Between Shadows

by Joanne Durann

  “Jared told me they went back centuries and he was the one Gage trusted the most. Do you think they got to him? Do you think he’s dead? I didn’t think a member of the force could be killed. What happened to him” the thought if a Force being killed sent a panic threw Carma.

  “If he’s not, he will be, Gage trusted him with the most important information and he doesn’t give it out or even show up? I hope he didn’t decide to switch sides.” Fortuna knew the answer to that before she ever posed the question, and the answer came from behind.

  “Yes, I did jump sides and for a very good reason, he shouldn’t have that much power. He was never good at it and he refused to give his seat up to me for many years and now he gives it up to a human, just because she is his daughter? How is that ok with you Fortuna?”

  Triu was behind her and as she turned to greet his face he grabbed her and held her tightly to his body, “Do you know what my reward is for jumping ship? Let me tell you, I get his seat and I get you, they will make laws taking all rights from women accept Emina. So I get to have you and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

  Triu was a tall man, he had broad shoulders, his body was tight and in great condition. His hair was long, and a dark brown that came past his chest and fell down his back. He had brown eyes but his face was hard, Fortuna realized there was a toll for jumping sides, and that toll was taken on his face. He was no longer angelic like before, he had lost that part of him that made him who he was, and with that went his looks. He was started to look more like the evil people he worked for, strange she though how this world works, it always knows what you’re up too.

  “Really, and what happens when they don’t win? What do you think I’ll do to you then for touching me?”

  She rose with all of the energy that the world around her had, in her mind she told Carma to run, and she threw it all at Triu. The blast sent him back a half mile; she turned to follow Carma only to be caught by two slaves that were still around to fight. She tried with all her might to battle them and Triu, it took everything out of her, but she was holding her own. She was blasting energy left and right, some hit the slaves but Triu was fast and jumped from the fire. She took no pity on him, he was one of them now, and he was a traitor. Gage would not be as kind either, Gage may even torture Triu for what he has done to his family line, and like the law states Gage may also torture his family.

  Fortuna was hoping to save anyone in his family who was innocent, she never liked that law and she was hoping to change the outcome. She wondered when Miranda took over could she ask Miranda to change that law. The next question was would she, after everything that they put her through, and everything that has happened to her.

  Just as they thought they were going to lose the battle, Gage’s family line showed up; startled not knowing what was going on, they had been waiting in a meeting that Gage called and they couldn’t understand why he didn’t show, it wasn’t like him.

  Fortuna quickly brought them up to speed and asked who told them they had a meeting with Gage; the answer was one she already knew, Triu. They mind jumped one to another, to another and started fighting. The tide quickly turned in their favor and evil beings raced from everywhere to get away so they would not be killed, the war was coming to an end and everyone was grateful, banged up, but happy. Their attention turned to the Concillium, and what was going on inside, they all tried but no one could get in.

  When Carma reach the meeting room door Sahen and Mattis were trying everything to get in. They banged on the door, “It’s locked or barred! I don’t know which; something is keeping us out and them in.”

  They started banging and yelling at the door for Miranda to let them in but it was no use she couldn’t hear them. Carma went to get Jared and try to help him, he was struggling to walk back and he was still wounded and very weak, he kept asking, “Where is she? Did she make it in there?”

  Sahen looked down at him sadly, “Yes, but Emina is in there with Miranda and we can’t get in to help her.” He looked around, “People are still fighting everywhere but it looks like the war is coming to an end. There is one more thing, it’s the worst part of it all, they took Gage. Mical took him and no one knows where.”

  Carma butted in, “Fortuna and I followed him but he disappeared somewhere in the woods right where you were fighting, Jared they just disappeared, we think he took him to the place Miranda told us about. The place where he can see, hear and smell us but we will never be able to find him. How is Miranda going to deal with that? I don’t want to lose her.”

  Jared smiled weakly, “You won’t. The one thing that they have yet to account for in all of their plans is Miranda’s powers. She doesn’t need to see, hear, or smell. Gage can just tell her in her mind where he is, she can find him without any problems. The bigger problem is what is happening in there, is Miranda ok, or did Emina beat her in there.”

  Carma and the others were worried because it looked as if Jared wasn’t going to make it, Celbris had gotten to him, and he was very weak.

  “This is another thing that is going to set Miranda into a place I can’t bring her back from.” She pointed at Jared and then quietly sat down next to him, held him tightly and tried to call to Miranda through her mind.

  Inside the meeting room Miranda was within inches of sitting down at the table when Emina caught up to her, “not so fast my dear,” Emina tried to push her out of the way. “You may be strong but you don’t have my powers and so you will never be able to defeat me.” A smile crept across her face, “and right now your family is being torn apart peace by peace. When I take my place here I will kill you myself, but for Mical’s trouble I will let him have fun with you first. I believe Celbris left him a list of things to do to you before we kill you.”

  She was laughing because Miranda had stopped when she was standing next to the seat of power and Emina thought it was because she had willed Miranda to stop.

  “Even if you do sit first, it will change as soon as I sit, I am ten times more powerful then you will ever be, and by the way I already have your father. Don’t worry he’s someplace nice and cozy, a place that was originally designed for you, where he can see everyone and they can’t see him.”

  Miranda got very cocky, “You see, that’s been the problem all along, you guys keep underestimating me. Like now for instances; I only stopped because you thought you could stop me and I was simply humoring you.”

  With a wave of her hand she froze Emina in her place and then walked around her to show just how powerful she really was, “First of all I do have your powers, actually I have everyone’s powers, according to Jared. My father and I, by the way, are linked by our minds as well as our linage. So that fact that Mical took him to the room in the tree in the field, where Celbris was planning to torture me is not really a problem. I know how to get in, if you’re linked to Mical now, why don’t you ask him to look at that list, tell him to read the last thing on it to you.”

  Uneasiness came across Emina face as she hear Mical scream, “What did she do? She’s been there, how?” It got worse when Miranda herself answered his questions inside Emina’s head, and told him she had been there last night, when everyone went to bed and was sleeping I went out for a little walk. At that moment Mical knew that Emina may be in trouble, so he got someone to watch over Gage and he headed to the Concillium room. He knew of a secret entrance that would get him in passed everyone else.

  “Because I can and I have more power then you will ever know, but unlike the two you, I want to long reign of peace and happiness.” Miranda smiled, “I know what everyone says but the woods really aren’t that terrifying at night. Another thing I want to tell you is, I don’t like chaos it gives me a headache, so what do I want from the two of you? All I want is peace not war, I will take my seat and Jared will take his. I will try to forget about you and what you have done to my family, the table however, may decide to pass judgment that’s not my call.

  “It’s wonderful to hear you speak about p
ower and speak about peace, it’s another story when the person you’re talking to, is only interested in annihilating you!”

  Her voice went up at the end and her anger filled the room with fire. The walls seemed as if they were ablaze, but Miranda knew it was an illusion sent to distract her so she calmly walked back towards the table.

  Emina continued, “I won’t rest until you and your entire family line are destroyed. The only way anyone will be permitted to bring your name up is when they recall how easily we destroy you and how you begged for death! They will also remember the torture and pain that we publicly infected on your whole family over and over again!”

  She noticed that Miranda had gravitated to the seat of power at the head of the Concillium table.

  “Go ahead and sit there, I don’t care; only the most powerful person in our lands can take over in a time of war. Yes that’s right, go on hear it and listen to it, its right outside those doors. Mical and I have created a war out of your wedding announcement, funny Jared and you made it so much easier for us. Congratulations, you’re getting bound will destroy your family and all family lines that have befriended them. My guess is by now you poor, pathetic vampire is dead and your father of course is locked away! You may know where he is but no one else does and you won’t be alive to help him out.”

  “What did you mean only the most powerful person can take over in times of war? I thought only once everyone sat down could someone take over the power of the table and our world.”

  Miranda was acting stupid because no one thought a war would break out, so they never told her about the rules governing the table, during a time of war.

  “This is not OUR world, your human, you don‘t belong here! Stupid, weak, pathetic human, they didn’t want to scare you, I’m sure, and I personally don’t mind if you’re terrified. Now that your father is captured and in danger, the table goes quiet until the most powerful, and only the most powerful, in the land sits at the head. SO go ahead and sit everyone knows it’s me, ever if Kilaws or Mical sat down it wouldn’t matter, it wouldn’t change anything. The table will only wake when one of two things happen, either Gage is free which isn‘t going to happen, or when I finally sit down.”

  It was almost funny how sure of herself Emina was, it was also really pathetic.

  “So, say I sit down, nothing will happen? Are you that sure of yourself? Haven’t I done anything to make you second guess yourself or your plans? You came into this battle with the belief that I am only human and have no power, yet just five minute ago I did something so you couldn’t even move, and before that I was in your head talking to Mical. How can you still think I am only a mere, what did you say, weak human girl? Are you still that sure that there’s no one more powerful than you?” Miranda said it with a smile, “Or maybe you want to try me? I have been told that I will probably kill you and it will be justified as well.”

  “You dare challenge me! Are you really that stupid? What could ever make a silly little human girl think she had any chance against me? Whoever told you that you even ever had a slim chance must have been crazy or working for me!” Emina laughed, “Tell me, so I may thank them for making you such an easy target when I’m done killing you!”

  Miranda took great pleasure in this when smiled and said, “The table.” Emina gasped. “And by the way the consensus is that I’m not just some silly little human girl, they all happen to believe I am the “unknown one,” I think you may know legend or should I fill you in?”

  Emina was beside herself, how this simple human girl could claim to talk to the table in one breath and then claim to be the unknown one in the next.

  “I guess we’ll see just how powerful you really are! You are making false claims that are about to get you killed little girl! Didn’t anyone tell you that you shouldn’t claim to be the most powerful being to ever walk unless you have the power behind it? Don’t you realize what’s going to happen to you now?”

  Emina was completely enrage she hated this girl to start with and from the beginning all she wanted was to be alone with Miranda to strangle her with her own bare hands. Miranda had the gall to claim to have more power, and to be the one to take over the Concillium, the seat she had vied for all of these years.

  “Is there any last words that I could give your beloved vampire if he is still alive out there?”

  With that Miranda allowed her anger give in, the blow glow came running furiously through her body right to her hair, her shield came back up and it was of the purest gold ever seen, she was truly ready for the battle to be fought.

  “Jared told me exactly what would happen if I told anyone I was the unknown one, he also told me to hide it all until I had to fight. Emina, I never want to hear you speak his name again! Don’t think about him, don’t look in his eyes, and don’t ever touch him, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME! I can’t be held accountable for what I might do to you if you should cross me.”

  Emina looked at Miranda with evil in her eyes and thorns in her heart, the thoughts of what she could do with Jared now filled her mind, “I may keep you alive so you can see just what I do with Jared!”

  Miranda jumped at Emina she had read her thought and they just crossed a line and she needed to pay for it. Miranda was now ready to get it over with and Emina was pushing all of her buttons until she gave in. She jumped into Emina’s mind and again saw what Emina planned to do to Jared, and she twisted her mind working her from the inside out.

  Scared and confused Emina launched at Miranda and through her against the Concillium wall. Miranda bounced gently off without getting so much as a scratch, her shield proved to be extremely useful; she could be pushed but not grabbed. The wall behind her buckled under the pressure and caved in around the shield, leaving a hole in the wall so you could see a secret passageway and debris everywhere. Miranda stood up as Emina reached the seat of power and sat down.

  Emina was smiling she thought she was talking over, she sat down in the seat thinking she would now finish off this girl and reign over the whole land. She could do as she pleased, including killing Gage’s daughter and no one could stop her.

  “I’m done playing around and now we will see who in the most powerful one of all! I will be going after your father and your boyfriend when I’m through with you!”

  Miranda calmly walked over. She was within five feet of Emina when she said, “I told you, you are not the most powerful anymore. My father told me I eclipse everyone many, many times over, and all of the other’s believed I am the unknown one, don’t you get it!”

  With a glare in her eyes and a fire in her voice that filled the room and bellowed outside she pointed her finger at Emina and said, “GET OUT OF MY SEAT!”

  Using the finger Miranda was pointing with, she lifted Emina up and threw her across the room, Emina’s body hit with such force that the stone wall caved in all around her leaving a hole so big you could see through to the outer room Miranda had walked through to get here just a few hours earlier.

  Miranda walked over to the table and acted as if she would sit down, as Emina struggled to get up to her feet. She turned to look at Emina, “I told you I wanted PEACE and you only gave me war!”

  Miranda was toying with her, she knew Emina would never give up, not until she had the seat of power but Miranda tried again anyway.

  “Walk away now why you still can, take what’s left of your thoughtless friends and wounded family and go now before I get angry and destroy you permanently. Yes, it can be done and I can do it, but I don’t have your lust for blood and I don’t want to. Lucky for you Jared explained how my first kill should be and I now know his was right.”

  Emina took one last shot at Miranda. Miranda slid slightly away from the table only about two or three feet, as if someone had asked her to move, and then pushed her out of the way. Miranda turned around to face Emina and threw her against the outside door; it caved under the pressure but didn’t break.

  Outside everyone jumped, no one knew what was going on in there, and
Sahen had been scratching and clawing to get in since the door closed. He needed to get in with all urgency, and he needed to be with Miranda to protect her it was his job and his animal side had taken over. He knew someone was blocking him and he needed to get passed it.

  Inside as Miranda neared the seat, she placed her hands on the table, the place lit up and the doors flew open. She sat down and waited for the others to take their places. Emina lay on the floor in a heap, weak and wounded and Mical lay on the floor under rubble in the secret passageway, as he never quite made it in.

  In Carma’s mind Miranda showed her the place to find Gage and ask her, and Mattis to bring Gage to her. Sahen flew into the room and stood behind Miranda as her protector. It didn’t take long before all of the fighting stopped, the last of the evil ones ran off and the hybrids took their places at the table.

  Michael slowly escorted his parents in, their eyes willed with hears, Miranda was confused. She waited and time went by, but no Jared. She couldn’t understand, and she couldn’t leave until everyone sat down. She searched her mind, and she called out to him “Where are you?” She tried to speak to the table, nothing, again utter silence. She was so confused by it all she felt as if the table had abandoned her.

  Fortuna forced Emina and Mical to sit there wasn’t much left of them, and then she sat down. Brint walked up to the table tried and beaten but ok. The war was over and they had prevailed, because of Miranda’s will to get the table, and now it looked as if she might lose everything.

  Her father was gone somewhere no one could find and Jared, poor Jared, he was so weak he couldn’t make it into the Concillium. He told the others to go on and he would find his strength and get there on his own. Jared’s father came forward, he was very upset because he was the last member to sit down at the table, and this was the time his son was going to take over for him. It was not his place anymore, he knew his son should have been there, but he knew Miranda couldn’t go to him unless he sat down.