Jonathon sighed. “When I left your mother, I didn’t know that she was pregnant. It wasn’t until I checked in on her a few years later that I realized what had happened. Believe me, when I found out that I had a son out there somewhere, living alone, I felt so terrible. I was ashamed of myself for letting you grow up without me.”
Darren’s jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth. “I had to raise myself. Nobody ever cared about me, and I couldn’t stay in one place for too long, because sooner or later, someone would always guess that I was different. I couldn’t settle down, I couldn’t make friends, and I had to deal with my evil side by myself. Nobody was there to teach me how to be a vampire. Do you know how many times I almost killed someone, just by accident? Do you know how many times I hurt people, people who had done nothing wrong?”
Jonathon looked away, too ashamed to meet his son’s accusing stare. “I’m sorry, Darren. Truly I am. If I’d known that your mother was pregnant, I would never have left. I would have stayed and taken care of you. And I did look for you, for years, but every time I got word of you, you were already gone. Then one day, it was like you’d just dropped off the face of the planet. I had no idea what had happened to you, and I just prayed that you were alright.”
“I wasn’t,” Darren said coldly. “I was being held captive in Roger’s dungeons. I was tortured daily, just for the hell of it, and I have scars all over my body as a daily reminder of the hell I endured.” He pushed up his shirt to expose his flat stomach. I could see raised, silver scars crossing all over his body, up to his chest and down his upper arms. “You see, my healing isn’t as good as a normal vampire’s, and it’s left me with an ugly body that I’m embarrassed to show.”
Jax put his arm around Darren’s waist, but didn’t say anything.
“I can’t even begin to apologize for what you’ve suffered through,” Jonathon said sadly. “If I could go back and do things differently, I would, believe me. Darren, I cared about your mother very much, but when things ended badly between us, I just took off without looking back.”
“You said cared, not loved,” Darren said tightly. “So was she just some booty call that you started to develop feelings for? Is that why you fled, because you were starting to do more than care? I mean, what kind of man are you that you’d just run away and never look back? Did you even care that she’d died to give birth to me?”
Jonathon’s eyes closed, and his hands began to tremble. “I did care, and I still do. Ever since I first found out about you, I’ve wanted to be a part of your life, and that’s still true now. Darren, I know that I’ve missed a good portion of your life, and I can’t change that, but I can make up for it. This cause is important to you, which makes it important to me. I’d like to help in any way that I can.”
Darren stood angrily, knocking his lawn chair over in the process. “I don’t want your help,” he hissed, eyes blazing with just a tinge of red.
I reached over and put my hand on his shoulder. “Darren, maybe you two should talk privately.” I looked at Ray, who nodded. “Why don’t the two of you go inside and get everything out in the open. We’ll wait to make plans until you get back.”
He sighed, and his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Alright.” Darren got up from the table and Jonathon followed him slowly into the house. The second the two of them were gone, everyone at the table let out a collective and relieved breath.
“Well, that was…surprising,” Ray said, obviously as shocked as the rest of us. “Who would have thought that Darren’s father would track him for so long, just to be a part of his life?”
Jax snorted. “To be a part of his life? Sure, that’s what he’s trying to do.”
I frowned. “Jax, Darren’s father seemed really sincere about what he was saying. Maybe we should hold off on our judgment for a while. He is Darren’s father after all. He should have the final say on whether Jonathon can stay or not. Besides, he might be useful to us.”
Jax shook his head and didn’t say anything else. I knew he was worried about Darren, that much was clear to everyone at the table, but he had to understand that we needed all the help we could get. One person could be the difference between life and death for any one of us.
Chapter Nine
Darren and Jonathon argued until well after noon, and when they were done, Darren stormed off into the woods, leaving behind a devastated looking Jonathon. Jax ran after him, and I joined Jonathon on what was left of the porch. He examined the charred parts with interest, but I got the feeling that he was just trying to keep us from seeing how upset he was by Darren’s departure.
“People tried to burn our house to the ground because my soul mate is a vampire,” I said, putting my hands on what was left of the railing. “Darren’s been helping us fight and plan. He’s a good guy; he just needs time to get used to you being here.” I didn’t know how I knew that; I just felt like I did. “He’s smart, and he’ll realize eventually that you care about him.”
“How do you know I care?”
“I can just tell. The look on your face when he ran off clued me in. You care about Darren–a son you’d never met–and he’ll realize it. Just give him some time,” I said again. “Prove to him that you’re not going anywhere anytime soon, and he might be more willing to open up and let you in.”
Jonathon looked down at me. He was shorter than the average guy, like Darren was, and he had the same shade of reddish brown hair. “How does a young woman your age sound so wise?”
“Well, I’ve been through quite a bit over the last few months. I’ve experienced things most people my age can’t even imagine, and it’s changed me. It’s made me more adult, more grown, and I’m thankful for that. If I was still the same girl I was when this all started, I think I would have definitely cracked under the pressure by now. I’ve been tested and tested and tested, and each time I’ve pulled through, thanks to my family and friends. My support system. You know, I’ve relied on Darren quite a bit.”
Jonathon nodded. “He’s a good young man. I just wish I could claim credit for that.” He sighed. “God, I’d give anything to be able to go back and be there for him. I’d raise him the right way, and I’d teach him what it takes to be a vampire, and I could have been the one to teach him right from wrong.”
“He learned that on his own.”
He nodded again. “I know,” he said bitterly. “After I found out about Darren, and I lost him, I started doing as much research on dhampirs as I possibly could. I even spoke with a few of them over the years. They don’t age past young adulthood, so I don’t have to worry about watching him die years from now.”
I sensed he wanted to say something else. “But…”
“But I’ve heard that dhampirs have a harder time learning to control their bloodlust. Darren told me that he had a few very close calls when he was growing up,” he said quietly. “He told me that he almost killed a homeless man when he was eight, and another time he attacked a young girl when he was just thirteen. I should have been there to help him work through it, but I wasn’t.”
“You didn’t even know that Darren existed. That’s not your fault.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to make him feel better, but I did. It might have had something to do with my relationship with Ray. I had a loving, caring father that had been there for me every step of the way, and I wanted Darren to be able to have that as well. “He’ll come around, and the two of you can start building your relationship.”
He laughed bitterly. “I hope you’re right.” He looked down at me and got serious again. “Darren speaks very highly of you, and your cousin Jax. He told me that you rescued him from Roger’s dungeons, freeing him from an eternity of torture.”
“Well, it’s not like I did it by myself. My family helped me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
He turned to look me in the eyes. Slowly, he extended his hand to me, and I took it in mine. It was surprisingly warm and calloused from a lifetime of hard labor. “Thank you, for what you’
ve done for my son. You promised you would go back for him, and you did. And not only did you rescue him, you also gave him a place to stay, and you’ve taken care of him. Thank you,” he said again.
I nodded. “Like I said, Darren’s a great guy. I was happy to help. And he’s certainly earned his stay here with all the things he’s done for us. He fought against the Council, he testified for me and Quinten, and he helped give us information on half-vampire babies. I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for your son.”
Jonathon glanced quickly at my stomach and then back up. “You’re probably getting tired of people staring at your stomach, aren’t you?”
I shrugged, even though he was right. “I’m used to it by now. I’ll be happy when I can get my old body back though. I hate having to waddle everywhere I go.”
He laughed again, sounding much happier this time. “I’ve heard pregnancy is a rough time for women. You seem to be holding up well, though such a fiery girl like you probably dislikes lounging around when you could be doing something useful. I imagine you’ll be sitting out of the fighting?”
I sighed. “Everyone wants me to, but I just can’t. All of these people here are willing to fight for me, for my babies, and for the ending of centuries of bloodshed, and I can’t let them do it alone. They want me safely tucked away somewhere, but that’s not fair to any of them, or myself. What would these babies think if they found out everyone fought for them except for me?”
“Those babies are important,” Jonathon said. “If they’re born, they truly could end the fighting. I know you’ve probably heard that a lot recently, but it’s one hundred percent true. Can you imagine what it would be like to have peace between us?”
“Things in this world would be very different,” I said slowly. “Can you imagine it? We don’t become werewolves until a vampire’s venom is introduced into our system. If we end all this fighting, we might not have any more werewolves. Will people hate us for that? Some people can’t wait for the day they might become a werewolf, and if we take that away from them…”
Jonathon shook his head. “Don’t worry about that too much. If that happens, it won’t be for a very long time. The fighting won’t stop overnight, Alanna. There will probably always be anger and hatred for some of them. People like Roger and Elias will always be around to help increase the tension. The vampire attacks will not drop off; there will still be plenty of new werewolves made.”
Surprisingly, I hadn’t thought about the possibility of others like Roger and Elias existing after the fighting was over. By the end of this war, I was assuming that both of them would be dead, and we wouldn’t have to live in fear or constant worry anymore. But the thought of there being more people like them was not a pleasant one.
If there will always be people like Roger and Elias, will I ever be able to have a semi-normal life? Will I always have to look over my shoulder? Will there always be a threat to my children from both sides? How will I protect them when they start school or get lives of their own?
I sighed. “It’ll never end.”
A hand clamped down gently on my shoulder, and I looked up into Ray’s face. “Yes, it will. You will have a life after this, Alanna. You’ll go back to school, and you’ll have a career, and you and Quinten will start your lives together, complete with two beautiful, healthy children.” He stared into my eyes until I nodded, and then he looked at Jonathon. “You’re welcome to join us in the backyard for some more training. If you’re serious about staying to help the cause your son has taken up, you’ll need to learn to fight.”
“I can fight,” Jonathon said. “Most lone vampires know how to at least protect themselves. But I might be a little rusty. I would like to join you.” He hesitated for just a second. “Do you think Darren will be joining you? Or will he be staying away for the rest of the day?”
Ray shrugged. “Darren will return when he feels he’s ready.” He looked at me. “As will Jax. I just hope they don’t plan on staying out for long. I’m already starting to worry about them being out there by themselves. There’s no telling how many enemies we have in these woods.”
Jonathon tensed. “Should we be out looking for him?” he asked worriedly. “I didn’t force my way into my son’s life just to have him taken from me before the twenty-four hour mark.”
I put my hand on Jonathon’s shoulder. “My cousin Jax will take good care of him. Jax is a natural born fighter, and he cares about Darren. We all do,” I said quickly. Then I turned and headed back inside, hoping Jonathon didn’t realize what I’d really just said. It was Darren’s place to tell his father about his sexuality or not; it was none of my business.
I’d just gotten to the front door when Ray’s voice stopped me. “Alanna, get the others and bring them out front, now!”
Without looking to see what was wrong, I ran for the backdoor, threw it open, and looked at everyone sitting around talking. “You guys, Ray wants all of you out front, now.” I turned around and ran back through the house, stopping at the still open front door. What I saw made my heart stop.
There were six very large, muscular men coming up the driveway. They stopped about a hundred feet from the front porch, and they all stared at my stomach before turning their attention to Ray. “Raymond Moore, we are here under orders from Dera, the leader of the Council. We are to take your daughter into protective custody, until such time as she will meet with Dera to discuss important matters.”
Ray’s hands clenched at his sides. “You’re not taking my daughter anywhere.”
I put my hand on his shoulder and looked at him, trying to calm him down before he did something rash that got us into more trouble with the Council. “Dad, they said protective custody, not imprisonment.”
One of the guards spoke again. “We are not here to harm your daughter, or any of you. New Council members have been chosen, and Dera now heads them all. She wishes to meet with the werewolf that now carries a vampire’s child. You should come with us now, before someone less inviting stops by for a visit.” He looked at the burned porch and his eyes narrowed. “Next time you might not be as lucky as you were before.”
“I’ll go with you,” I said. “Take me to Dera.”
“Alanna!”
“Dad, I’ll be fine.”
Quinten wrapped his arms around my waist, placing his hands around my stomach. “You’re not going anywhere without me,” he said softly. His lips brushed lightly against my neck. “If you go, I go.” Then he looked up at the muscular guards waiting impatiently for us to make a decision. “Can you guarantee our safety?”
The front guard nodded once. “We have orders from the head of the Council to make sure no harm comes to any of you. We are supposed to bring in the werewolves Alanna and Raymond Moore, the vampire Quinten Taylor, and the dhampir Darren West. The rest of you are to await the Council’s judgment here.”
I looked at Ray, and he nodded solemnly. “If we have no other choice, let’s just go and get this over with.” He looked up at the guards. “Darren West is not here at the moment, but we expect him back shortly. You’ll have to come back for him another time.”
“Very well,” the guard said. “Come with us. Dera is waiting for your arrival.”
Ray, Quinten and I stepped down from the burned porch, and we walked straight into the group of guards. They closed around us and the three of us all tensed, waiting for them to double cross and attack. They didn’t though. Instead, they marched us down the driveway, into the trees, where they had two black SUV’s packed near the road. Quinten, Ray, and I slid into the backseat, and two of the guards got in front.
They started the truck and drove off.
*****
The Council building looked the same as it had the last time I’d been there. Stone pillars that were two stories tall lined the outer part of the building, spreading out away from the main stairs. The pillars supported the massive dome-shaped roof, which made the building look like a beautiful, ancient Greek temple.
&nbs
p; Despite the high windows that were filled with stained glass, and the tall lamps that lined the outside of the stairs that lit the way into the building, the place looked as cold and unforgiving as it did the first time I’d seen it. We followed the guards into the brightly lit foyer area, which was thankfully much emptier than it had been the first time around.
Nobody stared at us with contempt, and nobody spit at us or threw things. Nobody shouted profanities or death threats. I walked across the intricate tiled design beneath my feet with my head held high. I wanted them to know that I had done nothing wrong the first time, and that I certainly hadn’t done anything wrong this time.
We walked down a flight of stairs and into the large, circular room that had been the main stage for our previous trial. The high wall of seats that were positioned into a half-circle at the far end of the room were filled with five werewolves that I had never seen before. The one in the middle caught my attention the most, because she was breathtaking.
A tall, muscular woman sat in the middle seat. She had dark, flawless skin and equally dark hair that she wore in a tight bun. Her eyes were a soft brown color, and her cheekbones were high and sharp. She sat straight and tall, and she watched me from the moment I walked into the room until I stopped right in front of her seat.
“Welcome to the Council’s main room. I trust your trip in was alright?”
“It went infinitely better than the first time around. I haven’t been spit at, or yelled at, or told that I’m going to hell for loving the wrong person. Of course, that could change any second.”
“It won’t,” the woman assured me with a deep, serious voice that was surprisingly beautiful. “I am Dera, and I give you my word that no harm will befall you while you are here. While here, you are under my protection, and you will remain that way.”
“Why do you want us here?” I asked, looking from her to the other Council members. I was surprised to see that I didn’t recognize any of them. The two that led the attack on my house were gone, and I realized that this trip might actually end better than our last one.
Arena Wars Trilogy Page 45
