by Kimbra Swain
“To be honest, I want the Vale and what it stands for destroyed,” I said.
“What?”
“I don’t want to destroy Shady Grove. I want to destroy the curse so that the people here can live, die, and return as was intended for our kind. Not to be cursed into an oblivion,” I said thinking about Dylan.
“Your father’s spirit rejoined the tree. I would think that anyone that died here would continue on in that manner,” Levi said. “Perhaps even Dylan could talk to you at the stone if Lilith would allow it.”
The thought had crossed my mind, but my stone and circle drew power from the tree and the Otherworld. Lilith said that Dylan was there in peace. I wouldn’t want to disturb that. Not after all he had been through. It didn’t matter how hard it hurt. It would be selfish for me to want him to return that way.
“No,” I said.
“I was just trying to give you hope,” Levi said. “Sometimes you drift too far away.”
“I’m here. My hope is in my children,” I said.
“Good,” he said.
“And you,” I added.
“Thank you, my Queen,” he said as he continued to bounce Aydan on his knee.
“Whatever you’ve got here, I will kill,” he paused and narrowed his eyes. “For the right price.”
“I doubt payment will be an obstacle,” I replied.
Rostam Dastan, Luther’s supernatural hunter, was none other than the Persian equivalent to Greece’s Achilles. They both had girly hair and egos the size of an elephant. I wasn’t sure what Dastan’s weakness was, but I was sure I could find out if needed. We would start with the ankle and work our way up. His first name was Farrokhzad which meant “Made by God.” He was basically a demigod. And from the first moment that I saw him, I hated him.
He lounged back in the chair that he made Levi vacate when he entered the room smoking a real cigar. Levi had to take Aydan outside. Luther remained in the room as I talked to the asshole.
“Honey, I’m a high-priced whore. Perhaps an heir to the Winter throne,” he said.
“You may leave,” I said.
He sat there staring at me as if I were joking. I moved papers around on my desk, then pulled a pen out of my drawer to start looking over them. They were just documents that Levi had, showing all the supplies and needs of the community. I had no intention of writing on them, but it was a good show.
He laughed while stroking his long black beard; his dark eyes watched my movements. “You intend to dismiss me after my long journey? I came here to kill. You’re very disrespectful for one so young,” he said.
The tattoo on my arm flared. I was already walking around as a blonde on a daily basis, but I kept the power concealed. It rushed over my skin revealing the intricate skin markings surging with Winter power. I slowly stood to my feet as the room turned to ice including the chair that the prick sat on.
“Do not assume by my appearance that I am young, Rostam Datsan. I’ve handled many beasts in my day. You would be the least of them,” I said as the trailer shook with power. Levi stood at the door with Aydan strapped to his back in a carrier. His tattoo fed off my power. The strings of the guitar glowed waiting to be played.
I stalked toward the man as he wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword. Maybe Levi having a sword wasn’t a bad idea.
“Prince Dastan, perhaps we can come to a mutual understanding. You don’t have to like each other to work together,” Luther offered.
“Unsheathe that blade. Let’s see what you can do,” I said, looming over him.
“Easy, Grace,” Levi said.
“I’m going to easy him right out the door,” I responded.
“I do not wish to cause you harm, honored Queen. Forgive my rudeness,” he said releasing the hilt. I backed away from him to lean on the desk. At that point, I realized that my clothes had changed to the long black dress I wore the night my father returned to the tree. The scrolls of skin art continued to roll with Winter power as I stared at him.
“If you decide to work for me, one thing that is required is respect. If you don’t freely give it, I will make you earn it, but you won’t like that,” I said.
The Prince didn’t like to be told what to do, but for whatever reason, he decided to stay in Shady Grove and work to remove the ghouls.
“It would be an honor to be in your employ,” he said, bowing his head. Levi stepped back into the other room, releasing the power that he held.
“Good. Let’s talk payment,” I said.
“My favorite part,” he replied.
After negotiating overpayment, we came to an understanding. I would have to make a few calls to retrieve the items he wanted, but I was sure that I could obtain the things he had requested. They seemed like odd requests, but I was sure I could handle it.
“Now, who are the ghouls after?” he asked.
“They haven’t said,” I replied.
“Someone in your town is hiding something from you,” Dastan replied.
“I’m sure there are more than one. I don’t need or want to know the private lives of my people. As long as there is no trouble. And when there is, the troublemaker usually reveals themselves,” I said.
“Old friend, surely you know who they are after. It would be one of our own people,” Dastan said. I looked to Luther who had the same look as he did in my home after the ghouls first appeared.
“Luther, who are they after?” I asked.
He put his hands on his hips and heaved a heavy sigh. “Betty. They are after Betty,” he said. “But they can’t have her. And I will pay Dastan’s fee if necessary.”
“No, she is under my protection, but they came for the dead,” I said.
“She is Banshee,” Luther said.
“Madar Sag,” Dastan muttered.
“You’re married to an ancestral spirit? How is that possible?” I asked.
“You’re a fairy queen in a trailer park. You tell me,” Luther said becoming agitated.
“Luther, if she is Banshee, then she has a job to do on this earth, why would the ghouls want to take her?” I asked.
“She no longer does her duties,” he said. “She still knows who will die. She knew that Dylan would. It took everything she had not to sing the lament for him, but she kept quiet. No one knows what she is. It’s easier that they don’t.”
“I’ve only ever gotten Unseelie Fairy from her,” I replied.
“She conceals it,” Luther said. “It’s a very good spell.”
“Apparently,” I said. “This is neither here nor there. I’m not willing to part with her for any damn ghoul. Perhaps we don’t need Prince Dastan.”
“Wait a minute, now. I came here to capture ghouls. It’s what I do,” he said.
“You’re here for a paycheck. You will be paid for your time either way,” I replied.
“Why don’t we need him?”
“If we negotiate with the ghouls, then perhaps they will move on,” I said.
“Diplomacy? Really, Grace? Not your style,” Luther said.
“At least one thing I can admire in her,” Dastan remarked.
“Quiet before I start testing out my theory on you,” I said.
“You’re more than welcome to test whatever you would like,” Dastan said.
“Bugger off,” I replied. He chuckled, then took a deep draw on his cigar. “Maybe if Betty would agree to resume her duties, then they would move on.”
“She doesn’t want to do that,” Luther said. “But I’m not sure that will deter them.”
“We can try. I’ll talk to her,” I said. “Hold your horses, Prince. Let me see if we can avoid conflict.”
“Fine. Point me to the closest establishment serving liquor,” Dastan said.
“Luther, do you mind?” I asked.
“I’ll take him to Hot Tin. Then I need to tell Betty that I told you. If you don’t see me again, I want you to know I thank you for standing up for her,” he said.
“She isn’t going to
hurt you, Luther. That woman loves you,” I said.
“Yes, but Grace remember when you realized everyone knew your secret. You weren’t happy about it. She won’t be either,” he said.
“Levi and I will come see her tonight,” I said. “We will talk about it.”
“Alright,” he conceded.
I walked the men to the door, watching Luther slump his shoulders. No wonder they had the weird exchange at my house. Betty was basically a fairy spirit. She had a damn good spell. I’d like to know who set it up for her because I would have never guessed.
“How do you fall in love with a ghost?” Levi asked.
“I dunno. Ask Demi Moore,” I replied.
“Aston Kutcher isn’t dead,” Levi replied.
I laughed. “No, have you never seen the movie Ghost?” I asked.
“Guess not,” he replied. He was sitting on the couch with Aydan asleep on his chest.
“She was in love with a ghost,” I replied. “It was endearing but weird.”
“That about sums it up,” he said. “Very weird.”
“You can’t treat her differently,” I said.
“I won’t. I love Betty. She’s awesome,” he said. “We will figure it out.”
Dylan would know what to do. He was always good at these kinds of things. He was able to get people to trust him. He would know exactly what to say to put Betty at ease. There was no doubt that I would protect her as I was sworn to do. Betty was family. Ghouls or not, she was staying in Shady Grove where she belonged.
I couldn’t imagine what it was like for her to know that deaths were coming. She must have known every life I’ve taken. I wondered how it worked. Did she have dreams or visions? Was it an instinct? I hoped she would open up to me about it. I crossed the room, joining Levi and Aydan on the couch. Watching my son sleep, I was reminded of how much he looked like his father. Although Aydan’s hair had developed an interesting curl to it when it was long. It was still the sandy brown just like his father’s hair. Levi watched me as I gently brushed Aydan’s hair as he slept.
Tears threatened to slide down my cheeks, but I pushed them back. Instead, I leaned over on Levi, resting my head on his shoulder. We sat there together until Aydan stirred, then we went home to prepare for a visit with a banshee.
Astor and Ella volunteered to watch the kids while Levi and I went to see Betty and Luther at their home. They decided to close up the diner for the night. They did that more often these days as the population in Shady Grove had dropped when the humans left. When Betty called me to invite me to her home, I knew she wasn’t happy. I just hoped that we could reach a reasonable conclusion to avoid any more ghoul activity. I wasn’t sure how they were going to eat a spirit woman, but perhaps when they consumed the body, they also consumed the soul. I hoped to learn a lot more about it this evening.
“You’re nervous,” Levi said as he drove the truck.
“I am. Betty is my friend, and I don’t want the ghouls to take her. Luther is right. I know exactly what it feels like when your secret is exposed,” I said.
“They already accepted you for who you were,” he said.
“That is the difference,” I said. “But I’m sure the pain is similar.”
“Pain?”
“I felt betrayed. Everyone for years moved around me like I was a normal human, but all the while they knew who and what I was,” I said.
“They were living the lie that Jeremiah constructed,” he said.
“Fucking Jeremiah,” I said.
“Yeah, his name should have been Carl,” Levi said.
“Huh?” I asked.
“Just something I read in a book,” he said.
“Oh, okay,” I said dismissing it.
We pulled into the driveway of a lovely, full-brick home. The roof pitched high with three dormer windows across the front. A whitewashed porch stretched half the length of the house. The landscaping was pristine and well kept. A glow from the windows of the house made it feel like a home.
I didn’t know Luther and Betty’s story, but I wished they would tell it to me. I knew that it involved the deaths of both of their spouses. I wondered if that had something to do with why Betty abandoned her Banshee duties or perhaps how she became a Banshee in the first place.
We approached the front door, and Levi knocked politely.
Betty opened the door wearing a dress straight out of a 1950’s Sears catalog. She wiped her hands on an apron and smiled at us through bright red lipstick.
“Welcome, Grace and Levi. Please come in. I was just finishing up the dishes. Can I get you something to drink or a bite to eat?” she asked using proper Southern and Fairy Hospitality. We entered the home and took seats in the living room. The house was surprisingly quiet. I wanted to ask about Luther, but I didn’t. “Let me just put up this apron, and I’ll be right back.”
“Where is Luther? Can you feel him?” Levi asked. Luther felt a little like Dylan with his warmth, but darker. At the moment, I didn’t feel anything like that. The house was protected though. We weren’t in any danger from Betty due to hospitality.
“No. I barely feel you. Like there is a spell here,” I said.
“Could she be the third ORC?” Levi asked.
It would be a devastating proposition. It would make my assumptions wrong about Mable and Robin. Betty would out age them both making her the crone. It couldn’t be, and I refused to consider it.
“No,” I responded. Levi pursed his lips, then shook his head. He knew I was refusing to believe anything bad about my friend.
“There. Now I’m presentable,” Betty said with a huge smile. “I declare, Levi, you get more handsome every time I see you.”
“Thank you, Betty,” he said.
“Gene tells me that you might become Shady Grove’s Mayor. Is that true?” she asked.
“It is. We are working for a solution,” Levi admitted.
“Wonderful. You have really stepped up, and I appreciate it as well as the council and the fairies here. You’re one of us, Levi,” she said. The whole conversation felt tense and rehearsed.
“I’m going to do my best,” Levi said looking at me.
“You’re going to let him do it, right?” she asked me.
“I wouldn’t stand in his way,” I responded.
“I’m surprised. You seem to like to control everything,” Betty said.
“I’m not the same woman I used to be, plus Levi is his own man. He decides what he wants to do, and whatever he decides I support,” I said.
“You have changed a lot over the past year, Grace,” she said. “There was a time that I had my doubts about you, but you’ve pulled through. I hoped that Dylan’s death wouldn’t impede your progress.”
“If anything, Dylan’s death has given me a reason to complete what I set out to do,” I said. “He believed in me from the beginning.”
“I’m glad you remember that now. It was rough on him,” she said. “I’m sorry. You didn’t come here to talk about such sad subjects. Luther says you have a proposal for me regarding the ghouls.”
“Yes. It is my theory that they are after you because you no longer keen, wail, or lament. It’s possible that now to them, you’re just a dead soul to be consumed. If you would consider continuing your Banshee duties, then maybe they would move on.”
“No,” she said flatly.
“I would like to end this diplomatically with them if we could. We have much bigger fights,” I said.
“Just give me to them,” she said.
“Absolutely not,” I replied. “You’re under my protection, and if we have to fight them, then we will.”
“Then what? Every Samhain they will return to claim me,” she said.
“Then we will fight them every fucking year,” I said.
She lowered her head to look at the flowery rug on the floor. “I don’t deserve to be protected like that.”
“Betty Stallworth, you were one of my first friends here. At first, I thought you were
just playing the sweet waitress role to get tips, but you’ve turned out to be a great friend. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye on things, but that isn’t necessary. When it gets down to the nitty gritty, I’ve got your back,” I said.
“So, do I,” Levi echoed the sentiment.
“How am I supposed to keen for the coming dead in this town? The curse makes death something we fear. We were all sent here because of our past actions,” she said.
“I want to erase that curse. It means more to me than taking back Winter,” I said.
“What?”
“I have every intention of finding a way to break the vale. The fairies here deserve a second chance just like everyone else,” I said.
“Some of us have done very bad things,” she said.
“But none of them do it now. Except for maybe Mable and Stephanie,” I said.
“Haven’t heard her name in a while,” she muttered.
“No, she’s a prisoner to Brockton like Dylan and Levi were,” I said.
“Will you rescue her?” Betty asked.
“No,” I replied. “Not for the grief that she caused me, but for the hell she put Dylan through. For how she used Joey Blankenship. For abandoning her child.”
“Spoken like a true mother,” she said. “I would have never guessed you would become a mother. A wonderful mother.”
“I must have been horrible when I came here,” I said.
“No, you were polite and kind. Sassy, but in a good way. But you didn’t seem like mother material,” she said.
“She’s still all of that,” Levi smirked.
I swatted at him, and he jumped to the other end of the couch. Betty finally grinned watching us.
“She’s already threatened to knock me into next week,” Levi whined.
“Oh, you poor thing. Aunt Betty can make it better,” she said with a wink. Levi blushed.
I quickly looked back to Betty who saw me avoiding the attraction between us.
“Damn he’s adorable when he blushes,” she said.