My world was a canvas of nothing, a calling of darkness, and a haven for broken dreams. I tossed and turned as I ran, trying to escape the growing darkness behind me. A blue glow illuminated my path, and the screaming of a male voice egged me on to run. To fight. To live. The world crumbled around me, and I sat up in my bed. I was covered in a cold sweat and my breathing was ragged and torn. I felt like my heart was going to explode in my chest, and my cheek stung. I gingerly touched the bruise that bloomed on my face-- a reward from Doug yesterday for being late. I looked at my phone, a light bursting in my chest before it died .
Morning Peanut! I'll pick you up from school!
Don't.
Don't what?
I don't want to see you today.
I began to cry in my room, surrounded by darkness. Doug had threatened my life if I was out too long again. I could not burden Michael like that, so pushing away my protector was my only option. I stood up shaking, and walked to my closet. I threw on jeans and a flannel shirt and left swiftly. My backpack was currently residing at school, so I grabbed my phone, cards and wallet and shoved off. I expected to hear aggressive snoring from behind my mother's door but was instead was met with lewd and inappropriate noises. Scrunching my nose I slipped out the door down the hall. I escaped the complex just as the sun rose, illuminating my path.
"Hey there, need a walking buddy?" A voice said to my right. I craned to see Carina standing there in a long sleeve incarnadine shirt with a lace up front and jeans.
"Nothing is stopping you." I grunted and began to walk, Carina catching up to me easily.
"Michael asked me to come see you. Are you mad at him?" She inquired and cocked her head to the side. I felt myself tense as she inspected the dark bruise around my eyes and cheek. I shook my head, but the bruise on my face said it all. Carina seemed to simmer as we walked with her fingers twitching.
"Don't tell him." I whispered. She burst at that point.
"And why the hell wouldn't I? We don't stand for that shit, and I want to watch Michael beat the hell out of--" I spun around to Carina, face contorted to express the pain I felt.
"Monsters aren't just those you see in the shadows. It's not black and white. Sometimes, a human can be a monster in a guise. The only difference between this type of monster, and the type of monster that Ash was is this-- when we kill a monster like this, we are punished instead of praised. So don't say anything to Michael." Carina looked like I had just kicked her in the stomach. My legs continued their journey to school, completely enraptured in the process. Carina walked beside me with her head held high.
"I can see why you two get along." She said moments later. I hummed as a request for clarity.
"You and Michael. You two get along so well, it's amazing. Michael doesn't get attached to too many people, only people like Gabriel, myself and a few others. He's never gotten attached to someone that quickly." She sound like she was in awe of me, while I should have been in awe of her.
"Thanks," Was all that I managed to muster, and fidgeted with my hands and cards. The school slowly came up into view, and the sound of teenagers screaming intensified with every step. Whether they were screams of excitement or terror, I could not tell. I saw a yellow Bug pull into one of the empty spaces in the student parking lots, right next to one of the small portable classrooms. In between the car and I was a football field where several of the boys were tossing around a football.
"Heads!" Someone cried. I turned in time to feel an exploding pain on my chest, knocking me back into Carina and the air out of me. Carina caught me, a yelp escaping her throat as she did so.
"Shit sorry about-- oh, it's you." A masculine voice said, coming closer. I gasped for breath, gripping at my chest as I struggled to breath. Carina rubbed my back, allowing the air to flow into my lungs.
"Hey asshat! Watch where you're throwing that!" Carina hissed, and we glanced at the perpetrator. Austin Wilson, a popular boy with a bone to pick with me for refusing to write his entire summative in grade eleven math. He ended up failing the class and blamed me for it. He glanced at the ball and cringed.
"Great, looks like I have to burn that ball." He grunted. My heart and back felt like they were on fire. I picked up the ball and pushed it violently into Austin's chest, causing him to step back in shock.
"I'm not in the mood to deal with your antics today Austin. It's also my policy not to hit girls because frankly, I don't know if you have a X or a Y chromosome anymore." With that, I left the two behind and stormed to the school.
Michael was slowly growing anxious with every passing second Carina did not return. He was worried about several things-- all of which were traced back to Salayria.
Is she mad at me? Did I do something wrong? I need to explain what's really going on between Mary-Anne and I. I need to make sure she's safe. What if she gets hurt when I'm not there? These thoughts ran through his head constantly. He saw Salayria as if she was a child. She always needed to be protected and cared for, and he worried when he was not close to her. He could not fathom why. He had wracked his brain, trying to come up with some plausible explanation for his frantic behaviour. Gabriel had offered the suggestion that perhaps Michael was romantically attached to Salayria; the suggestion was quickly brushed away as ludicrous by Gabriel. When Michael had first met Salayria, he was drawn to her through the excess release of silent power he had felt; as if it was oozing out of every pore. After further analysis, he determined that she has no control over it and no idea of what she was capable of. When she had passed out from the experience with Ash, he had held her for a little longer than he should have. He remembered her going limp, and her heart pounded so hard in her chest he could feel it against him. Hoisting her over his shoulder, he tore through the Veil and into his world. Not a single Guardian batted an eye at the man carrying a blood covered woman around unconscious. The lavender and fuschia night lamps of Darklight twinkled around him as he walked around the bland side of town. Every house was large and beautiful homes, with the same multi colored twinkling lights as silver street lamps and house lights. Other than that, every house was black and white; a particular design choice that irked Michael. He much prefered the demonic side of town with it's colours, sounds and friendliness. He arrived at his team's base-- the same base he had brought Salayria yesterday-- and got her cleaned up. She looked so helpless in her sleep that it tugged at his heartstrings. So he undid the clasp on his amulet and gently placed it around her neck. Her face softened, as if she was content with his gift. He would need it back later, but for now it was hers.
"Michael!" Carina shrieked, pulling Michael away from his memories of the past two days.
"What happened?" Michael turned, looking like a madman possessed him. Carina was simmering, ready to throw someone out a window if she had the chance. Fortunately for Michael, she had the upper body strength of wet bread. She explained everything-- the abuse, the bullies, and the pain. Michael's blood roared in his ears. Salayria was right; humans are monsters and the worst of them. They demand protection, but are quick to harm those who need protecting. Carina had her eyes locked on his, inspecting every move of his. He stormed over to the closet and grabbed his coat. Shucking it on, he prepared to rip through the Veil and pull Salayria out of school if that's what needed to be done.
"Ah, no, no, no," Carina called out, negating Michael's spell.
"Carina, don't pull this bullshit! I've got to go!"
"Not until you explain something," She waltzed over to him, standing before him like a mother to a child. "Tell me what's going on in your head. Why do you care? And don't give me that whole 'friends' thing, because I know when you're lying." He did not answer, yet Carina took that as an answer.
"All of that emotion in two days? That seems impossible for you." She sighed, reaching up and ruffling his hair.
"I know. It shocks me too, but I can't do anything about it."
"That's fair. Now, go on Romeo. Go be a knight in black armor."
It was the last period, and I was anxious for the day to be over. I sat in the cafeteria on my spare, enamored with the book I was reading. Dante's Inferno was recently added to my school's library and I had signed it out five minutes after it was put on the shelf. I was indulging myself in old memories, recalling the moments when I met my first friends.
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." I whispered under my breath. The noise level in the cafeteria finally spiked, and I heard a horde of girls squealing close to me. I felt someone's hot breath on the back of my neck and I didn't even have to turn my head to see who was behind me.
"I told you not to come Michael." I sighed, not lifting my eyes from my page.
"Yeah, but I don't listen." He hummed, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and resting his chin on my head.
"Is that her brother?"
"It has to be, there's no other way."
"He must be a model!" The girls squealed. I rolled my eyes at their ridiculous comments and resumed my reading. Michael seemed to become aware that everyone's eyes rested on me.
"Can I mess around with them?
"Michael, don't."
"I'm going to do it."
"No." He did not listen to me and ducked down, firmly pressing his mouth against my cheek in a chaste kiss. My face exploded red and I clutched the book harder as Michael retook his place on my head. The buzz of whispers wafted through the air and Michael hummed in content, making my head vibrate as his throat pressed against my skull.
"You're a jerk." I muttered shyly, his fingers tracing the bruise on my face. It did not take a genius to realize that Carina had told him.
"I'm going to kill him," Michael whispered, stroking my cheek.
"No you won't." I chuckled, reaching up and running my fingers through his silky hair.
"No, but that doesn't mean I don't want to." His hand dipped up and toyed with my hair as a small swarm began to build around us.
"You're very childish."
"I may have the body of an extremely good looking twenty year old, but I have the mentality of a five year old."
"And while I may have the squishy and small body of a seventeen year old, but I have the mentality of a thirty five year old who watches after you." Michael snorted at my retort.
"Excuse me?" A small voice said. We turned sideways to see a girl I have seen around the school often. A silly drama kid, who was a well known academic and peer tutor who went by the nickname of Scrat. A small dirty blond hair girl who transferred between casual and glamourous on given days. Today she was more casual side, in jeans and a long sleeve black shirt.
"Hey Scrat," I smiled, and Michael pasted one on as well. Scrat was nice-- she had helped me several times throughout the year even if she was younger than me. I remember meeting her coincidently. She had seen me sulking one day and introduced herself, taking me to her jovial group of friends and making me feel welcome.
"Hey, I was just wondering if you needed anything. I heard about the tussle with the anthropomorphic slug Austin." I chuckled at her joke, and appreciated her kindness. She was a character with a large vocabulary, and I understood her humour.
"Thanks sweetie, but I'm okay."
"You use big words." Michael gaped and I used my shoulder to bash his cheek. "What's the longest word that you know?"
"Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. Anymore questions?" Michael's eyes sparkled in wonder and Scrat just gave him a crescent smile. Scrat bent forward, the eyes of our peers burning holes into every movement.
"I would be careful if I were you. Heather and Mikayla may try something funny. Text me if something happens." She muttered before sauntering away.
"She seems nice. I like her." Michael's voice reverberated in my ears. I nodded meekly and tried my best to keep reading but the words jumbled together into nonsense. Michael tugged on my ponytail, coaxing me silently to stand. Placing the book in my messenger bag, I stood up in annoyance and picked it up to sling around my shoulder. Michael grabbed the strap and pulled it from my grasp, hoisting it over his shoulder.
"Ah, such a gentleman." I chuckled, nodding in thanks to Michael as we walked out of the cafeteria. I noticed that the hand gripping the strap was red and raw with scabs. My thoughts ran back to the events of two nights ago, when he punched the ground in anger.
"Are you still mad at me?" I whispered, and bowed my head. Michael just hummed and glanced at me.
"When I kicked you after saving me." Michael laughed, reaching out and lacing his fingers through mine.
"A little bit yeah. You bruised Xavier."
"Xavier? You named your testicles?"
"Don��t girls name their breasts?"
"I have no idea. I'm sorry, by the way." Michael just tugged me along contently and squeezed my hand.
"Don't worry about it bud." People turned their heads at us, dumbfounded at Michael in all his glory. Even though he was dressed in nothing more than a pair of jeans, labrador tee and black leather jacket he was still handsome. He winked at one girl who squealed in delight.
"Okay then you flirt." I chuckled and removed my hand from his.
"Hey, you're too short. I could lose you Peanut." He grabbed my hand again and pulled me through the throng of people.
"That's not my fault, that's genetics. I have to go to library for my shift." I began to silently lead him down the corridor and to the two large glass doors of the library.
"You're coming with me afterwards." I opened my mouth to protest, "If you think I'm going to stand by and let someone hurt you, you are dead wrong missy. Now it's my way, or the highway on this." The growl in his voice intensified with each word.
"But it's my home."
"Home doesn't strike fear into those who enter it. It's safe and comfortable. Home isn't with that man who wants to hurt you. Home is with the one who wants to protect you. Home is with m--" He choked on air and I glared at him questioningly. He gulped and cleared his throat.
"Many people who care about you. And we're friends, so I care. Therefore, you're coming." My heart burned in gratitude as I slipped my hand away, pulling my satchel away from him.. As soon as I did, I was suddenly wrenched away by a swarm of girls. I grinned as the girls glued themselves against Michael, bombarding him with questions.
"Are you a model?'
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"I want to be your girlfriend!"
"Do you want to go get coffee?"
Yes my pretties, distract him! I laughed maliciously in my mind as I skipped to work.
"H-Hey! Peanut don't leave me!" He cried.
"You're the one who is always bragging about his stunning looks. Time for you to pay the piper." I chimed and entered my work.
I gazed at the window in wonder as the sun sunk below the trees. The library closed ten minutes prior, and I sat in dull and comfortable silence. The smell of dusty old books filled the room and I sighed in happiness. Swishing the keys about, I rolled my shoulders back to crack them. I grabbed my bag and began to walk to the door.
One… Two…
My shoulders tensed and I spun around. I swore that I had heard a raspy voice, like dry leaves against cool gravel.
"Who's there?" I called out. My voice echoed off the book filled walls, but no one answered. Anxiety crept into into my spine and I started to speed.
I'm coming for you…
My eyes scanned the room again, and I began to fumble with my phone.
Three… Four…
"Quite it with this freaky Freddy Kruger crap!" I screamed, grabbing my phone and searching through the contacts as my hand rested on the door. I was about to call the police.
Did you lock the door?
My blood ran cold, and I pulled against the door. It was unlocked and a disgusting silk material covered the handle. My fingers flew to contacts, and I ran out the door. My lungs heaved, and tears threatened to spill.
Five… Six…
"Hello?"
You'll need a crucifix…
"Michael! Something is after me!" I screamed, my feet beating on the stone floors. My bag flew behind me, and the sound of something dry scuttled behind me.
Seven… Eight…
"Where are you?"
"The school! Third floor!"
It's too late…
"I'm comi--" My body was suddenly thrown sideways, and slammed against something that shattered beneath me, pain bursting across my body.
Nine… Ten..
I was falling. Nothing beneath me but air, and the violet sky twirling around me. A scream was torn from my throat, as eight glowing red eyes peered from the shattered window I had been thrown through. My body made a sudden, and painful impact against the ground and everything disappeared.
The last Star-Blood is slain.
Michael had seen her fall. He ran to the her crumpled form screaming like a maniac. His stomach churned, throat burned and blood boiled. The shadows molded into the form of twisted and tormented demons, reaching out for her with elongated and sharp fingers. Michael stood protectively over her body, and gently grabbed her face. Her face was bruised and bleeding, lips cracked open and right leg contorted into an impossible position.
"Peanut! Peanut! Answer me!" The demons got closer, and Michael prepared to summon his sword. Salayria's fingers twitched, and from the roots of her hair to the ends of it her hair began to morph white. Michael was shocked as the ivory hair that consumed her, and her eyes snapped open to reveal the blood red iris that replaced their usual honey gold. Her hand was glowing, as were the scattered cards around her. One card began to float. The ace of spades began to violently spin around, elongating and twisting. The design on the back became more detailed and rich, while the ace twisted into a hooded figure with a strange language scribbled around it. On the top it was labelled 'the Reaper'. Rubies encrusted each corner and the card seemed to stare at the shadows. A hiss broke from Salayria's mouth, and the picture began to move. A large, skeletal hand reached through the window of the card along with an endless black shredded hood. Slowly, the Reaper crawled out from the card. A shimmering, long robe surrounding a faceless figure. It's boney hands gripped a long iridescent scythe, which blade refracted light as if the stars were captured in the metal.
"Uh," Michael was speechless, cradling Salayria's head as her eyes glazed over.
"Please remove the young mistress." The Reaper said, it's voice silent as wind but as strong as church bells. Salayria flicked her wrist, and all the cards began to dance around their heads, elongating and flashing new faces.
"F-Friends." Salayria mumbled, gazing into the sky. Michael felt her pulse, and noticed it diminishing.
"No, sweetie I'm getting you out of here." Michael looked up at the Reaper, who had started to slash down the shadows.
"I'll be along presently. I am perfectly capable of handling these amateurs." The Reaper sounded amused. The cards spun together into their formal deck, and floated into Michael's back pocket. The feeling of having an unseen force push the cards into his back pocket like a stripper receiving money from the crowd of men, caused Michael to shiver. Michael gently lifted Salayria up like a princess, cradling her head against his shoulder. The world melted around them with a spark of power, and the battle of Reaper ceased. The demons shrieked into the night sky, and the last thing that could be heard through the night was the hiss of anger from the third floor. The creature crept away, cursing under it's breath.
Star-Blood.