Chapter 1 - Sky
I stood at the side of the car. We had just pulled over for the 8th time that day and I stood by the side of the road puking my guts up. Aaron and Fred had stopped being sympatric to my plight the 4th time that week which was 4 days ago. They just wanted to get off the road now before we got pulled up by the cops and questioned about the dead guy in the trunk. Not that I could actually blame them about that. In our defence it was spelled so he could be out of ground and in the car during the day without dyeing. In a negative if they opened the coffin they would kill my 13x great grandpa. Aaron was restless anyway as we were one night away from full moon and so far we hadn’t got to somewhere he could hide for the 3 nights. I’d say we had not got that far but we had got 14 witches to sanctuary so far with vampires who wanted to change. We came with the message. The Xiocui Zadimus Gems Descendants were ending slavery it was time to be equals. Only those who wished to live in peace could enter. But it was time to bring sanctuary everywhere. It was time to repair and end slavery. The thing was we had set of 2 and a half months ago it was slow process. In a negative I think it was time I stopped blaming dodgy travel food and took a pregnancy test. But I didn’t want to admit my fear to the guys. Well I was the only girl with 3 guys one technically being my 400+ year old 13 x great grandfather, who looked 26 ish. One a werewolf and the other another 13 witch, who still thought wiping the guys I loves mind of ever meeting me wasn’t a good thing. It didn’t help he was one of his best friends and I think it was time to admit I was pregnant with his kid. This would put a huge halt to the whole find faith part of my motion on bringing hope back to my people. Go figure I couldn’t deal with this much longer the sickness had started Thursday it was now Monday and I wasn’t getting any better. I was slowly going through Fred and mine’s supply of potion ingredients although ginger was easy to get hold of and I was constantly chewing the bloody stuff currently.
“How can anyone get so sick out of a small portion of chilly fries and veggie burger?” Aaron moaned as I was sick even more. I don’t know getting me some bloody water might help. I wanted to shout at him. Thank god we had a blanket and suitcases over the coffin so everyone passing didn’t see it through the trunk window.
“I think guys it might be time to call it quits.” I mumbled. They both glared at me.
“I don’t mean that.” I quickly added. They both looked relived.
“I need water and medicine.” I mumbled.
“The girls finally willing for human medicine rather than tree bark and ginger.” Aaron said thankfully. He had been trying 2 days. Fred it’s just not done hadn’t helped with my stubbornness. I climbed back in the back seat and felt sorry for myself.
“I want to go the next garage we see.” I moaned.
“Yeah think that’s in 1000 miles.” Fred told me.
“We will get there quicker if you keep your stomach in the car.” Aaron told me and I kind of huffed.
“Have you actually told Ethan we are coming or are we surprising him.” I said leaning back in the seat. We were headed to Ethen’s town as it was close by to where we had been and had a wood by it that Aaron could hide in for the 3 nights he turned into a wolf.
“He told me to pop by anytime.” Fred said shrugging. I groined again. All this way it better have a toilet and water.
“I’m going to be sick.” I said again.
“Sky have you ever been in a car before this trip!” Aaron snapped.
“No, except Ella’s convertible and Alex’s van and only short journeys. Vampire travel is easier.” I moaned.
“The girl has a vampire in the boot he offers to drop her of in a hotel and she says she’s fine.” Fred mumbled.
“The girl has a name its Sky.” I moaned.
“No it’s Last-Hope, she’s got to stop with the puking her guts up and remember that!” Fred told me.
“Why did you even want to come?” I moaned.
“Because I have the questions and you have the answers. We need to work together.” he snapped at me. I pulled my legs up to my chest and opened the window wide drawing air and more air into my chest.
“I’m starting to prefer when I didn’t talk to witches.” Aaron snapped at us. I stuck my tongue out at him so he would see in his mirrors. A smile went to the corner of his lips.
“Ring Ethan tell him you’ve hitchhiked up and ask him if hes got a toilet.” I mumbled.
“Girls why can’t they just pee at the side of the road.” Fred moaned.
“I hate you.” I told him. Fred started ringing Ethan.
“Hey dude you know you said to pop in if I was ever in the area?” Fred started.
“Guys we got a cop following us.” Aaron said worriedly.
“Well I have hitchhiked up and thought I might pop in.”
“Guys hes flashing me over.” Aaron said.
“Then pull over.” Fred suggested.
“We have a body in the trunk.” Aaron said calmly.
“Hes joking if the guys I was hitchhiking had a body in the trunk I wouldn’t be so calm. Hey I got to go I’ll be there in half an hour if they don’t discover the body.” Fred said hung up and shrugged as we came to a stop. I pocketed all my magic, the only people who would pick it up would be a 13 witch or a witch stronger than myself who apparently was only bloody Fred or a werewolf which was in the car as well. We had travel papers human and magical we would pass through any blocks. And a glamor on the coffin would hide it.
“Licence and registration please.”
“What seems to be the problem sir?” Aaron said handing it over. I sensed him I knew the others did too defiantly human unless his magic was pocketed and the chances of a 13 were slim. We were normally killed at birth.
“We had reports of a car matching your description keep doing illegal parking on the side of the highways.” The cop said. Both guys turned and looked at me.
“I’m going to be sick again.” I told the whole car.
“My friend doesn’t travel very well she keeps being sick.” Aaron said calmly as I actually throw open the door and puked my guts up again without getting out the car.
“There’s a doctor up the road about 4 miles.” The cop said wiping sick of his shoes.
“Sorry.” I mumbled.
“Chilli fries.” I moaned. I don’t think he believed me as he breathalysed Aaron before we were on our way again.
“Least I got his shoes.” I mumbled.
“Least she didn’t get any inside the car?” Fred said.
“Least he didn’t find the body.” I told him.
“Least you passed the breathalyser.” Fred told him. I had to grin.
“I hate both of you. Not keen on the dead dude in the trunk either.” Aaron moaned. About an hour and 20 minutes later we pulled up outside a house with a nice bit of land and a horse in a pasture out the front.
“I’ve never seen so much sky.” I said looking up. We walked up to the front door and knocked.
“It’s open.” A guy called. Very trusting least he didn’t say please come in? Fred shrugged and walked in. I was behind him and so was Aaron.
“Hey Ethan, thought I’d pop in.” Fred said calmly.
“Do you have a toilet I can borrow Ethan?” I asked Ethan.
“Upstairs to the right?” Ethan said in shock to see me I ran up the stairs.
“Bad chili fries.” I heard Fred say calmly.
When I came down stairs a cup of water had been put on the table for me.
“Thanks.” I said with a weak smile.
“You said to pop in if my tour of world brought me this way.” I told Ethan.
“Yeah I told you both that I suppose. I just didn’t expect you at the same time.” he told us.
“My car broke down so thought I’d hitchhike the world Sky’s going the same way so we became a group,” Fred said shrugging.
“You 3 just decided throw jobs to the wind and do a year of drifting?” Ethan asked.
“I’m a hippy you know that.” I said as my defence.
“I told you I wanted to see how far I could get with no money.” Fred said.
“I’m just the taxi driver.” Aaron said calmly. We both just nodded.
“I’m going to be sick.” I said.
“Not a bloody gain!” Fred and Aaron said as I made it to Ethan’s bin and puked up the water I had just drunk.
“You sure it was those chilli fries I ate them too and I’m fine.” Fred said. Shut up Fred.
“It will pass or I will die.” I told them.
“The dead guy in the boot would kill me.” Aaron said, he said it in a jokey tone but he was being serious.
“Did you really get pulled over by the cops?” Ethan asked as I dry heaved into his bin. Good thing they all didn’t seem fazed.
“Yeah Sky has been puking all over America. I think she wants to puke in every town.” Fred said. I groined.
“I should Ring Dan get him to pop round he only lives an hour drive away and he ain’t working today. How long you guys this way?” Ethan asked. I shot Fred a look that said anyone but Dan.
“We planned to camp out in the woods for the full moon.” Aaron said calmly.
“Well Aaron and I do. Sky and dead dude sleep in the car.” Fred said shrugging.
“Hes not dead hes just asleep. He drives us at night. But he sleeps so still we got asked if he was dead 6 times the first week.” I said calmly.
“You’ll meet him later if we stay around here.” I said shrugging.
“Want some anti sickness tablets?” Ethan asked as I gagged again. Fred and Aaron both looked at me for my answer.
“You know what yeah.” I moaned.
“I thought it was against the rules?” Aaron said. “Kill me.” I moaned.
“Read the ingredients’ first you know the rules.” Fred said. I mumbled loads of swear words at him.
“Rules?” Ethan said confused.
“We are all on a current natural only diet no chemicals.” Fred said with a grin. I called him more names under the sun.
“Yet you had chilli fries how were they natural?” he asked as if wanting to know what planet Fred was from.
“They were vegan.” Fred said shrugging. I read the ingredients and pure as day it said. Not suitable for use when pregnant or breastfeeding. I moaned.
“You got any ginger.” I moaned.
“Ginger creams?” Ethan suggested. I groined.
“Now the question is Sky vegan or ginger.” Fred said.
“You can stay here.” I moaned. I suddenly felt close to tears.
“So how’s business?” I asked Ethen weakly.
“Good you should go into the town. See for yourself tomorrow” Ethen said smiling at me.
“So how do the 3 of you actually know each other?” Ethan asked.
“Computer blog.” Fred said at the same time I said
“weirdo on the side of the road.” At the same time Aaron said
“I was kidnapped.”
“What we mean is a computer blog called weirdo on the side of the road.” Fred said.
“We didn’t really kidnap him. He was just given no choice but to come.” I said shrugging.
“Is there anywhere you’re going on your tour or you just going anywhere?”
“Vermont.” I said weakly, both guys just nodded at me. Vermont was the last known location of Faith. It was where I was going to start. It was her first home after leaving Mexico.
“Why Vermont?” Ethan asked I suppose it was a weird place to want to go.
“I’m looking for my little sister. She’s 19 now so old enough to decide if she wants to get to know each other. I want to find her.” I said weakly.
“So she kidnapped me, revenge I suppose. Fred’s just hitchhiking and can go at any moment. Dead guy is dead. Considering this is her idea she’s the one struggling.” Aaron said.
“Sorry do you and dead guy have names rather than kidnap victim and dead guy?” Ethan asked him.
“Aaron.” He said holding his hand out politely.
“Seth’s in the trunk.” Fred said shrugging.
