Chapter 27
"We'l l meet you back here in four hours." Taker said. Jamie and Alex both agreed and set off for the enterance. Kane and Taker both stayed to watch them as they walked around the corner and out of sight.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Taker said. They both disappeard. Jamie and Alex mulled about the stores til they heard that the mall was closing. So they headed to the 12 movie Cinema. After careful consideration, they picked 'Hercules' since Jamie was a big Disney fan. After the movie was over they still had a half hour to wait so they headed out towards where they were left. What they didn't notice was the car that slowly followed them.
"So sis, how'd you like the movie?" Alex asked.
"It was great." Jamie replied, her eyes dancing in the soft light. Then light spilled into the alleyway as the engine was cut.
"Um, how long?" Jamie whispered.
"Dunno, 20 minutes at least." Alex whispered back. The lights stayed on, but they heard 4 doors close. As the forms drew into the light, Alex gasped. All four men were as big as Taker and Kane.
"Well well well what do we have here? It's the two sluts Kalmar wants." One gruffed out. At Kalmars name Alex stood up, her blood was at the boiling point.
"Now, don't get all upset firey one. We just came to check you out." Another said.
"Leave now or I swear I'll cut every one of you down." Alex yelled.
"And we should be scared why?" said the third mockingly. Slowly the four men stepped closer Jamie sat huddled paralyzed with fear. When they were within arms length 2 lunged and took Alex down, pinning her to the ground. Jamie shut her eyes while her mind screamed 'TAKER!!! HELP US!!!'
Back at the house Taker was staring at the clock, 15 minutes left, he thought. Kane sat across the room reading.
"I don't know how you can ......." Taker stopped mid sentence his heart paralyzed from fear, he fell to his knees as Jamies cry for help tore through his head. Kane jumped up and ran to his brothers side. Taker could barely speak, Jamies scream ringing through his head.
"Jamie....Alex....Trouble!!" Kanes eyes blazed with fury and they disappeard. When they reappeared in the alley they saw Jamie hiding behind some cartons and that Alex had changed. When one of the men approached Jamie and reached out to touch her hair Alex's throat gave a strangled cry.
"NOOO!!!" and it happened, the two men on her flew back with such force one broke an arm the other three ribs. The fourth stayed back and watched. He didn't believe Kalmar that another posessed the same power as the red demon but as he watched she changed and stood before him. Then he realised the other two had arrived. The Dark One and the Red Demon. As they stood before him he smiled and greeted them.
"Ah, so nice to see you again. It seems like forever."
"I thought you were dead." Taker said matter of factly.
"Yes the terms of our last meeting seemed rather final didn't they." He said as his smile broadend. Kane had managed to calm Alex enough for her to return to her normal state, and he had moved to take Takers side. As the sisters stood of to the left of them, they watched intently.
"It's true, you hurt me very badly but alas, here I am."
"We could fix that." Kane said advancing forward.
"Now settle down, I just came to inspect Kalmar's merchandise and oh aren't they beautiful." Taker was enraged, his fists clenched and his jaw tightend.
"They don't belong to Kalmar. Tell him to leave them alone or I will bring down such pain upon him he'll go mad." Taker said in a menacing tone. The other man actually chuckled, and waived his hand dismissively.
"Oh will you stop there is something you haven't realized. Kalmar and I are both stronger than you now. So quit it and maybe we will kill you quickly." Above them the sky rumbled and lightning flashed.
"Go now while we let you, and bring our message." Taker said, his rage fully consuming him.
"Well now, we shall meet another day, I wouldn't want to deprive Kalmar a hand in your demise. Let me collect my minions and we'll be gone." With the raise of his hand the three other men scrambled to the car worried of what their fate will be. After they left only then did Taker turn to face Jamie and Alex.
"Are you two allright?" he asked.
"Yes." Alex said.
"Yes, what happened, who were they?"
"We'll explain later." Kane said. And they linked hands and returned to the house.
"In the morning we'll talk, please excuse me." Taker said and headed to his room. The other three nodded and watched him leave. Alex also retreated to her room to figure out why all this was happening.
Chapter 28
Jamie and Kane were left in the hall looking at one an other. Jamie looked down at the floor unsure of what to say confusion taking control of her mind. After a considerable silence, Kane spoke.
"Please Jamie join me in the kitchen." Jamie nodded and followed him. The both sat at the table after Jamie put a kettle of water on for tea.
"Kane what's going on? Please explain some of this or I'll never get to sleep." She asked. He lowered his head and barely nodded.
"Why don't you ask me some specific questions and I'll do my best to answer you." he replied pointing at his ruined throat.
"Okay." Jamie said and got up to make her tea, when she sat back down she continued.
"You both knew that man in the alley. How?" Kane nodded.
"He was someone we thought we were rid of a long time ago." Jamie seemed puzzled.
"But you don't look old. How could you?" Kane stopped her by raising his hand.
"You've read the book." He said, it wasn't a statement.
"Book? No I...." Jamie stopped her eyes widened. "You mean that's real?" She asked her face showing the shock she felt. Kane chuckled and nodded.
"But that will be explained to you another day."
"Okay what about Alex, what happened to her?" She asked holding her breath.
"Your sister has a powerful gift, she can control the element of fire. Her's is a natural gift. My gift was bestowed upon me the night my mother died and I was burned. She needs to learn control though. As you could see she didn't know what to do when it happened. For now it controls her through anger, her and I will be working on that soon." When he finished he got up and poured a glass of water, he lifted the bottom of his mask and drank.
"I'm sorry Kane I should never have asked you to speak so much, I know it pains you." Jamie said.
"No, it's allright, I'll answer one more question if you have one."
"Are you sure?" She asked uncertain, he nodded yes and she noticed the mask lift as if he was smiling.
"Okay, well, um, how did you and Taker know to come and get us. I know it wasn't time."
"That was you. You called us don't you remember?" Jamie looked pale and slowly shook her head.
"What do you mean I called you?" She wanted clarification.
"Taker heard you scream in his mind, you felled him pretty good too. He could barely speak afterwards. But I'll let him explain that to you tommorrow. It's late and we should sleep." Jamie nodded and finished her tea while Kane drank the last of his glass and they walked up the stairs exchanged thier goodnights and went to thier rooms.
Taker who was pacing his room heard them speaking then listened as both doors clicked quietly shut. Only then did he allow himself to lie down. Slowly he went over the peircing scream from Jamie, and how scared he was. No one anywhere had ever been able to scare him the way she had. Slowly he drifted off into a restless sleep.
When Alex closed closed the door behind her she let a tear fall down her cheek. Carefully she touched her neck praying it didn't fall off. When her fingers gripped the chain she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She held the locket up eye level and then closed her hand around it.
"Please let her hear me!" She pleaded.
"Sarah where are you. I need to talk to you." Alex looked around and when nothing happened tears yet again filled her eyes and spilled down her cheek. Alex fell to her knees, sobs wracking her body when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned slowly to see the aparition of her sister standing over her looking down with thoughtful eyes.
"Dear Alexandria oh how I missed you." Alex rose to her feet slowly and cautiously. The apparition looked like her sister but didn't feel like her.
"Oh Sarah what's happened to you?'
"I've finished my transformation, but you, you have under gone one yourself. Are you feeling allright?"
"I don't know. Why didn't I ever get any warning about this?"
"My dear sister there was no way anyone could have warned you. This is something you will learn to over come."
"Sarah what is going on?"
"I'm sorry Alexandria, I cannot give you details I can only tell you to be careful and keep Jamie safe. You will have many fights with Kalmar and the other."
"Thank you Sarah, I love you."
"I love you too Alexandria." And before Alex's eyes Sarah slowly dissapeared from sight.
Chapter 29
The next morning brought uneasiness for all. They were all caught within their own nightmares. When they were all seated at the table Taker spoke.
"We need to talk about what happened last night, I'm sure you both have many questions." Alex and Jamie both nodded but niether spoke. Taker eyed Kane then returned his gaze to Alex and Jamie and continued to speak.
"The man we talked to, his name is Pharnax, he is Kalmars brother an someone who isn't to be toyed with." Niether of the women spoke but stared at him. Taker stared back with questioning eyes. Jamie finally spoke.
"Alex, Kane would you excuse us?" Kane knew what Jamie was getting at, and rose from his chair escorting Alex to the next room. Jamie sat staring at Taker. He let out a ragged breath.
"What Jamie, what do you want to ask me?"
"Tell me what did I do to you last night?" Taker inhaled sharpley, he made a mental note to make Kane pay later for telling her.
"Well you can talk to me at least though mental telepathy. It happened a few times, once while we were all outside, and again in the library. When you and Alex were attacked last night you screamed in my head you practically paralyzed me with fear for you." Jamie sat thinking for a moment, then she smiled.
"You mean I've managed to scare you?" Taker looked down and blushed ever so slightly, but Jamie saw it and smiled a bit broader.
Kane told Alex most of what he told Jamie the night before. Alex looked up at him.
"I want to start controlling this Kane, right now. After what happened last night I don't want to get stuck like that again." Kane nodded and took her hands in his. A bewildered look passed over her face.
"Relax Alex I'm going to try to get you to channel your energy."
"Okay." Suddenly her hands felt warm. She could feel Kane's power running through her. Slowly she could feel her power getting stronger to match and surpass his.
"Easy Alex you want to control it not let it control you." She nodded and concentrated on it's level. Slowly she leveled it out and it was matched exactly to his. He smiled she looked up at him and returned it. It seemed like a good beginning.
Chapter 30
Deep in the recesses of his own realm Kalmar listened as Pharnax recounted his events at the mall.
"She changed right in front of you?!" And she was conscious?!" Kalmar asked.
"Yes, a very beautiful creature is she. The other one, timid but just as beautiful and powerful."
"Yes she nor anyone else knows what lies inside her. But it intrests me that she's tapped into it at all."
"She had to have, how else would the Dark One and the Red Demon have known to return to them so soon."
"You maybe right." Kalmar sat back in his chair pondering the circumstances. "Pharnax, would you care to take a nightmare ride with me?" Pharnax's eyes glinted evilly.
"I want the firey one, she could be more fun."
"Great, let us go, It's about time I met Jamie face to face." Kalmar raised himself up and lumbered toward his chamber laughing quietly. Pharnax began grinning and followed Kalmar.
After a few hours of the minimal controlling practice Kane broke off the session. When he let go of Alex's hands she swooned slightly feeling dizzy, he placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Alex was proud of herself in being successful in keeping the energy down.
"Alex why don't you rest now, we'll continue practice tommorrow."
"Yes, I think that would be a good idea, I feel drained." Kane nodded knowing full well what she was feeling. Alex rose from the couch and left the room, she headed up the stairs to her room where she laid across the bed and closed her eyes immediately falling to sleep.
Jamie and Taker talked well into the night about different things until Jamie started to yawn.
"Jamie why don't you sleep?" Taker asked.
"Oh no I'm awake." Jamie said sleepily as she yawned again. Taker chuckled and lifted her out of the chair, she rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. Taker chuckled again softly and carried her to her bed. He laid her gently down on the bed and covered her up with the blankets as she snuggled down deeper into the bed Taker brushed the hair off her face.
"Sleep well little one." He whispered and left the room quietly.
Taker went downstairs and rummaged about the fridge and pulled out a beer. He sat at the table going over the significance of Pharnax's appearance. Kane sat in the living room doing the same thing.
Jamie heard Taker whisper to her and leave, a smile crossed her face as she fell into the oblivion of sleep. In the early morning she started to dream. She was in the middle of nowhere, no grass grew as she turned in circles she could see nothing but flat dry earth. When she looked up there was nothing but the cool blue sky. She started walking when the ground began to shake and a crack appeared in the earth, quickly and violently the crack became a huge gapping hole and from that hole a man appeared rising out of the earth. He floated over to her and set down in front of her. He smiled and Jamie became scared his smile resembled that of a feral cat.
"Ah my dear Jamie we finally meet." He said extending his hands out toward her.
"Who are you?" Jamie asked.
"Why my child, I am different things to different people." He said.
"You didn't answer me." Jamie said.
"No, I didn't, I'm Kalmar. Perhaps you've heard of me?" He said. Jamies color drained of all color.
"Yes, I know who you are. Why are you doing this to us?"
"Because you and your sister hold all the power I need. And I will have it." he said as he began to move closer to her slowly.
Alex was also dreaming but she found herself cold and shivering from the extreme temprature. Confused she stood up and surveyed her surroundings there was no color to the landscape at all everything had a gray quality to it. She could hear nothing as she moved about the trees hoping to catch a glimpse of something familiar. As she came to a clearing she saw a man sitting upon a rock. She stopped frozen to the spot, it was Pharnax. He smiled broadly and jumped down from the rock.
"Greetings Firey one, welcom to my realm." he noticed her shivering, "are you cold, here let me warm you." He said as he closed the distance between them.
"No! I'm fine, why have you brought me here." She asked
"Because Kalmar has plans for you, but then again I have some plans of my own." He said as he stopped just a foot from her. Alex could feel herself becoming uncomfortable she started to shake harder under his gaze. He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. Alex twisted away from his grip, her skin crawling under his touch. His other hand snaked out and grabbed her by the throat pulling her close.
"You will be mine." He whispered as he kissed her hard on the lips. Alex let out a scream and sat bolt upright in her bed shaking. She instinctivly rubbed her lips and shoulder still feeling him. Quietly she got out of bed and into the bathroom and she started a shower.
Jamie watched as Kalmar drew closer she knew she should turn and run but her feet wouldn't obey. Her eyes widened as he moved his ample frame towards her. As he got within reaching distance he reached out and grasped her arm, Jamie held her breath.
"You have powers inside you that no one is aware of." He said as he pulled her closer. Jamie could stand no more as she wrenched her arm free of him and backed up.
"No more, leave me and my sister alone." as she was speaking her skin began to glow. Kalmar smiled he knew that actual contact would awaken it. Jamie felt empowered as she looked at her hands.
"What's....what's happening to me? She stammered.
"That is your power, can you feel it?"
"Yes but what is it?"
"I can show you." Kalmar said moving towards her again. Jamie looked up and saw him she realized what he was planning.
"NO!" She screamed and sat up in her darkened room. She could still hear Kalmars laughing ringing in her ears. Jamie moved herself up against the headboard hugging her knees, as she stared at the door. There would be no more sleep for her tonight.
Chapter 31
Taker stared at the clock, he listend as it ticked off the seconds. He rose the beer to his lips and stopped, he could hear Kalmar laughing. He dropped the can and bolted from the room. Rushing up the stairs two at a time and bursted into Jamies room. A small gasp escaped her lip, but she couldn't speak. She just sat there all drawn up on her bed. Taker crossed the room in two quick strides and sat down on the bed gathering her up in his arms.
"Tell me what happened." He said quietly, trying to calm her. She sat enclosed in his arms trying to tear Kalmars image from her head. "Jamie look at me." Taker said turning her head so that she was looking directly into his emerald green eyes. "You need to tell me what happened." Tears over filled her eyes and spilled down her face.
"I...I...had a nightmare." She broke down into tears. "Oh, Taker it was awful." She said throwing her arms about his neck. He soothed her as best he could as Jamie recounted her dream. His jaw clenched with fury at the fact that Kalmar invaded her dreams. Taker let her go and went to the bathroom he came back with a glass of water. Jamie sipped it and stood up.
"Thank you Taker. I am scared now, what if he comes back?"
"He won't. He's going to wait now. Jamie I need to find Kane and talk to him will you be allright?"
"Yes I should be fine." Taker nodded and left the room, he headed back to the kitchen to wait for Kane.
Alex stepped out of the shower, dried off and dressed. She pulled her hair up and looked at her face in the mirror. a bit pale but none the worse for wear, she thought as she left her room and quietly went down the stairs. As she entered the kitchen, she saw Taker tearing about the room like madman. She watched in awe as his big frame moved quickly about the room. He was talking to himself at an alarming rate. Alex could only make out a word or two here and there and was quite confused. He stopped suddenly and looked like he was listening to something then his eyes focused on her. Alex took a step back from his look of pure hatred.
"Well if I didn't know any better I'd say you were angry or something." She said when she found her voice. Taker's features softend as he absorbed what she said.
"Alex I'm sorry, I'm well your right, I'm quite pissed at the moment." He said turning around. Alex walked over and stood next to him fixing herself a cup of coffee.
"Care to talk about it?" She asked.
"Actually yes. A question first, How did you sleep last night, any nightmares?" He asked half turning towards her. Alex's froze she almost dropped the cup she was holding.
"Not really." She answered quietly and sat at the table.
"Not really huh? Well why don't I tell you what Jamie told me and then you can tell me about your not really nightmare okay?" He said as he sat down across from her. He explained what happened to Jamie. Alex's eyes widened as she listened. Then he grew quiet, finally breaking the silence.
"Okay now your turn." Alex took a deep breath and just as she began speaking the door opened and Kane sat down beside her. She looked at Kane then at Taker.
"I...I can't." She stammered and fled from the room.
"What was that about?" Kane asked quite confused, Taker let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Seems they both had nightmares last night, Kalmar visited Jamie, So I'm assuming Pharnax came to Alex. She needs to tell us what he said if she doesn't she could not only hurt herself but Jamie as well." Kane sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and searched the house for her. He could sense fear and sadness coming strongly from her.
"I'll go talk to her." Kane said. Taker nodded as his brother left the room.
Jamie sat on the end of her bed staring at her hands, she had to know what made her hands glow. She brought up the image of Kalmar and immediately her skin began to glow a faint green. She was completely amazed with herself. Now if i only can figure out what to do with it, She thought.
"Think of anything you want to be." Sarah's soft voice filled Jamies room.
"Sarah is that you?" Jamie asked.
"Yes, it's me Jamie. Go on do what I said think of anything you want to be."
"I'm scared to."
"Don't be scared Jamie. It's your gift to control. You just need to learn how to use it." Jamie closed her eyes and thought of Alex and what's happened to her, she wasn't sure if she could do the same.
"Jamie?"
"What?"
"Open your eyes." Jamie did as she was told. Her eyes looked into the mirror but the reflection looking back was Alex.
"What the....." Jamie trailed off.
"You have the will to change forms as you please. You can be as small as a mouse or as big as your imagination will make you." Sarah replied pleased.
"But how do I change back?"
"Just think of you as yourself." Jamie didn't close her eyes this time and watched as her features rearranged to become herself again.
"I didn't feel anything, Sarah, where are you?" Jamie asked looking about her room.
"I'll be close." A faded voice whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED...