by Alice Sweet
Autumn smiled weakly and replied, “Yes it’s been a long day, and my head is starting to thump.” Ivan opened the passenger door and Autumn hesitated, “No I think I will drive, it will be easier for me to follow my mind.” Ivan nodded and Grayton jumped into the back while she made her way around the car. Ivan sat stiffly and watched her closely.
Grayton watched Ivan and Autumn felt the tension building and finally snapped, “Listen you two are going to just have to suck it up for a bit. Because the tension in such a small place is stifling for me so sit back and relax, think soothing thoughts. Or I swear I am going to sing and you will both be holding hands and looking lovingly into each others eyes, so help me.”
Both men looked at her surprised, and Grayton said dryly, “Sorry.” She shot a look at Ivan who stared straight ahead unmoving. Autumn smiled gloriously, as she put the car in drive, thinking a stream of profanity in her head.
Minutes later she parked her car in front of an all night diner, and opened the door. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment and saw the glow still pulsing off of Grayton and nothing coming from Ivan. She opened them to find Ivan by her side again looking down at her from the open door. He asked, “You are tired?”
She smiled lying, “No I am fine just trying to adjust to the thumping.” Ivan nodded and then looked up at Grayton who was standing on the other side of the car still watching. Autumn slid her hand out and Ivan helped her to her feet.
Autumn looked over at Grayton and watched him attempting not to watch, so she smirked and snuck a peck to Ivan. He smiled at her unexpected quirk and then she tugged him playfully towards the diner. Autumn sat down at the largest table in the back corner and she cleared her throat as the waitress dropped the menus off at the table and walked off without even greeting them. Autumn slid her hand up to her temple and said, “Grayton can you dim the lights a bit love? My head is pounding and the light isn’t making it any better.”
Grayton blew out the bank of florescent lights near the table and looked at her to see if he needed to do anymore and Autumn smiled weakly and waved, “Thank you love.” Ivan shifted in his seat again as Flanagan’s friend walked through the door. Autumn smiled brightly, and waved at him to come to the table. He hesitated but the thumping continued to pull him forward again. Autumn watched his attempt to slow down sweat pouring down his face as his eyes widened.
Autumn slid over Ivan’s lap and stood in front of the table telling her companion’s stay here. Flanagan’s friend seemed less alarmed by Autumn by herself, so she closed the distance alone. The two men moved to either side of the booth waiting for her command to jump. Autumn ignored them and began by apologizing to the man immediately, “I am sorry that I brought you here and I know that you must be a bit confused.” The male growled low at the two men at the table and she continued, “But I am a friend of Flanagan’s and he trusted you, so I am asking you on his behalf to protect me.”
The male stopped growling instantly and looked at Autumn bewildered, and Autumn smiled and continued, “I know that you of all people would be happy to see Mirth dethroned so to speak, and I am here to make that happen.” He eyed her suspiciously then and huffed disbelieving, and she replied frowning, “I know that I may not look like much, but I am the next eye.” The male leaned forward and sniffed her and then huffed again. “I know that this sounds bizarre but I can prove that I am who I say I am.” He huffed again, and Autumn beckoned him to come and have a seat with them.
This time he did not move and Autumn huffed, “Fine, you and I can sit up at the counter and talk.” He nodded still eyeing the two males, and Autumn sat in between him and the other two males. Autumn smiled then and stuck her hand out introducing herself, “My name is Autumn what is yours?”
He looked at her again, “You do not know my name?”
Autumn continued smiling, “No Flanagan did not tell me your name, he was busy the last time I saw you.” The man watched her and listened to Autumn explain the various lives, and her dilemma with Mirth and Gregory.
Then she ended with, “So my name is Autumn what is yours?”
The man replied slowly, “West.”
Then Autumn replied, “Thank you for listening to my story West, now that you know, I can explain the part where you come in.”
West frowned looking over at the two seated behind her, “I come in?”
She frowned, “Grayton had no idea about the attack when he left, I tasted him to verify his story. He didn’t even find out until two weeks after it was already over.”
West nodded, and looked at Ivan, “And the other?”
Autumn smiled again, “Ivan is my mate, bonded and loyal to me.”
West nodded, “Nice choice.”
She frowned not understanding, “Why do you say that?”
“Ivan there is Mirth’s top soldier, with him protecting you, you will have a good chance of making it through the first stage alive.”
Autumn nodded, “But once Mirth becomes aware of it he will likely bring an army to defeat him.”
West nodded, “If he finds him.”
“I think it is best to assume the worst. Mirth already knows I am awake and that I escaped his men and Ivan has not returned. If he hasn’t already made the connection he soon will.” West nodded and was about too speak when Autumn cut him off, “I will give you a seat on my council once I awake and finish off Mirth.”
West nodded, “Yes, so why are we still here?”
She smiled, “I have a few more people to meet with like yourself and I need to rally them before leaving town and laying down to rest.”
West replied, “Well then we should at least keep moving.”
Autumn nodded, “Alright but Sophia is close and I want to wait for her then we can leave.”
West smiled politely, “Very well,” Autumn ordered a coffee and a water and the two sat silently waiting for Sophia.
Minutes later the door opened, sending a swish of cold air and bells jingling into the silent diner. As it closed, Sophia looked around the diner nervously spotting Autumn quickly. The look of relief was instantaneous and Autumn smiled wide, and greeting her warmly. West watched the two and Autumn smirked at him noting his interest. She put down some cash and then introduced West and her other two companions.
To the surprise of everyone in the room, Autumn stopped short of touching her arm when she smelled her. The hiss that followed her discovery was involuntarily but all three of the men were dark eyed and ready to pounce on Sophia. Autumn breathed out of her mouth trying to get the smell out of her chest and finally looked at Sophia’s face.
The bewildered look there was enough to bring Autumn back to center again. The change in the group was startling and she put her hand out gesturing for them all to sit again. Autumn apologized profusely to Sophia and said, “We are all a little on edge.” Sophia seemed confused as Autumn smiled warmly, not explaining anything. Turning her attention to West, who continued to watch Sophia.
“Can you do the honors for me West?” West stood up and pulled his sleeves up bravely. Sophia backed up a few steps eyeing West, cautiously.
Autumn saw her fear and grabbed West’s arm pulling him backwards, “Wait, I need to talk to Sophia first.” Sophia continued to back away her hands raised defensively still looking at West who licked his lips at her his eyes darkening as he did.
Sophia could not seem to pull her eyes from him as she asked Autumn, “What is going on?”
Autumn pulled her sleeve over her hand and tugged Sophia way from the men, “Let’s talk.” Then she pushed her into the familiar bathroom at the rear of the restaurant.
Sophia instantly began her onslaught of questions, as soon as they were safely in the bathroom. Autumn raised her hands and slowly answered.
Autumn began, “Why did you come here tonight?”
Sophia seemed taken aback by her words, “What? I came here to eat.”
“No you didn’t.
You came here to meet someone, who was it?”
/> Sophia continued to lie, “No I was hungry so I came to get something eat.”
Autumn frowned, “Alone?”
Sophia huffed, “Yes alone. You should talk, in the past two years I don’t think I have ever seen you even have a single guest.”
Autumn winced and murmured, “Well not everyone can be special like you Sophia.”
Sophia frowned, “What?”
“Listen it is nearly ten at night, well past your dinner time. It is also halfway across town, and you didn’t even do your hair or makeup. So what pulled you out of bed at ten o’clock on a Tuesday night?”
Sophia averted her eyes finally admitting, “I don’t know.”
“I do.”
Sophia looked up at her surprised, “So?”
“You are special like me and my friends.”
Sophia’s eyebrows furrowed, “Special.”
Autumn smiled, “Yes special. You see I have the ability to call my friends when I need them.” Sophia looked skeptically and Autumn smiled, “I can prove it.”
Then she leaned in and whispered, “West can you come here a moment?”
West pushed open the door and peaked his head in, “You called?”
Autumn smiled and said, “I just wanted to prove a point. Thank you.” West nodded and winked at Sophia and then closed the door.
She turned back to the wide eyed Sophia who asked nervously, “What do you mean special?”
Autumn smiled again, “Well it’s had to explain, but they call themselves, Vessels….Genetically superior super humans that live secretly among us.”
Sophia raised her eyebrow, “What?”
“It is a gene, well a marker that you and I carry, that allow for us to bond with them.”
Sophia frowned, “bond?”
“Yes bond and change into one of them.” Sophia looked as if she were going to bolt, and Autumn stepped in between her and the door. “You didn’t ask me why they were superior.”
Sophia finally bit, “Why are they?”
Autumn smiled, “Super speed, strength, faster healing times, sharper senses and a longer life span.”
Sophia tilted her head now, “How much longer?”
Autumn smiled again, “Like hundreds of years longer.”
Sophia replied flabbergasted, “No way.”
She was serious now, “Way.”
Sophia lifted her eye brows then, “So aliens?”
“No they have lived along side man for a long time, I think they are simply a different strand of mankind. They hide though because they do not want to become pet science projects for the government.”
Sophia nodded, “And how do you know that I am a...what did you call it?”
“A vessel,” She offered.
Sophia smiled, “Yes how do you know?”
“When I called you, you came to me.”
Sophia stepped away denying her connection adamantly, “I didn’t hear you.”
Autumn frowned, “Oh, but you did, why else would you come here?” Sophia looked disbelievingly at her and Autumn said, “Would you like a test?”
Sophia nodded, “Yes.”
Autumn said, “So I am going to go out and sit next to West. I want you to try and stay here for say three minutes?” Sophia looked down at her watch and when she looked up Autumn was gone.
Seconds later, Sophia came running out of the bathroom making a bee line straight for Autumn. She smiled and said, “That only took like ten seconds.”
Sophia blushed, “How did you do that?”
“I am special too.” Sophia eyed her now in a new way and then looked at West and the other two sitting at the table.
Then Sophia stepped closer to Autumn and whispered, “So how do we bond with them?”
Autumn smiled wider speaking normally, “I thought you would never ask.”
Sophia blushed a darker crimson and Autumn smiled, “It’s just a kiss.”
Sophia looked at her relieved, and Autumn smiled even wider. Then she grabbed West’s shoulder and shook him roughly, West here has even volunteered to be your guinea pig this evening. Sophia smiled coyly at him and pulled Autumn by the arm away a few steps, “Do we have to do this right now?”
Autumn smiled, “No of course not. But you have probably hurt West’s feelings so you should be extra nice to him and stuff.”
Sophia glanced over Autumn’s shoulder and said seriously, “He doesn’t look upset.”
Autumn frowned, “He hides his emotions well, most of them are good at hiding how they feel.” As Autumn said that she glanced at Grayton who sat scowling at Ivan, while Ivan sat watching the two women. She smiled and looking at Ivan, watching a small smile creep onto his lips. Then she turned her attention back to Sophia who leaned in and asked, “Who did you kiss?”
She smiled, “My mate Ivan,” then she gestured at Ivan who gave no sign of seeing her then.
He was watching the door intently now and Autumn was just about to turn when Sophia asked, “Your mate?”
Autumn smiled, “Yes, I have bonded with him.”
Sophia seemed anxious now, “So when we kiss them we are bonded for life?”
Autumn frowned, looking at the empty doorway, “No, the kiss just starts the change in our genes nothing else.”
“So how long have you known your... mate?”
Autumn smiled, “Technically about five months, but this Ivan I have know for less than a day.”
Sophia looked puzzled now, “What?”
Autumn finally turned her attention back to Sophia, “I am a little different than most Vessels; I have a little more power than most.”
Sophia seemed a bit excited now, “Really?”
“Yeah, but I also have a problem now.”
Sophia’s brows furrowed, “Yeah what is it?”
“Well since I have this extra power, the current guy in charge of the vessels wants me dead.”
Sophia sucked in, “Dead why?”
She frowned, “He feels threatened, so he wants to eliminate me. That’s why I am rallying all of my friends to help to protect me while I sleep.”
Sophia seemed worried now, “You mean protect you every night?”
Autumn frowned, “No because I am different, I will sleep for a month or two during my first phase.”
Sophia asked surprised, “How long will I sleep?”
Autumn replied looking at Grayton, “A few days or so, then when you awake. After that you will eat and then your change should be complete, right?” Grayton nodded though his eyes did not leave the door either. Autumn finally closed her eyes and felt Drake in the parking lot, so she gave him a little tug. She felt him take a few more steps and stop.
She opened them again and sighed to herself, “Another one of my friends is in the parking lot, I need to go and talk to him alone. Can you go and sit with West while I deal with him?”
Sophia looked at West’s bulky frame leaning against the counter and frowned, “Yeah I guess.”
Autumn smiled, “He is actually a really good guy, I know you will like him once you get to know him.” Then she gestured for Sophia to go to West, as he continued to watch the door as well pretending not to listen to their conversation. Sophia snapped him out of it as soon as she grabbed his arm to gain his attention.
As she brushed past the two, she watched West snatch his arm back. Then saw as he now looked at Sophia with renewed interest, and Autumn smiled to herself as she put her hand on the door. Then she turned back to the two men who were now standing to follow her and said, “Sit I will be right back.” They both continued to stand but they did not follow. Autumn shot a smile at Grayton through the front windows of the restaurant and said inside her head, Relax I won’t take long.
He sat down instantly his eyes never leaving her face until she disappeared at the end of the building. Ivan on the other hand began pacing as the waitress finally came back to take their orders. Grayton faked a smile and ordered two coffees, she smiled back politely and shot Ivan a look as he continued
to pace in the empty aisle way. West continued to stare at Sophia who ordered herself a slice of pie and two coffees for her and her newest companion.
New Plan
Drake stood anticipating Mirth’s arrival, shaking wildly his hands beginning to smoke involuntarily. He was surprised to see a female come out of the building instead though. Tall and lean with long shaggy brown hair that half covered her face, completely average looking, save her eyes. They peered out from behind her hair, sharp and ... deep.
Deeper than he had ever seen on human, but she didn’t smell like a human, that was like a vessel, save those oh so human looking eyes. That and the thumping of her heart that continued to pull him forward. Now that she was this close there was no doubt, she was who had called him. His voice came out thick, “What do you want?”
The woman frowned underneath her Mane, “I am sorry Drake, I hope you are not in too much pain.”
Drake growled then, “How do you know my name?”
She smiled, “It’s a long story.”
Drake growled, “I am not going anywhere.”
Autumn giggled nervously, “Yes I guess you aren’t.” Drake’s hands began to smoke and she scowled, “You really need to learn to control your temper.” He growled low and hollow, and she huffed, “Fine, I knew you were going to be an ass, but I can always hope can’t I?”
Drake stopped growling but continued to scowl, as Autumn began her painful story again leaving out the juicy bits about their kiss and subsequent skinny dip together. Then she ended by telling Drake the truth about Mirth’s involvement in the death of his first. Drake snapped as she predicted, and asked, “Why should I trust you?”
She smiled, “Because I trust you.”
He huffed and she continued, “And I already know you, well one version of you and there is this.”
Autumn handed Drake a piece of paper towel that she had scribbled on in the bathroom, while she had talked with Sophia in ‘private’. Drake read it and then lit it on fire watching it burn and then asked, “When are you planning to sleep?”
Autumn smiled, “So you’ll stay with me then? I mean while I sleep?”
“Mirth will find you,” he warned.