Walking to school was not a difficult task. It was a short walk to the end of the street, across a quiet road to a footpath between two houses, down another street, and then along another street that ran parallel to the main street through town. I could have walked to the main street if I wanted to, but I couldn't be bothered and it was pointless. The back street wasn't as populated, but there were certainly a few people around.
It was cooler this morning, but I didn't mind. The brisk walk was good for me. I was in a good mood, still amused by Brad's hangover and Kannon's affection.
As I reached the end of the back street, I looked down the road and saw Tom walking toward his car. He gave me a cheery wave which I returned. I guess he was happy to get rid of the house. It must have been difficult for him to find tenants for the house that no one wanted to live in. Niko wasn't haunting it, but the place definitely had a creepy vibe to it.
Crossing the road, I stopped and looked at the trees that lined the sports field. I'd forgotten this part of the trek. Brad would have a fit if he knew. I guess that he'd either forgotten like I had or maybe he'd never seen it. From the front of the school, the sports field could not be seen. It was entirely possible that he had no idea that there was a forest here.
It wasn't thick. I could see through the trees and beyond them to the school buildings. The problem was that the canopy made the area dark and posed so many risks.
Deciding that it wasn't worth the drama if Brad found out, I opted to go the long way around and walked around the exterior. I'd be late for school, but it was better than what could happen if I ventured into the darkness.
A wave of tension flushed through me. Something was wrong. I could feel it deep in my stomach as it churned with anxiety. Looking over my shoulder, I scanned the forest because I knew that if someone was watching me, they'd be in there.
I jumped when Tom started his car. Nervousness radiated through me as the sound of the car engine grew closer. The car passed me, continuing to the intersection and turning right. I didn't think Tom was the issue. He seemed harmless.
Tom was not an issue for my safety, but he was a distraction.
Cold wind whipped around me, and before I knew it, I was thrown against a tree trunk. Deep in the darkness, I hit the hard wood with a heavy thud and then fell to my knees in the scrub. I winced, groaning at how much it hurt.
I could still feel everything, so I don't think anything was broken. Just a lot of pain and maybe some nasty bruising.
My bag fell off my shoulder, slumping down my arm. As it hit the scrub, I looked at it. I hadn't zipped it all the way, and I knew that my phone would be in the pocket at the top of the bag. Was it worth scrabbling for it? Brad would not make it in time if I was able to call him. Escape was a far better option at the moment. Maybe run and then try to ring Brad.
A twig snapped, and a burst of merciless laughter echoed through the forest. All thoughts of calling my uncle were gone in a second.
"Little girl."
I knew the voice. It was Andross.
If I had thought about this before walking out of the house, I would have been much wiser. Yes, Brad was hungover and should have stayed in bed, but that didn't mean that I could walk to school without issue.
I thought like this because it was all that I had ever done. Every morning I woke to a hungover mother, sleeping off the previous night's efforts. I would get myself ready for school, and I would walk there by myself. There was no help from her, ever.
So naturally, I thought that at almost eighteen, I could walk to school like I had done every day previously. Living with Brad changed that, he made me catch the school bus. Moving to Hades altered it completely. He was insistent that he drove me every single day.
It felt like I was in a cage, freedom denied, so it was no surprise that I'd jumped at this chance to return to the way I used to be.
Young.
Free.
Independent.
I was a fool to think that I could be any of those things now.
What I should have done was called Kannon and asked him to pick me up. That was the smart thing to do, except that I had decided that I was still the girl that lived in the big city, and nothing had changed. It was a place where no one cared about anyone else, and even though crime was normal life, it was still safe for me to walk to school. Moving to a small town should have been even safer.
My legs were shaking as I lifted to my feet. I had no idea where he was, and to make it worse, I knew that he wouldn't willingly show himself. He wanted to play a game of cat and mouse before killing me.
"Show yourself, Andross."
He threw me against the tree again, this time appearing as he did it. I had to say, that was a pretty neat trick. Of course, I wouldn't tell him that.
I groaned, feeling the pain radiate throughout my body. It was a sharp snap against my spine, then blistered a blindingly painful path across my back.
"I do not answer to you, half breed." he hissed. "You are not worthy of being called a vampire, you don't even drink blood."
"I have never called myself a vampire."
"And yet you claim the title of leader for our town. Niko fouled his line by breeding with a human and look at the result of that action. Your abilities are so diluted that you cannot even make your fangs descend. You are not even fit enough to be used as a breeding vessel."
"As if you'd stand a chance." I scoffed.
Andross growled. His eyes widened as his anger intensified. His hand wrapped around my neck, pushing me against the tree. I gasped, feeling his grip tighten. Struggling for air, I tried to fight Andross off, but it was pointless. He was bigger and stronger than me.
"You should learn to keep your mouth shut, mortal."
As his fangs tapered, I knew that it was fight or die. He was here to take me down, and if I stood here and did nothing, I would be dead. Emotions began to build as I thought about everything that would be left undone. Those that I cared deeply for, Brad and Kannon. I was even growing accustomed to Eddios, Iralya, and Jess. All that I had planned, all my dreams, they would be lost to this vampire.
As the negative thoughts plagued me, I could feel something swelling inside me. Perhaps it was anger. It could have been sadness. All that I knew was that in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
My heart pumped hard, going from a fear-induced heavy thump to something that was erratic and fast. I was not pushed against the tree anymore, now standing freely in the thick scrub.
Andross was airborne, thumping into the vegetation a short distance away. His lifeless body burned with a blue flame. I looked down and saw the very same fire had consumed my hands.
I yelped, flicking the flames until they dissipated. Then the fear hit me. What have I done?
Despite the tears rolling down my cheeks, I managed to extinguish the fire. The body was not as burned as I expected it to be, but Andross was definitely dead.
Hearing a crunch, I looked up and saw the boy again.
"Go away," I snapped. "This is not the time for your rubbish."
"This," he said softly. "Is the day that defines your future. Be prepared, Evelyn. The Nephilim are coming."
He still said it. Even after I said not to, he still gave me that they are coming nonsense. At this point in time, I did not care, but I really did wish they'd hurry up.
"How is this possible? I'm not a witch. I'm not eighteen yet."
The boy lowered at the waist with a dark smile on his face. It was a little disconcerting to see something that sinister on someone that looked so friendly.
"Your mother lied," he whispered. "You are eighteen. Your actual birthday was three days ago."
"What?"
The Nephilim shrugged as he stood upright again.
"I do not know the reason for the lie. I just know the truth. You are no longer a witchling. You are a full witch. Not a very good one but one nonetheless."
He walked to the end of the body, looking at it as he passed.
"Perhaps I am not the only one that knows the truth. Didn't your uncle give you a gift recently?"
"Three days ago," I whispered. "He wouldn't lie about something like that."
"Sometimes, it is necessary to be oblivious. I am told that humans often hide the truth for various reasons, out of necessity, even because they think it's the right thing to do. It doesn't matter why. You shouldn't even think about it as a problem in your life. You've got bigger issues, and it's not just my kind that are coming for you."
His gaze lowered back to the dead vampire at his feet. In the short distance, I saw Audrey and her friends as they crossed the intersection.
Lowering, I hid in the scrub until they passed. I don't think they would see me, but I wasn't prepared to take the risk. Getting caught with a dead body was the last thing that I needed.
Audrey would see it and roll with it. She'd tell everyone in the school, including the kids that she refused to acknowledge because it would lower her popularity. She would enjoy it, ensuring that every single aspect was told in great detail, leaving nothing out. Even if I could prove it was an accident, I'd be an outcast because of it. More so than usual.
The problem was I had to do something. It was glaringly obvious that this was not a natural death. The body had burn marks, but the ground was not on fire. In fact, the only thing that had happened to the vegetation was that it was crushed.
It looked as if his body had been dumped here, long after he'd burned to death. This was not the best place to dump a body. Though in this town, it was entirely possible to dump someone at the edge of the forest, and no one would see it.
Fumbling through the plants, I found my bag and rummaged through it. Pulling out my phone, I rang Kannon. My hands were shaking. I was freaking out.
"Do you really trust the vampire?"
"Shut up,"
The Nephilim smirked.
"Shouldn't you be leaving now?"
"Not anymore. You've cast your first spell. Now my presence is permanent until my replacements arrive."
"Great." I groaned.
That was not what I wanted to hear. I'd asked for it. That old saying, be careful what you wish for, well, I'd just learned that one the hard way.
Kannon finally answered after the second time I called him.
"Evie," he crooned.
"I have done something,"
My voice trembled as the tears emerged. Realization of what was going on had hit me, and I was freaking out.
"You know that thing, the half thing."
"You mean, the after you turn eighteen thing?"
"I am eighteen. I'll explain it later. I don't know what to do."
"Where are you?"
"Opposite the real estate office."
"Be there in five."
It was going to be the longest five minutes in history.