by Jen Pretty
"It wasn't your fault," I said, and it was true. I had never once thought to blame him. "There was nothing you could have done to stop Joshua from capturing me that day. It was an ambush," I swallowed. Seeing the pain in his eyes was too much. "I have something I haven't told you," I sighed and realized there were a couple of things I hadn't told him.
So I told him first about the hunter in the basement, and I cried a bit more. Nearly exhausted from the emotions of the day so far, I could hardly keep my eyes open.
"I'm proud of you, and that hunter would still be suffering if you hadn't done what you did. You risked your life the first time you denied Joshua's request; you couldn't take that risk again."
"No," I explained, "I couldn't take that risk because I had help on the inside to get out of the building," I told him about Henry then. About how he led me out and said he wanted peace. I explained about the story Henry had told me of long ago. I described it all.
"Wait. Are you talking about Master Henry? As in the ancient vampire that hasn't been seen in hundreds of years? That Henry?"
"Well I didn't know he hadn't been seen for so long, but he said most people call him Master Henry and that he was the oldest," I replied.
Armond just sat there staring at me for a moment. Then quirked his lip a little before leaning in and kissing me gently on the forehead. Curled up in his arms, I forgot about everything else. The pain and the torment and the fear. I lingered there not wanting that to end, but it did end when Armond pulled away just enough to press his forehead against mine.
“I missed you,” he mumbled “I killed hundreds of vamps. I even took a page from your playbook and cut off a few hands” he said with no remorse.
I smiled “I knew you were fighting hard. Joshua complained that you were disturbing him and twice he was gone longer than he said he would be. You gave me those days of relative peace.”
He let out a breath and all the tension in his body. “Knowing I wasn’t completely useless to you makes me feel a bit better. I might have to throw a parade and celebration for Master Henry though, for doing what I could not.”
I smiled up at him then my smile fell away “I don’t know if I can fight, Armond.”
"You will, princess. You will fight, and you will conquer," he assured me before standing up with me still in his arms and heading back to the cottage.
“I can walk, you know,” I said giggling.
"Yes, but I'm not ready to let you go yet," he said.
I sighed and tucked my head back under his chin. I fit perfectly there, and it felt safe, but I knew I would have to take some risks if I ever wanted to feel completely safe again.
I slept curled up with Armond that night, and my sleep was quiet and peaceful. I woke and had breakfast with everyone including a selection of giant hunters I recognized from the house on earth, but I didn't know by name. Apparently, Fritz had been made second in command when Armond got his promotion to leader of the hunters and Fritz was now coordinating all the hunters on raids to keep the vampire population to a minimum. I felt terrible about leaving any hunters vulnerable, but there was no way I was going back to earth as defenceless as I was and Armond didn’t seem in a rush to get me back there. So, I had breakfast every morning with Armond and Luke and Victor and Margot and the hunters. Margot couldn't handle the sword training, so she stayed behind when we all gathered and went to the woods. I sat on my stump and held that wooden sword till my arms shook and my hand seized then I'd take a break and start over again. Each day I was getting just a bit stronger.
After a week of this Armond started sparring with me lightly. He mostly stood with his sword and let me whack him with mine, but my hits were not hard. He made me laugh and encouraged me to keep trying. If I swung too hard, I would drop my sword, so I worked to keep it controlled. I mean at least I was doing it, right?
One day while we were in the forest and I was swinging my sword awkwardly at Armond, I heard a sound from behind me and turned around to find crazy old Evan sitting on his damn stump watching. He was leaning back on his elbows, and the sun was shining on his face.
“Hello,” I waved my sword at him.
“Yes, hello child. I see you are working on less magical pursuits at the moment, perhaps when you are done you would like to work on your magic a little bit hmm?” he asked with a classic Evan look on his face. It felt like years had passed since he sat there and told me to slow a falling leaf.
I looked back at Armond, and he nodded and shooed me in Evans direction.
“I’m not sure what there is to work on Evan. My magic isn’t the problem.”
"Isn't it? I understand you couldn't stop that old vampire or even slow him down. Don't you think that's a problem?" he asked smiling with glee at my shocked expression.
“I could stop him?” I asked still dumbfounded.
“Perhaps,” he said coyly “if you think you can, you probably will.”
"That's not annoyingly vague at all, Evan. How will I know if I can stop him even if my magic gets stronger? What if I'm face to face with him and my magic still isn't strong enough?"
"Well, I have brought a friend to help you with that," and then Henry was there and every hunter in the place went ballistic. Swords were drawn, and large angry men charged towards the vampire but Evan held up a hand, and they all stopped.
"I would like to introduce Master Henry, my brother," Evan said, and everyone's jaws dropped to the ground.
There was a long pause here. “Brother?” I finally asked for all of us.
"Yes, well, you see, a long time ago fae and vampires were allies. As such, some fae wed vampires. The offspring were either one or the other, not a mix of the two. It made for some pretty horrible family reunions after the war started.” Evan smiled at his brother.
“But how did he get here? I thought only fae could cross the portal.”
“I brought him over. The magic of the portal doesn’t affect me and can’t stop me from doing as I please,” Evan said.
Now that I saw them side by side, they looked enough alike to be brothers, though Henry looked younger.
“How is he going to help me with my magic though?” I asked leaving the part about their family connection alone for now.
"You will learn to slow Henry, and when you do, you will be able to slow Joshua enough to end this war," Evan said.
This was all kinds of crazy.
Chapter fourteen
“This is all kinds of crazy,” I said to Armond once we were back in my room in the cottage. “A fae and a vampire. Brothers!”
“I am still a child to almost all fae, and the elders like to tell stories of our history, but I've never heard a story of a time when fae and vampires were allies much less having offspring together.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know how to believe anything that a vampire says.”
Armond had a point. I believed Henry when I was locked away in that building because I didn’t have any other option and nothing to lose and If it weren’t for Evan, I probably wouldn’t believe anything Henry said, even after he saved my life because I had seen how horrible vampires are. I had witnessed the savage and evil way they had tortured and killed. It would be even harder to believe for Armond who had been fighting vampires for his whole existence.
I rubbed my eyes feeling thoroughly exhausted. My damaged hand was improving slowly, and I was using it more and more every day, but it hurt more often, and the healers couldn't do anything about it.
“I’m too tired to think about this anymore,” I mumbled.
Armond scooped me up and set me down at the door to the bathroom ten feet away. “Why don’t you have a shower and get changed and I’ll find you some food.”
I laughed "alright. But something Margot made. Last time you cooked for me, it tastes like cardboard," I teased. He tried to grab me playfully, but I stepped out of his reach, into the bathroom and shut the door. The expression on his face as I was closing the door was priceless. He wasn't an excellen
t cook, but he tried.
After my shower, I walked out to the main house and found Armond speaking quietly to Fritz. They stopped talking as soon as they saw me and both pasted on smiles but I knew something was up.
“Hello Lex, how are you feeling?” Fritz asked me.
"I'm better. Good," I said eyeing him. Something was going on, and I was sure it had to do with vampires, and I wouldn't like it.
"That's good. Really good," He said smiling a bit too wide. I kept looking at him and raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say what was on the tip of his tongue.
“Don’t,” Armond said to him.
“Don’t what?” I asked
"It's nothing. I have some food warmed up for you. Come sit down; Fritz has to leave, don't you Fritz?" he said looking at his second in command with a severe expression.
“Alright, see you later Lex,” Fritz said before turning and walking out of the house.
“What’s going on?” I asked Armond as we sat down to eat.
He sighed “It’s just more of the same. Fighting against the overflow of vampires” He added dismissively
I waited a moment and slowed my breathing. “I have to fight this, don’t I?” I asked Armond. “I have to stop this war?”
He took my hand in his. "No. You don't have to, but I believe you will. I believe you will put your fists up and punch this war right in the mouth. And when you do, I'll be ready with my sword to finish it." He sounded so sure I couldn't help but let a bit of hope back in. I don't know why he always believed I was capable of these things, but I wouldn't allow his faith be misplaced.
I sighed and steadied myself. “Tomorrow, we will start tomorrow,” I said determinedly. If Evan and Henry and Armond all believed I could do this, maybe it was time to have a bit of faith in my magic.
I spent the day resting and reading books beside Armond or Luke when Armond had to make some calls about hunter stuff. I had been working hard, and my body was still fighting me but a day of lying about with the people closest to me helped boost my confidence.
Early the next morning I got up, and everyone was in the house. It was packed, but Margot appeared to be in heaven, cooking a feast.
The counter was set up like a buffet, so I grabbed a plate. Luke waved at me from a place at the table and pointed to the seat beside him. Once my plate was full I made my way over to him and plopped down. I was still in my pyjamas but didn't care. I was hungry and needed coffee.
“How are you feeling today?” Luke asked.
“Better. I think I’m going to kick some vamp ass actually.”
Luke's smile could be seen from space. He looked happier than I’d ever seen him.
“What?” I asked him.
"I'm just happy you are feeling better," he slung his arm around the back of my chair and continued to sip his coffee looking quite content. I realized he probably missed earth too.
“Do you have a house on earth?” I asked him realizing I had never really found out much about when he was there.
"Yes and a regular job…well, I did have. I worked in a little town near Evans sanctuary so I could be near enough to train with him. I was a bookkeeper for a couple of local shops. It wasn't that important, but I enjoyed it. I imagine my house is still there."
“I’m sure it is.” I knew my place and job would be there for me if I wanted them, once we took care of this vampire problem and I hoped Luke would want to stay near me.
When we had all finished breakfast I found Evan and Henry sitting together in the corner of the living room chatting about people and places I'd never heard of, so, I sat and listened for a while but didn't understand. Maybe you had to be there.
“Well, we should go and let our girl here practice killing you, Henry,” Evan said with a snicker.
"Alright, alright brother," Henry replied "but don't kill me, eh child?" he joked, looking at me.
I laughed, they were so similar. "I won't. How long has it been since you two were last together?"
"Oh, Lord. Probably 800 years," Henry said.
“But why? You two obviously get along so well,” I asked, shocked. “There isn’t a war between you.”
“Yes, but when the war began we couldn’t be seen together, many children whose parents were from opposite sides were slaughtered. The vampires held more power than fae and had been controlling the war for a very long time. Joshua is not the first powerful vampire to inflict pain and torture on the fae, he is just the most recent,” Henry explained as we got up and headed out the front door. Armond and his hunters gathered too as we walked towards the clearing in the woods.
The clearing was almost like a second home now. A lot of things had happened here and most of them good. It was a place of peace and strength, and I loved it more than anywhere else.
“Now, you just need to concentrate,” Evan said. “You can pull power from the ground to strengthen your magic. I want you to sit and feel the strength of it. Once you feel it, stop time. We have endless time for you to do this so don’t rush and don’t let those hunters distract you with their shenanigans.”
I sat cross-legged on the grass and tried to connect to some mythical power that would make my magic more powerful. After an hour, I decided just to stop time and see what happened. Maybe I had drawn more strength and didn't realize it.
I slammed time to a stop. Everyone froze except Evan and Henry.
“That’s not it. You will know when the power is in you,” Evan encouraged “try again.”
I let go of my magic, and everyone immediately continued their sparring, and I just sat. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I don't know why magic had to be so complicated. After another hour I was laying in the grass with the sun on my face. I took a deep breath and let it fill my lungs and slowly let it out. The sights and sounds of the hunters around me sparring with each other quietly were strangely relaxing. It sounded like protection and comradery, and even though I was getting used to the idea that I was going to have to face Joshua again, I still needed that feeling of safety.
I was just about to nod off when I felt the earth move a bit. Like a small earthquake. I popped my eyes open and sat up. “What was that?” I asked
Evans' eyes popped open too; he had curled up on his stump in the sun.
“What was what?” he asked a cautious smile spreading across his wrinkled face
“I don’t know. It felt like a tiny earthquake maybe it was just the hunters.”
"Maybe so," Evan said, but his smile said it was not the hunters. Then he lay back down and closed his eyes.
After a moment I did so too, but this time I was paying attention and waiting for that tiny shake of the ground.
A few minutes later I felt it and threw my magic out to the world. Everyone stopped. Except for Evan and Henry. Hmmm.
“You will need more than that,” Henry said with a grin.
I didn’t reply just smiled and lay back down. I had a taste of it now, no stopping me!
A few hours later, I was exhausted. I had felt that shake and stopped time over a dozen more times, but Henry still moved just fine.
“Come on then, princess,” Armond said scooping me up.
“I can fucking walk,” I snarled.
“Maybe time for a snack and a nap,” he said teasingly but not putting me down.
I was too tired to fight him, so I just accepted my fate. God, why did this man have to carry me so often?
"I love carrying you," he said like he could read my mind. "You're so small and delicate but fierce and wild. It's like carrying a puma you know it might kill you, but it's worth the risk."
“Do not attempt to carry a puma you giant idiot,” I said sleepily “they will definitely fuck you up.”
He just laughed and continued walking.
The next day I woke to the earth shaking and threw my magic as hard as I could. I jumped up and ran to the central part of the house.
Henry and Evan were both smiling, and everyone else was frozen.
“Can y
ou move Henry?” I asked. He stood up and ran at me. It was not quite slow, but maybe a bit slower than his usual vampire speed. A smile spread across my face. “Almost” I whispered before turning and waving my arm in the air. I let everyone go back to what they were doing. I needed to shower and change my clothes so I could eat breakfast and get back to work.
Today was going to be a good day, I could feel it.
On my approximately 400th attempt to stop Henry we called it a day. Every time I pulled that magic from the ground I made him just a bit slower, but it still wasn't enough. From the way the hunters were getting anxious I could tell bad things were happening on earth and we needed to hurry, but at the same time, I was stressed about going back there. What if I wasn't strong enough?
We headed back to the cottage in the woods, hunters and fae and one vampire. Margot had prepared a feast for us, like usual, so we all sat in any available chair and ate together. About halfway through Henry cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, everyone," he said loud enough to get the attention of everyone in the cramped room. "Evan has asked me to share with you all the story of how our two people divided so many years ago. I agree it's important that we know the history so we can prevent a repeat and perhaps it will put perspective on a war that has been going on for far too long." With that, he began.
"There were two kings, one was a vampire, and one was fae. They were not brothers like Evan and me, but they grew up together and spent most of their time together. They were the reason our people were at peace and eventually the reason for the war.
“Both vampire and fae king loved the earth, and they spent much time there together until one day they saw a woman so beautiful they both fell for her instantly and began to pursue her. She was no ordinary human, though. She was from another world, and she demanded the fae and the vampire fight to the death for her. Her world was cold and harsh, and she knew no other way. The vampire king and the fae king couldn't settle their dispute, so they agreed to a battle to the death, with the winner claiming the exotic woman as his own.
