"I appreciate the intention Arkos, but your guards will not be necessary. We will be overly cautious from now on. And if I feel that we need more, I will let you know then." Caislyn compromised with the Were leader.
"So be it." Arkos nodded at his guards that he was ready to depart. His boat came from around the small bend and idled up to the dock. Arkos stepped down and looked back to the girls. He nodded and the pack dispersed from their stations.
The girls watched as his pack rode across the river back to their dens. Jaxon linked her arm through Caislyn's as they turned and started back towards the entrance of the park. "You know this is the real reason humans are so scared of non-humans. All that talk about prophecies and believing in that mambo-jumbo...”
“Really?” Caislyn stopped and looked at her friend. “Most humans are Christians. Have you read their bible? They believe in a man who died and came back to life to save their souls and then went to heaven. They,” she tossed her fingers up in air quotes, “have a prophecy” about him coming back to save their sorry butts again, and they have an end of days prophecy of their own too!” Caislyn huffed a little. “I think the humans are just as bad in the prophecy department.”
“Well, I guess when you put it like that.” Jax laughed before continuing, “we're all equally crazy then!” The smile left her face when she thought about what Arkos had said, “so, what do you think about what he had to say.”
"I think," Caislyn sighed as they walked side by side along the pier "that we were damn lucky. And we need to find out more about that crazy prophecy."
"You believe it?”
“I don't have to believe it. It's everyone else who does that we have to worry about it.” Caislyn reminded her.
“Do you think it’s the same one that was referenced around my birthmark?" Jaxon asked softly.
"Maybe, but we won't know anything for sure until we find out. Arkos filled in some holes for me. I didn't realize that the political views had drifted down into the ranks so much. I mean, there are always smaller fanatical factions that think their way is the right way, but I didn't know that my parents were so involved. I knew they were members of the OTHS but not that they were advising anyone."
"Mine were members too. But they didn't get that deep into it, as far as I know. They were just good people with good hearts." Jaxon replied as she let go of Caislyn's arm to hop over an area where the boards on the pier were missing.
Caislyn stopped. "What are you doing? You've been acting really odd today."
"What do you mean?" Jax asked looking at her friend from the other side of the hole in the pier.
"Why did you just jump? And what was up with the sparkley spy thing earlier?"
Jaxon looked a bit dumbfounded. She looked down at the hole and then back up to her friend. "Well, I'm not much for falling into a hole, Caislyn,” she pointed to the pier where the boards were missing, “and there was a Were-fish back there in the water by that sunken boat. It was watching us and listening."
"What hole?" Caislyn interrupted looking at the pier. Suddenly she felt the magic around the place. A glamour had been placed there. She concentrated and the fake boards started to disappear. Caislyn started to look around them. "How did you know that hole was there? It was glamored."
"Glamour? I saw a hole, no boards, just water." Jaxon looked around too and then back to her friend. "What's wrong?"
"We need to get back to the apartment. I'm not having a good feeling right now," Caislyn answered as she jumped over the trap placed on the pier.
"Well I've been really creeped out since I saw that damn Were-fish. It was hiding, but you know me and sparkley things, they catch my attention. I saw it, but I didn't really see it ya know?" Jaxon rambled again as they picked up their pace.
The girls were practically running when Caislyn stopped. "Jax, there are no Were-fish. You said sparkley? But you didn't really see a figure? It was in the water?"
Jaxon nodded, eyes wide, "Exactly. What do you mean no Were-fish? Why not? I mean there's Were everything else, so why not fish?"
Caislyn grabbed her friend's arm and tugged her on, "It was a Water Fey Jax. They set a trap on the pier and you just happened to see through it. It means we aren't alone and someone wanted one of us, or maybe both of us to fall into the water."
Jaxon heeded her friend's warning and ran with her. "What is a Water Fey?"
Caislyn started to answer as a ball of water exploded in front of them blocking their path. The girls skidded to a stop. Caislyn started down a side path. "I think this goes back out to the front too. I hope it does anyways."
Another explosion took out the pier only a few feet in front of them. "Now where?" Jax asked as she stood back to back with Caislyn. "Can't you like fly us to the front like you did that night off the roof?"
Caislyn saw the Fey coming closer. "I didn't fly us Jaxon, you jumped."
"No I didn't. Didn't you see the heels I was wearing that night? There is no way I'd jump a step let alone a building in those boots! I'd break my ankle and possibly my neck!"
The girls turned and stood side by side facing the approaching Fey. They grabbed hands as Jaxon made a suggestion. "Maybe you could talk to them? You were really good with Arkos. Maybe the water things will listen to you?"
"I don't think so Jaxon. I don't know how to talk to Fey. I just wish we were back at the parking lot, in an open area on land," Caislyn said.
Just as suddenly as she said it, the girls appeared back at the entrance to the trail.
"Whoa!" Jaxon said, "It makes me a bit queasy when you do that. You could warn a person you know."
Caislyn looked around just as stunned as Jaxon felt. "How the hell did that happen?"
"Where did you come from?" asked a male voice from behind them. The girls turned to see Seth standing about 10 feet away from them. He looked as shocked as the girls felt.
***
Seth, Demons, & Violence
"Seth, what are you doing here? Are you following me?" Jaxon accused as she started towards him. "This is getting ridiculous! Can you say 'stalker?' I mean just because I work for you does not mean you have the right to..."
"Jaxon, shut up and run!" Caislyn yelled as she saw several Fey coming out of the woods.
Jaxon looked behind her as she started for the road. "I thought you said they are water thingamajigs! Doesn't that mean they only like water?"
"There's water on both sides of the road, a river and a swamp here, this little bit of land isn't going to stop them. And from the looks of it, some of them aren't Water Fey," Caislyn answered as the girls ran towards Seth, who looked up in time to see several Fey coming from the tree line.
Energy balls flared at them landing only a few feet from the trio. Seth stepped in front of the girls. "Go, I'll take care of them. Just get home. You'll be safe there."
Caislyn and Jaxon looked at each other. Caislyn ran up to Seth. "No time to be macho vamp guy, come on," as she grabbed his other arm and tugged. Seth didn't budge. It was like Caislyn was tugging on a cement wall.
"I don't think there's time to run anymore, Caislyn. Know any good spells?" Jaxon asked as she looked around them at the Fey.
Caislyn left Seth's side to stand by Jaxon. "Okay Jax. This is the time for you to practice your element control. Think fire!"
Jaxon looked wide eyed at her friend. "You don't believe in practice runs do you? Just throw me to the wolves, err, Fey."
"Anytime Jax, would be great," Caislyn said dryly as they watched Seth run up to battle a couple of Fey. He had moved too fast to really see more than just a blur but it was obvious by the Fey's reaction that they had not expected him to help the girls.
Jaxon concentrated. She held up her hand and pictured fire forming in a ball but nothing was happening. "I don't know how Caislyn. Nothing is happening." The girls kept ducking as energy blasts were being thrown at them. The Fey weren't moving to far away from the edge of the trees and swamp which was a good thing for the girls as the distance was
affecting their aim.
"Concentrate Jax. Here, I have a lighter." Caislyn flicked the lighter several times to no avail. "Okay, maybe I don't."
Jaxon looked at her friend. "See even the lighter didn't want to make a flame, what made you think I could?"
Caislyn shrugged as she ducked out of the way of another ball. "It was worth a shot right?" She ran up and stood beside Jaxon. Caislyn started chanting words not quite familiar to Jaxon but the wind started to pick up, blowing towards the Fey. Jaxon figured that her friend was trying to keep their energy balls from reaching them. Jaxon suddenly felt fatigued and looked up to see Seth flying through the air from being hit by a blast of energy. He landed hard at their feet and slid a ways. She bent down to him, "Are you okay?"
The few Fey remaining started to walk towards them, gathering all their energy together. "Crap," Caislyn said as she grabbed at Jaxon and Seth "We've got to go. The further from the woods and water, the weaker they will be.
Seth replied as he stood, "My truck, its parked over there."
As the trio turned to run, Caislyn saw Jaxon had weakened and grabbed her hand to help her. Jaxon smiled, "What I wouldn't do to have a huge shield right now."
Caislyn and Jaxon felt a tingle run through them and a barely visible energy barrier formed in front of them.
The girls, stood staring at the shield speechless. The Fey weren't quite as surprised as they launched their energy blast towards them. Seth, who had stopped running when the shield appeared, started towards the girls when the blast hit them. The girls had ducked but their shield repelled the blast firing it back at the Fey.
Seth turned to retrieve the truck. He pulled up behind the girls "Come on," he yelled, "get in!"
Jaxon and Caislyn looked at their shield and then at the Fey who were coming in for another attack. "How did we do this?" Jaxon asked, "And can we move? Will it move with us?"
"There's only one way to find out," Caislyn replied. She let go of Jaxon's hand and started running for the Black Escalade. The shield disappeared immediately and Jaxon started running as well.
The girls jumped in the truck as the first ball of energy was thrown at them. Seth punched the gas and the Escalade's tired threw gravel and dust as the truck pulled out of the lot. The trio sat in silence as they drove the few blocks back to the girls' apartment. As Seth pulled up by the curb in front of the bookstore, Jaxon realized that no one had told him where to go.
"Hey wait, how did you know to come here?"
Seth turned off the truck and looked in the rear view mirror to Jaxon. "This is where you live, isn't it?"
Caislyn got out of the truck and waved her hand to open the bookstore doors. She was exhausted and still worried that they were being chased. She was already thinking ahead about what kind of spells she could do to reinforce the wards on the apartment. Her father had never shown her how, but his spell was in the family's Grimoire. It would take time and she wasn't sure how much they had before they were attacked again. "Come on guys, we have a lot to do and its safer inside," she said as the wards sang her special sound as she passed through the doorway.
Jaxon climbed out of the Escalade, still scowling at Seth as they headed towards the store.
"How did you know I lived here? And what were you doing at the causeway? Are you following me?"
"In a way, yes, I guess you could say I am." Seth answered as he passed through the doorway and the wards gave off the chimes signaling that a vampire had entered the store.
Jaxon stopped right before she stepped through. "What sound was that?"
"What? The wards? That's the sound my father gave for vampires." Caislyn answered nonchalantly as she walked towards the back of the store to the stairs.
Jaxon's eyes grew wide, "You're a vampire? Oh my God! I should have known. I have the worst luck! That so explains everything!" she exclaimed as she entered the store behind her two companions.
The wards chimed Jaxon's special sound and both Seth and Caislyn stopped. Seth raised his brows in response.
Caislyn walked slowly back towards Jaxon, looking from Seth to her friend. "Of course he's a vamp, Jaxon. We knew that," she said as she contemplated the sound of Jaxon's wards.
"We did not know anything like that. I was not aware. But it just figures!" Jaxon stated giving Seth an accusing look. She put her hands on her hips and was about to give Seth a load of her opinions, when she noticed the look on Caislyn's face."Why are you looking at me like that?"
Caislyn tilted her head as she looked back from Jaxon to the doorway. "Go back out, Jaxon. I want to hear what the wards do for you again."
Jaxon dropped her arms to her side and walked back through the door. "I thought it was safer inside? Why are you sending me back out?"
"You can come back in. I just want to hear the wards again." Caislyn said as she listened more closely to the chimes.
Jaxon came back into the store. "I'm locking the door this time. I don't feel like fighting anything else today." She glanced at Seth, "You, on the other hand, may not be so lucky. I should throw you out."
Seth answered with a brief look at Jaxon but was more interested in Caislyn's findings. "You heard the similarities didn't you? But its not the same."
Caislyn looked at him, not sure whether or not he was to be trusted. "Yes. I heard the similarities and yes, it is different at the same time." She looked away and started for the stairs.
"But you don't know why do you?" Seth followed.
Jaxon stood watching the two of them talk as if she wasn't there. "Um, hello? Anyone want to tell me what's going on? What similarities? What's different?" Her questions seemed to fall on deaf ears as Caislyn and Seth started up towards the apartment.
"Where do you think you're going Seth? I don't remember inviting you to the apartment!" Jaxon said as she pushed her way in front of Seth on the stairs and raced up after Caislyn. "What similarities and differences are you guys talking about? Did you figure out what my sound is?"
"I think so, but we will talk about it later." Caislyn said as she entered the apartment.
Jaxon stood in the doorway facing Seth with her hands crossed, a victorious smile adorning her face. "You can't come in unless you're invited."
Seth raised an eyebrow and sighed his dismissal. "You watch far too many movies." He pushed passed Jaxon into the apartment.
"Hey! I still don't remember inviting you up here. So, regardless if you can come in or not, its still rude!"
Caislyn giggled at her friend as she went into the kitchen to make tea. They all needed something soothing after the days events. Her mind was racing with everything she had learned today and she still had to reinforce the wards. It was going to be a long night. But first, she must deal with Seth and figure out his agenda. Vampires always had agendas.
Caislyn brought tea into the living room and set it on the coffee table, then took a seat on the couch. Jaxon joined her and both girls preceded to watch the vampire as he looked around the apartment.
"Why did you bring him a cup? He drinks blood not tea." Jaxon said making a face as the thought of drinking blood crossed her mind, "and I'm not donating!"
"He can drink tea if he chooses," Caislyn said noting the confusion on her friend's face. "Vampires aren't like what you've read in books or seen in the movies. Not really. There are some similarities but not many. Its true that they drink blood but they can have other things as well. They have reflections and crosses don't harm them. Holy water, well it's just water. They aren't 'evil' per say. They have free-will just like the rest of us."
Jaxon looked suspiciously over at Seth, "Oh. Well, then by all means, have some tea. I hope she spiked yours with something vicious." Jaxon said giving a sarcastic smile.
Seth sat down in the chair beside the couch and reached for his cup of tea. "I trust Caislyn would do no such thing to someone who just helped save your lives."
Jax gaffed "Save our lives? Ha! You were stalking me! I do not credit you for saving my life and I swear if you keep fo
llowing me, I'll..."
"I was not stalking you," Seth said quietly as he sipped his tea and decided a change of subject was necessary. "So why do the wards for her sound so similar to mine?"
Caislyn sipped her tea trying to figure out the best way to answer without giving Seth too much information but she knew Jaxon was going to freak out when she told her.
"My ward does not sound like yours. You're delusional. You must have hit your head when the water things threw you around like a rag doll." Jaxon remarked. "Tell him Caislyn. He's delusional."
Caislyn sighed trying to figure out how to break the news to her dear friend. "I can't, Jax."
"You can't what? Tell him he's delusional? Sure you can! You won't hurt his feelings, he's a delusional stalker vampire! No feelings there, you can bet on that!" Jaxon said drinking more of her tea.
Seth sneered "I do have feelings. I'm not a robot. And you really need to stop watching horror flicks. They corrupt your mind with stereotypes." He winked at her which just infuriated her more before he continued on. "How would you like me to start making comments about warts and pointy hats and brooms?"
Jaxon rolled her eyes and slumped back on the couch.
Caislyn stood up and walked across the room to her wall of sketches. She was looking for the ones that she had drawn of the fight Jaxon had with Rick.
"Jaxon, do you remember looking at the sketches of the fight I drew? Remember asking how you could move so fast? And how you healed so quickly?"
Jaxon nodded, still eying Seth skeptically.
"I think I figured out why," Caislyn said as she took the pictures from the wall. "You’re a vampire.
"The hell I am!" Jaxon stood from the couch. "Caislyn you can't be serious! Why would you think that?"
Caislyn brought the sketches back to the couch and sat down at the far end away from Jaxon. She knew Jaxon wasn't in control of her powers most especially when she was emotional and she was definitely emotional right now.
Birthrights Page 11