Autumn Moon

Excerpt:
San Francisco, California is known for its

mild temperatures all year round and for its

blessed fog during the summer months. In

the morning, the mist acted as a magic cloak

protecting Jairec Connelly, but now the enchantment

wore off leaving the sun’s rays sizzling the pavement

like laser beams. Jairec pulled the hood of his

sweatshirt down over his head, shading as much skin

as deemed possible. Even with this effort, he could

feel his skin burn. It wouldn’t do if he burst into

flames especially since he needed to keep a low

profile.



From across the street, Jairec set up his stake out,

watching the comings and goings of people entering

Moon’s Acupuncture, but still no sign of the man

who could help him. He pierced his lips together.

Help him? He’d have to convince him not to kill him

first.



At 9:30, a woman with long dark hair dressed in a

black suit and comfortable shoes opened the

acupuncture shop, unlocking the doors from the

inside. He glanced at the two windows above the

shop. She must live in the apartment above like so

many others did. Two other employees, one male, one

female arrived a half an hour later, both in their early

twenties. All three were of Asian descent, not

surprising since this was Chinatown and the

businesses were probably family-owned. By noon,

there was still no sign of Dr. Jin Lei.



Dr. Lei had what Jairec needed. He was willing to

pay for his services, but if the good doctor wouldn’t

help him, he’d take it by force. He wasn’t a violent

man by nature, but this was a matter of life and death,

his to be exact.



He’d wanted no part in this supernatural bullshit,

but his wanker of a brother had dragged him into it

anyway. Now Tristan was missing and Jairec had

been turned into the undead. “Some holiday,” he

grumbled. He did what any preternatural freak would

do. He listened. He waited and learned whom he

needed to see. The other freaks- shapeshifters,

demons, any who slinked out of their hidey-holes at

night called her, “The Seer.” She turned out to be a

crotchety old woman named Gladys Seymour, living

in the suburbs of downtown San Francisco.

***

She allowed Jairec to enter her house and follow

her to the kitchen. She wore a blue shift, sandals and

her gray hair pulled back in a bun. The effects of his

new life were taking its toll. He could hear her heart

beating—bum-bump, bum-bump like a beacon

calling him. He could smell the coppery tang of her

blood flowing through her veins. He wanted … He

licked his lips in anticipation.



Her gaze snapped to his. “You take a bite out of

me big boy and I’ll—”



He lunged. She waved her hand, propelling him

back with a magic blast from her fingertips. He

slammed into the wall and slid to the floor. If he’d

been human, she’d have killed him or at the very least

rendered him unconscious. There were some perks to

being one of the undead.



She pointed a finger at him and he cringed

expecting another blast from her. “ I’ll forgive you

this one slight because you’re newly made. Make a

second attempt chiang-shih and you’re toast. Do you

got it?” Her dark eyes sniped at him. She stood

maybe five-two, but the power radiating from her

convinced him she meant every word.



“I apologize.” He leaned against the wall for

support as he came to his feet.



She nodded. She walked over to her refrigerator

and took out a bottle containing a dark reddish liquid

too thick to be red wine. He had a sickening feeling

of what it was and recoiled when she jabbed it at him.

“Don’t be a fool. If you don’t drink it, you’ll kill

someone and all will be lost then. Keeping a pure soul

will be your salvation.”



He took the bottle from her. He closed his eyes as

he took a swig and hated that he liked the taste.

“Pig’s blood,” she answered his unasked

question.



He drank every last drop, wiping his mouth with

the back of his sleeve.



“Now sit.” She pointed to the table. She went to

her cabinet, took out a wooden bowl and filled it with

water. She mumbled a chant or prayer of some sort

before she gazed at the liquid.



He saw tap water.



The Seer obviously witnessed something else.



“You will find the cure in Chinatown. Dr. Jin Lei’s

place.”



“This doctor will know how to help me? He’ll be

able to turn me back?”



“I only know the elixir of life will be found

there.” She hummed and weaved back and forth as if

receiving some kind of psychic advice from the other

side. “Autumn moon is your destiny. You must

accept the elixir before the festival’s end. If you do

not, you’ll remain cursed and walk among the undead

for all eternity.”



“Dr. Lei will hand over the cure. Just like that.”



Her dark eyes riveted to him. “I never said it

would be easy. He will most likely want to kill you.”



“I’m already dead, a vampire. Or what did you

call me—a chiang-shih?”



She chuckled with no mirth. “I do hate the newly

dead,” she mumbled. “No moron. He will perform a

ritual sending your sorry ass to hell.” She rose from

her seat and walked over to her bookcase. She

shuffled through her magazines, pulling one out. She

opened it up and ripped out a page. “Here,” she said

handing it to him. “This is Dr. Lei. A few years ago a

magazine did an article about his herbal remedies.”

***



Two days ago, Jairec would have laughed at The

Seers eerie premonition and her ill-gotten advice.

Now he was living proof that creatures of the night

existed walking among the living in wait of an

opportunity to strike.



Chinatown held an annual Autumn Moon

Festival, which so happened to be this weekend. If he

went by what The Seer told him, this gave him three

days to convince Dr. Lei to help him. He would use

any means he could. He wouldn’t succumb to his fate

so readily.



When Dr. Lei never showed up to work, he began

to give up hope. He jogged across the street. Since his

unnatural demise, his hearing had improved, so much

so that he had the urge to put earplugs in his ears.

Today it would come in handy to eavesdrop and

hopefully find out when the employees expected Dr.

Lei.



“Don’t forget to deliver the package your

grandmother left you,” the young female employee

told the woman who had opened the shop. “She said

it’s a matter of life and death.”



The woman who opened the shop shook her head.

“Yes, of course it is.”



Her voice was smooth, silky like a caress. She

wore her straight black hair back in a ponytail letting

the long strands cascade down her back. She looked

worried as she chewed on her lower lip. Then she

sighed. “I might as well take care of the delivery now.

Get it off my hands before it’s too late.”



Jairec smiled. This could be it. Maybe he

wouldn’t need Dr. Lei after all. He turned away as the

woman left the shop. Life and death, a need to get it

off her hands—he’d follow her and see where she led

him. Maybe he should just steal the package. One

small woman wouldn’t be a challenge to subdue.