Rise of the Phoenix (The Phoenix Trilogy Book 1) (10 page)

IT WAS DUSK when they walked Ben back to the village. Phoenix brought the backpack full of medical supplies. As they walked up the dirt road to the shanty village most everyone was waiting at the entrance. Vera, Ben’s wife, ran up to him pulling him into a tight embrace.

Phoenix could understand their worry; she knew how she felt smelling the blood. More than anything she wanted to pounce like a hungry tiger and kill the man that had trusted them with his life.

“We were so worried,” Vera said stepping back from her husband.

“I told you I’d be fine. I saw the sun, V. Took my breath away.”

“Really?” she asked in shock. The others moved closer at the word sun. Doug however stayed back a few feet with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring.

“Wasn’t much, just a tiny beam, but I stood in it.”

The group of villagers began to whisper among themselves, but Phoenix could hear everything they were saying crystal clear. Some were saying how they wanted to experience sun, others smiled like just the thought of the sun still shining bright in a blue sky was a miracle.

Adam nudged her arm with his elbow and motioned to the group with his head and then he held his index finger up to his ear. Phoenix nodded.

“Ya’ll have earned you a place for supper tonight and you’re welcome to stay over so ya ain’t walkin’ in the dark,” Ben said patting Adam on the shoulder.

Upon hearing this Doug hit one of the guards folding chairs with an open hand and sent it tumbling, before walking off.

Ben led them to his home. Phoenix set the backpack with medical supplies down on the table and unzipped it. Mixed in with the meds and bandages was a bottle of whiskey. Adam took it out. “Will you have a drink with us, Ben?” he said holding it up.

The old man’s eyes lit up. “Hot damn. Where’d ya get that?”

“I robbed a rich man’s stash,” Adam said as Ben went to get some glasses.

Vera walked in carrying a pot of something that smelled delicious. “I worked up some stew,” she said as she set it down on the counter.

“Come have a drink with us, V.” Ben handed her a glass and raised his own. “To the sun.”

The glasses, which were old Mason jars, clinked and the four of them took a drink. “Mmm, that’s good, but I make better,” Ben said with a smile.

“You have a still?” Adam asked.

“Sure do. It’s out back. I figure with the law gone ain’t nobody to stop me.”

Adam poured another couple shots into each glass. Ben moved to help Vera ladle the stew into some bowls, but she shoo’d him away. “You’ve had a long day. Sit. I have this.”

She put a bowl in front of each of them and brought out a homemade loaf of bread and set it in the middle of the table.

“Thank you,” Phoenix said to her. She noticed Ben looking at her so she looked across the table to let him know she was aware of it.

“Sorry, I just can’t get use to those glowin’ eyes of yours,” he said.

“If I wasn’t aware of how they look I would be totally freaked out by it,” she replied with a smile.

Ben chuckled. “Dig in. My V is a damn good cook,” he said ripping a chunk of bread off with his hands handing it to Phoenix then another for Adam.

Phoenix dipped her spoon in and took a bite. “Wow, this is really good.”

“Told ya,” Ben said raising his own spoon to his mouth.

“Killed a chicken to make it, but we got us a horny rooster,” Vera said with a grin.

Phoenix almost choked when the comment caused her to laugh as she swallowed.

“We got us another sick one,” Vera said to Ben.

“Who?”

“Jeremy. Annabel has been lookin after him all day.”

Ben sighed.

“What’s wrong with him?” Phoenix asked.

“Don’t know. Same as the others I guess. They just turn sickly out of the blue,” Ben answered. “I guess it may be time for our bargain.”

“You understand that we haven’t had blood for a couple days, right?” Adam said. “If you take ours we will need to replenish, and I didn’t bring any with us.”

“I won’t force folks to let you bite into um, but if they volunteer…” Ben let the sentence hang.

“Of course,” Phoenix agreed.

As they walked to the shanty where the boy lived Phoenix noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Quickly turning her head she saw Doug dash behind a building. She wasn’t sure how far this guy was willing to take his hatred, but it was in her and Adam’s benefit to find out.

Ben turned the knob and entered through a door that looked to belong to a home bathroom or bedroom rather than a front door. “Annabel, can we come in?”

“Of course.” The voice sounded polite, but stressed.

The home was kept dark with the exception of a lantern burning next to the boy’s bed. There were no separate rooms only a partitioned off bathroom with the entrance covered by a curtain. The smell of the outhouse type bathroom filled Phoenix’s nose and she coughed against it.

“Anna, this is Phoenix and Adam. They’d like to help Jeremy,” Ben said in a very respectful tone.

Phoenix felt an overwhelming sadness. The scene reminded her of the infomercials that would beg you to send money to kids in third world countries. There would be a child shown taking care of his younger siblings. He would be no more than twelve, yet he was the adult now. The teenager before her had the same look of stress and worry. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her fingers. “I would like that very much.”

Ben pulled up a folding chair and sat down next to her taking her hand. “There somethin you need to know.” He paused for a second. “If they help him they’ll be needin blood in return.”

For the first time the girl looked up and saw the company Ben had brought with him. She looked down at her brother then back to them. The boy lying in the bed looked like a pile of bones. His breathing was filled with wheezing and gurgles. In the dim light his skin looked purple.

Phoenix’s mind drifted to her own sister and how she suffered. More than anything she wanted to save her, but in the end the radiation took her. She never left Sophie’s side. Every day was filled with warming some broth for her, and forcing her to try and drink some water. As the weeks passed, Sophie just gave up. She knew her fate, and asked Phoenix to speed it along. Standing here in this tiny shanty Phoenix couldn’t help but wonder what may have happened to Sophie if she had known her blood could heal. Adam’s voice kicked her mind back into the present. “I’m not saying it won’t hurt, but I will give you some of my blood as well so that you’ll heal. I’ll try to make it as pleasant as possible.”

She sniffed again. “You’re going to bite me?” Panic filled the young girl’s eyes.

“Yes, and you should know that I will bite you on the neck not the wrist,” Adam confessed.

“Anna, it’s up to you; ya hear?” Ben assured her.

“He’s dying, Ben. I don’t have a choice. He’s all I have left.”

The patriarch nodded his head and stood. He gripped Adam’s shoulder for a second then stepped back.

Adam took his seat. “I need to feed first,” he said as gently as he could.

Annabel looked down at her lap for a second, then as her face rose it filled with determination. “I’m ready.”

Adam took both of her hands in his. “This won’t last long, I promise,” he said looking into her eyes.

The girl nodded and Adam gently moved her long hair to one side and gently tilted her head. Her eyes clinched shut. Adam hovered over her skin for a moment, then bit down. Anna let out a gasp and her eyes flew open, followed by moans of pain. Her hands gripped her shirt and she held onto it pulling it so tight around her body that Phoenix thought the seams would tear.

The feeding only lasted minutes.

“I’m sure that felt like an eternity,” Adam said before biting into his wrist and putting it up to her mouth. Anna cringed at the taste, but drank regardless. When Adam pulled his wrist away she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, looking as if she may vomit.

“Concentrate on something else. Anything else. You need to keep that blood down,” Phoenix said crouching next to her. The girl looked up at the corner of the ceiling and began to count out loud. She did this until she reached number fifty, then she took a few deep breaths. Ben handed her a glass of water, which she gulped down.

Keeping his wound open Adam placed his wrist against the boys mouth. Jeremy gripped his wrist, pushing against it. His legs began to kick in futile attempts to get away.

“Jeremy you listen to me,” Anna said with authority. “You need to drink his blood. It will help you.”

The boy shook his head back and forth with repulse. His nose crinkled up and he rolled his lips in on themselves like a force field.

“You need to trust me, Jeremy. I’ve never lied to you. Do it, and stop wasting your energy,” Anna insisted.

Jeremy looked into his sister’s eyes for a moment as if seeking the truth; then he nodded his consent.

Adam’s wrist had healed so he bit into it again and placed it against the boy’s mouth. Jeremy cringed at the taste at first, but kept drinking. When he began to gag Adam removed his wrist and wiped the boys mouth with his fingers. “I’m sure that didn’t taste good, but you keep that down.”

Jeremy continued to cough and gag and at one point he coughed so hard he sat up in bed clutching his chest.

Anna took his hands in hers, as she slid closer to him. She picked up a wet rag from a wash basin setting on a small table next to his bed and dabbed his forehead. A comforting hum radiated from her chest and Jeremy stared into her eyes as if hypnotized by it. Soon his coughing ceased and he laid his head back on the pillow. “That’s right, you rest now,” Anna said leaning down and kissing his forehead.

“He already has color,” Ben said amazed.

Adam took Phoenix hand and pressed it to his cheek. She picked up on the emotions emanating from him and squeezed his hand in return, knowing he was relieved that he didn’t lose control and was able to help the boy.

“Mister,” a scratchy voice said and all eyes went to Jeremy. He was now sitting up and looking every bit like a healthy young man.

“Yes,” Adam said humbly.

“Thanks.”

“You welcome, little man.”

“I’m not a little man.” Jeremy protested trying to look fierce.

“You’re right.” Adam extended his hand to shake Jeremy’s, which made the boy grin from ear to ear. “You’re a man.”

Anna sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “He hasn’t spoken in weeks.”

“I’m glad we could help,” Phoenix said.

“Ya’ll have earned ya a stay over. I insist,” Ben said standing and slapping Adam on the back firmly.

“We would be honored,” Adam replied.

“I say a celebration is in order,” Ben said with a chuckle as he walked out of the small shack.

Jeremy threw the covers off. “I’m going.”

“Don’t you think you should take it easy for the night?” Anna insisted.

“Nope. I feel fine.” He began throwing clean clothes out of a dresser that had seen better days.

“Jeremy! I just washed those,” Anna yelled.

“We’ll leave you guys to it,” Phoenix said giving her a hug.

As they walked out of the tiny shanty the festivities had already started. People were cheering and clapping.

“Should we do the Top Gun hero walk?” Adam said grinning.

Phoenix nudged his side. “Stop it.”

“You know I’m kidding. What happened in there was a miracle.”

Walking up the dirt road to Ben’s house they were greeted with many thanks and praise. Adam insisted every time that it was nothing and it was his pleasure.

When they walked into Ben’s shanty they found him with his butt up in the air as he bent over digging in a large trunk.

“Need some help?” Phoenix asked.

“Ah ha! There they be,” he replied standing and holding up two fairly large boxes of fireworks.

“Where did you get those?” Adam asked walking toward the old man with his hands out and excitement in his eyes.

Phoenix rolled her eyes. “Guys and fire.”

“Guys and rockets,” Adam corrected.

“I’ve been keeping these for a special occasion,” Ben said with a schoolboy enthusiasm.

“Are you sure you want to waste them on us?” Adam asked.

“Ain’t no better time.”

Vera stepped through the back door with a basket of laundry in her hands. Ben dashed to unload the burdensome weight which she gladly handed over and removed the washboard from the top stack. “So how’d it go?”

“The boy is healed. It’s time to celebrate. Get out the shine and I’ll start cookin.”

Vera hugged Ben and kissed the dimple on his chin before walking off.

“Hey, get the good stuff, darling!”

Ben put the fireworks on the table and pulled the large hunting knife from his hip. He wiped it a few times across his jeans. “Time to get the hog.”

“I’ll just stay here,” Adam insisted.

“No way boy, get those pretty hands of yours dirty.”

Ben walked out knife in hand.

“Did he just call me boy?”

“Better go slaughter the beast,” Phoenix said smiling.

“I have the feeling this is going to be some crazy ass shit.”

“Well you need to impress our host, so go.” Phoenix knew Adam killed animals all the time for food so she was puzzled over his hesitation.

Adam sighed removing the bandana that he kept tied around one of his boots and his arm bracelets. He handed them to Phoenix.

Phoenix snickered as he walked out the back door with his head hung low. “The rock star becomes a butcher,” she quietly snickered.

“Can you help me, hun?” Vera said as she walked up the stairs carrying a wooden crate full of Mason jars. They clanked together with each step she took.

Phoenix dashed over at vamp speed. “Here let me take those.” She lifted the crate with ease and Vera went back down the stairs. Phoenix quickly set the jars on the table and beat the older woman to the shelf in the root cellar. “No lifting for you.”

Phoenix took a look around. The tiny space was filled with home canned food and smoked meat. Underneath the shelves Ben had dozens of crates of moonshine covered in burlap tarps. “You guys are set up pretty well.”

“Yeah, Ben dug this before we built the house. Took him and the boys weeks digging with shovels.” Vera wiped her hands on her apron.