by Tanya Dawson
There was no way Olivia could leave this house, and that may cause an issue, as she was too stubborn and had little knowledge of what she would be walking into.
“Done!” Ruby proclaimed as she stood up. “I love group texts. I’ve asked that they all arrive as soon as they can.”
“How will we get them past the fans outside?”
“They are meeting at the local coven, and they will place a protection spell on them as they use the tunnel. Wil is guarding the tunnel, and they don’t seem to know it exists yet.” Ruby checked her phone for more text messages and began typing faster than I could follow.
The tunnel had served our family well over the centuries. Only someone of Fae decent could enter, and it was a well-kept secret. It was an old sewer tunnel that went into the city. The connection to our estate was only seen by the fae. We loved playing in it as children and would often get lost in the maze of tunnels.
“The thought of the Elder Fae in that dark, dirty tunnel makes me laugh a little.” I poked.
“I could think of a few I wouldn’t mind getting lost down there.” Ruby chuckled back. “Wil just texted that three are on their way now.”
“Think we can outnumber them?” I asked peeking out the window again.
“No, but as long as they can’t come in.”
“But she has to go out to pledge.” I reminded her.
“We will have the numbers then. If we can get the coven to help...”
“There is only so much they will do; they won’t want to piss of the vampires. They want to remain neutral.” I reminded her.
“We’ll think of something. We have a week, right?” Ruby was always the optimist.
I turned from her to scan the tree line again, and one brazen vampire was now standing on our lawn staring straight up at me – Walt Sabean.
CHAPTER 17: HENRY
WHEN I RECEIVED A TEXT from my sister, I hadn’t thought she would text me to meet her outside of the Whitby residence. I also hadn’t expected a vampire convention to be camped out in the woods.
I searched the woods for her but came up empty. Not one Sabean clan member to be seen amongst the thousands of vampires. They were all prepared with their tents and camping equipment. Most of the tents looked like they were from the civil war era, and were white A-frame structures. They had cast iron pots hung over their fires and ale by the barrels.
“Henry!” I heard my name being called, but I couldn’t tell from which way until a hand grabbed my arm. I turned and it was Hannah. She immediately hugged me for a few minutes, as the last time I’d seen her was right after Olivia’s attack.
“What’s going on here?” I asked, confused at what I was seeing.
“It’s the vampires; they have all gathered to make sure Olivia pledges with us.” Her eyes pleaded with me as if she was keeping something important from me.
“I don’t see any Sabeans here.” I motioned to all the vampires around us.
“We’re at the front. Near the edge of the tree line. Oh, Henry! There is something I must tell you.” Hannah broke down in tears, and I reached for her arm, but she pulled away with a wince. Her sleeve lifted, and I could see that she was badly bruised.
“What happened?” The thought of her getting hurt and me not being there to protect her would haunt me forever.
“Father wasn’t happy that you didn’t come home.” She grabbed my hand and took off running. We ran until we were at the edge of the make-shift camp, far from prying ears, then we finally stopped to take a breath.
“He hurt you to get to me?” I carefully grabbed her arm and pulled her cuff back.
“You have to listen to me, Henry. Father is unreasonable.” She tried to catch her breath and in the light I could see she looked tired. The skin around her eyes was deep red and her eyes were bloodshot.
“When has he ever been reasonable?” I asked with a half laugh in disbelief that he would hurt her. She was his favorite.
“No, this is like nothing we’ve seen before. He is obsessed with Olivia.” She leaned against a large tree and slid down to its roots watching around us for prying ears.
“Is Mother here? Surely she will make him see reason.” I sat cross-legged in front of her, we had the area around us surveyed.
“She’s not here. It’s just Father and Walt. Edwin is at home with Mother. I don’t think they know what’s going on.” She said as her lips trembled.
“We have to keep Olivia safe until she pledges.” I pleaded with her to be on my side. I needed her support.
“I’ll do what I can, but this has gotten bigger than us. Vampires from all over the world know about her and more are coming.” Her shirt moved from around her neck when she slouched back, and I could see more bruising.
“Did he do that as well?” I leaned in and moved her collar before she pushed my hand away.
“It doesn’t matter; you can’t hurt him here. He’s leading all of this.” She motioned her arms hugely as she held back her emotions.
“It’s ok. I’m here now. We’ll figure this out.” I tried to assure her, but I was no match for him, especially now.
“There’s more.” Her tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Henry.” She broke down into a frantic cry, and her shoulders shook with force.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” It was gut wrenching to see her in so much emotional pain. It was normally Hannah that took care of me and kept me grounded.
“I didn’t mean to. I swear.” Her body shook more as she cried harder. I leaned forward and scooped her up in my arms.
“There is nothing that you could have done that I would be mad at you for, Hannah.” She continued to cry for a few moments then broke from my arms, her face red and hair wild.
“I told father.” Her voice cracked. “That she invited you into the house.” She hid her face from me as soon as she choked out the last word. Her confession hit me hard, and I fell back onto the ground where I was sitting.
I knew what this meant, and how angry father would have been not being able to find me. A million thoughts rushed in my head and I felt sick to my stomach. I leaned over and everything I had eaten in the past two days hurled out of my mouth.
“You have to leave, Henry. Go and stay away. That’s her only chance. He will make you go inside to get her.” She pleaded with me.
I sat there unable to speak, knowing she was right. But it also didn’t feel right to leave her. Who would be left to protect her like I would? I laid back onto the ground. I hadn’t slept since that horrible night. I kept watch over her and replayed that evening over and over in my head. Wondering what I could have done differently. Why did I trust my father?
“I can’t leave her.” I said in a low voice. I sat up defeated. I couldn’t justify to myself that going away was in her best interest. I’d protect her with my life.
“Henry, please.” She begged as she stood up.
I looked around to make sure no one was listening to our conversation.
“What’s the plan? You’ve been with father since he arrived here?” I demanded. If I could know what he was up to I could tell the fae and they could move her. Hell, I didn’t even know if she told them she let me into her room. Likely not.
“He wouldn’t tell me but I know he wants to use you to get inside.” She said as she rubbed her arms from the cold.
“That’s not going to happen. He can’t force me.” I looked around again, this time looking for the lay of the land. It would be impossible to fend off this many vampires.
“There’s a coven. Local, I think, that are helping. Only father knows the connection because they don’t want the fae to know.” She offered.
“The witches are helping?” I said in disbelief. There would be no recovering from this battle. Nothing would be the same after with so many not obeying the treaties.
“Yes, I overheard Father telling Walt that the fae have some kind of stone. And there is something else.” Her face was sympathetic.
“Yes.�
�� I braced myself. What else could there be?
“Father made a deal to get the stone back. If he does, they agreed to lift the curse from mother.”
This was what I had wanted for so long. I was paralyzed because before that could happen they would need Olivia to help them, and me to go in there and convince her. How could I choose between them?
“Tell me what to do.” I looked at Hannah with the realization that this was no longer just about Olivia anymore.
“You have to go.” She began to cry and I reached my arms out and grabbed her, holding on tight.
We just stood there huddled together for comfort, so still as the world around us kept moving forward. For years, we looked forward to the day that mother would be healthy again. Now I could make that happen.
“I have to stay. I have to do this.” I pulled away from her energized and fully knowing what I had to do. Family came first.
“No, Olivia is human. Mother could have stopped that spell before it was casted.” Hannah said angrily.
It was true. All my mother had to do that day was tell them that my father had indeed disobeyed the treaty rules. Instead, she protected him and he stood by as they out casted her. He had watched as a spell was placed on her and didn’t say a word.
“Mother could die any day now, Hannah. She won’t make it much longer. This might be the only way we can save her.” I pushed Olivia out of my mind for my mother’s sake.
“What if there is a way we could do both?” Hannah offered.
“How?” I asked intrigued.
“Get the stone from Olivia. Beg for it.” She looked hopeful at her solution however, I wasn’t quite so sure. There was no way her family would let me walk in and walk out with that stone.
“I don’t know, Hannah.” I paced back and forth looking through the trees at the herd of vampires. What would happen to me if I walked out of there without Olivia?
“There has to be some way that we can help Olivia pledge how she wants and get Mother back from the living dead.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I knew she needed her mother.
In the distance we could hear a loud sound and suddenly all the vampires were on the move closer to the tree line. Hannah and I looked at each other and made our way there as well, keeping a good distance between us and our den members.
“What are they doing?” I asked as we watched them gather in a tight pack.
“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, it’s not good.” She said as she pulled me in another direction, likely to get a better view.
We had to make our decision quickly, as it seemed the vampires were moving on their plan. I wondered what they would do if they couldn’t get me to get them inside. The fae were not weak by any means. They had varying powers depending on their bloodlines. Some could get into your head like Hannah, throw things like Olivia, and I’ve heard some could even time travel.
As a vampire, I knew only by rumor or from what I saw, what other creatures were capable of doing. It was written in the treaty that had been in place for thousands of years that each creature must keep to their kind and not bother another. Of course, over that long of a time there had been challenges to the treaty. In particular, the vampires wanted a new treaty to deal with today’s issues.
The fae were chosen to administer the treaty in The Stacks since it was conceived. They were the most peaceful at the time and the vampires were the most challenging.
There were many vampires in hiding all over the world, just so they could live their life the way that they wanted to. There were fae hunters designated to certain areas to hunt them down and kill them. The hunters were the most powerful of the Fae. They had to be in order to fight and kill a vampire.
No one had any idea what powers Olivia would receive once she pledged and received her powers. Some vampires where scared she would become the most powerful hunter ever, and possibly make us a minority in The Stacks. I often wondered if she chose the fae, if she would one day be hunting me.
“Henry!” Hannah jerked me back to life from my thoughts.
“What should we do?” I was scared to make the wrong choice, torn between family and potential love.
“I still think you should leave.” She was quick to reply and certain of her beliefs. “Olivia is still human. She shouldn’t be a pawn in our world, even if it would help Mother. And I believe Mother would think the same.”
I nodded with agreement. If we did save mother by compromising Olivia she would not be happy.
“OK. I’ll leave right now. I won’t tell you where I am going so it will be easier on you if they press you for more information.” I gave her a solid hug and turned to leave. I quickly determined my route and set off from her. I crept away to avoid anyone wondering why a vampire was going the opposite way from anyone else. Once I was further away I started to run to the road.
I leaped through the trees at great speed, using the street lights as my guide. My heart ached from leaving Olivia’s side but I knew her family would protect her. I was sure she would pledge fae without me being there and my eyes stung as I tried not to cry.
Almost at the road I stopped and looked back. If I wanted to change my mind I had to do it now. I stood there trembling cursing my father under my breath, then turned to leave for good.
A hand reached out and grabbed my arm. With great force the creature picked me up off my feet and slammed me to the ground knocking the wind out of me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” A deep familiar voice said.
I turned to my side and looked up at him, but a street light was blinding his face. I squinted and laid my head back down, as I tried to get my breath back.
“Get on your feet and come with me.” He growled as he pulled me up. I remembered that voice now. It was my brother Walt.
CHAPTER 18: RUBY
THE MORNING WAS SPENT reading or summarizing books on The Stacks and what creatures were within them in the treaty. Olivia laid on her bed still too weak to be up long. I stayed in a chair next to her reading.
I was trying my best to give her as much information that I could as her pledge night loomed. I had no idea what she would pledge. I know Lily would want me to paint the fae as being the best to pledge with, but I couldn’t keep the dark secrets of the fae from her.
It was a delicate situation because if she chose to pledge as a vampire she would be taking all the fae secrets with her to the vampires. I needed to know where she stood so I could determine what I should tell her and what I should keep safe until she pledged fae.
“Can we take a break?” Olivia asked me as she leaned over to grab her glass of water.
“Of course.” I said shutting the book that was in my hands and laying it on top of the stack of books to my left.
“This is all so confusing. And it seems unbelievable.” She said as she leaned back on her pillow.
“Yes, it is a bit out of this world.” I smiled back at her. I tried my best to break it down in little parts and only gave the most important pieces. This would be the biggest decision of her life.
“So I can pledge fae, vampire or to remain a human?” She asked squinting her eye brows.
“Yes. On pledge night.”
“You want me to choose fae.” She looked me squarely in the eyes.
“I do, but I also want the decision to be yours. Not any of ours. We had our chance to pledge and we made the choice alone.”
“How will I get a good idea of what it would be like to be a vampire? Is that in these books, too?” She asked inquisitively.
“I can’t tell you what it would be like to be a vampire. These books can only be read by the fae and I’m sure it’s the same for the vampire’s books and documents. They are protected and secretive.” I could have told her more, but I needed to protect us just in case she did pledge to be a vampire. They couldn’t know how much we knew about them.
“Are you scared I will pledge to be vampire?” Olivia asked as if reading my mind.
“If you did, t
hen we won’t be able to speak like we have been. So yes, I’m afraid to lose another sister again.” I said. I had grown close to her in the short time that she had spent with us. I enjoyed talking to her and getting to know our mother more. I was so young when she left us. My only memories are of photos.
“I would miss you, too.” She said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
She hadn’t given me any indication as to what she would pledge and it made me nervous that she was not thinking of pledging with us. I had to convince her that we were the best option, without damning the vampires.
“So there are witches, too?” She asked.
“Yes. They are quite peaceful, for the most part.” I said thinking of a few bad ones that were rogue. Over the years we had counted on them to help us when issues arose. They were able to help cover our tracks when needed but I was not able to share this with her.
“So no black magic?” She asked naively.
“No.” I smiled back at her.
I got up to go to the window to look out as Olivia picked up a book to look through.
“There’s so much to learn.” She said as she flipped through the scrolls of pages in Latin. “In a week no less.” The last part she muttered under her breath, unaware how easily it was to hear her as a fae.
I pulled back the curtain a little to look out into the forest for any changes. I knew there was someone directly below us keeping watch at all times.
“Is something out there?” Olivia asked as she leaped off the bed and made her way towards me.
“No, please!” I said as she approached me. She stood still in the middle of the room unsure of what to say to me.
I paused for a moment, hesitant on how to handle this. Knowing thousands of vampires were waiting for her in the woods, while recovering from an attack was not going to help with her level of stress this week.
“I know something is going on. You keep going to look out of the window. Is Henry out there?” She asked trying to look past me out of the window.
