DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT MY OWN OC'S.
Chapter Seven: Playing Games with Rookery
I lay awake the rest of the night, Chrystal on my mind.
What was I thinking? Now I've cursed her!
I kept berating myself like that, all this time dreading what the result would be. I dreaded how her family would react, dreaded how everything would work out. Molly had all ready informed us that the comet was moving slower this year and wouldn't be near the moon for another three days. For that, we were somewhat grateful. It gave us more time to find the stone... Dawn was slowly breaking and I heard the family above us waking and going through their morning routine.
"Are you two ready to go to work with me?" asked Bob. Molly and Tony both answered positively. Then, a light set of footsteps entered the sun-filled room.
"Chris!" all four of them said. Chrystal laughed, the sound rich and melodic. I froze.
The sun!
"How is this possible?" asked Dottie. "You were supposed to die last night!"
Only then did I notice that my parents were awake as well, as were my siblings. All of them were listening.
"Miracle cure, I guess," Chris answered. We heard both parents leave the room.
"Okay, spill," Molly said. "What really happened?"
"Well," Chrystal said slowly. "I'm not entirely sure... I told Ru that I was gonna die and I remember him trying to turn me in order to save me..."
All eyes in the basement flew to me, but I ignored them all, listening intently.
"It's strange really," she continued. "I woke up about two hours later feeling better than I have in years! I left the house through the balcony and went to the hospital to see if what I thought to be true, was... and well... Let's just say they're all thanking God for my life right now."
"But you're not a vampire!" Tony said, confused. Chrystal laughed.
"No, I'm not," she answered. Then, Molly gasped, seeming to catch onto something we didn't know.
"No way!" she said. Chrystal laughed again. "Dude! This is so not fair!"
"What are you talking about?" Tony asked, still completely lost.
"It's simple really," Chrystal answered him. "See, for as long as I can remember, I've been immune to all poisons, all venoms. They tended to heal, not hurt. Remember how I couldn't take pain-killers when I broke my arm?"
There was a pause.
"Tony, the doctors gave me a mixture of 23 different, very, very potent poisons and venoms," she revealed. "They not only killed the pain, they all increased the speed of regeneration quite a bit."
There was another pause.
"Ru's venom is designed to turn people into Vampires, is it not, designed to kill in one bite?" she asked. Receiving no answer, she continued. "It was obviously potent enough to heal me entirely, not only of my sickness, but everything else as well... Molly, I'm not wearing any make-up right now."
My eyes widened in shock.
"Your scars are all gone!" she gasped, stunned. Chrystal laughed again.
"And the disks in my back are all healed, too," she answered. "It's like I've never been injured before in my entire life!"
"That's awesome!" squealed Tony and Molly, obviously hugging their sister tightly. Their laughter filtered down to us, my own family looking at me and then eachother in complete disbelief.
"I'm really, really hungry though..." Chrystal said suddenly, making the other two laugh again. "Mom? Dad? What's for breakfast?"
The parents came back into the room.
"We just got off the phone with the hospital," Dottie said, then seemed to stop short. "You... all ready know?"
"Yep!" Molly and Tony chorused. Then Dottie stopped short again.
"Your hair!" she said suddenly, darting forward. Chrystal laughed.
"Yeah, methinks I'm gonna have to cut it again," she said simply, her joy immeasurable. "It grew this long overnight."
"You grew at least two feet of hair overnight?" Bob repeated, seeming to have issues accepting this. Chrystal laughed again.
"Can I at least trim it?" she asked again. Molly ran upstairs, then came back downstairs. "Thanks, Molls."
"Just sit down and shut up," she told her jokingly. "I'm only gonna take about two inches off, enough to get it even again."
I then tuned it all out, looking at my family once more. They all were looking at me. Father and Gregory looked at me accusingly. Anna obviously thought this whole thing romantic beyond measure. My mother was giving me a knowing look, one that was making me blush.
"We'll discuss this later," Father hissed at me before settling back into his slumber. The rest of us followed suite.
"Are you still ready to go to work with me?" asked Bob. I smiled.
"Can we all go?" I asked. He smiled warmly at me.
"Of couse," he answered. "Come on, then."
We all smiled and nodded, getting into his car. We all laughed and giggled together, getting pumped for our day at the McAshton residence. However, when we arrived, Lord McAshton seemed to be thoroughly confused, talking to two other builders. I giggled with Molly and Tony grinned. We all walked with Bob up to him.
"Bob!" he said happily. "Thank goodness you're here!"
"Lord McAshton, these are my kids, Molly, Chrystal, and Tony," he introduced us. "They were very excited to hear about your family history, weren't you?"
I nodded, noting the red truck that drove up.
"I hate to interrupt this before it's even begun, my Lord, but it would appear that you have company," I pointed out. He turned with a frown, then scowled.
"Excuse me," he said, walking over. I didn't even catch was Bob had said, but instead followed Lord McAshton and Rookery into the large mansion, Tony and Molly at my side.
"I told you not to come back here unless-"
"Unless is exactly what has happened, my Lord," Rookery answered, guiding him to the other side of the truck. I walked up, making my presence known.
"Is this part of your family history?" I asked McAshton. He jumped, then slowly, with an ashen look, nodded. Rookery recognized us, but I silenced him quickly with a jerked head motion towards McAshton. He wisely kept his silence.
"It's not a proud part," McAshton answered shakily. Rookery then pulled out a body-tray in his truck and pulled the head aside to show us the bite-marks. I paled, looking sick.
"Ugh... I'm gonna hurl," Tony groaned. I was with him on that... and so was Molly. We all three covered our mouths.
"It's Elizabeth... and her demon lover, isn't it?" McAshton asked, his entire frame trembling. I exchanged looks with my siblings. "They've returned!"
"Demon-lover?" I asked quietly. He seemed to not have heard me.
"I told you, you had worries," Rookery replied. I tensed.
"Um, if it's not too much to ask, do you have anything we can use just in case?" I asked, putting a great deal of acting into my person, pretending to show great fear. Rookery took another look at me, seeming to be confused. "Like you, I, too, want my family safe. I want to be prepared just... just in case..."
He nodded, reaching into his truck and handed each of us something. Tony was given a cross. Molly was given a light. I was given a stake and a hatchet.
"Now, follow me, quickly," Lord McAshton told us. We all nodded and followed, Rookery in back.
"I thought you were with them," he hissed to me quietly. I looked at him confused.
"You mean the time we were playing in the cemetary?" I asked. He nodded. "I lost my two siblings in there and was looking for them. All I saw was some guy chasing after them and, on instinct, attacked. I'm sorry if I injured you."
"And you saw nothing while you were down there?" he pressed. I shook my head.
"It smelt funny, though," I answered. "And I couldn't get rid of that creepy feeling of being watched..."
He nodded, seeming to understand me. We all rushed through the house to a painting. Tony gasped, as did Molly and I. Tony recognized her. This must have been the woman from his vision.
"She's beautiful," Molly whispered softly, awe in her voice. I smirked, then saw the stone around her neck.
"Our ancestor, Elizabeth McAshton," Lord McAshton said.
"The stone of Attamon," Rookery breathed, stepping closer.
"My grandfather told me the legend and said it was to die with me," Lord McAshton continued.
"It still can," Rookery told him, amused.
"She saw a wrecked ship and went to investigate," Lord McAshton was saying. "There was only one survivor, but he wasn't human!"
"His name was Von Sack-Ville Bagg," Rookery stated. "A vampire."
"She was taken by this... Von... and became one of the undead herself!" McAshton continued.
"Then what?" Rookery pressed.
"Why, we staked her, of course!" he answered. It took all I had to contain my siblings, to keep them from revealing our disgust at the idea.
"Warm-hearted bunch, aren't you?" Rookery stated.
"You of all people should understand-"
"Relax, my Lord," Rookery told him. "I'd have done the same thing... So, where is she buried?"
"Why?" asked McAshton.
"You want to know if she's out and about walking around," Rookery answered slyly. "If I were a McAshton, I wouldn't want her to find me. How do you like your stake, my Lord?"
McAshton looked too frightened to speak.
"Wait a moment," I said, suddenly thinking of something. Rookery looked at me, waiting for my question. "If a vamp's been staked, they can't rise again... can they?"
Rookery thought about it.
"They can if the stake is removed at any point and if they aren't buried quickly under a curse," he answered. I frowned.
"You don't think she can truly be up and running around, do you?" I asked. He shrugged.
"We'll soon find out," he answered. I nodded and the five of us followed Lord McAshton to the family mausoleum. Rookery had no issue breaking the handle to get them in. Slowly, we all decended into the tomb. We all circled a certain tomb as Rookery pulled it open...
"She was moved!" he said, seeming unsurprised. He was more disappointed.
"But no one's been down here since Mother died," Lord McAshton said. I rolled my eyes as Rookery gripped a piece of garlic in his hand, letting it fall to dust.
"I'm talking centuries ago, my Lord," he said. "My guess would be she's in an unmarked grave, wrapped in chains, with a stake through her ribs... They'd bury her in unhallowed ground."
I frowned.
"But that's thousands of acres of land!" I objected. Rookery looked at me cooly.
"Then I'll search for it," he answered calmly. I sighed.
"Hope to God you find her, sir," I said, looking into the empty coffin uneasily. "I don't even want to entertain the idea that she's out running around..."
I surveyed the surroundings with a sigh.
"I'll start looking," Rookery said. We all nodded at him, then I noticed something. I turned to Lord McAshton with a smile.
"If I may, may we stay here and pay our respects just a little longer?" I asked. Lord McAshton smiled warmly.
"Be my guest," he said. I then looked at Rookery.
"If we find anything of use, I'll make sure you're aware," I told him. He nodded, leaving with Lord McAshton. As soon as they were gone, I looked at my siblings. I waited until I heard Rookery's truck start before I pointed out the gate. A mouse was climbing through it. Quickly, Molly and I exchanged looks. I told them to wait there and ran out the door. I just caught Rookery before he was getting into his truck.
"Wait a minute!" I cried. He turned to me. I leaned on my knees trying to get my wind back. "There's... there's a gate in the masoleum, one that had a pathway behind it to somewhere."
He nodded, reaching into his truck again. He handed me a pair of bolt-cutters and carried a jug of acid himself, following me quickly back to the masoleum. Part of me couldn't believe I was helping the enemy.
"There," I said, pointing to where my siblings were standing. They moved out of his way as he easily moved the gate. Then, the four of us decended into the tunnel, Rookery in front.
"This is it!" he said excitedly. I ran up beside him and saw the large coffin. I swallowed hard.
"Oh boy," I said. "That's too big for just one person..."
He nodded and I got to work with the bolt-cutters, cutting the chains. He poured acid on the enchantment. Only then did we dare open the coffiin. Inside lay Von and Elizabeth, perfectly preserved, both with stakes still inside. Rookery immediately reached for the necklace, only to snarl as he saw no amulet. I frowned.
"What now?" I asked. He didn't answer, just turned and stormed out. Once he was out of the masoluem, I grabbed Tony and had him touch the necklace. Just as I predicted it would, it caused him to have another vision. It was a few moments before he came back. He went to speak and I shook my head immediately, placing my hand over his mouth, gesturing to my ear with the other.
"That was disappointing," I sighed. Molly nodded in agreement.
"All that searching for nothing," Tony agreed. "But what did that man mean when he called the necklace the Stone of Attamon?"
I shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine," I answered. "We'd best get out of here."
He nodded and we all filed up the tunnel path, surprised that Rookery was waiting for us. He walked us back to Bob's vision.
"Thank you for your help," he said. I nodded.
"Glad we could help at all," I answered, handing him back all the supplies he'd given us. "Good luck, sir."
He nodded, then left. In a way, I felt bad for him. He wasn't that different from anyone else.
We got back home later that evening, just before dark fell. I took Tony upstairs to his room, then Molly and I turned to him.
"Now," I said. "What did you see?"
"I saw the amulet," he answered. "It's here, under my floor somewhere."
I nodded and Molly shut the door. Then, the three of us began to pull up the boards, searching through the straw until we found it, wrapped in a purse. I smiled and looked at it for a moment. Then we moved all of Tony's floorboards back, stomping them back into place. Then we all divided up to shower for the night ahead of us.