The Necromancer's Curse

Chapter 2

How Cam managed to track the phone of whoever stole her necklace Jay didn't know, but she was tracking the guy. That was how they found themselves at Riverside Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in the city, and one of the several cemeteries no longer in use. It was protected by a low brick wall and an army of pine trees, which is why no one inside would see his car parked at the curb.

Cam sighed, looked at her phone again as if to make sure they were really in the right place, and then turned to him. She snapped her fingers, and a small flame came to life in her palm. "Try this."

"I'm not going to try and make a fire in my car." With those words he got out, stopping a few feet from the car. Cam followed him, holding his gaze in a challenge as she stepped around the car. After a moment, he gave up. Sighing, he snapped like she had shown him. Nothing happened. Not really a surprise.

"I told you I'm not a witch. I mean, it would be cool if I was, but I'm not."

"No, try again."

He rolled his eyes and tried again, and again, and again. With each failed attempt Cam's face got darker, until finally she blurted out "You're not even trying."

"Yes I am. But I'm not a witch."

She shook her head. "No. You're snapping because I say so, but you're not thinking of the flame. You don't necessarily need the snap, but you do need to imagine the magic."

He kept his palm up, staring at it intently to appease her. He could almost see a flame dancing over his hand the way it did over Cam's except that he was no witch. It wasn't going to happen.

"Close your eyes," Cam commanded.

He did. He still saw the picture in his head, but that wasn't going to make it any more real. His arm was straining, and for a moment his palm felt hot, and then-

A gunshot.

They both jumped. For a second a flame larger than any Cam had produced that night shot out of his hand, almost singeing her. Cam cursed quietly underneath her breath, staring at him for only a moment before turning to the cemetery, and then she was climbing over the wall. He locked the car and followed her, cursing. His heart was racing faster than it ever had in his life, but it wasn't like he had another choice. They crouched down behind a gravestone, peeking over the top.

The cemetery was dark, except for a bright red glow down a path that wound through the plot. They were too far away to make out what it was, but the light hung suspended in the air. It cackled like fire, but Jay couldn't make out a source for it. It was just a vague, floating mass of magical light. Beneath it stood several dark figures.

Still crouching, Cam moved closer.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he hissed.

"Necklace," she shot back. She continued crawling, and he followed reluctantly. If they didn't die tonight, he was going to kill her for this.

As they got closer, the shadows took on shapes. There were five, but only the three men in dark suits were standing. One of them, blonde with a very college conservative looking haircut, held down a fourth guy, forcing him to kneel. Another figure lay on the ground, half hidden by the two rows of gravestones in front of them. One of the men in suits rose from where he crouched above the figure, sleek black hair glowing in the light from above. The way everyone was watching him made it clear that he was the one in charge.

Jay froze in place. There was no doubt that one of these men was who had gotten his hands on Cam's necklace, but what were they doing?

The leader raised his foot and kicked the figure on the ground. The body rocked, then shuddered, and then took a deep breath. "Get up," the man commanded, and it lurched to its feet, eyes roaming the crowd. It was a woman, dressed in dirt streaked rags. Dark red hair hung matted in her face, obscuring most of it. She pushed it out of the way with a pale, dirty hand, revealing a perfect circular hole in her forehead. Blood poured out from it, covering her face, but she didn't seem to mind that. She smiled and opened her mouth as if to speak. No sound came out.