Chapter Fifteen
The hood of the car was still warm, and I rested against it. The heat from the engine began to calm my nerves, and I closed my eyes and waited for them to finish taking care of the animals I’d just raised. Dogs and cats and other miscellaneous animals that were resting until just a few minutes ago.
Until I disturbed their peace.
My pendant began to hum from between my breasts, and I looked down.
“Lovely day for a trip to the cemetery, isn’t it?”
My eyes snapped open in an instant, and I backed away from the hood of the car. Standing by the driver’s side door was a tall, ordinary looking man wearing a long, black trench coat, black boots, jeans, and a sweater, even though it was nearly seventy degrees out. His hair was short and brown, as were his eyes.
He stared at me with a smile on his face that sent shivers down my spine, and I fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest.
“Who are you and what do you want from me?” My voice trembled, and that only seemed to make his smile go wider. Something about this man scared me, and I glanced quickly at the cemetery, where my official bodyguard was busy helping Annie and not me. He was far enough away that he couldn’t see me, but close enough that he could probably reach me before something bad happened.
Could he reach me fast enough though? I silently asked myself.
The man slowly extended his hand to me, never dropping the smile from his face. “My name is Andrew.” When I didn’t take his offered hand, he frowned and pulled away. “What’s a young necromancer like you doing out here in the daylight? Shouldn’t you be more careful? You know the rest of the world can’t know about us, right? You’re inexperienced, but surely not that inexperienced?”
The use of the word necromancer comforted me a little. If he knew what I was, he was probably the same thing. Most necromancers were female, or so Nancy and Annie had both told me, but there were a few male ones that weren’t to be forgotten.
He noticed my tense body. “You don’t trust me, but I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t trust a complete stranger either.” His eyes found mine. “I hope to change your mind though.”
“You’re a necromancer.”
He nodded. “Yes, one of the very few males of our kind. I was simply passing through when I felt the presence of two like me, and I thought I would check it out. When two or more of us get together, it usually means one of two things. Either, a newbie is starting their training, or they’re plotting to take the world by force.”
I was reminded of my recurrent nightmares. “I don’t want the world. I just wanna fit in someplace.”
“Well, I know that there have been several attempted risings lately, and I just wondered if it might have been you behind them. I could sense your power from down the road, almost a mile away, which is very strange. Someone could use your power to their advantage, if they wanted to.”
Warning bells went off in the back of my mind, telling me that I shouldn’t trust this man, even for a second. “Get away from me,” I said unconvincingly.
Andrew smiled. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Veronica. You’re a very special girl, and I have very special plans that involve you. I was planning to take my time, but I felt your power, and I decided to act now. So, come with me quietly, and I’ll make this easier on you.”
I pretended to consider his offer, and started to pace. He watched me cautiously, with a happy smile that I was actually considering his offer. When I got near him again, I brought my foot up, slamming it into his grown, before backing away and screaming Finn’s name.
Andrew got to his feet and ran for the trees just as Finn arrived. He looked at me with pale blue eyes that looked almost worried. Right now, he was showing more emotion than I’d ever seen him show before. “What happened?”
“Necromancer,” I said, pointing to the trees. “He wanted to take me”
“Are you alright?” Finn asked, looking me over for injury. When I nodded my head, he hesitated before taking off into the trees after the mysterious necromancer.
Annie put her hand on my shoulder and looked me up and down for injury. “Are you sure you’re alright? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No, but he said he had special plans for me. Is he the necromancer the Council’s been looking for?”
“Most likely,” Annie said, looking at the trees that both Andrew and Finn disappeared into. “Come on. We have to get back to the compound immediately. The Council needs to know about everything that happened here today.”
“What about Finn?”
“If he loses Andre’s trail, he’ll find his own way back. Werewolves don’t tire easily; he’ll be fine.”
Annie and I got back in the car, while I thought about Andrew. He knew my name. How did he know who I was and what can he possibly want with me? He’s planning to use me, and it can only be for one thing. If I’m important for his plans, then I’ll be the one he uses to raise the army of zombies he wants to use to take over the world. What if my dream comes true?