The Light Tamer (13 page)

I pull back and search her face for any sign of humor. Just as I expected…none.

~~~~~~~~~~

I sent Caleb a text - OMG WE HAVE TO TALK - COME OVER ASAP

“I can tell by your face that it wasn’t as bad as you thought it’d be,” mom said.

Right, it went worse. I’m being hunted by Amber’s boyfriend, that isn’t really a boyfriend. I’m bound to the hottest guy I’ve ever met, that isn’t only hot, but sweet. I’m living in my grandma’s house. My father is a Dark One that would do anything to suck my light from me. My principal is a supernatural being that is on my side, whatever. Mythological beings are hunting me for unknown reasons. Last but not least, I have to banish someone to the Underworld but I don’t know how.

“We had a nice visit,” I lie.

Sitting back in my seat, I close my eyes and sigh. Who would have thought our move to North Carolina would open so many crazy doors? Obviously not me.

_____

Through the front window I watch as Caleb pulls into the driveway in his BMW. As he gets out, I see he picked something up out of the passenger seat. He held his hand behind his back as he approached the front door. I swing the door open before he has a chance to ring the bell. Relief overcomes me as I fling myself into his arms. Wrapping my arms around him and feel his arms tighten around me.

“Jessie, what happened?” Caleb whispers to the top of my head.

Managing to keep myself from crying, I look up into his eyes. “Come in, my mom left a few minutes ago. Grandma is here and I’ll tell you both at the same time. I wish Amber was here, she needs to hear it too.”

Caleb releases me from the hug and hands me a long stemmed yellow rose tipped in red.
I wonder if he realizes that it means he is falling in love. Maybe he is!

“Maybe I’m what?” He says with a blank expression on his face.

“Maybe you’re a mythological person too,” I say. His quizzical look makes me believe he doesn’t know what the rose means. “Never mind.”

After talking it over for the next couple of hours, we decide to go pick up Amber and tell her about Otto.

______

Amber sees the look on our faces as she climbs into the car.

“Well hell, this must be intense, you two aren’t fawning all over each other. What’s wrong, your tonsils tired from all of the tonsil hockey you play?” Amber says and pulls out some hand lotion. “Want some?” She asks and holds the open bottle over my hand and squeezes out a tad too much.

“We’re meeting Ms. Gayle at my house, dad is cooking out on the grill,” Caleb says as he pulls onto the paved road.

“Is your dad some yuppie or whatever they call them? You know, mister conservative polo wearer?” Amber says as she smears chapstick on her lips.

“His dad is cool, even though he does wear Polos. Caleb wears them too, so does that make him ultra conservative?” I ask.

“No, it makes him boring.”

“Hey, you realize I’m in the car too right?” Caleb exclaims.

“Oh, there you are! I thought the car had an auto pilot,” Amber says and slaps Caleb on his arm.

“You want to stop and pick Otto up? He’s at Books A Million buying a Nook.”

“No!” We both said in unison.

Amber holds her hands up, “Okay, I was just asking.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. My dad doesn’t like surprises and extra guests, maybe next time,” Caleb says.

As we pull up to Caleb’s house, I feel my heart racing and try my best to keep my cool.
Holy cow, I’m going to have a heart attack. We need to tell her ASAP or I might blurt it out and risk getting it all wrong. Hello, lick your lips if you hear me
. I catch him giving his lips some exaggerated lip licking.
You’re a dork
. I have to dig my nails into my palms to keep from busting out laughing.

“You are freakin’ kidding me! What the hell, I’ve been kissing some ancient old man?” Amber says and takes the napkin off of her lap and starts wiping her tongue off over and over. “Oh that is gross! He’s like a pedophile or something. CAN ANYTHING EVER BE NORMAL?”

Grandma goes over and sits down next to her and puts her arm over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry Amber. I know you liked him.”

“It’s no big deal. It isn’t like I felt like Jessie and Caleb do about each other. It was nice having someone around so I wouldn’t feel like a third wheel. Or whatever they call the extra person that doesn’t have a date.” Amber rolled her eyes and starts shaking her head back and forth. “This is bull-shit.”

“Language!” We all said at the same time.

“Oh cripes!” Amber exclaimed.

“Gabe, what do you think about Otto?” Grandma asks.

“I think the first thing tomorrow morning, Jessie should call Rudolph. You and I will go to the library and find all the information we can about Erebus and the Underworld. Amber, you need to act normal though. You can’t act like you know who he is, or he will do whatever it is he came here for.” Gabe said as he twirled a spoon with his fingers. “Jessie and Caleb should be together 24 hours a day in my opinion.”

“Good idea,” Caleb said and winked at me. I feel my face blazing red.

“Tabitha picked up a part-time job at the hospital and will be working and sleeping. I’ll tell her that we are going to take the kids to the mountains and we’ll stay here at your house. I think it would be a good idea to keep Amber over here too. We can put the girls together in your guest room and I can sleep on the couch in your FROG. If that’s okay with you Gabe?”

“I didn’t know mom is working a part-time job too. Amber, can you leave your dad?” I ask.

Amber shakes her head up and down.

“Ms. Gayle, you can sleep in my room and I’ll sleep in the FROG.” Caleb said.

“It sounds like we have the beginnings of a plan. Amber and Caleb, you know which students are
Light Tamers
at school. I want you two to make a list of everyone that you believe to be a tamer. We’ll decipher who knows what they are, and who doesn’t. We’ll invite the ones that know, to come over.” Gabe says and gulps down his coffee.

“I agree, I think we will be stronger in numbers. Maybe Mrs. Ward will give us a list, it will make it easier. I also think we should tell them what we know about the
Dark Ones
and how they are protected. It is time that
Light Tamers
teach each other what they know. Jessie, it looks like we’re room-mates.” Caleb said and squeezes my knee.

Right, room-mates with your dad and my grandma, not to mention Amber the jilted lover. Yeah, we’ll be a fun group.
I look down at my hands that are trembling with fear.

“If Hades makes an appearance, I’m going to freak out and blow my light circuit,” I say.

Everyone laughs nervously.

_____

Rudolph was exactly as I’d expect a man named Rudolph to be. He was short, round and had a bulbous red nose and breath that would scare a dinosaur. His face squishes up about every minute or so, making me look every direction but at him. He greets us at the door when we arrive at his antique store. I start to feel bad that I’d led him to believe I was looking for something for my mom. The only other customer in the store finally leaves. I’ve never been around anyone with so many facial tics. Caleb reaches for my hand and I’m instantly less apprehensive.

“Mrs. Ward from Parca Academy said you might be able to help me out with a guy that’s in town. His name is Erebus,” I say.

The pen he’s holding falls from his hand and his eyes open so wide I think they’ll bulge out of his head. “Erebus you say?” Rudolph says looking me up and down.

Ohmygod, did he just check me out? Ewww gross
. “Yes, she thought you’d be able to guide us to the...Underworld.” I try to sound matter of fact, instead of like a bubble head teenager.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He says so fast and his face squishes about a thousand and one times in a thirty seconds.

“I think you do,” Caleb says sternly.

Oh, I like the authoritative Caleb, he’s sexy. Oh crap, did I just think he’s sexy in front of him?
Caleb turns his head and gives me a wink.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about young man. That isn’t something to take lightly. You…little lady need to be careful about who you trust,” he stammers.

I straighten up and stand a little taller. “Yes sir, I understand that. I didn’t come here for a lecture; I came because I have nowhere else to go. Now, either you can help me or you can be a jerk. I have no idea what Fate has in store for you, but I wouldn’t test it,” I say.

As if by magic his demeanor changes before our eyes. Gone are the facial tics, and the frumpy antique dealer. Although nothing physically changed, his personality did. “Good, I know you are legit. I have to be careful in this business. I needed to verify you knew who Mrs. Ward is.” He walks over to the counter and takes a hoop with a million keys on it and picks the right key and opens the case. “I have to keep the good stuff locked up. You never know when you’ll be robbed.” I doubted that any such robberies happen in New Bern. “This isn’t an exact science you know. It isn’t like I’ve tested it out or anything. So, the both of you are
Light Tamers
?”

Something about him worries me.
Caleb squeezed my hand a little, letting me know he agrees. “Yes. Mrs. Ward is expecting us to return to her when we’re finished in here.” I don’t know why I felt it necessary to lie to him, he stresses me out.

“Right. Okay, here’s a vessel for you.” He holds out his hand to show us what he has.

Caleb and I both stare at his palm for a few seconds and then look at each other. “You want me to bedazzle him before he goes to the Underworld?” I ask. “What is a giant crystal going to do?”

“It isn’t any crystal silly girl. This
crystal
is a rare ypokosmos
diamond
.”

I am certain this man has lost his mind.
What does he expect me to do? Stone him to death? He’s crazy, let’s go.

“It translates to underworld. The hidden properties of this diamond are deep inside. We mere humans cannot see the powers. You however, can.” He hands the diamond to me.

It feels cold in my hand, like ice. My hand begins to tingle where the diamond sits. Light begins to glow from the palm of my hand, my heart beats faster and I feel strong. Empowered. I hold it up to examine it better. Deeply inset looks like a fire and the light coming from my hand is my own light. “It is miraculous, but what am I supposed to do with it?”

“Anyone that has been in the Underworld cannot resist their draw to it. The diamond will glow with flames of fire that will attract him like a moth to a light.” Rudolph says and eyes me like a cat does to a mouse.

“Do I throw it at him? How is he going to get back to the Underworld?”
Caleb, something’s wrong. Can you feel it? Rudolph is acting really weird.

With only the glass display case between us, I think we can turn around and walk out.

Rudolph is fixated by the diamond that is still glowing in the palm of my hand. Without warning he raises his hand and he’s holding a gun and aims it at Caleb’s head. “Missy, you’re coming with me. Do you have any idea how much I can get for you on the black market? You’re an original. I knew it when I saw you. When that piece of crap diamond started glowing in your hand, I knew it for sure.” He throws his head back and cackles like a madman. “I’ve waited with that dust collector for twenty years. Mrs. Ward brought it to me to keep until she sends someone to get it. I’ve heard the rumors about that diamond ever since. Do you realize how dangerous it is to someone like me to have bounty hunters find me and want to know what it does?” Caleb stands perfectly still. My legs feel wobbly. “I asked a question you nit wit. Do you realize how many guns I’ve had to
my
head?” He takes the gun and holds it to his own head and scratches it with it.

“Stop! Why are you doing this? No, I don’t know how many people have been here about it. I know that if I don’t get this man to the Underworld, bad things will happen. I will give it back when we’re done. Look, I’ve only known about who I am for the last couple of weeks. It isn’t like I asked for all of the drama. Put the gun down, please,” I beg.

He pointed the gun at Caleb again and my heart jumped to my throat. Beyond all reasoning, I leaned over and put my hand on his arm. “Rudolph, put the gun down, please,” I ask. My hand begins to glow as I touch him and he lowers the gun. “Hand Caleb the gun, okay,” I ask, keeping my hand on him.

Like the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz he began to cry. “That diamond has ruined my life. Look at me, pulling a gun on kids. I’m sorry,” he wailed.