Mastim's Curse

Chapter 16

With a startling jerk and a scream, I wake with my heart pounding a thousand beats per minute. I'm sitting straight upright in my bed naked and bathed in sweat. In my hand is a dagger, ready for use. Confusion ties my mind into a knot and it takes a moment for the room to come into focus. My whole body is tingling and I'm supper-charged with dark energy. Calm down, I tell myself. You're home, in your room. Everything is ok.

I take a deep breath, still holding the dagger like I expect to need it at any instant.

After a few minutes pass with nothing happening, my body relaxes a little. The dagger is the one that I keep hidden under my mattress. But why is it in my hand?

Then, in a flash, memories of my date come to me. In a brief panic, I look around the room afraid that I've killed Jim. A frantic search finds nothing unusual. Thank God.

I'm over reacting, there's no blood on the knife or anywhere in the room. So, I haven't killed anyone, at least not here. Still, it's very upsetting to wake up like this. My body is still shaking as I put the blade back under my mattress and light a cigarette. Sitting on my bed with only a sheet pulled around me, I watch the smoke curl through the air and try to calm down. But how can I? This is it. This is the big day. My eyes drift to the sensual poster of Aleale on my wall. Later today I get to meet you. How crazy is that?

I shower and try to pick out what I'm going to wear tonight. After a lot of fretting, faded jeans and a blood red top end up as my final choices. I set them aside for later and am halfway in the process of pulling the dagger out from under my bed when I catch myself. What the hell?

Normally I am mindful of my instincts, but I sure the hell can't take that to the concert. Nevertheless, the desire to take the blade with me is strong. I settle for pepper spray.

Later that day, the truck is here to load up Aleale's Falcon and my job is to watch the right side of the car while dad watches the left to make sure it doesn't get scratched while loading. After it's loaded, dad starts to make small talk with me. It's his awkward way of trying to dig into my thoughts and feelings when he's concerned about me. I'm not about to tell him the truth. This is his special day and I'm not going to let my deepening sense of foreboding take anything away from it. I put on the pretense that everything is fine and say I'm going to get ready. His curious frown tells me he's not convinced and as I turn, his hand reaches out to my shoulder preventing me from leaving. For a moment, he looks as if he's going to say something but doesn't. Instead, his strong hand gives my arm a squeeze before releasing me. I hurry inside to prevent any more questions that I can't answer. I'm not a very good actress. It's probably best if I keep my distance from him as much as possible until these black mists of doom pass from the deep crevices in my spirt.

I shower and change into clothes for the concert, repressing the urge to arm myself which gnaws at me incessantly. As for tonight, we're still not sure if we're meeting Aleale before or after the show. Dad said he was a little fuzzy on the details, but we're supposed to get there two hours before the concert and check in with her people. After that, we'll have to wait and see what happens.

When it's time to go we all get into Dad's Lexu with me in the back behind Jaidee. She's dressed to kill and looks fantastic in a very sheik white dress and high-heals. She's going to turn some heads for sure. I look so plain in comparison. Even Dad looks super in a blue shirt and sports coat, very hip.

My blood is boiling with excitement as we follow the truck through traffic on the way to the Stables Center. Unfortunately, it's not the excitement of I should be feeling at the thought of meeting Aleale, it's the excitement that comes with the heightened awareness from the dark power building inside me before bad things happen.  Jaidee notices my edgy glances and asks if everything is ok. I know she's worried, so I force a smile to my face and try to reassure her. She purses her lips and uses the vanity mirror to check on me from time to time the rest of the trip.