Elijah had had his tarot reading. Small and full of character, it pulsed with weird and unnatural energies. A brilliant ball of flames, hovering on its own, lit the room into brightness. Half-hidden in an alcove directly across from the doorway was a beautiful and ornately carved box. In the middle was a stone table with a beautiful silk sheet over it. Beneath that sheet was the shape of a body, feminine in form.
“You’re an idiot, Morgan. A spineless, pathetic ingrate who doesn’t deserve the position you have been ‘granted’.” The voice didn’t seem to come from anywhere. It filled the room and had no true direction. Each time that voice spoke, however, the flame ‘chandelier’ above the table shivered.
“Not an idiot.” Morgan glared at the motionless figure on the table. “I was unprepared for two incredibly resourceful—or lucky—individuals. I promised you, Sela, I would bring you back. And I will.” He moved over to the table, one of his hands reaching out to draw the sheet back. A woman’s face was revealed, porcelain smooth and paler than ivory. Her hair was deep auburn, drifting against her skin. Around her neck was a deep wound, crusty with dried blood and gore.
“When? Twenty years from now? You’ll be half-dead and I’ll be beautiful. I am in love with you, Morgan.” The voice reverberated throughout the room. “I want to be with you.”
“And you will be.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss against her forehead. “Need some more time, though, love. We’re almost there. Once I get the key back, it will all be perfect. It will work this time.” He smoothed back her hair, letting out a gentle sigh. The last time he had tried to resurrect her with the amulet—nearly a week ago now—nothing had happened. While neither of them had had any sort of understanding as to why, Morgan theorized that the moon needed to be full in order to trigger the magic of the amulet. It had been nearly full the last time he had tried; focusing on the cycles of the moon was the only thing that he had at this point.
“Be patient, love.” With a sigh, he drew the sheet back over her face. Then he turned and headed back for the main area of his shop. It was time to face the day.
* * * *
“Morgan, are you all right?” One of his more regular customers moved over to the desk. There was a frown on her lips, and concern made her eyes look more brown than hazel.
“Good morning, Katria. I’m all right, thank you for asking.”
“Okay. It’s just…“ She looked ready to turn away, but hesitated. “You’re never late opening this place up.”
“Always a first time for everything.” Morgan offered her a small smile.
“I suppose so. Though that’s twice now” She gave him one last worried glance before moving toward the stairs leading into the antique section.
Morgan tilted his head up and looked at the clock. It was just after 10 am, and he had opened the shop at 9:13 am. That was more than ten minutes late. As he looked down toward the lower drawer in his desk, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. The only thing he could think of was that Rosalie and Elijah had come here looking for the pendant. They seemed as determined to get it as he was to keep it. Then again, he couldn’t blame either of them.
“How did you know?” he asked himself.
* * * *
“After the explosion of light, there’s this weightlessness. Like…I’m floating. And it’s really bright all around me. I can’t tell if anyone else is there because there’s just so much light. I’m looking around, and the light starts getting darker. Pretty soon it’s all gone, and I’m surrounded by darkness. Then I see these figures coming toward me. They’re all hunched and grotesque looking. Some have big spikes coming up from their backs, some have five eyes, and some of them have skin that’s all… sloughing from their flesh and bones. I turn to run, and then you’re standing there. You have a gun, and you’re pointing it at
“You’re an idiot, Morgan. A spineless, pathetic ingrate who doesn’t deserve the position you have been ‘granted’.” The voice didn’t seem to come from anywhere. It filled the room and had no true direction. Each time that voice spoke, however, the flame ‘chandelier’ above the table shivered.
“Not an idiot.” Morgan glared at the motionless figure on the table. “I was unprepared for two incredibly resourceful—or lucky—individuals. I promised you, Sela, I would bring you back. And I will.” He moved over to the table, one of his hands reaching out to draw the sheet back. A woman’s face was revealed, porcelain smooth and paler than ivory. Her hair was deep auburn, drifting against her skin. Around her neck was a deep wound, crusty with dried blood and gore.
“When? Twenty years from now? You’ll be half-dead and I’ll be beautiful. I am in love with you, Morgan.” The voice reverberated throughout the room. “I want to be with you.”
“And you will be.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss against her forehead. “Need some more time, though, love. We’re almost there. Once I get the key back, it will all be perfect. It will work this time.” He smoothed back her hair, letting out a gentle sigh. The last time he had tried to resurrect her with the amulet—nearly a week ago now—nothing had happened. While neither of them had had any sort of understanding as to why, Morgan theorized that the moon needed to be full in order to trigger the magic of the amulet. It had been nearly full the last time he had tried; focusing on the cycles of the moon was the only thing that he had at this point.
“Be patient, love.” With a sigh, he drew the sheet back over her face. Then he turned and headed back for the main area of his shop. It was time to face the day.
* * * *
“Morgan, are you all right?” One of his more regular customers moved over to the desk. There was a frown on her lips, and concern made her eyes look more brown than hazel.
“Good morning, Katria. I’m all right, thank you for asking.”
“Okay. It’s just…“ She looked ready to turn away, but hesitated. “You’re never late opening this place up.”
“Always a first time for everything.” Morgan offered her a small smile.
“I suppose so. Though that’s twice now” She gave him one last worried glance before moving toward the stairs leading into the antique section.
Morgan tilted his head up and looked at the clock. It was just after 10 am, and he had opened the shop at 9:13 am. That was more than ten minutes late. As he looked down toward the lower drawer in his desk, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. The only thing he could think of was that Rosalie and Elijah had come here looking for the pendant. They seemed as determined to get it as he was to keep it. Then again, he couldn’t blame either of them.
“How did you know?” he asked himself.
* * * *
“After the explosion of light, there’s this weightlessness. Like…I’m floating. And it’s really bright all around me. I can’t tell if anyone else is there because there’s just so much light. I’m looking around, and the light starts getting darker. Pretty soon it’s all gone, and I’m surrounded by darkness. Then I see these figures coming toward me. They’re all hunched and grotesque looking. Some have big spikes coming up from their backs, some have five eyes, and some of them have skin that’s all… sloughing from their flesh and bones. I turn to run, and then you’re standing there. You have a gun, and you’re pointing it at
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