Wrenching Fate

by Brooklyn Ann

  The vampires stepped closer. Each pulled up their left sleeve. Marcus of Rome sank his fangs in Delgarias’s wrist, Ian bit into Marcus’s wrist and so on, until they’d formed a chain. Silas drank from Razvan’s arm, and all were swept into a vision.

  Delgarias walked in the world with two moons. “Aisthanesthai,” He said in their collective mind. “This world is called Aisthanesthai, and this happened eighteen years ago.”

  Delgarias watched an angel, looking down upon a battlefield strewn with dead angels. Suddenly, the angel’s thoughts became clear to them all.

  The princess looked down upon her decimated kingdom. Her people fought valiantly against Mephistopheles, but they could not win. Luminites, though fearless, are incapable of destruction. Tears ran down her pale cheeks as her vision swam with bloody wings and severed limbs. Thankfully night had fallen, obscuring the tragic sight.

  Her people were all dead. She was the sole survivor, but at what cost? She’d faced Mephistopheles, but instead of killing her he’d thrown her down and raped her, the blood of her kin dripping from his body onto hers.

  Kerainne gagged. She must leave this place before he returned to take this land and merge it to the world he was creating, a world wrought of evil magic and the blood of innocents.

  “Princess!” A voice pierced her wall of silence. “You live! The Prophecy speaks true!” Delgarias hurried towards her. His velvet robe nearly tripped him.

  “Oh, Revered One,” she whispered and collapsed in his arms, not caring how he came to be here.

  His tall form supported her. He took in the aching sight of her bruised body and her torn wings. The pearl and gold feathers were covered in dirt and blood.

  “We must leave now, Kerainne. The Prophecy has spoken. Your unborn daughter must be safe and hidden from Mephistopheles.”

  “I’m going to have a baby?” She looked down at the blood slithering down her ankles and clutched her womb.

  “Yes. And Mephistopheles will know if we don’t hurry. She will be the savior of this world and others. So the Prophecy has told me. You must go to the only place where there is no magic. Mephistopheles cannot find you there.”

  Kerainne’s lower lip trembled. “The Earth realm?”

  Delgarias nodded. “This world is not safe for her now. On Earth she’ll remain undetected until the time comes for her to return. There she will gather allies for a future conflict. We must delay no longer.” He pulled her forward.

  “Enough.” Delgarias commanded and the chain was broken.

  The chamber reverberated with shocked questions. Other worlds? Angels? Mephistopheles? It was too much information with too little explanation. Silas smiled ruefully in remembrance of his earlier meeting with Delgarias.

  And now the Thirteenth Elder was bombarding his cohorts far worse. Silas could see that many of the vampires were terrified at the idea that they were not alone in the universe.

  “Long ago, how long I do not know,” Delgarias began. “Magic existed in abundance on Earth. Dragons, luminites, faelin, and even leprechauns dwelled here along with powerful human sorcerers. Our world was linked with others through many portals and the hub of Earth’s greatest magic was the city of Atlantis.”

  Gasps and murmurs broke out among the audience. Delgarias waited for the noise to die down before continuing. “Then Mephistopheles came. No one knows what he is, or how his power came to be, and no one so far has desired to speculate. All that mattered was that Mephistopheles strove to be a god and he found a way to create his own world by destroying and then absorbing parts of other worlds.

  “Atlantis was among the first of his conquests. When he took that fair city, much magic died. Most of those born with magic in their veins fled earth to avoid the mass persecution of humans.”

  “This is all very enlightening, Monsieur Delgarias,” the Lord of Paris interjected sarcastically, but what does this have to do with us?”

  “Weren’t you listening?” Anastasia, Lord of Moscow hissed. “This Mephistopheles is that creature’s father!” She pointed at Xochitl.

  “Yes, he is.” Delgarias said. “And in a way he is ours as well. He created vampires, you see, to be his first army. It did not work out, however, for we displeased him and he banished our kind to the earth realm, once it was rid of all magic.”

  Razvan nodded. “It appears there is some truth to the old legends.”

  Silas glanced at Selena. She was glaring mutinously at Delgarias. Silas had thought she’d be pleased with the announcement that her “god” and the other world was real, but she was furious. Why?

  “Indeed.” The Elder interrupted his thoughts. “And the time will soon come when war will break out among the worlds, and Mephistopheles will have to face his creations once more. For by his act of raping a luminite, he has sown the seeds of his destruction.”

  The chamber resounded with more questions. Selena whispered furiously at Michael. Silas used the distraction to take Akasha from the guards and move in front of Xochitl, who still slept through the whole thing, despite the quickly rising noise.

  “Silence!” Delgarias commanded. “We would be here for years if we were to discuss everything this girl is and what she will do… and I do not want to tamper with the Prophecy by revealing too much to potentially wrong ears.” His voice echoed in irrefutable command. “Only know that you must all leave Xochitl alone. The time will come when those selected must obey her call. She will travel across this world and others and perhaps even through time itself to gather her allies.

  “And please end this ridiculous trial. Drop all charges against McNaught and let him take his charges home. Dismiss them now, or challenge me.”

  He stepped forward, his glittering eyes narrowed on each in challenge. Lightning crackled from his fingertips.

  Everyone, even Silas, shrank away.

  The Elders had left their gavels up on the podium, so the authority was subdued as they intoned in unison, “So be it. The case is dismissed.”

  For a moment Silas, Razvan, and Akasha stood still, absorbing the shock of being out of harm’s way… and Delgarias’s unsettling news.

  Razvan was the first to recover. With gentleness that Silas didn’t know his maker possessed, he lifted the sleeping Xochitl into his arms.

  Akasha threw her arms around Silas and whispered in his ear, “When we get home, can we do it in the garage first?”

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Akasha squinted in the June sunlight and fidgeted with the white graduation cap. The damn thing refused to stay put.

  “It’s not fair that we have to wear white while the boys get to at least wear blue.” Xochitl complained for the tenth time.

  Akasha laughed. It really was funny how pissed off and uncomfortable her Goth friends looked in the pristine white graduation gowns.

  Beau laughed and threw his arms around them, looking quite handsome in his royal blue gown. “Just feel glad you didn’t go to Lake High. Their colors are supposed to be green and gold. I hear the girls there are wearing piss-yellow gowns.”

  Aurora smiled up at him. “You say the nicest things, Beau. Let’s go smoke a bowl before the ceremony starts. Ya comin’ ‘Xoch?”

  Xochitl shook her head so fervently that her cap fell off. “No, after that weird trip I had in Amsterdam, I’m never touching weed again. I must be allergic to it or something. Besides, I want to wait for Sylvis.”

  When Beau and Aurora left Xochitl turned to Akasha. “It sucks that Silas wasn’t able to come.”

  Akasha shook her head sadly. She’d told them he’d had a business emergency. “He should be out later for the party though.”

  Xochitl nodded, tears in her eyes as she watched parents embracing their classmates. “I wish my mom could be here for this.”

  Akasha put her arm around her. A lump formed in her throat as they watched the families gathering in the parking lot, laughing and smiling together while they headed toward the lawn.

  And here we are; two orphans with nobody.
She shook off the melancholy thought. She had everything a girl could want. Love, money, and the promise of starting her dream career. Xochitl was no lost cause, either.

  She was going to be a famous rock star, and would someday save the world. And with her exquisite looks, she would find love in no time. They didn’t need huge families smothering them with sloppy kisses and giving them flowers and useless paper cards. Still…it would have been nice.

  Xochitl saw Aurora’s and Sylvis’s parents approach and ran to greet them. Akasha lifted the hem of her gown to follow.

  She paused when she spotted a silver-haired man getting out of a blue pickup that looked a lot like the new one she bought for hauling parts.

  There was something familiar about him… something about the set of his broad shoulders and his stride. He headed her direction carrying a dozen white roses. The man stepped onto the lawn, and she could make out his grizzled features. It couldn’t be!

  “Max!” she shouted in disbelief and threw herself into his arms.

  “Spark Plug!” He picked her up in a bear hug and twirled her in the air, dropping the roses. Neither of them cared.

  “How did you get out?” Akasha asked when her feet returned to the ground.

  “Your young man had a great lawyer,” Max said with a grin. “His lawyer convinced the parole board to spring me early and got them to agree to let me come to Idaho. McNaught then told me he took care of them government spooks too.”

  She laughed into his hazel eyes, her own growing misty. Silas was her magic man. She now understood what that Heart song was all about. “Yeah, he did.”

  “All I care about is if he’s treating you right,” Max said gruffly.

  “You know I’d gut him like a sixteen pound trout if he didn’t,” she told him with a straight face. “So was that my truck you drove here?”

  Max nodded. “Yup. Silas said you wouldn’t mind since you only use it for haulin’ parts. Does that mean you’re still wrenchin,’ girl?”

  Akasha nodded, fighting a girlish urge to jump up and down. “Did you see that lovely green Roadrunner in the parking lot? I rebuilt her myself.”

  “I did.” His proud smile warmed her. “You’ve done a beautiful job, Spark Plug.”

  Xochitl returned with Sylvis and her parents, and Akasha introduced him with a vague explanation while Max picked the roses up from the grass.

  “I’ll tell you more about him at the party tonight,” she whispered to Xochitl as they headed inside.

  The ceremony was a drawn-out assembly-like affair with all the accolades going out to the popular kids and a few of the more dedicated nerds. Still, Akasha was filled with triumph and pride as she and her friends collected their diplomas. She could swear Max’s applause was the loudest.

  The party was a sumptuous affair that Akasha had planned herself. She hired caterers and Xochitl’s band to play and invited all of the outcasts in the senior class. It touched her to see them smiling, finally welcome somewhere.

  To their surprise, a few popular kids crashed the party and Akasha welcomed them as well. Their curiosity about the “freaks” was so transparent that it was hard to keep a straight face as she greeted them and gave them a tour of the house.

  Max stared in awe at Rage of Angel’s performance. “Those kids are going places,” he said as he handed her a bottled Coors.

  She nodded and looked out the window for the tenth time. It was finally getting dark.

  “That’s the trouble with dating vampires, Spark Plug,” Max remarked as he opened his own beer. “They’re always late to these sorts of things.”

  Akasha whipped her head around so fast her neck popped. “You know?”

  He winked and clinked his bottle against hers. “I’ve seen a lot of weird shit in my biker days. Don’t tell him I know. It wouldn’t do to aggravate the ancient bloodsucker.”

  Silas came in and Akasha fought back a squeal of delight as she embraced him.

  “Thank you so much for getting Max out of prison,” she whispered and pulled his head down to devour his lips.

  The band stopped playing and Beau nearly dropped his bass. Xochitl and Sylvis dissolved into giggles. Aurora set down her drumsticks and dug into her pocket, frowning.

  “I knew it!” Beau shouted. “I knew you two were an item! You owe me twenty bucks, Aurora.”

  Aurora rolled her eyes and handed him the money. “I hope you two are deliriously happy.”

  Akasha laughed and squeezed Silas tighter as many girls looked on in naked envy. Akasha’s lips curved in a wry, secret smile. Although they likely would react differently if they knew that he’d been my guardian.

  Max coughed.

  “I hate to be ungrateful, McNaught, but I can’t rest easy until I know your intentions towards my little girl. She’s the only daughter I have.” The retired biker’s tone boded ill if the response was not to his liking.

  Silas alternated between accusing looks at her and guilty ones at Max. She decided to take pity on the vampire.

  “Don’t get crabby with Silas, Max.” She fixed her mentor with a stern gaze. “He proposed already, but I don’t want to even think about marriage until I finish college and get my business off the ground.”

  Max nodded. “All right, I suppose that sounds like a wise decision. Just what kind of business were you planning on starting?”

  Akasha’s heart lit up in joy. “I’m going to call it ‘Resurrection Wrenches.’ It will be a full service automotive restoration and repair shop that will be open at night.”

  Her mentor smiled in approval. “Well, that sounds like a promising idea. I’m proud of ya, Spark Plug.”

  “One more thing, Max,” she said.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’ll need a partner.” She winked at him and held out her hand.

  Max’s eyes grew misty before he ignored her hand and crushed her in a bear hug. “You got yourself a deal, girl.”

  Razvan came in, followed by a vampire with waist-length black hair and a face full of piercings. He gestured for everyone to be quiet.

  “This is Dominic Slade,” he announced. “He owns a club called ‘The Mortuary’ in Seattle. He would like to hear Rage of Angels.”

  Xochitl and Beau screeched and jumped up and down. Aurora’s eyes were the size of distributor caps.

  “An audition? Now?” she squeaked.

  Sylvis shrugged her shoulders and giggled nervously. “Why not? Everything is set up.”

  They whispered together for awhile before returning to their positions. Dominic sat down in a chair before the stage with a look of feigned boredom plastered across his features. Akasha wasn’t fooled. She could tell that he was fascinated with them already. His eyes followed Xochitl with an intensity that was laughable.

  “Do you know any Seattle bands?” he asked.

  Xochitl exchanged grins with her band mates. After some silent communication they played Metal Church’s “Beyond the Black.” The song was so hardcore that Silas and Razvan looked scared. The other guests were stunned silent. Dominic, however, had misty eyes.

  “I’ve never heard anything more beautiful in my life! Could you play ‘The Dark’?”

  Rage of Angels’ career was sealed. Akasha relaxed in the circle of her lover’s arms and smiled at her friends as she thought: So this is what “Happily Ever After” feels like!

  Epilogue

  Four years later

  Silas laid out the wedding photographs, ready to place them in the white leather embossed album. If he didn’t get them organized, no one else would. Akasha was out at her favorite tavern playing darts with Max. Silas was still exhausted from the honeymoon and happy to stay at home to attend to this poignant chore.

  They’d spent a month in Europe. Silas even worked up the courage to take Akasha to his homeland of Scotland. It was a bittersweet experience, made better with her fascination. She was moved to tears when he showed her the ruins of his castle. But his new wife was a delight when she bought him a kilt and devoure
d haggis like a native.

  Many Lords had insisted they enjoy their hospitality, but Silas and Akasha snatched as many nights alone as they could. The other vampires were incessant with their questioning him and Akasha about the prophecy, Xochitl, and the coming war.

  Nothing had happened so far, besides Xochitl’s band becoming a world-wide phenomenon practically overnight.

  However, Silas had a deep feeling they were languishing in an eerie calm before a storm. Something was going to happen, he knew it in his bones and the feeling was growing so intense that his chest was tight and it was getting increasingly difficult to breathe.

  He turned his attention back to the photos. Here was one of his bride looking mutinous as the wedding coordinator adjusted her gown. His heart warmed. It was hard to believe that after five centuries, he finally found the love of his life.

  Here was another picture of her forcing the paparazzi away from Xochitl and the band. Her spine was straight and head was up in a distinctly militant pose, just like the general that Delgarias said she would be.

  His brow furrowed. Someday Akasha would lead a war, at Xochitl’s side. She didn’t seem to be alarmed by this portent and Silas didn’t know if it was because she didn’t believe it, or if it was because she didn’t understand how bloody and awful war could be. Silas had fought enough battles to understand what war could do to a person’s body, mind, and even soul. He wished with all his heart that he could protect her from that knowledge even as he knew that she was strong enough to handle it. Hell, she was the strongest person he had ever met.

  The phone rang, startling him. The photo album slipped off the desk as Silas reached to answer.

  “McNaught Finance.” He tried to hide his irritation as he caught the album before it crashed to the floor.

  Razvan’s voice was grave on the other line. “Selena has taken Post Falls.”