Chapter 5: They're Coming

The first evening stargazing session went well as far as Neal was concerned. Armed with a star chart, he and the kids spread mats on the grass and looked up at the stars, not bothering with binoculars. Mozzie had different headgear to wear at night—boppers with LED antennae, making him look like he'd just dropped down to earth from his spaceship. The youngest kids all had glow-in-the-dark space antennae headbands. El had suggested them as a way to keep track of their pint-sized charges, and they were an instant hit.

The kids had already been picked up and bused back to the nature camp. Neal was helping Peter with cleanup chores.

"Put the binoculars on the shelf next to the star charts," Peter directed as he wiped the lenses. "Did you find the lens cap for the spotting scope?"

Neal handed him the cap. "Travis spotted it in the grass."

"Thanks. Where is our man from SETI?"

"Surely you can guess. As soon as the camp counselors arrived, he headed back to the radio room. Mozzie's there, too."

"Figures. Has Mozzie started to excavate a bunker to hide out from the aliens?"

"No need. He wants to be the first to greet them with open arms."

Peter chuckled. "He can practice on the fireflies."

"Is it unusual to see so many? The meadow was ablaze with them."

"I've never seen anything like it. We should ask a ranger."

"When we were storytelling, Amita told us about a legend she'd learned at school where fireflies are stars descending to earth."

"Don't tell Mozzie," Peter warned. "That will simply stoke the flames. He already thinks bees can be possessed by alien intelligence." He zipped the cover on the spotting scope. "Is Ethan sweet on Amita?"

Neal nodded. "Pretty obvious, isn't it? I bet she's his first crush, and he has it bad." At the sound of footsteps, Neal turned to see Janet and Mozzie enter the classroom, followed by Sam and Travis. Sam was carrying a couple of boxes.

"Pie for the hungry astronomers," Janet announced. "El picked these up for us earlier in the day at the farmer's market—we have blueberry and blackberry. There's ice cream in the freezer."

They headed upstairs for dessert, with Janet taking charge of dishing out the pie.

"Who wants honey wine?" Mozzie asked as he opened the fridge.

"I'm sticking with beer," Sam said. "I bought a couple of six-packs at the store to replenish our supply."

Peter spooned a mound of ice cream on top of his slice of blackberry pie. "Any reports of vampires in the area?"

Sam nodded while swallowing. "Bobby's put together a map of suspected vampire attacks over the past couple of weeks and the general direction is toward this area. But the frequency of attacks is very low. We've heard about sightings from other hunters, but the vamps are being discreet. We suspect they may be carrying their food sources with them."

Janet looked at him wide-eyed. "They take along bottles of blood?"

"They could, but more likely they're transporting cattle with them—either human or livestock. Bobby's checking with a contact in Europe who may know something about the anistemi." He turned to Travis. "What about the radio waves?"

"Our latest theory is that the waves come from a previously undiscovered pulsar. Dark matter may have obscured its transmission. We're seeking confirmation from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, North Carolina."

Neal looked at Mozzie and smiled in sympathy. "So, the transmission wasn't sent by little green men?"

He shook his head vehemently. "Not necessarily, and I refuse to comment on their skin color till I have more data. There's still unexplained anomalous behavior. The signal now appears to come from multiple discrete sources, all of which are moving in our direction."

"That's one possibility," Travis agreed. "Another is that a gravitational lens has broken up the signal, making it appear to come from separate points."

"Poppycock," Mozzie declared. "Sam and Dean say vampires are heading our way. I stand by my belief that aliens are as well."

"El and I had a very pleasant dinner with Electra Stavrou and Gemma Blackthorne," Janet said, providing a welcome distraction from UFOs. "When we arrived at the restaurant, the tables were all taken but Electra asked us to join them. So kind of them. It turns out that Electra is quite interested in the theater. That seems appropriate, given her name."

"The sisters' names are both unusual," Neal said. "It makes me wonder if their parents were into Greek mythology."

"Close," she replied. "Electra explained that their father taught Classics at Cambridge and was of Greek descent. He named his daughters after two of the Pleiades. I asked them if they had more sisters, but she said she and her sister were so unruly, they stopped at two."

"It's too bad the Pleiades star cluster isn't visible right now," Peter said. "It would be a good story to tell the kids."

"Gemma teaches botany at a college near Dartmoor. Tomorrow morning she's making a presentation in town about the summer solstice. She'll then lead the rites at noon in the park." Janet turned to Sam. "We speculated a little about what the significance of an anistemi could be."

"What did they say?"

"Gemma wondered if someone wasn't associating it with the symbolism of the fire ritual. Litha celebrates the sun and the power of fire. Since fire acts as a purifier, perhaps it could also be considered an anistemi. Did Maia have anything more to say about it?"

Sam shook his head. "She joined the Alyssum Coven about the same time as Chloe. She hasn't heard the term used in connection with a ritual."

"El, Chloe, and I plan to attend the noon rites," Janet said. "The Litha group's campsite is the one on the north side of the park. That's also where the evening bonfire will be."

"You're still not worried about them having events in the park?" Peter asked Sam.

"Certainly not the midday festival. Vampires avoid sunlight, and, in general, they're not fond of fire. It's hard to see them hanging around a bonfire."

"That's what makes this anistemi a puzzle," Neal said. "If Litha's all about fire, why would vampires stage something close to it?"

Peter looked grim. "Maybe they consider participants will be easy targets."

"We're concerned about that too," Sam said. "If they intend to stage an attack, they'll most likely strike the town. Dean and I plan to patrol Hope tomorrow night." He stood up to carry his plate to the sink. "Anything strange happen during the stargazing?"

Neal stood up to carry his plate to the sink. "Not unless you want to count an unusually high number of fireflies in the meadow, and despite what Mozzie may tell you, I don't think they were space invaders. While we stargazed, I kept a careful watch for UFOs and didn't spot anything."

#

"More blood, sisters?" Gemma withdrew the opaque bottle from the mini-fridge and refilled their glasses. Her silver jewelry tinkled as she walked.

Electra admired the attire Gemma had chosen for the evening. With her long brunette hair a disheveled mass of curls and her bohemian steampunk attire, she could spark a new fashion trend on college campuses. Soon Wicca covens would flourish throughout the eastern colleges and universities. An important stepping stone to Electra's resurgence.

She sniffed the blood in her glass and frowned. Another waitress. She turned to Maia. "Was this the best the vampires could provide us with?"

Maia sighed and nodded. "The areas they're moving through don't provide many options."

Gemma returned the bottle to the fridge and sat down on the couch next to Electra. She took a sip from her glass and also made a face. "I see what you mean. The hardships you have to endure on your side of the pond! I wish I could have brought you some of the fine vintages I have available. Traveling by public means is so inconvenient."

"I envy your success in the world of theater," Electra said. "So many creative minds to sample from. I intend to take advantage of that also."

Gemma nodded in agreement. "You've tended to focus on artists, but I encourage you to broaden your horizons. For instance, those two charming women we had dinner with—Elizabeth and Janet. I longed to extract samples. You should cultivate their friendship. In time, Janet could provide access to the theater world and Broadway. "

"And Elizabeth, as well," Electra added. "Her community theater activities intrigue me. Amateurs sometimes have more creativity than professionals." She conjured a vision of Elizabeth in her mind, reclining on a velvet settee, as Electra delicately traced the graceful curve of her neck with her finger. "I believe I shall pay a visit to New York City. We've become too distant from our chosen ones. If we only drink what the vampires supply us, it's not very satisfying."

"But our success over the millennia has rested on us keeping a low profile," Gemma cautioned.

"And I don't intend to change that," Electra confirmed, "but we've always maintained a sizable stable of protégés to draw from. I have become too cautious. My cellar needs to be replenished."

"Once the pure-bloods have arrived and established their fiefdoms, you'll no longer have to endure inferior products," Gemma said and turned to Maia. "You spent a few hours with the hunters. Did they tell you how they learned of the anistemi?"

"No, but we've heard hunters have been more active in the Northeast. Perhaps one of them managed to capture a vampire heading this way. From the questions they asked me, it was clear they don't know anything about the ritual."

"And even if they did," Electra added. "They will be unable to stop it. The process has already begun." She smiled. "I find their questions deliciously entertaining."

Gemma rearranged her necklaces. "Through Maia, you may be able to establish an inside track on the hunters' activities. Sam could be the conduit that allows you to always stay informed."

Electra slanted a glance at her sister who was glowing at the words of approval. When Maia had first expressed an interest in Sam, Electra had been skeptical. His creativity had been stifled for so long by the life he led, she doubted Sam would ever amount to much. But now he was doubly attractive. Could Neal prove equally valuable?

Crowley had described his role in the FBI. Traditionally the sisters never needed to worry about interference from law enforcement agencies. But that could change. The FBI now appeared to be acting in cooperation with hunters, a situation requiring further study. For now, Electra resolved to keep her options open. In any case, she was in no hurry to consume Neal. He was far too attractive to be squandered quickly.

"I feel odd to be the one conducting the bonfire ceremony," Gemma remarked. "By rights, it should be your honor. You're the one the Wiccans worship as their Moon Goddess."

"I shall be with you, guiding every move," said Electra, pleased at her acknowledgment. "I want to take advantage of my bystander status to deepen my friendship with Elizabeth and Janet."

Gemma laughed, making her bracelets tinkle. "By all means, work your charm on them."

Electra turned to Maia. "When will you see Sam next?"

Maia smiled demurely. "He mentioned that he might see me at the midday ceremony. I intend to make that a certainty. A long stroll in the woods afterward . . ." She twirled a strand of her hair in her fingers. "You shouldn't expect me back before evening."

Electra raised her glass. "Sisters, to the anistemi!"

#

When Neal returned to the classroom from stowing away the morning break equipment, he found Ethan sitting by himself in the back of the room. The other kids were gathered around Peter and Travis in the front, making 3-D models of the solar system.

"What's wrong?" Neal asked, sitting down next to him. A dark storm cloud hovered over Ethan's head, and the first drops of rain had already started to fall.

"Amita hates me."

"Why do you say that?"

Ethan sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve before Neal could hand him a tissue. "Whenever I try to help her, she runs away. I thought she was my friend."

"She is your friend. I thought you two were getting along really well."

"I did too. I thought she"—more sniffles—"was my girlfriend, but now she won't have anything to do with me." His face crumpled as the thunderstorm threatened to let loose.

"Maybe you're trying too hard? I noticed that you've been helping her with every activity. Sometimes people like to figure things out for themselves. We can't do everything for them."

"But what if we can do it better?"

"They may not appreciate it. I bet if you asked her for help, you'd be pleasantly surprised."

"Act dumb?"

Neal shook his head. "No, just let her lead. You know how good you feel when you can show her something. Let her experience that too."

Mozzie entered the classroom, the antennae on his head bouncing as he walked. "Space cadets, your starship awaits. Time to head back for lunch."

Neal handed Ethan another tissue and made a quick swipe of his own nose. Ethan took the hint and gave him a big grin as he ran off to join the others.

"Is he okay?" Peter asked, walking up.

"Woman trouble."

"Ah yes." Peter sat down next to him. "I saw him with Amita."

"Slightly obvious. This is one satellite that may have been orbiting too closely."

Peter beamed. "Look at you! Astronomy analogies. My work is done."

"The art of wooing is in the stars. It all makes sense to me now. No wonder I messed up before."

Peter chuckled. "Way to go, space cadet."

Travis joined them to clean up the classroom. The morning session had gone off without a hitch. Dean and Travis had developed asteroid smash into a tournament competition, with the finals to be held tomorrow. Over on the fencing field, Neal planned to have the musketeers square off against the forces of Richelieu with Sam playing the part of the musketeers' nemesis.

"The starship achieved liftoff with all cadets on board," Mozzie announced when he returned. "Travis, what are you doing here? Why aren't you checking out the SETI reports? The aliens could have landed during class."

"I doubt it strenuously," he said, carrying a stack of cardboard cutouts to the storage cabinet. "If you'd lend a hand, we could get back to it faster." He tossed him a broom.

Peter planned to have lunch with them in the observatory since El was attending the Litha midday festival. They'd just cleaned up the classroom when a stranger walked in. Scruffy-looking dude in his mid-forties with brown hair and a beard. He had a battered ball cap and wore a flannel shirt over his t-shirt even though it was hot outside.

"I'm looking for Dean and Sam," he growled. "Are they here?"

"Are you Bobby?" Peter asked.

He hesitated. "Maybe."

So this was the famous Bobby Singer. "Dean and Sam are upstairs changing," Neal explained as he and Peter introduced themselves. "For some unfathomable reason, they didn't want to wear their camp t-shirts to the Litha festival."

Mozzie burst out of the radio room, his face flushed with excitement. "They've moved closer!"

"What planet did you drop in from?" Bobby blurted, staring incredulously at his head boppers.

Neal made the introductions and tapped on E.T.'s antennae to remind him astro camp was over.

Travis entered the classroom, looking nearly as excited as Mozzie. "The trajectory path and speed have been confirmed. Multiple sources are heading in our direction!"

"What are you talking about?" Bobby demanded, looking at them as if they were all crazy.

"The spaceships, of course," Mozzie said.

"An unknown deep space event," Travis corrected.

Bobby snorted his disbelief. "Balls. This ain't an observatory. It's the loony bin."

"What are you doing here, Bobby?" Dean asked, walking down the stairs.

"I wanted to warn you about the anistemi, but obviously you have bigger issues to worry about, what with space aliens about to descend upon you."

#

After his initial encounter with Mozzie the Space Alien, Bobby looked like he could use a beer, and God knew Dean could too after a morning of camp, so they reconvened in the bunk room. There was plenty of room at the table for everyone. Sam had replenished the beer supply the previous night, and Janet had stopped by on the way to the festival to stock the fridge with cold cuts and all the makings for sandwiches. Dean appreciated her more each day. He'd already discovered the leftover pie.

Peter was studying Bobby closely. He was no doubt itching to run his prints. Dean was sure Peter had run his and Sam's when he first met them.

"I heard back from a hunter in Romania," Bobby said, squirting some mustard onto his ham sandwich. "He's the first one I've found who's heard of the term in connection with vamps. He's the European expert on the bloodsuckers. I figured if anyone had heard of it, it'd be Stefan." Bobby stopped to scan them all. "According to an old legend, the mother of all vampires could raise a new generation of fangs when the stars are in correct alignment with the planets. The rite's called an anistemi."

"Does he know which ones need to be in alignment?" Travis asked.

"The only one that was named in the legend is Vega."

"That's the brightest star in the sky right now," Peter noted. "It's in the constellation Lyra or the Lyre."

"It's also very close to the mouth of the dragon, Draco, where our mysterious radio signals are coming from," Mozzie added.

Bobby took a swig of his beer. "And before you ask, when I said the mother of all vampires, I meant that literally. Stefan said that according to a sixth-century manuscript, all vampires can be traced back to one female. I don't know if you'd call her a vampire, a god, or a spirit. The source simply identifies her as Astrena and claims she creates vampires out of a crimson star. One text identifies it as Antares. Does that make any sense to you astro-nuts?"

Travis nodded. "It does. Antares is the reddest star in the summer sky. It's in the constellation Scorpius."

"Vampires made from a scorpion?" Bobby shrugged. "Yeah, that sounds about right. During the rite of anistemi, the vamps Astrena creates are not just your run-of-the-mill vamps but pure-bloods. They're not tainted by us humans until they have their first meal. Stefan found a description of an anistemi by a Romanian monk writing in 1520. According to this source, it occurs at midnight of the summer solstice. For a week before, fireflies announce the arrival of these pure-bloods who descend to earth as shooting stars. Sounds like a lot of hogwash to me, but the monk claims to have personally witnessed an anistemi. He said the shooting stars turned into fireballs and crashed into a field, setting it ablaze."

"Shooting stars are another name for meteor showers," Travis said, "but there aren't any bright ones around the summer solstice."

"We've noticed the fireflies," Neal added. "According to the park rangers, they're not normally this prolific. That part, at least, tallies with the legend."

"The key word you just said was legend," Peter countered. "These reports sound like superstitions and myths, nothing more." Evidently, he wasn't ready to drink the Kool-Aid.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge," Mozzie warned. "Studies have shown that insect behavior is modified by weather. Pheromones are particularly sensitive to atmospheric conditions. Ants and centipedes can forecast earthquakes. Why can't fireflies predict an anistemi?"

Travis seemed particularly intrigued. "The shooting stars the monk described were probably meteors. As they plunged through Earth's atmosphere, they would have turned into fireballs and could have set the woods on fire. He may have seen the phenomenon and attributed it to the legend."

"Let's get real for a minute, folks," Peter said, setting down his sandwich. "Would someone explain to me how fireballs can turn into uber-vamps?"

"Do you expect me to solve everything for you?" Bobby mocked. "I don't know, but the monk claimed the pure-bloods establish kingdoms of vampires in the service of their queen."

"Did the monk explain how he learned so much about them?" Sam asked.

"He claimed that he searched through ancient texts about fireballs and found a Latin manuscript about an anistemi that described the same event, fireflies and all. That text cited an even more ancient Greek text as a reference. Stefan hasn't located them. They may no longer exist."

As Dean listened to the tale, it didn't sound any crazier than the stories behind many of the other demons, spirits, and whacked-out gods they had to deal with. "Do you know anything more about these pure-bloods?"

Bobby karate-chopped him with one look. "You wanna give me a little time? Not so long ago, vampires were fading from the radar. Most of the expertise is in Europe. It ain't gonna be easy."

"When is it ever?" Sam stood up and started making another sandwich. "I don't understand why we haven't heard about this before. Hunters have been working in Europe for hundreds of years. Wouldn't someone else have witnessed an event like this?"

"Not necessarily," Travis said. "Some star alignments only occur once in a thousand years."

"Astrena might have also gotten better at concealing the events," Neal pointed out.

"Here's what you boys need to know," Bobby said. "According to that Romanian monk, vampires gather from all over the region to protect the freshly minted pure-bloods. I guess it takes a little while to bring them up to speed. The anistemi occurs the night of the summer solstice, and that means tonight. Stefan says there have been no reports of vampires causing mass mayhem or slaughter during one of these events, but if we're about to have pure-bloods rain down upon us, we ought to kill them while we can. You'll need all the help you can get. I brought extra gear in my pickup and plan to stick around. I've put the call out to other hunters to help us patrol."

Mozzie turned to Travis. "Those radio waves may be connected in some way to the anistemi. We should report this to SETI."

Travis's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Report what? That the emissions indicate pure-blood vampires will descend to earth as shooting stars? Our credibility would be destroyed. They'd banish us."

Mozzie grumbled, but Travis was right. Dean had gone through far too many experiences with locals who never believed in the supernatural until they were presented with the horrific evidence, and even then, they'd figure out some other way to explain it. Dean was inclined to believe Stefan and the monk's report. Anistemis could have taken place throughout history, but people refused to accept what they saw.

"I brought over my laptop," Bobby added. "I'll set up shop here and try to find out more about Astrena."

"I can help," Mozzie offered. "I know Latin and Greek. My Hebrew's a little rusty, but I'm sure it'll come back to me."

Now it was Bobby's turn to look startled. "Dean and Sam warned me about you. It's a good thing I brought my flask."