by Jen Pretty
"I'll leave you be for a while. Dinner will be at 7. You have an ensuite bathroom, and it's stocked. There are also clothes in the closet, and there should be something to fit you. I'll stop by before dinner and get you," Darla said before she turned on her heel and left, closing the door softly behind her.
I wandered into the luxurious bathroom and flicked the shower on, turning the water too hot.
The building might look old from the outside, but there was nothing wrong with the water system. I stayed in the steaming spray for 20 minutes before shutting it off and wandering out to find some clothes from the closet. There were clothes of every type and size in the massive closet. I took out a pair of jogging pants and t-shirt that were approximately my size and tossed them on before collapsing on the bed. I was just going to see if it was as soft as it looked but I barely made it up to the pillow before I was asleep.
All I could see was red blood, hands, bodies. I started to scream, but then I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. It was a man, but he was moving slowly. His eyes were red as was his hair. "I'll be back for you," he promised, and then he was gone, and I was alone with the terror of my whole family slaughtered. I started screaming again before I was violently shaken and woke pinned down by a massive body. I cried out again.
"Calm down. I swear to god if you punch me in the face, I will not be pleased with you, timekeeper," a voice said sternly, and I realized it was Reg. Well, this wasn't embarrassing at all.
“Get off me!” I yelled. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
"Me? What is wrong with me?" He asked incredulously "I'm not the one who freaks out every time I sleep and then slows time and wakes up swinging. I've heard the stories; I don't plan on getting a bloody nose because you have baggage."
"Fine, but I'm awake now so get off. I won't punch you unless you don't move right now," I promised, struggling to get out from under Reg, "and you would have issues too if you thought you were human, and then some red-haired vampire killed your whole family."
He was moving off me but stilled and stared at me. “What?”
“You already know this. My whole family was killed. It’s not news,” I said rolling my eyes.
"You said a red-haired vampire. I thought you didn't see anyone."
I had to stop and think for a moment. I sat up and crossed my legs thinking back to my dream. "He was there. For just a second after I came out of my room. He said, ‘I'll be back for you' and left. I've never seen him in the nightmare before. I don't know if it even happened or my mind made it up. "
"There is only one powerful red-haired vampire. His name is Joshua, and he has been alive for at least four centuries. He's one of the oldest. It makes sense he would be behind this. It is weird you didn't remember seeing him before now. Do you have this nightmare every night?"
I nodded. "For the last six months, except for when I was with Luke." I sighed remembering how easy it was to be around Luke. My only family. Then I frowned feeling all alone again "He took the nightmares away."
Reg just sighed. "Well, thanks for not punching me. I better go and update the hunters and the elders. Dinner is ready. It's not as good as Margot's cooking but its good enough." Apparently, Margot was known for her cooking. I thanked him as he left my room.
I got up and headed the way I thought I had come. Halfway down the hallway, I passed an open door, and a voice called out. "Wait up, princess." ugh. Armond. I turned around to look at him. His shirt was still unbuttoned, and his dark hair was wet like he just got out of the shower. I figured I could despise him and still appreciate all that.
"What do you want, fairy?" I asked as I turned back to keep walking. I had no idea where I was going, but I was following my nose. It never steered me wrong.
"Is that your new nickname for me?" he asked chuckling. I tried to ignore him and keep walking, but he followed "I just want to talk to you for a minute," he said catching up and falling into step beside me in the hall, still buttoning his shirt.
“What do you want to talk to me about?” I asked shortly. I remembered the last time I punched him and had to bite my lip to stop the smile.
He grabbed my arm gently and stopped us. "We are going to be raiding a bunch of vamp hideouts in the coming weeks, and I'm wondering if you are up to it." He replied looking serious "you seemed a bit overwhelmed earlier, with the vampires."
"Do I have much choice? Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can do this, so I guess I'm going to face my demons and hopefully stay alive. Not that I have a lot of reason to want to stay alive. I suppose not dying painfully would be something to hope for." I was starting to feel bad for myself apparently.
He just stared at me with a concerned look. "You have to live, Lex. Just stay alive." he turned and headed down the hall. I waited, stunned. Was he concerned about me or just about winning the war? The fact he used my name was weird. Whatever. I needed food.
After a few wrong turns, I made it to the dining room. It was full of hunters, and they were all talking animatedly. I walked down the side and grabbed a plate and then filled it with lots of great smelling food and made my way towards an empty seat at the table. Thankfully it was two seats down from Darla, so she made one of the guys switch places and sat beside me. Reg was on the other side, so I felt at least a little less anxious. They were just all so much bigger than me. Even Darla towered over me.
"How's it going?" Darla asked, "I stopped by to get you, but you were still sleeping so thought it best to leave you."
“Thanks. I’m good. This food looks great.”
Darla laughed "I don't know if it's that great, but it's food," she laughed again before scooping up some veggies and shoving them in her mouth.
I wasn't against vegetables, but there was meatloaf on my plate, and meatloaf always came first. Once all the greatest of the foods were gone, I ate my veggies and chugged my weak cup of coffee before taking the dishes back to the kitchen. There were four people in the kitchen washing dishes and pots and pans. "Can I help?" I asked an older woman.
She gave me a soft smile "oh, aren't you a sweetie. No need for you to get dishwater hands. You will be working hard enough in the weeks to come, timekeeper." She patted my cheek before turning back to her dishes. Apparently, word had gotten out about me, so I left the kitchen and followed a group of hunters out into the foyer and across into a large room.
There was a home theatre on one side with a bunch of couches around it and two pool tables on the other side. A bar in the far corner was serving beer, so I went over and grabbed one. I sat on a stool and then turned around to ‘hunter watch.' It was all very surreal sitting here. These men and a few women were huge, and all were armed and deadly. Even the ones who weren't openly carrying swords, I knew, had some type of weapons and were trained to use them.
I sat for a while and finished my beer plus another one. I was beginning to relax finally and went to turn back to the bar when I suddenly realized someone was sitting beside me. God. I needed to start paying attention if I wasn’t going to die painfully.
"Hey, how's it going?" I mumbled to the guy, but he just stared at me. So, I flipped him off and asked for another beer and went back to watching hunters. That was more interesting anyway. A few minutes later, when the asshole to my left still hadn't taken my subtle hint and moved along, I got up but before I could leave he grabbed my wrist. My other hand came up but before it made contact he had that wrist too. I opened my mouth to give him hell, but he finally spoke.
"You have too much fear. You must conquer your demons before you can meet your future." Then he let me go and swung around standing in one quick movement and left the room like a ghost. I looked around, but no one else even seemed to notice him or the strange interaction I just had with him. Weirdo.
I was pretty much done with this day anyway so decided to find my way back to my room. I wandered for quite some time before I bumped into Darla and she gave me directions. Seriously. I have no idea why the house was designed like a maze,
but I was too tired to think about it, so I stumbled back into my room and crashed, praying I wouldn't have another nightmare.
Chapter six
Of course, I did have my nightmare, but at least no one was near me when I woke up the next morning so no embarrassing punching of old people etc.
I got up and dragged myself to the shower. It was hot and glorious. Then I followed my nose again till I found bacon and coffee. Life was ok. The coffee was a little weak, so I drank 2 cups before I finally felt like the day could begin.
We all gathered in the large conference room after breakfast.
Reg and Armond stood at the head of the enormous table. "Today we are going to strike two vamp nests. We will be in 2 teams and strike simultaneously, but the nests are close enough that if we need to, we can run the timekeeper over to the second site to help. The larger nest will be primary team one plus the timekeeper…"
“My name is Lex” I reminded him under my breath.
"...And primary team two will take the second site. Primary 3 will be on standby between the two sites in case our Intel is wrong, and more vamps are present than expected." He looked around like a real army general trying to inspire his troops. "Two vehicles per team to try and minimize attention from civilians" his slow smile started to grow. "Let's go kill some vamps!" he shouted before the whole room exploded in cheers and men and women jumped to their feet and filed out. I stayed in my seat till most were gone and caught Reg's eye. He winked at me before walking out with Armond and Darla. Darla looked back and waved me to follow, so I got up and followed them through the house and back to the underground garage.
Reg and Darla got in the front of one SUV, and Armond called me over before motioning me into the back of the second vehicle and then hopping in after me and wedging me between a hunter I didn't know and himself. "Cozy" he teased with a grin. I literally couldn't move. Hunters were too big I decided. Big and stupid.
Fritz hopped in the driver's seat, and another random hunter jumped in the passenger seat, and we were off. Our utterly inconspicuous caravan of 6 black SUVs.
We drove for almost 2 hours like that. The radio was on, and the guys discussed various weapons and strategy and the best way to kill a vamp. Far too much testosterone.
I couldn't feel my ass anymore when we finally stopped, and when I stood to get out, I nearly fell on my face. I heard Armond snicker and imagined his bloody face again before finally getting my feet moving. Reg walked over and took my hand. I was starting to feel like a child but rolled with it. We were going to get some bad guys. Ok. My enthusiasm was lacking.
"Team 2 is in position. We are entering in 3 minutes." The hunters checked their watches. "Let's get in position," Reg said before hauling me towards a warehouse. I had some questions now that we were here and about to go in but when I opened my mouth, Reg held his finger to his lips in the universal sign for "shut it" so I kept my mouth shut.
We were behind the warehouse now at a small door. The front had several large garage doors or loading bays, and most of our team was there, but Reg and I and four others were at this small back door. We stood there for another 30 seconds or so before everyone started moving at once. I jumped forward to follow Reg since he had my arm in a death grip and I imagined my nightmare to pull my magic out. It worked even faster than last time since I was terrified and as we entered the dark warehouse, I could just make out hunters swinging swords and knives. As my eyes adjusted, I realized the warehouse was full of vampires lying on small cots in rows like at a shelter for the homeless.
We only had about 3 seconds after we burst in before the vamps jumped up and started fighting back. The ones closest to me were slow, but the ones at the other end of the warehouse were fast. Too fast. I tried to move forward, but Reg held me back.
“It’s not safe to move in farther yet. Let the guys at this end take care of these and then we will move.” Reg said with a solemn look.
But then I saw a vamp tear the chest of a hunter with his sharp claws. Blood sprayed, and I freaked. I tried to get away from Reg. The vampire was killing the hunter just out of range. I couldn't let him die. I pulled again and finally broke free running forward to get that vamp in range. Reg yelled just as a vampire jumped up from the ground and grabbed me. He was slow until he touched me but a split second after his hand touched me he was back to regular speed and his fangs were in my shoulder. There wasn't even time to scream before he pulled his teeth out and reared-back to strike higher, aiming for my neck.
Then, suddenly, his head was no longer attached to his body. I screamed finally, as I looked up and Armond was there with blood splatter on his face and a ridiculous grin. "That's a painful way to go, darlin," he sniggered before turning back toward the rest of the vampires still moving in the warehouse.
Reg grabbed me and spun me around “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He yelled before slamming his hand down on the bleeding wound on my shoulder and pressing hard to stop the flow of blood.
“Ow fuck. I get it. Stop!” I screamed at him while still holding my magic, so the vampires couldn’t get the upper hand
"I told you to wait. You can't put yourself at risk for anyone. Every soldier here knows the risk to themselves and are willing to sacrifice. But you stay safe!" he yelled back. The sounds of fighting were dying out in the warehouse. I looked around as the last vampire fell. Except for the hunter I saw being attacked, the rest looked no worse for the wear. They all stood watching Reg yell at me. Super. Thanks
Reg lifted his watch which was apparently also a communication device. “Team two report,” he ordered curtly.
“Location secured. Two injuries no casualties came the reply.
“Good. Clean up is on the way, head for home, I’ll let them know we need healers.” Reg looked at me again then he turned on his heel and walked out the way we came in.
Armond came up beside me “Good work princess. Thought you’d be the ‘hide and cower’ type,” he laughed before taking my arm and marching me back to the vehicles. Reg had the injured hunter I had tried to save on the back of the SUV he drove in and was packing a wound on the man’s chest, but the guy looked like he would be ok.
Armond sat me on the back of the SUV we had come in and took out a first aid kit. Apparently, this was how they triaged the injured. He ripped the sleeve off my ruined shirt and packed some gauze on before tapping it all down.
“Reg is pretty mad at me,” I said.
"He will get over it." He sighed "Heavy is the head that wears the crown," he quoted "Reg may not be king, but he is responsible for you. The elders are watching closely to make sure he takes care of you." Armond told me. I hadn't thought of that.
Armond helped me off the back of the vehicle and motioned for me to get in my particular spot between him, and the other hunter whose name I had learned was Kent, and before I knew it, we were all heading back home.
I started to doze off feeling the effects of the magic use, but Armond nudged me "I don't really want to be this close to you in a moving vehicle if you are going to have a nightmare. Surely you can wait until we get home, princess."
"Ugh. Fine. Fairy Jerk," I mumbled but sat up straighter, so I wouldn't fall asleep. I was warm now though, tucked between 2 giant men, and I couldn't keep my eyes open, so eventually, I did drift off. When I woke again, I was being carried by Armond, but I hadn't had a nightmare, and I was so exhausted I just shut my eyes again let sleep take me back.
The next time I woke, the pain in my shoulder was gone, I was in clean clothes and tucked into my bed. I awakened feeling rested and peaceful. That couldn't be right. I sat up and looked around. Sitting in the chair beside my bed was Luke, fast asleep.
I threw back the covers and jumped over to where he sat before wrapping my arms around him. He squeaked a bit and then his arms were around me too. I felt like I hadn’t seen him in weeks not just a few days. We just sat like that for a moment longer before I pulled back to look at him. “What are you doing here? I thought it wasn’t safe
!”
He smiled at me “I’m just here for a few minutes more, then I have to return with Victor.”
“Victor is here too?” I asked “what’s going on? Is everything ok? Did Margot see something?”
Luke frowned “she saw you pull away from Reg and get bitten by a vampire.” He gave me a look that said I should have known better before he continued “but she also saw you were safe. We came because Victor had to do a quick jump to check a location for Reg,” He grinned “well Victor came for that, I came because you’ve been having nightmares and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to make sure you woke up without one.”
"Thank you, Luke. I've missed you. I only know a few people here, and they aren't that friendly, so it's felt kind of lonely." I sighed and sat on the floor to rest my head on his knee. I hadn't realized how much I had come to rely on Luke to keep me together and calm and keep away the nightmares that plagued me.
“Armond mentioned you might not be feeling very hopeful about your future. Margot asked me to tell you that she has seen you happy. She said it won’t be long and to trust in that." He seemed so sure. I suppose if Margot saw it, it must be true, but I had trouble believing it.
I felt a tear push out of my eye then. I hadn't wanted people to think I was miserable. I wasn't worse off than before the fae had come into my life. Perhaps I shouldn't have said what I did to Armond about dying. "Thank you" I replied honestly.
What more could I say? I was alone here without him. It felt like Luke, and I had been together since birth like brother and sister.
