Emergence: Return of Magic book 1 (4 page)

She shook her head, “That’s all interesting, and thanks for
telling me but…”

Nim giggled, “But what does that have to do with me? 
Your ancestors would have called me a minor goddess.  You see, it ties in
with what I just told you because those with the least power, can interfere the
most.  Demi-gods, very minor gods, they may walk the earth.  It might
surprise you to learn you have more power at your disposal than I do, what
makes me a minor goddess is my service to Gaea, and my immortality.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t die; I am just… ageless.”

She froze for a moment, “Nimue?”

Nim sighed, “I like Nim better.  But yes… and I’m
nothing like that wretched book, except you know, magic sword, lake, immortal.”

She snickered, “Fair enough, Nim it is.”

Nim smiled shyly, and she realized the… goddess just wanted
to be treated as another human.  She thought she’d be able to pull it off,
even though the gods were actually real, she had grown up in a society that
hadn’t had any reverence toward them be instilled while growing up.  She
wasn’t entirely sure what to think, maybe she had more power in a general
sense, but she had the feeling in the sphere of water Nim would wipe the floor
with her.

She wasn’t sure how she knew that, she just… did. 
Maybe Nim’s power was part of the balance, so she was aware of it… strange
though, it wasn’t really knowledge, it was instinct.

“Do you know how to use that thing?” she asked John.

John shook his head, “Not yet, Nim will train us when we
stop.  At least, that’s what she said.”

She asked, “Me too?”

He nodded, “Apparently that stick won’t break, and it will
help having more than just magic as an alternative.  You probably won’t be
a master at fighting with a staff, not anytime soon, but all you really need is
the ability to slow someone down long enough to hit them with a spell if they
take you by surprise.”

She blew out a breath, it wouldn’t hurt.  She’d learned
enough for one day, her overall purpose and why, if not what she needed to
do.  Actually, she was pretty sure Nim didn’t know what they needed to do
either, she’d have to figure it out when they got there.  She tried to
relax and figure out how to channel magic and then couldn’t help but ask one
more question.

She asked Nim, “What about spells, I only know one.”

Nim smiled, “Spells are words and intent.  Latin was
Merlin’s first language, which is probably why he passed it to you in that
language, he was dying and would do so by reflex if he didn’t think about
it.  It is enough to have the intent behind it and speak the word. 
It matters not what language it’s in.  So if you want fire, say fire and
channel the intent and word into the magic of the staff.”

“Intent?”

Nim shook her head, “Think about it, fire is generic. 
If you picture a small one to light a campfire, that’s what you get, if you
picture a large ball of fire shooting at your enemies and exploding, or a wall
of fire, or… you get the idea?  Intent is very important, but the word has
to make sense in the context as well.  If you say water, and intend a
fireball, it won’t work very well, if at all, because water has meaning to you
and will… muddy your intent.  Words form thoughts, which make up intent.”

She sighed and tried to relax, she could feel the magic
around her, all the time.  It was like vision, taste, or smell, as it was
just there.  But when she reached for it… nothing happened.  It was
like trying to reach out with her eyes to touch the ground, that didn’t do
anything either.  At first the movement of the horse didn’t bother her at
all, but the longer she tried and failed, the more it became way too
distracting.  She decided to take a break and rode up next to John.

She had to admit he was attractive as hell.  She also
had a lot of stuff spinning in her mind as she tried to not only absorb all she
was told, but believe it as well.  If Nim had told the truth, and she
survived, she would watch John grow old and die, live a couple a hundred more
years, and then sleep for a time before starting all over again.  Talk
about relationship complications.

On the other hand, she was a pretty straightforward person,
and didn’t like all the little games.  She didn’t need to play power games
with men, if she liked someone, and they like her, that was more than
enough.  She wasn’t loose or indiscriminate, but John definitely met her
standards, and they’d be together for a long time apparently.  Even if
they never got too serious…

Either way, she wanted to know what he had meant.

“What did you mean earlier, that I’ve always been special?”

He looked at her for a moment and said softly, “Just what I
said.  I always had a bit of a crush on the girl next door.  Your
gorgeous, a lady, but you never minded just having fun down in the dirt, if you
know what I mean?”

She nodded, that was true.  She was never the fussy
type and liked the outdoors, and farm work was dirty, it never made sense to
her when her women friends would act like going four wheeling and getting a
little mud on them would be the end of the world.  She supposed he just
called her a sexy tomboy in so many words.

“Then why didn’t you ever… I had a huge crush on you for all
four years of high school.”

He frowned, “I didn’t know that.  But I did try, your
father… chased me off when I dropped by one day to ask you out.  I suppose
he smelled me coming, and he had a point, I was eighteen, you were just sixteen
and a sophomore.  After you hit eighteen and went to college I suppose I
just talked myself out of it.  I didn’t want to bother with a short term
summer romance.”

“And now?” she asked, searching his gray eyes.

He smiled, and it lit up his eyes, “Well ma’am, I intend to
follow you the rest of my life, and protect you.  I suppose from how far
away is entirely up to you.”

Her mouth went a little dry at that and she felt a little
flushed with desire.

She couldn’t help the smile as she said softly, “We’ll talk
about it later, when we’re not on horses.”

Maybe she should have waited for the conversation, because
she really wanted to kiss him, and more, but it would have to wait.  She
was also a little worried about jumping into something so fast when her world
had just drastically changed.  She knew she was desperate for an anchor in
her life.  She was attracted to him though, and she knew he was a good
person.

She decided not to think about it so much, she had enough to
worry about as it was.  Such as what awaited her at the other end of the
pull she felt to the northwest.  She also needed to learn to channel
magic, and practice without overdoing it, not to mention learning to swing this
big stick at someone that meant her harm.

What happened if they met a psycho gang over the next hill
looking for food.  She sighed and closed her eyes a moment, depending on
her horse to continue following along with John and Nim.  She could feel
them anyway through the magic, along with the road, and could steer with her
eyes closed if it came up.  Maybe if she stopped trying to pull the magic,
and just opened herself to it.  It seemed like a breeze, or a current, now
that she was concentrating on it, it didn’t feel like a blanket, so much as
something that was constantly flowing and eddying, maybe she didn’t need to
pull it in at all.

She decided if she didn’t figure it out, she’d ask Nim when
they stopped for the day, but she really wanted to get it on her own. 
Then she had a strange idea, but she’d try the other first…

Sean washed his blood off of himself, the shower was cold
but that was better than nothing.  He’d sat in his blood for hours,
looking at the empty eyes of Cynthia, not quite believing what he had
done.  It had even healed his wound, he was able to see his unblemished
skin when he turned and looked into the mirror.  It was self-defense yes,
but she had screamed in pain and terror as he ripped her life force out.

The worst part was he had gloried in it.  It had been a
rush of pleasure as the bitch’s life energy had entered him.  He enjoyed
it, so much so he was hard as a rock afterwards.  Only the immediately
revulsion that followed after, at his enjoyment of draining her life, had kept
him from finishing himself off.  That… and the puddle of blood he had been
sitting in.

He’d also gotten the memories of her life.  It was
different than the rats which had been ephemeral, living for the moment. 

She’d been twenty-six years old, despite his younger
estimation when he first laid eyes on her.  She was selfish, a woman that
went through rich and handsome men, stringing them along for gifts and
money.  Really, no better than a whore.  He took that thought back,
whores at least were honest and upfront about it, he’d bet some of them were
even good people, just down on their luck with nowhere else to turn.  She
however, was evil.

He knew all women did that to a certain extent, it was wired
into them to find a successful man and hook him, but most of those women also
fall in love, or even simply care, there was more to it than a cold and
heartless game.  But not for Cynthia, she’d been colder inside than he
ever would have believed.  She liked playing men for the fools, hurting
them when she left.  It exited her when she hurt others emotionally, and
he wondered if she’d been entirely sane.

When the world started ending three weeks ago, she’d upped
her game, truly become evil, not just content with ruining a man, she started to
kill, no longer afraid of the consequences of her dark appetite.  She’d
been a predator, through and through.

He was also disturbed because he was still… attracted to her
looks, her outward beauty.  The large breasts, the wide hips, and
lusciously thin waist, not to mention the gorgeous face, hair, and eyes, she
was a ten in his opinion.  Or was, he corrected himself.  Not the
dead body in his living room of course, but the memory of the woman, even
despite knowing for certain what she was.  It was… fucked up.

He’d stared at her empty eyes for hours, a conflict deep
within him.  Where had the power come from, the power over life and death
itself.  Was it some game of the aliens, had they done this to him? 
To what end?

He’d eventually gotten up when dawn broke, the light coming
through the window snapped him out of his shock.  He’d cleaned up his
blood on the floor and then jumped into the shower.  He shook his head as
he shut off the water.  He was clean, and couldn’t take the cool water any
longer.

He shivered as he moved back to the living room in a towel,
grabbed a bottle of water, and stared at the light coming in through the
window.  He’d need to move out soon and find food if he wanted to survive,
his stomach was so tight.  He looked at the rat considering his
predicament, perhaps he had a way he could be a little safer.  He turned
toward Cynthia, found that empty spot, and instinctively poured energy into
her.

Her body twitched and moved, and he could see the color of
her skin return as her heart started to beat, and she blinked as life returned
to her eyes.  Strictly he supposed, she was still dead.  She lacked
that warm life spark inside her chest.  But he could see the intelligence
in her eyes, and she turned to him and smiled.  She got up on her knees
and bowed her head.

“Master,” she said softly, almost reverently.

He tilted his head, “Why are you bowing like that?”

She raised her head and looked confused, “Because you wish
it master, I hear your will and obey.”

He was bemused for a moment, as he examined himself
internally.  He’d never been one for self-reflection before.  He
supposed it was true, he did want her to obey him, and respect him.  So
she did.  He wasn’t sure how real it was, or rather if Cynthia even
existed here in some way, her memories were in there, and she seemed
intelligent, but her will was his, he didn’t think she had one anymore. 
He believed, or at least, he hoped the soul had moved on, he’d have a lot less
of a moral qualm about this if that were true.  After all, she’s done with
body now right?

She was still smiling at him but lowered her eyes.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked curiously.

She nodded, “Yes, as you require.”

He mused for a moment.  He wasn’t an asshole, or he
didn’t think so at any rate.  So he wanted her to obey, and be happy about
it.  He studied her for a moment, she really was beautiful.  Her dark
brown hair really shone in the light, and her large doe eyes made her appear
innocent, where her body was just… built for sin.

She stood up and pulled the torn clothing off her body, and
he could only gape as she spun for him, and posed.  A part of him was
disgusted at himself, but he couldn’t deny he wanted it.  He was rock
hard, and if he hadn’t wanted it… she wouldn’t be doing it.  Still he felt
guilty as she flirted with him coyly, he even had the thought she’d been so
evil and such a user of others in her life, that it somehow excused him from
what he was doing now.

He knew better than that of course as his mind squirmed, trying
to justify what his desires was causing right in front of him, he knew it was
wrong.  Yet, he did nothing to stop her when she walked up to him with
needy eyes, and then dropped back to her knees.  He had no way to hide the
truth from himself, morals didn’t stop the mind, and that’s what Cynthia, or at
least the semblance of her, was reacting to.

He did nothing to stop her as she stripped off his towel,
and eyed his straining member hungrily, licking her lips as she looked up at
him with a smile.  He did nothing but moan, and breath harder as she
wrapped her soft warm pouty lips around him. 

He was a little disgusted with himself, and ashamed. 
But she was entirely too tempting, too beautiful, and too damned willing to
please his every desire and whim, for that to make one whit of
difference.  He didn’t want to stop and he could see eagerness and lust in
her eyes as she took him deep inside her mouth over and over. 

Her silken lips sliding along his most sensitive skin,
engulfing him in the warm wet heat of her mouth.

She was amazing at it, and he’d never had a better blowjob
as she pleased him with her mouth and both hands, and she held his eyes captive
with hers.  He idly wondered if she could deep throat, predictably, his
wish was her command.  His whole body went numb at the blissful pleasures
she engendered in him, and he felt himself boil and explode, as pleasure washed
through his body and mind.

She stayed down there a moment, and cleaned him
lovingly.  Slowly and sensuously licking him to her soft sounds of
approval.  He knew that too was a lie, and it made him… pathetic, but he
didn’t care, she was his now to do with as he pleased, and he would.  She
stood, and took his hand and pulled on it, leading him to the bedroom. 
They could go out later…

It turned out she had nicer clothes in her backpack, that
outfit had been part of her act to distract her victims.  She was in short
shorts and cute t-shirt, and he was in jean shorts and a light collared
shirt.  It was summer in southern California.  Cynthia walked by his
side, alert for any trouble, and quite willing to protect him.  He knew
instinctively he could heal any damage to her body, and it wouldn’t hurt her
unless he wished it to.

He on the other hand, could only heal what didn’t kill him.

They walked out into the streets, and walked toward the
Walmart that was just a mile away.  It was probably looted already, but
surely there’d be something to eat left.  The weird thing was, he wasn’t
actually hungry.  He was still… full of energy from taking Cynthia’s
life.  It felt like that was all he needed, as if her life nourished his
cells.  Still, he didn’t really know for sure, so better safe than sorry.

For all he knew it was a side effect of some kind, an
illusion.  He didn’t want to risk starving himself.  They were close
to the Walmart when he heard the faint scream of a woman inside, and he paused
and looked carefully at the doors from across the parking lot.  One of the
doors was barricaded closed, the other door had two men in front of it, with
long knives, or maybe a machete on their belt, and they were holding baseball
bats.

He thought that was strange, but he was glad they didn’t
have guns, so he simply started to cross the parking lot.  He was full of
righteous anger, wondering if that poor woman was being raped.  It was a
little ironic, but he didn’t believe what he’d done was the same thing. 
Cynthia, the evil crazy bitch killer was dead.  Using her body was a
little wrong, but the body had life, and the will was his.

If anything, fucking Cynthia for him was closer to
masturbation than taking an unwilling woman.  The real woman was gone,
even if the body, the flesh, lived.  It made him a little pathetic, that
he wanted her to adore, obey, and even love him, but it wasn’t rape.  Not
even close, at least not in his own mind.

If he was guessing right, these guys had set up a Walmart
kingdom.  The two guys stared at him hard, and he stopped about thirty
feet away.

“Gun problems?”

The guy growled, “Guns don’t work ass face.  Beat it,
but you can leave the hot bitch with us.”

The other guy chuckled, “Yeah, we could use a fresh fuck.”

“Did you guys consider using the bow and arrows, I’m sure
there are some in there,” he said calmly.

“Why the hell would we do that, I like a more direct
challenge.”

Apparently they’d had enough talking, because they stalked
forward.

He shook his head, reached out to their shining life force,
and yanked.  It was like a drug, it felt incredible.  Not quite as
good as a powerful orgasm, but it beat a minor one hands down.  It was a
rush.  He just… enjoyed it this time.  He’d decided to hell with
it.  As long as he didn’t kill to feel that rush, and only killed to
defend himself and others, did it matter if he enjoyed it?

It wasn’t him, it was absorbing the life force that made him
enjoy it.

He didn’t react physically this time, but probably only
because Cynthia had completely worn him out earlier.  He was surprised
when she kissed him, passionately.

She whispered in his ear sultrily, “I love you Sean.”

Fuck, he really was pathetic.  What was even more
pitiful, was that he’d almost said it back.  He couldn’t help but like her
back, she’d done whatever he wanted in bed, anything, so of course that had
influenced him, but he tried not to think about it too much.

He shrugged, and spent some power to command the two dead
assholes on the ground.  They got up, grabbed their bats, and led him
inside the building.  He felt no guilt at all, those two fuck nuts had
raped more women than he wanted to think about, and killed the men with
them.  They had a… stable in the back, and gave the women extra food if
they were willing.  Just for the hell of it, to see if they would.

There were a few more sentries, but dumb and dumber knew
where they were, so of course he did as well.  By the time he arrived in
the back, he was high on life, literally, and had eight minions, not counting
Cynthia.  She seemed more lifelike, and he had to remind himself it was
only because he wanted it that way.

They strolled into the back, there were thirteen more men
back there.  He wasn’t sure he could take much more power, so he had his
eight minions got to town with their bats.  They were outnumbered, but
then they didn’t feel any pain either, or get tired.  And each head they
cracked in, was another minion for him a second or two later.

The fight was fierce in the beginning, but the longer it
went on, the faster the rest went down.  He didn’t even bother talking to
them, he knew what he needed to know.  Now he had a gang of twenty-one
male zombies, plus Cynthia.  He took a seat, and sent his zombie men to
get some bows and arrows, it wouldn’t hurt to be able to shoot from a distance,
he was sure he wasn’t the only one that thought of this.  While they were
at it, he also sent them for backpacks, and all the food they could carry.

Cynthia went into the back room, a tentative smile on her
face as she released the women from their captivity.  The idea he’d saved
those women from further violation… made him feel good about what he’d
done.  Sure, he was kind of a freak, but he wasn’t rapist. 
Seriously, rapists are fucked up he thought, they should all be castrated.

His eyes widened, as he heard the loud screams.  Holy
crap, he really needed to watch his thoughts.  Apparently he also thought
they should feel it, because it sounded agonizing…