“I’m not leaving, you asshole.” Jillian stomped over to the firepit and pulled out a blackened stick. “If you won’t help me get Finn to the circle, I’ll bring the circle to him.”
Drawing a circle on the ground, she closed her eyes, trying to remember the symbols that blazed to life when the spirit healed her.
“Earth… Air…” She took a deep breath and exhaled as she moved on. “Fire… Water…” A fifth symbol appeared in her mind’s eye, too persistent for her to ignore. Writing it in, she Tossed the stick aside.
“What’s this?” Vincent indicated the fifth circle.
“I know it’s different.” She frowned, putting a hand on her forehead as three words repeated in her head. “Vesh nock varray?” She looked at Vincent. “Do those words mean anything to you?”
“Vesh noque waure?” Vincent cocked his head. “Where did you hear that?”
“From a creepy, vampire-looking dude floating over my bed this morning.” She scratched her neck. “He scared me at the time, but I kept hearing his voice in my head when I was worried about Finn. I think he was trying to warn me.”
“I honestly don’t know what it means.” He looked at Conner and back at Jillian. “It was written on the last page of my grandmother’s journal.”
“Maybe he tried to warn your grandmother about whatever was coming for them.” Jillian looked down at the fifth symbol, that resembled an eye with a teardrop where the iris would have been.
“Or maybe he is the one who killed them all.” He crossed his arms. “I’ve never met a vampire personally, but they don’t exactly have a reputation for being helpful.”
“I guess we’ll find out.” She held her hands out, palms up, and stepping onto the fifth symbol. Vincent and Conner stared at her for several agonizing seconds. “Come on,” she whispered. “I can’t get you spirits to shut up while I’m trying to sleep, but now you don’t have anything to say?”
“Vince,” Conner looked up at his alpha, “if you don’t believe in this shit, how can you ask the rest of us to?”
Vincent let out a heavy sigh, producing a flip-top lighter from his pocket and re-kindling the remaining logs on the fire pit. Conner went back into the house and brought out the basin.
“Should I toss this out and run to the well?” Conner looked down at the pink water sloshing around the ceramic bowl. “It’s got a little blood in it.”
Finn must have had a little bit of blood on his face that transferred to the cloth they were using to keep him cool.
“I think we should leave it.” Jillian looked to Vincent for validation. “Maybe the spirits will see it as Finn’s presence in the circle.”
“You’re the oracle.” Vincent bowed his head. “We’re in uncharted territory, so your guess is as good as mine.”
Jillian nodded to Conner, and he set down the basin on the water symbol and took his place on the air glyph. Vincent stepped forward onto the earth glyph, and they began their chant.
“Finn!” Jillian called toward the cabin. “You have to be water this time.”
Inside the cabin, Finn felt himself slipping away, but through the darkness, he could still hear their voices. From Conner and Vincent's perspective, it didn’t seem like anything was working for almost a full minute. Starting at the glyph where Jillian was standing, blue light cut through the darkness, spreading into the mandala pattern that it had burned into the rock. A warm wind swirled around them one way and then the other.
Jillian’s eyes closed, and her head fell back, her arms hanging limply at her sides, prompting Vincent and Conner to cease their prayers. Her body snapped to action as if possessed by an unknown force, drawing shapes in the air leaving trails of blue light with her fingertips.
Hello? Jillian called out to the spirit as her consciousness drifted further and further into the stars.
Is that you, little one? Two stars combusted in the darkness as the spirit opened her eyes. I knew you would come, though I didn’t expect you so soon.
I have a hard time believing that. Jillian squinted into the bright light.
Arrogant little thing. The spirit narrowed her eyes. Do you think my eyes are on you all the time?
I… suppose I assumed you were omnipotent… kind of like a god where you’re everywhere at once.
Are you trying to flatter me? Jillian felt the bemuses smile of the spirit even in the darkness. I am not all-powerful. The futures I see have not yet come to pass, and they can always be changed.
Did you still want to make that bargain with me? Jillian held her head high.
I grew tired of your kind long ago; no matter what guidance I offer to move you toward your most supreme destiny, more often than not, humans prefer to defy authority even if it means the destruction of all that they love.
You didn’t answer my question. Jillian folded her arms. If you’ve given up on guiding humanity, then why don’t you send me back to my body and never speak to me again.
Is that what you wish? The disembodied face floated in a circle around Jillian. To be left to your own devices.
No. Jillian took a deep breath. If you save Finn the way you saved me, I will agree to be the vessel you need to bring shifters back to the world.
How can I be sure that you’ll keep your word? The spirit glared. I have been cheated by your kind before, and the consequences were… tragic.
I will stay here with them. Jillian turned her spirit body around to face the spirit. I will be their oracle, and when I’m ready, I’ll take one of them to be my mate. I swear it.
When you’re ready? The cosmos vibrated, warping
