by Ruby Raine
"So, even in alien races, greed and power lead to conflict. Good to know this is not just a human trait," droned Charlie.
"It is not merely human. This being took many spirits with him and there was a great battle. In the end, we were left with two sides, good and evil. Guardians and Demons. Those who wish to protect and nourish humanity. And those who wish to rule over and enslave humanity. We have always kept the balance to the side of good, but it's not an easy task. And our bloodline is weakening."
"Why?"
"Inevitable decay of time. Bloodlines run out. Our numbers will reach a finite end. And when that happens, we're hoping the scales will remain in our favor."
Charlie slumped a little as Mathew explained all of this. He'd never given any thought to these sorts of things. He'd really only ever been concerned with the Isle and the Power Source and his family's legacy. This was a so much larger picture kind of deal.
"I can guarantee you, Charlie, that evil will be working hard to influence both Riley and Lucas. They already have. It's probably part of why Lucas is so stubborn. Because of the influences they've put in his way."
"Then we will do our best to fight back. It is hard, though, keeping these secrets from those I love." Never mind he was worried that his mate bond would eventually share it with Lizzy. And he had no clue what her reaction would be.
"I realize that, Charlie. It's a heavy burden we ask of you."
"But I understand the need for the secret. Because once you tell one person, and then add on another, it can be like a spiral even if you trust those people."
"No doubt. But to get back to your question about why we don't protect the Source... because it's not part of us and our own history, we felt it needed a more human touch. To be under witch control. We didn't want to force ourselves onto something that was truly born of this earth. However, we also realized the importance of it, and that evil would try to get their hands on it to serve their own purposes as well. Plus, of course, those on the dark side of magic. So, we always offered assistance when needed. And tried to learn as much about the Source as possible. Which isn't a heck of a lot more than you already know, I'm afraid. But I can guarantee you, if Demons get their hands on this, it would be bad for Guardians, witches, and humans, alike."
And that was a point that took no arguing. And only further deepened Charlie's desire to live out his legacy and protect this Source.
"Is it getting—louder?" Charlie asked a moment later. "No, louder isn't right."
"No, but I feel it too. It's like noise, but not. It might be another energy burst building up. Take cover, Charlie. It won't hurt me, and you've got the ring, but you could still get slammed into a stone wall and that would hurt like hell."
"Not going to argue that." He took cover behind some roots and grabbed hold as they waited. The pulsing sped up, like the heartbeat was struggling, or trying to do something. Or struggling...
Mathew approached the Source. The pulse quickened and intensified. Charlie thought it almost like he could feel the pulse inside his own veins.
The energy burst exploded outward with little warning. Charlie hung on as the force ricocheted through him. Mathew spirited himself and reformed a moment later. Charlie waited for Mathew to sense outward and that everyone outside was okay. His connection to Lizzy was frayed, but he got the impression she wasn't panicking.
Their new bond was taking some getting used to. But he was getting the impression that the less he fought it, the better it worked. Almost like natural instinct. But when he got into a tense situation like this, and tried to force the bond to work, it almost worked against him instead. The key was to relax and let it happen. Easy... just relax.
Charlie grumbled inwardly. He needed to work on his issues, and he was trying. But when chaos ensnared him, he went to his comfort zone. It only made it harder to fault Lucas for doing the same. It was how humans were programmed to work. Charlie needed to work on himself if he had any hope of proving his case to Lucas though.
The plan outside the Source, as long as they heard it coming, was to fall flat to the ground and hope the energy flew right over them. Mathew didn't seem sure for a moment, but smiled in relief a few seconds later and gave Charlie a thumbs-up. He sensed everyone was okay. There was a general sense of awe, but not panic.
Charlie and Mathew approached the Source to see if anything looked different right after the pulse. Again, at first glance, all appeared as it had been.
"Why the change?" Charlie whispered absentmindedly. "Is it a warning?" he thought aloud. "Is it in some kind of trouble? Is it a cycle none of us are aware of?"
"All equally good questions," Mathew replied.
They got close enough to peer right over and into the thing, and Charlie did what his father had done, and splayed his fingers, daringly laying them on the surface. As his palms touched the silky surface and the pulse bumped against his skin, something happened to shake him to his very core.
He yanked back his hands and he gasped out, "Are you seeing that?"
Mathew nodded, speechless.
Something was moving inside the thing.
Charlie stumbled backwards.
"Son of a bitch."
There was a hand pressing upward from inside. A five-fingered human hand. Stretching and splaying upward against the inside of the cocoon. They stared in stunned silence as the throbbing pulse began to increase again and the hand disappeared into the depths of the thing.
"What the hell is this?" Charlie stammered. "Is there a—a—a—person—inside there? How? Why? How?"
Mathew's eyes widened. It dawned on him what all of this reminded him of. His hand flew up to his mouth in shock.
"I think I know what's happening."
"Please enlighten me," begged Charlie.
"Birth. New life. I think this is something trying to be born. The pulses started because the Power Source is—in labor."
Charlie replied with a series of incoherent babble and syllables.
"Are you serious?" he finally pushed out.
"I can't be sure. But, I think, yes."
"What's being born though? Magic? A magical person? How long have they been in this womb-like thing?" he stuttered out in awe.
"I'm sorry. I have no answer to that. But I think I need to report this to my elders, quickly. I can't believe it. We're living in a time where we might learn all the secrets of this Source."
"And we're sure it's a good thing?" Charlie had the need to ask. "I've protected this thing all my life, my ancestors too, but I never once actually worried it might not be a good thing until this very moment. We have no fucking idea what's about to come out of that thing."
And this was the biggest unknown. What exactly was the Power Source? The thing so many Howards, as well as other witches, had dedicated their lives to, and some given up their lives, to protect.
"I cannot say, Charlie. But I daresay I believe the time has come when we're going to find out."
And wasn't that the most unbelievable thing ever.
THE GROUP PICKED THEMSELVES up from the ground. The duck and cover plan had worked, more or less, with the energy pulse flying mostly over their heads. They'd skidded across the ground a bit and were covered in leaves and debris, but more or less unscathed. But they'd also had little warning. Only enough to fall flat onto the ground.
Courtney swished away and returned a minute later.
"The blast zone isn't getting any larger at least. The energy pulse isn't pushing out too far and it's dying pretty fast."
"That's good, at least," said Michael, swiping off a few dead leaves and pine needles from his jeans.
"Yeah, but I wonder how they fared inside?" Mack wondered.
"Mathew can move faster than William," reminded Lizzy. "And Charlie has the ring. And..." she shrugged, their bond acting up a little. However... "He's worrying about something, so all is as it should be." They got a little chuckle out of that.
"I'm going to check the alarm system again. Make sure the
pulse isn't messing with it." Michael went off to do just that, but Lizzy sent Lucas with him in the interest of none of them going off alone. Michael agreed. And Lucas was starting to feel more like an obedient pet who tagged along as company more than someone actively helping.
Michael held back a chuckle at the emotions he was sensing though, and they took off together into the woods surrounding the Power Source to check the alarm.
Lizzy, Mack, and Courtney kept guard at the entrance until they returned a short while later.
Michael held up a darkened crystal, once pure white and now burnt. "Energy pulse might not be going too far out, but it is intensifying. It burnt one of the crystals right up."
"Alarm still working?" asked Lizzy.
"It is. I made a temporary fix. I've got to run back to the mansion and grab a few supplies to make a better fix though."
"I'll tag alone," offered Mack. "I'm gonna grab my patrol car. I've got weapons in there. Just in case. And not just guns."
The Howards had long ago loaded up the sheriff with supernatural weapons in case she ever came across something while on duty and they were not around to help. Mostly crossbows and stakes and a few potions.
Michael and Mack sped off with the notion they'd hurry back.
Which left Lizzy, Lucas, and Courtney outside the Power Source. It didn't take long for Lizzy and Lucas to notice the vampire pacing.
"Everything okay?" Lizzy asked, concerned for the vampire's well-being.
Courtney stopped herself, realizing her anxiety over the Bree ghost sighting was getting to her more than she thought. "Just energy to burn off. Feeling—restless." Like life wasn't moving forward. Which it wasn't. The reality was, her life was truly frozen in place. But the need for revenge still burned heavy in her veins.
"You're doing an incredible job adjusting," Lizzy told her with a kind smile.
"I guess it's all just sinking in a bit. What my life was. What it isn't now. Not just the being a vampire thing. Losing my coven—my family really."
"I can relate. A little," Lizzy quipped. She'd lived through more losses and betrayals than she could count at this point. "Although my oncoming change was chosen by me. Not for me."
"But what you did was pretty damn impressive too," Courtney returned, speaking of Grayson. Lizzy's smile faltered some. "Sorry. Didn’t mean to dredge up shit topics."
"It's not that," Lizzy responded. "I will always love Grayson. But I feel no guilt over what I did. I do feel tremendous sadness that he never got the chance to live the life we tried to carve out for ourselves. But it could not have been recreated here, in this time. And not just because I'd fallen for Charlie."
"Melinda had a vision about it, right?" Lucas chimed in.
"She did. And she told me, so that I could make the decision myself. But Grayson was never going to fully recover from what happened to him. Even though it wasn't his fault he was cursed, even when the curse was broken he would have killed more innocents. I could not allow that."
"I don't know if I could have pulled the trigger," lamented Courtney. "I'd like to think I am strong enough, but what you did was true strength and for the greater good."
"None of us discover our true strength until faced with the moment that tests it. I've not always won, either." Lizzy gave them a weak smile.
Courtney huffed and shook herself. "I'm going to do a quick perimeter check. Do a run through the park just to make sure nothing's lurking. Burn off some of this energy."
Lizzy nodded and the vampire sped off.
Lucas plunked back into a tree trunk leaning against it. If anything, this night time watch was giving Lizzy some time to catch up with everyone. She'd been rather preoccupied with Charlie and his eye-candy self, and her impending first shift.
"I kind of abandoned you," she stated aloud. "I didn't mean to do that."
Lucas caught her apologetic gaze. "What? How so?"
"Leaving you alone in the manor, with Mathew."
"You're with Charlie now. You're not my babysitter."
"Of course not. But we're family too. And I haven't really been there for you."
"It's not like you don't have a lot going on," he chuckled.
"Well, yeah. But that's like, always, isn’t it?"
Lucas laughed at that. "Does seem like it."
"So, how are you doing?"
"I don't even know how to answer that. Worried about my brother. Tip toeing around the house to—not avoid—but, not deal with Mathew. All this magic stuff is overwhelming. It's just a lot at once."
"I don't want to pry, but this thing with Mathew, is there any hope of fixing it?" Lucas opened his mouth, closed it, and then blew out a huff. "Just the fact that you didn't instantly say no, gives me some hope," said Lizzy.
"I just can't see how it might be fixed."
"Neither could I. But look at me and my life, Lucas. I can't say you and Mathew are meant to be, but don't write it off either. Stranger things have happened."
"I suppose."
"I mean, if anyone had told me when I was in my twenties and still alive, that in a couple years I'd fall in love with a vampire, get ghasted, and hundreds of years later get my body back and fall in love with a werewolf..." she shrugged.
"Yeah. I see your point."
"It's a pretty fucking good one," she returned. He rolled his eyes at her.
"It's just that until I'd met Mathew, I'd never seen any kind of future with anyone. It's not like I was really out in the world trying, either."
"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Lizzy teased lightly.
"I know. I'm a bit—stuck—in my ways. But it was easy with Mathew," Lucas admitted. "Almost as natural as breathing. So when he left without any explanation... and then months later here I am on the Isle and he steps out of the woods not at all who I thought he was... and it's not just him. This whole magical life is—overwhelming. Out of my comfort zone. I can't stay in a routine. Everything keeps changing, too fast."
"And that makes you uncomfortable. I get it."
"It's like my brain and my body and my personal beliefs and all of this magic stuff are fighting each other. One minute, I can see the path forward and it feels right. But then my damn brain and experiences kick in and say, slow the fuck down."
Lizzy gave a clipped chuckle. "It's odd how our pasts can enslave us. Keep us from moving forward."
"You've succeeded." And Lucas almost sounded a bit jealous over that.
"But it wasn't without tremendous struggle," she reminded. "And there's no hurry, Lucas. It's not a race, no matter how crazy things get around here. Or how fast life sometimes changes on us."
"It's not that I can't see there's a bigger picture and a greater good to consider. I just can't see how I fit myself into it, because a life of magic is unpredictable. And that is my worst day ever. I like some measure of control over my life. The idea that fate holds the reins, and not me, is just—something I can't simply accept." Lucas shrugged, like, what else can I say.
"That's the thing though, Lucas. I think fate does exist. We're given gifts. And knowledge. However, we're humans. We have freewill. So, what we do with that fate given baseline of our lives, is up to us."
"You think?"
"I do. Because if fate was truly in charge, and had some specific destination for this world, we would not have freewill. We'd just be zombies, or robots, fulfilling fate's wishes. And I don't see your need for things to happen at your own pace as a fault. It's how you cope with the unexpected chaos of life. I know everyone, including me, is keen to make you see that magic is a good thing. And while I'll always impress that thinking upon you, it's okay to question things."
"It's not so much that I have to question everything, I just need time to process it all. I'm not as fast about accepting things at face value as you are. But I do like the idea that I am in control of my future, at least a little."
Lizzy grinned. "I promise, we're not purposely trying to gang up on you. We just want you to see the good magic can do.
And be a part of that. Because even though it comes with hardships—but what life doesn't—it's not a life I would trade for anything."
"I want to feel that way. I want to wake up each morning knowing I'm living the life I was meant to. I guess I'm just not there yet."
"Well, you are welcome to tell us all to fuck the hell off."
He smiled. "That easy, huh?"
"Sure. I'll make it so. I've got some clout around here." She winked and teased. He rolled his eyes. "But don't expect me to stop calling bullshit when it is."
"Ah, that's the Lizzy I know." He took a glance around. Still quiet. Charlie and Mathew were still inside the Power Source. Mack and Michael were probably heading back their way soon. "I've, um, been wanting to ask... what's it like? The transition?"
Lizzy sucked in.
"Kind of like living in an alternative reality. Surreal. I'm changing right before my eyes. I know it's going to happen and yet it sometimes feels like someone else's life, not mine."
"But you're happy?"
"I am. And as for the wolfy part of things—it's like a whole new way of experiencing the world. Not that being a human or a witch is worse, or better. It's just different."
"How so? Do you still feel like yourself?"
"Yes. Me, underneath it all. Still, my mind. My body. My ideals. But my senses are super honed in. I'm physically stronger. Charlie and I have this bond that's sometimes like our brains are attached and working together. But it can be tough too, because there's really no hiding how we feel about anything. And it's not all the time, yet. But there's no lying or holding back. And that's good, but still, a very unhuman way of living."
"I don't even know how I'd deal with something like that. I very much like my head to myself, thanks."
