by Last, K. A.
The conversation with my brooding brother was not very enjoyable, and I found myself wishing Charlotte would hurry up. Archer’s moods could sometimes rub off on you.
“Snap out of it, Arch. Stop being a baby.”
“You haven’t been thinking all that straight the past couple of days, Gracie.”
“I’m thinking perfectly fine, thank you.”
“Then how come every time Josh is around you go all girly and mushy.”
“I do not,” I protested. Where did that come from? He’d obviously been thinking about it since we left school. I tried to read him but he pushed me out.
A gentle puff of wind brushed my arm and Charlotte was standing next to me. She looked worried, and it took me a second before I figured out she was reflecting our expressions.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” I said quickly.
Before Archer could protest, Charlotte put a finger to her lips and stood perfectly still. Listen, she mouthed. She was right; I could hear four separate sets of thoughts around the middle of the cemetery. I sifted through them, trying to work out who they were.
“Josh!” I gasped.
“Oh, great, just what we need,” Archer said.
Without thinking, I orbed to Josh. When I got there he was crumpled on the ground, a trickle of blood running down his forehead. Before I could blink twice Charlotte was at my side and we were facing Matthew, Cain and Tyler. Archer arrived just as Matthew lunged at Charlotte. He sent her flying across the cemetery and she landed hard against a headstone. I formed two orbs in my palms and threw them at Cain and Tyler, hitting them both in the chest. They landed about twenty metres away; it wouldn’t hold them off for long.
I spun towards Charlotte and everything seemed to happen in slow motion, like we were wading through mud. She sprung back to her feet in a defensive crouch, a guttural sound coming from her throat. Matthew was crouched as well, edging around her, fangs bared and growling. They both lunged simultaneously and Charlotte came out on top, throwing him across to the next row of graves.
Then Seth showed up. I was beginning to wonder where he was. It was unlike him to miss the action.
“I didn’t think you’d be too far away,” I said, guarding Josh. I threw another orb at Cain and it sent him flying. He landed with a thud then rolled into a crouch, his dark hair hanging like a curtain around his chiselled face. Archer had a stake in each hand and was busy fighting Tyler who unfortunately had the upper hand.
“Just came to watch the fun,” Seth said.
“Well, I have a question for you. If Charlotte’s blood is so precious, why is Matthew trying to kill her?”
“Not kill, capture.”
Oh. That wasn’t good.
Archer looked like he needed help. I orbed to his side, spun round and connected a flying kick with Tyler’s head. He didn’t know what hit him and momentarily lost his bearings. He whipped around to face me. Blood ran from his nose and he licked it from his top lip before snarling at me.
“Oh please, you are so not scary,” I said.
That made him mad and I chuckled. I orbed again, came down behind him and drove a stake into his back. Excellent, some dust on my boots, just what I wanted. A deafening roar echoed across the cemetery. Matthew did not look impressed. He came towards me and I tried to see what he was thinking, but losing Tyler was clouding his thoughts. All he wanted was me dead. I found this a little amusing, he could pound me into the ground for eternity and I still wouldn’t die. I laughed again and Matthew pulled up short. He towered over me, our faces only a few inches apart.
“You can’t kill me, no matter how hard you try.”
“I’d still enjoy making you bleed,” Matthew said.
This time I laughed right in his face. “Careful, you’ll end up like your friend here,” I said, shaking the dust from my feet. He snarled. Charlotte came to stand on my right, ready to attack or defend. Seth was watching with a very amused look on his face.
“Call off your boys, Seth,” I said, my eyes still fixed firmly on Matthew’s. “I may not be able to rid the world of your filth, but these two are laughable.” Cain was attempting to voice his opinion with more snarling and I glanced at him. “Like I said, you don’t scare me.”
“You don’t scare any of us,” Archer said from behind me. He stood guard over Josh who was still out cold, the blood now drying on his temple.
Archer was trying to tell me his leg was badly hurt, but he was going to have to wait. As far as I could tell he wasn’t going to die in the next few minutes, there were more pressing issues like the two vamps still trying to kill us. I concentrated on Matthew, attempting to listen again. Seth had his guard up so he was no help. With Matthew only inches from me I decided to just come straight out and ask him.
“What do you really want with Charlotte?”
Something in his eyes changed and I felt the thoughts come flooding to the front of his mind, strength, power, and an image of the sun. Matthew had already experienced light walking, and he wanted more, but his next thought was the one that nearly knocked me off my feet.
I saw Seth’s expression shift. He knew what I’d just learned and his growl echoed across the cemetery. He lunged forward, grabbing Matthew with one hand and Cain with the other. All three of them disappeared in seconds, leaving Seth’s black mist in their wake. All I could do was stand there for a moment, numb.
“What was it?” Charlotte asked. “What did you see?”
“We can’t let them capture you, Charlotte.”
“Well, we wouldn’t let them do that anyway, duh,” Archer said.
Was my sceptic brother having a sudden change of heart? I went to him and put my hand on his arm, channelling my healing power through him. We watched as the gash on his leg closed over, leaving no trace of a wound behind.
“You don’t understand. Under no circumstances can Charlotte ever go with them,” I said, looking into her dark eyes.
Josh groaned and tried to move his head. He hadn’t opened his eyes, which was a good thing, but there wasn’t much time before he came around. I quickly orbed Josh to his room, healed his wounds and made sure he was comfortable before he had a chance to know what was happening. I was living in blind hope that he wouldn’t remember anything, and a part of me wanted him to know. It saddened me that the first time I set foot in his room was under such circumstances, but I couldn’t think about that. I needed to tell Archer and Charlotte what I’d learned.
Back at the cemetery I told them that with Charlotte’s blood Matthew intended to create an army of vampires who were stronger, faster, and more powerful than any we’d ever seen. That was not good. Not good at all.
FOURTEEN
GRACE
Early Wednesday Morning
Bright light completely surrounded me. My long white dress flapped in the gentle breeze, tickling my legs. My hair softly whipped the back of my neck with the occasional strands caressing my cheek. I was bathed in a soft pure whiteness, and surrounded by warmth. The soft elegant curves that flowed from my shoulder blades glowed against the light. I was ethereal and angelically beautiful.
Under any other circumstances I would have loved being right where I was at that moment. I never thought about how much I missed home until I was back there, but something wasn’t right, there was a feeling in my gut that things were about to get complicated.
“What are we to do with you, Grace?” an angry voice said, echoing around me.
I didn’t answer. Instead I waited for them to continue. Facing the Council could sometimes be a little unnerving. They seemed to speak with one voice, but also with many, and their sound was all encompassing.
“You do know the rules, do you not?” they asked.
“Yes, but I haven’t broken any.”
“You revealed your true self to a human,” the voice thundered, and it resonated through me.
“Oh, that. In all fairness he was unconscious.”
“You are only permitted to reveal your power to
those in the immediate Tate family.”
“Well, there aren’t many of those around anymore, are there,” I said angrily.
“You seem to be getting a bit lazy after all this time.”
“Lazy? I’m working my butt off. The human death rate due to vampire has fallen considerably since I’ve been around.”
“That is beside the point…”
“Well, what is the point?” I yelled.
Silence.
I felt like I could scream and never stop. It was impossible for silence to be deafening, but it rang in my ears louder than any noise I’d heard.
“Charlotte is a vampire, Grace, did you fail to notice that?” the Council asked.
“She is good.”
“Her soul must be released and laid to rest.”
My breathing quickened as I tried to comprehend what they were asking of me. I liked to think of myself as quite smart, but sometimes the Council could skirt around the issue.
“Released? So basically you’re asking me to murder my friend?”
“Charlotte is not human…”
“She is immortal,” I said.
“There are ways to stop immortality,” the Council responded. “You do it every day.”
This was not going at all the way I wanted it to. I’d lost the argument before it even began.
“But her soul is pure,” I yelled again. “Charlotte never hurt anybody, she’s on our side. I will not murder her, I won’t…”
“We don’t see it as murder, Grace, you will be freeing her,” the voice interrupted. “You were created for a purpose. It is not your place to make this decision, and you must carry out your work without question.”
“But she is the one in danger. Charlotte is the one who needs protecting.”
“She is still a vampire, a creature of evil.”
Well screw you, I thought, knowing they could hear me. One thing about the Council I’d always found irritating was their immensely strong mental guard. It was impossible to penetrate so I never knew what they were thinking. An unfair advantage, really, since they could hear me loud and clear. I had a feeling there was more to this charade than they were telling me.
“Might we also remind you to use great discretion when it comes to human relationships? Intense physical contact is forbidden.”
“Can you tell me why that is?” I demanded, frustrated. “It seems so natural.”
“It is natural for humans, but not for us.”
That was unfair, why should humans have all the fun? I ran my hands through my hair as I sank downwards. The light around me faded as the voice spoke for the last time.
“If you don’t bring Charlotte’s soul to Heaven you will fall, and another will be sent in your place to do what needs to be done.”
This time the flying feeling as I exited my dream wasn’t nearly as nice. I felt like a ball of lead falling from the sky. Yes, Charlotte was a vampire, and yes, I hunted them, but she was good. How could I possibly kill someone I cared about?
The corrugated roof sheets of the shed came into focus as I opened my eyes. I rubbed my face and let out a quiet groan. A feeling of dread hung in the pit of my stomach and my mouth felt dry. I pulled myself out of bed and went to the small mirror on my wall, shocked by the face I saw before me. I couldn’t believe how tired I looked.
The morning sun streamed in through the high window of my simple loft bedroom and threw light across the bed. I didn’t have many earthly possessions; I didn’t really see the need. My small side table was bare except for a lamp and one photo of me, Archer and Pa. The bed was covered with a fuss free white quilt, and a small carpet square lay on the floor.
There was one other piece of furniture in the room—my bookshelf, which stood about three-feet high. It ran the length of one wall and was crammed full of books; the only material things I treasured. Actually, that’s a lie; there were two other things I cherished, one being the small silver ring I wore on my right hand. I never took it off. The dark blue sapphire was surrounded by angel wings that curved around the band. It had been given to me when I was first brought into creation. All angels had one. We were told it was a symbol of our union with God and to never take it off. The other thing was a small metal pill box hidden under the mattress. It wasn’t the box itself that was important, but what lay inside; a perfect diamond shaped like a tear drop.
“Damn it!” I said out loud, my thoughts returning to Charlotte. I couldn’t do it. I would not let her die, and I knew I’d made this decision pretty much the day I’d met her. I didn’t care about the Council. I didn’t care that I’d broken the rules and revealed part of myself to Josh, if he even remembered, and I didn’t care what they said up there on their fluffy white clouds. What did they know? They weren’t down here living it. I truly believed that Charlotte was good and she belonged right where she was, fighting, and if I had to spend eternity by her side to protect her, I would.
The sound of an electric guitar riff sliced the silence and made me jump. I grabbed my bag from the end of the bed, fumbled around inside until I found my phone and swiped the screen to answer. It was Emma.
“Hey,” I said. “How did last night go?”
“Perfect! He’s a fantastic kisser.”
“That’s great, I’m happy for you.”
She obviously couldn’t wait until I got to school to tell me all about Ryan. Emma babbled on for a few minutes before we hung up, giving me explicit details. It made me smile, hearing her so happy. I went through the motions of the morning, trying not to think. After showering and having breakfast I was sitting at the table with Archer. He’d been eyeing me off and I knew what he was about to ask.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“You don’t look it. Council?”
I nodded.
“What did they have to say this time?” he asked.
“Charlotte has to die, and I have to return her soul to Heaven.”
“Are you serious? They want you to kill her?”
“She is a vampire. We are supposed to kill them.”
“But, she’s different. Don’t they see that? I swear Heaven has its own set of rules.”
“You seem to have had a change of heart,” I said, raising my eyebrows.
Archer blushed and looked away. What was going on? I decided to give him his privacy and not look to find out. He would tell me when he was ready.
I spent a few minutes trying to get the next words straight in my head before I said them.
“They gave me an ultimatum.” Archer was silent and waited for me to continue. “If I don’t release her soul and take it to Heaven they’ll send someone else to kill her, and I will fall.”
“Oh. Well that sucks.”
“Big time.” We stood and headed to the car. “I get the feeling I’m being tested, Arch. It’s like I’m being forced to choose sides.”
“No matter what your decision, we know what side you’re on,” Archer said, hugging me.
I opened the door of the Defender and climbed in, smiling to myself. He was right. Good always triumphed over evil, or so I thought.
FIFTEEN
JOSH
Wednesday Morning
The warmth of the morning sun came through the window and hit my cheek. I lay in bed for a moment, my arm hanging over the side, attempting to piece together the events of the night before.
I remembered standing at my mum’s grave and watching a bright ball of light create people, which sounded crazy. I remembered staring into someone’s dark eyes, and then nothing. I must have passed out, and I wondered how I got back to my room. I felt like I had a hangover but was otherwise fine, so I busied myself with getting ready for the day.
The cafeteria was almost full by the time I got there. Emma was sitting in my usual seat next to Ryan, but I didn’t mind. What was the point getting territorial over a chair? I sat down on the other side of my best friend, slid my breakfast tray onto the table and began to pick at my toast. Then Grace and Archer walked in. The r
oom suddenly felt warmer and my breath caught in my throat when they headed towards our table. I had to quickly remind myself it would be because of Emma and not me.
“Morning guys,” Grace said quietly, sitting down across from me. She put her bag and her copy of Shakespeare on the chair beside her. I offered her what I hoped was a warm, welcoming smile. It was probably more like a big goofy grin. Archer plonked himself down next to his sister and didn’t say anything. I couldn’t help noticing a change in his mood when Charlotte joined us as well. When he first sat down he looked pissed off, now his eyes were filled with sadness. I sure had some really weird friends.
My gaze floated back to Grace. I wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand, just to feel her soft skin and make sure she was real.
“What did you end up doing last night after you left us?” Emma asked.
“Not much,” I replied, dragging my eyes away from Grace. “I visited Mum’s grave, then … not much.”
Archer exchanged a look with Grace and Charlotte; then Grace jumped in and changed the subject.
“Arch and I have been talking about our eighteenth birthday party.”
“Gracie.” Archer’s expression clouded over and he looked pissed again.
“We are having a party,” she said.
“Sounds like fun,” Emma added.
Archer didn’t look too happy about it, but I couldn’t work out why. A party sounded like a great idea to me.
“This Saturday night, who’s in?” Grace asked. We all said me at the same time. That is, except for Archer. He just looked mad. “Great. Invite some of your friends as well,” Grace continued. “The more the merrier.”
“Gracie!” Archer said, sitting forward in his seat.
“Chill out would you, we have plenty of room.”
“I’m going to class.” Archer pushed his chair back with a loud scrape and got to his feet. He threw his backpack over his shoulder, stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked off before anyone could respond.
