Pushing myself, I wait until I get to the corner of the street. I look up and realize it's where Lizzy was earlier today. It seems like so much has happened in that short amount of time. This entire area of town is run down. There are no cars, no people and all the buildings are empty. How does this happen?
Echoes of the fight still linger behind me and I don’t know who’s winning. Admittedly, the shifters are holding their own more than I thought they would, but it won’t last. As their numbers continue to dwindle, the vampires will be left the victor, so that’s what I have to plan for while I have the time.
I need silver. Doing a quick scan of the area tells me I’m probably going to be out of luck. Moving down the street, one abandoned building at a time, I peek in each window. Shoe shop… seamstress… book store. Oh, I want to go in there and look around. There are old dusty books on the shelf. Who knows what treasures could await?But no silver,my subconscious reminds. Reluctantly, I keep walking and come across a restaurant. The door is cracked open, so I slip in without trying to move the door at all. A lot of times, these restaurants have bells hanging above the door and I didn’t want it to ding, alerting anyone to where I am.
The restaurant is dark, with small slivers of light shining through the dirty windows in the front. They have a thick layer of dust and dirt covering them, obscuring the inside. There’s a rancid smell in the air like old meat, or likely dead animals who have met their match in here, or perhaps have been dragged in here. My heart beats a little faster as I stare into the dark voids in the back of the restaurant. Suddenly, the hair on my arm is prickling and my feet are glued in their spot.
Danger is close by, but how close?
Outside close? Or inside, a few feet away close?
My stomach is tied in knots as I try to get my feet to move forward. Backward. Anywhere.
“Hello? Is anyone or anything in here?” I whisper and pause, listening for any sound. “If there is, I’m not going to hurt you. I come in peace. I’m just looking for silver to defeat a bunch of vampires outside who want to… well, I don’t know what they want to do to me, but it’s not good.”
Something shifts in the back.
Oh fuck. I’m going to die.
There’s something here.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” I whisper, looking around.
This is the last damn time I’m saving a cat from a dog. I feel like shit just keeps snowballing.
There’s nothing in here but a few round tables with scattered wooden chairs. Some on top of the tables, others on the floor, or against the wall. Maybe I could grab a chair and break a leg off. It’s not as effective as silver, but a wooden stake to the heart would stop him, and in the chest would slow him down.
Him. I laugh. Because there’s only one. Not.
Maybe I should get several wooden legs and carry them around.
Like you have time to break and whittle points onto the ends.
Ugh! Life was so much simpler when everyone didn’t want me dead and just ignored me!
A bucket from the back clangs to the ground and I jump, clutching my chest.
Give me a freaking break!
Staring at my hands, I try to create a fae light ball. But nothing. My fingers are stretched out and my hands are shaking. It looks like I’m trying to hug air and losing. You got this. I change my stance a little. Holy spirit activate! Holy spirit activate! Flaming blue balls!!! My face is strained so hard, a tear is trickling down my cheek.
Useless.
I’m useless.
Why am I going to have some power that just pops up out of nowhere, calling out my potential powers to just vanish? It’s like the Gods are mocking me.
“Look, if you can understand me, I really don’t want to fight. I just want to be left alone. From everyone. I’ve spent most of my adult life as a nobody. A squib. While I didn’t like it, I got used to it. The one that everyone ignored. Last night, I may have created a light ball with my hands, and everyone thinks I’m a true fae. I don’t know if I am. I don’t feel any different. But now everyone seems to want to kill me and I would really appreciate it, if like just one person didn’t. I’m tired and I’m hungry and I’m scared.”
Silence.
When weapons don’t work. Try pity.
“Oh Everlee?” A wicked voice calls from outside.
The vampire. He’s back.
“Hopefully, you didn’t think those shifters were going to help you…”
