14. Nolan
Chapter 14
Nolan
O nce I stepped outside, my magic pulsed into the air and I sent notice to all the animals of what I wanted. Eyes of squirrels, birds and any creature made note of the man’s face. Within moments, their images and messages communicated back to me. A trail, a house, a job, and putting all those things together gave me a location. This human male would never hurt Lisette again.
As I walked towards town, the sky transformed into a canvas of vibrant colors as the sun dipped below the horizon. The crow, watching his location, made sure he stayed inside his abode. The spider in his window watched him pace and his fists clenched. My mind was everywhere as the animals sent me information upon information about this man. Julian tried calling Lisette more times, but she ignored his calls.
Good girl, I thought to myself.
Maybe walking for miles would be hard for a human, but I wasn’t fully human. Magic filled my soul and every atom of my body. I was more wild magic than flesh and blood. Work like this wasn’t truly work. Animals slinked around me in the shadows. A predator joined me and more that would eat flesh when prompted followed. I was the pied fucking piper of animals at this moment. The moon shone brightly above me and energized me. It was late by the time I arrived at the small, rickety house. It wasn’t a good neighborhood, and I was sure it was cheap from the visions shared by the animals in the corners of the house. I stepped to the door and pounded on the door.
Julian opened the door and looked at me with confusion on his face. “Who are you?”
I smiled. “You killed Lisette Denvers.”
Julian shook his head. He looked away, the pulse in his throat quickened in fear. He was lying. Of course he was. She died in my arms until I revived her. “No, I didn’t. I saw her hours ago, and I just talked to her on the phone.”
The coyote that had been slinking behind me shot from the dark and ran into the house. His mouth snapped at Julian and he screamed. His snarls filled the air as he circled around Julian. “What the fuck is that!?”
“A coyote.”
“Why is it trying to bite me?” Julian shrieked.
“I figure the animals could have a few nips at you first.”
Julian’s face drained of all color. “What…what do you mean?” He stepped backward and tried to grab a bat. A bat covered in dried blood.
A vine ripped it from his hands and tossed it aside. I punched him and he stumbled backwards. Blood spewed from his nose. “You killed Lisette Denvers. Death is what you deserve. You abused her. You hurt another human and you’ll pay.”
Julian tried to punch me, but I ducked away. A vine drugged him away from me. Julian stumbled and grabbed my shirt. The coyote grabbed his calf and tore into his skin. Julian fell to the ground, clutching his leg. “Get that damn dog off me!”
I smirked. “It’s not a dog.” Rats from the walls and off the street scurried into the and gnawed at his flesh. Julian didn’t have enough hands to stop all the animals from maiming him.
Julian looked at me. Fear dripped from his entire being. “How are you doing this?”
In the last moment, as Julian’s scared eyes looked up at me, I shifted back to my pumpkin head. A sadistic smile crawled up my face. Horror coursed over his face.
“Magic.”
Once I was sure that Julian couldn’t fight anymore, my vines wrapped around his remains, ensuring he could not crawl away. I called back the animals. No one wanted the animals to get hurt. I stepped out of the house and circled the house. The magic that lived inside everything filled my being as I wrapped the house with magic. The elements were part of nature and I was all wild magic. Julian’s groans echoed in the air as I blew at the house.
The base of the house sparked, and another minute later, flames covered the house. I stood in the fire's glow; the flames ate the building. There was something lovely watching Lisette’s killer die and scream as death caught up to him. The other day was never supposed to be Lisette’s death day. Instead, she was reborn.
And I live.
I’ll always be there for Lisette.