Share
Chapter 98
Sunday morning, Leesa slept late. Her sleep had been peaceful and relaxed, the result she guessed, of leftover feelings of contentment from Rave’s visit. He had departed late last night, but the chance to spend an entire day with him had been wonderful.
She got out of bed and slipped into a comfortable pair of sweats. Turning on her stereo, she fixed herself a breakfast of bran flakes and raisins and a big mug of hot chocolate. Part way into her meal, Semisonic’s “Closing Time” started up on the stereo. She stopped chewing and listened to her favorite line about new beginnings. She had experienced so many new beginnings in the last few months and most of them had been great. There was Rave, of course, but also Cali, and college, and Aunt Janet, Uncle Roger and Max. Some of the beginnings were not so good, like her troublesome dreams, but maybe even they would turn out to be positive eventually. There had been a number of “ends,” too. Good o
Related chapters
Leesa's Advent Chapter 99
“I hope that stops one of these days soon, though.”Dr. Clerval chuckled. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “So, what do you have for me this time? Another dream? More objects moving about? Or are we perhaps back to vampires again?”Leesa wasn’t sure how to reply. “I did have another dream—more zombies and much scarier this time. But that’s not why I’m here. At least not directly.”Dr. Clerval leaned back on his chair and clasped his hands on his lap. His posture was one of relaxed ease, but his eyes sparkled with keen interest.“Go on,” he said.“Have you ever heard of a bunch of wizards called the waziri?”Professor Clerval raised his eyebrows. “I have, yes. But I’m surprised that you have.” He smiled. “You never cease to amaze me, Leesa.”“Yeah, me, too,” Leesa said wryly.“May I a
Leesa's Advent Chapter 100
Leesa sat on her bed, her back propped comfortably on a pillow against the wall, watching the news. Since her latest dream, she checked the news every evening, either the six o’clock broadcast or the late night one, looking for any story that might in some way match the nightmare. Sometimes she watched both broadcasts. The zombie attack on the two camping families had seemed even more realistic than her first two dreams. Since those two had apparently shown real events, she was afraid this one might, too.Two, then three, and now four days passed without any story. She hoped the absence of any news meant her nightmare was just that—a nightmare—and not some kind of special dream like the others. There was another possibility, though one she prayed was not the case. The lack of any story might just mean the kids and their fathers had not survived the horrible attack. With no witnesses, there would be no one to recount the tale.Still, even if everyone h
Leesa's Advent Chapter 101
Barely a week after receiving her warning from Stefan, Edwina slipped out of the vampire caverns into the gray morning light. Thick clouds blanketed the sky from horizon to horizon, bringing a smile to her lips. The sun’s absence would make things that much easier and more comfortable for her today. Only the barest hint of a breeze brushed her cheeks, lending hope the clouds would remain in place the entire day. Heading north, she glided silently through the woods along the river’s edge, in no real hurry. Her pace betrayed no indication of her eagerness, lest one of her fellows happen to see her leave. Nor would her speed draw attention from any sharp-eyed humans who might be watching from across the river. With the leafless trees providing little cover, a dark blur racing through them at vampire speed would raise eyebrows—and questions. Questions the coven would not be too happy about. When she felt she was far enough from the vampire lair, she pulled a cell phone f
Leesa's Advent Chapter 102
“What do you mean?” Leesa asked. She looked over at Cali, who still had not moved from the tree. “What kind of surprise?”Edwina crossed to Cali and pulled the scarf from around her chin. Cali immediately spat a wadded up rag from her mouth.“I’m so sorry, Leesa,” she said. “I didn’t know.”“Didn’t know what?” Leesa asked as cold fingers of fear began to prick at her.“Didn’t know this,” Edwina said. Two curved fangs slowly descended from her mouth.Leesa’s jaw dropped. Her stomach felt hollow. She could not believe this was happening. Suddenly Vanina’s strange behavior at the mall when Cali pricked her finger made sense. Vanina had not been disgusted by the blood—far from it. She had turned away to hide her desire for it.“You’re a vampire,” Leesa managed to say finally.“Aren’t you the brigh
Leesa's Advent Chapter 103
Leesa watched in horror as Edwina’s fangs inched inexorably toward Cali’s neck. She knew Edwina was moving so slowly to torment her but was helpless to do anything about it.Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dark blur flashed across the grass and smashed into Edwina, knocking her away from Cali. Leesa watched in startled amazement as the two figures tumbled across the ground, growling and yelping like two wild animals going at each other. She hoped the pain-filled moans were all coming from Edwina. The battle turned out to be no contest. In less than a minute a black clad figure stood up over Edwina’s motionless form, blood dripping from his mouth.“Stefan!” Leesa cried. Her eyes flew back and forth from Stefan to Edwina. A grisly wound gaped from the right side of Edwina’s neck. No blood flowed from the wound though, which made the ragged gash look even more ghastly. Leesa wondered about the blood on Stefan’s lips.Stefan wip
Leesa's Advent Chapter 104
One hour after Leesa and Cali left Brennan Field, Dominic strode quickly across the empty meadow. After so many painstaking and frustrating months, he hoped he might at last be drawing near to finding Leesa. The magic was long gone, he knew—it had been at least an hour since its vibrations had jarred his senses on the bus—but it had been so powerful he could still sense where it had occurred, across the field near the edge of the woods. The picturesque Weston college campus spread out behind him, but before he began his search for Leesa there, he wanted to examine the place where the magic had originated to see what he might learn.He slowed his pace as he neared the trees, his senses guiding him unerringly to a spot a few feet from the boundary of the field. This was the place. He stood perfectly still and slowed his breathing until his chest barely moved, focusing his concentration on the tiny vestiges of magic that remained. That he could still sense the vibrat
Leesa's Advent Chapter 105
Leesa looked at Rave for a moment to make certain he meant what he had just said. He nodded for her to go ahead.“You can’t tell anyone,” Leesa said to Cali. “I mean it. Even my mom and Bradley don’t know what I’m about to tell you.”Cali made a crossing motion with her finger in front of her heart. “I promise.” “Rave’s kinda different,” Leesa said.Cali looked incredulous. “That’s it? That’s your big secret? Please, tell me something I don’t already know. He’s a Maston—of course he’s freakin’ different. They’re all pretty strange.” She looked at Rave and smiled sweetly. “No offense, Rave.”Rave smiled back. “None taken.”“No,” Leesa said. “Much more different than you can imagine. I think maybe you should sit down.”Cali looked more confused than ever, but she plo
Leesa's Advent Chapter 106
The man in the doorway did not appear threatening, but the blue flames flickering from Rave’s fingertips told Leesa he thought differently. The stranger was tall and slender, dressed in a worn black jacket and plain khaki pants. He looked to Leesa like he was in his late forties or early fifties, but it was difficult to tell for sure. His tan face was only lightly lined, but his dark hair was speckled with more than a little gray and his neatly trimmed goatee showed even more of the salty color than his hair. His pale blue eyes were so light in color they looked almost gray as well.The man held his hands up in front of his chest in a gesture of peace.“Douse your fire, volkaane,” he said, making no move to enter. “I am no threat to any of you, I promise.”Leesa was dumbfounded. Rave’s hands were still hidden behind his back—how had the guy known Rave was a volkaane? And how many people even knew about volkaanes in the f
Latest chapter
