Among You (28 page)

Gorman disconnected the call, furious he had to again waste time on what he thought was a reformed miscreant.

“
This is my fault,” grumbled Gorman, “I should never have trusted that young man from the beginning.”

Gorman took a moment to dress and then rushed back to Babbette’s room. When he entered, the girls were sitting at the foot of the bed. Babbette held her phone to her ear.

“
Who is she…”

Timely shushed Gorman. Gorman bristled.

“
Scott, it’s Babbette. I’m very sorry for calling at such an hour, but I wanted to warn you that Skorsdan is coming for you. He doesn’t know how to find you…”

Gorman gestured for the phone. Babbette stared up at her father and immediately recognized the insistent look on his face. She handed the phone to him.

“
Scott, this is Gorman Gaultier. I have the entire Sheriff’s department out looking for Skorsdan now. If you see him, call Babbette’s number and let her know. Do
not
engage with Skorsdan, he is unpredictable and dangerous. Yes, I know you bested him once. Do not assume you would prevail again. Thank you.”

Gorman handed the phone back to Babbette and waited for to say goodbye. The second she did, he demanded Skorsdan’s phone number from Babbette.

He dialed his phone and waited.

“
No answer,” Gorman growled and then stared into the space around him, beyond the moment. When finally he spoke again, his voice was a distant whisper.

“
I have worked so hard to prevent such tragedy from befalling the ‘Kind. I have repressed our very nature, insisted we not pry too deeply into a dark, secreted past.”

Before he spoke another word, Gorman moved to the door. When he turned, his face was lined with suffering.

“
I will not allow one young man to undo everything I have done for the ‘Kind. I have always been, and always shall be, a man of mercy and truth. Understand what I do is done to protect us from ourselves and our past.”

With that, Gorman slipped into the shadows of the dark hall.

*

Within the ageless, beautiful marble and stone walls of the Gaultier manse, existed a secreted room known only by the lord and ruler of the house. The room had one single purpose – to secret away rituals and acts forbidden to all of ‘Kind-dom. The room hadn’t been used in decades. The stale, damp air hadn’t moved since the last time Gorman tucked himself away within the Room of Evocation. He was foolish, then, to think the Rite of Cleansing would work. He should have known the power would eventually come to light. All he could do now was prevent its spread.

Dorimaines Circulus was still on the floor, intact. So long as the circle remained complete, the circulus could be used. He stepped within its confines and steepled his fingers before his lips.

No words were necessary for the summoning to work. Gorman need only place the image of the one to be summoned into his mind and intone the multi-tonal melody.

A ghost image of Skorsdan’s face appeared in his mind’s eye. Gorman pulled in a deep, hot breath and began the melody. The triad of minor tones seeped from between his lips. The effect was as hauntingly beautiful as it was frightening.

Before Gorman, an orb of black light appeared. Silver threads wove their way through the color like writhing snakes. From within the heart of the black orb, a distant scream poured. The ability to simultaneously breathe in slightly as he exhaled
enabled Gorman to continue the tune without breaking the spell. The scream rose in volume and intensity.

Bolts of energy shot out of the black orb and touched down on the solid walls of the Room of Evocation. Finally, a hand was thrust from the heart of the floating black stain. An arm was followed by a shoulder and then a foot and leg. The body was pulled, out of order, into the Circulus. As the shape reformed before Gorman, the scream rose in volume and pitch until it threatened to burst the eardrums of anyone within range.

With a crack of thunder, Skorsdan stood, remade whole, before Gorman Gaultier.

“
How did you…”

“
You are here to stand trial for your crimes against the ‘Kind.” Gorman’s voice was deep and formally loud.

“
Go to Hell, old man. I’ve done nothing but reveal a certain truth you’ve suffered to keep hidden.”

“
Skorsdan, you have been found guilty of endangering our people. You have no say in this verdict, no plea will be recorded, no jury convened.”

Blue light crackled and leaped between Skorsdan’s fingertips.

“
I’ll beg to differ.”

Skorsdan raised his hands to Gorman.

Gorman offered an almost imperceptible nod.

Instead of the blue energy splashing down upon his foe, it rolled back onto Skorsdan’s arms.

“
What are you doing?” Skorsdan shouted. “No, you can’t…stop. You’ve lied to our people for over a century. What are you afraid of?” The voice issuing from Skorsdan’s mouth was empty of threat and full of fear. He clearly wanted an answer – if only to take to the grave.

“
The history books are wrong. ‘Kind predates man by centuries. We once ruled this planet; but were undone by our very nature. Should the truth of our history be revealed, an unstoppable darkness would befall this planet. I will not allow such a fate.”

Gorman nodded his head toward Skorsdan and the blue energy consumed the young ‘Kind entirely. Skorsdan’s scream faded into nothing, along with the black orb. Gorman dropped to his knees within the Circulus, his chest heaving, his face dripping sweat.

“
Forgive me,” he whispered.

When finally Gorman had the energy, he broke the plane of the Circulus with his finger and sighed.

“
The Circulus is broken. No more will come of this.”

Gorman stood and silently walked from the room. Within his mind and heart, a profound restlessness overtook what little harmony remained. Although the immediate threat to peace had been silenced, he knew the truth would someday
emerge to lead the ‘Kind back into darkness.

twenty-six | vulnerable

I sat on my porch, waiting for Skorsdan to arrive; phone out, debating a call to Sally. On the off-chance that Skorsdan did actually confront and kill me, Sally deserved to know I adored her. On the other hand…why worry her? I had no fear of Skorsdan; I beat him once before, I could do it again. Besides, knowing Sally, she’d show up on my doorstep and get in the line of fire…or get in line to defend anyone taking a shot at me.

It was that idea which led me to understand the danger my parents were in.

Because of me.

But then.
..
what could I possibly do about that? Run away? Not an option. I had grand designs for my life and a life on the street did nothing but thwart those plans.

I needed to be elsewhere. At least for the moment, to keep my mom and dad out of harm’s path. I could meet Sally half-way and spend the night in her car – or something. Just as I stood to walk, the ringtone assigned to Babbette sang out.

Why Can’t I Be You
, by The Cure.

“
Hello,” I whispered.

“
Scott,” Babbette’s voice was bereft of the earlier fear. “It’s over.”

“
What’s over? What do you mean?”

Pause.

Good news never followed such a pause. Not in my lifetime.

“
Skorsdan is dead.”

The simple sentence packed layers of meaning I probably would never comprehend. The one I certainty did grasp was no battle royale would come my way. I was safe – at least until the next ‘Skorsdan’ decided it was time for me to pay some unforeseen price.

“
How did it happen?” I asked.

Silence.

“
Babbette,” I whispered into the phone. The only sound to return was a hushed sob.

“
Are you okay? Babbette, what’s wrong?”

My entire body tensed. The possibility that I may have to race to Tyler’s End quickly became a reality. I held my breath as the sobs continued. Eventually, Babbette’s voice returned.

“
I don’t know for sure, but I believe it was my father that put an end to his life.”

“
No,” I replied. I didn’t, couldn’t believe it. Yes, the man’s voice alone could instill the fear of death into anyone – but he made it very clear that violence was not a part of the ‘Kind’s past, present, or future.

“
How can you be sure of this, Babbette?”

“
Could I see you, Scott?”

This time it was my turn to pause. What would Sally think of me seeing Babbette in the middle of the night? Just when I thought things were going to become a hell of a lot simpler, my dad’s advice echoed in my head; a ‘rock and a hard place’ parallel I couldn’t recount completely. I got it. In the end, there was only one choice I could make.

“
Yes,” I said softly.

Babbette said she and Timely would meet me in twenty minutes. Timely was my saving grace. With her along, I would have a witness nothing happened.

Nothing would happen.

*

Guilt is a mad bastard of a beast. Before Babbette and Timely arrived, I decided it was in my best interest to bring Sally into the mix. I didn’t want our relationship to begin mired in lies and unspoken truths. She took the news well, even insisted on joining. I happily accepted her self-imposed invitation and wished her luck sneaking out.

Somehow, Sally managed to get out and arrive shortly before Babbette and Timely.

Small miracles.

Even with the situation at hand, it was nice to be greeted by a kiss.

“
But I thought they were all about peace and getting along?”

“
So did I, Sally. I’ve tried to piece this whole mess together. The only conclusion I can draw is that this has been brewing for a long time. My appearing in Tyler’s End was all that was needed to raise the monster.”

“
Do you think Skorsdan was just a bad seed?”

I looked at Sally, contemplating the question to the fullest extent of my tired brain. Before I could draw a conclusion, the Aston Martin roared into the driveway. Babbette had yet to grasp the finer points of sneaking out. Both car doors opened simultaneously. Babbette and Timely cautiously approached the porch. It wasn’t until they realized the second body was Sally that their subtle defensive posture eased.

Sally smiled and waved. Under normal circumstances, that alone would have been enough to brighten and lighten the mood. Both ‘Kind girls failed to pick up on the warmth. Instead they stopped a few feet before us and stared.

It seemed minutes ticked by before a single word was spoken. It was Babbette that broke the spell of silence.

“
We’ve existed over one hundred years and never before felt the pain of death.”

The sentence was like a dropped bomb that refused to detonate, or a bad joke without a punchline.

I interrupted before another issue glossed over that madness.

“
Wait, you’re saying that, until now, no ‘Kind has ever died?”

Babbette and Timely nodded.

“
Not in this fashion. Our first passing was Tyler, but that was long ago.” Babbette added.

“
So you two have to be at least…”

Babbette smiled at me and said innocently, “I just had my one hundred fiftieth birthday.”

The Coming of Ages ball. I felt like an idiot. Of course it was her birthday, but
one hundred and…wow.

“
God, I hope I look as good as you two when I’m one hundred and fifty,” said Sally.

Babbette offered the slightest smile to Sally and then said, “Father received word that two of Skorsdan’s friends have come up missing. Neither have ever been as radical or unpredictable as Skorsdan, but you never know.” She pulled a photo from her pocket and handed it to me. The picture was Skorsdan and two other male ‘Kind – all three masked.

“
These two boys, Comnical and Valiskil, were Skorsdan’s lap dogs. I would not be surprised if they had orders to seek you out upon Skorsdan’s death.” Babbette handed the picture to me and then pulled out another. “Here they are unmasked.”

The second picture told a very important tale – both Comnical and Valiskil had their horn nubs sharpened and painted an oily black. This subtle change gave both boys a look of ferocity I would never have associated with ‘Kind.

“
I am fairly confident Skorsdan never found your address; but these boys are resourceful.”

Sally snatched the photos from me and gave them a quick study. She looked up at Babbette and said, “What do we do if they show their faces?”