"Jezi, run!"
Desi's scream threw Jezi's body into action. Without thought, she ran around the corner, hearing the clamor of pursuit. She whirled around to see Matthias charging towards Christian.
"Fox, don't!" she yelled. She lifted her hand and a burst of light pulsed through the air, sending them flying.
Christian was up in a flash, coming after them again. He moved so fast, far too fast. Jezi couldn't get a handle on where to strike. She felt a gust of wind, and suddenly he was in front of her. He grabbed the back of her neck, and Jezi barely caught a glimpse of the dagger before he plunged it into her chest.
Desi gasped deeply at the scene. "Oh god, Jezi!”
Awareness shone in Christian's eyes at Jezi's lack of reaction as he pulled the blade free.
Jezi lifted her hands reflexively, but he was gone, reappearing behind Desi, the dagger poised at her throat.
"Do it, and you kill your friend..." Christian mocked.
Jezi shook with her desire to end him. Slowly, she lowered her hands.
Christian smiled, a devious smile of the damned. Jezi knew that smile. Before she could open her mouth, Christian sank a pair of sharp fangs into Desi's neck.
Jezi couldn't hear anything, could only watch as Desi reached around, clawing at his head. When he released her, everything slowed to a standstill as Jezi watched her body drop to the floor.
Matthias rushed forward, wrestling Christian to the ground. With her blood fueling his spirit, he was so much stronger than she realized, stronger than Christian had anticipated.
The frenzy that had served him so well in his boxing career returned, and the edges of the room started to blur. He hauled Christian to his feet, barely feeling the blows to his own body.
Jezi ran to Desi's side. "Hey, Desi... look at me. Open your eyes!”
Desi lie there, her chest rising and falling rapidly, twin rivulets of blood streaking down her neck. "Jezi... it burns!" She clasped Jezi's hand.
"I know, sweetie. It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay." Jezi reassured her. She squeezed Desi's hand with a smile on her face. Jezi closed her eyes, words pouring out of her mouth, as her voice began to deepen and fracture.
Beneath his feet, Matthias felt the floor shudder, throwing him and Christian off balance. A pained look crossed over Christian's face and an unseen force drove him backwards out of the window with a crash.
"What the hell was that?!" Matthias asked.
"Ejectus spell," Jezi replied, "for vampires. Now he won't be able to enter without an invitation.”
Matthias knelt beside her. "Why the fuck didn't you do that before?!”
Jezi smiled down at Desi, unclasping their hands to reveal a mangled tuft of jet black hair. "I needed something of his…"
Desi smiled as much as she could against the pain. "I did good?" she asked.
Jezi tried to stop the tears welling in her eyes. "... you... did great," she whispered.
"Yay," Desi said weakly. "I earn my keep.”
Liam and Biggun came rushing into the room. "What the hell was that?!" Liam yelled.
Jezi looked up, blinking to clear her vision. "Biggun, take Desi to her room." As he approached she placed a hand on his arm. "... stay with her.”
"Yes, Mistress," Biggun replied. He scooped a now limp Desi into his arms and carried her out of the room.
Matthias stared at Jezi with unanswered questions in his eyes. Before he could voice them, Jezi stood abruptly. "We need to go see Robyn.”
When they opened the door, Robyn stood at the bottom of the staircase, candelabra in hand, and a look of concern on her face.
"Is everything all right up there? she asked. "What happened?!”
Jezi and Matthias made their way down to her. "A vampire bit Desi," Matthias said.
"Is she going to turn?" Jezi asked.
Robyn pondered the question. "It's hard to say..." she began. "Vampires are singular creatures. Some can turn with a bite, some require a blood exchange. Some can control, some can drain power from their victims." Roby shrugged sadly. "I'm afraid there's no real way to tell.”
Jezi let that information sink in, trying not to lose hope. "How do we kill him?" she asked.
"The only way to kill a vampire is either sunlight... or silver," Robyn replied.
Jezi nodded. "Thank you, Robyn.”
Robyn looked at Matthias. "It's nice to see you again, Fox." She slid a glance to Jezi. "Though... a little early.”
Jezi smiled at the warning. Blood magic wasn't necessarily bad... but it was dangerous. That was one reason Jezi hadn't practiced it in years. Still, one never forgot.
"Should I be worried?" Robyn asked as they turned to leave.
Jezi shook her head. "I will always protect the Flower, and everyone in it," she replied.
When they reached the ground floor once more, Matthias grabbed Jezi's arm. "Okay, Jezi... how about some answers?”
"What is the question?”
"I saw Christian stab you through the heart..." he said.
"You saw him stab me through the chest," Jezi countered.
"So what, you're saying you don't have a heart?”
Jezi scoffed. "Of course I have a heart," she began. "... it's just... not in my chest.”
Matthias frowned at her. "Where the hell is it?!”
"Fox, we don't have time for this. I don't know what Christian has planned, but we both know what his end game will be." she sighed.
"Well, he can't enter without an invitation, right?" Matthias asked.
"Yeah... but I doubt that'll stop him." Jezi thought long and hard. "He'll find a way. If he can come back, others can as well. The big party is tomorrow. He could send anyone.”
Matthias shook his head. "I have an idea of who he would send." He sighed heavily. "We'll need to wake the others... now.”
Jezi looked unsure for the first time.
"Can you do it?" he asked.
"Yes... but it'll weaken me," she answered. She didn't like the thought of both she and Desi being out of commission at the same time. But, if anyone could hold down the fort, it was Fox.
Jezi picked up the dagger that Christian had dropped, tapping it against her thumb. "I trust you, Fox," she whispered.
Matthias had a feeling that she wasn't just referring to his care of things in her absence.
Jezi slashed the dagger across her palm, running it down her lifeline. She slammed her hand against the wall, taking a deep breath before reciting the spell. It was as second nature to her as spelling her name.
The building shook violently once, then once more with a loud thump, and another until it settled into a steady rhythm.
The rhythm of a beating heart.
The walls seemed to expand and contract in time with it, breathing... living.
Jezi slid down to her knees, unable to give anymore.
"Shit, Jezi!" TJ called. "What the fuck is going on?!”
"Is she okay?!" Raven asked.
"Help me get her to her room!" Matthias said.
TJ hefted her up off the floor. "We got ya Jezi," he said.
Jezi reached for Raven. "You... can't leave..." she mumbled, holding out her bloodied palm.
Raven nodded her understanding as they helped her down the hall.
Desi tossed and turned unable to get comfortable. She alternated between hot and cold, between sleep and awake in a never-ending cycle. She glanced over at Biggun's sleeping form pouring out of the side chair.
“Desi..."
The voice came out of nowhere, but she recognized it.
"Desi, I need you to do something for me,”
There it was again. Desi shook her head and shut it out.
"Desi... get up!”
She felt her body move of its own volition, and forced herself to be still. "No!" She wanted to call out to Biggun, but as she opened her mouth, her words stopped in her throat.
"You're a willful little witch.”
Desi felt his smile as though he were right next to her.
"Stop fighting me... we both know you won't win." he chuckled. "Now... get up!”
Desi climbed out of bed quietly, feeling like she was being pulled. She held onto the bedpost, but the draw was too much. It hurt when she disobeyed.
"That's right, Desi, come to me.”
Silently, Desi tiptoed through the hall, wishing she could call out to Jezi. She looked on the wall at the empty frames, wanting to rip them down, to alert someone, anyone. But, it was no good. Her very own blood was calling to her, and she was powerless to resist for long.
She turned the knob slowly, muffling the click of the lock. She opened the door, and began to walk down the road.
"Good girl..."
With a smile, Christian turned to the faces looking back at him. He blew out a cloud of smoke, placing the cigar between his teeth once again. "Get ready, guys. Tomorrow, we're going to a party..."
He took his leave among the cheers and preparations that filled the room and headed to await their new arrival.
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