Brewing Storm, page 19
“Do you really think we’ll succumb to a bullet wound?” Fred retorted with a snicker.
“Guardian bullets, boy. I will leave you to rot in these woods, and then I’ll call for backup and go rescue my mother, the witch, and our troops. Because I have no idea where you really sent them.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t opt to attack us in your gargoyle form,” Cindy said.
“What fun would there be in that?”
“Let us find out!” she said, then quickly turned, just as Vex squeezed the trigger multiple times.
At that point, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The bullets flew directly at us. In a flash, Fred touched me, stealing another power. He waved his hand, and the bullets made a U-turn and smacked Vex in the chest. He stumbled and fell, with blood gushing out from several new orifices in his body, and then, after a whimper and some French mumbling, his eyes fluttered shut.
I cupped my mouth in horror.
“Nothing wrong with taking out the trash,” Fred said. “I just did the world a huge favor.” He then reached down and pilfered the yellow crystal from Vex’s other hand. “Besides, it was self-defense. He was trying to kill us all. I did what I had to do to keep us all alive.”
“You saved our lives,” Cindy said. “How can any of us blame you for that?”
Fred embraced his girlfriend in a tight hug. The man from Cindy’s nightmares was finally dead. He’d beat her senseless countless times, and then violently took her life without any remorse. Then came after us... I could feel the evil in his dark soul.
“You took another power,” I said.
Fred blinked. “Yeah, it seems I can borrow them one after the other.”
“Do you know how to use that thing?” I asked Fred, pointing at the crystal.
“I’m pretty sure we can just wave it at the force-field, and the thing will start to dissolve.”
“Let’s go then,” Logan said. “I’m sick and tired of this place. I’m just glad the wolves are free now.”
We all nodded at that as we made our way to the top of an incline, to cut a hole in that force-field and go home atop our favorite gargoyle.
Chapter 28
Back at the castle, Eve greeted us and told us everything was under control.
“I knew you could handle it, sis,” I said.
“Yep. I ran a tight ship. So you freed the wolves?”
“Mission accomplished.”
“Just think,” Eve said, “the owner of that island would’ve gotten away with his evil plan, too, if not for you meddling supernaturals!”
I laughed. “So how’s Al?”
“Snoozing,” she said, “like always. I guess that poison hits elves hard.”
“Well, at least he’s recovering,” I said.
“Tell me, did you have a howling good time with the wolf on Paradise Island?”
“Nothing about that place was paradise or a good time,” I said. “We were trapped for a while, then chased by an angry army of gargoyles with bone-ripping claws, courtesy of Cindy’s in-laws. It was a howling success, though, as far as our original mission went. All the wolves were freed.”
“Happy to hear it. When you get settled in, I want to hear all the details.”
“Okay. Speaking of large winged things, how’s Al’s little pet?”
“I swear, that Maverick is a bottomless pit. He’ll eat anything and everything. I even gave him everything out of the fridge and pantry.”
“Great,” I said, “though I am sure Logan would not object to us just ordering pizza again. I’m too tired to shop and cook after fighting gargoyles. My muscles ache to the bones.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to do normal stuff after paranormal stuff.”
“Tell me about it,” I said, collapsing onto what felt like the softest couch in the world.
“Hey, we need to find a hot, sexy little black dress, something that shows a little cleavage.”
“What? Didn’t you hear a word I said? I’m not going out. It’s pizza, then bed.”
Eve threw a blanket over me. “Not for tonight, silly. I mean for your wedding date. Get rested up, and we’ll go on a shopping spree tomorrow.”
I moaned. “It’s not a date.”
“When a man asks you to a wedding, honey, it’s a date.”
“So you all say.”
“Maybe you should give that apple you intended for the elf’s horse to the teacher,” she said with a wink. “Never hurts to bribe him for a little...extra credit.”
“What do you care anyway? For all you know, he could be a wrinkly old man with a wart on his nose and hair growing out of his ears.”
“He isn’t, and you know it.”
I sighed. “Eve, tell me you haven’t been stalking him.”
She laughed. “Okay, but that would be a fib.”
“Eve!”
“I have to make sure he’s safe, if my sister is going to date him.”
“I’m not dating him!”
“I approve. He’s stable, a well-respected teacher in the immortal community, and everyone loves him. He’s a much better fit than Logan.”
“I’m not in the mood to discuss my dating life. I just want food, a hot shower, and my bed.”
“You’ll have to wait. The others used up all the hot water. It’ll probably take over an hour in this old castle.”
“Just my luck.”
“Cindy made popcorn, and she asked if I wanted to watch some old werewolf movie with them. Wanna join us?”
“A hot shower, my bed, and...” Then, without another word, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of little black dresses and creepy huge gargoyles.
Chapter 29
After a few days, Al finally climbed out of bed. The others had left for another mission, and Eve was out spending the day with John, but I stayed behind to look after Al.
“Good morning, Al,” I said when he answered my knock on his door. “Can I make you some breakfast? What do you like to eat?”
“Eggs and toast, if you don’t mind.”
“I can handle that.”
“Thanks, Sophie.”
I handed him the remote. “This room actually has TV, if you’d like to watch. You know what that is, don’t you?”
He smirked. “I might be an elf, but I know your world quite well. I don’t watch much, but it might be nice, since I’m going a bit stir crazy.”
“We have cable, lots of channels.”
“Thank you.”
I made breakfast and delivered it on a tray, complete with a little flower in a vase and a tall glass of orange juice.
“Thank you, Sophie! This is delightful,” Al said, then began digging into his meal without any reservations whatsoever, as if he hadn’t eaten in years.
When my phone rang, I kindly excused myself and left the room. I still wasn’t convinced that everything about Al was on the up and up, and I didn’t want him to overhear anything confidential.
“Sophie,” Tabby said, “there is a very important mission to tackle. One of our witches is being held captive at a mental intuition in the next state.”
“Really? That’s awful. When the others get back, we’ll—”
“It must be done now.”
“What? A solo mission?”
“It isn’t dangerous. I only need you to see if you sense any kind of magic on the property. You don’t even have to go inside.”
“Okay. I think I can do that.”
“Good. The sooner the better,” Tabby said, then quickly gave me the details.
Since Al was doing quite well with his breakfast and the television, and I had no idea when the others would be back, I decided it was best to just take off, maybe even get back before they did.
The drive took longer than I expected, four hours, but I found the mental intuition, parked, got out, and walked around the perimeter. I wondered why Tabby didn’t just send Julie, who could have teleported there in less than thirty seconds, but I assumed it was because she knew I needed the practice. The grounds were well kept and immaculate, and I didn’t feel or sense any kind of magic.
Just as I was about to leave, a man called my name. “Sophia? What are you doing out here?”
“I was just, uh...looking around. I’m leaving now,” I said.
“Going back to the castle?”
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Must we play this game again? Are you out here on a mission for the Council? Did you bring your little elf friend?”
“No, he’s recovering.”
He glanced around. “Did you bring the big, bad wolf or the dangerous vampire? Oh, and what about the gargoyle princess?”
I slowly backed away, and I was startled when he charged, I tried to blast him with a huge fireball but nothing came out.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.
The man laughed. “Throwing more pretend magic at me?”
I spun around and tried to run, but his powerful arms quickly subdued me. Within minutes, more men surrounded me, and I was dragged into a padded room, where I was left for hours.
I stared at the four walls around me. Did they mistake me for a patient or something? If only I could explain... I convinced myself that it was just a case of mistaken identity, and when I calmed down, they took me to an office, where I was sure things would be cleared up in a jiffy.
Dr. Davidson peered at me through his glasses. “Will you remain calm, or shall I have you restrained?”
“Calm.”
“Good.”
I went on to tell him my name and what happened. “Why am I being held here against my will?”
“We’re evaluating your mental health status.”
“Are you committing me?”
“Temporarily. You’ll stay at Shady Centers Mental Health Center until I deem you fit.”
I swallowed hard, and my head swarmed with confusion. I wanted to scream and shout at him, but I knew that would only make me look like more of a lunatic. “At least tell me why I am here,” I said, controlling myself as much as I could.
“Why don’t you tell me why you think you’re here?”
“I-I don’t know. I don’t even remember how I got here. The details are fuzzy. Did you drug me?”
“Where do you live?” he asked.
I gave him my address.
“So you live in a castle, complete with a ghost?”
“Yes.”
“With your dead sister, a raging werewolf...” He looked at his notes. “And a vampire who works hard to keep his thirst under control?”
“Yes, Doctor.”
He pushed up his glasses as he stared at his scribbles on the legal pad. “Oh, and a human girl who was shipped off to magic school.”
“Not magic school. More like...a dojo. She has to learn fighting skills.”
“I see. And what about this golden elf? Is he from the North Pole? Is he still hanging around?”
“He’s not little, and he’s not from the North Pole, and... Hey, wait. I didn’t mention Al. How do you know about him?”
“Oh, but you did mention him,” he countered.
I shook my head. “No, I most certainly did not.”
“You told us about your magical abilities, Sophia. Why don’t you show me what you can do?” he asked.
I stared at him blankly. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Of course not, but if you want me to believe you, show me your powers.”
I held out my hand and concentrated, but no magic came. I gasped and jumped to my feet, wondering what was going on. “I... It’s not working!” I said. “It’s just like on the island.”
The doctor studied me and scribbled more notes but said nothing.
“What is wrong with me now?” I said.
“Why don’t you summon your dead sister?” Again, he looked at his notes. “Eve might be able to help.”
In a shaky voice, I called for her, but she didn’t come.
“Sophie, you are delusional,” he said. “You cannot raise the dead or touch lightning or hold open portals to other planes.”
“I can, and I have.”
“So, if what you are saying is true, you are some sort of kickass superhero who is destined to save the world, but you’re also a resurrector and a ghost whisperer, and you live with the most interesting roommates of all time?”
I let out a long breath. “Listen, I know it all sounds nuts, but it’s true.”
“So you actually believe you can talk to the deceased, like your sister, who is stuck in the, uh...” He paused again to look at his notes. “The in-between?”
“Yes, I see dead people. I didn’t ask for any of this. I was born with it.”
“I see. And you realized all these odd gifts at age eighteen, the same time when you discovered that you were adopted and that you inherited a castle?”
“Careful, Doctor,” I said. “I think you might have just revealed the chink in your armor.”
“Excuse me?”
“You just admitted that I inherited a castle, yet before, you acted like I imagined the whole thing. You screwed up.”
“Sophie, there are a lot of notes here. It is easy enough to get mixed up.”
“Listen, I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t I get one phone call, like people do in jail?”
“I will tell you what’s going on. You had a breakdown on your eighteenth birthday. You were upset to learn of your adoption. As a defense mechanism, your mind created a fantasy world, full of paranormal creatures. You felt out of control in your own life, so your mind conjured up delusions of grandeur about saving the world.”
I nervously looked around. “I don’t know why I’m here, but I demand that you let me go.”
“We will, Sophia, when you’re better.”
I nervously wrung my hands. “But I’m not sick.”
“You live in a fantasy world that doesn’t exist. Didn’t you just say you recently returned from an island inhabited by gargoyles?”
“No! They don’t live there. See? You screwed up again. Get your facts straight, Doc.”
“You’re experiencing grandiose delusions and believe you have special powers. You have false beliefs that you insist are true, regardless of overwhelming evidence against them.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“That world doesn’t exist, and neither do your supernatural friends.”
“Are you saying it’s all in my head?”
“It has been for some time. You’ve been here for a year now.”
My jaw dropped. “What!? That’s not possible. This is... It’s all wrong.”
“Your parents are here.”
I gasped. “Good! Then my mother will straighten this all out and get me out of here.”
“Would you prefer to visit them in the family room, or we can let you talk in private here in this office.”
“Bring them here...now.”
He excused himself and left me to anxiously wait for my parents. As soon as they walked through the door, I wrapped my arms around them.
“Mom, what’s happening?” I asked. “They said I’ve been here a year. Is that true?”
“Honey, we just want you to get better and come home,” she said, “as long as it takes.”
Tears welled in my dad’s eyes. “That’s all we’ve ever wanted.”
“But I...” I paused and pondered all I’d told the doctor about. “Did I get a castle on my eighteenth birthday?”
“A castle?”
“Yes. You told me I was adopted and gave me keys to a castle from my biological family.”
My mother looked at my father, then looked back at me with that condescending, pitiful expression on her face that parents wear when they have to give their child bad news. “The only castle you’ve ever had, dear, was that Polly Pockets one, when you were little.”
“No! I received a real one on my eighteenth birthday, as an inheritance,” I shouted.
My dad shushed me and pulled me into another tight hug. “Your hallucinations are getting worse. We have to find some way to help you get better, honey.”
“Did they brainwash you? Are you under some weird spell?” I asked.
“It all started with that bad dream you had on your birthday,” my mom said. “You just slipped into a world that simply doesn’t exist.”
I took a few steps back, shocked that my parents would lie to me. They seemed genuinely heartbroken, and that broke my heart as well. “I just... I don’t know what’s real anymore.”
“That’s precisely why you’re here, dear, to get your sanity back.”
“But I have memories of that world. I have powers. I can make fireballs.”
“It was all make-believe.”
“Are you saying I made it all up? Even Logan?”
Tears dripped down my mom’s face. “You haven’t been so coherent in so long, sweetheart. You were lost for months, talking about nothing but vampires and werewolves and monsters, some awful things called Falcar.”
“What’s going on?” I said. “Did I jump through a portal into some parallel universe? Am I stuck in a dream? Did that doctor drug me?”
“None of it ever existed,” my dad shouted. “Come back to reality, Sophie! You do not have an elf for a roommate!”
“Honey, it isn’t healthy to think you can talk to a dead sister who never existed in the first place,” my mom said. “I’m scared to death for you. I’ve been researching, and I found out your biological mom was diagnosed with the exact same problem around your age. We love you, and we know you can beat this, but you have to stay strong. Now that you’re back with us, please don’t slip back into that world again. Don’t end up like your poor mother.”
My hands trembled at her words. Was my biological mom sick? Was the same thing happening to me? Did mental illness run in our DNA?
My mom took off her favorite bracelet.
“Mom, what are you doing? You never take that off! Dad gave that to you for your anniversary.”
“I’m giving it to my baby so she can stay grounded.” She fastened the silver bracelet around my wrist. “Whenever you feel like you want to go into that imaginary world, just touch my bracelet and remember me. Promise me you’ll never take it off.”
“I never will. And I’ll keep it safe.”
