Flight of Life (Essence Series #1) (15 page)

“
Where the hell is it?”
Breccan said as he searched for the Hara-Kir.

The harsh breathing noise echoed across
the library, and Calloway knew what the sound meant. It was coming.
“It’s about to strike,” he said. “It’s trying to confuse us by
making those other sounds.”

Easton stepped away from Calloway and
they formed a half circle, waiting for the Hara-Kir to reveal its
presence from the darkness of the bookcases. Calloway gripped his
blade tightly as he waited for the creature to attack him. His
heart was beating sporadically in his chest and the pulse of his
blood was vibrating loudly in his ears, increasing the anxiety that
coursed through his body.

Easton screamed and Calloway knew she
spotted the Hara-Kir. It moved from the last bookcase of the room
and sprinted toward them. The cloak billowed out behind him as he
moved, making him appear shapeless and undefined, and the hood
obscured its features from view. Calloway wondered if this Hara-Kir
was human as well. Calloway and Breccan sprinted toward Easton and
they stood together with their blades raised. The creature stopped
a few feet away and stared at them, his eyes fixed on Calloway, or
so it seemed by the turn of his head. The coarse breathing made
Calloway’s skin prickle with unease.

“
Don’t turn your back on
it,” Calloway said. “Stay steady.”

The Hara-Kir stared at them as it
reached its hand deep into its pocket. Calloway didn’t want to know
what was inside. “Let’s do it together,” he whispered. “He’ll be
too distracted to react.”

Easton nodded and gripped her knife.
Breccan nodded as well.

“
Okay,” he said. Calloway
gripped his knife and pointed it at the Hara-Kir. He thought that
after killing one of these he would be prepared to do it again, but
he was wrong. He was just as frightened. Calloway knew he had to be
strong for his two friends so he held back his fear and steadied
his nerve. “NOW!”

Calloway rushed the Hara-Kir first and
imbedded the tip of his blade deep into its chest. The creature did
not strike Calloway but grabbed Easton’s outstretched arm and
steadied the knife before it penetrated into his heart. Calloway
kneed the Hara-Kir in the waist, and the creature flinched at the
attack, releasing his grip on Easton. He left his heart susceptible
to Breccan’s attack. His cousin stabbed his blade directly into the
heart, right alongside Calloway’s, and the creature hissed as it
stepped back.

Easton gathered her strength and shoved
her knife in between Calloway’s and Breccan’s impaled blades and
twisted the knife savagely, cutting it into smaller pieces. “Die,”
she screamed. Her eyes were wide with aggression and anger, giving
her an evil look that Calloway had never seen before. She kicked it
in the leg and it fell backwards, landing on the floor.

The Hara-Kir remained still as it lied
on the ground with its arms outstretched to its sides. The three of
them stared at it for several minutes before anyone moved, making
sure it was really dead. Calloway was the first one brave enough to
touch the corpse. He grabbed the wrist and felt the absence of a
pulse, even though he wasn’t sure if the Hara-Kirs would have a
heartbeat, and then pulled down the hood and exposed its lifeless
eyes. They were open and reflected the lights of the glowing
chandelier that hung overhead.

“
It’s dead,” he said. The
corpse was an older male that had blue eyes and blonde hair. He
looked identical to any other human and it made Calloway uneasy.
Did he kill one of his own?

“
Good,” Easton said as she
walked to the body. “That means there’s one less in the
world.”

Breccan pulled the cloak off the body
and tossed it across the floor. “This is getting old.” He
sighed.

Calloway laughed. “I sincerely hope
not,” he said. “I think this is just the beginning.”

“
I don’t understand why
they are always
here
,” Breccan said. “They appear from nowhere—just out of the
shadows.”

“
I’m sure there’s an
explanation,” Easton said.

“
And I would like to know
what it is,” Breccan replied.

Calloway grabbed the body and dragged
it across the floor. “Let’s get this into the fire,” he said.
Breccan grabbed the corpse by the arm and the leg and helped
Calloway throw the corpse into the flames, directly on top of the
skeleton of the previous Hara-Kir. The fire melted the skin off the
body and lit the body in flames, decomposing it with the heat of
the blaze. The pungent smell diffused into the room and they took
an involuntary step back.

“
I’ve had enough for the
day,” Breccan said as he walked back toward the table. “That smell
is disgusting—I can’t even think.”

Easton turned away and followed him
back to the table. “The smell is giving me a headache.”

Calloway stared at the dying embers for
a moment before he joined his two friends. He grabbed his backpack
from the table and placed it over his shoulders. “Let’s head out,”
he said. “We already have plenty to think about.”

They walked back to Easton’s car and
sat inside. Easton drove them across town back to Breccan’s house
and they talked the entire way.

“
Should we expect to kill
a Hara-Kir every time we’re at the Headquarters?” Breccan asked.
“There has been one every single time we have been
there.”

“
No,” Calloway said from
the backseat. “But I expect to see them often.” Calloway stared out
the window and into the darkness as they headed for home. He
thought about the Hara-Kir’s human features and the information
made him feel confused. “We’re getting quicker at killing them.
Soon, we’ll have our moves down completely—it won’t take nearly as
long.”

“
Or be as dangerous,”
Easton said. “I feel more comfortable now that we have killed two.
Hopefully we’ll be able to take down one alone
eventually.”

“
I think that’s going to
take some time,” Calloway said. “Let’s not rush into
anything.”

Breccan nodded his head vigorously.
“Yes,” he said. “Let’s not.”

When Easton parked at the curb in front
of the house, Uncle Scott was standing in the driveway, grabbing
his bag from the passenger seat of his car. He stared at Easton’s
mustang for a moment, mesmerized by the classic ride. He smiled at
Calloway and Breccan as they emerged from the car.

“
Hey,” he said as he
walked to them.

“
Hey, Uncle Scott,”
Calloway said as he stood beside him.

“
Hi,” Breccan
said.

Easton opened the car door and patted
the hood of the engine. “She’s a beauty, huh?” She
smiled.

Uncle Scott smiled as he appraised the
car. “You read my mind,” he said. “I’m jealous my son gets to drive
in it.”

“
I don’t mind taking you
for a quick spin,” Easton said.

Breccan rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t
have said that.”

“
I’ll take you up on that
offer,” Uncle Scott said. “But it’ll have to wait for another
night. My wife has dinner ready.”

“
The offer is available
whenever you’re ready,” Easton said.

“
I’m sorry but I didn’t
catch your name,” Uncle Scott said.

“
Easton,” she
replied.

“
Would you like to come
inside for dinner?” he asked. “We would love to have you. Anyone
who drives a car like that is welcome in the house.” He stared at
the car again as he tightened the strap on his bag. Even though it
was dark outside, the red paint of the vehicle glistened under the
streetlamps. Calloway didn’t care for cars but he understood how
appealing it was.

“
Sure,” she said. “I can’t
say no to a home-cooked meal.”

“
And my wife knows how to
cook,” Uncle Scott said. “She may not being able to change the oil
or fix the television but she can do that.”

Easton laughed. “Well, food is more
important anyway.”

“
You got that right,”
Breccan said.

They walked to the front door and came
inside.

“
Hey, honey,” Uncle Scott
said as he placed his bag against the coatrack. Calloway and
Breccan dropped their backpacks by the stairway and stripped off
their heavy sweaters.

Aunt Grace opened the kitchen door and
smiled at them. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she said. “I was getting
lonely.” She saw Easton standing next to Breccan by the door.
“Hello, dear,” she said. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“
If you’ll have me,”
Easton said.

“
Of course!” Aunt Grace
said with a jump. “I’m so glad Breccan and Calloway brought a
friend home. Come inside and have a seat.”

Aunt Grace ushered them into the dining
room and set an extra plate for Easton. “I hope you like tacos,”
she said as she placed the plate of warm tortillas stuffed with
tender pieces of chicken on the table.

“
I’m sure I will,” Easton
said. “Breccan and Calloway always have good things to say about
your cooking.”

The smile on Aunt Grace’s face
stretched until it reached from ear to ear. Her cheeks reddened at
Easton’s words, and it was obvious how happy the compliment made
her. “I do my best,” she said quietly.

Everyone grabbed their tacos and began
to eat. Calloway was so hungry he wasn’t listening to the
conversation Easton and Uncle Scott were having about the classic
car she drove. He shoved the tacos into his mouth and swallowed the
large pieces almost whole. Breccan was concentrating on his food as
well and he made the face he always did when he ate, like his plate
was the only thing in the room.

Aunt Grace clapped her hands together.
“So, how’d you two meet Easton?” she asked with a smile. She could
barely contain her excitement that they brought a girl home, and
one that she liked.

“
At school,” Breccan said
sarcastically. “Where else?”

“
We have math class
together,” Calloway said quickly. He didn’t want Breccan to start
an argument at the table. Also, they only knew Easton because they
were aware of her interest in the dark arts, or what people thought
was Satan worshipping. Calloway didn’t want to say the truth; that
she was helping them fight against the Anti-Life.

“
That’s very nice,” Aunt
Grace said. “Are you going to the dance, Easton?”

Breccan rolled his eyes.

“
Well, yes,” Easton
said.

“
Do you have a date?” Aunt
Grace asked.

“
Not yet,” she
said.

“
Why don’t you go with
Breccan?” Aunt Grace asked.

Breccan sighed. “Mom.”

“
I was just making a
suggestion,” she said innocently.

Easton shrugged. “He hasn’t
asked.”

“
Yes, I did,” Breccan
argued. “I asked you this morning.”

Easton rolled her eyes.
“You said you wanted to go with me because you didn’t want to go
with a real
girl
,” she said. “That’s what you said—not very
intriguing.”

“
I meant that in a good
way,” Breccan said after he swallowed his food. “I don’t have to be
fake around you—you’re my friend.” Calloway knew those were the
nicest words Easton was going to get out of Breccan. She may as
well agree to the dance while he was being nice about it. “So will
you go with me?”

Easton was quiet for a moment. She
drank from her water glass then returned it to the table.
“Okay.”

Aunt Grace clapped happily. “That is
wonderful news,” she said. “I’m so happy. The formal is going to be
amazing—magical.”

Breccan and Easton rolled their eyes at
the same time. It was obvious that neither of them would have an
experience like Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott did—a romantic
one.

“
Who are you going with,
Calloway?” Aunt Grace asked.

Calloway finished chewing his dinner
before he spoke. “No one,” he said. “I’m going alone.”

“
He is going with
us
,” Breccan
said.

“
That’s the same thing.”
Calloway laughed.

“
You’ll find someone,”
Easton said. “There’s still time.”

Calloway shrugged his shoulders and
continued to eat. After they were finished, Aunt Grace served bowls
of ice cream, vanilla with chocolate syrup, and they ate their
dessert at the kitchen table. Uncle Scott asked Easton more
questions about her car, and Easton answered his queries with a
smile. Calloway knew she didn’t care about the car—or the fact that
it was an expensive antique—she just loved it because it was her
father’s. Calloway felt the same way about his picking knife and
glowing orb. They were both worthless but had value because his
father once owned them. He didn’t know where they came from or how
his father obtained these gifts but they were precious to
Calloway—he treasured them.

Calloway grabbed the dishes and placed
them in the sink. Easton rose from her chair and helped Calloway
wash the dishes and insert them into the dishwasher. Breccan sighed
loudly before he rose from his seat and started to help his
friends. Calloway stared at him for a long moment before Breccan
met his look with a smile.