Burnin' Up | J. Saltzman - Legacies [1]

T W E L V E

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Stella and Lexi silently wait from Hope to return; they do not look at each other. The Necromancer stays in the corner of his cell, his eyes roaming the small window before him.

"It's so cool," MG's voice echoes off the stone. "It's like compulsion, but while I'm on the surface of his mind, heroic-like, I'm plunging you into the deep end—Holy Mary, mother of demons."

Stella turns to see MG frozen in the threshold. Lexi moves like an eel in water to open the cell door for MG and Hope to step through.

"Hello, Milton," the Necromancer says. "Your great nana Imogene is waving hello just over your shoulder."

"You can see my great nana?" the vampire asks as Hope walks into the cell. Lexi waits at the door, a bored look on her face.

"Oh, I can see everything," he replies as he walks over to his chair. "She's most disappointed in you for forsaking Jesus, who I can also see, but that's another can of worms. Shall we begin?"

"Uh, I gotta go in there?" MG asks of Lexi, his feet refusing to step into the cell. "With him?"

"With me." The Necromancer grins. "The Almighty Nec—"

Lexi clenches her hand into a fist and the Necromancer chokes on air. "Can you not start again?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. He glares at her, mouthing words none of them can hear.

Lexi rolls her eyes before she turns to MG with a warm smile. "We haven't been formally introduced. I am Stella's mother and Hope's aunt, Mrs. Hale. You are?"

MG stares at the Necromancer before shaking out of his stupor. "MG," he replies as Lexi gently tugs him into the cell.

"MG, you have nothing to fear, not while I'm here," Lexi says. Stella rolls her eyes.

"Well, if your family is any indication, I know that," MG says. "They're powerful as hell."

The women all smirk. Lexi drops the spell.

"You have no reason to fear me, I assure you," the Necromancer says as he massages his jaw.

"You're basically the Grim Reaper."

"Oh, the Reaper is a carnival sideshow hack! No, you—you dirty your mouth mentioning his name in my presence. Perhaps I should summon Nana to wash it out with soap?"

"No, you leave my Nana be," MG replies, suddenly much more comfortable with Lexi by his side. "Don't nobody need to be whupped by Nana right now."

Lexi stiffens but shakes herself out of her hesitation. The Necromancer sees it. Stella and Hope straighten up in defense.

Lexi takes MG and places him before the Necromancer. Stella and Hope are already standing behind the monster. "Now," she says, placing her hands on MG's shoulders. "You will stand here with your hands here." She moves his hands to rest on the Necromancer's. "Stella, you and Hope each place a hand on his shoulder." They do as their told.

The Necromancer grins as he watches Lexi intently. "Join hands."

The Necromancer's hands jump to grip MG's. The vampire flinches.

"Now, you are going to look into his eyes," Lexi orders before she glances at the monster. "You, just open your mind like a good lad. It will make it so much easier."

"You're not coming with us?" Stella asks.

Lexi shakes her head. "It is enough for MG to just send you two. I'll be here. Monitoring."