Dark Heritage Trilogy

by Hoffman, Samantha

“Werewolves are notorious for being with many women. Probably because they’re such amazing lovers. It’s a werewolf thing. They’re stronger, faster, and have better endurance than normal human men. But they also tend to be the most faithful when they find that “special one”. Then they stay with that person for the rest of their lives.”

  “What special one?”

  “When werewolves fall in love, they go through a mating process. During sex, a werewolf will bite their mate to mark them–don’t worry, it doesn’t her for some reason I don’t understand–and then the two are bonded for life, and the werewolf becomes completely faithful. They’d do anything for their mates, including die for them. It’s very intense and beautiful.”

  I thought about that for a minute. “So, someday Finn is going to be completely faithful to just one woman?” I snorted. “Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it. So, what else is special about all of these different supernatural beings?”

  “Well, fairies like me can use magic and speak with animals. We can fly, and some can even create light with their minds. The more powerful ones can create illusions or read people’s minds.”

  “How do fairies live? Do you guys have like a private neighborhood that you all live together in? Or do you live together in a forest?”

  “We typically live in forests, in treetop villages way out of human sight. Even if a human gets anywhere near our villages, we have magic spells that enable us to turn them away and kind of erase their memories of our forest. They return home thinking they found nothing but trees and rocks.”

  “What about vampires?”

  “Well, vampires are the most different kind of supernatural. No supernatural ages after adulthood, but a vampire is the only one that stops aging when they get turned. A vampire could be five hundred years old and look like a six year old if that’s how old they were when they got turned. They also have to drink the blood of others to sustain themselves. If they stop, they get tired and become less tolerant of the sunlight, and they get slower and weaker.”

  “Ok, what about shapeshifters?”

  “Shapeshifters are humans that can take the shape of usually just one animal. Though a certain few have the ability to take the shape of any animal they want. They tend to live in packs of the same animal. Jaguars live with jaguars, lions live with lions, and so on…they also have enhanced speed and agility.”

  “And witches?”

  “Witches and sorcerers have the ability to use magic through the use of ancient artifacts and arcane spells. They sometimes have the ability to see the future, or look into the minds of others. Witches tend to be better at defensive spells, and sorcerers tend to be better at offensive spells. Nobody’s really sure why. But other than magic, they have no other gifts. They’re not stronger or faster than normal humans.”

  “What other kinds are there?” I asked, purposely avoiding asking her about necromancers. Nancy explained a lot to me earlier, but I didn’t feel like learning more about it at the moment.

  “Well, there are nymphs. They’re very shy and usually avoid humans, but when they do come around us, they’re very overtly sexual creatures. Seriously, they’ll have sex with anything so long as it has a pulse. There are also demons.”

  “Demons?”

  “Well, demons are horrible, disfigured monstrosities. They usually rape human women and impregnate them, resulting in half demons. They look human, but have secret monstrous forms. You know things like talons, wings, and tentacles. They can usually move things with their minds, and they have the ability to shift into their demon form. They call it “tapping into their demon heritage”.

  “Have you ever seen a demon before?”

  She shuddered. “Yes, and it was truly terrifying. There’s powerful and when they unleash their demon heritage, they tend to lose control and be unpredictable. They’ll kill anyone in their path. You haven’t asked me about necromancers. Or were you saving them for last?”

  I sighed. “An old friend of my mother’s explained some things to me, but not everything. It’s just that, well, with everything that’s happened, I’m not really sure if I want to know what I’m capable of.”

  “Ronnie, there’s nothing wrong with you,” Tanya said again. “Anyways, necromancers have the ability to see the ghosts of those that have died recently. Some ghosts hang around for longer than others. Some powerful necromancers can use talismans of power, like the one you’re wearing around your neck, to call spirits back into their bodies–temporarily of course. They can also use a more powerful spell to permanently raise the dead into mindless zombies that will do whatever is ordered of them. You may not look it, but you’re actually very powerful.”

  A shiver ran through my. “Hooray.”

  “Oh, Ronnie, I know you’re unhappy now, but I think with time you’ll find that being a supernatural being is actually quite fun. Living forever might seem like a bad thing at first, but it gets easier with a little time. Plus, being powerful in our community is a very good thing. People tend to judge based on power.”

  “So, how long until I can come out? Or am I going to be locked in here for the rest of my life?”

  “You’ve actually been able to leave for like the last twenty minutes. I was supposed to come here and tell you that, but we got talking. I figured you could use a friendly ear to listen. But now I can take you down to our cafeteria and get you something to eat.”

  Tanya led me down to a small, brightly lit room that looked like a cafeteria, and I tried to memorize all the different hallways and doors for when I made my escape. There were just so many ways to go, I knew I’d never be able to leave this place without help of some kind, and with Finn following us, escape would be impossible. He was almost two doors behind us at all times, but I knew he was close enough to hear and see everything we said or did.

  The cafeteria looked much like the one at my high school, with a few round tables scattered around the room, each with eight chairs circled around them. Right now, there were only five or six other people seated at tables, and the redheaded boy from earlier was one of them. Tanya led us right over to that table, and the boy looked up at us.

  Tanya motioned to a chair, and I took a seat. “I’ll go get us some food. Ezra, introduce yourself.”

  He flashed me a crooked smile. “My name’s Ezra Lord. It sounds kind of pompous, I know.” I giggled and he shook my hand. “I don’t know what Tanya might have told you, but I’ll just go ahead and say it. I’m a half-demon, with the ability to move things with my mind.”

  As I watched, a fork slid across the table and right into his outstretched hand. He waved it in front of my face, and I realized my jaw was hanging open. I shut it with an audible click, and he chuckled. “I love getting that reaction from people.”

  “That’s really cool,” I admitted nervously. I wasn’t sure how I felt about meeting new supernatural beings, since some of them were currently holding me against my will, but Tanya seemed to like him. If she liked him, he couldn’t be too bad of a person.

  Tanya came back with two trays of food and she sat one down in front of me. It was pretty basic food like you would find in a high school cafeteria, but after going for so long without food, I practically inhaled the entire plate. I might have asked for seconds, if Tanya and Ezra weren’t both watching me with amazed looks on their faces.

  When I finished, I pushed the tray away, and looked at Tanya. “How long has it been since I was kidnapped?”

  She flinched at that word. “Um, I think it’s been like twelve hours or something like that. It’s almost dinner time right now.”

  “My foster family is going to miss me,” I said. “Or did the people that abducted me leave a fake note saying I’d run away with none of my things or any money to survive?”

  “I’m not entirely sure,” Tanya said. “But I’m sure you’ll be home soon enough. Just give the Council some time to make sure you’re not a threat to us. Once they see that you’re just an ordinary necromancer, you’ll be free to go h
ome and get back to your life.”

  I sighed. “I wanna go home now, though. I really miss my cat. He sleeps with me every night and I feel kind of lost without him.”

  “You know, there are a few cats that hang around here. We have another necromancer in the building and they follow her around like you would not believe. Well, I guess you would believe, since they probably follow you, too.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I usually have at least four or five cats following me, but Two Socks is the most constant of them. He always comes around. In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t found me here yet. How far away from my home are we right now?”

  “Well, I think it’s about a twenty minute drive from your home. We have a secret compound in the middle of the woods, where we’re much less likely to get non-supernatural visitors. There are spells to repel humans from the area. It’s better if people can’t find us.”

  “Why? You guys look human.” Except for the wings…

  “Yeah, but there are other supernaturals out there that don’t like to live by our more civilized rules, and they’re a threat to us. It’s best to stay hidden from them as well, since they mean us harm.”

  “Has there ever been an attack here before?”

  “Nope,” Tanya said with a smile. “There are some really powerful beings here, and they wouldn’t dare attack us here at our compound. Of course, they’d have to find us before they could even consider attacking, and that’ll never happen. We’re very secretive with our location.”

  “I know. Someone put a bag over my head while they were abducting me.” I hated the slightly hard edge to my voice, because it made Tanya look upset, but I couldn’t help it. I was kidnapped, and I wanted them to know I was angry about it.

  Tanya patted me on the back, and when I looked at her, I noticed Finn standing against the far wall of the cafeteria, watching me with an attentive stare. “I’m sorry about all of this, but after a while here, you’ll begin to understand. We don’t do these things because we have to. There are powerful supernatural beings out there, like this necromancer we’re looking for, that use their gifts for bad instead of good. We have to take every precaution we can.”

  “Right.” I didn’t really understand why she or the others thought these bad supernaturals were a problem, but I didn’t really care. I was determined not to be a part of this world, and I wouldn’t get involved in their dispute that had nothing to do with me.

  Chapter Ten

  After dinner, Tanya showed me around the rest of the compound, and I was actually a little impressed. I didn’t want to be, because I had no intention of staying, but I couldn’t help but gawk at all the rooms they had. There were a dozen of rooms for some of the more permanent residents that stayed there, including Finn, Tanya, Ezra, and Holly.

  “How does Holly find her, uh…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence and I just trailed off.

  “Victims?” Ezra asked with a smile. He was walking beside Tanya, but looking at me. “There are plenty of people here that don’t mind being fed on, though Holly does have particular tastes that aren’t always filled here.” Tanya scowled and Ezra continued. “Holly is particularly fond of feeding from fairies. They have so much magic in their blood that it takes much sweeter than other blood.”

  “Do vampires ever force people to feed them?”

  “Sometimes. Most don’t though. Holly doesn’t have to. She’s beautiful and alluring and most people fall for that, like the vampire that forcibly turned her. There are some like him that force their victims to sustain them,” Ezra said darkly. “We don’t like those kinds of vampires. They’re not welcome here.”

  “Do they kill people?”

  “Yes,” Ezra said, frowning. “They think it’s their right to feed and kill indiscriminately. They’re very fast and very powerful, and they know there isn’t a lot that can stop them.”

  We walked in silence for a few minutes, until I realized where Tanya and Ezra were leading me. The double doors to the Council room appeared and they stepped aside. Tanya frowned. “Good luck, Ronnie. I hope they have some good news for you.”

  I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. The three Council members were sitting at their high table, and they regarded me with carefully neutral expressions. The man in the middle, Marcel Trent, almost looked a little sad, and I knew they’d most likely reached a decision I wouldn’t like or agree with.

  “Veronica, this Council has been deliberating about you for some time now, and we’ve finally reached a decision. As of this moment, we are unsure of the powers you may or may not possess, and we have no idea how the choices your mother made have affected you. Therefore, we are left with no choice but to keep you here under observation for the time being. You will begin training with the only other necromancer that resides here. When we are sure of your abilities and your threat to us, we will meet again, and your fate will be decided.”

  “You can’t do this!” I said, exploding. “I’m a human being with rights that you can’t just violate like this. You can’t hold me here against my will anymore. I wanna go home and I wanna go right this instant!” I shouted, stamping my foot again. “I’m leaving with or without your permission.”

  Marcel Trent sighed. “No, Veronica, you’re not. This Council has spoken, and you will not go against our word. Any attempt to escape will just result in you being here much longer. Do yourself a favor, and just train your powers while we review you. It’ll be the best thing for you to do.”

  I clenched my hands. “You can’t do this!” I hissed.

  “This Council has spoken,” Lisa Valentine said somberly. “Do not defy us on this, Veronica. It will do you no good. Return to your room for the night and your training will begin in the morning.”

  I wanted to stay and fight with them, but I knew it would do me no good. These three people had my entire future in their hands and nothing I could say would convince them to let me go anytime soon. For now, I’d have to return to my room here, go through with the training, pretend to be ok with everything, and then make my escape the first chance I could get. I’d be safe at home before they even realized I had planned the whole thing.

  I just had to find a way to ditch Finn, who was standing at the back of the Council room like a fly on the wall, watching and listening to everything I said and did. With his enhanced senses and strength, he would be impossible to beat in a fight, or outrun, or hide from. It would take time and careful planning to get rid of him.

  I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room, wishing I could slam the doors to emphasize my anger. Tanya and Ezra were waiting for me outside the Council room and she jumped when I marched out. “That didn’t take very long,” she said worriedly. “Is everything alright?”

  “I’m gonna be held prisoner here until they decide I’m safe to release. How can they do this?”

  “They’re powerful, and they’re in charge of making sure nothing happens to our community. I’m sorry you don’t wanna be here, but it’s really not so bad. I’m sure after a few days you’ll eventually like it here. I’ve been here for two years, and I can’t imagine ever wanting to live anywhere else again. This is home for me.”

  “Well, I don’t belong here. I’m not a danger to anyone, Tanya. I’ve never raised the dead, and I wouldn’t have the faintest clue how to do it. I’m not going to raise an undead army and try to take over the world. I just wanna go home and get on with my life.”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure the Council will reach that decision soon enough. Until then, you just have to accept that this is what is gonna happen, and try to make the most of a shitty situation. But at least now you’ll get to stay long enough to actually get to know me! I can show you around and help you get used to the idea of being a necromancer.”

  “Right.”

  Tanya took me back to my room so I could think about everything that had happened. Before she left she promised me that everything would get better, even if I didn’t believe it now. Then she and Ezra were
gone and I was left alone in my small room that felt more like a prison cell than anything.

  There was nothing to do but sit on my bed and wait for my training to begin in the morning. Even though I was bored and alone, it took me almost until midnight to fall asleep, and I had strange dreams all night long. The most prominent feature to my dreams was a strange pair of eyes watching me from the trees–eyes that looked oddly like Finn’s pale blue ones.

  *****

  In the morning, Ezra and Tanya came for me, and they took me down to the cafeteria for breakfast. I couldn’t see Finn, but I knew he was probably around somewhere, watching and waiting for me to do something he could get me in trouble for.

  Holly joined us this time. She didn’t eat anything, but she sipped quietly at a water bottle full of a dark red liquid that could only be one thing. I knew it was probably not polite, but I couldn’t help but stare at her as she took another sip. When she pulled her lips away from the bottle, they were stained red with blood, and she licked them appreciatively.

  Tanya began talking rapidly, trying to keep my attention off of Holly, but it didn’t work. I just sat there and watched her slurp down someone else’s blood like it was a juice box, and my stomach started to roll, threatening to bring back everything I just ate. I closed my eyes and fought the urge to puke, and I almost succeeded.

  Until Holly said, “Mmm, O negative is the best. Hey newbie, want some?”

  My stomach clenched painfully and I just barely made it to the nearest trashcan in time. Tanya held my hair for me while I puked, and I could practically feel her glaring at Holly over my head. “That wasn’t funny Holly. You should know better than to torment someone so new.”

  When I was done, Tanya led me from the cafeteria. “I’m sorry about her. She’s a little…crude…sometimes. It’s a part of being a vampire. She is going to live forever and she’ll probably feed from a million people during that time. It gives you a weird perspective of death and blood. But I’ll talk to her about not upsetting you.”