Ruins A.G.A. 2nd Novel in the Ruinsaga series

Chapter 21 .

Lily

There was a dark, stillness in the air. It permeated everything, seeped through my bones. We walked freely on the street towards the cafe. There was only silence. It was cold, but the sun was shining. Even in the winter, there should be some kind of animal life around. Especially on a sunny day. But there weren't any birds, no dogs barking, no mice scurrying about. Nothing. The heaviness grew weightier the closer we got to the cafe.

The door was closed when we arrived. The windows were blacked out. "It smells good," Monica whispered in the stillness. "I wasn't expecting it to."

"I don't smell anything," Tanner said. I didn't smell anything either.

"Smells like rotting venefici," Zoe said.

"They're rotting?" Arthur asked.

"She didn't mean that literally," Gunnor said calmly. "They are not rotting and that smell is the charm trying to do it's thing. Let it slide off you. Refuse to let it affect you."

We paused to let our companions ward off the charm. I studied the closed door and the blacked out windows. "Do you think they know we are here?" I asked. It would be great if we could just go in and take them by surprise.

"Undoubtedly," Gunnor said. Then we would have a struggle from the get go.

"What if there are innocent people in there?" Darren asked. "Like when I was first lured in."

"They'll be too high on the potion to do anything," Hunter said. "Just try to avoid them."

"Okay, humans," Gunnor said. "Do you all have your barriers up with the exception of Tanner and Lily?'

"Yes," the other members of my group said.

"Stay close to me, Molly," Arthur said. She obeyed by standing very close to his leg.

"Then let's go," Gunnor said. "I think it best if the faster of us go in first." The weres around him shifted into werewolves and werefelines- Alex was by Gunnor's side. Gunnor led the charge. The door splintered inward as the vampire didn't even bother trying to open it, but instead ran right through it. The weres quickly followed him.

"Run to the back," a woman inside yelled. "We will protect you from these monsters."

Grace and Hunter followed the weres. Tanner and I were right behind them. It was chaos inside. Innocent people charmed by the venefici's potions screamed and tripped over each other trying to get to the back separated only by a curtain. The venefici did not seem surprised by all of us entering. They stood organized and already hurling fire at the vampire and the weres. Gunnor and the weres were faster and they leaped out of the way. The fire held no heat as far as I could tell.

I recognized the venefici who were there. The woman who I thought was their leader stood in the middle of them. Her eyes focused on Hunter as she frowned. "I told you never to return," she said.

"Did you really expect me to comply?" Hunter asked.

Hunter and Grace had balls of crackling lightning in each of their hands. They threw them at the leader. The electricity hit an invisible barrier and shimmered away. Hunter and Grace moved further into the room drawing the attention of the venefici away from the door temporarily. Tanner and I entered and quickly moved away from the door. The others followed us. Seeing new seemingly defenseless targets, many of the venfici now targeted the new arrivals. Spells of fire, wind and electricity arched across the room where they hit into the humans' barriers and dissipated.