“I’m sorry for-”
“Seriously Leslie this isn’t elementary. You don’t need to apologize. It happens.”
“Are you sure?” I squeaked.
“Leslie.” She stated. “Get real.”
“Thank you so much.” I said hugging her.
I managed to get past the news reporters. Only to be blocked off by some more faculty. This is actually a time I needed to get to the dorm.
My dorm was just as I had left it.
“Leslie,” Emi looked at me. “What is going on?”
“Look please,” I breathed. “Just please. I just need some help.”
“Help?” she squinted. “Like mental help?”
“I just need to pack my damn bags!” I huffed.
“Not until you tell me why the whole school was waiting for you at the front doors of the lodge.”
“It’s complicated and I just need to go.”
“This is the last time I do this for you,” she said turning around and packing one of my bags.
A tapping of glass made me jump. Galen was there. I felt the trepidation I always felt being close to him.
I opened the latch and let him in.
“We really need to hurry,” he said looking at his invisible watch.
“Leslie- Leslie!” I heard Emi as I rushed out the door.
Galen and I were so fast; no human eye could have noticed us. Thud! I heard a body drop to the floor.
“Where are you taking her?!” Carson shouted so loudly in the middle of us standing on the highway.
I was frightened beyond belief. Carson had never been so full of rage, or hate. The asphalt under my feet felt like clouds, I was going to fall through and die at any moment.
“Carson,” my voice quavered. “P-please let him go. For me. Because I love you.”
He looked at me quickly, but then his sincerity was gone, and his attention on Galen.
“Where are you going?!” He shook him.
Galen swung out and threw a full force punch right at his face. Carson fell painfully as I watched him get another kick from Galen.
“To meet my kind. My pack.” Galen clenched his fists in his blond hair.
I looked at them both in disbelief. Carson shifted back into his wolf form showing no sign of injury whatsoever.
“Stop!” I shouted. “Please do not fight!”
“So you’re just going to say that and expect us not to Leslie?” Galen asked.
“Galen I thought you loved me?! And if you do then please do not fight. Bye. I’m leaving.”
I turned and walked. When I felt Galens hand on my shoulder to stop me I broke into a full run. He could not reach my speed. I was the most powerful vampire.
I still made it to the airport with my luggage having no idea what I was doing there. Should I just take a flight? Because there was nowhere else for me to go? My phone rang in my pocket.
“Shut up! I don’t want to talk about this whole vampire werewolf thing! Okay?” I answered.
There was a long pause and then my mother’s voice came in, “Leslie are you okay?”
Oh my god, I thought. This is what I get for not checking my caller ID.
“Oh hi mom. Um... I miss you so much. Oh I just wanted to, um, surprise you with something new so you know we can-”
“Leslie are you okay?”
“Yes mom I’m fine.”
“Well I haven’t talked to you forever. So how’s everything going? Hope you have good grades because I’m meeting you at the airport in a week and you’ll be graduated!”
Chapter 10
“Oh yeah of course I have good grades mom. I’d never let you down.” I found a good airport seat to sit on.
“H-has this school changed you at all?”
I was about to say, ‘yeah I’m not even human anymore.’ But instead I said, “I made really important friends mom.”
“Oh honey that’s great!” She replied enthusiastically. “Remember I pick you up next week. And you’re eighteen now. What do you want?”
I studied the two bracelets that hung around my wrist. One from Galen and one from Carson. I looked back on life back home, and couldn’t find it.
“Leslie?” my mom questioned.
“I don’t need anything,” I said.
“Honey I have to get you something. Okay well call me up whenever. Bye, love you.”
“Thanks mom, love you too. Wait- Has any... strange man talked to you and mentioned me maybe... or has someone broken into the house...?”
“No.... why?”
“Just wondering.” Then I shut my phone.
A ladies voice came on the intercom saying my flight was up. That’s when I realized Galen had the tickets. A loud whistling tune suddenly rang so close to my ear I jumped.
“Damn you Galen, why are you here?”
“Your plane tickets. Better hurry or else there going to leave without us.”
“You think after you just... had-a-fight-with-Carson, and everything else that I’m just going to leave with you.”
“Fine,” he held up the tickets. “I’ll just leave without you.”
“Ouch!” I suddenly yelped. I felt a burning sensation on my arm. And when I looked down at my wrist, the bracelet Galen had given me bubbled up then dissipated. I looked up at him with shock, but he was gone. The only sign of him that remained was the single airplane ticket resting atop my Cody Simpson suitcase. Immediately I picked up my belongings and ran to the desk. Then onto the plane.
The first sightings I got were sky ways, and a river, two towers connecting a stone archway, the city in the distance, and the dusky sky of a beautiful evening. It was every bit of what my situation was not. Welcome to London England. I was sitting at a bus stop for no reason other than to pass time by. I’m eighteen, arrive in London, and have no money. Lovely. Transportation was easy since I could move faster than any taxi in the world.
Where to go? I don’t know. Then it clicked! The Big Ben tower was exactly where I needed to be. The darkness was very inconvenient. Yes those myths where ‘sunlight hurts vampires’. It feels... strange to have experienced mythological reality in the past few months, and to find myself lost in London England on the streets.
The big yellow face of the world sank down altogether.
Then I heard a familiar whistle. It was the same tune I heard him sing in the airport.
“Galen!” I was so happy to see him I buried my face in his shoulders.
“So one moment you hate me and the next your clinging to me,” his amazing voice secretly smiled. “I see how this works.”
“Why’d you decide to come back for me?” I asked.
“I might not be a perfect picture for you but there’s something about me that you shall know beneath. That I would never do anything to hurt you. No matter how many times you broke my heart.”
“Galen, you know Carson is my ‘soul mate’ or whatever they call it these days. Can we just please get to where we need to be?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “I think it’s time.”
And I found myself speeding by him again. It was probably five minutes without a single breath of air, or even slight tiredness. It rose up in front of my face like a giant. The Big Ben tower.
“Galen stop!” I shouted so he wouldn’t smack into it.
But ignoring me he ran, and disappeared into the tower. I had no time to think, only react. I jumped landing my feet on to the side and did a back-flip. When I was human, I was barely capable of half a somersault. What just happened? Was it meant? Where did he go? I found the entrance closed tight and shut with about twenty security cameras pointing in every which way. Intellectual growth should commerce at birth and cease only at death. Moral: I learn something new every day... Life is a process, not a principle, a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.
I slid down the side of the tower just waiting... maybe for him to reappear. If it was an accident the I’d never forgive myself. Never ignore the one who loves you most. Be
cause trust me, one day you’ll realize that you have lost the moon while chasing the elusive stars. Did Galen truly love me more than Carson? Right now I was confused. Still I needed Galen for answers, an explanation of the mysteries that remain. About the bracelet.
“Leslie?” I heard my name.
“Galen!” I shouted on instinct.
“Um... no actually.” Most exotic person I had ever seen in reality. She was a colored girl. Her eyes were covered in glitter and colorful makeup, her hair was in big pink curls and silver print all over. Her heels were bright red blocks. The dress was red leather with a high neckline and shapes cut out revealing her skin. I would say that the dress swished the ground but she was actually floating two feet off the ground. My vampire senses instantly told me she was not human. “My name is Sondra; I was told that there was a vampire out here.”
The way that the word ‘vampire’ rolled off her tongue told me she was with them but was not one herself. Obviously vampires don’t hover two feet off the ground.
“Yeah I just didn’t know how to get in. I thought maybe Galen was an accident. Not to sound rude or anything, but what exactly are you?”
“I’m a fairy. No one told you?”
a thousand things were racing through my mind. Why hadn’t Carson told me? Or Galen? Or anyone for that matter. Seductive Vampires. Loving Werewolves. And...Exotic fairies.
“Can you give me a second?” I asked her. She nodded retreating into the shadows.
I took out my phone and dialed a number I would have memorized forever.
“Leslie?” Hearing Carsons voice made my eyes tear up already.
“Carson, why?”
“Why.... Leslie where are-are you?”
“Actually I’m in London England, but why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what beautiful. I’ve told you everything.”
“About the fairies. Is that nothing to you? Carson, tell me! Is that nothing?”
“I have a good explanation,” he said.
“Bring it.” I told him.
“I brought you too deep into this mess already. And telling you would have just dug deeper into my guilty conscious. I meant nothing. But if that’s what you believe then fine. Because to me a day without you is like a year without rain. I can’t help I’m so in love. I love you more then you could possibly imagine.”
A string of silence hung between us before I said, “Okay Carson. I love you a lot too, more then you love me and I’m pretty sure you deserve more than this. But just give me time to think about all this.” And I hung up unwillingly taking a deep breath.
“Is everything okay?” Sondra asked me taking my hand.
“Yeah thanks.” I smiled at the sweet girl.
“Come on let’s get in. All you have to do is run more than sixty miles per hour.”
“Okay...” I trailed off then backed up. It was a lot like slamming into a toy tower. Like you’re God destroying the town of Babylon. When I entered it was so eerie it was frightening. I was in a black lobby with an elevator and desk. One very, very exotic lady sat at the desk. The weirdest part was probably her blue hair or four single long eyelashes on each eye. Sondra was talking to the lady at the desk. Finally she waved me over. I walked over to the elevator, only to be stopped.
“Wait-” Sondra stopped me. “You need one of those.” She pointed to the office secretary who was holding out a seven inch needle with a metal device at the end.
“Wh- what is that?” I asked, voice quavering.
“It’s something everyone has to have in order to enter. All it is a device that lets us know which region you’re in. It tracks every single vampire and fairy.”
Unwillingly I outstretched my arm hesitantly. The secretary raised her arm and stabbed. But the needle bounced off as if I were made of steel. Both of their eyes went wide on shock. I stood there awkwardly with my arm still outstretched. The secretary turned my arm over and tried once more but it didn’t work. I was stuck inside the Big Ben tower with two fairies. And apparently most people would have the wrong image.
“Do not let anyone know about this.” Sondra sternly told the other fairy.
The elevator doors slid open. They automatically let us in. I expected it to go down. When I realized down was not the answer expected up. But when that was not the answer either the elevator jutted sideways.
Then It stopped. Then opened. And will I ever forget the first sight of this new place? Just like New York City, except the people were exotic. The vampires were normal looking just as everyday human beings. The fairies hovered a foot off the ground casually. The way they interacted with each other was expressionless. The fairies hair were died, did strangely, exotic makeup, and very in-average clothing. I couldn’t help but think I’d never find Galen. A taxi was waiting for us as if I was expected. They weren’t the ones you would normally imagine. They were old school. Like the carriages pulled by horses in body shackle. This looked odd in such a modernized place such as thus. I was helped in by a man who threw a cloak around me but not Sondra.
“Why did he put this on me?” I asked when the ride started.
“Because you are of great importance.” She told me.
We arrived at a building that looked like the white house. Although it was just smaller and about as tall as a skyscraper. One whole side of the building I could see was made out of completely glass. This side I walked in had turning doors made out of marble. The inside was an eerie silence. Until I got a little ahead and heard a huge party. I continued to pass multiple huge parties until I got to the sixtieth floor. The very last floor. And when I entered the smell of peppermint hit me. One side of the wall had realistic 3D scenery. The room was completely green with zig zag furniture.
“Take a seat,” President Alijondra ordered.
I sat down a plush emerald sofa which was a great sign of wealth.
“Leslie Woods,” President Alijondra addressed. “A significant sign has been noticed to the vampiric council by our fairy allies that you have convened with the werewolves. That you have done this we want you to be their enemy-.”
“No-” I started. The guard slapped me in the face and I knew it was not my right to interrupt.
“You will act the same and become the spy. Every month we will check in on you for news by the fairies. If you choose not to obey we will immediately dispose of your pathetic life and choose someone else to take the part.” she nodded. Sondra was nervous beside me, and I guessed that my attitude would affect her also.
I stood up rudely, spat in her face, and said, “Choose someone else to do your filthy work.”
The guards were on me in seconds. And so was a knife at Sondra's neck.
“Noooo!” I screamed at the top of my lungs until my voice was hoarse. And the guards pushed me out and shut the door on me leaving me all alone to witness Sondra's screams. I leaped to my feet and ran out the door. It sounded like a million rolls of thunder. But it was only the sound of stream upon stream of vampire running towards the forest.
My first instinct was to follow them. Something told me I was the one who caused this. How? I don’t know. My legs reached speeds faster than any of them. The hazy forest looked dim in the lowlight of the evening. The tall evergreen trees were tight together. I pushed past vampire after vampire. Snow came down in gentle flakes stinging me wherever they touched. Unmistakable howls erupted in the distance. When a clearing came up I was reminded of Lea, the teddy bear, and the knife. The vampires had made a formation behind me. I knew whoever the enemy was, this was battle. And somehow the position President Alijondra put me in, I was commander. I threw off my black hoodie to feel looser, walking forward cautiously.
From the other side of the clearing fifty figures emerged. My throat constricted. The front of the force was made up of the five most powerful werewolves. Loren, Regan, Dimitri, Jeremy, and Carson.
Shock and a look of betrayal crossed their faces. My world was about to go black. Which I welcomed. But it didn’t. One of the sec
ond rank vampires stepped up behind me and whispered quickly. Hesitantly I stepped up to the half mark line and shook Carson’s hand.
“I-I can’t do this,” I whispered.
“Leslie,” He grasped my hand tighter. “Start the battle then leave and find a safe spot.”
“No,” I refused. “You’ll get hurt.”
“Leslie, this is not the time to be doing this.
“Carson Lund,” I raised my voice so it echoed throughout the silent clearing. Then I let go of his hand and threw my arms around his neck. Then kissed him, which made the silence break out into a full on chaotic battle.
Something yanked Carson from me. Slamming the vampire fifty feet away I told Carson, “I started the battle, but I won’t run from it.”
“So what are you going to do then? Kill vampires or kill werewolves?”
“Neither,” I replied. “I’m going to protect you.”
“I’m perfectly capable,” he snarled, then shifted into a massive beautiful wolf with those beautiful green eyes.
I should have never left or I’d be my same self-stuck with the same old Carson. And now we were back to back fending off any creature from both sides. I saw a silvery grey wolf coming at me. When our eyes met, instantly I recognized Loren. Even her being a wolf I could see sadness in her virgin face. A circle of vampires walked casually towards Carson and I, fighting off any werewolf trying to break the ring, they opened the circle then reclosed it around us. My heart fell when I recognized president Alijondra. My fist balled nervously around some of Carson's fur.
And then I saw the Ricolis imprisoned behind her. Jason, Heather, Rifle, and Lea clutched each other’s hands. I bowed my head in deep shame. There was no way I could keep lying to myself. If only I’d listen to Carson’s voice none of this would happen. He wasn’t being strict. He was only trying to protect me from myself.
“Carson.” I whispered. “I love you no matter what happens.”
“Ms. Woods. Shame you had to do this. Because you were in a great position of honor to us without even knowing this yourself. But instead you have to be a traitor. You choose to side with the weak. Do you realize how outnumbered your dogs are anyway? I’m giving you one more chance to bring your power to my side and save your friends here. Just remember that I have the upper hand.” The circle broke away.
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