The Vampire from Hell

Chapter 23 - Blood Lilies

Chapter 23 - Blood Lilies

I returned to the living room acting like I was carrying an alien life form wrapped up in a cellophane basket as I shuffled my feet so I wouldn't fall. I had no idea what the delivery was. 

Michael caught on to my confusion. "They are flowers. You've never seen flowers?" 

I shook my head. 

"Ashton never sent you flowers?" 

"Don't go there," I warned. 

He responded by lifting his hands and motioning for me to hand them to him. Quickly he took the basket from me and placed it on the counter. 

After he peeled away the wrapping, we both studied the arrangement. The white wicker basket contained red flowers that reminded me of small star bursts. Each spherical blossom went in a million directions and appeared to be about the size of a person's fist. 

"Blood lilies," he said. "You wanna google tha...?" 

"Already on it," I replied, sweeping up my iPhone and letting my thumb work feverishly to search for the word. "Blood lily. A plant native to South Africa that produces fiery red flowers. Also called the fire-ball lily." I reported. "Who do you think they are from?" 

"Is there a card?" 

"I didn't see one." I glanced again at Michael. 

"Hmm," he replied. "Interesting. I have a feeling they are from Ra." 

"Why do you say that?" I asked, remembering Blick had told me to not say anything about the contents of his email. Michael wouldn't know that Ra was going to be contacting me. So why had Ra called Michael? I wondered. 

Michael shrugged his shoulders. "Ra actually called me when he got a text from Death. Blick is in the middle of something, Death too actually, so I was called in." 

"You can still read my thoughts?" 

"Sometimes." He pointed at the container. "Do you mind if I...?" 

"Be my guest." 

As Michael dismantled the flower arrangement, I took a quick look at my text messages. Nothing from Blick. Nothing from Lynn. Nothing from Death. I sighed. I could understand Blick not texting me maybe, but Lynn, that was weird. The one good thing about this situation was not getting any communication from Death. I was holding on to my lucky stars as long as I could. 

"Here we go," Michael announced. Retrieving a small silver case from the base of the basket, he popped it open since it was sealed airtight and placed it on the marble tile counter top. 

A silver case. 

"What is it?" I asked, hoping that the clear vials of dark liquid, nestled on a white silk lining, were what I thought they were. 

"Here's the card," Michael offered. "It's addressed to you." 

He handed me a small ivory envelope with a card inside. It had been hidden under the vials in the case. My name was written across the front in what appeared to be embossed gold lettering. A symbol of a red ankh was stamped underneath my name. 

"That sneaky bastard. Someone does have connections, as Death would say," Michael snorted as he returned to sitting on the bar stool. 

The card read: 

"Dearest Rayea, my apologies for not meeting you in person. Please accept this gift with my blessings." Ra 

"You think it really is Ra's blood?" I blurted out.