Static Reflections: Book 1 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 45 - Boris: Erased

Chapter 45 - Boris: "Erased"

All of the remaining animals from the Black Cross' attack sat still at the moment after Leah had greeted her father. The dead bodies were still slumped over the end of the table where Leah sat, blood continuing to drip onto the floor below. The wine glasses the vampires had left stood on the table as if waiting for the Black Cross to return to finish their feasts of scarlet ichor. A breeze blew in from the shattered windows with their jagged glass lining the edges, the creme-colored curtains moving in the wind. The candles around still burned brightly and the three chandeliers swayed slowly in the breeze.

Everyone was still reeling from what had just happened, still quaking and breathing heavily in fear that their assailants might come back at any moment. Molly, in particular, was highly freaked out, sobbing quietly, red splattered against her cheek. Gerald just stared at Marcel's cold open eyes, unmoving and forever gazing into nothing. His face was still beaten up from being slammed on the table, blood caked underneath his nose. Tyler was looking toward the door where Pierce had run to, confused about that entire situation. Boris was staring right at Leah, waiting for her to speak.

"Pierce, you can come out!" the young witch called, and all heads turned as they peeked out from behind the kitchen door, once again a lemur. They came out and sat down in their seat once more, quietly. "Is everyone okay?" Leah asked.

"N-no, Leah! We're fucking terrified!" Molly yelled, still shaking.

"Untie them," Leah told the other females around her, and they began coming over and working the knots on each of the animal's bondages. Once they were free, everyone moved their hands, opening and closing them as if they were testing whether they still worked.

"That was . . . f-fucking insane," Tyler stated, swallowing dryly.

"M-Marcel . . ." Molly whispered. "Oh, god, what the fuck just happened . . . ?"

Leah stood up. "Everyone, grab your chair and let's leave this room. Her friends didn't move, waiting for everyone to exit. "Girls, mind cleaning up?"

The victims all carried their chairs out into the foyer of the mansion, moving slowly and warily. They set them down in a circle formation and sat under the chandelier. Clockwise, the circle went Leah, Gerald, Molly, Boris, Tyler, and Pierce.

Gerald stared at the floor. "I can barely process what just happened. Have my kids been involved with demons this entire time?"

Leah straightened her dress. "Those weren't demons. That's a whole other fiasco."

"D-Demons aren't gonna come for us now, right?!" Molly asked, glancing around, messing with her hands.

Gerald placed an arm around her, holding her close.

Boris sighed at the sight of his father finally hugging one of his children after so long. Of course, it wasn't him. He was just thankful that his father was still alive, at least. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."

"I feel so shitty," Pierce said, their legs pulled to their chest, messing with their colorful shoes. "If I weren't here, this wouldn't have happened . . . ."

"It's not your fault," Tyler said. "It's . . . him. Boris told us that he told him to bring you here."

"Him? Him who?" Gerald asked.

Boris gazed at him, trying to find words. "I . . . can't tell you."

"If he's the cause of all of this, maybe we can get authorities involved-"

"No!" Boris almost shouted.

"Dude, did you not understand what just happened?" Tyler shook his head. "Those were vampires! What the hell are authorities going to do?!"