The Valley

by Annie Graefnitz

  The black haired woman sneered from her seat.

  I struggled against the ever-growing weight of the dress to get out of the chair.

  “Years of scouring the earth and there you were, hidden away in some silly mountain town in the United States of all places.” His voice trailed off. “I apologize for rambling on, when clearly, your need to know this is inconsequential. I will show my generosity by making it a swift kill. You will not feel any pain.”

  He tugged on my arms until I was standing, pulled me in, and wrapped his arms around me. He rested his chin on the top of my head. “You will go quickly, and with the knowledge that you are helping me forge a great empire. Your death will not be in vain.” He let go and I fell back into the chair and slumped against the side.

  My entire body had gone cold and numb. I could no longer move. I felt my breaths becoming shallow. Did he already bite me?

  The expression on his face changed. He spun around. “What’s wrong with her?” he demanded. His jaw clenched again, forcing the tight skin on his face to stretch to the point of tearing.

  Tom shuffled forward, his hands fidgeting with his the seam of his shirt. “I- I don’t know, master. She was fine when I found her.”

  Avedis’ back stiffened. “Clearly, she is not now! Ursula.”

  Ursula stood and approached Avedis with her hands folded in front of her. The contrast of her milky white skin against the shimmering black dress was stunning. All I could do was observe from where I sat. “Yes, my lord,” she said softly bowing her head.

  “What did you do to her?” He glared down at her.

  Ursula did not lift her head as she spoke in a thick Romanian accent. “I did nothing, my lord. The girl is weak by nature.”

  “Fix her. Now!” His command could have easily be been mistaken for a child’s tantrum. I half expected him to fall to the ground and bang his fists on the ground.

  She obliged and slipped past him, kneeling beside me. Her icy white fingers brushed my hair behind my shoulder and she rested her head on my chest. Could she hear my heart now hammering so loudly that she certainly would be able to feel it bump against her cheek?

  She lifted her head and then moved closer, her deep brown eyes boring through mine. That would normally be when I looked away because holding eye contact with someone was not easy for me. I was always too afraid they could read my thoughts. Ursula looked deeply in to each eye and put her fingers over my eyes and gently closed them. Her fingertips felt like ice cubes freezing them shut. It did not matter how hard I tried, they would not open.

  “What did you do to her? There is a wound on her cheek.”

  “As I said, my lord, I’ve done nothing. I’m afraid the girl’s had a heart attack.”

  “Impossible!” I heard him move past Ursula as her shoes clattered against the floor.

  Heart attack? That explained my sudden sickness. I slumped there completely helpless, listening to the madman rant about killing his own father, and now he’d killed me. But if I was dead, how was it possible that I could still hear everything that was happening? And I was still breathing, I thought.

  “NO!” The fury in his voice rang throughout the room, slamming into the walls and silencing the woman upstairs. His hands were now on my face peeling my eyelids back. He mimicked Ursula’s inspection before putting his own ear to my chest.

  He slowly lifted his head and stared back into my eyes. I watched as he swayed from fury to sadness - “She is silent,” he whispered, as if he was reassuring himself. His hands curled into fists and he tapped them on his forehead. He flew to his feet and let his rage once again be known, this time screaming so loud that Tom’s hands covered his ears and he fell to his knees. The woman, seemingly unaffected by the noise, simply watched expressionless.

  Stepping off of the platform, Avedis put his fingers to his temples. “Dispose of her…all of them,” he ordered, flipping one arm in the direction of my parents.

  Figures that I hadn’t seen previously moved out of the shadows toward my parents, one of them headed straight for Tom. Screams began to fill the room as innocent vampires came under attack by the figures.

  “But my lord, her blood is still warm,” Ursula shouted.

  Avedis paused, the side of his face glowing in the candlelight. “There is no power in a lifeless body.” He turned and walked out of the room.

  Ursula knelt beside me again, her icy finger finding my cheek. “Such a waste,” she said.

  I could hear Tom behind her shouting at the figure that had latched on to his arms.

  An earsplitting crack reverberated through the room, causing Ursula to jump to her feet. Her eyes grew large and she held her hands tightly at her sides. “NO!” she screamed, stumbling backward off of the platform. She ducked, covering her head with her thin arms and falling to the ground as thousands of pieces of glass rained down over her. Her shrill scream was overshadowed by the entire wall of windows that shattered and smashed to the ground.

  More shadows flew by me, moving at speeds faster than I could comprehend. All around me, there was shouting and scuffling of shoes. Bodies were being thrown through the air, smashing into priceless antiques that had been moved out of the way for the ceremony. One of them, small and dressed in full camouflage landed on Ursula. It had her by the hair and quickly tangled her arms behind her back. Her face pressed to the floor. It was Ava. She looked up at me with horrified eyes.

  “W—!” Before she could say anything, Ursula’s head flew backward, knocking her in the face with a force that sent her sailing through the air and smashing into the wall. The wall crumbled around her but she was unfazed. She pushed herself off and became a blur running toward Ursula. She crashed into her and they both rolled past me.

  In the dim lighting, I was able to make out Ronan and Sylas, both in their own battles with the figures. If only I could move my head to see more of the fighting around me. I wanted to find Will.

  Two flashes of white hair streamed by me and came to a stop by my parents. Emery and Serena placed their hands on each on of my parents’ faces and began chanting.

  It sounded like bombs were going off in the courtyard.

  “Cami!” Will’s unmistakable voice called out to me and became the only sound. He couldn’t find me fast enough. I heard him shouting my name again and again as he struggled against Avedis’ guards.

  But then another familiar voice cried out. Dorothy’s face suddenly appeared in front of mine. “Cami?” She grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Camille!” Her voice became more frantic.

  I’m here! I tried to reassure her.

  “William, help me!” She let go and began waving her arms in the air.

  My desperate eyes found him racing toward me. My grandmother moved out of the way just as he reached out for me and scooped his hands around my back, and lifting me into the air. His warm arms wrapped tightly around me and my head fell forward into his chest. I wanted nothing more than to hug him back, but I was paralyzed.

  “What did he do to her?” he growled through clenched teeth.

  “She is dead. You are too late.” Ursula’s voice felt as cold as her fingertip ripping through me. She cried out in pain.

  How could I be dead? In all of this chaos, everyone had lost their minds. I’m here!

  From over Will’s shoulder I saw movement from my parents. Emery and Serena helped them slowly to their feet and they embraced each other unsteadily. They were not statues as Avedis had said; they were somehow temporarily frozen. My mother locked eyes with me and she gasped. She wobbled her way toward me with Emery’s help. Serena watched over my father as he trailed slowly behind her.

  “Cami!” It had been so long since I last heard my mother’s voice, and it sounded so sweet. She put her arms around both me and Will; kissing my hair. “Get her out of here,” she commanded.

  Will’s arms tightened around me and began to run. The sounds of war raged around us as he made his way to the back door and then outside where more fighting surro
unded us. Bodies lay strewn about the courtyard, some with stakes still poking out of their chests. He placed my still body as far from the house as he could without leaving the courtyard and leaned over my face. Even with all of the dirt smudged on his face he was beautiful. I smiled on the inside. I’m ready to go away with you, I thought. I couldn’t hear anything anymore; only stare into Will’s mesmerizing eyes and finally, I felt all of the tension release from my body and my world went dark.

  13

  Sunlight burned through my eyelids forcing me to pry them apart. They were so incredibly blurry that it took several blinks to for me to clear them and see that somehow I was in my own bed. How on earth did I make it from Costa Rica to my bed without waking up? I sat up and tried hard to shake the feeling that I’d just been rumbled around in a washing machine.

  I pulled my robe off the back of my desk chair and wrapped it around me.

  As I padded down the hall, I hoped that my grandmother had called Irelynn to reassure her that I was okay. She was going to strangle me when she saw me. But first things first, I needed to find my parents, hug them and get some answers! Last night’s events were a fantastical nightmare and I needed to know what was real and what was a dream.

  I started down the stairs only to be met by a virtual beehive of blonde hair. Irelynn eyeballed my attire and cringed. “No,” she declared, motioning for me to return to my room. I obeyed her direction without any argument; it would be a waste of my breath anyway.

  She followed me in and shut the door behind her. “There is a mob of people down there, some I don’t even know. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to be seen with you in that dishabille.” She went to my basket of freshly folded clothes and began ripping through them.

  I rolled my eyes and slumped onto my bed again. I grabbed my pillow that lay near the edge, inviting me to rest my head on it again. “Good to see you, too. And I don’t care what I look like. I’m starving. I feel like haven’t eaten for a week,” I whined into the oversized pillow.

  She chose an old faded red t-shirt and threw it at me. “Actually, it’s been five days.”

  “What?”

  She dug deep into the basket and found a pair of jeans. “It’s Saturday. You’ve been asleep for five days.”

  “Jeez, five days?”

  “That’s what I said,” she snapped.

  “What’s your problem?”

  “I’m mad at you.”

  “I’m sorry! There was no way for me to contact you. Didn’t anyone call you?”

  She stopped rooting through the clutter on my desk and put her hands on her hips. “Well yes, Juanita did. She called grandma. But she forgot to mention that you were nearly killed by a five hundred year old perv! You promised me you’d be safe!” She spotted what she was looking for, a ponytail holder, hanging from my doorknob. “You lied to me.”

  I sat up, taking the holder from her and pulling my hair back. I didn’t have a choice. And even if I did, he made it very clear that he would have found me here anyway. Did Juanita tell you what happened to Avedis? I think I passed out after that. It’s really strange, I don’t remember much of what happened.”

  “Who-Oh. Ew. No. I think they’re still looking for him,” she said.

  My body shuddered. Still looking for him meant he was still alive and probably well aware that I was alive.

  I lazily pulled my shirt over my head while she once again went foraging. This time she was looking for shoes to complete my outfit. I grabbed the jeans and pulled them on over the shorts I had been sleeping in, perhaps my little rebellion against Irelynn’s fashion ambush.

  When she returned from the depths of my closet, she had a pair of sneakers and eyes full of water.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She hesitated before handing me my shoes. “I’m just really glad you’re here! You’re safe, and when I think about what could’ve happened.”

  “Well don’t!” I blurted without thinking, but the truth was, I didn’t want to think about it either. Avoidance was my specialty.

  I slipped on my shoes and schlepped behind Irelynn down the stairs. Rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs, I was met by the eyes of Juanita, Sorin and a few of the others that had accompanied my Grandmother to Costa Rica. I became very aware that I would have to thank Irelynn for her intervention. They acknowledged me but went back to their discussion.

  “Cami, sweetheart, you’re awake!” My mother rushed toward me grabbing my shoulders and pulling me tightly to her chest.

  “It’s about time Sleeping Beauty!” Rhoda bellowed from the kitchen table.

  Tilly circled the table to hug me. “Welcome back sweetie. Here, sit down.”

  Irelynn and I sat at the table and immediately began chomping on the apple butter bagels that Dorothy had placed in front of us. I finished two in a matter of seconds before I noticed how quiet the table had gotten.

  “What? I’ve been asleep for five days.”

  “No one’s judging you dear,” Hazel said. “I’m sure it’s normal to have such an appetite after such an ordeal.”

  Rhoda shook her head. “No, it’s the serum wearing off. Her metabolism is going to be very high for the next few weeks.”

  “Serum?” Irelynn questioned.

  I remembered the vial that Tom had given me and absentmindedly rubbed my throat. Perhaps it was just the memory of the scorching serum, but a muted burning sensation nestled in the back of my throat.

  “He gave it to me so I couldn’t move,” I explained to Irelynn. “So that I couldn’t fight Avedis off.”

  “On the contrary,” Sorin stepped into the room, instantly capturing Irelynn’s attention for the second time with his accent. “That potion saved your life. It was a sleeping serum, usually meant to last several years, but Tom was able to modify it. Being immortal can be very taxing. And while humans think of vacations as some exotic island somewhere, vampires want to sleep; to escape reality for a while. The original solution was your grandfather’s concoction. Tom’s modification was ingenious really.”

  I was confused. “Saved my life? I thought he was helping Avedis. He said they were old friends.”

  Sorin snuck behind Irelynn and sat down next to her. “That was the intended appearance.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Tom had been a double agent for many years. The punishment for this betrayal was his life.”

  “Ugh.” Rhoda grumbled. “Why do you have to make everything so poetic? By life, he doesn’t mean kill him. Obviously. He stole his reason for living, his wife.

  “When Avedis found out that your parents were interfering with his army’s activities in Costa Rica, he knew that it was his chance to finally finish them. He sent his girlfriend to spy on your parents. When she intercepted their package, she came here to find you. And, she found Tom. She told him that his wife was still alive and if he wanted to see her again he would help her bring you to Avedis. Tom thought that if he could keep you close to us, you would be safe. He never had any intention of hurting you. That’s why he gave you the serum. He knew that Avedis would not drink your blood if he thought you were dead.”

  “Oh my gosh. That’s why he wouldn’t speak to me! I feel awful. I need to apologize to him. Where is he?”

  “He’s been moved to a safe place, along with the other humans that were being held,” Sorin answered.

  “Other humans? There were others there but…” The blonde girl’s eyes flashed in my mind. “I think they were drained and killed.”

  My father rested his hand on my head and kissed my hair. “I never wanted you to have to see any of that brutality, Cami. I am so sorry that we were helpless.”

  It was the first time that I could remember seeing anything but a joyous expression on his face. He looked tired and very sad. “Some did survive,” he smiled.

  I had forgotten that when John came stumbling into the camp, he mentioned the other humans that were being held. They must have been the ones that surviv
ed. They weren’t volunteers. I remembered the house in Costa Rica and the melancholic voice that would forever be engrained in my brain along with that memory.

  “There was a woman,” I said. “In the house, I think she was separate from the others, singing. Who was she?”

  Sorin’s head tilted. “That was Tom’s wife.”

  I leaned back in the chair, letting it all soak in and letting my stomach settle. So much information had been thrown my way the past few days that I wasn’t sure if it was real or if I’d just imagined it. My grandfather was a vampire and for some reason, he wasn’t like the others. He wanted to become human again. Was that because of my grandmother or was he just tired of it? With a brother like Avedis, who could blame him? His brother had killed his father and then my grandfather as well. I wished I could remember more about him. The only thing that I did know for certain was that I was not going to take my parents or my grandmother’s presence for granted anymore.

  “Avedis said to not believe the spell casters,” I wondered aloud and then turned to my grandmother. “Are you a witch?” It seemed the most sensible explanation. She had “visions” and the magic tree at the Inn.

  Her eyes widened before she spoke. “I am.”

  That was about enough to send me into a laughing fit, an internal fit. I was afraid that if I started laughing out loud, they would all think that I’d gone crazy. And maybe I had with all of this new knowledge. Did I want to know more about her now? Of course. But my brain was full at that moment and it couldn’t take anymore. The thing I wanted most was not with me.