Dacia Wolf & the Prophecy Read online

  Book 1

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  Copyright ©2019 by Mandi Oyster

  Cover Illustration by Mandi Oyster

  Typography & formatting by Mandi Oyster

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book is dedicated to my family:

  my loving husband, Jeff, my soulmate and best friend;

  my beautiful daughter, Jami, who believes she can stop the wind;

  my mischievous son, Jesse, who fills my life with amusement;

  and to my Dad and Mom, Jim and Vicki, the best parents anyone could ask for.

  I couldn’t live without them.

  Chapter 1

  My Name Is Dacia Wolf, And This Is My Story

  Fire twirled and spun across my ceiling. I stared at the blue-green flames, dancing along my curtains, flickering down the walls. Behind them, a trail of blackened boards glowed red.

  Mom and Dad told me what to do in a fire, but I was too scared to remember. I pulled Glacier, my teddy bear, closer to me and huddled beneath the covers. “Mommy. Daddy.” My voice escaped as little more than a whisper. I closed my eyes, gathered my strength and shouted, “Mom! Dad!”

  Smoke burned my nose and throat, making me cough so hard tears ran down my cheeks. The fire climbed my dresser. Snapping, blue sparks shot up to the ceiling.

  The doorknob rattled, and I looked away from the flames. My parents stood in the hallway. Mom’s hand covered her mouth. “Oh, Dacia, no.” She ran down the hall at the same time Dad ran into my room.

  I reached my arms out to Dad and scooted to the edge of my bed. Flames shot up between us, pushing him back.

  “Daddy!” I sucked in a lungful of smoke and coughed it back out. I stretched as far as I could reach. “Come back, Daddy!”

  Mom screamed. She ran to my door, her face nuzzled against my brother’s. She held Jonathan out to Dad, then pulled him back against her. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Dear God, don’t take my baby. Please don’t take my baby.”

  Dad looked over his shoulder at me. “We’re going to get you out of there, Angel. You’re going to be all right.” He grabbed Mom’s hand and pulled her down the hall.

  I stared at the empty doorway. Tears filling my eyes, I buried my face in Glacier’s fur and whispered, “They left me.” I watched the door, waiting for them to come back to get me. I waited longer than any girl should have to wait.

  Smoke filled my lungs. Coughing and spluttering, I hunched over Glacier to keep her safe. “It’s okay, Glacier. Don’t cry.”

  Flames licked the end of my bed, popping and crackling as the fire crept to my comforter. Sweat ran from my forehead and dripped off my nose and chin. I whimpered as I sat up and pushed back against my headboard, clutching Glacier to my chest.

  Red and blue lights flashed along my walls. My window burst in. Glass flew across the room, and a fireman stepped through the flames. He ran to my bed, lifted me up, climbed over the windowsill with me in his arms and carried me to the flashing lights.

  Fresh air hit my face, carrying the smell of smoke away. It felt good not to cough with each breath.

  “She needs a paramedic.” The fireman’s chest bounced against my ear when he talked. “Ozzie, bring the stretcher over here.” I heard a clattering noise. Then the fireman said, “I’m gonna lay you down now, honey.” He put me on a little bed with wheels. “This is Ozzie. He’s going to make sure you’re okay.”

  My lip trembled, and I started crying. “Please … please don’t leave me and Glacier.” I reached out to him. “Mommy and Daddy left me.”

  He patted my head and bent down. Black streaks marked his face. “I’ll stay right here with you, but Ozzie needs to make sure you’re not hurt.”

  Ozzie put me and the bed in an ambulance, and the fireman sat beside me, holding my hand as I clutched Glacier with the other. “I’m going to ask you some questions. Okay?”

  I nodded while Ozzie put a band around my arm. Then he shined a flashlight in my eyes. “I need to put this on one of your fingers.” He held a pincher thing up for me to see. “It’s going to tell me how much oxygen is in your blood.” His mustache wiggled when he talked.

  I stuck my finger out, and it squeezed but not too hard.

  The fireman asked, “What’s your name?”

  The thing on my arm tightened. “Dacia. What’s yours?”

  “Dale. How old are you?”

  I looked at the thing on my finger. A green light flashed on it. “Six.”

  “How about your bear … Glacier?”

  “She’s six too.”

  “Wow, you guys are really brave for six.”

  I looked up at him and giggled. “We’re not guys.”

  His smile reminded me of playing in the sprinkler. “No. No, you’re ladies.”

  I covered my laugh with my hand. “Silly, we’re girls.”

  “You sure are.”

  Ozzie took the band off my arm. “I’m going to make sure you don’t have any burns now.” He lifted my hair back and looked at my face. Then he pushed my sleeves up.

  Dale pointed to my house while Ozzie checked me. “Can you tell me what happened in there?”

  I shook my head. “Where are Mommy and Daddy? Where’s Jonathan?”

  He pointed to another ambulance with red and blue lights flashing. “Over there.”

  My eyes got really big, and my lip started shaking. “Are they okay?”

  He turned away, and when he looked back, his eyes were shiny. He rubbed his face. “Can you answer me now?”

  “Um.” I looked around the ambulance, not wanting to tell him. “I forgot what you asked.”

  “What happened in there?” He pointed at my bedroom. “How did the fire start?”

  I squeezed Glacier and whispered in her ear, “He looks nice, Glacier. Should I tell him?”

  I watched the fireman while Glacier answered.

  “She says I should tell you.”

  He nodded. “She’s a smart bear.”

  “A monster was in my room, and I said get out, and he said no, and I said leave now, and he growled at me, and I threw fire at him.” My voice started quiet and slow and got louder and faster.

  Ozzie took the thing off my finger. “I need to give her oxygen now.”

  Dale held up his finger. “One more question.” He looked at me again. “With matches?”

  “No, silly, matches don’t make blue and green fire.” I wiggled my fingers at him. “My hands do.”

  Chapter 2

  Twelve Years Later

  Okay, I’ll admit it. I was scared. No, not scared. I was terrified. I paced the floor. I sat down and crossed my legs. I uncrossed my legs and tapped my foot. I sprung to my feet and started pacing again.

  The sign on my door listed my roommate as Samantha Waters, but that didn’t tell me anything. Is she nice? Will I like
her? Will she like me? I ran my fingers through my hair and walked to the window, longing to see a familiar car in the lot, but my parents, early birds to the core, had already come and gone.

  On her way out, Mom had put her hand on my arm. “This will be easier for you if you don’t have your father and me watching over your shoulder.”

  I looked to Dad for help, but I should’ve known better. “We’ll just be in your way here.”

  “I went to kindergarten with the same kids I graduated with.” Looking at the floor, I wrapped my arms around myself. “I don’t know how to meet new people.”

  Mom pulled me into a hug. “You’ll be fine,” she said as she released me.

  “We’ve got a long drive home, Angel.” Dad gave me a quick, one-armed hug.

  I rolled my eyes. “Not that far.”

  “Call if you need us.” Mom waved and walked out the door.

  I need you now.

  I pushed off the windowsill and resumed pacing. Through the open door, I saw students and their parents lugging boxes to their rooms. If I were braver, I would offer to help. Instead, I stayed hidden, staring at the white walls, wondering what it would be like to have a roommate, hoping I could control my powers and seem like any other eighteen-year-old.

  I glanced at my cell phone. No signal. I blew out a heavy sigh. I guess that’s what I get for going to school in the mountains.

  A woman’s voice drifted through the door. “Now, Samantha, I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  I slumped into a chair and ran my hand through my hair. The time had come.

  “I hope you’re right,” a nervous voice responded.

  “Oh, this is it here.” A heavy-set woman with short, auburn hair stepped into the room. “And, look. This must be your roommate, Day … How do you say your name, dear?”

  “Day-sha,” I said. Looking into her light brown eyes, my anxiety eased. She seemed like the type of person who never met a stranger.

  She took a couple steps forward. “What a pretty name. I’m Deana Waters.” She peeked over her shoulder. “And, what happened to my husband and daughter?”

  “We’re right behind you, Mother,” a man said.

  Deana put her hands on her hips and shook her head at the tall, balding man. “Now, do I really look like your mother?” she asked him before turning back to me. “Despite what he thinks, this is my husband, Wayne. Wayne, Dacia.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Wayne said, extending his hand to me. His hand was etched by a lifetime of hard work and dwarfed mine. His hazel eyes were friendly and reassuring. “This is our daughter, Samantha.”

  A petite brunette lifted her hand in a timid wave. “Hi.”

  I returned her wave. “Would you like help carrying your stuff in?”

  “That would be wonderful,” Deana replied. “When we’re finished, we’re going to take Samantha to dinner in Althea. We’d love for you to join us.”

  I looked from Deana to Wayne to Samantha unsure what to say. My parents couldn’t wait to get away from me. They hadn’t taken me to a restaurant with them in years. What would it be like to have a family that wasn’t embarrassed by you, that didn’t fear you? “Oh … uh, that’s okay.”

  “Oh, you must come along,” she insisted. “We’d love to get to know you.”

  “Mom,” Samantha said with a huff. “Maybe she has plans.”

  Deana turned to me as if the thought had never occurred to her. “Well, do you, dear?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “It’s settled, then.” Deana turned to Wayne. “Shall we?”

  Samantha took in the room. One window faced the parking lot, and one looked toward Falcon Lake and the Snowfire mountains. There was a sink by the door with a mirror above it. Two loft beds hung on the wall with a desk under one and a TV under the other. The lavender carpet did not go with the two fuzzy chairs, one blue and one yellow. “Oh.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Those chairs are perfect. They look so comfy.”

  “They are,” I agreed. “I named them Big Bird and Cookie Monster when I was little.” My face flushed with the revelation.

  Samantha’s soft brown eyes lit up. “Cute!”

  We carried Samantha’s boxes and luggage in, then piled in her parents’ SUV and rode to Althea. Phlox University sat above the small mountain town. Life came to Althea in the summer as tourists filled the streets, wanting to enjoy the clean mountain air and beautiful vistas. During the winter months, skiers took shelter in the various types of lodging, from the rustic cabins to elegant hotels, offered by the small town.

  Wayne drove while Deana chatted. “Where are you from?”

  “Bittersweet. It’s about three hours west of here.”

  “What are your parents like?”

  How should I answer? This isn’t the kind of thing you get into with your brand-new roommate and her family. This is the kind of question therapists get rich off. I lifted my shoulders. “They’re nice, still married.”

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “I had a brother.” I tried not to dwell on my answer. “He died when he was two.”

  Samantha gasped. “That’s terrible.”

  “I can’t imagine losing a child.” Deana wiped at her eyes. After a brief pause, she asked, “Have you decided on a major?”

  “No.”

  Wayne never said a word, but he met my eyes in the mirror and gave me an encouraging smile.

  “Do you have any hobbies?”

  “Yeah—”

  Samantha interrupted, “Mom. This is not the Spanish Inquisition. Give her a break.”

  “I’m sorry.” She turned in her seat and flashed me a lopsided grin. “I just love making new friends.”

  I couldn’t help smiling at her enthusiasm. “It’s okay.”

  “Don’t tell her it’s okay.” Wayne chuckled. “If she thinks it’s okay, she’ll never stop asking questions.”

  Wayne pulled into the parking lot at Rocky’s Bar and Grille. “We’re here, so further interrogations will have to wait.”

  Peanut shells littered the floor of the dimly lit restaurant. It smelled like steak and homemade bread. My stomach growled in response.

  I would’ve been fine listening to Samantha and her parents talk through dinner, but it seemed Deana wanted to keep me actively involved.

  “Do you have a boyfriend?” she asked around a bite of salad.

  “No.”

  “Neither does Sammi. The two of you can go trolling for guys.”

  “Mo-om!” Samantha sat her fork down and buried her face in her hands.

  Deana shrugged and tilted her head. “I’m just saying.”

  Wayne shook his head. His eyes twinkled when he said, “Now, Deana, you know mothers aren’t supposed to say trolling.”

  “No, she’s not supposed to talk about guys.” Samantha turned to me. “She always tries to set me up with the geeky ones.”

  “Oh, fine.” Deana waved her hand as if clearing the subject from the air. “What about school? Are you a good student?”

  “Uh … yeah.” I fidgeted with my napkin.

  “Oh, it’s okay if you’re not.”

  “No, I am.”

  “Sammi was valedictorian.” Deana gave Samantha an award-winning smile.

  “You don’t have to brag,” Samantha said. “But, I would die if I didn’t get an A.”

  My lips curved up. “I know what you mean.”

  “Deana”—Wayne pointed at my plate—“you need to leave Dacia alone. She can’t eat with you grilling her.”

  After we finished eating, our waitress returned to the table. “Can I get anything else for you?”

  “No,” Wayne said. “I think we’re ready for the check.”

 
“I’ll be right back with that.” She turned and walked off.

  “I’ll pay for mine,” I said.

  “No, you won’t,” Deana argued. “We invited you to dinner. We pay for our guests.”

  Heat blanketed my cheeks as I sat my napkin on my plate. Not wanting anyone to notice, I stared down at it. “Thank you.”

  When we stepped out of Rocky’s, the sunset cast a pink glow on the mountains, softening their edges. I wished I had a camera with me or better yet, my paints and a canvas. My fingers itched to hold a brush in them.

  Judging by the silence on the ride back to campus, I assumed Deana ran out of questions for me. I glanced at Samantha and smiled. It was nice to have a clean slate with someone, to have the chance to be more than just a freak of nature for a change. Maybe if I could control my emotions and keep bad things from happening, I could make friends at Phlox University.

  “Thanks for dinner,” I told Wayne and Deana when they dropped us off at Wisteria Hall.

  “No problem,” Wayne replied. “After the badgering you went through, you deserved it.”

  I walked up to my room by myself. The walls were white with wisteria vines painted on them. White and purple-flecked tiles covered the floors.

  Parents and students carrying boxes crowded the hallways. I dodged to avoid running into somebody coming out of a room and bumped into someone else instead.

  “Watch where you’re going,” she said in a frosty voice. I turned to see a couple girls standing in the hall. Icy blue eyes glared at me.

  “Sorry.”

  “Yeah, well, steer clear of me in the future.”

  “It’s not a big deal, Cassandra,” the other one said.

  Cassandra flicked her long, black hair over her shoulder. “Yes, it is.”

  My stomach tightened. I needed to get away from her. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to stay away from you.” I hurried down the hall, stepped into my room and slammed the door.