The Silent Soldiers

by Travis Stinnett

about my parents playing the part of these make believe characters in the movies Matt and I watched growing up. I let my laughter fade away when I noticed the very serious look he was giving me. I was finding it very hard to believe what he was telling me.

  “Yes. That is correct. Many years ago your parents met and fell in love. Love between different races of supernatural creatures was strictly forbidden. Your parents kept their relationship a secret for quite some time. After a while they decided they wanted to have a child together. This normally would be impossible since vampires can’t reproduce. They paid a very powerful witch to create and cast a spell on your father to allow your mother the opportunity to conceive his child.”

  “And they had me?”

  “That is correct Luke. Nine months later they had you. Once word got out about a child born from two different races, both families began fighting over which race should raise you, and who would have control over you. This upset your parents very much. They didn’t want anyone having control over their child. They wanted you to grow up like all other supernatural children. They decided to tell both of their families that you died at birth. They decided to leave the country and return to your fathers’ homeland in England. I only found out you were still alive after your parents accident.”

  “They had the witch to cast a spell binding all of your powers. They felt this was the only way you could grow up as a normal human until which time your powers could be revealed. They told only your Uncle Charles about their plans. The asked him to raise you with his own son, Matt. Before you turned fourteen he was asked to bring you here to the mansion.”

  “So what exactly does that make me?”

  “Luke, you are the rarest of supernatural beings. As far as we know, you are the only successful attempt at mixing the races. We don’t know exactly what to expect when the spell is removed, and you come of age.”

  “So why didn’t my parents take me with them when they left? Couldn’t I have grown up normal with them?”

  “Your mom and dad knew the supernatural community would be watching them. If they were ever seen with a child, evil would not stop until you were captured. They would know who you were even without your powers. They had no choice but to hide you until you were powerful enough to defend yourself. We have many preparations to make, and much training to complete, before you can be introduced into the supernatural community.”

  I sat there and stared at Grandpa. I didn’t know exactly how to respond to what he was telling me. I felt waves of different emotions that were nearly too much to bear. I was angry at my parents for leaving me. I was angry with Uncle Charles for hiding this from me all these years. I also felt a great sadness for what he must have went through raising two boys on his own after losing his only sister. I felt anger toward my grandfather for not being around, and also for not telling me all of this sooner. All of these emotions were flooding me at once. All I could manage to do was sit there and stare at Grandpa as tears began to roll down my face.

  “I know you are upset Luke. I understand what you must be going through.” I didn’t know how it was possible for him to understand what I was going through. My whole life had been changed in a matter of minutes. I no longer knew who or what I was. I also didn’t know what my future held. He had just told me of a whole other world that I never could have dreamed even existed. I was somehow caught up right in the middle of it.

  “Now that you know about your parents, you need to know more about what is in store for you in the days and weeks to come. I told you your father was a vampire. Vampires have a wide array of powers and weaknesses that you must learn and understand.”

  “I have seen vampire movies Grandpa. I know all about garlic, holy water, crosses, and wooden stakes. I also know they can’t go out in the daytime.”

  “Vampires also have a reaction to silver, and they must feed on human blood to survive,”

  “So let me get this straight. I can never go out in the sun again, and I have to drink blood?” I asked completely disgusted by the thought of this.

  “Well we don’t quite know about you yet. You are a completely different being all together. You are only part Vampire. We don’t know if you will react and behave the same way as a normal vampire would.”

  “I also told you about your mother being a shifter. Your mother was a descendent of a pure race of shifters that take the form of a wolf. As much as we do not know about your vampire side, we know even less about your shifter side.

  “So if mom is from a pure race does that mean that you are a shifter as well?”

  “Yes. I am a shifter, and so is your Uncle Charles,” Grandpa explained.

  “What about Matt?” I asked in a shaky tone. I couldn’t imagine Matt turning into anything, let alone a wolf.

  “Yes. We are all of the wolf clan of shifters. Shifters are like any other normal child until they reach the age of fourteen. After a shifter reaches this age they will shift on the first full moon. After the initial change to their animal form, they have the ability to shift at will.

  “Matt turned fourteen two days ago Grandpa.”

  “Yes he did, and you turn fourteen in a few days yourself.”

  “Is Matt going to shift at the next full moon? When is that exactly?”

  “The next full moon is on your birthday. Two days from today. Charles has been informing us of Matt’s progress over the past few days. I felt it was imperative that Matt be here tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow. It looks as though he made it here just in time.”

  “What do you mean? I thought you said the first change was on the full moon. And how could Uncle Charles tell Matt was getting close to the change?”

  “On rare occasions shifters of the purest of blood lines will change early. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it usually means the shifter will have great power of some kind. And as for Charles knowing Matt was getting close to changing? Fathers have a sixth sense about when their child is getting close to the first change. Charles nearly missed the signs. We are very glad that Matt arrived here when he did. It looks as though Matt is close to his first shift.”

  “Can I see him? I bet he is terrified being alone. He doesn’t know what the heck is going on,” I yelled.

  “I’m afraid you will have to wait until morning to see Matt. I wanted to speak to you first, to let you know what was happening. I plan to go to Matt and explain his situation as well. We will of course be running together tonight once he has completed the first change.”

  “Running together?” I asked with a very confused look on my face.

  “Wolves run in packs as you may or may not know. Any child that belongs to our pack comes to the mansion for their safety as well as the safety of any humans they may otherwise cross paths with during their first change. The stone wall and gate runs around the entire perimeter of my property. Nothing can get in or out without our knowing about it. Usually when a child changes for the first time their father has the honor of running with them. Charles had to stay behind to take care of some important business in Dallas. I have the honor of taking his place with Matt. There are many wonderful and spectacular things for you to learn about our family and the supernatural world, my son.”

  “What is going to happen to me, Grandpa?”

  “Nothing is going to happen to you, Luke. I believe you have learned quite enough for one night. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to talk, and for you to ask your questions. I know you have thousands of them. I want you to know you are safe here, and nothing can harm you as long as you are inside the mansion. What I need you to do is get settled into your room and get some rest. Your luggage has already been taken to your room and one of my people will show you the way. I must go and be with Matt on his most joyful occasion. I love you very much, Luke, and I am so very happy that you are finally here at the mansion.”

  Grandpa gave me a big hug and said good bye for the evening. About that time the door he entered from opened, and a b
eautiful young woman entered. She was several years older than me. She smiled as she approached us and I wondered if she too was some sort of supernatural creature that I just learned even existed. I also wondered how she knew just the right moment to enter the room. I didn’t think it was important enough to mention. That and my mind was stuck on the fact that Grandpa had just changed my life forever.

  I no longer felt certain what the future held for me. I was utterly terrified at the thought of what creatures might exist outside the mansion, or inside for that matter. I couldn’t help but wonder how the whole existence of supernatural creatures was hidden so well for thousands of years from the human race. Most importantly I could not yet understand why my parents left me even though Grandpa tried to explain their reasoning.

  “If you will follow me, Luke, I will show you to your room,” the beautiful lady said as she motioned for the door leading back to the foyer.

  I was quite amazed at the mansion thus far, and couldn’t wait to have time in the future for Matt and me to do some major explorations on the rest. We exited the great room and headed up the stairs to the second floor. We headed down a long hallway, which was the same way that I saw Matt being led when we arrived. We passed several doors on either side of the hall and I wondered which of the rooms Matt was in. When we