Roaring Thunder

“Donovan,” Alison says through her teeth, standing up slowly.

“Alison.”

“You haven’t changed all these years.”

“Wish I could say the same for you.”

I didn’t like anything about this man. He looked only seventeen, and every move he made spoke danger. He wore black from head to toe, and his smirk was probably permanent.

“I heard you got out.”

“No fucking thanks to you, bastard.”, Alison snarls. “You promised, damn it!!!”

“No, I didn’t. It was all your fault. If you had been more accurate, then everyone would be fine.”, he says slowly.

“Bastard,” I growl, glaring at him.

“I’m sorry —,” Alison snorts, “but I don’t believe we’ve met before?”

Alison was focusing hard on him, looking beyond stressed. “Give up, Silver. It’s not gonna work.”

“’Course not. You have no heart, so of course you wouldn’t feel pain.”, Alison growls. “If you had half a heart —”

“I have a heart,” Donovan says, smiling. Alison was mumbling something quietly, and I wouldn’t have heard it without the odd silence. “And I taught you that trick,” and she’s thrown back by a miniature tornado, slamming into the nearest stone house.

“Alison!!!”, Martin yells, glaring daggers at Donovan. “BASTARD!!!!!”

“Martin, don’t. He’s my problem.”

“You know, Alison, I would’ve thought you would live to be at least seventeen.”

“Yeah, you’d like that, bastard.”, Alison growls. “But guess what? Now I’ve got something to fight for.”, and fire came straight out of her hands, as everyone jumped back. Donovan threw his own amount of fire, eventually sending Alison’s into dust.

“Obviously you’ve gotten stronger.”

“The beauty of dieing.”

“And you’ve grown.”

“Don’t try flattering me.”, and she was gone, but Donovan threw a punch, making Alison reappear, unconscious.

“YOU DAMN BASTARD!!!!”, Kevin and I growl together.

“Aww, Aly got a new mommy and daddy.”, Donovan snickers.

“Burning up in smoke, make him disappear in the mist!!! As innocent blood is spilled!!!”, Alison yells, grabbing his leg, and he goes up in smoke. “That only buys us time,” Alison says gravely, gripping her bloody nose.

“Here, I’ll get it,” Mirabelle says, gripping Alison nose.

“Thanks.”

“It’s good to have you back.”

“You won’t be saying that for long. He’ll be back next week.”, Alison grumbles. “And damn him! That hurt!!”, she lifts up her burnt palms, flinching away from Mirabelle. “I’ve got something against him.”

“Who was that dude?”, Martin asks, helping her up.

“An old ally,” Alison says indifferently. “He got me in a boat load of trouble … and we ended on bad terms.”

“Exactly why didn’t he get caught, Alison?”, Kevin asks, glaring at her. She glances at David, shrugging.

“Because I teleported him.”

“You hate him!!!”

“I didn’t at the time. He was all I had left.”, Alison growls. “I thought I could trust him. And he tricked me. All he wanted out of me was my gifts. Once those failed him, I was worthless.”, she gritted her teeth, looking away from all of us. “Think about if you suddenly were human again. But if you died, there was no coming back. That would’ve been what happened to everyone. Everyone.”

“You were still there.”

“I healed fast,” Alison says quietly. “One demon hit my heart. He tried to burn me, too. But I —,” she stopped abruptly, shaking her head. “I’m leaving.”

“Alison, you’ve been gone over a week.”

“But now I’m really leaving. And if I’m lucky, he’ll leave you all alone.”, Alison growls. “I died once. And you wanna know why?! He was there. He knows every weakness I have. Because he made them.”, she glared around at the gathering group of friends. “And, Duncan, the first he’s coming after is Sophie.”

Duncan looked sickened, angry, and was baring his teeth animalistically. Alison nodded in approval, looking around. “He kills everyone one by one. Until everyone’s dead. That’s how he thinks.”

I knew she was right. Nobody knew him like her. And from what it seemed, it looked like the there was more going on behind her and Donovan. But I wasn’t going to push it. Not now.

♠ ♣ ♠

It’s been over a week since Donovan made his first appearance. Martin and Alison have acted like there was practically no time seperating them. Josh and I decided it was okay to let everyone know, too. Sophie’s been coming to school with us, as demanded by Duncan. Alison’s been too tensed. But I really think Martin is helping her …

It’s lunch, and we’re all trying to relax. Martin’s trying to get Alison’s attention, as she’s looking nervously around the room. I didn’t know what to feel anymore. She apparently couldn’t see Donovan. She’s especially streesed today. I think that her and Donovan have some a kinds of connections. The burns on her hands haven’t healed. Kevin’s been keeping a close eye on her, just like me.

“Melody? Melody?”, Josh asks, waving a hand in my face.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m here!”, I say, zoning back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking about Alison’s hands … isn’t it weird how they haven’t healed yet?”

“Yeah, it is. Usually we heal pretty fast. But I’m not too worried.”

“Josh, I’m scared. What if there’s more going on between Alison and Donovan? Did you notice how Alison can hardly say his name? She only gets choked up with emotions.”, I whisper quietly, trying to make sure only he could hear it.

“She watched her friends die because of him, Melody.”

“It doesn’t seem like it. Look at her! She’s hardly even glancing at Martin!”, I hiss. “I just wanna try and help her. I can only imagine what it’s like to be so young … and watch everyone die. And then have the one person you trusted most come back and blame everything on you.”

“That’s something none of us want to imagine. But Alison’s got Martin, she’s fine.”, Josh says, kissing me. The best part about having such a huge group, and that everyone’s stressed, is that you can get away with kissing someone for up to an hour without anyone even noticing. Well, almost everyone.

“Josh, be honest. Do you think there was anything going on between Alison and Donovan?”

“Actually, I do. Kevin’s even a little suspicious. I think Martin’s in denial.”

“I wouldn’t blame him. I mean, think about it. It would explain why she was so reluctant. If something happened to her when she was so young …”

“Melody, lets just relax. Alison said that the first person he’d go after is Sophie.”

“Josh, Sophie has been Alison’s life for the past six years. Anything happening to her could damage our group. We’re already unstable since Alison left, and now we have to watch out for a psycho killer from Alison’s past, who’s only one real goal is to make her life hell!”, I hiss, having Josh kiss me to get me to shut up.

“Relax. If anything was going on between Donovan and Alison, then his first target is probably —,” and there was a gunshot. Everyone screams, including me. Josh pulls me under the table, as we all crowd into it. I look around for Alison … and my eyes meet Kevin’s.

“Ohmyfinggod!!! Where’s Alison?!!!”, I yell, hysterical.

“Melody, breathe!”, Josh says sarcastically, shaking me. “Calm down. Jeez, this isn’t some soap-opera where Alison has the psycho ex-boyfriend who tries to kill her current boyfriend, then kills her as she refuses, then he kills himself and they stay with each other for all of eternity.”, Josh says in a rush.

“Umm, Josh? How do you know that?”

“I’ve dated a lot of girls in my five-hundred years, Melody. Sometimes you get sucked into watching some chick-flick.”, Josh says, rolling his eyes. “But that’s besides the point! Alison’s probably fine.”

“I swear that if anything has happened to her, I will personally strangle you for nearly talking me into some weird chick-flick movie that’s never going to happen in real life!!!”, I hiss, nearly crawling out.

“Melody!”

“Let go, Josh!”, I growl, trying to yank free. “She’s like my sister! If anything happens to her … I don’t know what I’ll do!”

He studies my face, reluctantly letting me go, kissing me quickly and saying quietly, “Just be careful, Melody. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I smile, nodding as I crawl slowly out. Another gunshot, and I look around until I finally see Donovan. He smirks at me, aiming the gun. I close my eyes, hearing him pull the trigger.