by Aiden James
“Did I notice? Yeah, I noticed everything—including the damned barn that’s twice as big as it used to be! Hell, even in here I can see the crazy changes... upgraded lighting, new quartz countertops, and an even bigger island than before. Not to mention a new double gas stove, like we’re now cooking for the whole frigging neighborhood!”
And, again, what about The Code? I wondered silently. Looks like we’re in serious violation all over the place!
“Bas, watch your tone,” Dad cautioned, the smugness from a short while ago long gone. “We realize you’re upset.”
“Upset?” I said angrily. “Upset doesn’t even touch what I’m feeling right now!”
Everyone at the table eyed me thoughtfully—with the least compassionate expression upon Adrian’s bearded face. He brushed back his hair that’s almost as long as my shoulder-length locks with his fingers, and when he brought his eyes back to meet my gaze, they were slightly aglow.
Easy to read at that point, at least for me, since all of the males in my family carry similar green eye color that reveals each one’s mood. Even my blue eyes—courtesy of Mom’s sapphire peepers—react the same way when I’m either happy or pissed. No doubt, my irises were just as much on fire as my uncle’s.
“Your extended absence was very preventable, Sebastian,” said Adrian. “Even before you were sent to Bajenie by edict of the EEC—none of this had to happen.”
I pursed my lips and shook my head in defiance—even though he was right. But, honestly, if faced with the same choices again, I’d follow my heart just the same.
“Maybe you would make exactly the same choice, son,” said Grandma, commenting on my latest thought. “Maybe Daciana would, too... but what is forbidden cannot be challenged. And, it’s part of our truce with the Mateis that was hammered out by the EEC while you and her were placed in protective captivity, along with Serghei Matei and your Uncle Manuel. Manny won’t be released until later today.”
“What about Daciana? Is she also being released?”
Until that moment, I didn’t know what fate had awaited her after she and I were angrily pulled apart by our families, back in July last year. In fact, I had somehow forgotten that Manuel and Serghei were punished for their mischief that had hastened Daciana’s and my forcing fate’s hand—largely due to Serghei’s brazen physical attack on my father, and Dad’s youngest brother nearly killing Serghei in return.
Both Dad and Serghei ended up in the local hospital—a rarity for warlocks or witches. But wand shots can sometimes prove deadly to our kind. Especially, the cheap-shot sniper version used by Serghei. Manuel’s revenge, which proved to be far worse, was merely a highly experienced warlock with some wizard training from abroad—as Adrian’s sidekick—taking advantage of a young arrogant Matei given to his own hubris.
“You really should forget about her—”
“I’ve got this, Adrian,” Grandpa interrupted. “Daciana was sent to Europe, where she’s been under the protective watch of her extended family.”
“The European Mateis?” I asked.
“Yes.”
The wheels immediately began spinning in my head... although it was a fool’s errand to believe I could somehow rescue my beloved.
Assuming she even wants to be rescued!
“As difficult as it is, son, you need to understand that it’s not just the Mateis’ forbiddance of your relationship with Daciana,” said Mom, lovingly. “It’s also the EEC’s final decision—and one that they’ve gone to great pains to ensure remains enforced.”
Despair and confusion descended upon me, but before I could respond, Adrian picked up where Mom left off.
“You might not believe it, but my heart does grieve for you, Bas,” he said. “And, to understand the complexities of all that has been put in place to ensure a lasting peace exists between us and the Mateis—as well as yours and Daciana’s permanent separation from each other—you might think of it as how things once were between our US government and the Soviet Union following World War II.”
“What... the Cold War?” I observed gloomily.
“Yes, exactly,” he said. “Let me explain.... Just as a tenuous peace once existed between the world’s two mortal super powers using a variety of safeguards and a physical presence to keep the ‘détente’ thriving, the EEC has taken similar measures. There are now seven peacekeepers from Europe residing here in Denmark.”
“Seriously? Are they like the mortal cops and sheriff’s deputies we have in town?”
Honestly, with my heavy heart feeling as if it might shatter into pieces at any moment, I immediately desired whatever distractions I could grasp onto—anything to keep from thinking about losing Daciana forever. I couldn’t deal with such a stark reality. Not now. Better to consider what everything meant when I could be alone with my thoughts and emotions.... In the meantime, EEC peacekeepers taking over Denmark could be the thing to keep my mind occupied, at least for the moment.
“They’re witches, warlocks, and a wizard sharing Adrian’s rank,” said Dad, cutting a sly glance to my uncle, who huffed in disgust at the mention of another wizard. “Two spinsters watching over the Mateis, and an older English couple keeping an eye on us from the corner Victorian home next to John and Sadee Dean’s house.”
“And, then, the bastard Attila von Stroheim and his goofball cousins must pretend to manage things from one of the larger apartments above an art studio in the downtown square,” Adrian added, shaking his head. “It’s embarrassing that we’re in this spot, really. Especially, since none of us can leave Denmark without being chaperoned by these ‘constables’—and only if they and/or the EEC preapproves the destination.”
“Constables, huh? Is that what they call themselves?”
It sounded so Old London-ish to me.
“Yes.” Adrian snickered disgustedly.
“Well, that sucks,” I agreed.
“Totally,” said Adrian. “And it could last years... depending on what you do, Bas.” He eyed me intently.
Great. Not only am I forced to carry the burden of a lonely, desperate heart, but the survival of my family—and perhaps the Mateis, too—now rests squarely on my shoulders!
It made me long for the lonely purgatory I had just left. At least in that state I was allowed the fantasy of a possible reunion with my beloved, and with nary a negative consequence to my family’s well-being.
“It doesn’t have to be so dire, Sebastian.” Grandma’s tone was almost as soothing as Mom’s, which fed the realization my family had long prepared for this unpleasantness. “But, much depends on your acceptance of how things must be.”
I nodded slightly, feeling completely trapped and without any recourse... utterly helpless to remedy any of this.
“Our peace with the Mateis is tenuous, Bas,” Dad advised. “Although we love it here in Denmark, no one in either family is happy to be imprisoned in our homes and limited to where we can go within the city limits.”
“What? So, we can’t just go downtown whenever we like, or see a movie when we want... or take a trip to the winery?”
Being restricted on visiting the winery bothered me especially. A picturesque hillside facing the popular Denmark hangout had become my personal refuge, where I could collect my thoughts and meditate without any interruptions—mortal or otherwise.... I seriously considered petitioning a return to Bajenie, to begin work on that Rip Van Winkle beard in earnest.
“It’s not all bad, son,” said Grandpa, when my question about the restrictions went unanswered by anyone else. “To keep things balanced between us and the Mateis, the EEC has loosened up the purse string restrictions for us, in order to create equal wealth distribution. That’s what inspired the improvements you noticed from your bedroom window.”
“We also have a brand new four-car garage,” said Dad, which I realized now I had seen the top edge of, beyond the back-porch’s pergola. “We’ve been allowed to address every area that needs improvement, along with being granted more extravagan
t additions down the road—”
“Like the ‘Georghe Radu Memorial Solarium’ to come, and more lavish upgrades your father intends for the office you share with him, Gabe!” Grandma interjected mockingly. Her perturbed tone indicated there might’ve been some quarreling between her and my grandfather over the planned additions she touched on.
“Ha—I never called it that, Florina! But, it will be stunningly wonderful. I’m betting you’ll rarely ever leave my solarium, once it’s built,” said Grandpa, an ornery twinkle in his eyes as he laughed.
He often seems to get a kick out of Grandma’s irritation... at least that’s something that hasn’t changed. The perfect love/hate relationship—one of them will surely perish in terrible sorrow when the other leaves, at the end of their long lifetimes. Thankfully, that’s still well over a century away.
“What, Bas?” asked Mom, when a wan smile tugged at the corners of my mouth while thinking back on the more comical verbal jousts between my grandparents.
“It’s nothing,” I said.
“Well, just make sure you take everything seriously, Bas,” Adrian warned. “We either figure out a truce that lasts with the Mateis, or the EEC has threatened to banish both families to the opposite polar regions of Earth.”
Brrrr! Sounds like the perfect environment for my frozen heart!
“What’s that?” My uncle scowled, leaning closer to me.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, “just looking for a silver lining in all of this.”
“Keep in mind that ‘all of this’ has meant some tough adjustments for those of us having to deal with everything the past year,” he advised. “Catriona and the kids were forced to move here before I could get everything prepared, and Manuel’s wife—Sebrina—has been a royal pain in the ass to everyone.”
“So, the aunts and cousins are here? I guess it will be nice to finally meet them,” I said.
“It will be, sweetie,” said Mom, cutting a sharp look to Adrian’s smirk in response to my tepid effort to sound congenial. “Adrian bought a pair of modest craftsman homes just around the corner from the Albrights—the constable couple whom Gabe mentioned. The road has recently changed names, from Forrest to College Street, in honor of the art school’s expanding curriculum to include adult students at night. Catriona is already turning her and Adrian’s home into a marvelous showplace. And, Sebrina—”
“Has yet to do a damned thing!” Adrian fumed, upstaging my mother. “I’ve offered to do the updating the place needs myself—or pay for a mortal crew to do it. But she’s been sulking for the past eleven months since she arrived in Denmark, and is insistent on waiting to do anything until she can first bitch at Manuel for his role in getting her kicked out of Europe.... When he gets to leave his prison upstairs in the attic later today, I fear what awaits him at his new home, after he sees it for the first time. In fact, I might arrange for a countryside trip this afternoon with Catriona and the kids, so I don’t have to hear that shrieking wench’s whiny voice! Maybe we’ll visit the winery you pictured so clearly in your head a moment ago, Bas—with the Albrights’ blessing, of course. That way, we’ll miss the unpleasant fireworks sure to come!”
“There’s a lesson there, Sebastian,” said Grandpa. “You will find the right girl someday... and you’ll want one who’s more along the lines of Catriona, I’m sure.”
“Actually, I think maybe we should arrange for someone more like us. It is so difficult for mortals to adapt to our kind—as I warned our younger boys long ago,” said Grandma, adding a stern nod. “Adrian was fortunate to find a lady who will very likely one day be just like us. But Manuel’s bride? I wouldn’t count on it!”
Awkward laughter drifted around me at the suggestion of the sacred ceremony—naștere la întuneric, or birth to darkness—that is rarely allowed, and only by decree of the Elders Council’s senior leadership located in Belgium.
Of course, none of this talk was helping matters. I already had the girl I wanted—and she fit exactly what Grandma described. But, apparently, I was ineligible to have her.
I pushed the thought away, before it could sink its talons into my fragile psyche. For some reason, I suddenly thought about the strange glow... something like a golden mist or haze in the woods that had drawn Daciana’s and my attention before we were both whisked away from our meeting place. In all likelihood, the unusual radiance emanated from a prize Grandpa had been earnestly searching for.
A sacred ring featuring a fox head with ruby eyes! Was it ever recovered?
“Grandpa... what’s the latest on your search for Sorin’s Ring—or do you still prefer to call it the ‘Vulpe Ring’?”
My grandfather shook his head sadly, while everyone else eyed me suspiciously.
“The ring—using either name—was mentioned by Arthur Albright not long ago,” Mom said quietly, before glancing at my father. “The EEC has put a bounty on finding it... that’s what he and Matilda told Gabe. Right, Honey?”
“That’s what Art indicated when the subject came up, after the mortals departed from the neighborhood barbeque last month,” Dad agreed. “Mattie later confirmed the same thing. Was that what you and Daciana were looking for in the woods, Bas?”
“No... not exactly,” I said. “But we did notice something glowing right before the Mateis and all of you showed up. We would’ve investigated it had we been given time.... So, the ring’s still awaiting discovery, huh?”
“Yes, and if you stumble upon it, you must let us know immediately, Bas,” Adrian advised. “For the EEC having such keen interest in the ring, there must be something direly important related to having it in their possession. So, if you do find it—it’d be most unwise to not tell us right away. Procuring it might be the very thing we need to get some breathing room around here.”
“What? Are you planning to ransom the ring to the Elders?” Grandma scoffed. “Now, there’s a fool’s errand if ever there was one!”
“We could do worse, Ma,” said Dad. “And, I worry what could happen if the Mateis find it first—I doubt they’d be so agreeable to turn it over to their constables.”
“But no one’s seen anything pointing to where the ring lies hidden, then?” I sought to confirm. I suddenly glimpsed a ray of hope and prayed silently that my family couldn’t see the slight positive jolt to my sagging spirits. If I were fortunate to find this ring, maybe I could hold it as ransom for what I obviously treasured above all else.
The ring swapped for the hand of Daciana as my bride!
Meanwhile, everyone shook their heads... and apparently, they missed my heretical thought.
“Ever since you left us, the ring’s call has grown quiet,” Grandpa lamented. “It’s far more temperamental than any of my wands. If I didn’t know any better, I’d believe it had left Denmark—perhaps forever. But my gut, and occasional visions—be it dreams or while awake, tell me it’s still here… hiding somewhere.”
“Perhaps even hiding in plain sight,” Dad mused softly.
Like everyone else, I nodded in silence. But unlike the rest of my family, I carried a glimmer of hope.
“Well, if I stumble across it while traversing along the Trail of Tears from the house to our yard’s fenced boundary, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Don’t be an ass, Sebastian.” Adrian regarded me evenly.
“I’m not... just preparing myself for my personal Green Mile is all,” I said, rising from my chair.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Mom asked, worriedly. “I’ll happily whip up your favorite breakfast... banana caramel pancakes?”
“Maybe in a while,” I said, moving to the patio door next to the stove. “I think I’ll spend some time outside... preferably alone.”
Mom and Grandma rose to give me hugs, followed by Dad and Grandpa. Even Adrian hugged me, who whispered a rare apology for his harshness.
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to fend off the emotional deluge threatening to descend upon my heart for much longer, I opened the door. Then I stepped ou
tside into a world unfamiliar... a place I hadn’t visited in over a year.
Chapter Three
Stepping out onto the porch seemed just as I remembered... until I took in the view of the transformed backyard again.
If I had allowed myself a longer look from upstairs, I might’ve noticed the large fountain in front of the former servants’ quarters—a building that had been transformed into a small billiard hall, from what I could tell.
Dad and Grandpa got their pool table wish after all...
It made me wonder what Mom and Grandma ended up getting for allowing this concession. Especially, since I now recalled Mom’s plea for our patriarch to be careful about maintaining the “out-building’s historical integrity.”
“Looks like that consideration ended up in the dumpster,” I mused quietly, preparing to step down into this crazy-new bricked courtyard, where the moles and raccoons once roamed free. At least the bricks sort of matched the ones on the new billiard room’s façade—likely the aspect that pushed the remodeling of a rare nineteenth century structure past any objections from the Denmark codes’ people. “I suppose it isn’t so bad—oww shit!”
I had left my Ray Bans upstairs, and once the sun’s mid-morning glare greeted my eyes, I shirked back, scurrying back to the porch’s protective shade.
What the hell? I’m a vampire now too?
The fact my exposed skin wasn’t smoldering dispelled that notion. Apparently, two months residing beneath a quasi-sunrise/sunset had brought an unexpected sensitivity to my eyes. I’d never experienced anything like this—not even from my seventy-year affection for tinted aviators that began when I reached the teenage stage of my warlock lifespan, back in the early 1950s.
Since I didn’t have my sunglasses on me, I sheltered my eyes with my hands and stepped down into the courtyard.
“Hey, big brother—it’s good to have you back!”
“Huh?”
I whirled around, my eyes squinting toward a small cast iron table sitting in the shade of a red pagoda umbrella.