Under The Moon Read online

  I'm sorry you feel burdened by all this. I didn't mean for you to feel this way. Just to be clear, in your previous lives, all I did was find you, spent time with you and in time, you reciprocated my feelings. You were never forced or compelled to love me back. So after all this is over with Catherine, if you still feel like you can't abide my presence, let me know and I will try my best to stay away, Richard's voice sounded in her head.

  Grace looked around the library to make sure he wasn't anywhere in the room. So now you're reading my thoughts without my consent? Have you ever thought that invading someone else's privacy is disrespectful? she mentally screamed at him.

  I'm sorry, that was completely uncalled for. I just felt you so sad and confused and I can't really ask you out loud and in person. I just wanted to know what's making you so sad, he apologized.

  Fine, apology accepted. Just don't do it ever again, Grace replied, refocusing her thoughts on the book at hand.

  The library was closing when Helena and Grace emerged from its hallowed walls and they parted ways at the curb. Richard, if you can hear me, I'm sorry I was too harsh earlier, Grace thought, not really paying attention to where she was going.

  Isn't it a little late for you to be out and about? I hear dead leaves crunching, Richard commented from the comfort of his own bed.

  Yeah, Helena and I were studying and got booted out of the library at closing and now I am heading home. Hmm, that's weird, she replied back, sounding confused. How on earth did I get here? Did you know that right now, I am standing in the middle of the woods where we gathered those herbs? Grace sent the thought to Richard.

  I'm coming to get you, Richard's voice was suddenly tinged with a dose of worry and protectiveness.

  Don't bother, brother dear, Catherine smirked. I will see her safely home permanently! she cackled appearing a few feet in front Grace from behind a tree.

  Cold fear rooted Grace to the spot. It wasn't even my birthday yet! she thought glumly. Grace's clammy right hand slowly moved towards her backpack pocket, fumbling around for the stake. Closing around on the smooth wood surface, Grace gently pulled it free from the pocket, concealed her hand behind her back and visualized the color black so that Catherine could not read her thoughts, just like how Richard taught her.

  "I am not about to kill you just yet, darling. I am waiting for you to turn fourteen. If you know me at all, I am a very patient person. What is three more days, huh?" Catherine almost purred, standing close enough for Grace to actually stake her.

  She's too aware of my every move! She'll see it before I even move a muscle to stake her! Grace studied Catherine in the light of the full moon.

  Confident that Grace will not be causing any trouble she couldn't handle, Catherine turned and beckoned Grace to walk with her. Grace walked two steps behind Catherine and moved to plunge the stake into the vampire's back. A hairs breath away before the stake made contact, Catherine caught Grace's wrist, twisting it until she dropped the stake. "Tsk, tsk. Is that a way to treat a friend?" Catherine turned to look at Grace with red glowing eyes, her hand came up, choking Grace in a death grip.

  Unable to breathe or scream, Grace grabbed at Catherine's wrists ineffectively. If only I can reach my ankles, Grace thought desperately and did her best to appear struggling against the vampire's hold. Her left hand finally made contact with her ankle and drew out a slimmer version of the hefty stake. Grace looked around the ground to locate the stake she dropped earlier and saw it laying on the ground not too far from where they stood. Firmly grasping the extra stake in her left hand, Grace kicked harder.

  "You do realize that you are not hurting me at all, right? Stop struggling if you know what's best for you and just die," Catherine smirked, slamming Grace hard against a tree trunk.

  Thank God for that protection spell, Grace sent thankful thoughts to Helena and her coven. If not for the protection spell, I would be in pain and most likely dead by now.

  "Put her down!" Richard commanded and charged.

  Catherine held a hand out towards Richard, stopping him in his tracks, sending him wave after wave of debilitating pain. "Are we going to do this again? Richard, you never learn," Catherine threw her head back and laughed.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Grace saw a shadow move among the bushes and realized it must be Helena and that she should continue to keep Catherine occupied. With renewed energy, Grace struggled harder, kicking Catherine in the shins, thighs, and abdomen. Catherine turned her attention back to Grace in annoyance. "Stop that!" she snarled but then the fire in her eyes dimmed, her pupils dilated, her grip on Grace's throat loosened. Quickly, Grace reached up towards a low-hanging branch, and swung both her legs forward and finally got Catherine in the chest, prying her hands from Grace's throat in the process as she fell backwards. In her weakened condition, Grace dropped to the ground and plunged the stake into the vampire's heart, raised her left hand to catch the heftier stake Richard threw her way and plunged that too into Catherine's chest. "That's for cutting my past lives short,” Grace snarled.

  Catherine's eyes and mouth were wide open, eyes unseeing. Helena emerged from one of the shrubs, arms still outstretched towards Catherine, holding the spell until flames erupted from the two stakes protruding from the vampire's chest, reducing Catherine to ashes. Freed from his sister's mind tricks, Richard rushed towards Grace and held her close to his heart. In his arms, Grace felt safe once again. She felt loved.

  "Now that Catherine's gone and my best friend gets to live a long and healthy life, do you still want to be human?" Helena asked dusting her hands.

  "If it is possible, I would," he answered.

  He would give up his immortality for me? Grace stared up at him in amazement as they slowly made their way home.

  ***

  Three nights later, Helena, Richard and Grace were standing in front of the Von de Witt's thick, heavy, Oak chapel doors and Helena was saying, "Are you sure you still want to go through with this? This purification ritual may or may not work. It all depends on how much faith you have and how much you trust me. It's so risky you could die, permanently."

  "I am quite sure. If it doesn't work, then at least I got to spend some time with Grace even for a short time and with Catherine gone, I will surely find peace," Richard answered, looking at Grace with such tenderness.

  Grace swallowed a huge lump down her throat and said nothing.

  "Okay then, let's get on with this," Helena said and turned to her best friend. "I'm sorry Grace, but you have to stay here. No one else should be inside the chapel except Richard and me. It's a very powerful spell and I don't want you to be affected by it. Also, I will need you to have faith that it will work," she added before closing the doors.

  The doors closed with an ominous thud. Grace panicked. What if he never comes out of this? I would lose him forever and I just found him, she suddenly realized what Richard truly meant to her. I love him! She felt euphoric at the thought. Grace paced back and forth in the foyer and after awhile, finally sat on one of the wooden chairs to wait.

  ***

  Richard and Helena walked down the aisle towards the marble altar and with only a thought, Helena lit all the candles in the chapel. Consulting her compass, Helena had Richard lay down on the altar in a way where he would be facing East. "This would take a while as we need to purify your blood by draining you and you have to drink your blood back into your system," she warned. Richard nodded.

  Helena pulled a side table closer to the altar then took out two silver chalices, an athame, bottles of herbs, a mortar and pestle, arranging them on the side table. Richard turned his head to look at what she was doing. With swift, capable movements, Helena carefully measured minced garlic, salt, dried rosemary, basil, foxglove, mugwort, dried petals of a white rose and a Lily flower, yarrow, lavender and wolfsbane into the mortar, ground it into powder with the pestle then poured the contents into one of the silver chalices then topped it off with red wine. "Drink this. I know it will taste a bit nasty
but this potion will purify your blood," Helena handed the cup to Richard. "When the potion has worked through your system, I will drain you and as we are doing this, you will have to drink your purified blood. We will be doing this until an hour before sunrise. If you manage to replace your vampire blood by sunrise, you will live. If not, you will have a fiery death. Is that understood?" she asked.

  Richard nodded, taking the cup from the witch's hand, he drank. He emptied the cup and handed it back to Helena, laying back down on the altar to wait for the potion to do its magic. At exactly midnight, an hour after ingesting the potion, Richard started convulsing, writhing as if in pain. Helena grabbed the athame, held Richard's left wrist over one of the silver chalices and sliced at the vein. Thick, red blood dripped steadily into the cup. When it was full, Helena deftly moved the second silver chalice under his wrist and held the full cup to Richard lips. Thank God I decided to strap him down to the altar. With all this convulsing, I would need another witch just to hold him down, Helena stared down at the helpless vampire while keeping an eye on the second chalice as Richard drank his purified blood. It would have been easier, not to mention faster, if he doesn't heal so fast, she muttered under her breath, cutting the vampire's wrist open again. Helena switched out the cups when the second chalice was full and once again, held it to Richard's lips. They repeated the process for hours on end and stopped one hour before sunrise. "It is done. All we have to do now is wait and see. Are you feeling alright?" Helena asked, striding towards one of the east-facing windows. She opened it.

  "I feel like a runaway train ran me over a million times," Richard grumbled. He touched Helena lightly on the arm when she returned to his side. "If I don't survive this, please tell Grace that I love her and tell her to live her life to the fullest. I want her to be happy again," he whispered as the sky lightened with the first ribbons of dawn.

  Nervous, Helena reached for Richard's hand and squeezed. "You will be alright, you will be standing up in a few minutes and you will be walking out of here as if nothing happened and you will be human," she assured him, trying to keep a positive attitude for Richard's sake.

  "Of course I will. You're a pretty darn good witch," Richard smiled and turned to face the rising sun with as much courage as he could muster.

  The sun peeped through the clouds and shot a ray of light directly on his face. It felt oddly warm. I wonder if this is what it feels like before I burst into flames? Richard closed his eyelids, savoring the warmth of the sun against the chill of the cold marble table he was laying on. That's a bit odd, I feel the cold stone marble and the warmth of the sun. Vampires are not sensitive to cold or heat, he thought and his smile bloomed. "Helena, I think your ritual worked. I haven't burst into flames yet and I can feel the warmth of the sun as well as the cold slab of marble on my back," he grinned at her, opening his eyes.

  Quickly, Helena cut down the straps holding Richard securely to the altar and helped him up to a sitting position. "Thank God for that! Grace will be so a happy to see you alive," Helena smiled back at him and with a thought, the witch sent the chapel doors creaking open and Grace rushed in.

  She ran to him, flinging herself at him. Grace wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. "You're alive," she sobbed into his chest.

  "I won't be for long if you keep crushing me like this," he teased. Grace released him immediately and swiped at her tears.

  "I'm sorry. It's just that the last couple hours have been really hard for me. I have grown to like you and care for you and I don't want to lose you," Grace whispered, staring deep into Richard's stormy blue-grey eyes. She then turned to Helena and hugged her best friend. "Thank you," Grace whispered gratefully.

  With Helena and Grace supporting Richard, they managed to walk out of the chapel and into the light. "Happy birthday, love," Richard whispered and gave Grace a sideways hug.

  "Be happy today and always," Helena smiled at her two friends. They stood for a moment in front of the chapel, facing the sunrise before continuing on towards the mansion to get some much needed sleep.

  Fairy Magic

  "Are you okay? You don't look so hot," Grace observed. The two friends were walking towards the library on a nice, Saturday morning to return books they've borrowed.

  "I've been having visions of this girl trapped in a metal cage. I can't really identify where she is or more importantly, who she is," Helena sighed in frustration. "Sometimes, I wish these visions come with a map and basic mission information," she added, a wry grin escaping.

  "I'll bet that would definitely come in handy," Grace agreed. They entered the library and went straight to the return counter and slid the books into the slot, then continued inside to browse the stacks. Each girl came out with a book and they proceeded to the checkout counter, scanned their library cards and the books and was out of the library before they even knew it.

  "I wonder what happened to the owners of that house and why they abandoned it?" Grace mused, staring at the old dilapidated house a few feet in front of them.

  "Maybe they went abroad and the caretaker wasn't very good at his job?" Helena joined in the guessing game Grace started. She was about to add more to the story they were building when she stopped abruptly. "Do you mind if we look at that house for just a second? I just had a vision of someone trapped in there and I just wanted to make sure — you know, just in case someone does need help," she started jogging towards the old house.

  "I'm up for an adventure," Grace agreed running to catch up.

  Once the girls reached the front porch, they crouched low to the ground to avoid detection from within the house. They crept along the wooden porch until they reached a window. Cautiously, both girls peered through the dirty glass and gasped. "Did you see that girl? She's trapped inside a cage!" Grace cried out.

  "Yes, I see her! I think she's the same girl in my visions, if I am not mistaken," Helena replied and both girls lowered themselves back into a sitting position under the windowsill. "We both agree that she needs help," she continued, looking at Grace for confirmation. When her friend nodded in agreement, Helena asked, “I forgot my phone at home. Do you have your cell phone with you?”

  Grace pulled out her phone from her jeans back pocket and grimaced. “My phone’s dead,” she replied.

  "Run back to the library and get help from the people there or call the cops from there. I'll see if I can get in and work on freeing the girl,” Helena said, turning back towards the window to pry it open.

  "But what if the bad men are still in there? You'd be putting yourself at risk," Grace grabbed her friend's arm and tugged Helena back down. "I think it would be better for both of us to go to the library and call for help," she added.

  "But we'll end up wasting time that way. No, you go and run to the library," Helena replied, nudging Grace to move.

  After extracting a promise from Helena not to do anything drastic or risky, Grace quietly left the porch and was about to turn into the street when a big burly man appeared, blocking escape. "What are you doing here?" the man asked, grabbing Grace's arm and dragged her back to the front porch.

  Grace looked around with alarm. Oh good, I guess Helena made it inside, she thought with relief. "I was just passing by on my way to the library," she said.

  The burly man with a scar running down his left cheek was about to let her go when he heard scuffling noises from inside the house. He tightened his grip on her arm, hauled her the last few feet into the house where he discovered Helena trying to free the other girl. He slammed the door with such great force, startling the two girls.

  Without even blinking, Helena threw a wave of pain at the burly man without effect. What the heck? Why isn't he on the floor writhing in pain? Helena panicked and was struck by her own magic and lost consciousness.

  "Helena!" Grace screamed, struggling against her captor.

  "Be quiet!" the man snarled at Grace, dragging her along with him. With just a wave of his free hand, the door to the cage swung open. The girl i
nside scooted as far back as she could. Fear written all over her face. He scooped the unconscious Helena with his free arm, shoved Grace inside the cage and laid Helena down on the floor of the cage before closing and locking the door again. "You three girls best be quiet or else," he threatened and immediately left the house the way he came in.

  A few minutes later, Helena stirred. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" Grace scrambled over to where her friend lay.

  "I'll be alright. I should've known he was a warlock. I guess I was not much help, huh?" Helena shook her head and sat up. Looking around the metal cage, she spotted the other girl. "Hi, I'm Helena. I'm a witch and this is my friend Grace — she's human," she said by way of introduction.

  "Hi, my name is Fae. I'm a fairy," the other girl replied, a shy smile blooming on her pixie face. "So what brings you two here?" Fae asked.

  "Well, I have been having visions of you trapped in a cage and when we saw this abandoned house from the library, we couldn't help but investigate," Helena explained.

  "I'm sorry to drag you into this sorry fairy business of mine," Fae sighed. "I was trying to get help. But not exactly for me but for the rest of my fairy clan," she added.

  "Why? What happened?" Grace asked, leaning closer.

  "You see, that big burly man with the scar, he's the warlock and he has two human henchmen somewhere. The warlock invaded our home and took me as hostage because none of the fairies wanted to cooperate with him," Fae said, sliding down to a sitting position beside the two girls.

  "Do you know what the warlock wants with the fairies?" Helena asked.

  "He wanted fairy blood sacrifices and pixie dust for his spell. What kind of spell, I have no idea but if it requires blood sacrifice, it can't be good," Fae replied.

  "Well then, we have to get out of here and get to the cops so they can arrest the human henchmen and you two magical creatures can maybe vanquish the warlock?" Grace suggested.