by Dawn Gray
He looked up at the ceiling then closed his eyes. "Where to start?" He smiled then nodded, opened his eyes, and looked at me. "When Larado was born, it was during very bad times, many, many centuries ago. The town that he had been born into had already been overthrown twice, just in the time that his mother had carried him. His father was off at war and didn't even know he had been born, but Larado was a small newborn, and quite weak. He was told that he had never cried for the first six months that he was alive."
"Not even for food?" I asked him. He shrugged, only knowing what he had been told.
"As Larado grew, he started seeing things before they would happen and he tried to warn people of another upcoming siege. No one would listen except his mother, who took the family out of town shortly before it happened. When they returned, almost the whole town was burned and the villagers that were left, called him a witch because he had predicted the future." Julian folded his hands on his lap. "It would be easier to show you."
"I couldn't see it." I replied. "I'm not totally mortal anymore."
"Ah, well, then.” Julian replied. His tone of voice seemed to say disapproval to me, but he continued anyway. "They banished him from town and the family went with him. They moved up into the hills. You see, Larado was a witch, of sorts, but he was also more. He was a vampire, also. His father's blood had been tainted while at war and he had gotten Larado's mother pregnant. It had passed onto him, but his mother was also a hereditary witch, a fortuneteller, someone who could see the future.
"Larado was beginning to see things, things far into the future. Places that no one ever believed would exist, and they told him that he was insane, as they locked him up, and he stayed that way for a long time, locked in a dark cell. Until one day, when a writer came to see him, and Larado killed this person. His bloodlust had become uncontrollable, and he took what he needed and escaped."
"So, where is he now?" I asked. "I mean, he's immortal, right? Isn't he around here, somewhere?"
"No, he's not alive anymore. The last time anyone saw him, he had just finished his last book. It had been printed and sent out to several different vampire organizations in the early 1920's and after that, one night, a group of us, who had become his "clan", watched him burst into flames. He just lit up and burned." Julian replied. "But, all of his prophecies, all of them that didn't get published were left here with us to care for."
"So, what about this one, the seven and the rings, what did he say about what's happening now?" I questioned eager to hear the answer.
"Well, let's see." He said and walked over to the table, quickly, and grabbed the book, then came back and sat down. He opened the page up to where it had been before, and scanned over the pages. He stopped and pulled his chair closer to mine, so that I could see where he was reading. "This is the prophecy that I told Ashley when she was three months pregnant with her son, Jack. It says the prince will bring peace to the immortals, by uniting mortal and vampire. Of course, that's not all it says. It also tells about the one who will start the chain of events.
"She will be strong of will and heart, but the last of her bloodline." He read to me from the page. "In her blood, lie the secrets of eternal life. When activated, which probably means when you turn into a vampire, any mortal who drinks from her, within the dying period, or within a month's time of the transformation, will, himself, become eternal."
"Not immortal?" I asked him. "I mean, doesn't he mean immortal?"
"No, I think he means something else." Julian replied. "Let me finish and then we can analyze what he might mean by that." He sighed and found his spot in the book again. "The light, the dark, and the heart all play a lead role in this prophecy. If she dies, then darkness prevails in all things. If she lives, then light will be seen and all other prophetic things will come to be."
"This sounds a little biblical to me, Julian. It's not exactly my cup of tea."
"But that's not all the prophecy says, Angel."
"The light, the dark, and the heart. What does it mean, they all play a part?" I questioned again.
"It also says that a man of vampire decent will be a big part of this, but not in those words, here, look." He pointed it out to me. "When a twin of good and one of evil come together in a circle with the three powers, then all shall be decided. If the heart is strong and beats pure love, than light will overcome darkness, but if it's weak and beats false hope, than darkness be delighted." Julian looked at me as I took these words and thought about them. I closed my eyes and then shook my head. "Nothing?"
"Not a clue." I replied and looked back at him. "Why the hell can't he just write in plain English? I hate rhymes." I replied and stretched. "Does it say anything else, anything a little more clearer than that?"
"I'm afraid not." Julian replied and sat up. "I'm sorry if this hasn't helped you, Angel. Maybe, if you think about it a little bit longer, it will come to you."
"Thank you for your help anyway. For a while there, I wasn't sure if you liked me or not." I replied and shrugged. "I know what a shock it can be to suddenly learn that you have a family, especially a niece, when you didn't even know your brother had a family."
"Well, Quinn's never been one to let anyone in on his little secrets." Julian stood, brushed his long hair behind his ears and took the book in his hand. "Would you like some food?"
"Maybe, just some soup. I'm not sure what else I can handle." I smiled at him.
"Well, then." He said as he closed the library door the pointed me towards the direction of the kitchen. "Soup, it is."
13
Julian looked at me, as he set the bowl of hot soup down in front of me. I smiled at him and dipped the spoon into the soup. He went back to stirring the soup on the burner, and then turned to watch me eat.
"You know," I said and ate another spoonful, "I was thinking about the prophecy. How could we have one twin of good and one of evil, if Louis isn't alive anymore?"
"I don't know." He shrugged. "If it's a prophecy, and it's going to come true, then I guess we'll find out in time. Do you want something to drink?" I nodded. "What would you like?"
"Soda; whatever kind you have." I replied and continued eating. I know that Julian was looking at me, but I didn't bother to look up.
I guess she likes it. I heard him whisper to himself.
"Are you kidding? This is amazing. I've never had anything like this before." I replied and finished the bowl. "What did you call..." I looked up at his face and noticed the shock, "it?" He leaned on the counter. "What's the matter, Julian?"
"I didn't say anything." He replied.
"Yes, you did." I replied and smiled at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or not. "You said: "I guess she likes it"."
"Angel, I didn't say anything." He replied. "Not out loud anyway."
"But, I heard you." I replied and, suddenly, put down the spoon, leaned on the counter, and stared him straight in the eyes. Tell me that you can hear me.
Only if you say that you can hear me. Julian's mind replied. The two of us didn't move from that spot, until Jason and Isaac walked into the room.
"What's going on?" Jason asked, looking at the two of us. I looked at the two young men, then back at Julian. "Angel? Julian? What's up?"
"She can read my mind." Julian replied a little shocked.
"No way." Isaac said and stepped up to the counter. "That's not possible, is it? I mean, what about the rules. No one can hear anyone else except their sire."
Then again, I’ve always been the exception. I whispered to Isaac, who almost sat back on his butt on the floor. Jason stepped up to the table and smiled at Julian and I. I looked over at him and smiled.
"Would you like some soup? It's very good." I laughed at this, and then looked quickly at Julian. "If I can ever get an answer to what it's called."
"Oh, um..." He said and took the apron off and went to the cabinet to get some bowls. "I call it ‘Thrown-in Soup’."
"I don't even want to know why." Isaac said, pulling up a stool nex
t to me. Jason sat just on the other side of me and Julian gave them both dishes.
"It's because of the ingredients, whatever I have, I throw in." Julian smiled and winked at me. The two boys tasted it, then nodded, and continued eating. I watched Julian's face grown, suddenly, solemn as he looked over at me, then at the two of them. He put the apron down on the table and walked out of the room.
I got down from the table and looked at the two boys, then walked off after Julian. I found him in the library, where we had been before, with the book that he had left there. He had Larado's book opened in front of him, and was flipping through it quickly. I stood on the other side of the table and watched him, until he looked up at me and smiled.
"I think I figured it out." He said and turned the book around and pointed to the page in front of me. "The light, the dark, and the heart, Angel."
"Yeah, so?" I asked, feeling quite dumb.
"It's the three of you. You, Jason, and Isaac."
"Oh, yeah." I said then shook my head. "Wait, I don't get it."
"They’re what do you call them, oh, I can't think straight, but listen to me. The light, well, the only meaning for that could be your name, Angel. Everyone associates an angel with the light of heaven." He said and looked at me, as if to see if I understood. I thought about this then nodded. "Okay, and the heart, that must be Jason."
"Why Jason?" I questioned.
"Well, you've spent seven lives together, Angel. Your hearts are connected. Got it?" He asked this I understood and looked at the book. "It's Isaac that I can't quite get through."
"Maybe the dark could be that he was connected with Jacob for so long, doing dark things?" I said and then watched him shake his head. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate, a small scene from the other day popped into my head. Julian and Isaac stood face to face with one another:
"What's going on down here?" Julian had asked, walking into the room that all of us occupied at the time. "What's all the noise..." He stopped and looked over Isaac, then looked at me and back, "about?" He stepped closer to us. "So, you're the strange presence I felt. Who are you?"
"Isaac Cain." He announced. Julian nodded, walked up to him and held out his hand. Isaac took his hand and gave it a shake. "So, you're my Uncle Julian."
"I am." He replied.
I opened my eyes and smiled at Julian, whose green eyes had been watching me. "I think I got it, Julian. I think I know why Isaac would be the dark." I replied. "It's his last name, Cain, like Cain and Able. The bible sees Cain as the evil brother who killed his own twin, which means that Cain would be the one on the dark side of life, the evil side, but I think that's as far as the association goes."
"It makes sense." Julian nodded. "Now, if we can just figure out the twin part. Like you said, Louis is dead and Jacob is the only one left. There must be something we're not seeing."
"Well, we have one of the hard parts figured out." I sighed and rubbed my head. "We know that the three of us have to be there together to do this."
"Maybe we should go downstairs and explain this to the others, so that they know too." Julian suggested. I nodded and he closed the book.
I looked at the room full of people and then I looked at Jason, who stood in his usual spot. He glanced over at me and I saw the corners of his lips go up in a semi-smile. I watched as he looked back out the window as the others started to talk amongst themselves.
Are you all right? I heard Jason's soft voice ask. My body responded to it, quickly, my heart beat faster and I could feel the sexual arousal that I always felt when he was near.
Something feels wrong. I told him, whispering back at him, not sure if the others could feel it.
What? He asked. I thought about it a minute, then gently let it go so that he could feel it. He nodded towards me. You need to feed.
Why does it feel different? I asked him. From before, I mean?
Different circumstances. Jason smiled. He turned and gestured to the door. I looked over at Julian, who looked up at me, then at Jason, and back. I walked over and whispered in his ear. Julian nodded and glanced back at Jason. Follow me.
I got up and followed him out of the room, then stopped when he stepped into the darkness of a room. I looked into the dark, trying to see him, but he hid himself well. I stepped into the darkness and was grabbed from behind. I felt Jason behind me; one arm around my waist, the other hand slowly moved the hair away from my neck. He kissed me softly, several times, and then turned me around to face him.
"I don't see how this is going to help my hunger any." I said softly, as he kissed me. He smiled against my lips and backed away, then, without a word; he took my hand and led me down a flight of stairs into the basement. He unlocked a door and pulled me into a room with a teenage girl in it. She was drugged, or at least I assumed she was, for she stared at nothing but the wall. He walked over to her then brought her over to me.
He moved her towards me and I took her in my arms then bit into her, softly, on the neck. Her blood filled my veins and the feeling of emptiness ended, but when I pulled away, the girl fell to the floor, lifeless.
"How do you feel?" He asked me.
"Better." I nodded and let him lead me back to the room, where he sat me down on the couch. I looked around the room, at the people in it and they seemed to be staring blankly at me. "What?"
"It's your eyes." Isaac whispered, as he came closer and took my hands. You eyes, Angel, are glowing a bright silver color. It's just strange, when people haven't seen it in such a long time."
"Can we get on with this, please?" I asked him, looking him in the eyes. Isaac smiled at me and touched my cheek.
"Maybe, you should rest." He whispered.
"I don't want to rest, damn it!" I yelled and stood up. "I want to stop running; I want my life back and the only way to do that is to get rid of Jacob. Now!"
I stood up and walked out of the room, leaving them all sitting there; probably stunned out of their minds. I walked the halls of the building for what seemed like hours before I ended up at the library again. I looked this place over for a while, and then decided that I had to apologize to Isaac, no matter what he had done to me, which was nothing.
I searched the house for him, but couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, I decided that checking outside would be a good idea. I walked out onto the patio and looked over the East garden. There was no one around, so, I decided to go down into the garden. Flowers filled my sights, the different colors and shapes were almost overwhelming, but it was the aroma of these plants that seemed to entice my senses more. I could hear birds chirping as I sat down on the bench in the middle of this colorful place, but then I heard silence, and thought that it was quite odd to hear nothing.
I turned and looked behind me as a young man with long brown hair walked out from behind a bush. I stood up and looked at him, feeling his familiar presence. He was the man from my dreams and the one from the lair after I had hurt Jason.
"YOU!" I yelled at him. He stopped and smiled at me. "What are you doing here, what do you want?"
"Just to see you." He smiled quickly, flashing his bright teeth at me. "And, to warn you that Jacob is coming this way." He stepped closer to me, my senses picked up on his vampirism and I stepped back away from him. "So, you're one of us, now."
"No, I'm much more than that." I replied, not knowing why he wanted to know.
"That you are." He smiled. "You have no idea about the extent of your powers, do you, Angel?"
"I know about some of it. About the time and space thing, about the reading minds. What else could there be?" I asked.
"Levitation, of both of you and objects around you." He smiled.
"I thought only Ashley, Queen of the Vampires, could do that."
"She might be queen, but a title and a heritage doesn't mean that all powers beyond those normal vampires are reserved for her." He replied. I laughed at him as he sat down on the bench that I had moved away from.
"So, what do I have that's so special? The abi
lity to go from zero to bitch in 2.3 seconds." I asked him.
"How about the ability to control others just by a mere thought? How about invisibility, not from the senses, but also from sight?" He asked and shrugged. "So much power, Angel, and you have the ability to control it."
"Okay, who are you? A power trip salesman?" I asked. "What's your name?"
"It's not important. What is important is how fast you learn to use your abilities and how quickly you learn to control them." He said and stood up. "I can help you with it, if you just trust me."
"I don't even know who you are." I replied.
He took my hand. "Someone's coming." He slipped something into it and closed my fingers around it. "Listen to me, if you wear this and concentrate on being invisible, it will come to be. There is no power in the stone, it's all in you, the stone is just a way you channel your energy, your power, because if you let loose, it could kill you."
"Your name, what is it?" I asked him, quietly, not letting go of his hand. He smiled at me.
"In due time, my lady." He said and snatched his hand away. I watched him disappear out of my sight and then I looked over at Lauren, who walked out of the bushes beside me.
"Oh, hello." She said, shocked to see me.
I smiled at her then walked away. I made my way upstairs and looked at where my room had once been. There was a large blue tarp across the hallway, blocking out the wind. I shook my head, still holding the stone, and walked over to where I knew Isaac had been staying.
I knocked on the door and waited but there was no answer. I walked quietly into the room and stood over by the window, looking out at the garden that I had just been in; when the door opened and Isaac walked in only wearing a towel.
I smiled at him as he looked around nervously. "I didn't mean to intrude.”
"You're not. I'm just a little worried that if your boyfriend sees you in here, with me like this, he might rip my head off." He said and grabbed a pair of jeans and slipped them on. "But, as a matter of fact, I was looking for you."
