They didn't even have a body to bury.
The thought assaulted David as the last of October's ashes scattered with the wind.
Not even bones were left. It was as though she had never existed.
"She wasn't even supposed to exist in this era. I had to erase all traces of her," Jess had explained right before she conjured an hourglass and handed it to Marko, earning herself a few confused glances.
The fact that she had magically created an hourglass of all things out of thin air wasn't the strangest thing about the object. What was actually strange was how the sand remained stuck in the top chamber despite… well, gravity.
"The sand will start falling as soon as my sister's soul returns to this earthly plane," she revealed with a thoughtful expression.
Dwayne raised a questioning brow. "And when the sand runs out?"
The others shifted uneasily at the foreboding question.
Her expression closed up and she shrugged. "You'll be reunited. Or you won't."
She vanished from their sight before they could demand a better explanation and regardless of numerous questions that arose in light of everything, David was left haunted by the singular thought that they wouldn't even have a grave to visit and honor the one they lost.
Instead, what they did have was the magically resurrected, underground hotel October had gifted them that they called home and it would have to suffice.
For the next few weeks they would carry the stagnant hourglass around the hotel from room to room so that it was always in sight of at least one of them. It became second nature to look for the hourglass out of the corner of their eyes ever so often just to make sure the sand hadn't moved since they looked away from the last time they searched for the slightest sign the sand had moved.
Eventually weeks added up to months and still the sand remained frozen in the hourglass and it was slowly driving all of them mad until finally they permanently retired the hourglass to the front desk in the lobby where they would only have to see it when they were passing through.
For the most part, they resumed living their lives before October had fallen into their circle. Only this time, they were truly free. No more Max to dictate where they could and couldn't go. No more widow Johnson to bully them into submission. Santa Carla was theirs alone to enjoy. Even though it was technically the off-season for tourists, there were still the locals to terrorize and the coming winter holiday tourists to look forward to.
Life was good. So it seemed.
...esterday another victim was discovered slain by who the people have named "The Tarot Killer". Federal authorities are warning people on the west coast to brace themselves for when the killer strikes next…
David caught the tail end of the reporter's dulcet tone as he was passing by the open door of October's room and a moment later Dwayne emerged from said room. The blond paused, sensing his second in command had something he wanted to talk about, and turned to face him. Dwayne fixed him with a steely stare, all business.
"Do you think we should be worried?"
David raised a brow. "About 'The Tarot Killer' from the news?" He tucked his hands into his pockets, the gesture casual and unconcerned.
A line appeared between Dwayne's brows. "Sounds witchy to me."
David's gaze darted away. "Maybe. Maybe not."
"Whoever it is, whatever it is, I've got the feeling they're heading this way."
David's eyes cut to his second but before he could reply, Paul's voice rang out in their heads.
Guys? Um, I think someone misplaced the...kitchen?
Simultaneously, David and Dwayne rolled their eyes.
Paul, man, you're high as fuck. Go to sleep. David thought back to the other blond.
Uh, actually, the kitchen is...gone. Marko interrupted.
Dwayne and David shared dubious looks.
What do you mean …gone?
Suddenly, the light scones in the hallway flickered in warning and a moment later Marko and Paul were rushing down the hallway towards them.
"Dude was that a ghost?" Paul shouted.
"Are we being haunted again?" Marko asked frantically.
David held up a commanding hand as though he could hold back the rising tide of panic in the two blonds.
"What. Did. You. Mean. Gone," he demanded through grit teeth.
Marko and Paul huddled closer together as the flicking lights became more intense.
Paul clutched onto Marko's sleeve. "Dude, the kitchen is not where it's supposed to be? Like, the door is completely gone. Even Marko couldn't find it and he's totally sober! The wall is totally blank!"
David glanced at Marko who was more preoccupied with the frenetic blinking lights.
"Should we be worried about that?" the curly blond asked worriedly.
David opened his mouth to answer, though he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say, when suddenly every door lining the hallway started to slam shut one by one.
"I thought October exorcised all the ghosts," Dwayne muttered in frustration as he tried the handle to October's old room. The door did not budge.
David felt his anxiety rise.
"I don't think this is ghosts," he said. "This feels like something else."
The four vampires gathered closer together in the middle of the hallway.
The lights flared brightly for a long moment before they extinguished completely, leaving the boys in total darkness that even their supernatural sight couldn't see in and then they felt the ground beneath their feet begin to quake.
"Oh fuck! Not again!" It sounded like Paul who yelped.
In the distance there was a horrible crashing sound like stone falling and cracking. David held onto the others, hoping against hope that the hotel wasn't collapsing around them, burying them underground once again.
The pandemonium ceased as quickly as it started and everything fell silent. David blinked rapidly as the lights blinked back on. Paul, Marko, and Dwayne appeared equally taken aback as they peered around, seeking the destruction they had heard.
A horrible realisation struck David like a bolt of lightning that had him sprinting to the lobby.
He stopped short at the threshold. It was here that he discovered where the destruction was. The lobby was just as it was after the first earthquake. A cave, rather than the lobby of a grand resort.
The others quickly caught up to him.
"Whoa!" Paul exclaimed, gazing out at the cave.
They each jumped down to where the floor had sunken and drifted through the familiar rubble. Everything had fallen just as it had all those years ago. Their little decorations had even returned to where they'd been placed before October's spell tidied the space up.
"It's just like how it used to be," Dwayne pointed out.
"Before October's spell," Marko agreed.
His heart in his throat, David looked towards where the front desk should have been and now lied in pieces.
Marko followed their leader's gaze. "The hourglass!" he gasped.
David stooped to pick up the hourglass and straightened up as he inspected the delicate glass for any damage. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found no such damage. The sand inside didn't appear to have shifted at all either.
He shoved the hourglass into Marko's arms much to the shorter man's surprise and immediately headed for the cave entrance.
"Boss?" Paul called after him in confusion.
Dwayne was quick to fall in step with David. "What just happened?"
"Nothing good." David cast him a sidelong glance as he made his way up the rickety stairs outside.
He itched for a cigarette to calm his rattled nerves but he didn't have time if he wanted to get to where he was heading and back before the sun came up. Even though the hourglass was fine, he still felt on the edge of a precipice. He didn't even want to consider just how close they had come to losing the one thing that linked them to October.
They completely bypassed where their bikes were parked and took to the air.
I think it's time to call in that favor a certain witch owes us.
They completely bypassed where their bikes were parked and took to the
iI think it's time to call in that favor a certain witch owes us./i