The Call of War: The Watchers Chronicles: Book One

by Patricia Halladay

  “Ok I will see you tomorrow then. I will call and check in with you also, but I am not doing it every hour. I will check in with you after dinner, before we leave for training and when I come back from training.” I say to Helix, who is give me the dad look.

  “And before you leave for dinner too young lady!” Helix warns, causing Kane to laugh as he walks into my suite.

  “I don’t think I have ever seen anyone handle Aretha like that before. It takes a special kind of person to tame this kitten down.” He says and laughs when I punch him. “You really do need to train.” He finishes.

  “Oh fuck off!” I grumble back at him while I pout.

  “Helix before you leave to go enjoy the perks Kya scored for you, I need to speak with you for a moment. I also need your contact information if anything happens, and shit goes down. I would prefer not to have a pissed off vampire on my hands too.” Kane says leaving with Helix. After the guys left Tara, Charlotte, Kya, and I all decide The Raven Bar & Grill as the best choice to go for dinner at 6pm.

  Once the girls leave my phone starts to go off, with text messages. There are three from Dede, seven from Marcus, one from Matthias and four for an unknown number. So I check Marcus’s messages first.

  Marcus: Hey have you made it there yet?

  Marcus: Seriously are you ok? I haven’t heard from Helix in over two hours.

  Marcus: If you don’t answer me, I will send a team looking for you!

  Marcus: Damn it Ianna just text me back already.

  There were three more messages just the same, he is stressing out badly. So I decide to put him at ease before he sends the secret service out looking for me.

  Ianna: Hey Marcus, I am fine. We were talking and getting settled. Sorry my phone was on silent that’s why I didn’t text you back. I am going out with Hunter friends for dinner and catch up on old times. I will explain after you get to the Hilton and had your meeting with the Council. Ok?

  Marcus: I am not going to the meeting, neither is Franny or Matthias. This meeting is strictly for Leader Maxum and your Uncle Stephan. I have a meeting with them tomorrow morning, I believe we both do.

  Ianna: Is Matthias and Franny going to it as well? The meeting tomorrow morning that is.

  Marcus: Matthias is, Franny is not. She has a meeting with her betrothed.

  Ianna: Wait!! What?!?! She is arranged to marry someone. How is that going to work with her being your father’s lap dog? …. Sorry wrong choice of words.

  I play dumb talking to Marcus about it just in case someone goes snooping through his phone.

  Marcus: Oh no it’s totally ok, we all know they are sleeping together. I have no idea, from what I heard though it could mean a lot of trouble for the coven, because of who it is.

  Ianna: Who is it? So I can keep an eye out and stay on their good side if I have to not kill Franny to do so.

  Marcus: Demon King Roglan of Milthgar.

  Ianna: Shit! Ok I will try my hardest not to kill Franny.

  Marcus: Good idea, ok enjoy dinner and let me know when you get back. We are going to be another 3 hours due to traffic.

  Ianna: OK will do. Safe travels Marcus.

  I get another ping and it’s Matthias.

  Matthias: Thank you!!! Now he will stop driving me bat shit crazy!! See you soon Ianna.

  I start to laugh and delete the messages from Marcus and Matthias. I went to check Dede’s next but don’t get the chance when I see the time. I need to get ready, or the girls will have a shit fit. I go to the wardrobe and pick out a tight pair of dark wash jeans, a black tank that I pair with an open front army green cardigan and of course my mid-calf biker boots. I take the clothes over to the bathroom and set them on the counter. I turn on the shower realizing they renovated my suite recently.

  The walk in shower is now all glass incased and it has a rainfall shower head. The floor tile has all been replace with granite and the countertop too, the walls are all done in white porcelain. It actually looks really sharp and something I would totally pick for my own bathroom at home. I get my shower done and dry my hair; I am going to leave it down for the night. I get dressed and apply very little makeup, foundation, eyeliner, and mascara.

  Just as I finish there is a knock on my door. The girls said 6, but it’s only 5:23 pm. Something isn’t adding up here. None of us are drinkers, so it’s not like they are coming to pre drink, especially when we are training afterwards. There’s another knock and this time it sounds more impatient than the last one, so I go to the door and look out the peep hole. Standing there is a tall man with brown hair, I haven’t seen his face because he turned to see if anyone is coming down the hall. I take it this is Mr. Knighting, and he’s here for other purposes.

  “Who is it?” I call stepping back away from the door, so that he won’t know I saw him.

  “Room Service” The person says, and I know that’s a load of bullshit.

  “I think you have the wrong room. I didn’t order room service and I didn’t authorize it on my account either.” I say back as I pretend to reach the door.

  “I have a the special ordered for Miss Ianna Foster. I even have an authorization number too.” He says through the door. I can hear him trying to get the key and coder to work, but they aren’t. Guess that was why the Tanner gave me the authenticator. The little device gives me a new code to put in every time. The code never stays the same.

  “Again you have the wrong room, and without an authenticator you won’t get in. Those you have to get from Kane himself, so have fun dumbass!” I yell back through the door. I walk back into my suite from the corridor and open the panel of weapons. The girls really did go all out for me. I grab three throwing knives and a 9mm Pistol with silencer already on. I put the magazine in, chamber a round and switch the safety off. This guy is here for a reason and if he’s using a lie like room service to get in, then it can’t be for anything good.

  Chapter 4

  He knocks again but this time I don’t answer him. I hear him curse and then his phone goes off. What I can make out of the conversation is the other person wants to get their hands on me anyway possible. I hit the silent alarm for my room and hope that Eli and Tanner are close by to hear it. My cell goes off and I look to see it’s Kane, so I answer it.

  “Hey what’s wrong? You hit your silent alarm.” Kane asks, as I can hear the guy trying to kick the door in.

  “I have unwanted company trying to get into my room. I don’t know if it’s Knighting, but there will be a mess to clean up, so you might want to send the guys or the cleanup crew. You pick.” I say as the door starts to splinter a bit.

  “The guys are already taking care of it. We will interrogate him once you’re ready.” Kane says and that’s when I hear yelling, a couple loud thuds and groaning. When I hear a knock, I hang up my phone and toss it onto the couch.

  “Charis are you ok? It’s Agathon.” Eli calls from the half splintered door. I keep my gun raised and open it the rest of the way. Eli’s standing there with Tanner over a knocked out and hand cuffed guy.

  “Thanks guys, I didn’t have your numbers. I hit the silent alarm hoping it would bring you back quickly.” I say trying to slow my breathing. That’s the only thing my training has never given me, a way to control my excitement for the fight and the kill.

  “We were doing another perimeter check, one of the other Watcher’s notified Kane, that there was a guy speaking to a maid. She notified Kane also afterwards, said he was looking for a Miss Ianna Foster, but she told him she didn’t know a guest by that name, because she didn’t have your room on her cleaning roster. She told him to talk to the front desk, but he left and went walking around.” Eli says looking at me like he failed his mission already.

  “He had to of talked to someone who gave him her room number and direction on how to find the way here. He didn’t use the Private Elevator for these rooms.” Tanner says, and then the guy starts to groan again.

  “Hey girl you ready to …” Tara stops both talking an
d walking as she reaches Tanner. “Who the fuck is that? Did he try to get into Ianna’s room?” Her second question comes out quickly when she notices the door to my suite all busted.

  “What the actual fuck??” Kya asks coming up beside Tara. Then she too looks at the door and goes white. “The doors to these elite suites are steel plated ash wood, how the fuck did he do that? Is he a supernatural?” Kya says bending down to look at the guys face.

  “We don’t know, we got here as he was almost into Ianna’s room, but I think she was prepared for him anyways. She had that aimed at my head when she opened the door.” Eli says pointing at the gun I am still holding. The guy starts to groan more and tries to move.

  “Fuck, you stupid bitch. You will get it when I get out of these cuffs. Ahh …” The guy screams as Kya digs one of her nails into his neck. She lets a drop of blood hit her tongue and then her eyes grow milky white.

  “He isn’t Thomas Knighting, if that’s what you want to know. His name is Greg Scott, and he’s a werewolf. What the hell is he doing here?” Kya says standing up.

  “My guess, there are a few more than just Franny out for your blood Ianna. Maybe we should stay in and get food here before training? Make it harder for anyone trying to get their hands on you.” Charlotte says, I hadn’t even noticed her come up to us. Maybe staying in would be a better idea, and training as much as possible.

  “Yea I think that’s the best course of action. Now my question is, how’s your stomach?” Tanner asks with an arched eyebrow.

  “It’s pretty strong, it would have to be living with vampires, then again I’m the only person in the coven that can watch a horror movie while eating. So yea I would say I have a fairly strong stomach. Why?” I say looking at the guys.

  “Interrogation will be in an hour and a half. So after you eat, it can get pretty brutal, and I figured you would want to be there.” Tanner says. I run back into my room and grab my phone.

  “Ok I’ll meet you in the lobby after dinner. Let’s go ladies, I am starving!” I say walking back out. When I step over the guy, I make sure to nail him in the head hard with my foot.

  “Ahh fuck you bitch! I am going to rip you apart!” The werewolf yells.

  “Buddy, you do realize you’re yelling at the Atlantean Battle Warrior right?” Tara says as she kneels down to his level. His eye show surprise when he looks at me, I think he wasn’t told who he was after. I would be more worried for whoever hired him then myself at this point.

  The girls and I head down to the restaurant in the hotel. I see Helix walking with Kane behind Tanner and Eli escorting the werewolf. That’s so not fair; I am going to miss Helix at work! Damn it! Walking into the restaurant, the waitress lets me pick our table, Kya suggested it to see if I could find the best for defense and offense against attacks. I pick a table in the far corner, near the emergency exit that leads into the staff parking, the subway and to the street. It also has a clear view of the main entrance, the street entrance and from the kitchen. No one is sneaking up on us.

  The girls seem satisfied with my selection, so when we sit we can keep our guard up but also relax. We order our meals and talk about what each of us have been up to since being reborn in this life. The girls asked about my many lives that I have had since my first time with them. I find out that Kya has been reborn at least six times, Tara has had one and this is Charlotte’s first time. It makes me happy that the girls don’t have the damage I do caused from being reborn.

  “So has there been a life other than battle for you Ianna. It’s pretty impressive that you have had so many lives, but it’s causes wonder if you were ever truly happy.” Kya says looking at me. In one of her lives, she got to have the joys of being a mom. She still taught her children to fight for their beliefs, but at the same time to know when to back down.

  “I tried in one life, instead of listening to the call of war. I had a family, unfortunately it didn’t last long.” I say remembering that life. It brings tears, and a few slip down my cheeks but I wipe them away to keep from breaking down.

  “What happened, if you don’t mind me asking.” Charlotte asks. I shake my head and begin to tell them of what happened.

  Memories ….

  My life started in 352 and I lived with my grandparents. We were a small farming village just south of Hadrian’s wall. During the spring and summer we grew crops to help feed the garrison’s that were stationed on the wall to protect us. It stayed like that for fifteen years, and I even met the man I took as my husband there. He was one of the soldiers, and he had requested special permission to leave to support his family and country by growing crops to feed the other soldiers. His commander agreed, because there had been a sickness that went through and killed many of the farming families. We worked the farm my grandparents gave us on our wedding day, I gave birth to our first child in spring of 367. We were so happy and hoping to grow our family more, but it was short lived.

  I had heard the call of war the winter a year before and I ignored it. I thought we were safe, and that the Roman Empire would protect us. I was wrong, they let the attacking tribes in. They started with the small villages and ours was not spared. The Picts took all the animals, killed all the men, but spared the women and children of death. They did not spare us of the humiliations of raping us and forcing our young girls into marriage. The rest of us were enslaved, all except for me.

  I had been out in the field gathering what I could for spring flowers that were edible to give more to the baby as I breast fed. My husband had stayed home with the baby since I was still within view of our home. I had my weapons, and they had been activated. I just never used them and saw no need to. It wasn’t until I heard screaming and the ringing of metal as swords clashed, that I knew I was being punished. When I turned to go home, I saw my husband fighting the Picts and he was outnumbered. I ran to him to help but was caught off guard when two rushed me from the side of the chicken pen. As I fought with them, I watched in horror as they slit my husband’s throat and set fire to my home. I could hear my baby scream as she burned.

  I continued to fight and made sure to kill as many as I could. It was pleasing to see the shock on their faces when their comrades died by my sword. I made it to the old ruins of a temple to bury my weapons. I knew that I wouldn’t make it out of this alive. I was lying in wait with traps set when the Saxons found me. It wasn’t long before they overpowered what I had placed and some of them thought that they would use me for pleasures. They became disappointed when I threw myself on one of their blades, taking my own life. Then they were surprised when I told them, none of them would have the prize of the Atlantean Battle Warrior.

  I heard a man yelling commands, and before death fully took me I saw Cenric. He was a warrior for the Saxons, and he had trained me. When I was young, I had found a small hole in the wall that I could sneak through. I spent many of my summers running to the other side and when Cenric was around he would teach me to fight. After a while we stopped because there was news of a spy in the Roman ranks. He thought it better that I do not sneak across anymore. Now it was him and his men that taught me so much, that were to kill me. He was crying as he held me, repeating that he was sorry that they did not realize it was me. I told him not to worry, that I forgave him for doing what his King commanded.

  In a life right after that, I found one of the Saxons who had been in the legion that found me. He said that the woman was carried by Cenric back across the wall and given a full Saxon burial. It wasn’t until after the war that they all learned of the woman’s importance. I sat and talked to him for a while, he told me about the Roman’s coming back at them with a vengeance. When I asked if he was angry about the Roman’s retaking Britannia, he said no, that each side was just as guilty as the other. I also found out that many of them had retreated back to the north and started to settle there and create their own kingdoms. It was then that I decided to go get my weapons and place them in a sacred place that no one would find them. I had hidden my weapons almost
a full 50 years before the life I left to explore the western world now known as Canada. I went on expeditions with groups exploring the lands, that’s how I met the indigenous tribe in Manitoba and decided to stay there with them.

  End of Memory.

  “Wow. That’s so sad, I can understand why every time you’re brought back you cut off from the world. I would too if I had to relive that memory.” Tara says wiping tears from her face. Charlotte is sitting quietly with a look of great loss.

  “I am so sorry Ianna, I am so sorry. You should not have had to pay that price for wanting someone to love.” Kya says giving me a hug. I give her a sad smile and then phones start buzzing. We all start laughing because they all go off at the same time.

  “Hello, Ianna Foster, how may I help you?”

  “WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU??” Marcus yells through the phone.

  “I am in the Chateau Bellevue’s restaurant with my friends having dinner. We just finished, why? What’s wrong?” I ask, it’s not like Marcus to yell at me. Something is very wrong.

  “That werewolf was not alone, and they were sent to get you. He won’t tell us who though and Helix has tried everything we know to use on him.” Marcus says, I look at the girls, they all have a very worried look on their faces, and all their phone calls are finished.

  “Ok, I am heading down into the interrogation now. I am fine, will call you in 30 minutes when I have something to tell you ok?” We get up and we all leave a fifty on the table. The waitress is going to love our tip.

  “I am already there with Matthias. Kane called me and asked me to get my ass over here. So get your ass down here where I know your safe.” Marcus says cutting off the phone call.

  “Shit!” I say as the girls and I all head down the stair to the underground pathways. They lead me to a maintenance door and Kya unlocks it.