by Ashley Mason
“I can’t remember how long the journey took, just that it was long and difficult with many lives lost at sea. The captain hadn’t counted on there being so many aboard his ship and had miscalculated the need for food and fresh water. He also hadn’t counted on a vampire being among his passengers. See, back then, my father was the only one of my family afflicted with that particular problem. It’s not like in the movies, you know.”
Harper finally met Tessa's gaze, his eyes glinted with unshed tears. But he quickly blinked them back before she could comment on them. He took a deep breath and continued.
“It is possible to be either born into this world, such as myself, or to be bitten into it, like you. When you are born with vampirism in your genetics, you are still only human when born. As you age, the virus begins to take hold and you start to notice differences. Increased strength, senses, and a decreased appetite, coupled with a slight aversion to sunlight. Your body reaches maturity by your seventeenth year then stops aging. I believe the term thought of by humans is a Dhampir. Vampires call them Darklyngs, or ‘young dark one’.
“I was the oldest son from the previous marriage, my mother having died in the birthing bed to bring me into this world. She was only human and to bring something unnatural, such as myself, into this world had taken a tremendous toll on her body. She lived only long enough to name me Loki before she was gone from this world. She was of Norse descent and believed in the old gods and found it appropriate to name me after a god of mischief and trickery; of fire and deceit.”
“She didn’t know you, Harper. She was dying. Your father-“
“My father!” Harper exclaimed as he stood and walked to the book shelf behind her. “My father could barely look at me for years after my birth. He said he could not bring himself to love something that had taken his beloved Astryd from him. You see, before she became pregnant with me my father did not even know that he could get a woman pregnant with child. It was only a myth for there were very few of us back in those days. He swore never to love again, that no woman could surpass her in his eyes. Imagine my surprise when he re-married not ten short years later.”
“Ten years?”
“Ten years was all it took for him to forget her.” Harper paused, suddenly staring right into Tessa's eyes. He seemed almost to be searching for something and when he didn’t find it a small smile curved his lips. “You haven’t figured it out yet, have you? Elijah hasn’t told you?”
“Told me what?” Out of the blue, Harper’s phone went off and the two of them jumped a little in their seats. Harper held up a finger to ask for a moment before answering it.
“Harper, here…Ah, speak of the devil! And how is my little brother tonight? Mmhm…yes, she’s here with me, where else would she be? Right, well you know where we are. Good night, brother.” Harper ended the call and shoved the phone into a drawer. “Sorry about that, now where were we?”
“What did Elijah want?”
“Seems he stopped by your place and when he couldn’t find you, he got worried.” Tessa nodded slowly. She couldn’t help but wonder if Elijah should be with them, giving his side of the story. Not that Harper had mentioned him at all yet.
“Your father had just decided to get remarried.”
“Yes, her name was Liamhain and she was an Irish girl through and through. Even I must admit to be stunned by her beauty. She was young; barely eighteen and my father looked to be in his thirties. Lia, as we called her, was an orphan; her parents had been murdered when she was but a child, or so she had people believe. To try to describe her would only bring shame to her beauty. Elijah looks more like her than our sister but Rowena has her power, her strength.”
“Her…power?”
Tessa, DON’T!
She nearly flew out of her seat in fright; it had been weeks since she had last heard the strange voice in her head; the voice that she now knew to belong to Elijah. She scowled and crossed her arms. It was unfair of him to keep so many secrets from her when she had none from him.
“Lia was not an orphan as she had led us to believe. She was what was called a leannán sídhe, a creature of the Tuatha Dé Danann.”
“You’re telling me that Elijah’s mother was a fairy?” Tessa burst into laughter, not stopping till she realized that Harper was just sitting there, staring at her. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” He nodded slowly. “Holy crap, you have got to be kidding me.”
“I’m completely serious, Tessa. It doesn’t really surprise me that Elijah hasn’t told you yet. He never was very forthcoming with the mummy dearest crap. And I believe they prefer the word fae, not fairy. Lia was basically the Irish version of a Greek muse. She would find a particularly handsome looking fellow with a modicum of talent and offer her services to him in exchange for his love. Only, Lia ended up falling for my father instead of the other way around. So, they were married and she gave birth to Elijah and Rowena.”
“I didn’t know that Elijah even had a sister. I’ll just add that to the list of many things I don’t know about either of you.” Harper chuckled and sat back down, leaning back in the plush chair. “So, your father remarried and had more children then left the old country. What happened to your…betrothed?” The word stuck in Tessa's throat like a wad of dry cotton. He’d been engaged to a woman that he had loved and she had died. She couldn’t begin to imagine the pain that had caused him. The pain was clearly evident in his dark eyes, the unshed tears from before welling once again.
“Her name was Isobel Mac Carthaigh. Isobel was beautiful and smart and…” Harper’s voice drifted off as he lost himself in the memory from so long ago, staring at some spot on the wall behind Tessa's head. “She was everything to me, my reason for getting up in the morning. Isobel had no idea what I was, of course. Not until the very end.
“She died from a simple case of dehydration on the trip to our new home and when it became evident that she would not be joining us in the new world, I broke and told her everything. What I was, what my father was…that I could save her if she would only let me…” Harper cleared his throat, staring down at his hands. “She refused me, of course. Isobel was extremely religious and was in fear for her soul, as well as mine. Two days before we reached shore, she told me she loved me and that she would see me again on the other side as long as I repented and never gave into my demon.” The word was spit out as though it were acid, the anger that filled him evident on his face. “She didn’t realize how little choice I had in that matter.”
A tense silence filled the room and Tessa knew Harper would go no further with his story; nor was she about to ask him to. She stood and walked around the desk to him, kneeling between his legs to lay a hand over his. She didn’t say anything, just looked him in the eyes so that he knew how sorry she was. It surprised her when a moment later he continued.
“I buried her when we made port and the moment she was in the ground…I took my own life in the hopes of staving off the transformation I knew awaited me. I wanted, more than anything, to join her in the afterlife. I cared about nothing else. Elijah tried to talk me out of it but there was nothing he could say or do to change my mind. I leapt from the cliffs overlooking the port.”
“Harper…”
“My own father did nothing to stop me because he knew. Tessa, he knew I would come back; that my death was the catalyst for the change. Elijah says I was gone for only a day and that when I came back I was barely recognizable...no long human.”
“I’m so sorry.” Tessa stood and laid her cheek against his head as his arms wrapped strongly around her slim waist, tugging her down into his lap. Harper's lips suddenly covered hers in a searing kiss, leaving Tessa dizzy. Then she was kissing him back, taking his face in her hands and biting gently at his lower lip.
Harper groaned loudly and, in a flash, everything from the desk crashed to the floor and Tessa was on her back, Harper tightly grabbing her hips. His fingers dug into her soft flesh and she gasped, arching beneath him.
“Harper-“<
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The loud knock at the door froze them both, a snarl escaping Harper's throat. When he looked down at Tessa his eyes crackled with heat, the tips of his teeth drawing blood from his lower lip.
“Sir?” There was another knock at the door, Carter obviously too worried about his own life to actually walk into the room. After another silent moment, Harper climbed off of Tessa and they quickly straightened themselves out, leaving the mess on the floor to be put to rights later.
“Carter…” Harper tore open the door, the look of murder in his eyes freezing Carter where he stood. “This had better be good.”
“Brother!”
A young woman stepped out from behind the bar, a bottle filled with red liquid in her hand. She had an extremely slender build while still managing to tower over Tessa by a good inch or so. Her hair fell to her tiny waist like strands of spun flame, the red so bright it seemed that her hair was actually glowing. The waves rippled and danced about her shoulders, framing an angular face with its small nose and dainty lips. Her eyes though…they were Elijah’s eyes; deep aqua in color with thick lashes. But where he looked at her with kindness, this girl stared at her with something very close to hatred. But the smile on her face was warm and welcoming.
“Rowena…when did you get here?” Harper took a small step to the left, placing himself just slightly more in front of Tessa. Rowena’s smile widened to show off her small fangs.
“I got into town yesterday but you know how it is. Traveling is just so…draining, don’t you think?” She popped open the bottle she held and took a long drink. A small drop of blood lingered in the corner of her mouth till she licked it off. “But then again, you haven’t traveled out of the country in the last century or two. Not since she died.” Harper tensed, his hands fisting tightly. “So, I’ve been busy acclimating to the city and grabbing a bite to eat.”
“You know the rules, Rowena.”
“Oh, don’t worry your pretty little head about me. I was careful. I was having my preferred dinner, not yours.” Her eyes flickered to Tessa then back to Harper. “Aren’t you going to introduce me, big brother?” Tessa stepped out from behind Harper, holding out her hand.
“I'm Tessa. The boys only recently mentioned they had a sister so it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Now the girl stared at Tessa’s hand until it dropped.
“That’s funny…they never mentioned you.”
“Rowena, stop it.”
“I'm just saying.”
Tessa forced a small smile then shrugged.
“I'm a fairly new acquaintance of theirs.”
“Right, the pleasure is all mine, I'm sure. Harper, have you seen my twin? I’ve just been dying to get caught up with him. It’s been so long.” Harper visibly relaxed, as though the idea of getting her out of his bar and making her Elijah’s problem was the solution to the little problem.
“I spoke to him only a few minutes ago. I'm sure he is probably on his way here. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finds you here.” Tessa and Harper shared a glance, smiles tugging at both their lips at the thought of the real reason for Elijah hurrying here.
Although, Tessa had to admit to being happy about the distraction of Harper and Elijah’s sister showing up when she did. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of what her and Harper had been about to do but she didn’t want to hurt Elijah either. And that was certainly what would have happened had he barged into the office. She still wasn’t sure what to do about the two brothers. They were both so different in so many ways that she knew it was going to tear her apart, having to make the decision she knew was to come.
“So you’ve never even been out of the state?” Nira blew on her hot coffee before taking a long, noisy sip of it. Tessa shook her head and laughed.
“I never really had the chance to, I suppose. I grew up in the same small town and went to college in the city only forty minutes away. I can’t imagine living in Greece and going to Cambridge of all places for college. It sounds like an adventure.”
“Yeah, a very expensive, very pretentious adventure, I suppose. I think it might have been nice, growing up in a small town, being nobody, no offense. My father was quite rich; he even owned the small island I grew up on. Everywhere I went, I was watched and judged. So, when I told my father that I planned to go to England for college then on to the states he demanded I at least go to the college of his choice. I figured, what could it hurt?”
“I'm guessing it wasn’t quite what you were looking for?”
“Oh, hell no,” Nira laughed, setting down her cup. “I was looking for something small and out of the way. Perhaps study art or something along those lines. But Father always gets what he wants.”
“But you’re happy, right? I mean, you’re here now and that’s what really matters.” Nira smiled and nodded. “Well there you go. You ended up getting what you wanted in the end. You just had to take a different path to get it is all.”
“Some detour. Now here I am, studying for a semester or two abroad, making new friends and living my life the way I want to.” She reached up and grabbed the necklace that she wore around her throat, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the silver.
“That’s a beautiful necklace, Nira. Is it Greek?” The girl smiled and unclasped it, holding the chain up so Tessa could see it better. The silver was aged, looking more like an antique that you might pick up at a flea market. But there was something…ancient about it that told Tessa this was no mere trinket. On the silver chain rested a delicately carved pendant showing three conjoined spirals that met at the center, coming out of a triangle.
“This is called a triskelion, meaning three-legged. It is Greek and many other things, such as Celtic and Mycenaean. In Irish mythology it is the symbol of Manannán mac Lir, a sea-god of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was seen as a foster father of sorts to many…in the tales, of course. Some ancient societies believed it to be the sign of mischief causing shifters, things that could change their shape at will. It’s just a favorite of mine and I happened across this in a little market that I visited once outside of Dublin. It’s…nothing special, but thanks.”
Tessa nodded, watching silently as Nira slipped the necklace back on and tucked it under her shirt.
“So, what exactly are here to do, anyways? I mean, I'm glad we decided to meet up again but what about school and stuff? Don’t you have to study or something?” Both women laughed.
“Of course, I have to study at some point. But first, I need to do the research. I'm heading out later this week to go survey this great spot near Salem. It’s basically the American version of Stonehenge, aptly named American Stonehenge.”
“Oh, right! I’ve heard of that place. I think I went there once on a field trip for school. What does that have to do with your research?” The girls stood and gathered their things, heading out of the coffee shop.
“My research delves a lot into myth and legend, and places with supposedly mystical powers. Stonehenge happens to be one of the most speculated areas in the world. So I thought I would check out its American cousin. Plus, it has what’s called a “Sacrificial Table” that has my interest particularly peaked. You’re welcome to join me, if you like.” Tessa nodded and shifted her bag to the other shoulder.
“I think that sounds great. I'm defiantly in.”
“Wonderful! I’ll give you a ring later this week and we’ll discuss details.”
Tessa and Nira said their good byes and went their separate ways, Tessa heading for the apartment. With everything that had been going on lately, she had needed a friend to talk to about something other than her new found vampirism. That or the decision she would at some point have to make between Elijah and Harper. If she had to be honest with herself though, there wasn’t much of a choice to be made.
Something inside her was screaming to get closer to Harper, to just chose him and let it be over with. That she belonged with him and only him; Elijah was an intruder and needed to be eliminated from her heart. But she couldn’t help but t
hink back to Elijah’s word. A blood tie would make sense, she had read about those in a few different books during her research session at the library. But every theory had been different. In one, the tie was unbreakable and forever permanent. In another, it could only be broken with the death of the sire. Another said it could be broken with a series of difficult and dangerous spells; which was she supposed to believe? The only way to know for sure would be to ask Harper. Elijah had mentioned also that it would simply fade with time but she couldn’t be sure.
Tessa found the apartment dark and empty as day slowly turned to night, her roommate having been working the night shift for the last couple of weeks. With a sigh, she locked the door behind her and kicked off her shoes, heading for the kitchen.
A slight scraping noise coming from her bedroom stopped her dead in her tracks, her head snapping up as she focused on the small noise. Her senses became finely tuned in that direction, attempting to pick up any small nuance that she could.
But there was nothing.
No more sound, no unfamiliar smell drifting in on the breeze that carried under the door.
Wait…breeze? The girls were adamant about keeping every door and window locked after what had happened to Penny. They still hadn’t discovered who’d broken in that night but it had scared them both badly. So now, every window was kept locked as were the doors, even if one or both of them were in the apartment.
Tessa rushed into the room, throwing on the light as she went in. The window was wide open, the pale lavender curtains whispering back and forth against the windowsill. She could clearly see the landing of the fire escape and the man that sat there, smiling back at her, a small pocket knife in his hand.
