Page 63 of The Vampire and the Barista

“What about you? Come with us?” Kevin asked quickly, ducking as another table flew across the room, this time at him.

“No... RUN,” the ghost lady shouted, vanishing, and moving quickly as more equipment was thrown at them, they dashed across the room and ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Ian grunted as he felt something hit him, but managed to get to the top of the stairs without falling. As soon as Ian was through the door, Kevin slammed it shut.

Ian moved to lean against the hallway wall, wincing.

“What’s wrong?” Kevin asked him in concern.

“Nothing, I was hit in the back with something, that’s all.”

Kevin moved behind him. “Damn Ian, you look to have that ice pick buried by your shoulder blade.”

They heard running footsteps and saw Ivan, Jamie, Olly and Adrian hurrying their way.

“Are you both alright?” Olly called to them as they got closer.

“Ian’s being a baby, but apart from that, we’re fine. How come you came running?”

Ian rolled his eyes.

“We heard a voice shout, run,” Adrian said, walking over to Ian and behind him. “You have something in you.”

“Pretty sure it’s a rusty ice pick type thing,” Ian said, wincing a little as he moved. “If you can pull it out, I’ll heal right up.”

“You seriously have super speedy healing?” Jamie asked him.

“We do,” Kevin replied.

“This might hurt a bit,” Adrian said, before putting his hand on the ice pick handle and pulling it out.

Ian gasped and closed his eyes, frowning. “Is it out?”

“It is. There is a bit of damage to some muscles. Let me fix that for you,” and with that, Adrian laid his hand over the wound and sent healing to Ian.

Ian felt a warm glow and then nothing.

“There, all fixed,” Adrian said, moving to Ian’s side.

“Thanks, Adrian.”

“Your hair has a few streaks of grey in it,” Jamie observed.

Adrian nodded. “The grey in my hair denotes how much healing I had to use.”

“Gabe didn’t get streaks in his hair, and he had a healing type glow. Is your healing different?” Jamie asked.

“It is. Gabe’s healing is divine; he can call upon celestial healing. My healing comes from inside of me. I literally use my energy to heal. I’m a witch doctor.”

“Like in the films, shaking rattles and the like? And your hair shows how much of your energy you used,” Jamie queried, trying to get it straight in his head.

Adrian smiled. “Exactly, but I use more than rattles.”

“Did you find out anything before you were stabbed?” Ivan asked them.

“We met a ghost in the basement. She told us Derrick sold his soul to an evil demon,” Kevin replied.

“Aren’t all demons evil?” Jamie queried.

“No, like any species, there are good and bad ones. Raz, Gavin and Mathis’ brother is mated to a demon,” Ivan said.

“Whoa, mind-blowing,” Jamie commented.

“We should message the others and get out of here. I’m pretty sure the demon is still in this asylum,” Ian suggested.

Laughter surrounded them. Your friends are dead. Thank you for the tributes. You’re all next.