Michael Griffo - Unwelcome

Just as he was about to enter The Forest so he could sprint unseen to the other side of campus before heading to Inishtrahull Island, Michael saw Phaedra enter the maze. A second later he was standing by her side. “I need you.”

Startled, Phaedra jumped. “What do you mean?”

Talking quickly, Michael tried to explain the situation as succinctly as possible. “Everything I said the other night about not needing you—erase it, delete it, I need your help.”

Phaedra was silent. She knew this would happen, she knew the moment she admitted to herself what she truly wanted, how she honestly wanted to spend the rest of her future, no matter if she had a day left or an eternity, something would happen to force her to change her plans. Something like this. “I thought you said Ronan had your back?”

“I can’t find him,” Michael explained. “I have to save Saoirse. It could be dangerous and I need your protection!”

It should all be so simple and yet Phaedra couldn’t decide. Somewhere close by was Fritz and he was the one she wanted to be with. She didn’t want to transform into fog, she didn’t want to let go of the lovely feelings that were becoming so strong, so much a part of who she was, she didn’t want to . . . she could hardly say the words to herself: She didn’t want to be an efemera any longer. She wanted to be human. “I . . . I don’t know if I can.”

Michael was stunned. He shouldn’t have been, but he was. After all, he was the one who had told Phaedra to embrace her mortality as he embraced eternal life, but things had changed. He wasn’t sure if he had the strength to save Saoirse by himself, he didn’t know if he would just find Amir on the beach or if there would be a pack of vampires waiting for him. He was trying to be practical, realistic, but he needed Phaedra to do the same. “One last time, Phaedra,” Michael begged. “Please!”

You’ve become a dear friend to me, Michael, probably the best friend I’ve ever had, but right now I hate you. “One last time.”

Michael felt Phaedra stiffen when he hugged her, but he figured she was just ticked off at him for making her choose to do something that in her heart she didn’t want to do. He had no idea that she was reacting to his reflection. The image she saw in the mirror was alarming. It wasn’t the result of a fun-house trick, it was Michael’s true spirit and it was grotesque.

“Meet me at the island,” Michael shouted as he ran out of the maze.

Following him, Phaedra made it as far as the edge of The Forest before stopping. She knew she had to keep her promise, but she was conflicted. What was happening to Michael; why did he look so different? She knew he was a vampire and no matter how good or gentle he might be, he was still part of a dangerous species. Oh, none of that mattered! Her purpose in life was to protect him regardless of whether he was a vampire, immortal, a creature who preyed on the living. It was that simple. When she saw Fritz staring at her from inside the gym, things once again got complicated.

All the sweet possibilities, all the magic she had hoped to share with him, this rough-edged but tenderhearted boy, all of that would never be. She would never know what it means to be completely human and completely in love.

She lifted her hand to Fritz, a quiet gesture. She wanted to say so much to him, touch him, kiss him, feel his hands embrace her, but no, that was meant for teenage girls, and no matter how much she looked the part, no matter how much she convinced herself that that’s what she was, that she was human, she wasn’t. And she feared she never would be.

What the bloomin’ hell was that? Where’d Phaedra go? Fritz pressed his nose closer to the window. He knew he saw Phaedra, she was right there at the entrance to the maze; she waved to him. But when he looked closer, all he could see was a puff of smoke, like she actually disappeared into thin air. Fritz swatted his forehead with his rolled-up comic book. It’s the mist rolling in, you stupid prat; nature’s all wonky from the eclipse. Nobody disappears just like that. But wait a second, maybe that’s just what she did, maybe instead of waving hello, she was waving good-bye.

No! Don’t make it over before it even gets started, before we even get to all the good stuff! Despite his protests and his hopes, Fritz had a bad feeling that the latest issue of Tales of The Double A—The Day Darkness Took Over was starting to come true.

“It’s starting, my son, the darkness has returned.” With Jean-Paul by his side, David was peering into the mirror watching Amir race through the shadows, Saoirse clutched in his arms. “It’s the dawn of a new age,” David whispered, “when darkness can roam freely in the sun.”

Jean-Paul smiled at his father. He made sure David could see that his eyes were filled with admiration, but he worked hard to conceal his thoughts. He didn’t want him to pick up on the doubts circulating within his mind. The strategy was sound, but his father was also zealous and often underestimated his opponents. Jean-Paul had been observing water vamps for years and he knew they were a formidable lot. As he had gotten to know Michael better, he discovered his theories were astute. “How marvelous to be a part of it, Father,” Jean-Paul said. “But I think I can be of greater assistance.”

Jean-Paul explained that even the most loyal and ambitious of his flock needed help, so he volunteered to assist Amir. “He’s getting preoccupied with zee girl,” Jean-Paul explained. “When all he needs to do ees get Ronan to follow him into zee ocean so he can find zee Well.”

David was reluctant to let his son leave his side, but quickly saw the sense of his suggestion. “All right, go,” David allowed. “But remember, if you must choose between saving yourself and saving that boy, know that I will not honor your death.”

I have no intention of dying for such a foolish child. “I understand your ways, Father,” Jean-Paul replied. “Remember I am not like my sister.”

In the open air, Jean-Paul heard a noise and stopped. He instinctively thought he was being watched and narrowed his eyes to cut through the shadowlight. Nothing. Racing north toward the island, he didn’t look back. If he had, he would have seen Nakano following him. But the chase was witnessed by David. “Oh, Zachariel, how heartening to see all my servants working together.”

On the shores of Inishtrahull Island, however, one of David’s servants was still on his own. Saoirse wisely stopped trying to break free from Amir’s hold. She wasn’t strong enough and it merely wasted her energy, she had a feeling she was going to need to conserve her resources. She also knew that she needed her brother, the first thing she asked Michael when he showed up was why Ronan wasn’t with him.

“He’s right behind me,” Michael lied.

“Well, he better hurry up,” Amir ordered. “Because I’m losing my patience.”

In the unnatural darkness, it was difficult to see. Michael figured it had more to do with his fear than his vision. He had to concentrate, he had to focus on keeping Saoirse safe until Ronan and Phaedra showed up. If it was just him and Amir, he would strike first and think later, but his fangs were too close to Saoirse’s neck, there was no way Michael could reach Amir in time before he plunged them into her flesh. He had to be cunning.

“I’ll make you a trade, Amir,” Michael suggested. “Me for Saoirse.”

“I don’t want you!” Amir spat.

Michael inched forward, hoping his movement would be concealed in the growing blackness. “C’mon, David’s much more interested in water vamps than he is in humans.”

Watching the scene with growing interest, David nodded his head. He tried to reach out to Amir telepathically, tell him to release the girl and find The Well, but the distance and the boy’s own ego were getting in the way. Amir was not only loyal, he was also ambitious.