡°What room?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one next to the water fountain,¡± the girl said.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Rob said as he ran to the stairwell.


    He ran up the steps, skipping multiple steps with each stride. He couldn¡¯t wait to get to her room. He just had to find that water fountain then he would know which room was hers.


    ¡°Hey, Cutie,¡± a girl said who was about to enter the Women¡¯s bathroom on the fourth floor.


    Rob looked around and didn¡¯t see anyone else on the floor and then said, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°Who else would I be talking to?¡± the girl said flirtatiously.


    ¡°Um..I don¡¯t know,¡± Rob said.


    The girl walked over to Rob and started touching his hair. ¡°You¡¯ve got sexy hair,¡± she said.


    Rob pushed her hand off of his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to get to know me?¡± the girl said, exposing more of his skin under the towel that was wrapped around her body.


    ¡°I actually have to¡­¡± Rob started to say and then he found himself being drug into the women¡¯s bathroom unwillingly by this girl. She started kissing his neck and his body and trying to take off his clothes. She was one of the more aggressive girls he¡¯d ever met. Even more so than Arielle. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Part of him wanted to go along with this and score some action, but the other part couldn¡¯t get his mind off of Rachel. He couldn¡¯t let himself do it. He had to leave, but she wouldn¡¯t let him.


    She continued to pull him into the bathroom stall and dropped her towel. She put her body right into his face and he didn¡¯t know what to do. Her scent overtook him and he craved her blood. He desperately wanted to feed but knew he shouldn¡¯t. He knew if he turned this girl, then Syracuse University could really be in for it. He couldn¡¯t resist.


    With one quick bite in her neck, this girl lay on the floor dripping blood onto the tiles, gasping for breath.


    Rob quickly left the scene and continued his search for Sarah¡¯s room. He quickly came upon the water fountain and then knew her room was near. He looked at the doors around it, both were shut. He then looked closely at the pictures and names on the doors and found her name in a bright orange smiley face. He assumed the RA probably made it. He knocked softly on the door, trying not to draw attention to himself. After all he didn¡¯t want anyone to peg him as the ¡°killer¡± in the women¡¯s bathroom. Not that he killed her or anything, it¡¯s just that it would look to the average person that she was dead¡ªuntil she gathered her strength and woke.


    A girl came to the door, but it wasn¡¯t Sarah.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°Is Sarah here?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s here,¡± the girl said as she opened the door wide so that he could see Sarah inside.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Sarah said from across the room.


    As Rob entered the small L shaped dorm room, his eye immediately went to the walls which were adorned with Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus posters. Their bedspreads were magenta with white lace and polka dots and they had a big shag carpet in the middle of their beds. He¡¯d never seen anything quite like this before. He felt as if he¡¯d stepped into a bubble gum pop world.


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing here?¡± Sarah asked, as she caught a glimpse of Rob in her mirror.


    ¡°I came to see you,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you that guy from AHS?¡± Sarah said, looking a bit confused.


    ¡°Yes! Rob. Remember me?¡±


    ¡°Um..I remember your face, I¡¯m just trying to place it¡­¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Your sister. Does that ring a bell?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the guy that dated my sister for like a minute, right?¡± Sarah asked, in a valley girl voice.


    ¡°I guess so. But it was more than a minute,¡± Rob said feeling angry at that comment.


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± Sarah said, turning back to her mirror to put on her makeup. ¡°What do you want with me anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well, I need to talk to you, it¡¯s about your sister,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Rachel?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Why? Why must you bring her up?¡± Sarah said, looking upset.

 Page 14

    ¡°I need to find her and I need your help,¡± Rob said. ¡°Your brother, Marc said you know where he is.¡±


    ¡°Marc said what?¡± Sarah said. ¡°I could kill him!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is, and even if I did, why would I tell you?¡± Sarah said sounding angry.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Well, if I recall correctly, you broke Rachel¡¯s heart. She really liked you and then, you stood her up,¡± Sarah said, sticking up for her sister.


    ¡°Well, I um¡­¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten that!¡± Sarah reMarced. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you changed your mind and want to be with her.¡±


    ¡°I have. I have!¡± Rob said. ¡°She¡¯s all I can think about.¡±


    ¡°Well, get over it. She¡¯s moved on!¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Moved on?¡± Rob asked. ¡°With who? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s that weird guy from the dance?¡±


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re even here,¡± Sarah said. ¡°You know nobody has seen her in a year. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯ve come to ask me about her. It won¡¯t do you any good to stay here. I don¡¯t have any answers for you.¡±


    ¡°Sarah, please!¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Stop it! I don¡¯t want to talk about this anymore. Now leave!¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave until you tell me what you know,¡± Rob said, getting angry. He could feel his face turning red as the blood settled in his stomach. He could feel his body longing for more. For more blood. He couldn¡¯t understand why he was constantly craving it, but he was. He looked at Sarah, and then looked at her roommate. He wanted them badly. But he didn¡¯t act on it. He couldn¡¯t do it. He especially couldn¡¯t turn both of them at once. That would be a record for him.


    Then, Rob stopped and thought for a moment. If he turned Sarah, then maybe she would be on his side. Maybe she would help him out. After all, he remembered when he was turned, he needed Violet, he needed her to tell him what it meant to be a vampire, and what all the changes were that were happening to his body. He would do anything she asked him to so that she wouldn¡¯t leave him behind. He knew that if he turned Sarah, she, too, might be the same way. She might be forced to tell him what she knows about Rachel. She would need him and thus, he knew what he had to do.


    ¡°Where are you going tonight?¡± Rob asked. ¡°You¡¯re getting awfully dressed up!¡±


    ¡°None of your business!¡± Sarah said. ¡°And anyway, you¡¯re not invited.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand why you hate me so much?¡± Rob asked.


    Rob looked at Sarah and she stood there finishing up her mascara and fluffing her hair. He waited for her to turn around.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rob,¡± Sarah said. ¡°I just really don¡¯t like to talk about Rachel and I feel that if you stay, that¡¯s all you¡¯re going to ask about.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do want to know,¡± Rob said again. ¡°And I don¡¯t know why you won¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°See, there you go again. I knew you would keep asking,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Well¡­I have to see her. It¡¯s an emergency!¡± Rob said, trying to sound urgent.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Sarah said, as she put on her coat and heels.


    ¡°Wait, where?¡± Rob asked again.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Sarah said, as she walked out of her dorm room and slammed the door leaving Rob inside.


    He stood there and contemplated turning her roommate first. He looked back at her and then over at the door. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He took another look at the girl, sitting at her desk, with her head turned away, staring at Facebook on her computer. He ran his fingers through his hair and then without a second warning, he leapt over towards her, lifted her up out of her chair, laid her on her bed and sunk his teeth deep inside her. He held her mouth shut as she lay there screaming. He waited until she stopped, to uncover it. He didn¡¯t suck out all her blood, because he wanted her to remain somewhat conscious so that she could help him get to Sarah. He wanted to know where she was and what she knew about Rachel, the love of his life, the only person he cared about.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Rob asked the girl.


    ¡°Zara,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Zara, that¡¯s a pretty name!¡± Rob said, as he gazed into her eyes using mind control to erase what had just happened to her. He didn¡¯t want her to remember how he bit down into her neck. He didn¡¯t want her to remember him negatively, so he erased her memory of that event.


    ¡°Thank,¡± Zara said, smiling back at Rob.


    ¡°So, where¡¯d your roomie go?¡± Rob asked casually.


    ¡°Oh, Sarah. She went to a frat party!¡± Zara said.


    ¡°A frat party eh?¡± Rob replied. ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a Sammy party!¡± Zara said. ¡°I was going to go, but then all of a sudden I started to not feel so well.¡±


    ¡°Sammy?¡± Rob asked. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on north campus!¡± Zara said.


    ¡°Can you show me?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Well, I would but I have this headache and burning feeling inside my stomach. I don¡¯t think I can go. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zara answered.


    Rob took another look at her and saw the blood oozing from her neck. He took his hand slowly and wiped it off without her noticing. He then touched her body with his icy cold hands, holding them steady over her and took the pain out of her body. He wouldn¡¯t let anything get in the way of his finding Sarah.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t feel well?¡± Rob asked, taking his hands off of her.


    He watched as Zara reassessed her body and her sickness. He then saw her crack a smile as she stood up from her bed with ease.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s gone,¡± Zara said. ¡°I feel completely find now. That¡¯s odd!¡± she said, as she walked over to her closet and picked out an outfit to wear.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready in a few minutes, why don¡¯t you wait for me in the hall,¡± Zara said. ¡°Then we can go together!¡±


    ¡°Ok, hurry!¡± Rob said, as he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.


    He stood there, thinking about what he¡¯d just done. How he just turned two girls in this dorm and how eventually, they would wake up to the fact that they are different. How they will end up turning more humans on campus and that eventually, Syracuse University will become overrun with vampires. He kinda liked that idea. He wanted more people to understand him, to know what he went through having been turned against his will at the time of his life when he had everything going for him. He felt a little jipped or robbed of his future, but there was nothing he could do about that now. Now, all he had to do was live his life as a vampire, and hope that he could find Rachel to finally be together with her.


    Within minutes, the door opened and out walked Zara in a tight black mini skirt and halter top. He thought she looked dropped dead gorgeous, but still nothing compared to Rachel. Zara had more conventional good looks whereas Rachel was beautiful in her own quirky way. But Rob liked that about her. In fact, that¡¯s what attracted him to her the most. That she was different.


    Perfectly different.


    ¡°Ready!¡± Zara said, as she closed the door behind her and locked it with her key.


    ¡°Ok, where to?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°North campus,¡± Zara said. ¡°Let¡¯s go get tanked!¡±


    Rob knew he didn¡¯t want to get tanked with her, but didn¡¯t say anything about it. He didn¡¯t want to be a buzz kill, so went along with that idea.


    ¡°Yeah, sure. And you¡¯re sure that Sarah will be there?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Yeah, I just texted her. She¡¯s already there. She said the kegs just arrived!¡± Zara said.


    ¡°Sweet,¡± Rob said, trying to sound excited. And actually he was excited because he thought that if Sarah were drunk, she¡¯s be more inclined to tell him what he knows about Rachel, and it would make it easier for him to turn her.


    As they arrived at the Sammy house, he saw swarms of kids arriving in packs, all smiling, laughing and stumbling around. He knew this must be a typical night at Syracuse; kids drunk, going to parties and having fun with their friends.


    They went around to the back door of the frat house, and entered though a large medal door that was bent on the top and didn¡¯t fit right on its hinges. They then entered into a dark narrow entrance way with stairs going up on one side and going down on the other. They stopped and listened, and heard that the music was coming from downstairs so they headed down. As they got to the bottom the noise level rose tremendously and the vibrations of the base shook the floors. It was jam packed with people shoulder to shoulder dancing and drinking. He noticed a big clear tube spiraling around the floor that looked as if it started from the top floor of the house. He couldn¡¯t tell though since he couldn¡¯t see past the staircase of the basement level. It turned out the tube ended in some guy¡¯s mouth and he was funneling beers though it. Rob had never seen anything quite like it, and wished he could give it a try. He walked over and a guy said to him, ¡°Yo Dude, wanna go?¡±


    Rob looked at the funnel and remembered how he¡¯d been jipped of a college experience and without hesitation said, ¡°Yeah, man!¡±


    Rob took the clear tube and put one end in his mouth, then waited as the group started cheering. As the beer came flying though the tube, their cheers got louder and louder and then, he felt it hit his mouth. The refreshing taste of beer and the bubbles hit his tongue. He quickly gulped and swallowed it down, only letting some dribble out of his mouth. The guys cheered for him and so did the girls. He felt like a rock star and wished with his whole being that he had the chance to go to college.


    ¡°Have you guys seen Sarah?¡± Rob asked to the people around him.


    ¡°Sarah?¡± one guy asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Sarah Wood. She¡¯s supposed to be here,¡± Rob said.

 Page 15

    ¡°The hot frosh you mean?¡± another guy said.


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Rob said.


    ¡°That girl?¡± the guy said, pointing towards the bar area.


    Rob looked and saw Sarah standing on top of the bar dancing holding a red plastic cup of beer in her hand.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s her!¡± Rob said. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Rob quickly went over to her and looked up at her on the bar.


    ¡°What are you doing here? I thought I told you to leave!¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°I need you to tell me about Rachel. I¡¯ll leave you alone if you tell me,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me an ultimatum,¡± Sarah said. ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you anything.¡±


    Rob jumped up onto the bar after her and with a small hop, he was up and standing there, next to her staring her in the eye.


    Sarah jumped back with surprise at his ability to jump like that. She took her cup of beer and threw it in Rob¡¯s face. Before it could hit his face, he stopped the beer and it splashed back and hit her in the face, ruining her perfectly blow dried hair.


    ¡°What!¡± Sarah said. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. You¡¯re the one who threw it in my face!¡± Rob yelled.


    ¡°Listen, leave me alone,¡± Sarah said, as she jumped off the bar and ran upstairs.


    Rob followed close behind her, using his force powers to keep up his speed. He ran like a panther, through the house as Sarah ran ahead of him. She was yelling at first, but Rob forced her lips to shut using mind control so that she wouldn¡¯t alarm anyone as they ran through the house. He didn¡¯t want her to scream and draw attention to him.


    As she got to the top of the house Rob knew that she¡¯d be trapped. There was nothing up there except a balcony and it was too high for her to jump. She ran around and around in circles, Rob chasing her and then stopped. Looked around and then opened a small door and jumped inside. Rob followed her, peeking his head down before he jumped. He couldn¡¯t believe she jumped down the laundry chute. He wondered if she survived. He jumped in after her yelling her name.


    ¡°Sarah! Sarah! Stop running from me already!¡± Rob said as he came tumbling down to the ground.


    Luckily for them, the frat didn¡¯t do laundry often and their fall was cushioned by a heaping mound of disgusting, dirty clothes. They smelled awful, but at least they didn¡¯t get hurt.


    ¡°Leave me alone. You¡¯re scaring me!¡± Sarah said as she jumped up out of the pile of dirty clothes and ran towards the door of the laundry room. It was locked from outside and she tugged and tugged, but couldn¡¯t get the door open. She spotted a window and then ran through it, leaving Rob hardly a second to catch his breath. He quickly followed her, getting stuck only for a minute in the small opening of the window.


    He saw her running down the street and used his animal speed to catch up to her. He then jumped right in front of her like a bear attacking his prey and caught her off guard. Sarah let out a scream and then Rob reached out and grabbed her. Holding her tightly with one hand and the other hand covering her mouth.


    ¡°I wish I didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± Rob said. ¡°But you leave me no choice!¡±


    Rob carried her to a quiet spot behind one of the classroom buildings on campus and there, in the light of the mood and the howling of the wind, he turned her. Sip by sip he drank her blood, but left just enough in so that she, too, could remain conscious to help him out. He felt badly for turning her, but knew it was the only way he could ever be with Rachel was to turn her sister first.


    Chapter 13


    Sarah lay there on the ground convulsing as she felt her body turn cold. She didn¡¯t know what had just happened to her and couldn¡¯t understand why she was laying on the cold ground at night. She opened her eyelids but they were so heavy they barely opened. Through the small slats of her eye, she could see Rob, standing over her, touching her body with his ice cold hands. Then, she started blinking her eyes and gaining focus through her pupils. She¡¯d never felt this way before. It was like she¡¯d just done drugs or something. She didn¡¯t know. Maybe she was drugged or given a roofie in her drink.


    She opened her mouth to talk, but nothing came out. It was like she was speaking, but the sound wasn¡¯t coming out. Then all of a sudden she started coughing and hacking. Then, she tasted blood. She lay there with her head tilted sideways as she coughed up blood clot after blood clot. She didn¡¯t know what was happening to her body. She cleared her throat and made some noises with her voice. It was still mumbled, but at least there was sound.


    ¡°Sarah, are you ok?¡± Rob asked, staring down at her.


    She waited, touching her body with her ice cold hands as she lay there. She wanted to make sure that everything still intact.


    ¡°What happened to me?¡± she managed to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Rob answered. ¡°What did happen to you?¡±


    Sarah thought for a moment and then realized she had no clue what just happened. She couldn¡¯t remember anything for the life of her. She didn¡¯t know how she got there or why Rob of all people was standing over her.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to see you. To talk to you about Rachel,¡± Rob said.


    Sarah couldn¡¯t understand why this random guy from high school would have come to her college to see her to ask about Rachel who she hadn¡¯t seen in over a year now.


    ¡°But why?¡± Sarah said. ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to be with your sister. I still have feelings for her and I want to know where she is. You¡¯re the only one who can help me,¡± Rob said.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you know she¡¯s been gone for a long time now?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°Gone?¡± Rob questioned. ¡°Not dead is she?¡±


    ¡°Oh no! She¡¯s not dead,¡± Sarah answered. ¡°Don¡¯t say such a thing!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s just what people back at AHS were saying, so I wasn¡¯t sure,¡± Rob answered. ¡°God forbid!¡±


    ¡°God forbid is right! I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d live without my sister,¡± Sarah said. ¡°We¡¯ve become so close.¡±


    ¡°So, where¡¯d she go anyway? Vacation?¡± Rob asked.


    Sarah couldn¡¯t understand why he was prying so much about this. She didn¡¯t realize that he cared so much about her sister. Sarah remembered when Rachel came home from high school one day crying because Rob had stood her up for their date. She¡¯d felt so bad for Rachel since it was her first date ever. She also couldn¡¯t believe that Rob, a jock, liked her sister. Another thing that made her proud!


    ¡°Why do you care anyway?¡± Sarah asked, suddenly becoming more protective of her sister.


    ¡°Because I realized I made a mistake. I love her and want to be with her,¡± Rob said.


    Feeling sorry for Rob she let out a smile and said, ¡°She¡¯s with someone else now. I¡¯m sorry to have to tell you that.¡±


    ¡°Someone else?¡± Rob asked. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Just some guy. You probably wouldn¡¯t know him anyway,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Who. Tell me!¡± Rob begged.


    ¡°His name is Benji,¡± Sarah said. ¡°She¡¯s head over heels for him.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s he live?¡± Rob said, getting jealous.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t think he was from Bedford though,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Is that where Rachel is?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°In Bedford?¡± Sarah questioned.


    ¡°No! With Benji?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Yes, I believe so,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Do you have any idea where?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know but, I do know that they went to his house. In some castle or something. I read Rach¡¯s diary and found out. I shouldn¡¯t have seen it, but I did,¡± Sarah confided.


    ¡°Castle?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s somewhere upstate I think,¡± Sarah said.


    She stared up at Rob who was clearly processing all of this new information. She could see it computing in his head and he stared back at her in amusement.


    ¡°Upstate?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know anything else. Sorry, wish I did,¡± Sarah replied.


    ¡°Do you still have her diary?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. My parents packed it up when they moved,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°They moved?¡± Rob asked. ¡°You mean out of Bedford?¡±


    ¡°Yes! They moved right after Rachel left. They couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and realized they¡¯d made a huge mistake moving up to New York anyway so they went home to Pennsylvania,¡± Sarah answered.


    ¡°No wonder!¡± Rob said. ¡°I tried stopping by your house many times, but nobody answered the door. Then, just recently another family answered and I was so confused I just left.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why. It¡¯s because they don¡¯t live there anymore,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Want to find her with me?¡± Rob asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Asked Sarah.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go find your sister. Do you want to come with me?¡± Rob asked again.


    ¡°Well, I have class tomorrow,¡± Sarah answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can.¡±


    ¡°Trust me. You can miss class. It doesn¡¯t matter now anyway,¡± Rob answered.


    ¡°What do you mean it doesn¡¯t matter now?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see!¡± Rob said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Sarah asked again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. In due time you will find out what I mean,¡± Rob said ominously.


    Sarah lifted her body off the ground and stood up. She¡¯d never felt more light headed before in her life as she did at this moment. She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening to her body. Her mind started spinning and the world around her became blurry and foggy.


    She didn¡¯t know what to make of it all. She looked at Rob who looked as if he was floating away. His body drifting off in the distance. She didn¡¯t know where he was going and wanted to follow him. Then, all of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain in her back and then a popping sound. Then her feet lifted off the ground and her back sprouted wings. She was flying in the sky next to Rob, not knowing what on earth was happening.

 Page 16

    ¡°Rob? What¡¯s going on?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. We¡¯ve got a while to fly until we reach the castle.¡±


    Chapter 14


    Rachel hovered over her old house in Pennsylvania watching and waiting to see what was going on below. It was evening time and her family station wagon was parked in its usual spot in circular the driveway. She saw the kitchen light on and shadows walking around inside. She couldn¡¯t make out who it was, but assumed it was either her mom, dad or Marc. She knew it wasn¡¯t Sarah because she was in college and wouldn¡¯t be home until Christmas.


    She lowered her body so that she could see into the window of her old bedroom to see if was still hers. When she peered inside though, she didn¡¯t recognize it. Her old wall paper was torn down and replaced with a simple green and white stripe. Her old paisley curtains replaced with simple white sheers and her shag carpet torn up and only the wood floors were left exposed. It was not hers anymore. She didn¡¯t know whose it was, but knew that none of here stuff was inside. It looked empty as if it were a guest room or something. She flew by Marc and Sarah¡¯s old rooms and they were left perfectly preserved as she¡¯d remembered. Not one thing out of place, not one thing had changed since their move. She wondered if her parents really thought she was dead? She then flew by her parents room, hiding behind a tree so that if they were inside they wouldn¡¯t see her. She couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen if they saw her flying in the air. They¡¯d surely lose their minds, she thought to herself. Their room was the exact same, too. They¡¯d moved everything back in and put it back in its proper place just as she¡¯d remembered. Everything was there, even down the little leather bunny rabbit they put on their bed each morning after making it.


    So why wasn¡¯t her room put back together? She thought to herself. And where were all of her things? She quickly landed in the woods behind her house and crept to the windows of the basement to look inside. She wondered if perhaps her stuff was in storage boxes in the basement. She looked though all four sides of the house, but saw nothing. None of her stuff was there. She hoped and prayed that they didn¡¯t throw it out or donate it.


    She then heard a noise coming from outside her house and then heard her dad¡¯s voice. ¡°Marc! Come out here and give me a hand with the groceries.¡±


    ¡°But Dad, I¡¯m busy!¡± Marc yelled back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re doing. Get your lazy butt out here now and help out around here for Christ sake! Do you think you can just show up back home after all this time and not help out!?¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡± Marc yelled.


    Rachel quickly ran behind their detached garage to take cover. She couldn¡¯t let them see her or sense that she was there. Her father had a keen sense about him and could always tell when he was being watched or followed. Once he avoided being mugged because he sensed the guy coming behind him and scared him away.


    As she stood there behind the garage watching her family, she spotted something inside the side window of the garage. It was a tall stack of cardboard moving boxes with things written on the side in black sharpie. She couldn¡¯t make out what they said, but she saw her name of a few of the boxes.


    This is it! She thought to herself. This is where my stuff is!


    Rachel moved quietly around the side of the garage to the side door. She knew her parents never locked the garage door since it was detached from the house so she¡¯d be able to get inside that way. The leaves crunched under her feet as she walked slowly toward the door. She kept one eye on her father and brother as she did this so that if they turned she could quickly duck down. Then, she stepped on a branch, cracking it in half. Both her brother and father turned quickly and Rachel dropped to the ground to hide.


    Phew, she thought to herself. That was a close call.


    ¡°Marc, did you hear that?¡± her father asked.


    ¡°Yeah! What was it?¡± Marc answered.


    ¡°Sounded like someone¡¯s in the bushes?¡± her father said.


    ¡°Go check it out!¡± Marc said. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    ¡°Good idea!¡± her father said.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Were they really going to search the property? Was she going to get caught? She quickly launched her body into the air and onto the roof of the garage. She knew they would never think to look on the roof. She lay down on the roof so as not to draw attention to herself by standing on top of it. She was safe there. She heard her father and brother rumbling around below her searching for what could have made that noise. Then, their footsteps drifted off into the distance as they continued searching.


    Rachel stood up and then jumped back to the ground, creating another loud stir. She hoped that nobody heard that but her and thankfully, nobody came after her.


    She crept back towards the door of the garage and then slowly turned the gold door knob as the door creaked open. How she wished she carried WD40 in her pocket as the hinges were so creaky that she was sure her whole family would come running outside to see what was going on. She quickly darted inside and hid behind some boxes that were stacked in the corner. She knelt down and waited there in silence to see if anyone was coming after her to find out what all the ruckus was about.


    After about five minutes of waiting, she figured nobody was coming so she stood up and headed towards the box that said her name on it. It was like finding the best Christmas present ever. All her stuff was still there, in boxes, properly labeled and organized.


    She looked at all the labels and thought her best bet would be to look in the box that said toys and miscellaneous things. She opened the box and rummaged through it, lifting up old dolls, CD players, Lego¡¯s, My Little Pony dolls, and a few stuffed animals. She wasn¡¯t yet at the bottom, but she hadn¡¯t come across the kaleidoscope yet. She hoped that it would be in this box and figured her parents would probably classify it as a toy. They didn¡¯t know it was much much more than a toy to her, they didn¡¯t know that the kaleidoscope had changed her life forever.


    She continued to dig through the endless box of toys but was still unable to find the kaleidoscope. She couldn¡¯t understand it. There was everything under the sun in that box except her precious kaleidoscope. She couldn¡¯t understand it.


    Then she looked at the other boxes and started digging through them. She was becoming more unsuccessful as the minutes went on and still, no kaleidoscope. She was beginning to wonder if they threw it out, or put it elsewhere in the house. Or maybe, they sold it in a garage sale. All these ideas were flooding her mind and making her even more upset. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of never finding the kaleidoscope again.


    Then, she came upon a box that said, Rachel¡¯s school stuff. There were only two boxes left to sort through until she¡¯d have to give up. She opened the box slowly and started lifting up various school related items. This exercise was like taking a journey through her past. She felt a bit nostalgic for the days that had gone by and wished for a second she could still have a use for these things. She lifted up her old notebooks, her pens, pencils, and her Filofax. She pulled out old notes that her friends had written her and she even found her old AHS school schedule. Then, she saw her LeSportSac back pack. She picked it up to put it aside and continue searching, but it felt heavy to her. It was heavier than she¡¯d remembered it feeling. She opened up the front zipper and pulled out her diary. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She¡¯d missed her diary so much but couldn¡¯t remember where she¡¯d put it. She quickly removed it from the backpack and put it in her new leather messenger bag that she carried across her body. She then opened up the large zip pocket and she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It was a true miracle. There in all its glory, shining brightly was the kaleidoscope. She pulled it out and it was exactly as she¡¯d remembered. It was perfect and now she knew she would be able to find the Red Amulet. She put the kaleidoscope to her eye in hopes of seeing the answer, but she saw nothing. It was like looking into a black hole. She shook the kaleidoscope and then looked through it again.


    Nothing.


    She couldn¡¯t believe it. All of this for a blackened blurry vision of nothing. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Her heart sank in her chest and she knew it was over. She knew she would never find the Red Amulet, and she knew she would never save Benji. Thinking about this brought tears to her eyes. She slunk down to the ground, holding the kaleidoscope in her hand and cried.


    Then she heard a noise coming from outside of the garage. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. How did she not hear them before. She had no warning, no time to hide. She heard the door creak open and they walked in as she was sitting there, crying on the floor. She didn¡¯t know what to do and the only thing she could do was look up and acknowledge what was about to happen. She¡¯d been caught.


    ¡°Rachel?¡± her dad said in surprise.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Rachel replied.


    ¡°Rachel? Is that really you?¡± Marc said, looking down at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m back,¡± Rachel said, still clutching tightly to her kaleidoscope.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± her dad asked in an angry voice.


    Rachel didn¡¯t know what to say or do. She knew her dad was going to let her have it. There was nothing she could do to stop him. She could see the anger in his eyes as his face got redder and redder. All of a sudden she¡¯d wished she¡¯d never come for her kaleidoscope. She knew it was all a big mistake.


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re back?¡± her dad snarled. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s funny to leave for a year and then come back and say, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±¡¯


    ¡°I, um¡­N, N, No,¡± Rachel stuttered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even believe this,¡± Marc said. ¡°We thought you were dead!¡±


    ¡°Dead?¡± Rachel questioned. ¡°Me dead!¡± she let out a little laugh.


    ¡°You have no idea the trouble you¡¯ve brought our family, Missy,¡± her father said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rachel said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so angry with me. I didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡±

 Page 17

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do ANYTHING!¡± her father screamed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. You DISSAPPEARED!¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± Rachel said vaguely. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Did you not stop for one second to think about how that affected your family? Did you?¡± her father yelled. ¡°You have no idea the toll it took on us. Especially your mother.¡±


    ¡°Did you even hear what happened to Mom?¡± Marc asked.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t imagine what it could be and said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Well, to be honest, I don¡¯t even think you¡¯re worthy of knowing,¡± her father said.


    ¡°Worthy of knowing where my own mother is?¡± Rachel questioned.


    ¡°Yes. You probably wouldn¡¯t even care anyway,¡± her father remarked.


    ¡°Tell me, please,¡± Rachel begged. ¡°I must know.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not well,¡± Marc said. ¡°She¡¯s not well at all.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rachel asked in worry.


    ¡°She got very ill. She fell into a deep coma and she¡¯s in the hospital now,¡± her father said.


    ¡°Coma?¡± Rachel asked, devastated. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She got sick from worrying about you and then once everyone started talking about your death, she tried to kill herself, too. She overdosed on pain medication and just about died herself. She lapsed into a coma and has been like that ever since,¡± her father sighed.


    ¡°How long?¡± Rachel asked in fear.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while now. Almost five months,¡± Marc added.


    ¡°Five months!¡± Rachel exclaimed.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Probably because you didn¡¯t come back to us,¡± her father said. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to care about anyone else but yourself these days. It serves you right really. What¡¯s happened to your mother is all your fault. Imagine if she¡¯d died. How would you have felt?¡±


    ¡°But, I ¡­I,¡± Rachel said. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. Really, it wasn¡¯t my fault. Stop blaming me for something I didn¡¯t have control over!¡±


    ¡°Control over!¡± her father yelled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who left!¡±


    ¡°Dad, please. Please. You have to understand. I had to go. Things changed for me. You have to believe me. But now I¡¯m back, but only for a short time,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Yeah, why did you come back here anyway?¡± Marc asked. ¡°And how did you know we were here.¡±


    ¡°I went back to Bedford and the guy who lives in our house told me you¡¯d moved. So, he gave me your phone number and it was the same as before, so I figured you¡¯d just moved back to our old house. And I was right. Here you are!¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°So why did you come back here?¡± her father asked.


    ¡°I had to come back for my kaleidoscope,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°What?¡± Marc said.


    ¡°What kaleidoscope?¡± her father asked.


    ¡°This one,¡± Rachel said, holding it up in her hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s that dumb thing?¡± Marc asked, laughing at her. ¡°Why would you ever come back for a dumb toy?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Marc! It¡¯s not a toy. It¡¯s much more than that,¡± Rachel said. Then she realized she¡¯d never convince him it was magical so she stopped trying to defend herself and just let him think whatever he wanted.


    Then, Rachel noticed it. There was something missing on her kaleidoscope. It was the golden flower knob that fit onto the side of it. How did she not realize that before? she thought to herself. It¡¯s the piece that holds the top and the bottom of the kaleidoscope together. She knew it felt a little loose, but didn¡¯t stop to make sure all the pieces were together. Then, she wondered where she¡¯d put the flower knob. She remembered taking it off one day before she¡¯d left to be with Benji because she didn¡¯t want anyone looking in her kaleidoscope and finding her. She didn¡¯t want anyone else to use it.


    Then, she remembered! She¡¯d put it in her small jewelry box with the twirling ballerina. She put it under one of the felt padded drawers. She knew she had to find it. She¡¯d just been through all her boxes, but it was not there. She couldn¡¯t imagine where it would be. Then, figured she¡¯d have to ask her dad since he was probably the one who packed up all her things.


    ¡°Dad, I need to find my small jewelry box. Do you know where it is?¡± Rachel asked, changing the subject on them.


    ¡°What?¡± her father asked. ¡°Why would I know where your stuff is?¡±


    ¡°Well, who packed it all up?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Your sister and I did it together. Your mother had already been in the hospital for some time now before we moved and we didn¡¯t want to tell her about the move either. We couldn¡¯t add anything else to her plate,¡± her father said.


    ¡°Well, are there any other boxes that are mine here?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°I have to find something else. I promise I¡¯ll leave once I find it!¡±


    ¡°Leave? Again?¡± Marc asked. ¡°Where do you keep going?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Rachel said, trying to avoid the question.


    ¡°Dad, please help me find it. I beg you,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Why do you need that dumb thing anyway?¡± her father asked.


    ¡°I need it. I just do!¡± Rachel said, starting to get upset.


    ¡°I think there may be some more boxes of your in the attic. You can have five minutes to look and then I want you out,¡± her father said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not welcome in our house anymore. You¡¯ve caused enough trouble already. Take what you need and then leave. We don¡¯t want to see you again,¡± her father yelled.


    Rachel understood. He did have a point. Ever since she¡¯d been turned, and actually, even before that she had caused a lot of stress and hardship for her family.


    ¡°You¡¯re dead to us,¡± Marc said, with a cold face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have even come back. Nobody wants to see you here.¡±


    Rachel sat there, holding her kaleidoscope and a tear started rolling down her cheek. She felt emotional by the words that her father and brother were saying, but she knew they were right. She knew that they had a point and to be honest, she felt a little bit bad about how she¡¯d left them. They didn¡¯t deserve that, but she also didn¡¯t deserve to be disowned like this either.


    ¡°Five minutes!¡± her father said, ¡°And then we want you gone!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t believe she only had five minutes to rummage through who knows how many boxes in the attic to find something smaller than her pinky toe nail. It was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack, but she was up for the challenge. She had to be, without this flower knob, she couldn¡¯t save Benji and then, her life would be over.


    She began to run for the attic, but before she got there, Marc stopped her, in the other room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was tough on you in front of Dad,¡± he said, looking guilty. ¡°I actually just moved back myself. When they sold the house I went through a tough time. I stayed back. I crashed with friends. I went down a bad slope. Did drugs. Got in with the wrong crowd.


    ¡°Then I ran into your old friend Rob at a party. We fought, and when I woke up, it was like the weirdest thing¡ªI felt different. Stronger. Not like myself. I don¡¯t really understand it. I haven¡¯t felt the same since. I didn¡¯t know what to do. So I came back here. Anyway, sorry. I just want to say I know how you feel, in a weird way. I don¡¯t really like our parents either. I have to get out of here soon. I just don¡¯t know where to go, or what to do.¡±


    To Rachel¡¯s shock, Marc started to tear up, looking down.


    She stepped in and placed a hand on his shoulder. As she did, she could feel the vampire energy, and she pulled away, shocked. Had Rob turned him?


    ¡°What is it?¡± Marc asked. ¡°You look freaked.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­nothing,¡± Rachel said. ¡°I just want you to know I understand what you¡¯re going through. You may not think I do, but I do. When you¡¯re ready, find me. I will help you. I promise. I will become the good big sister that I never was.¡±


    A smile crossed Marc¡¯s face. The two of them hugged.


    Then Rachel took off, sprinting back to the attic, knowing her Dad would kick her out soon.


    She quickly ran into the house, which surprisingly felt like home again to her. It was almost as if she¡¯d never left. Part of her actually wished they¡¯d never moved in the first place because then none of this would be happening. She would be human again. How she longed to feel what it was like to be a normal human girl again.


    Then, she snapped out of it, pulled the string which hung from the ceiling on the second floor and pulled down the steps that led to the attic. She climbed the steep, dusty steps, gripping the sides of the steps with her one free hand. The other hand still clutching onto the kaleidoscope with all her might. As she got to the top of the steps, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The attic was filled with boxes; it was like a sea of boxes. It must have been their entire life up there. She couldn¡¯t believe she had only five minutes to find the flower knob in her old jewelry box. She know it was going to be impossible.


    Then, she started digging through the boxes one by one. Time was ticking and it was only a matter of minutes before her father came in and kicked her out for good. Honestly, she was surprised he even let her in in the first place. She figured he must have been in a relatively forgiving mood today, since he didn¡¯t kick her out the moment he saw her. She deserved it, she thought to herself. She deserved to be treated terrible after what she¡¯d put them through.


    ¡°Rachel, three more minutes!¡± her father yelled. ¡°You better move fast!¡±


    Rachel scurried along, searching through box after box and still finding nothing. She was about to give up when she came across a red box. It was unlike any other box she¡¯d seen before. It was vibrant in color and it was almost as if there was a glow coming out of the box. She went over to the box and cut open the tape that covered the top. As she opened it up, there was a bright light emanating from it. She was confused and surprised all at once. It reminded her of the old Coven Book and how it glowed when she¡¯d opened the cover. Was this a magical box? Rachel questioned herself.

 Page 18

    When she opened the box a red balloon floated up in front of her eyes. Rachel blinked a few times to make sure her mind wasn¡¯t playing tricks on her. It was real a red balloon, there floating in her attic. It was the strangest thing she¡¯d ever imagined. She sat there watching it float around her body almost as if it was travelling in circles around her. It reminded her of the balloon she¡¯d seen in her dream the night before. The dream that sparked this whole expedition in the first place.


    Rachel knew it was a sign. A symbol. An answer to her prayers.


    Then, the balloon floated to the ceiling and popped loudly. Then, she heard something hit the floor and start rolling. It sounded like a small pebble or something. She looked down on the floor to see what it was and then she spotted it. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Inside the balloon was the flower knob itself. It had fallen to the floor and that was what was making the rolling noise. She watched it as it spiraled to a stop on the wooden floor of the attic. Luckily for her it didn¡¯t fall in between the large cracks in the floors. It was a sign, a miracle from above that the flower knob was magically back in her hands again. She picked it up and screwed it back onto the kaleidoscope where it belonged.


    ¡°Rachel, get out of here now!¡± her father yelled. ¡°Time¡¯s up! You have to get out.¡±


    Rachel quickly stood up and started down the attic steps. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had found what she was looking for just in the nick of time. She had no idea how she did it, or what had just happened with the balloon, but she didn¡¯t want to question it. She knew it was a miracle and she knew it was just another sign that she was meant to be with Benji.


    She clutched the kaleidoscope, ran down the stairs of her house and out the front door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come back! You¡¯ve done enough to our family!¡± her father said as he slammed the door behind her.


    With the kaleidoscope in her hand, she knew she had everything she needed now to save Benji. She stood there, on her front lawn, and put the kaleidoscope to her eye. She couldn¡¯t wait to see what would happened when she peered through. She started turning the kaleidoscope and it went from black to multicolored diamond shapes. She knew this was it. It was only a matter of moments before she would have all the answers she needed in order to find the Red Amulet.


    Chapter 15


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It was her and Benji from long ago, from another lifetime walking through Paris, under the Eifel Tower. Just the two of them strolling hand in hand and kissing each other frequently. She was laughing and touching his face, batting her eyelashes and flirting with him. She walked in her character shoes with a long old fashioned dress and carried a pink parasol with white lace trim. It was a scene from another era. It reminded her of an old fashioned movie from the early 1900¡¯s. She couldn¡¯t believe it was her.


    Then she saw another scene from the past where she and Benji were in Venice, riding together on a gondola through the canals. There was a man who was piloting their gondola wearing a white and red striped shirt with a top hat. It looked as if he were singing a love song as she and Benji kissed under the romantic bridges in the sunset of the night. Benji held her hands as they kissed and when they stopped kissing, they gazed into each other¡¯s eyes longingly as if they were the only two people in the entire world.


    Next, she saw Benji down on one knee proposing to her and opening up a small black velvet box and inside the box, instead of a diamond ring, Benji pulled out a small pendant, red in color and said, ¡°This is the Red Amulet. Guard it with your life because you have mine now. I love you. Will you marry me?¡±


    Rachel could see herself jumping into Benji¡¯s arms as they were whisked away by horse and carriage to St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral in New York City. There, the two wed at the altar in a small ceremony. She wore a beautiful white dress with flowers along the neckline and he wore a tuxedo with tails and a top hat. They went up into the pulpit and there, Benji took off the Red Amulet and hid it behind the altar where nobody would find it.


    ¡°It will be safe here,¡± Benji said. ¡°If you ever need it, you will know where to find it.¡±


    Rachel saw herself smile at Benji as the two hid the amulet and left the church kissing and hugging to begin their married life together.


    Then, the kaleidoscope went black again. She shook it to see more of the story but it remained dark. There was no more to see.


    Rachel knew where she had to go. She had to go to New York City and find the amulet in St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral. She prayed it was still there, where Benji hid it. It had to be.


    She leapt into the air and began to fly north towards the big city. She hadn¡¯t been in the city since that time she got the fake ID with her friends from Bedford. Wow, that felt like ages to her now. She couldn¡¯t believe how much had happened to her and how much her life had changed since that night long ago. It was as if she were a completely different person now. Well, she was.


    She flew quickly, not stopping anywhere and not letting anything distract her. She knew that she had found the answers she needed now, all she had to do was get there. She wished she could fly faster, but her wings were young and she couldn¡¯t go more than 75 miles per hour. She knew this journey would take almost two hours if she was lucky. Her mind was spinning, thinking about what she¡¯d just seen in the kaleidoscope. It all felt so real to her and brought back so many hidden memories of her and Benji¡¯s life together in the past. She knew their love was a forever type of love and that no matter what they¡¯d always be together. That was, if she could save him from this horrible tragedy that happened to him.


    Her adrenaline was racing as she soared through the sky. She¡¯d flown so much over the past two days that she was surprised her young wings could sustain it. She was shocked actually. She didn¡¯t know how strong she was or how much she could accomplish if she put her mind to it.


    As she approached Manhattan she could see the Statue of Liberty in all her glory, she could also see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in the distance. She knew she was close now; she could feel it in her bones. She flew up the west side of Manhattan up the Hudson River and was blown away, once again by the beauty beneath her. The sights and sounds below her were astonishing. It was like everything she¡¯d ever seen in the movies and read in books but magnified. She felt alive again. She felt the energy and life of the city pulse through her veins and she felt like she had the power and strength to do anything. To conquer anything. It was a good feeling to have, especially now that she was only minutes away from reuniting with the Red Amulet.


    She turned east and headed into midtown. She passed Radio City Music Hall and knew that while it was still early, in just weeks the holiday spirit would be starting to infuse the air and the people below her. As she headed towards St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral she passed Rockefeller Center. The tree would soon be there, under scaffolding, ready to be lit. The ice rink would be in full swing as skaters spun in circles below and the sound of holiday music filled the air.


    It was Rachel¡¯s favorite time of year. She had so many great memories of Christmas and the entire holiday season that it made her long for her days back in Pennsylvania before this madness happened. She missed her simple life of celebrating Christmas with her family and extended family. She missed them dearly but knew she couldn¡¯t go back. Not now. Not ever. She had a new life now and she would have to start making new traditions of her own. She couldn¡¯t go back she could only move forward.


    She looked down for a spot to land and decided not to land on the street below. It was way too crowded with tourists and she knew it would draw attention to the fact that she dropped from the sky. She saw the two turrets that flanked the church and headed towards one of them. She flew quickly as she fell out of the clouds so as not to draw attention to herself. She landed on one of the turrets and then sat there a few minutes to catch her breath. She heard some screams down below of people that saw her land. She hid in hopes that she wouldn¡¯t get caught.


    ¡°Up there. Get her!¡± a voice shouted from below.


    The sounds of sirens began and quickly filled the air. There were flashing blue, white and red police lights that started to light up the ground below and after a few minutes, Rachel saw a chopper coming with a bright search light which was shining up the ground and the church around her.


    She knew she had to think fast before they caught her. She quickly scaled the peaks of the church and jumped into the bell tower. She knew she would be safe there until the lights went away. She hid under the bell for what felt like an hour before the search lights died down and the ground below became quiet again. She then came out of her hiding spot, scaled down the side of the cathedral and walked in through the entrance.


    She was surprised to see the entire church was packed. Ever pew had a person in it, and was full of people shoulder to shoulder. There was barely room to stand, let alone find a seat to sit down. Rachel could wait anymore. She had to find the Red Amulet. Time was ticking and she couldn¡¯t just watch this service and let time go by without saving Benji.


    She quickly pushed by throngs of onlookers and elbowed her way down the center isle of the church. People were letting out shrieks and gasps as she blew past them in a hurry. She didn¡¯t care though; she continued to knock people out of the way.


    Then, she spotted it. The pulpit from the vision in the kaleidoscope where Benji hid the Red Amulet. She¡¯d finally found it after days of searching. She was now only steps away from it. Her heart started pounding out of her chest and her head started spinning. She couldn¡¯t wait to get her hands on it again. Finally.


    When she looked ahead of her at the remaining thousands of people still in between her and the pulpit she felt a pit in her stomach. If only she could fly up and grab it, she thought. But she knew that could get her killed and she couldn¡¯t risk it.


    She continued pushing and nudging her way past the flocks of humanity that had come to see the church service, knocking down small children and even a few of the candles that were lit on the sides of each pew.


    Screams let out again, this time so loud that it interrupted the service and the priest even stopped his sermon to see what the commotion was below him.

 Page 19

    ¡°Silence!¡± the priest yelled out. ¡°Is this the way we show respect our lord?¡±


    The crowd grew quiet as Rachel continued to knock people over to make her way to the spiral staircase that led to the pulpit. As she came to the front of the isle, she saw a large rope that cordoned off the area of the guest and the clergy of the church. She saw security guards and police standing at the bottom of the pulpit to ensure that the priest was safe while giving his sermon.


    She didn¡¯t care though. She knew she could get past anyone or anything. She ran and jumped over the rope causing quite a stir. The guards leapt into action, holding their rifles out and some leaning to grab her, but she was too quick. She was unstoppable. She outran every guard and police man and found herself at the steps to the pulpit.


    She saw two more guards she¡¯d have to outsmart before getting up the stairs. She quickly used mind control on the two of them, having them enter into a trance and step away from the stairs and stop the other guards that were after her. She turned them against their own guards and then made her way up the stairs. She couldn¡¯t believe that it worked so quickly, but didn¡¯t want to jinx it by questioning it.


    She ran up the stairs quickly, skipping a step as she went up the spiral and into the top of the pulpit. The priest looked terrified and in shock as she approached him. He put out his hand and covered his face with his robe to protect him. She pushed over the priest as shouts came from the onlookers below.


    ¡°No! Lady stop!¡± people yelled out.


    ¡°Save him. Save the priest!¡± others yelled.


    ¡°Intruder! Terrorist!¡± another person yelled.


    Rachel was not fazed by any of it though¡ªshe was on a mission and would let nothing stop her now. Not even the NYPD or the intense security guards of St. Patrick¡¯s.


    She looked at the altar, where the priest was standing and pushed him out of the way again. Then, he pushed her back, grabbing her by the wrist and holding her tight. Rachel quickly reacted and grabbed his arm and flung him over her body; he landed on the top of the staircase at the entrance to the pulpit.


    ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± the priest yelled.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Rachel said back.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be in big trouble, young lady,¡± the priest replied. ¡°Get down from here this instant.¡±


    ¡°Make me!¡± Rachel teased him. ¡°What are you going to do about it anyway?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me who will judge you for this. It is our lord and savior,¡± the priest answered.


    With that, Rachel grabbed the priest and lifted him up over her head, then said, ¡°You asked for it!¡±


    Then, she threw him off the pulpit into the crowds of people below. As he flew through the air, he let out a loud scream of panic.


    Rachel finally had the pulpit to herself. She rummaged around, throwing things out of the way in search of the Red Amulet.


    She remembered where Benji had hid it from the kaleidoscope but when she looked behind the altar it wasn¡¯t there. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She turned the thing upside down and looked in every crack and crevice in the entire pulpit. She even looked under the carpeting that lay on the floor of the pulpit. But nothing. The Red Amulet was nowhere to be found. Rachel let out a scream of anger.


    ¡°No!!!!!!!!!¡± she yelled.


    By this time the police had arrived and were charging in. The guard dogs came in, too and started running towards the pulpit where Rachel stood, searching for the Red Amulet. The snarling of the dogs grew louder as they approached her. She didn¡¯t know what to do, she couldn¡¯t let the dogs attack her. She was deathly afraid of this breed of dog. She had an incident with a German Sheppard before, and was scarred from it. She vowed never to be in the same room as one again.


    She couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. The dogs were approaching her quickly and they looked mean. They looked at her as if they were going to tear her to shreds any minute. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She couldn¡¯t find the Red Amulet in the place where Benji had hid it and she only had minutes before she was surely going to die from either gun fire from the police of the attack dogs.


    The dogs starting charging up the steps to the pulpit and before she could think, she stood up on the side of the pulpit and leapt into the air, flying around over all the people below who were still screaming in horror at what they were witnessing.


    Rachel circled the people a few times and then the shots rang out. She was being fired at by the policemen below.


    ¡°Get down here, you thing!¡± they shouted.


    ¡°Land! Land!¡± they yelled. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you will surrender!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll NEVER surrender!¡± Rachel yelled. ¡°And I¡¯m not a thing!¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡± the policemen yelled. ¡°You¡¯re an animal!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never tell you!¡± Rachel yelled back.


    As she flew around the church she continued looking for the amulet. She knew it had to be there somewhere. She thought her bird¡¯s eye perspective would help her find it. She looked down at all the pews, but didn¡¯t see it. She flew above the organ and the choir, but nothing. It was nowhere to be found.


    Then, as she dodged the shots, she saw a red light flashing towards her. It was a faint light, but it caught her eye nonetheless. There it was, located in the center of the crucifix that hung proudly at the front of the church. It was a huge cross, and the amulet looked so small against it. She flew over towards the cross and hovered in front of it, staring forcefully at the Red Amulet. She couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d found it after all that. And she couldn¡¯t believe that she found it in that location, especially since it wasn¡¯t in the pulpit where Benji had hid it.


    It was a sheer miracle, she thought to herself. With all the commotion; the dogs, the shots, the people screaming, the priest fight and the police, she still managed to find the Red Amulet. She knew it was meant to be. Now, she had to take it to Benji. She had to get to him quickly. She pulled the Red Amulet out of the center of the cross and put it around her neck. It hung there proudly and she could feel its energy and power seeping into her body. She knew she¡¯d found it and was now able to save Benji¡¯s life for good.


    Chapter 16


    Rachel fled from St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral quickly and began her flight to Benji. She knew time was running out and that he would die soon. In fact, she didn¡¯t know if she would make it. She hoped and prayed that when she returned he would still be there where she¡¯d left him but she wasn¡¯t sure. The thought of Benji not being there was eating her up inside. She knew it had taken her longer than she expected to find the Red Amulet, but she finally found it and hoped that she still had time to save Benji. She hoped that it wasn¡¯t too late.


    As she flew up the coast, she felt her body growing stronger and more powerful as a result of wearing the Red Amulet. She knew she was not to wear it as jewelry or for any other reason than for protection, but she figured that this was a time when she needed protection. Perhaps that because she was wearing the amulet, she was able to dodge the bullets and dogs in the church. Perhaps it is why she was able to escape the scene unharmed. Perhaps the Red Amulet saved her life? She will never know, but what she did know was that she felt like a new person as a result of having the amulet touch her body.


    She was making record time as she soared through the sky on her way to Benji. Then, she spotted the cliff where they¡¯d jumped off of a year ago. She knew she was close to him now. She could feel it in the air. She could sense his presence close to hers. She hoped that it was because he was really near and not because he had died and was not with her in spirit.


    She could see the waves crashing against the shore, stronger than she¡¯d ever seen before. It was almost as if a big storm was coming to town. Suddenly the sky grew dark and the rain started beating down on her. She was being flung across the sky by strong gusts of wind. She was scared and thought she was going to have to land and wait out the storm on the ground. Then, she darted through the sky at lightning speed and arrived at the place where she last left Benji.


    She knew she had to get inside the cave before the storm brought the water level too high. She worried that the water might enter the cave and flood the entire thing. If that happened she and Benji would surely die.


    As she walked through the dark walls of the cave she could hear dripping coming from the stalagmites. She heard her footsteps echoing off the walls of the cave and it actually sent a chill down her spine. She felt scared to be inside the dark cave, wandering around alone.


    ¡°Benji!¡± she yelled out. ¡°Can you hear me? Are you there?¡±


    She waited but there was no response. She didn¡¯t expect him to respond to her since he wasn¡¯t able to speak when she left him a few days ago. She thought it was worth a shot, though, since his condition might have improved while she was gone.


    Unfortunately, for Rachel, it was getting darker and darker as she got deeper into the cave. She knew it was going to be completely dark out in a matter of minutes and she had to find Benji and get him outside, to safety. The water was beginning to rise at her feet and she knew it was only a matter of time until the entire cave flooded.


    ¡°Benji! I¡¯m coming. I¡¯m here to save you. I love you!¡± Rachel yelled as she walked quickly around the cave to find him.


    As she turned the bend, she spotted his shadow in the distance, still laying lifeless on the ground. She ran over to him and knelt down by his side.


    ¡°Benji! Benji!¡± she said, as she shook his body.


    She could see the blood had spilled out even more around him and he was lying in a pool of his own blood. His body looked frail and thin and she didn¡¯t know if he was alive. She put her head to his nose to listen for his breaths but didn¡¯t hear them. She then put her hand on his chest to see if she felt it rise and fall. As she lay her hand there, she waited, quietly for any sign of life. Then, she felt it, a small inhale.


    ¡°Thank God! You¡¯re alive! Benji. I¡¯m here. I have the Red Amulet. Can you hear me?¡± Rachel said, caressing Benji¡¯s face with her hand.


    ¡°Benji, I love you. Please, please wake up!¡±

 Page 20

    Benji lay there, limp and lifeless; He did not open his eyes and he did not speak. The blood continued to drip from his neck as he lay there. Rachel took off her sweater and tied it around his neck to put pressure on the wound and to stop the bleeding. She didn¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t think to do that before she left, but figured it was better late than never. She clutched his body with hers as she lay there hugging him. She could feel him struggling for air as he lay there.


    ¡°Benji, please! Wake up! I have the Red Amulet for you. I need you to tell me what to do with it?¡± Rachel begged.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how to use it since his parents didn¡¯t tell him what to do with it once she found it. She knew she forgot something, and now realized that she didn¡¯t know how to use it. How was she going to save him now without knowing what to do?


    She took the amulet off her neck and put it to his. She tied the necklace around his neck and waited. She hoped it would do something, but nothing happened.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± she yelled out. ¡°Help me!¡±


    Benji didn¡¯t respond. He continued to lay there with the amulet around his neck as Rachel waited for it to take effect.


    Then she remembered the page from the old Coven Book that she still had in her pocket. She pulled it out and unfolded it. Suddenly, the page lit up like the light from a Christmas Tree and she was stunned at what she saw on the page. It was the same page as she remembered, but this time, she was able to understand the words on the page. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Why now, all of a sudden could she read this new language. Was the Red Amulet the cause of this?


    She couldn¡¯t believe it. She was reading Coven Code as if it were English. It was no problem for her at all and she couldn¡¯t imagine why she couldn¡¯t do it before. It came so easily to her.


    As she read the page she was stunned at what she had to do to save Benji. She had to take the amulet, place it around his neck, laying at a 45 degree angle towards the sky. Then, she had to perform a ceremony in ancient Coven Code using rosemary leaves and the blood of a young fawn. She had to recite the ancient scripture which thankfully, was printed in the page and then do the sacred coven dance. After one completes all these sacred rituals, the person wearing the Red Amulet will be cured. Then, she read on and couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. As she translated it, it said, Those who perform this sacred ritual must be ready to lay down their own life for the person they wish to save. It is an extremely holy act to save one¡¯s life using the Red Amulet and many have been known to die performing the ceremony. If you perform these rituals and you survive, it is very rare. Very few ever survive and make it to see the light of the day.


    Rachel¡¯s heart jumped into her throat as she read that. She didn¡¯t know what to do. If she performed these rituals for Benji to save his life, then she might die. But if she didn¡¯t perform them, Benji would die and in turn she would be dead inside.


    She realized she had no choice but to perform the ceremony. She couldn¡¯t bear to let him die and her survive. She knew that Benji would lay down his life for hers and she wanted to do the same for him. After all, her life would be meaningless without him in it. It wouldn¡¯t be worth living. She realized death was knocking at her door and she had to greet it with open arms. If it meant that Benji would survive, she would do anything. She loved him so much, that her well-being came second to his. He was the only thing she cared about and she would much rather look down on him from heaven than watch him die right there, in her arms.


    She folded up the piece of paper and put it back into her pocket safely. She then used all her might to pick Benji up off the ground of the cave and carried him in her arms. The cave was pitch black and the water level was rising by the minute. She knew she had to get out and fast. They only had a few minutes before they would both drown in the cave. She was just thankful at this moment that she got back when she did. She realized the storm was coming and that it would kill him if he continued to lay there on the ground.


    She looked into his eyes, which were still rolling back into his head as she carried him out of the cave and into the open air. It was still raining outside, and the clouds were a dark grey color. She knew she couldn¡¯t perform the ceremony under the rain, she had to go somewhere where it was not raining so that she could really focus on the words of the ritual.


    She picked Benji up and flew with him in her arms across the fields and west towards the setting sun. She knew it couldn¡¯t be raining everywhere and continued flying until the sky grew calm and quiet. She landed on the ground below on a grassy field next to the woods. She knew she¡¯d be safe here with Benji. She didn¡¯t sense any danger and she felt a sense of calm as she was about to begin the ancient ceremony.


    She took stock of everything she needed and then realized that she didn¡¯t have the blood of a young fawn. She quickly put Benji down, and ran into the woods in search of a young fawn. To her surprise, there was a family of deer that were crossing the stream in front of her. She hid behind a tree as they walked by slowly and then she jumped out and sunk her teeth into the baby. She captured its blood in a hollowed out tree stump and then brought it back to where Benji lay, still lifeless in the field.


    ¡°Benji,¡± Rachel said before she started the ceremony. ¡°I love you so much. I know we will be together again. In our next lifetime. I am about to perform the ceremony and as you know I may die as a result. I want you to know that I love you with my entire heart and wish you a happy remainder of this lifetime. I hope you find happiness and love. If you can¡¯t be with me, I wish you find someone to make you happy. You are my one and only great love and you will forever be in my heart.¡±


    Then she pulled out the piece of paper and began the ceremony. She placed the Red Amulet on his neck at a 45 degree angle towards the sky. Then, she took the rosemary leaves and sprinkled them over Benji¡¯s body. The smell of the rosemary permeated the air around him and brought a sense of calm over Rachel. She knew she was doing the right thing despite her fear of dying in the process. She knew it was the right thing to do though. She knew she had to continue.


    Her hands were shaking as she reached for the blood of the young fawn. She then took the blood with her right pointer finger and dabbed it onto his forehead in the shape of a cross. She then took the blood and dipped her finger back in and made a cross on her forehead. Now, she was ready to recite the ancient scripture.


    ¡°Domini Angus Lingus,¡± Rachel said. ¡°Corpus, Truli, Andunis¡­¡±


    Rachel repeated these two phrases over and over and watched Benji as she spoke. She placed her hand on his chest and felt his body begin to shake. The Red Amulet let off a soft glow, the same glow that she saw when she was in St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral. It was almost as if it was being ignited by a force from above.


    She could feel Benji¡¯s body waking up to the world again. She watched the wound as it slowly closed up and the skin around it healed. She saw him quiver and shake again and then his eyes began to blink quickly, opening and closing as his breaths grew faster and less shallow. She could feel him regaining the strength in his body, and at the same time she could feel her body growing weaker with each passing moment. It was all she could do to continue reciting the ancient scripture. Her body started to grow cold and shaky as she continued speaking, in a soft voice. The page fell from her limp fingers and her spine grew weak. She slunk down to the ground, feeling as if she were going to die.


    She watched as Benji, who lay next to him, regained his strength and then began to sit up. She could hear him clearing his throat and she watched him as he touched his body with his hands. She could tell he was trying to figure out what had happened to him. There was no sign of injury or wound left on his body so she was sure he would never figure it out. Then, she saw him look at her. Their eyes connected as he reached out to touch her body.


    ¡°Rachel? Is that you?¡± Benji asked. ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°Domini Angus Lingus,¡± Rachel whispered, still gazing into Benji¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°No! Rachel, stop! Please! What are you doing?¡± Benji said.


    He then put his hands to his neck and felt that he was wearing the Red Amulet.


    ¡°You found it! You¡¯re saving me. You can¡¯t do that, you¡¯re going to die!¡± Benji said.


    He took his hands and wiped off the blood from her forehead. He then grabbed the Red Amulet and ripped it off his neck. He then looked back at Rachel and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do this for me. You have laid down your life to save mine. How can I ever repay you?¡±


    ¡°Benji, I love you!¡± Rachel said as she began to nod off, her body feeling weaker than ever. She felt her eyes roll back into her head and the last thing she remembered hearing, before her world went dark, was Benji¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find you,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t live without you. One day, somehow, we will meet again.¡±