by Martha Woods
Calla inhaled and shook her head, “Let’s do it then.”
* * *
Having an approximate time for the fight made everything feel all the more real. That night and the following day, even as she was donating her blood, Calla tried to make the most of her time. She knew there was an actual possibility that she wouldn’t walk away from the fight. It was a huge brawl between the Calder and Firehaven and vampires—there were bound to be casualities on both sides. So she laid with Jared for as long as she could, cuddling into him and trying to memorize every detail of his voice and body. Calla could tell he held her extra tight, as though it was for sure the last time he would hold her. She managed to sleep, and thankfully didn’t have any visitors in her dream.
Then, when evening came again, Calla gave more of her blood. Even with having slept and keeping hydrated and fed, it took a heavy toll on Calla. Her body still hadn’t had enough time to recover from the large amount she had donated just a day prior. By the time the bag was filled, it was time to leave for the farmhouse. Jared kept his arm locked around her waist to help steady her as the group made their way down to the cars.
“Ally and the others are meeting us there. We should all get there right at the same time,” Veronica announced as she climbed into the passenger seat of the black SUV they were riding in. “Any word from your sister, Calla?”
Jared helped Calla into the seat in the very back, Kristian and Tessa sitting in the middle row. Calla rested a hand on her face as she tried to organize her thoughts to reply to Veronica. “Yeah. They are going to give the Calder the slip around 4 a.m., and come to us. As long as everything is timed right, the Calder should arrive right at dawn.”
“Perfect,” Veronica beamed, holding Morgan’s hand as he started to drive.
Jared pulled Calla to rest her head on his shoulder. She could feel his worry. Calla truly wish she could soothe his woes, but to do so would be to give him false hope. Knowing Jared, that wouldn’t comfort him in the slightest. Leaning into his embrace, Calla just tried to enjoy the time they had together before the shit hit the fan. She wasn’t the religious type, but she found herself praying to any deity that would listen, to keep them all safe.
About half way through the car ride, Tessa turned in her seat and spoke to Calla, “I’ve been practicing everything you showed me. I really think I’m getting the hang of firebending. Blocking thoughts is still hard, but I’m starting to be able to do it one thought at a time. Kristian’s been helping me all he can with it.”
Calla gave a weary smile, glad to hear that someone was helping her while she went through the bleeding process. As she thought over all Tessa said, a sudden realization hit her. Gasping loudly, Calla sat straight up, “Oh my god, I didn’t make you a charm.”
Tessa’s eyes widened too, “Oh no… I totally forgot… I would have reminded you…”
“It’s my fault,” Calla said, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry… I’ll perform the spell just before the fight, and hopefully it sticks.”
Tessa didn’t look convinced but nodded, turning back around in her seat. Calla could feel her sudden fear, making guilt riddle Calla. Jared’s arm tightened around Calla and he kissed her hair, “You can’t blame yourself, sweetheart. You’ve been through a lot the last few days.”
She shook her head, “It was a priority to make that charm. I shouldn’t have let myself forget it.”
“You can’t blame yourself for forgetting something, Calla. Mistakes happen. There is no going back to fix it, so you shouldn’t harbor on it.”
Calla sighed, “You’re right… I just know that if anything happens where she needs that charm—”
“Then it’d be unfortunate and still not your fault. We are all here to protect Tessa and our family. We would all be at fault if something were to happen. You can’t put it all on yourself. You’ll go crazy.”
“I think it’s a little late for that,” Calla joked. Jared smiled, making her mirror him. “Thank you,” she breathed to him. He seemed to always know exactly what to say to calm her down and bring her back to Earth.
“Don’t mention it,” he purred, kissing her head again.
After just a while longer, the SUV came to a stop. Calla’s eyes searched for the details of the house through the darkness as she climbed out of the car. Clouds completely blocked out the moon, making the field the house resided in pitch black. Several other cars and vans pulled into the driveway, the head lights illuminating the farmhouse. The large home was painted off-white with a long, wrap-around porch. It looked like it was made entirely out of wood, making Calla a little uneasy. They had picked a tinderbox to have a battle at.
Her thoughts must have been written all over her face, Jared spoke to her, “It was the only property in the countryside around here that anyone owned.”
Calla nodded, “It’s just…”
“Dangerous, I know,” Jared sighed.
He grabbed her hand and guided her into the house with the others. The lights were turned on, antique décor filled the house. Quilts and doilies were draped over all the couches, chairs, and lamps. It truly looked like a home straight from the nineteenth century. “Who owns it?” Calla asked.
Jared made a face, “Nolan.”
“Huh. Well at least I won’t feel bad if it burns to the ground,” Calla teased, gaining a grin from Jared. He leaned down and gave her a small peck on the lips.
“I heard that,” Nolan called as he walked through the door.
“I don’t care,” Calla retorted.
As he passed them, he reached to brush a hand against her back, but Jared quickly moved her out of his reach. “No need to be so bitter. Although I’m sure it’s not your fault. I’m assuming Jared’s filled your pretty little head with all kinds of lies.”
“Don’t have to take it out on Jared that I’m not interested in you at all,” Calla told him cheerfully.
Nolan snorted, “You look like you’re a day away from death. I wouldn’t be interested even if you were painted to look as though you had some life in you.”
“Watch it, Nolan,” Jared snapped.
Nolan gave a wicked grin, closing the distance between them quickly and sprung one of Calla’s hair. “I look forward to tasting your blood, witch.” Then, he turned on a heel and walked away before Jared could attack him.
A shiver ran down Calla’s back, unnerved by the interaction. “If he wasn’t such a skilled fighter, I would switch your blood out for human blood for him and let him burst into flames,” Jared muttered to her.
“I would do the same,” Calla agreed.
The house filled with about thirty vampires. It was such a diverse group, it really blew Calla away. Besides Nolan and Jared, everyone seemed to live rather harmonously. They all had the same goal: to keep one another, and the ones they loved, safe. It was beautiful to see people from all different backgrounds to come together to get through their eternal lives.
It became a game of music chairs as they waited for the witches to arrive. With so many people, there didn’t seem to be enough places for people to sit. If you stood up, someone was going to slide in your spot right away. Calla and Jared were rooted to their spots on a loveseat in the den, Veronica, Morgan, Kristian, and Tessa sitting around them. Thankfully, all of the others were leaving them alone. Although lively chatter filled the rest of the house, the den was dead silent.
They were all weighed down by the realization it could all be their last night together, each of them in a newly blossomed relationship. The couples that roamed around the rest of the house had long since come to terms with the thought of death. Calla hadn’t in the slightest. Before Deidre came into her life, Calla didn’t really have any drama at all. She planned to live to be one of the elders, old and wrinkly with an herb garden to grow the ingredients for her potions. Probably own a lot of cats, too. But now, it was as though she lived on the cusp of death. Part of her had hoped she would be used to the fear by then, but Calla hadn’t even begun to come to terms with
the notion of death.
Then, out of seemingly nowhere, Tessa burst into tears. All eyes were on her as Kristian held her close to his chest and rubbed her back. “Tessa, baby, what is wrong?” Kristian purred to her. That was the first time Calla had ever heard him use a pet name for her.
Tessa sobbed uncontrollably. Even if she wanted to speak, Tessa wouldn’t have been able to. Calla stood from her place and paced over to Tessa. Sitting on the arm of the couch, Calla drew symbols into Tessa’s shoulder blade with the tip of her finger, muttering a spell under her breath. It was a mood altering spell, Calla being able to influence Tessa’s aura. Of course, Calla sent her positive vibes and feelings of peace and happiness.
Within moments, Tessa’s crying began to ease. At least enough for her to talk. “This is all my fault,” she cried, her voice still muffled from her facing being buried in Kristian’s chest. “If it wasn’t for me, none of this would be happening. Calla wouldn’t have had to get the blood drained out of her, the Firehaven witches wouldn’t be coming to risk their lives for me, and neither would any of you.”
“Calm down,” Kristian breathed to her. “Veronica and I, and many of the others, have been on the run from the Calder long before you were even born, Tessa. We would be fighting them in some form or other. Honestly, it may be fate or something at play. This battle may have needed to happen, and us have help from the Firehavens. The Calder are evil, vicious creatures and need to be stopped.”
“I’m half Calder,” Tessa informed him. Calla mentally groaned, momentarily wishing she would have never told Tessa. She feared word would get out and the Firehavens would turn against her as well, despite it being against their own best interest.
Kristian’s eyes bugged for a moment before his face fell flat again, “That doesn’t mean a thing. You aren’t cruel like them. You don’t go around killing innocent people and spreading evil.”
“I don’t want people to die because of me,” Tessa clarified, her voice showing her distress even though her tears were coming to a halt with the help of Calla’s spell.
Kristian pushed her shoulders back and then lifted her chin to look her square in the eye, “Everyone here knows exactly what they came here to do, and the risks it involved. Even if they despised you, which they don’t, they wouldn’t want you dying at the hands of the Calder. Them obtaining your power would be bad for everyone. Understand? Just because some prophecy predicted it to happen, doesn’t mean that it will. You know how I know?”
“How?” Tessa asked, her lips in a pout and her eyes glossy.
“It didn’t say anything about me, and I’ll be damned before I live to see them hurt you.”
Calla had to actually keep herself from awing aloud. That was the sweetest thing Calla had ever heard. She watched with glistening eyes as Kristian and Tessa embraced, Tessa finally calming down from her hysteria. Slowly, Tessa lifted her head from Kristian and peered around to the others, “Do you all really feel that way?”
“Of course,” Veronica replied.
“Without a doubt,” Jared commented.
Calla nodded in agreement.
Tessa sat up on her own and wiped her face with her sleeve, “I’m sorry to have caused such a scene… It’s just so much to process.”
“No one is upset with you, kiddo,” Morgan called over. “None of us can imagine what you’re going through.”
Tessa smiled weakly at him and nodded.
Then, not even a minute later, Calla could feel her sister’s presence. Calla stood up, “My clan is here,” she announced.
Jared was in front of her then, helping her to her feet. Calla was still weak from the blood loss, but she was recovering pretty well considering the circumstances. He helped her through the house, the others close behind. As they stepped outside, Calla’s heart pounded in her ears. After the last talk with her sister, Calla didn’t even want to see her clan. Calla knew that Flora would be the one to be the most upset, but she had also expected her to be the fastest to forgive. Flora couldn’t even say she loved Calla anymore. It was probably a good thing Jared was having to help her outside; Calla would have just hidden away if she didn’t.
A gray mini-van pulled up to the house, parking with the other cars that littered the front yard. The group of vampires stood on the porch, waiting for the witches to make their way over to them. As the women moved around the cars, Calla’s eyes immediately landed on her sister. Flora was a year older than Calla, but looked almost identical to her. Her sister was just a couple inches taller, a bit thinner, her nose was a bit bigger, and her hair was a reddish brown instead of fiery auburn like Calla’s.
A dozen Firehaven witches came onto the porch, Flora staring Calla down but didn’t utter a word.
“Good morning,” Abigail, one of the other witches, spoke. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Tessa. We all knew your mother very well and absolutely adored her.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Tessa smiled weakly.
“We managed to sneak away from the Calder about an hour ago. I suspect they’ll be here right at 6 a.m.,” Abigail told Tessa.
“Thank you,” Tessa nodded at her. “I really appreciate you all being willing to help.”
“Of course. We would never want the Calder to hurt one of our own,” Gretchen, another witch, called to her.
All of them started to move into the house. Flora was the last one to remain standing still in the group of witches, her eyes never faltering from Calla’s. As soon as Flora turned to follow the others, Calla let out a pained breath. None of the other witches had even looked at her, and Flora didn’t speak to her at all. It was as though Calla no longer existed to the clan.
“They’ll come around one day,” Jared breathed to her, heading to the door with her.
“I hope you’re right,” Calla sighed.
* * *
Everything was falling right into place. Just before sunrise, everyone but Kristian, Tessa, the demon Charley, and two vampires, were hidden in the meadow behind the house. They laid on their bellies, the tops of their heads hidden by the tall grass and flowers. Every vampire waited with a flask of Calla’s blood, instructed to drink the entire container just as the sun began to peak beyond the horizon. Calla had put the thought-blocking spell on Tessa just before heading outside, and she prayed that it lasted through the fight.
The group of vampires and witches were laid out like a true army. Witches, which were fragile but had a long-ranged attack were in the very back, furthest from the house. The largest and strongest vampires were in the front, ready to block and take the most damage. The fastest ones came right after, followed by the regular warriors. Calla’s mind jumped from worrying about the spell on Tessa lasting, to obsessing over Jared’s safety. He was in the center of the front line, in the most vulnerable spot in the entire field. Jared swore to her that he would be fine, he knew what he was doing. And yet Calla found herself unable to believe those words. Her gut was telling her he was going to wind up extremely hurt being there.
Being so far away from him didn’t help at all. Even though she swore to never read his thoughts again, Calla really couldn’t stop herself from tuning in. Just hearing his inner voice soothed her nerves. He was thinking warm thoughts of Calla, using the idea of her to keep his mind from worrying over the battle. He was confident in his abilities, which didn’t surprise Calla at all, but he did worry over Calla’s safety.
Keep her safe, Lord. No matter what happens to me, just keep her safe, Jared thought. Calla immediately blocked his thoughts once again, not wanting to read into too personal of territory. Even to her, listening to someone’s prayers crossed a line. The smile didn’t fade from her lips, though. He was praying for her safety. Kristian’s sweet moment from earlier was instantly topped by Jared’s thoughts. She was starting to wonder if maybe something was going to come of their relationship.
Those thoughts really helped her not focus on the feeling of impending doom. She managed to stay in her own little world until she n
oticed the sky start to brighten. Peaking her head out a bit, she could spot a few elbows poking out of the grass as the vampires all tipped back their flasks of Calla’s blood. It was a strange sight, especially for Calla. She laid her head back down, not wanting to be spotted by any approaching Calder.
A few minutes later, Calla could feel a sudden influx of tension in the air. The Calder were near by, she could sense them. She laid perfectly still until she heard a clash of screeching and hissing. Jumping to her feet, she witnessed hell already unraveling around her. The first two waves of vampires had charged the Calder witches, managing to instantly kill several of them as the witches swarmed around the farmhouse. The Calder all started to charge into the backyard, taking on the group of vampires and Firehavens head on.
Calla began to launch fire at incoming Calder, striking down at least one she could see. Soon, they were having to back up, there being more Calder than they had originally anticipated. There had to be at least sixty witches in their pack. She launched fire attacks as rapidly and as skillfully as she could. Because Calla was weak, her flames were as well, but that didn’t keep her from trying.
As she dodged an attack, Calla caught sight of Jared out of the corner of her eye. A Calder witch was tackling him to the ground, screaming at the top of her lungs in his face. Moving in a panic, Calla rushed toward him, striking the witch with multiple attacks. The witch’s attention was on Calla then, racing toward her. Her eyes moved back to see the other one that had just attacked Calla, aimed for as well. Panic set in, locking her knees as she couldn’t decide what to do. With the force of a moving car, Nolan tackled Calla to the ground to get her out of the way of the incoming enemies. With her hidden in the tall grass, Nolan attacked the two creatures. Calla watched, frozen in fear, as Nolan masterfully fought them. It was like he could see their next moves before they ever made them. Jared was right, Nolan was an amazing warrior.
A cold hand grabbed hers and pulled her to her feet. Calla found Jared’s pale blue eyes peering down at her, “Are you alright?” he asked, concern oozing in his tone.