MOONSPELL

by

PiperMerlyn

Chapter 8

The Chapters

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

Joe didn't step foot out of his room until ten-fifteen the next morning. The house was quiet and he knew his parents and aunt had gone to church. He and Frank used to go with them and although their aunt didn't quite approve, their parents had decided not to force them to go to church. Joe was just glad there was one day he could sleep late undisturbed. He padded barefoot downstairs and decided to see what he could find by way of breakfast.

He found the milk and cereal box and his brother seated at the kitchen table, reading the Sunday paper. Joe poured some cereal and milk and set to eating, not even bothering with saying good morning. That was the other thing nice about Sunday mornings--he didn't have to be polite until he woke up completely.

Frank tossed down the paper in a disgusted manner then looked over at Joe. "Oh, you're up."

"Mornin' to you too," Joe mumbled between bites of cereal.

"At least you didn't say good."

Joe arched an eyebrow and glanced at the headline splashed across the newspaper. He had to read it three times before it registered. He glanced over at Frank. "You're kidding, right." He slapped the paper with his free hand. "This is a mock-up. For the day before Halloween."

Frank slowly shook his head and got up. He placed his bowl and spoon in the sink, and then put the milk jug back into the refrigerator. "No."

Joe stared at the headline and frowned. "This is sick, though. This isn't funny by any stretch of the imagination."

Frank sat back down at the table. "I know."

Joe found he wasn't hungry anymore. He shoved the bowl away and grabbed the paper in both hands. He read the headline again then focused on the story. The more he read, the more disgusted he got. He felt like ripping the paper into pieces. "This has to stop."

Frank just nodded. "I know."

Just then the telephone rang. Frank got up and answered it. "Hello?....Yeah.....I don't know, Callie....I agree.....I don't know.....Well, it's starting early here apparently.....Neither do I....Maybe later, Callie. All right." Frank sighed and hung up the phone. "She just saw the paper." He started back to the table when the phone rang again. He answered it. "Hello....He's right here." Frank handed the cordless phone to his brother.

Joe looked up, distracted. "Who is it?"

"Vanessa."

Joe took the phone. "Hey.....It's staring at me right now.....That's what I said.....That sounds good. See you later." Joe absently handed the phone back to Frank, only to realize his brother was seated at the table again. He switched off the cordless phone and set it on the table. "Van's upset about the danger."

"So am I. The article doesn't say anything about how many were taken. There's always a shortage, especially for the rare types. What if there was some mass emergency?"

Joe set the paper down. "Maybe we should go find out."

Frank nodded. "Good idea."

As one, the brothers got up and went upstairs to get dressed, leaving the paper lying on the kitchen table. Splashed across the front page in big black type read the words: Robbery--Blood Bank Suffering Anemia.

***

The brothers spent the next hour trying to find the owner of the local blood bank by phone, then by address but neither worked. Joe sighed and glanced around the library computer room. "It's possible that it's some sort of dummy orporation but why anyone would do that with a blood--"

"Got it.'' Frank said triumphantly. "The corporation belongs to Thayer Corp, out of---" Frank broke off when he saw the country of origin listed. "You're not going to believe this. Out of Romania ."

"I'm beyond shock now," muttered Joe. He narrowed his eyes. "Thayer. Remember all those stupid horror movies where Igor had a lisp. Maybe it really means Slayer."

As if Frank were on the same wavelength, he added, "Slayer----slayed. Can it be that crazy?"

Joe shrugged. "With names like Graves , Slade, is there any question?"

"Yeah. Why?" asked Frank. "Why the pranks?"

"Maybe you were right. Maybe it was for publicity."

Frank stood up. "I think it's time to stop guessing, stop hunting. We go to the source."

"You think that's a good idea? What if the girls' dad is really that wolf?"

"I don't believe in werewolves," stated Frank. "I don't believe in vampires, or ghosts or mummies or mermaids. Don't know about you, but I want answers."

Joe sighed and got to his feet. "Fine. But there's got to be a clue somewhere in here. These are classic distractions. What are they really after?"

Frank headed for the door. "Let's find out."

They left the library and headed back toward their house and Elm Street . They drove down to the old Lancaster estate and before Frank had shut off the ignition, Joe was out of the van. Frank hurried after him as Joe strode up to the front door and used the iron knocker to bang on the door.

The old wooden door swung open on creaking hinges and Merlyn stepped out onto the small porch, blinking as if she'd just woke up. She stared at them for a long moment, then said, "Yes?"

Frank cleared his throat. "I think we need to talk."

Appearing behind his cousin, Dyllan Graves frowned. "No, we don't. Close the door, Merlyn."

"Stop bossing me, Dyllan. You're not my father." Merlyn stepped further out and pulled the door closed. "What do you want to talk about?"

Joe folded his arms across his chest. "Have you seen the newspaper this morning."

Merlyn sighed. "Yes."

"Things started happening after you arrived," began Frank. "We were wondering if all these incidents are related."

"You mean to my family," said Merlyn, not looking too happy.

Joe studied her for a moment. "If they're just pranks--"

"I take responsibility for Ankhara. It being so close to Samhain, I disturbed her rest, opening the sarcophagus."

Joe wasn't quite expected that answer. "Um...we were talking more about the coffins."

"And the robbery at the blood bank," added Frank.

Merlyn's green eyes went wide. "What?"

Frank wondered at her reaction. "You're saying your family doesn't have anything to do with the robberies?"

"At the blood bank? What would we do with blood? Or," She glanced at Joe. "Or coffins."

Joe cleared his throat. "Then what are you talking about?"

Merlyn sighed again. Ankhara,Leigh,Rhiannon...Grams."

Frank shook his head. "I don't follow."

"The mummy. I woke the mummy up when I showed her off. Leigh....well, she took one of Mum's inventions and shouldn't have. Rhiannon got loose somehow and so did Grams. I don't know what you're trying to imply but--"

"Your grandmother got loose?" Joe asked puzzled. "You mean you keep your grandmother on a leash or something?"

"Would be rather hard to do since she's dead."

Frank held up both hands. "Okay, hold up. You're saying your grandmother...." He swiveled his head to look at Joe, then back at Merlyn. "The ghost?"

"I still don't know why she followed us to school Wednesday. Daddy's been on my case enough already."

Joe shared another look with his brother, then looked at her. "Okay, you're saying the mummy is real, your grandmother's a ghost...who's Rhiannon?"

"A princess of the wee folk. She's kind of an ambassador for her people. She travels with us."

It took a moment for Frank to realize what she was implying. "Wait just a minute, you're saying Rhiannon is a fairy?"

Merlyn frowned at him. "What, you don't believe in fairies? Don't let them hear you."

Frank shook his head again. "Okay, so you're saying that no one in your family is in any way connected to the stolen coffins or the blood bank robbery."

"No one."

"What about the werewolf?" blurted Joe, both to his brother and Merlyn.

Merlyn gave him an odd look. "What about him?"

"So there is a werewolf here?" asked Joe, somewhat dazed.

"Uncle Ray thinks he's a werewolf, locks himself in the basement for three nights out of the month. He suffers from lycanthropy."

"So....he's not a real shape-shifting man to wolf werewolf," said Frank, trying to clarify things. Then he realized how that sounded and felt silly.

"No. Why?"

"There's a wolf--huge, had tatters of clothing on its fur. Seemed to recognize the name Reiden," said Joe.

"And had a gold crucifix around its neck."  added Frank.

Merlyn stared at the brothers, looking for the first time frightened. "You're certain. Gold crucifix?" She turned as if to go in, then glanced back at them. "Where?"

"Out by Birch Road cemetery," answered Frank, before thinking she'd have no idea where that was.

"Near thick woods?" she asked.

Joe nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"I have to go." She pushed the door open and frowned to see Dyllan still standing there. "Eavesdropping?"

"You know I don't have to." He looked at Frank and Joe with an odd expression. "I guess you broke silence."

"Move, Dyllan. I have to talk to Daddy."

Dyllan obligingly moved, right out the door to block the brothers from coming in. He shut the door. "Why are you still here. You know everything now."

Joe found he didn't really like Merlyn's cousin. "So what do you know?"

Dyllan didn't come back with a sarcastic reply. In fact, he looked so haggard for a moment, Frank thought he was going to fall right there on the porch. "You okay?"

Dyllan frowned. "Bad dreams. Nothing I can't handle." He turned to walk back in the house. "You know," he said in an odd tone. "That house isn't a good place for festivities. If you'd asked, I'm sure my aunt and uncle would have had the party here." He walked inside then and shut the door with a solid thunk.

Joe stared at the door. "What the hell was all that about?"

Frank shook his head. "I don’t know. I'm not sure of anything right now. Mummies? Fairies?"

Joe shrugged. "Did you notice how he seemed to know things. Like his cousin Leigh."

Frank started back to the van. "Something very weird is going on, little brother. I just wish I knew what it was."

Joe followed his brother back to the van. "So what now? Do we bug Con to find out the details of the blood bank robbery? Do we go back to the funeral home, bug them?"

"We can try." Frank got behind the wheel, waited until Joe was in the van and started the vehicle. "If these are just pranks, I'd like to catch the idiots and beat some sense into them."

"I'm right behind you."

"Let's eat lunch first and then go to police headquarters. We'll go from there."

Joe nodded. "I am getting a little hungry."

Frank sighed. Some things just never changed.

***

Sunday night at the mall was usually a quiet time. Most teenagers were home due to curfews or last minute homework. Frank sat back in the booth and finished off his soda. The group had decided on one more meeting to get everything squared away. Between pumping Con for information and trying to find out what really happened at the blood bank, the Sunday afternoon had sped by.

"So we're clear on the timetable, right," said Callie, seated next to him.

Vanessa glanced around the group. "Yes. Joe and I will go at seven, make sure everything's set to go." She pointed to everyone but Callie and Frank. "All of you will show up at seven-thirty to get into character. By the time guests start coming at eight, you should have already made them apprehensive and worried about us, because we're missing, presumed dead."

"Right," said Callie. "Frank and I will arrive promptly at eight-thirty to start the police investigation into the possible homicide."

Frank tore his thoughts from the real mystery and grinned at her. "Spoken like a true officer of the law."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Throughout the night, Van and I will spook people, make them think there are really ghosts in the house--not to mention two vengeful maniacs."

Callie snorted. "Have fun." She glanced down at her list. "Since there's no electricity, we'll have to bring the stuff needing refrigeration no sooner than around six o'clock , okay, Vanessa."

"Okay."

Frank shook his head. "It's dark by then. I'd rather you go before dark."

"It doesn't get dark till six-thirty--" Callie realized the time change. "Oh. All right. Five o'clock . That will give us time to get back home and get dressed. Everyone set to go?"

Tony nodded and grinned at Sara. "Yep. This is going to be one awesome party."

Joe grinned. "Oh I know."

Frank laughed. "Spoken like someone who has no definition of modesty."

"Hey, I had a good idea--then an even better one. I deserve high praise."

Vanessa grunted. "Keep it up and you'll deserve a scare all your own."

"Nothing you can conceive can scare me."

Vanessa gave Joe a devilish grin. "Wanna bet?"

Joe grinned back at her. "You're on."

Callie sighed and sat back in her seat. She was really looking forward to tomorrow night as well. She just hoped everything would go smoothly.

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