Siren Sight: Siren

Prologue

HOW PATHETIC, THE vampire Lord sneered as he looked over the ragged group standing defiantly in front of him. "Did you honestly think a group of children could defeat me?"

The group looked at each other as if double-checking their willingness to go through with the plan.

No one back down.

What’s the matter, Lori? the cocky boy in the middle asked. Feeling a little intimidated?

Lord Lorimer turned on him baring his pointed white fangs at the boy with an evil grin.

By what? A snot nose little thing like yourself? Lorimer said with scorn. Hardly. I’m just trying to decide if I want my dessert before or after the main course.

The boy’s face didn’t show an ounce of the fear that was coursing through him at Lorimer’s threat. However, the cocky attitude he originally had was gone. In its place was a stillness, a readiness to attack, especially once Lorimer turned his murderous gaze towards the short girl on his left.

Neivayka, I have offered you multiple chances to stop this ridiculous rebellion you are leading. But, you have repeatedly ignored my attempts to end this peacefully, Lorimer stated in disappointment.

Neivayka scoffed at his words. Her idea of peace and the vampire lords were two completely different things. As much as she wanted to believe that her surrendering right now would be the best for everyone involved she knew that it wasn’t. They were well past the point of no return and the only thing left for them to do was to win.

They had to win, their deaths would serve no purpose in stopping Lorimer. And he had to be stopped; the fate of the world depended on it. Neivayka straightened her spine and raised her sword further so it was pointed straight at his heart.

Peace? You don’t even know the true meaning of the word. We will not surrender until your head is on a stake outside your gaudy castle walls. Only then will this world know peace, she stated with a conviction few had.

Lorimer chortled with joy. What a bloodthirsty little thing you are. You would have made the perfect queen.

Never, Neivayka growled.

Lorimer raised his hand placating. More’s the pity. But, before you continue on with your suicidal quest for my head. I thought you would like to see the present I have for you.

With a wave of his hand, the door to his right sprung open and a boy no older than twelve came tumbling into the room. The child had aged since the last time Neivayka had seen him, but there was no mistaking the rounded eyes that looked at her pleadingly.

Gair, Neivayka breathed out in horror.

Yes, Lorimer said with a horrific smirk. They were hiding him from me. But, you already knew that. Imagine, I was so close to something that I have spent lifetimes seeking.

Let him go, Neivayka demanded through gritted teeth.

His grin grew even wider flashing his deadly fangs again. Now, my dear. Why would I want to do that?

Lorimer glided over to the boy and wrapped his arms around Gair’s tiny shivering shoulders. Gair bravely tried to yank away with all his power. However, the vampire tightened his grip until a whimper sprung out of the boy’s trembling mouth.

I’m going to kill you, she snarled. I’m going to take your head myself and parade it through the town.

Lorimer’s blood red eyes shined down with savage glee. I’m looking forward to it.

With a flick of Lorimer’s wrist, Gair flew to the other side of the room and slammed into a wall where he laid unmoving. Neivayka desperately wanted to make sure he was okay, but when the war cry rang through the room she knew she had run out of time.

She raised her sword in the air prepared to finally defeat the evil that had been plaguing her for nearly two years now. When the fight was over and the vampire was dead, then she’d have time to check on the little boy who had saved her life.

It was in that moment, the space between heartbeats that the last few years came rushing back to her like a movie on a screen.

Chapter One

A LOUD BANGING ON THE door made Neivayka pop up like a jack-in-the-box.

Get up, you lazy no good child! yelled her mother.

Or rather what should have been her mother, Phyllis had never had a motherly bone in her entire body.

Ignoring Phyllis’ rant through the particle board door to her bedroom. Neivayka rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and tried to remember going to bed. Instead, she found she had no memory of anything since she had rounded the corner a block before her high school.

Had she even made it to school? What time was it? Was she sick? What was going on? The question continued to tumble through her foggy brain as she searched her room for answers. Unfortunately, the only thing in this room that was scarcer than the furniture, was answers to unusual questions.

She ran a hand cautiously through her jet-black hair, gingerly touching the scalp trying to find some evidence of injury. When she came back with nothing Neivayka checked her whole body thinking in almost a panic of every possible thing that could happen to her to erase a portion of her memory.

However, other than still being fully clothes including her shoes, there was nothing.

Slowly, she slid out of bed and tentatively put her feet down as if a monster was going to jet out from under the bed and attack. Only when she was certain nothing was going to happen could she force her oddly still exhausted body up and stumbled out the door.

There was yet another mystery, why did she feel as if she had been running for hours?

Concentrating on putting one sluggish foot in front of the other, she walked down the short hallway to the living room. She normally didn’t mind being at the far end of this tiny two-bedroom apartment away from her parents. But, today every step seemed to be an enormous effort.

What day was it? What time was it? She really wished her parents would spring for a decent clock in her room. But, they were ‘not rich’ as they loved to remind her whenever she asked for anything, like school clothes and supplies. Although, they would find themselves better off if they actually worked. But, that was Neivayka’s unwanted opinions and there was no way she was going to say that to them. Not if she wanted to remain alive for another day.

What did they do for money? She wondered absently for the millionth time as she walked into the living room.

That thought flew from her mind as soon as she caught sight of her mother standing in the doorway of the attached kitchen. Phyllis’ hands were on her hips and she was glaring down at Neivayka menacingly. At least as menacingly as she could look in a faded pink bathrobe that was desperately hanging on for its dear life tied around her thick generous curves. Topping her head was a tangled mess of curlers wrapped in her dyed orange hair. Phyllis’ angry face was still covered in a sickly green anti-aging cream that Neivayka, herself, knew did not work.

She shook her head to push the unwanted humor away before she ended up laughing in her mother’s all-to-stern face.

What’s going on? Neivayka asked.

What’s going on is you staying out all night then tried to skip school again? Phyllis screeched.

Wait... I was gone all night? Neivayka asked in shock. I skipped school? When?

"Yesterday! And your principal explained to me very clearly that I could get arrested if you had too many unexcused absences!" her mother yelled indignantly.

If her words hadn’t been so crazy and unexpected, Neivayka might have mentioned that most mothers would be more worried about why she had skipped school not that they would get in trouble for it. But, Phyllis had always been extremely selfish and self-centered.

Wait, I was gone all day...YESTERDAY? Neivayka questioned again wanting to clarify.

I knew you were dense. But, have you gone deaf too? Yes, you were gone all day yesterday. And if you think I’m letting you pull that sort of thing today you are mistaken. I will not pay a fine or get arrested for you, Phyllis sneered. Get your lazy, butt in that bedroom and get ready for school. YOU ARE GOING!

Like a robot, Neivayka walked back to her bedroom and got ready to go. Her mind was whirling with all the questions she was aching to ask someone. What had happened? How could she have missed a whole day and not remember it?

Hurry up, girl! Phyllis shouted again pounding on her door.

Neivayka needed time and silence to figure it out what had happened. But, she knew she would find neither here. She hurried into a clean set of clothes and booked it out the door without even saying a courtesy goodbye to Phyllis.

Jogging out of her building, she didn’t slow down until she was a block away. Her principal could just deal with one more no show, between her bone-deep exhaustion and the multitude of questions she couldn’t dredge up a care about what he thought. Especially since she didn’t really miss school that often. After all, it was either go to school or spend the day at Phyllis’ beck and call. The choice was easy.

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, she returned to the problem at hand. She began to pick apart what she could remember of yesterday.

The morning before had been much like this one minus the whole lecture from Phyllis. In fact, Phyllis hadn’t even been up when she woke up. She remembered putting her clothes on and scrounging up the last piece of bread before heading out for the day. She had walked the same way to school every day since they had moved into the neighborhood and nothing had been out of the ordinary. Except for right as she got to the...

A loud horn jerked her out of her thoughts and she stumbled to a stop looking up quickly worried that she had unknowingly walked out into the road. There was nothing. No one was on the road or on the sidewalk, which was extremely unusual for a Wednesday... or rather a Thursday.

It really bothered her that she genuinely didn’t know what day it was.

A flash of color caught her eye and she whipped around to see... an empty alleyway.

She looked around the filthy opening to find the source of the brilliant flash. But, there was nothing beyond a few dirty trash cans, a torn, stained mattress, and tons of garbage blowing about. She almost dismissed the flash and walked off, except a low vocalization began to drift through the air. It grew to a beautiful, sweet, hypnotic song that rose and surrounded her, urging her deeper into the alleyway.

Even if Neivayka hadn’t been immensely curious about the noise, she couldn’t refuse the songs draw.

Right in front of her eyes, the entrance began to churn and undulated. Muted colors turned brilliant as it began to shimmer as if someone had transformed the alley into a colorful lake then thrown a pebble into it.

Unable to resist the beautiful mirage, Neivayka reached her hand out to touch a ripple, just to see if it was as soft as it looked. The moment she moved, the singing grew louder and louder until it was not only in her ears but throbbing through her veins. A tiny voice in the back of her mind screamed to turn around and run, except the song soon drowned that voice out as well.

The moment her hand connected with the water the world seemed to halt before fading away completely.

Chapter Two

NEIVAYKA JERKED AWAKE, her mouth opened wide in a silent scream. In a flash, she was out of her bed looking out the window to confirm the horrible truth... the sun was coming up once again, she had lost another day.

This time, she didn’t even bother changing her clothes as she hurried towards the front door. She didn’t remember everything that had happened the last two days, but she had a new clue to the mystery before her.

There was something about that alleyway.

She remembered standing in front of the opening right before the world went dark. She just knew the answers to her missing days were back there and she was determined to uncover them.

Maybe it was some sort of airborne toxin that she was inhaling that caused her to black out. Maybe the horn was a terrible driver that kept hitting her. Maybe she was being infected by some mutated virus that was slowly turning her into a zombie.

Those were a lot of maybes with no serious answers. But, she was bound and determined to find out.

Where do you think you are going, young lady?! Phyllis demanded.

If Neivayka had thought she was going to get out of the house without another lecture from her pseudo-mother, she had obviously been mistaken. She stuttered as she tried to think of a plausible excuse for leaving home so early before school.

Uh... In... In-house suspension, Neivayka answered.

They did that for people who skipped school right? She wondered in a panic. The answer must have pleased Phyllis because she drew herself up and sneered down at Neivayka with a wide self-satisfied grin.

Thought you were gonna get away with it, didn’t ya? Phyllis asked rhetorically in morbid glee.

Neivayka looked at her oddly. Ummm... No?

The answer once again sounded more like a question as if Neivayka was asking her mother if that was the answer she had been wanting.

Phyllis just snorted. Yes, you did. Your so smug and think you’re better than everyone. Well, you’re not.

Neivayka opened her mouth to argue then shut it again knowing it was completely useless to argue with someone so ignorant. No matter how badly she wanted to put Phyllis in her place, she knew it would only play into her game.

May I go? Neivayka asked as politely as she could. I’d rather not get into any more trouble by being late.

Get out of here. But, be home right after school. We have a guest coming for your birthday and if all goes according to plan, your attitude will no longer be my problem, Phyllis stated with glee then began to laugh insanely as she sauntered back to her room.

All Neivayka could do was stare at Phyllis’ retreating figure in shock. Was it her birthday? No, it wasn’t. Her birthday was next month.

She looked at the bland calendar on the wall and realized that it was indeed her birthday. But, it had been many years since Phyllis had done anything for her, much less for her birthday. For the last sixteen years, her birthday had been little more than another day. By the time she was eight, she stopped asking for anything or begging for a small party.

Not to mention, making friends was almost impossible for her. Not only was she socially awkward and extremely shy, why would she want to subject other kids to these people.

Why was Phyllis suddenly so interested in her birthday? Neivayka wondered suspiciously. Instead of questioning the crazy woman any further she just shook her head. With this mysterious guest coming tonight, Neivayka really hoped it was someone to take her far away. Anything would be better than this place.

Before Neivayka even realized it, she was back in front of the alleyway, staring down the empty space.

She knew she should go down the alley and try to find some clue to what happened. However, she couldn’t force her feet to go forward. In fact, she couldn’t get her feet to move at all.

She tried to back away from the opening, then she tried to step to the side of it. But, her feet stayed planted firmly to that cracked, stained piece of concrete. She was stuck staring at the opening like it was one of the most fascinating movies she had ever seen.

Right before her eyes the emptiness shimmered then began to swirl. She saw her hand move of its own accord and she was unable to halt it. She was filled with a sickening dread that if she touched it she would be in grave danger.

The song rose to envelop her, yet there was something wrong with the notes. It was like listening to a beautiful symphony, but one of the instruments was severely out of tune.

The warning bells in her head were screaming at her and though she really, really wanted to listen to them, the song had her in its grasp. Not matter how hard she demanded her feet to move or her hand to stop neither would listen.

Panic began to swamp her and the moment her hand touched the swirling lake a scream flew out of her mouth then the world went black.

Chapter Three

THEY DANCED.

Jumping and flipping, their hypnotic show seemed to just begin and never end at the same time. The brightly colored scarves they waved floated and twisted in a cloud of rainbows. The world around was a blur of pastel haze, undefined and elaborately dreamlike. Neivayka was floating and dancing right alongside them until her footsteps faltered as she woke up slightly. Everything drifted away again and the women’s singing grew louder, filling her up once more and she fell back into rhythm with them.

Neivayka awoke once more, the alleyway was still hazy, but she was more aware. The dancers were now in front of her, swirled more furiously as if they were having a hard time keeping up with the steps.

Neivayka’s stomach twisted apprehensively as she awoke even further only to hear that stupid, useless voice in her head again. This is dangerous! You are going to die!

She tried to move away, but one of the dancers looked over at her and pinned her to the spot with her dark empty gaze. Despite the echoing scream that Neivayka knew was her own, she was caught and held in the hypnotic depths.

An audible snap resonated in her head and the world sprung into focus again.

Clear brilliant focus.

Noise surrounded her, pounding at her. Horns honking, tires screeching, people screaming and talking, all of it came together to drown out the singing in her head. She fell to the ground and covered her ears to stop the deafening sounds from making her head explode.

The chaos gradually receded back into the familiar dull roar of everyday life in the city. Neivayka cautiously uncurled herself from the ball she had rolled up in, yet her muscles stayed tense waiting for another explosion of sound to assault her.

A wave of dizziness hit her, forcing her to release the breath that she had unknowingly been holding. The next breath she took drew in the putrid stench of the alley and, suddenly, she wished that she couldn’t breathe again.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she jerked up fully to see three horrifyingly disfigured creatures swaying slowly in front of her.

Oh, my god! She thought in terror. Were these the beautiful colorful dancers? Their large depthless black eyes bore into her as if they were trying to suck out her soul. Underneath their eyes where their noses should have been, were just two large snake-like slits. Occasionally, their mouths would open and flash small white pointy teeth that looked so sharp they could crush metal in one bite. Hunched over and rigid, the tattered rags that barely covered their gray skin were stained in what looked suspiciously like blood. Every bone in their jerking, uncoordinated bodies were pressed so tightly against their skin that Neivayka could count them easily.

Based on skeletal structure alone, there was no way these creatures could have been human. That was it! She realized as dread filled her. These creatures were not, nor had they ever been, human.

She stumbled back against the large brick wall while a bony claw-like hand reached for here. Terror pounded at her as she hastily realized that this alley was not only abandoned, but it could possibly be the end of her as well.

A loud pounding drew Neivayka’s attention beyond the swaying and grappling creatures. Leaning to the side slightly, she was extremely careful not to get too close to the creatures as she peered around them.

There was a large curtained window that covered the far wall almost completely. The break in the dark brown curtain showed a young boy, no older than 9, thumping frantically on the glass. Where had that come from? She questioned in shock.

As soon as the little boy noticed he had gotten Neivayka’s attention he began to hurriedly wave her towards him, screaming silently behind the tinted glass. His dark eyes were scared and pleading with her to listen to him.

Fearful that the creatures would see him and go after him, Neivayka found the strength to get off the wall. Neivayka crouched as low as she could get and slowly crept around the creatures gaining more courage when they stayed completely still. Like something straight from a horror movie, the creatures kept reaching for her as their torsos turned in a total 180 degrees even though their legs did not move.

These things were not human! She heard the panicked voice scream in her head.

Despite how rooted to the ground they were, she kept them in her sight until she was clear of them, then she set off towards the window on a dead run and almost bouncing off the glass when she skidded to a stop. She tried to break the window with her hands, but the boy stopped her and pointed at a door right next to her. She knew that hadn’t been there before, yet she didn’t question it.

She jerked it open and flung herself inside as if those creatures were hot on her tail. Then slammed it shut and leaned against it to catch her breath.

Even though she was finally safe, it still took her a long time to calm