A rumble of clinking and tinkling of glass came tumbling down upon Devon. It was as if a huge hand shifted the mountain towards the North as if it were filling in a hole with sand. Could the Sidhe have something to do with it? Darby wasn’t sure, but now was not the time to worry about it. She had to dig poor Devon out.
With a burst of adrenaline she dug with both hands, spewing bottles between her legs and behind her like she’d been hit with a bolt of electricity. Devon had been completely buried to his shoulders and had been struck in the head with several bottles. When the avalanche of bottles covered him, he had been bent over, whereas Darby had pulled back so Devon could reach for the bottle. If she hadn’t pulled back when she did, they both would have been buried.
She could see Devon trying to help from under the pile. His vampire strength allowed him to move a bit under the weight of the bottles. Within about 20 minutes, they were finally able to pull him free. When he emerged from his prison, he lifted his right hand up and out towards Darby, revealing the bottle they had been looking for. Quickly they surfaced as Devon was overdue for a breath of air. When they broke the surface, Darby lunged for Devon, throwing her arms around him and pulling him close.
“I thought you were a goner there for a moment,” Darby said, stroking his face as he took long, deep breaths of air.
“I was a bit worried too. But then you started digging like a crazy woman and I knew it would be okay,” Devon said out of breath and smiling.
As they waded towards the shore, she asked, “How did you keep ahold of the bottle after that huge slide of bottles came down on you?”
“I don’t know. Guess I had clamped down on it just before it happened and just didn’t change my grip. I’ve never seen anything like it. That avalanche seemed to come out of nowhere,” Devon said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” she said as she crawled to the rocky shore, helping Devon into a sitting position next to her.
“Are you okay? You look pale,” Darby said.
“You might be a little pale too if you almost drowned,” he said.
“No. I mean, I know, its just you weren’t feeling well today and now this,” Darby said, concerned.
“I’ll be fine, Sweetness, I think I’m just tired. Nothing a little blood and a goodnight’s rest won’t cure.”
“Spoken like a true vampire,” she smiled.
They both slowly got up as the adrenaline started to wear off and their bodies were starting to stiffen and ache. It was good to get in the car with towels and wool blankets. Darby wasn’t completely convinced that Devon was telling her the whole truth about how he was doing, but it felt good to get home.
While Darby was trying to peel off the rubber suit, Devon went to the basement fridge for a glass of blood. “This should do the trick,” he said as he climbed the stairs, still donning his wet suit.
He downed the glass and was in the shower with Darby in no time, relishing the divine hot water that was slowly easing away the aches, pains, and cold.
Exhausted by the evening’s events, they both went straight from the shower to a warm bed and fell fast asleep.
*****
The phone rang several times before Anton could answer.
“Hello?” he said.
“Anton? It’s Jules.”
“Oh. What is it?”
“I was hoping we could get together and talk. There are some things you should know,” she said.
“I don’t think so, Jules, I really don’t think I can handle anymore information from you.”
“I know it’s a lot to swallow. I’ve done some things I’m not very proud of, but it never had anything to do with killing your family. The stuff with Josh and the Bloodstone Heart; well truthfully, it was purely coincidental that your family was involved. That is unless my employer knew of it and I didn’t, but even so, I never had any intentions of killing Josh or the Harper girl.”
“Her name is Melanie…and though it may not have been your intention, you didn’t stop any of it either. These are people’s lives, Jules, and you speak of them as if they are meaningless,” Anton pointed out.
“You’re right, I suppose. I’ve been killing for others for so long, I guess I do have a warped sense of humanity. For a long time I was driven by this misconceived anger I had for being abandoned by Owen and the Larsens as a whole, but now that I know the truth, the anger is gone. I feel like a new person. Someone who doesn’t know who they are anymore, but wants to be a better person. I don’t want to be that old villain ever again. I’ve called my employer and I’ve told him so and though he threatened me, I don’t ever intend on being employed to do someone else’s dirty work ever again.
“You have given me this treasure and opened my eyes and made me take a good look at myself. I want to be a better person for me but also I’d like to be one for you,” Julianna explained.
“That’s great, Jules. Glad I could help,” Anton said sarcastically. “Mind telling me who your employer is?”
“Ummmm,” Julianna hesitated.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought,” Anton said.
“Wait, Anton. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you it’s just that you would never believe me if I did tell you,” she admitted.
“Right,” Anton said not really believing her.
“Truly. If I were to tell you who the culprit is, could you find it in your heart to forgive me?” she asked. “Do you think we could try? To have a relationship, I mean?” she asked tentatively.
“Why would I do that, Jules? Why would I open up to you and lay my heart out in front of you for you to stomp all over?” Anton asked.
“Because for the first time in over four hundred years, Anton, you’ve brought a warmth and promise for something I’ve so wanted. You did that, Anton. You mended a broken heart I didn’t think even existed inside me anymore. You know ALL my secrets, Anton; no one ever has before,” she admitted.
“At least not that lived to tell about it,” he said.
“True,” she said, “NO ONE has ever been as close to my heart since Owen. I never let anyone ever get that close.”
“I don’t know, Jules. That’s an awful lot to ask, considering your involvement with all that has been going on,” Anton pointed out.
“I had nothing to do with Josh’s parents deaths. I swear it!” she implored.
“What about Blake? I saw you kill that man. I saw you drain him and collect the blood. Next thing I know Blake is in a coma after having had Deadman’s Blood,” Anton argued.
“You’re right. I did kill that business man and I did retain his blood, but I gave it to my employer per his request. I was doing what was asked of me. I didn’t expose Blake to the blood or have any involvement with him being sick,” she admitted.
“You were just doing your job,” Anton said.
“Yes,” she said, but then realized how harsh that sounded. “I didn’t know that the blood was intended to kill your family. I’m sorry, Anton. I really didn’t know who it was intended for, I just did it,” she said.
“Like you were told,” Anton said.
“Yes,” she said sadly realizing how horrible it all was. “I was a horrid person. I know that. Please believe me, Anton. I know what I’ve done, but I didn’t know it was going to hurt you, or I wouldn’t have done it. I swear,” she pleaded.
“So what about this second attempt on Josh’s life? Did you have anything to do with that?” Anton asked.
“There’s been a second attempt? In California? When did this happen? Is he okay?”
“You’re telling me you didn’t know he was run down by a car when he went home to bury his parents?” Anton asked.
“No. How awful. NO. Is he okay? When did this happen?” she asked.
“A couple of days ago, in Minnesota. Melanie was able to heal him,” Anton explained.
A sigh a relief spilled from her mouth as if she had been holding her breath this whole time. “I’m so sorry. I’m glad he’s better. So Melanie is a healer
?”
“Why, are you going to run back to your employer and tell him?” Anton wondered.
“No. I told you, I broke all ties with him and told him to never call me again, that I didn’t want anything to do with his vendetta against the Larsens,” she repeated.
“So you say, but you still haven’t said who he is,” Anton claimed.
“I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” she said, defeated.
“Try me.”
“Will you forgive me if I do?” she asked.
“You really want to throw emotional blackmail around with all the other misdeeds against you?” he asked.
“No. I guess it’s habit. I’m sorry. It would just mean a lot to me if you could find it in your heart to forgive me, Anton. I’d like to start over. Do you think we could do that?”
“I couldn’t say just now, Jules. This is still all too raw to know what the future might hold. I just…I can’t say yet, whether or not I can forgive you. I just can’t.”
“Of course you can’t. You’re right. It’s wrong of me to ask for so much so soon. If a possibility is all I can get at this point, well then I’ll take it and cherish it for what possibilities it might bring.”
“I can live with that,” he said.
“Good and Anton?”
“Yeah?”
“I think I was falling in love with you too.” There was no reply.
She took a deep breath and said, “My employer is Doctor Michael Rowe.”
“What? That’s impossible. That’s like saying my father is the one trying to kill the Larsens. You’ve gone too far, Jules, making accusations like that.”
“Why would I lie to you at this point, Anton?” she asked.
“How would I know? How would I know why you do anything you do? For the money I suppose,” he accused.
“That’s not fair. I’m not lying to you, Anton. You need to be wary of him. He’s dangerous!” she warned.
“Give me a break, Jules. Dr. Rowe delivered me. He’s my dad’s best friend. He’s no more a fiend than I am. You know, Jules, I think I’ve heard enough. I don’t think you should call here anymore,” Anton said.
“But Anton…”
Anton hung up the phone, leaving a loud click and then a buzz in Julianna’s ear.
*****
Maybe it was the way Faeries did things, so when Darby’s dreams of this and that evolved into something strangely surreal, she didn’t even bat an eye.
She was walking down a forest path towards a light so bright it could only be the sun. As she emerged from the trees her surroundings became vividly clear and colorful, like that time when she kissed the clover and opened her eyes to meet Yanna. She noticed as she kept walking, that she was holding Biddy’s bottle with the last drop of the Elixir of Life within it. Butterflies flew all around while the breeze blew softly, kissing Darby’s face. She breathed in the sweet, fresh air as if she had never done so in her life. It was beautiful here. An algae-colored pond was to the left, randomly dispersed with pink water lilies. If you were light enough, they would make a lovely set of stepping stones zigzagging their way across the water.
To her right was a grassy hill speckled with colorful wildflowers breaking up the vast sea of astonishing bright green. Darby made her way around the pond towards a huge, old, gnarled oak tree. Its trunk was at least six to eight feet in diameter and rightly so, to bear its scores of massive limbs and sinuous bows. In its glorious shade was a bed of leaves piled a foot high and covered in soft, cool grass clippings, underneath a pale beauty with hair the color and appearance of corn silk. Attending the lovely Faerie queen was Yanna and propped up against the trunk on the far side stood a skulking Annay. There were other fae fluttering about the queen, but the beauty of the royal three outshone them a hundred to one.
Darby made her way into the imperfect circle of shadow made by the great oak’s canopy and kneeled down by Yanna near the queen. Yanna saw the bottle in Darby’s hand and she squealed with glee at its very presence.
“Oh, what a sweet and glorious day it is. You’ve found the bottle with the elixir. I knew you would not let us down. I knew it!” Yanna said. Upon spying the scene, Annay peeked around the trunk of the tree to see with astonishment what her sister was yammering about.
“Oh, Summer Queen, you are saved!” Yanna said.
Darby thought it odd that she did not call the queen “mother,” but figured it had something to do with be royalty. Darby handed the bottle to Yanna’s trembling hands and she quickly administered the drop of elixir to the queen. Within seconds of touching the lips of the queen, a glorious light illuminated and radiated out of the queen, so bright that Darby had to raise her hand to protect her eyes.
The queen suddenly opened her eyes and rose, stretching as if she had just woken from a long nap. Darby noted that Annay dropped to her knees at seeing the queen’s recovery. The Summer Queen looked around at both her daughters and lovingly touched each of their faces and then looked to Darby.
“You must be my champion. Thank you,” she said.
Darby, not knowing what to do or say, bowed her head.
Yanna said, “Summer Queen…this is indeed our heroine…Darby O’Reilly. She found the last drop of Elixir of Life given to Mother Earth.”
“Wasn’t the bottle given to an old woman?” the queen asked.
“Yes, your majesty, and then cast into the water by a priest after her death.”
“You must be very magical indeed. Thank you for your sacrifice on my behalf,” the queen said as she unpinned a lovely gold bird from the bodice of her exquisite pale green gown.
“As a token of my appreciation, I would like to give this to you, Miss Darby O’Reilly.” Yanna and Annay seemed to be surprised by the gesture.
“My Dear, this is the Golden Phoenix. It is was given to me by a wise and wondrous wizard I knew long ago.”
“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Summer Queen,” Darby said.
“It will bestow a very special wish upon its wisher. If it is given as a gift that wish is transferred to its new owner.”
“A special wish?” Darby asked.
“Yes. Like the Phoenix who rises from the ash and flame, being born over and over again, it can allow you a visit with a passed loved one.”
“You mean, a relative that has died?” Darby asked.
“Yes, my Dear. The wisher will have an entire twenty four hours, one full day, to visit and share with one last time.”
“Thank you, Summer Queen. Thank you so much.”
The Summer Queen stood and bowed to Darby as did Yanna and Annay. Darby turned from the queen and her daughters and walked away admiring the beautiful phoenix pin. The further she got from the queen, the shade of the oak, the pond, the grassy hill and all the butterflies, her surroundings morphed into a familiar dream she felt she’d had once before. She woke from her slumber to find herself in her bed next to a sleeping Devon as the sun streamed its glorious rays in to the room.
She quietly sat up, noticing the phoenix pin on the nightstand. She picked it up, admiring it and stroking it with one finger. She lovingly set it back down and quietly snuck out of the room to let Devon get more sleep.
She slipped downstairs and made coffee, humming to herself as she did so. When she spun around to sit down with the coffee and the paper, she ran right into Annay.
“Oh dear. Annay. You scared me,” Darby said.
“I’m sorry,” she said sadly, her hands behind her back.
“It’s okay. Is everything all right? The Queen isn’t sick again, is she?” Darby asked.
“No. NO. Everything is great. I just…Well, I just wanted to apologize,” Annay said.
“Apologize? For what?” Darby asked as she took a sip of coffee. “Oh…do you want some coffee?”
“No. Can you imagine a Faerie on caffeine? No, thank you. But I wanted to thank you for helping the Summer Queen. I was rude to you and well, I didn’t have any faith that you would be able to help us. That was wrong. I
’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Annay. I understand,” Darby said.
“And…” Annay continued, “I hid these from you.” Annay brought her hands out from behind her, revealing a stack of letter-sized envelopes. She handed them to Darby.
“What are they?” Darby asked as she leafed through them.
“I’m not sure. I didn’t look at them; I just hid them from you. I guess I felt it was my way of getting back at you for getting my sister’s hopes up that you might be able to help us. I didn’t believe you could do it…and well…I’m sorry.”
“Well, it wasn’t very nice of you to hide them from me, but I’m glad you gave them to me now. How odd…these are all from Anton.”
“Who’s Anton?”
“He’s Devon’s cousin in the U.S. Oh. This last one is addressed to me,” Darby said as she ripped the envelope open. Inside was a letter.
Darby
I’ve tried every means possible to get a hold of you and Devon, but it is urgent that you come home immediately. Blake is in a coma. Dad’s with him in California and is doing everything medically possible to help, but with no effect so far.
Rowan is inconsolable and you are both needed here urgently.
Love
Anton
“Oh NO!” Darby exclaimed.
“What is it?” Annay asked.
“It’s Devon’s brother. He’s ill. We have to go back to the states right away!”
“I didn’t think vampires could get sick,” Annay said.
“Oh, don’t even get me started on that subject. Believe me…they can, but it usually isn’t by natural causes,” Darby said.
“I’m so sorry, Darby. This is all my fault. Maybe if you had received the letter sooner he’d be okay,” Annay said mournfully.
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