The Vaga Read online

  I hear him intake a sharp breath before answering. ‘Careful of the enemy you think you know…but don’t.’

  His voice contains a hypnotic lilt that tells me he is well educated—a hint of an accent both refined and cultured, yet it also holds a smoldering quality to it that sends a warm tremble up my spine. His breath this close causes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck to rise.

  Finding my courage, I begin to turn around but he stops me with his words. ‘No. Don’t turn around. Just listen. You have to be more vigilant, Elena. Do not think you know this enemy. They are more dangerous than you could imagine.’

  My anger surfaces. ‘What enemy is that?’ I spit out. ‘The Puritans, the Venators, or you?’ My breathing becomes rapid as my old bitterness emerges. I want to turn around and slap him. He, and others like him, are my enemy. They are the reason my family have all been murdered. What does he care what happens to me?

  I hear him sigh. ‘Yes, you’re right. I cannot change the past. I told you in the letter that I was sorry.’ He pauses briefly before continuing. ‘But this is different, Elena. You cannot be blinded by your past hatred or you will get yourself killed.’

  Out of the corner of my eye I see him raise his hand towards my shoulder, but then he hesitates mid-air. My breath catches again, and I all but will him to do it. As much as I feel years of anger and resentment clutching at my chest, there is a part of me, a deep yearning within me that outweighs those emotions.

  The air between us is still. Neither one of us willing to break first. The energy emanating off him is not hostile, in fact, it feels like he is trying to protect me, to warn me.

  I move forward in the line, making sure to keep my voice down and my eyes focused straight ahead. ‘Why are you here?’

  I feel his body move closer to mine and his warm breath brushes my skin. ‘I told you I would see you again. I was hoping it would be under better circumstances, but I’m afraid that can’t be. You are in real danger, Elena. I have received word that the enemy is already here.’

  ‘What enemy? What are you talking about, Julian?’ I ask exasperated.

  Saying his name affects him, his aura projecting a desirable reaction that courses through me. He doesn’t respond right away. ‘They are called…the Vaga. Or as you would understand it in English, the Dark Sword.’

  Of course they are, I think sarcastically, knowing that the language of the old ways is always a favourite among the archaic cults of the past. Although I’ve never heard that name before.

  Over the years I’ve researched countless religious, occultist, and mythological sites and books, educating myself on a world I wasn’t even aware of before, all in an attempt to know my enemy, and my own kind, better. Ama told me that my future would not only depend on my magic and skills, but that it would also depend on the knowledge I had at my disposal. I took her word for it.

  When I don’t respond he continues. ‘The Vaga are a group of supernatural creatures dating back to the time of the Ancients. They are led by an Immortal named Erebus—the God of darkness and shadow. Erebus has lived for eons and is the ultimate wielder of the dark arts. The creatures who obey him have unique skills that can be…hired or bought, so to speak.’

  A sharp laugh escapes me and I feel him tense up. ‘Sorry, but this sounds like a load of crap. Are you saying that the Vaga are like supernatural bounty hunters or something?’ I shake my head at the absurdity of it all.

  He moves very quickly, his lips almost touching my ear. ‘This is not a joke!’ he hisses. ‘These things practise the dark arts. They live for it, feeding off the suffering of others. They have been summoned to find you, Elena, and they do not show mercy.’

  His words pierce my armour like a heavy rain of bullets.

  ‘Do not take this lightly. The Vaga are here to kill you. I have received word that there is already one on your tail. What powers it possesses I do not know, as I’ve never encountered them myself, but the legends say that they will not give up the hunt until there has been blood spilled.’

  The hunt? Could that have been what was stalking us in the park?

  ‘How did they know I was alive?’ I whisper.

  ‘Apparently not every Dominus believed you were dead.’ Guilt lines his voice.

  Dominus—Latin for master or lord. I always knew that the Puritans must have some sort of hierarchical order to their organisation, but Julian confirming it makes me feel sick to my stomach. How many of them are there?

  ‘How do you know all this?’ I ask.

  ‘I remain in contact with one who is willing to help.’

  A Dominus choosing to help me? Nothing he said could have shocked me more. Why would they be helping me when all they’ve done is murder us for centuries? It doesn’t make any sense.

  ‘Why would a Dominus be helping me?’

  He hesitates before saying, ‘I have asked myself that many times over the years and I…I can’t answer that question.’

  Can’t or won’t? And what is that about years? My suspicions are raised but a more pressing question comes out of my mouth. ‘Why are you helping me?’

  His energy softens, and with it his words. ‘I think you know why.’

  I bite my lip against the truth that radiates through me. I don’t want to admit it, but I know that I can’t keep hiding behind a wall of lies either. Taking a deep breath I finally let the words of truth flow through me.

  He is the one, the man I am destined to be with, the man who will be the father of my child.

  The lump in my throat grows until I find it hard to swallow. What will this do to my family? Uncle Jo will never understand. And Phoebe…? Phoebe will never forgive me.

  Isis’ magic is throbbing in excitement at my admission, sending a wave of uneasiness coursing through me. Did she know all along that Julian and I were meant to be together? And if so, was I just some pawn in Isis’ ultimate resurrection? My heart doesn’t want to think that she would use me like that and yet…a sinking feeling inside of me tells me that it might be the truth.

  His hand brushes mine for only a brief whisper, jolting me back from my dark thoughts. ‘I have to go, Elena. I will be watching.’

  I turn around but he is already gone, vanished into thin air as if he never really existed. How did he move so quickly?

  ‘Next!’ I hear the woman behind the counter yell. Her gravelly smoker’s voice shakes me back to reality.

  ‘What took you so long?’ Phoebe grumbles as I shuffle past, handing her the hot dogs and drinks.

  ‘The line was long,’ I respond gruffly.

  Ignoring my tone she says, ‘Well you’re here now. And just in time for the next kick off.’

  I sit down beside her and realise that Magi isn’t here. My pulse quickens. ‘Where’s Mags?’

  ‘You were taking too long so I sent Sam and Magi after you,’ Phoebe replies, taking a large bite of her hotdog with delight. ‘And before you ask, no, it wasn’t about the food. I had a funny feeling of sorts. But you’re obviously okay, so nothing to worry about, right?’

  If only she knew. ‘Yeah, right.’

  The sound of the crowd turns my attention back to the game and I look down to see the ball fly through the air before being caught at the other end. One team charges the other, both wanting to obtain the ball—the ultimate prize—using it to fulfill the end result of a touchdown and a win for the most strategically skillful team.

  How ironic that this game should resemble my life.

  Magi returns and pushes past Phoebe to get to me. She nuzzles me fervently, obviously worried. Stroking her fur I reassure her I’m fine.

  Sam, on the other hand, is watching me with renewed interest. He flares his nostrils before turning back to the game. ‘Glad to see you made it back okay,’ he says, keeping his voice even. Although the overtone of suspicion isn’t lost on my ears.

  ‘Yep, all good,’ I reply, vowing to get him alone soon to find out what his problem is.

  The game moves along at a fast pace, ea
ch team battling it out, Blake among the fastest and strongest of the players. Watching him move and direct his team I can see why college girls swoon over him. If only it was that simple for me, I think, my thoughts turning to Julian.

  Before long the half-time siren sounds and the stadium bustles with life, everyone coming and going like a subway platform at peak hour.

  Rhianna makes her way up the stairs towards us. ‘Hey guys,’ she says. I notice Jessica isn’t with her and relief sweeps through me. She plonks herself down next to me. ‘It’s crazy here tonight.’

  ‘Sure is.’

  She nudges my arm. ‘I’m actually a little surprised to see you here. I wasn’t sure Phoebe would be able to convince you to come.’

  ‘Must I keep having to remind you of my persuasive charms, Rhi?’ Phoebe says through a mouthful of food.

  Rhianna laughs, her red hair catching the lights of the stadium. ‘Nope. I’d believe it.’

  I shake my head at the two of them, grateful that I have friends like them around. Although, if it wasn’t for Phoebe forcing me into the running team, I never would have met Rhianna. Sometimes Phoebe’s pushiness does pay off.

  I keep up a general conversation before I’m finally saved by the kick-off siren.

  While everyone else is watching the game, I struggle to keep my nerves in check. How did Julian know where to find me? And why didn’t I detect him in the line-up before he spoke to me? My magic should have picked up on his presence, but the fact that it didn’t puts my nerves on edge.

  My mind and body go into overdrive. Julian’s warning about the Vaga and the predator in the park, these are not just random events. I have to get home. I have to warn Uncle Jo.

  Magi senses my disruptive energy and puts her head in my lap. I sit for a few more minutes, but it is driving me crazy, my emotions erratic and the need to want to run from here too powerful. I decide that sitting here is the worse place for me right now and my hand reaches out to touch Phoebe’s knee. She turns to me and her smile falters as she recognizes the look on my face. She nods lightly and I get up, grabbing my stuff.

  ‘Hey, where are you going?’ Rhianna asks.

  ‘I just need some air. Not used to the crowds,’ I reply as casually as possible.

  ‘You want some company?’ she says.

  The heaviness on my chest returns and with it the responsibility that burdens me. I cannot involve anyone else in this mess. Last time my enemy was close the people I love were hurt and almost killed. I won’t risk that happening ever again.

  ‘No, that’s okay. I’ll see you in a bit.’ My voice wavers slightly before I shuffle past, feeling the eyes of all of them on my back.

  My feet move swiftly up towards the exit, Magi and I heading straight for the toilets, but halfway along the corridor I freeze, an immense warmth spreading through me that I now recognise as the presence of Julian. Quickly searching among the crowd moving through the stadium, I see him standing in the doorway of the emergency exit.

  His steel grey eyes pierce my soul and I shudder under his intense gaze, unable to prevent the effect that he has on me. Magi sees him and whimpers, and then he nods lightly in our direction, as if to say I’m watching over you, and my heart flutters erratically.

  I will my feet to keep moving and push open the toilet door, closing it behind us. Without hesitation I grab Magi’s collar and we teleport out.

  Chapter 6

  We land in the lounge room, startling Aunt Lily and Uncle Jo who were sitting snuggled up on the couch.

  ‘Ellie, what is it?’ Uncle Jo asks worriedly, making a move to stand.

  I walk towards him. ‘I’m sorry about before,’ I mumble, wanting to get the apology over and done with.

  He sighs. ‘It’s okay. Let’s forget about it.’ His eyes search my face, and as they do his frown makes an appearance. ‘What’s happened?’

  The thought of revealing everything to them makes me feel sick to my stomach, but I know in my gut that it is now or never in the honesty stakes. We are all in danger, and they have to know what that entails, even if that means I have to swallow my pride and take a hit where I know it’s going to hurt.

  Uncle Jo sits back down and I kneel in front of them, letting it all come tumbling out of me—my feelings for Julian, Isis and her growing need to be released, and our newfound threat in the Vaga.

  I didn’t know what to expect, but what I got was worse than I could have imagined.

  Uncle Jo explodes with anger. ‘Julian?! You think Julian is the man you are meant to be with? Are you out of your godforsaken mind!’ he yells.

  The blood drains from my face and I rock back on my knees. Magi whimpers, her eyes moving between us with uncertainty as she positions herself closer to me.

  ‘Jo, please,’ Aunt Lily says, laying her hand on his arm.

  He shakes it off and stands up, towering over me like a giant. ‘After everything that’s happened, you thought that keeping this information to yourself, even though you knew the consequences of what it would mean, was okay? You do remember your mother don’t you? The woman that was murdered by those monsters that call themselves the Puritans!’ The deep timbre of his voice echoes throughout the old house with such ferocity that for a moment I forget who he is.

  ‘It’s not like that!’ I yell back. ‘You don’t understand. I can’t control how I feel.’

  ‘You think this is about control? This is about choice, Ellie. It has been since the day you said yes to that…that curse,’ he spits, referring to Isis and my agreement to be the vessel for her resurrection.

  The guilt, torment, and shame are too much to bear. My heart feels like it is being ripped open, revealing the pain and anguish of hundreds of years of suffering that have been inflicted on my family.

  ‘You think this is a choice?’ I stand up and face him, my voice shaking with rage. ‘I never wanted this. I never wanted my mother to be taken from me or to live a life full of fear and uncertainty. I would kill to live a normal life for only a moment, but that isn’t going to happen. Ever! That is my life, Uncle Jo. I spend my days thinking about everyone else and how my thoughts and actions will affect them. Everything I do is watched or scrutinized. I’m suffocating!’ I scream.

  Those last words cause my magic to suddenly erupt within me, and as it does the doorway to Isis that I have been trying to keep shut flies open. I lose myself in it, her essence taking over mine. The rush of power that emanates from my body pushes Aunt Lily and Uncle Jo back against the couch roughly, the force of which stirs the air around them. My body slowly rises until it is suspended off the floor. I’m looking through my eyes but I can no longer move my body as I wish. Isis has taken over and I am just a passenger now inside my own mind.

  And then she speaks.

  ‘Do not utter another word, Sosibius, or I cannot be responsible for what may happen here.’

  Sosibius—the name he was called in his past life as Isis’ Captain of the Guard.

  Uncle Jo’s face conveys both shock and awe at hearing the voice of Isis. Aunt Lily grabs his arm in fear, scrambling to understand what it happening.

  He slowly stands to face her, his hazel eyes never wavering. ‘Isis,’ he whispers.

  She bows lightly towards him, and as she does I feel my body bend but I have no control over it.

  ‘Where is Elena?’ he asks, concerned.

  ‘Do not worry, Sosibius, she is safe. No harm will come to her. Although causing her to defend herself so ruthlessly was not in your best interest.’ Her voice is soft but laced with a hardness that cannot be denied.

  ‘Are you threatening me?’ he asks, his frown deepening.

  She laughs softly. ‘Oh, Sosibius. I don’t need to threaten you. I mean you no harm. You are after all my blood, my family. But you must accept the destiny that you are faced with. We are at war, and I will not let anyone stand in the way of what must come to pass. Elena must bring forth this child of light, or your world will be cloaked in darkness forever.’

 
‘What about Elena’s choices? Your presence causes her pain and it doesn’t seem to bother you at all. She deserves a good life, not one where she’s just a vessel for your resurrection.’

  His thoughts echo my own.

  Isis narrows her gaze, her power causing the temperature in the room to drop. ‘Although you once served me well as the Captain of my Guard, do not be fooled. Your purpose here is to protect Elena, just as you protected me so very long ago. But if you interfere with what shall be then you will force my hand, Sosibius, and I will not be happy.’

  Aunt Lily jumps up from the lounge and thrusts her shaking hand into Uncle Jo’s hand in a show of unity.

  I shake my head from within my body. ‘No, Isis. Don’t hurt him. Please!’ I beg.

  Isis’ magic falters at my words and she sighs deeply. ‘It would seem that Elena would not want that to happen. Her love for you is strong.’ She moves through the air towards him and stops only inches from his face. ‘But be warned. You must not stand in the way of the New Coming. To do so would bring you and your loved ones an untimely end.’

  She pulls back her power and my body collapses into his arms.

  Night has fallen and I wake up in my bed with the migraine from hell pounding its way through my skull. I wince as I try to move, and then a pair of soft hands enclose my own.

  ‘Shem, can you hear me?’ Ama says.

  ‘Yes, Ama, I can hear you,’ I whisper. ‘What happened?’ I ask, my mind foggy and unclear.

  She turns on my bedside lamp with a flick of her fingers and her face comes into focus above me. ‘Look at me,’ her voice commands. I open my eyes and she lets out a relieved sigh. ‘Thank goodness. You’ll be alright.’

  I work my way into a sitting position, the ache in my head pulsating with every move. ‘What are you talking about?’ I ask groggily.

  ‘Shem, you fought with your uncle earlier and Isis made an appearance.’

  Her words hit their mark. A flashback of what occurred earlier tonight returns and with it an escalating sense of foreboding.