The Seven: Four tales of passion, danger and love

by Ciana Stone

  A few moments later she heard him leave and opened her eyes. For a few minutes she stared at the ceiling, listening to the people on the patio as they prepared to leave. When the voices faded, she got up and wandered outside.

  She took a seat and stared off into the distance, trying to wrap her mind around her current predicament. She loved Augustus and probably would never love another man the way she did him, but she didn't want to be just another of his many loves. She wanted to be his ever after.

  And the only way that was possible was if she was like him. That thought scared her. Being virtually immortal was not something a person was offered and it certainly was tempting. However, being immortal and knowing you'd always depend upon blood from other humans to sustain your life made her balk. It just seemed wrong.

  Footfall in the direction of the steps had her turning in her chair. By the time she'd bolted to her feet the two men were on her. One punched her and had her doubling over. Before she could catch her breath and stand upright stars exploded in her head and then all light disappeared.

  *****

  "Layla."

  Eldric, who was walking beside Augustus, stopped as Augustus went stone still. "She's in danger." A blink of an eye later Augustus was gone.

  "Something's wrong." Eldric said as the others stopped to look back at him. "I have to help."

  "We'll all go," Cam offered.

  "Too slow."

  With that, he flew into motion and for all practical purposes vanished from sight.

  Ellie turned the horse she rode. "We need to get back."

  "Whatever it is, they can handle it," Alex said. "But we can still go back."

  "Amen to that." Lily agreed then added. "I hope they get there in time."

  "So, do I." Ellie murmured, barely paying attention to what was going on around her. She'd learned to tap into Eldric's thoughts and for the moment was viewing through his eyes.

  Augustus arrived a split second after the man hit Layla over the back of the head with a handgun. Before the man had time to fully point the gun at Layla's back, Augustus was upon him.

  Eldric arrive on the scene to see Augustus grab the man by the arm with one hand and snatch away the gun with the other.

  "No!" He shouted as Augustus made a move to tear the man's neck open with his teeth.

  Augustus turned with a snarl, fangs bared, and eyes flashing. Eldric raised one hand and sent a bolt of energy into the second man who was lifting a gun in Augustus's direction. The blast sent the man flying off his feet and flailing across the porch and out into the yard to slam into the trunk of an old oak.

  Eldric didn't wait to see if the man would get up. His attention went to Augustus. "If you kill him, they prove you to be the beast they claim. If we allow the human authorities to control the situation then it demonstrates your willingness to follow the dictates of human law."

  Augustus snarled and for a moment Eldric was not sure what he would do. Then Augustus flung the man against the side wall of the house and knelt to gently turn Layla over.

  "Layla? Sweetheart?"

  She didn't respond. Eldric hurried to kneel down on the other side of her. "I may be able to help."

  "Help yourself demon spawn."

  Both he and Augustus looked up in surprise, but not soon enough. Bullets slammed into Augustus, making his body dance like a puppet at the hands of a novice puppeteer. Eldric threw himself over Layla, sending up a protective shield but not before one bullet hit her.

  Augustus broke free of the shield and rushed the men who had surprised them. "Let them live!" Eldric didn't know if Augustus could hear him through the rage that poured from him like dark sweat.

  He moved with lightning speed, his fists hammering into one man and then the next so that within seconds they were both bloody and unconscious on the floor. Then he raced back to Eldric who held Layla in his arms.

  "It is quite serious."

  Augustus looked at her and then at Eldric. "I can save her if I give her blood."

  "You are weakened. Unless my nose deceives me those bullets were laced with Calendula and unless my memory fails me that acts as a type of neutralizing agent on Vampire blood."

  Augustus growled. "We must save her."

  "Then we give her my blood."

  Augustus looked at him in shock. "She is not Vampire."

  "I can smell your blood in her. You have been feeding her and while she has not ingested enough to instigate a complete transformation there have been changes. If you take my blood, it will dispel the Calendula and you know how potent Fae blood is to a Vampire. It will take but a fraction of your blood to heal her."

  "Why would you do this?"

  "Why would I not?"

  "I will be forever in your debt. You have but to give the word and whatever you ask I will do."

  "I may one day ask but for now…" Eldric held out one arm. "Drink."

  Augustus hesitated for a moment then grasped Eldric's arm and lowered his mouth to Eldric's wrist. There was a momentary twinge of pain before pleasure suffused him. Eldric marveled at the feeling. So this was the lure of the Vampire. How remarkable. Now he understood the craving humans felt for the bite of a Vampire.

  Augustus pulled away from Eldric's wrist with blood staining his lips. His pupils were fully dilated, the dark eclipsing the light. "Fae blood is indeed potent."

  He ripped away his shirt and Eldric could see the wounds that had already healed into puckered scars vanish, leaving Augustus' skin smooth and unblemished. Augustus bit his own wrist and lowered it against Layla's mouth.

  She did not move. Eldric worked her lips open so the warm blood could run into her mouth and then stroked her throat to inspire her to swallow. Just as he thought she was not going to respond her eyes flew open and she latched onto Augustus' wrist, suckling like a newborn at its mother's breast.

  Augustus allowed her to drink for a full minute, each second bringing more color to her waxen skin. When he pulled away, she licked her lips and sat up.

  "Who are those men and why did they try to kill me?"

  "That's what we're going to find out. Do you have a phone?" Eldric asked.

  She looked from Eldric to Augustus. "I have one." Augustus pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to Eldric.

  Eldric put the phone on speaker and dialed 911. As soon as the dispatcher had answered and asked for the nature of the emergency he spoke, saying they'd had armed intruders break in and attack and gave the address.

  Just as he was ending the call, the rest of the family arrived.

  "What the holy hell?" Lily, the first to enter, demanded.

  "The police are on the way." Layla got to her feet, along with Eldric and Augustus. These men broke in and tried to kill me. I … well, to be honest I don't really know what happened after one punched me in the gut and the other knocked my lights out."

  Augustus picked up the tale. "When I arrived, two men were here. One had a gun pointed at Layla. Eldric arrived and we dispatched both of them."

  "And then he knelt to tend to Layla." Eldric intervened into the tale. "Two more attackers presented themselves and we rendered them unconscious, saw to Layla, and called the authorities."

  "And that's it?" Ellie asked as she walked around Lily to get closer to Eldric. "Nothing else?"

  "Why would there be anything else?"

  Cam stepped up beside Ellie. "How about the bloody clothes on the floor, Augustus with no shirt and Layla with blood on her clothes, what looks like a bullet hole in her blouse and blood on her face?"

  Neither Augustus nor Eldric answered and after a few moments Layla looked up at Augustus. "You have to tell them."

  He looked at Eldric. Eldric nodded and answered. "Very well. Augustus was shot and so was Layla. But he healed her and now all is well – aside from the unconscious thugs on the floor, that is."

  Cam looked at Eldric and then at Augustus. "Okay, so are we divulging that part of the tale to the police?"

  Augustus and Eldric look
ed at one another and after a moment Augustus looked at Cam. "Yes, I will give a statement."

  "Full disclosure?" Layla asked.

  He looked down at her. "That I was shot."

  "But not that she was shot and you healed her?" Alex asked.

  "No."

  "Can I ask why?"

  "It is not relevant."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Alex," Eldric spoke up.

  "Don’t Alex me. Why can't you tell the whole truth?"

  "Because that opens a Pandora's box. At present, there are myths and stories about the healing properties of Vampire blood. Once the efficacy is revealed, it could place all Vampire in peril. I mean no offence but humans would stop at nothing to harness such power and that could lead to dire consequences."

  Alex crossed her arms over her chest. "So the bottom line is we lie?"

  "There is no we... Augustus, Layla, and I will give statements. If we choose to omit information for the welfare of all, that is our decision."

  Until then Layla had remained silent, watching, and listening. Now it was time for her to speak her mind. "Look, Alex. I know it seems wrong, but you have to put yourself in their shoes. While you might not want to exploit the Vampires, there are a lot of people who would. The same for the Fae and others of their kind.

  "We have to let their ruling Council and our government work out disclosure of information and what level of cooperation there will be. If we went public with this knowledge … well, like Eldric said, it could open a nasty can of worms."

  "Says the girl who just skirted death thanks to Vampire blood."

  Layla was shocked and a little put off by Alex's words and the tone in which they were delivered. "I can assure you it has nothing to do with that."

  "Oh, is that so?"

  Layla opened her mouth but Eldric cut her off. "Alex, that's uncalled for. And in the spirit of full disclosure among family, I confess that it was not just Augustus' actions that saved Layla's life. While he would have healed on his own, Augustus was shot multiple times with poisoned bullets that retard the healing properties of his blood. In order to save Layla I offered my blood to Augustus."

  "You what?"

  "I offered my blood."

  "Is there something special about your blood?" Cam asked.

  "Indeed there is." Augustus answered the question. "Fae blood is only rivaled by Angel for potency and – certain properties it endows upon the recipient."

  "What properties?" Layla's curiosity was aroused.

  Augustus looked at Eldric and he nodded. Augustus then raised his hand and snapped his right fingers. A spark ignited at the friction and exploded out into a bubble of dancing colors.

  "Touch it." Eldric said to Alex.

  "I'm not touching it."

  "Please."

  She frowned and then stretched out one hand. When her index finger made contact, her eyebrows shot up and her eyes opened wide. "Oh wow."

  "I wanna touch." Layla hurried to insert her index finger into the bubble and then her entire hand. "Oh wow is right. This is… it's like a shot of red bull without the caffeine jitters mixed with a great pot high without the space—cadet head and …"

  "And peace." Alex added.

  Layla grinned at her. "Yeah."

  The bubble dissipated and Augustus looked at Alex. "Eldric deserves credit for saving Layla as much as I and for that I am forever in his debt."

  Alex looked over at Eldric. "And how do you feel?"

  "Curiously happy. I have never been connected to a Vampire and it is an interesting experience."

  "Connected?"

  Before he could say more they heard the sirens. Within minutes, police were on the scene and there was no more time for talk. Layla remained quiet except when questioned and said only that she was attacked and rendered unconscious. Since the police had arrived with an ambulance accompanying them, they had her checked out by the EMTs.

  She was pronounced fit and was relieved that she didn't have to make a trip to the hospital. As it was, it was nearly four hours before the police left. Everyone was quiet and tired.

  "I'm sorry all this happened, Layla," Ellie said as she, Cam, Layla and Augustus sat on the patio after the rest of the family had left.

  "Well, it's not your fault."

  "I just don't get why someone would do that."

  "Or how they knew you were here." Cam added.

  "I have been wondering about that." Augustus said.

  "And?"

  Augustus shook his head. "My people are loyal. They would not have revealed my whereabouts without my permission."

  It suddenly clicked into place in Layla's mind and the realization made her feel sick to the stomach. "I know."

  All eyes looked at her. "Sheila."

  "Sheila?" Ellie asked.

  "My publicist."

  "That doesn't make any sense."

  "Or perhaps it does." Augustus said. "Unless I miss my guess, you told her where we were going?"

  "I did." Layla hated that she had but wasn't going to lie about it.

  "And knowing how eager she is to get as much attention as possible about our upcoming nuptials, she probably alerted the press."

  "Those guys weren't with the press," Cam pointed out.

  "No, you're correct. However, and I am speculating, but I would not be surprised if someone close to her was a sympathizer with our enemies, or if she herself did not pass along the information in order to garner media attention."

  "You think this will end up on the news?" Ellie asked.

  As if cued by the question, Layla's phone rang. She didn't recognize the number and hit ignore. A few seconds later the chime sounded, indicating she had a voice message.

  "Check it," Augustus suggested.

  She did. It was a reporter wanting to talk to her about the attack on her and Augustus. She deleted the message and looked at Augustus. "I can't believe that Sheila is involved with people like that."

  "She may not be, but her job is to get you attention and she will do everything she can to make that happen."

  "Even put Layla's life in danger?" Cam asked.

  "It would appear."

  "I believe I'd be getting another publicist."

  "No kidding." Ellie agreed.

  Layla looked around at everyone. It was becoming abundantly clear to her that a big wedding was a huge mistake. She didn't want attention and sure as heck didn't want to be scared of being attacked.

  Not to mention that she still didn't know if there would be a wedding. There was still the matter of who she really was to Augustus.

  "I can't think about this anymore. I'm sorry. I'm just – I'm tired and I can't think."

  "I think it'd be good if we called it a day," Cam suggested. "Get a good night's sleep."

  "Good idea." Ellie agreed.

  "I agree." Lily took Clint's hand. "We'll head out. Layla, Augustus, don't feel this is your responsibility. Everyone in this family has had to deal with some kind of threat from someone who was evil or insane. We understand."

  "That we do." Clint added. "You all get some rest. See you tomorrow if you're gonna stick around."

  "I hope you will." Eldric addressed Augustus. "I would welcome an opportunity to talk with you more."

  Augustus nodded. "Anything you want. I'm at your disposal."

  "Then until tomorrow." Eldric gave Layla a smile, kissed Ellie on the cheek and looked at Alex. "Shall we?"

  Alex nodded then looked at Augustus. "If I seemed inhospitable I apologize. I do know what it's like to be the target of evil and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. And if Eldric trusts you then so do I."

  "Thank you." Augustus offered a smile. "I am honored by your trust and will strive never to damage it."

  "Good night guys." Ellie looked at her family. "Breakfast in the morning?"

  "Homemade biscuits?" Clint asked.

  "For you, sure."

  "I'm in. See you all in the morning."

  After everyone left, Ellie turned her attenti
on to Layla. "Layla you know where everything is so make yourself at home and I hope you get some rest."

  "Thank you so much." Layla got up as Cam pulled Ellie to her feet. She embraced her friend. "I'm so sorry to have brought trouble to your home, Ellie."

  "It wasn't your fault and I'm so happy to see you. I've missed you."

  "I've missed you."

  Ellie gave her a final squeeze and smiled at Augustus. "See you both in the morning."

  "Sleep well." Augustus said.

  "Night all." Cam put his arm around Ellie and escorted her inside.

  There was a long silence on the patio. Layla was aware of Augustus watching her and she had no doubt that he sensed something was bothering her. She had been trying to keep her mental barriers up to keep him out of her head but wasn’t sure how successful she'd been.

  "Do you want to talk about it?" He draped one arm around her where they sat on the wicker loveseat, his fingers brushing at the top of her shoulder.

  She shook her head. "I don't even know how to start."

  "Layla, look at me."

  For a moment she resisted, fearing he would see her uncertainty and fear in her eyes. Finally, she turned her head to look at him.

  "You are not simply another in a long succession of loves for me."

  Heat flooded her face and she was grateful for the dim light. She was embarrassed by her own feelings. No, that wasn't true. What was embarrassing was that he knew.

  "It is nothing to be embarrassed about. Were I in your place I might feel the same. But it is important for you to know that while you might not be the only love I've had in my life, you will be the last."

  "That's sweet to say but we both know it's a lie. I'll get old and die and you … you'll forget all about me."

  "No. I could never forget you."

  "But you will go on without me."

  "That is entirely up to you."

  "What do you mean?"

  "You know, sweetheart. You can stay as you are and grow old and I will love you. Or you can –"

  "Don't – I – that scares me, August. More than getting old and you getting tired of me. What if I became like you and then you grew tired of me? I'd live forever without you? No."

  "You have so little faith in our love?"

  "I—I don't know. I want to believe but—but my track record doesn't lend itself to promises being kept and …and I don't know that I can get over you, August. You're inside me. Do you understand?"