The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven

by Jessica Miller

  “How do you know? You said so yourself he can’t be stopped.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he didn’t give me the chance. “Ella, the last time he was here you could barely move. What makes you think you can stop him now,” Roman said angrily.

  “I’m stronger now and more powerful,” I said, hoping my voice wouldn’t deceive me.

  “Yes but when face to face with him it’s different. You think you can take him on when he’s actually in front of you?”

  “What are you saying? That I’m just some pathetic, weak, little girl?”

  “No. I just don’t want you to get in over your head.”

  “You have no idea what I’m getting myself into. The sacrifices I’ve made and are still making.”

  “Ella, this isn’t just about you anymore. Others people’s lives are at stake too.”

  “You think I don’t know that! Then you don’t know me at all. I live everyday with the fear of something happening to my family and friends because of me.”

  “Ella I –”

  “Just go.” He didn’t budge. “Get out!” I snapped. I was on the verge of a break down. Roman just happened to be the first one to get in the line of fire.

  He tightened his jaw before he turned around and left, slamming the door behind him. “Do we need to worry about him telling everyone?” Billy asked.

  “I’ll talk to him later,” Gabe said, then turned to me. “Ella, we’re going to need your full focus for the next few hours. Do you think you can pull yourself together?” I nodded my head. “I will excuse you from your classes today.”

  “But wait, I’m supposed to meet up with Ms. Kraft after school to work on some things.”

  “You’ll have to cancel,” Gabe said. “Unless…No…I think she might be helpful.”

  “You want to involve Ms. Kraft? Can we trust her?”

  “Of course, Sylvia will be most useful to us with all her knowledge and use of witchcraft. I will talk to her and ask her to meet with us here later.”

  “So why do you think Josie said we can’t warn anybody?” Billy asked confused.

  “Because you can’t stop death,” Gabe said solemnly. “Everyone has a predetermined time of death.”

  “That sucks,” I said, not liking his answer.

  “That is how it works. When it’s your time it’s your time.”

  “But how is that fair? Can’t we still stop it?” I hated the fact that I knew people could get hurt and there was nothing I could do about it.

  “You would just be preventing the inevitable. It will still happen, just in another way. Things happen for a reason Ella. We may not always understand what that reason is, but there is always a purpose.”

  “It’s just not fair. I don’t understand why this has to happen?” The more I was learning the more stressed out I was becoming. I couldn’t wrap my mind around all this, ‘what was meant to be was meant to be’ bullshit.

  “Because it will open the door for something greater to be achieved.”

  “Huh?”

  “We’ll discuss the why later. Let’s figure out the how and when and hopefully come up with a plan to stop it.”

  “I thought you just said we can’t stop it?” My head was pounding.

  “Let me rephrase that,” Gabe said, seeing my confusion. “We can control it just not prevent it.” I threw myself back on the couch moaning. None of this was making any sense to me. “Why don’t you and Billy go get some breakfast and I will talk to Sylvia?”

  On the way down to the dining hall Billy asked, “So…did she ask about me?”

  I sighed. “I’m sorry Billy, but no. I’m sure she wanted to but she didn’t have a lot of time.”

  “It’s okay,” he said disappointed.

  “I’m sure she’s checking in on you from time to time.”

  “How did she look?”

  “She looked good…happy.” He smiled at that and then let it go. I knew he was hurting and he was trying really hard to be strong. I wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to hide for a while and just cry. That’s what I wanted to do.

  We grabbed our food and then headed back to Gabe’s. Neither of us wanted to be around people right now. I knew our mood would cause too many questions and I didn’t have the strength right now to lie to my friends. By the time we got back to Gabe’s room he was already taking action. He was on the phone making calls and starting plans. Billy and I sat quietly eating our breakfast while Gabe did his thing.

  “I talked to the other guardians and let them know to be on alert,” Gabe said.

  “I thought we weren’t going to let people know?” I asked.

  “I was thinking it over and decided we have to let the guardians know and the teachers. We’re not going to alert the students, it would just create panic, but the school has to know. Trust me on this Ella. I’m going to let you know we have a hard fight ahead of us and not just with Jack. I’ve called a meeting with everyone after classes and suspect they’ll want to cancel the dance. We’re going to have to convince them not to. I’m also going to pull you from all your classes for the rest of the week so we can train.”

  “We can’t do that. It will raise too much suspicion on why I’m not there.”

  “She’s right Gabe. She needs to go to class and pretend as if everything’s normal,” Billy said.

  I was slowly starting to wish I said nothing at all. Not that I wanted anyone to get hurt, but this was becoming too intense. “So what do we do now?” I asked.

  “I still insist on excusing you from your classes at least for today,” he said and I agreed. “I want you to go back to your room and change. We’re going to train. You need to know how to take out your opponent.”

  “I already know how to do that.”

  “No just incapacitate. You need to know how to kill them if necessary,” he said gravely.

  I never thought there would come a day where I would actually have to kill someone. I didn’t think I was ready for that. “Ella?” I looked at Billy. “Don’t worry. I won’t let it come to that. I’ll be with you and I’ll finish it,” he growled. I placed my hand on his and tried to calm him. Then Gabe told me to hurry up and go change.

  When I got back to my room I found Roman standing outside my door. “Whatever you have to say I don’t want to hear it,” I said, to upset to even deal with him right now.

  “Ella, just please hear me out,” he pleaded.

  “I don’t have time for your crap.”

  “Once again it’s all about you,” he spat.

  I had it.

  “You know what, you’re right. I’m sorry that some psycho is after me and innocent people are going to get hurt in the process because of me. And I’m sorry that you have your head so far up your ass that you can’t see that the world doesn’t revolve around you! Now, for the last time, move out of my way!” He took a stand and did not move. “Don’t make me physically move you,” I hissed under my breath. He opened the door and let himself in. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m not leaving until you talk to me,” he said, putting his foot down.

  “For the last time I don’t have time for this.”

  He grabbed me and I swung, but he blocked it. I tried again, but we were too evenly matched. This would end up taking longer than I had time for. He pinned me up against the wall and I gave in. “Are you ready to listen?” he asked, panting. I didn’t even bother to give him the satisfaction of an answer. “Ella, I’m sorry. I panicked and I shouldn’t have acted that way. I just…I just don’t want to lose you. Not when I finally got you.”

  “Roman, you’re not going to lose me.”

  “You don’t know that for sure. You have no idea what’s going to happen.”

  “No, I don’t, but I’m not going down without a fight. I beat him before and I can do it again. I’m stronger now. I have my powers and more powers than anyone even knows about.”

  “But still…”

  “But nothing Roman. I’m not going to just lie down and tak
e it. I’m going to fight,” I said with conviction.

  “Then I’m going to fight with you and there’s nothing you can do or say that will change my mind.” I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. I looked down, no longer able to look at him. He cupped my chin with his hand and forced me to look him in the eye. Then, he kissed me. That was all it took before all our clothes were off and we were making love.

  As I lay there with my head on his chest, I took in this memory, and held it close to my heart. I never wanted to forget this, him. After Tristan, Roman was the first person I opened up my heart to, and now all I wanted to do was make sure nothing happened to him. He was a part of my life now. He made feel…well he just made me feel and that was something I didn’t think I would be able to do again. I sighed as I lay there, knowing this moment had to end. “I have to go change before Gabe gets pissed. I was gone for over an hour and I was only supposed to change my clothes,” I said.

  “Technically you were, but you just didn’t put them on yet,” Roman joked while he stroked my hair. My phone buzzed and I checked to see who it was. It was a text form Billy saying he stalled Gabe as long as he could by telling him I needed some time to myself, but he couldn’t stall him any longer.

  “Okay, I really have to go now,” I said, getting up and getting dressed. Roman told me he was coming with. I didn’t argue.

  Before we left, he pulled me aside, taking my hands in his and said, “Hey, can we make a promise that no matter what happens, from now on we’ll promise not to argue?”

  “Umm…” I stuttered, thinking that was impossible.

  “I just don’t want to fight with you anymore. Even though I really do enjoy the makeup sex,” he smiled.

  I rolled my eyes. “I can’t promise I won’t get mad if you irritate me again…” He gave me his annoyed look. “But I will try my hardest not to let my stubbornness get the best of me.”

  He leaned down and kissed me. “You are very stubborn, but that’s what I love about you.”

  “Okay, we really have to go now,” I said, dragging him out of the room.

  We met Gabe and Billy in the gym and thankfully Gabe didn’t mention anything about how long it took or ask why Roman was here. Instead he just got right down to business. “We are to meet with the entire faculty at four. We will work here until then,” he said.

  Gabe pulled out a bag and dumped everything on the floor. Inside were all different types of weapons; everything from daggers, knives, and wooden stakes. I picked up the stake and looked at Gabe. “Really?” I said, thinking what a cliché.

  “Yes. One of the ways to kill a full vampire is a stake through the heart,” he said.

  “And the other?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Decapitation or incineration,” he said, like it was no big deal. Like this was something people did every day.

  “What about us, half-vampires?”

  “You can be killed just as any human can.”

  “Oh,” was all I could say.

  “Ella, I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. You can do this. I know you can. Now let’s start with the small stuff and work our way up.”

  Billy helped Gabe assemble some dummies and Roman and I stood back and watched as they both demonstrated some moves. After we worked on them for a while we moved onto staking and then decapitation. It was not as easy as it looked and I had a hard time getting the stake to stick or chop the dummies heads off. “It’s alright Ella. I don’t expect you to get it the first time around. Let’s stop here for today and pick up tomorrow. Meet me outside the teachers’ lounge at four.” I nodded as I headed back to my room to shower. Roman followed me back, but I suggested he shower in his own room. After he whined for about ten minutes he finally gave up and left.

  Now alone, all I wanted to do was crash on my bed and sleep for the next few days. Unfortunately that wasn’t an option I had. I knew the moment I sat down I wouldn’t get back up. I dragged my feet into the bathroom, got undressed, and got in the shower. I let the steam soothe my aching muscles and then thought maybe I should have let Roman shower with me. With him here I could have had him soothe me with his heat. I guess I’ll just have to hit him up later for a massage.

  As I rinsed the sweat from my face I thought about everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. It was crazy to think I lost my virginity and woke up to find out I have to face my enemy in a few days and possibly lose some of my friends and I can’t even warn them. This all just seemed unfair. Once again I found myself dealt a bad hand. I wish there was a way I could talk to Josie again. Find out some more information and well, just talk to her.

  “You know, I’m still waiting to know who that gorgeous guy in your bed was.”

  I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of her voice. “Christ Josie!”

  “The one and only,” she cooed.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re here to warn me about something else because my plate’s full. I can’t handle anymore right now.”

  “No. This problem is all mine,” she said sourly. “Finish up and I’ll wait for you in your room and explain everything.”

  I quickly finished my shower and got dressed thinking she might be on another time limit like last time. “You know Josie, you really have impeccable timing. If I didn’t know any better I might actually start to believe you are a lesbian, considering you keep popping up when I’m in the shower,” I teased.

  She rolled her eyes. “Please, if I was a lesbian you would not be my first choice.”

  “Thanks, I think? So to what do I owe the honor?”

  “They found out I was here,” she said.

  “Who?” I asked. She pointed to the ceiling and looked up. “What are you exactly?”

  “Duh, isn’t it obvious?” She turned and pointed to the wings of her angel costume.

  “Josie, you really expect me to believe you’re an angel?”

  “You’re half-vampire. Why would I being an angel be so unbelievable?”

  “Seriously Josie, you really want me to answer that?” She threw a pillow at me. “And what’s with the costume?”

  “It’s kick ass and I thought it was fitting,” she smiled.

  “Are those real wings?” I asked, reaching for them.

  “No. I got temporarily stripped of my wings until they figure out what to do with me.”

  “Wait…what happened?”

  “Like I said, they found out that I came to warn you and I’m not allowed to intervene. But I couldn’t let you not know. I couldn’t see you hurt.”

  “So what does this mean?”

  “It means I’m stuck here until they decide if they trust me enough to come back.”

  “So…you’re like here to stay?”

  “For now,” she nodded.

  I couldn’t help but scream for joy. I leapt up, tackling her and wrapped my arms around her tight. I felt horrible that Josie was being punished, but I was happy to have my friend back even if it might only be temporarily. “Sorry,” I said. “I just missed you so much.”

  “I know. I missed you too. I was able to check in on you from time to time, but that wasn’t enough.”

  “So that was you in the library?”

  “Guilty,” she smiled.

  “You know, because of that stunt you pulled I’m now deemed as the crazy girl.”

  “It was bound to happen with or without my help,” she shrugged.

  Too excited to care, I ignored her jab. “I have so much to tell you, but first we have to figure out what to do with you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you’re not like invisible are you? This isn’t like I’m the only one who can see you?”

  “Geez Ella, what the hell are they teaching you here? No I’m not invisible. I’m living flesh so to speak.”

  “So, you’re like, human?”

  “Yes and no. I still have some of my powers. See, I can do this.” She closed her eyes and in a blink she was gone.

 
“Josie?”

  “Boo!” she said from behind me.

  I jumped. “Okay. How about you not do that again,” I said, clenching my chest. “Now, how am I going to explain you to everyone?”

  “Simple. I’m the awesomest person in the world who came back to save your butt.”

  I stifled an eye roll. “I’ll figure something out. How about we get you a change of clothes and grab some food because I’m starving.”

  “I see some things haven’t changed,” she giggled. I rummaged through my draws for an outfit she could wear. “Please don’t tell me I have to wear one of those god awful uniforms.” She cringed at the thought.

  “No. I have some jeans and plain shirts you can borrow.”

  “Ella, what happened to your wardrobe? Once again I’m gone a few months and everything goes to shit. And what’s with all the tattoos? I admit they’re freakin’ hot, but not something –”

  “Here,” I said, throwing clothes at her and cutting her off. “I’ll explain everything later. I promise.”

  “You better because I still want the dish on that hottie,” she winked.

  As we got ready to leave, I stopped before I opened the door. “You do know Billy’s here and he’s going to freak when he sees you?”

  “I hope so. I mean, I am his beautiful lost love back from the dead…so to speak,” she said, fluffing her hair.

  “Don’t you think maybe we should warn him first? Maybe prepare him so he doesn’t have a coronary?”

  “I prefer to go with shock value,” she said, pulling me out of the room.

  Oh boy. I couldn’t wait to see everyone’s faces when they saw Josie. This was gonna be interesting.

  I held my breath as we approached the doors of the dining hall. “You ready?” I asked Josie.

  She took a breath, pushed her shoulders back, and held her head high. “I’m ready.”

  I took her hand and braced myself as I opened the door. All the students turned to look at us as we descended the stairs. “What’s the matter? They never saw an angel before?” Josie joked. “Is it always like this?

  “Yes, but that’s usually because I’m the topic of conversation.”

  When we reached our table and Dixon saw who was standing next to me his jaw dropped to the floor. He sat there, rubbing his eyes as if they were playing tricks on him. Josie automatically went up to Dean and ruffled his hair. When he turned around and saw who it was he skidded back in his chair. “What the…”