CHAPTER 21: Goddess rising!The back of Caleb's neck tickled. His hair was standing on the back of his neck. He looked to Reid. You must get to her Reid! He is aware of her!!!
Reid suddenly snapped his head in Caleb's direction. "We have to get to Keesha's, he knows who she is!"
"Reid, calm down, Pogue and Tyler are with them. Tell me who you've been talking too?"
"On the way, now hurry!" Reid said practically yanking him up.
The Monster smiled eagerly as he strolled through the deserted streets. The conversation with the bartender and that stupid female had given him all the information he needed. He knew what she looked like and where she worked.
The Champion was a boy? The Monster laughed. The sound was hideous. It was devoid of any warmth and it sounded as if it was coming from the bottom of a well.
He remembered Reid from his lectures. Intelligent, strong willed, a hint of fire behind those pale blue eyes near gray, but a Champion? It wasn't in his nature.
He had heard of Reid's reputation from a conversation he had been privy too when it had been his turn to be a monitor in the Lunchroom.
All the girls kept talking about was they he went through them like candy. He took the rapper off, ate his candy then tossed the paper when he was done, as one girl had put it.
It had made him sick to his stomach. These girls were excited about being candy in his store. Not one of them had an ounce of pride. An ounce of self-respect. He had no remorse for them.
Then the females had mentioned the one he had before Miss Amanda. Someone he had apparently cared about, someone he had courted, and then simply tossed when the next slut had come along.
The conversation was enough to jog the Monster's memory. She had been his first victim. He remembered absorbing her memories. The pain she had felt at his betrayal. The broken heart. He remembered drinking in her memories like a powerful elixir. He had been intoxicated by the powerful emotions coursing through him as he absorbed her essence.
It would be easy to lure Reid and kill him. He would simply use her to lure Reid to him. He was young and emotional. He would walk willingly into his trap.
But there was someone in town who was practicing magic and he had to deal with that one first. Someone with magic could warn them and he couldn't allow that.
Caleb pulled into Keesha's driveway. Tyler's Hummer was parked on the street. Pogue's bike was sitting in the truck. Both boys were met by Shauna at the door.
"You guys look harried? Did you find anything?" She said as they swept past her.
"It knows your name Keesha, and what you look like." Caleb said when they assembled in the living room. "And it won't take the Monster long to figure out where you live and work." He added.
Keesha's mind was reeling. Despite the protection of her friends, she still felt the ghost of fear scrabbling at her throat. She visibly fought to suppress it. Reid, I'm scared. Don't worry Baby doll, you know I won't let him hurt you.
"How did he find out?" Shauna asked.
"Apparently, he absorbs their essences. It gives him prolonged life in addition to their memories." He dropped his eyes to the tiled floor and shuffled his feet several times. "His first victim was a girl I once knew."
Mei watched Reid carefully. He had cared for this girl. Was this why he had been selected to protect Keesha? To make up for something he had done to the girl?
"So now what?" Tyler asked.
"We need to move them to a safe place." Pogue offered.
"Gorman's would be safe. The Monster couldn't touch her there." Reid said.
Caleb gave Reid a fierce look. "We can't bring them there. You know its sacred."
"I think we might have to bend the rules a little Caleb."
"We've bent them enough!!"
"We could blindfold them." Tyler added trying to keep the two calm.
"It's more then just that Baby boy!" Caleb snapped.
"Wait a minute." Shauna began not liking the idea of these Witch-Boys making decisions about something that clearly involved them as if they weren't there.
"Stay out of this Shauna. This is between me and Reid." Caleb said brusquely.
"Say what?! Who in the hell do you think you're talking too?!! I am not one of your boys here!!" She shot back, her hands on her hips.
Caleb whirled. His eyes hard, his mouth ready for a retort. He had had enough of these women!
"Enough!" Keesha said. Her voice was firm and it echoed throughout the kitchen. The room instantly fell silent. She rose to her feet.
Tyler frowned. Something was happening to Keesha but he couldn't quite make it out. But he thought he glimpsed a small knot of energy growing inside of her.
"We can't hide. There is something out there that is killing young girls looking for me. If we hide, it will continue to kill until it finds me."
No one said a thing. They were held in place by the power of her voice.
"We don't even know what it looks like or what it wants from me. I say, we continue as normal. If it is coming for me then to hide would be the worse thing to do."
But Reid would have none of it. He wanted her safe and she was using herself as bait.
"No Baby doll, it's better if you..." Reid began.
"No Reid. I can't let anymore girls die because of me. It's time to end this." She fixed the four boys with a firm stare.
"You boys will return to school. I will keep the phone on. I'll have Mei and Shauna with me. We will conduct ourselves as usual. If the Monster does know about me. Then it will be concentrating his efforts on finding me. No more girls will be killed."
"I agree with her." Caleb said with admiration in his eyes.
"But..." Reid tried again. Now he was feeling as if he wasn't needed anymore.
"But nothing. If we go into hiding, we'll never find out who this Monster is and stop it. And it'll slaughter the entire town until I am found."
Reid shoved his hands in his pockets. He was being pushed aside.
Keesha noted this. She would have to sort him out later. Now, would not be appropriate.
"But we still don't know what the Monster looks like." Shauna pointed out. And for once, she agreed with Reid; as much as she appreciated her girlfriend finally taking some control over these macho, egotistical boys. She didn't want to see Keesha hurt.
"I've been such a coward that I've forgotten all that I have been taught. There is a meditation I can use that will open me up to the dark side. I'll be able to tell if anyone is radiating that kind of energy. The Monster's darkness is very intense and all consuming. Even more so now that it's desperate. It will practically be singing out to me."
Keesha sighed. She hadn't want to do it earlier because that much Evil was so powerful, that it nearly swallowed her the first time she encountered it. It would take everything she knew to keep from drowning in it and yet still maintain some sense of presence.
"I should of done it earlier, but I've been so afraid."
Tyler looked to his long time friend. He had his arms crossed and was staring at the floor. Annoyance on his face. His heart went out to Reid as he understood what was happening. Eventually, they would be parting company and out of each other's lives. It was apparent that his feelings for her went beyond pleasure. He had a deep affection for Keesha.
"You four will do the same. Caleb has already told us that the evil affects you as well. So you can keep a look out too." She said in a commanding voice.
"But I'll be staying here with you. When I'm not in school." Reid said firmly in a voice that dared her to challenge him.
Keesha looked up and met his eyes. The look he gave her, took her back to the night at Nicky's when he had maneuvered her into the date. It was just as fierce as before. His jaw set in firm determination.
A response was forming on her tongue. But she held it back. To dismiss him would of been cruel. And he didn't deserve that.
"Alright Reid." Keesha said gently.
Tyler noticed the change in her tone. She cared for him as much as he cared for her.
"Alright, let's get some sleep." Caleb said heading for the door. He was exhausted.
"Why don't you guys stay here for the night. You look like you don't have the energy for the drive. You can get up early and pick up your uniforms then. You'll even get a hot breakfast. I'll personally make it." Keesha offered.
"Well..." Caleb began.
"Sounds great." Reid added.
"Awesome." Tyler began enthusiastically. "Can you make waffles?"
Keesha gave him a strange look.
"I like my waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. Do you have any berries?" Tyler continued. His face lighting up at the prospect of a decent breakfast.
Keesha let out a laugh. "No, but I can make some mean waffles."
"Pogue, come on. I know a place that sells the freshest berries." He said heading for the door.
"Cool." Pogue said eagerly following Tyler out. He grabbed Shauna's wrist as he passed her. "Come on darling, let me show you how men shop."
"This I have to see." Mei said following the group.
"Hey, easy on the wrist." Shauna complained.
"Sorry darling."
Caleb looked to Keesha. "You mind if I turn in now?"
Keesha could see the tired lines crinkling the corners of his beautiful brown eyes. So soft and gentle; almost like Tyler's, but determined like Reid's with a penetrating intelligence.
"Take my room Caleb."
He bid them both good night then headed for the room. He squeezed Reid's shoulder affectionately as he passed.
Reid was still annoyed that he was no longer in charge of the situation. He also felt as if he were being pushed aside.
She smiled at him and held out her hand. "Reid, come with me. I want to talk with you." She said as gently as she could but there was a new undercurrent of imperiousness in it.
Reid unfolded his arms and allowed her to lead him out the back through the kitchen door facing the yard.