I walked into the house and up the stairs, knocking first on Krista’s door. She answered in her white nightgown that came to her ankles, a huge smile on her face. I relayed Max’s message to her and then told her good night. I did the same with Helen. Both seemed thrilled with the idea of meeting with the heads in order to discuss tactical planning.
I hesitated at Rose’s room when I heard Adam’s laugh through the closed door. I felt a lurch in my heart and quickly pushed it away. We had ended what had just started and though I still wanted to give it a shot I knew that he was right, it wasn’t a good idea. Rose didn’t have the past that I did. Her first love wasn’t being held captive by a psychotic bitch. The only person she really had to save was herself.
I sucked up my pathetic pride and knocked on the door. Adam was the one that answered. He looked at me and a softness crossed his face. Now that I knew what it meant I had to fight the urge to throw myself in his arms.
“Is Rose decent?” I croaked, my eyes locking with his.
“Yeah,” He said softly and turned and looked over his shoulder. “Rose, it’s Dawn.” He stepped back as she came to the door. Her eyes were still fiery and her mouth was a thin line.
“What’s going on?” she asked me flatly. I could tell that our conversation earlier in the day was still boiling her blood.
“Be up at six; we have a tactical meeting with the heads,” I said confidently. I had to work hard to control my anger.
“All right. I will make sure that we are awake by then.” I wanted to scream. Did she know somehow? It was as if she was using Adam as a weapon against me. I bit back bile and smiled instead. It was a shaky smile I could tell my mouth did not want to form.
“Sounds good. Goodnight then,” I said, turning around and taking several steps toward my own room.
“Goodnight, Dawn,” she said politely and I heard the door shut behind me. There was a squeal and another round of laughter.
Can I make him forget me? Make him go back to the way we were before I kissed him? I pushed open my door and walked into my bedroom. I threw on a clean pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a black singlet and pulled the folds of my blankets back.
I can hide the memories but I cannot make him totally forget. Shawn’s voice was in my head and I looked around my room, expecting him to be standing in the corner watching me.
I just want my best friend back. Do anything you can to make this easier, I thought, hoping he was still listening to me.
I will only do this because I love you. I do not wish to meddle in the memories of humans on my own free will, Shawn said softly. This was the first time my big brother had said those words to me. This only proved that I had a family that cared enough to make sure that everything turned out according to plan.
I love you too Shawn. Let me know when the memories are hidden. I crawled into my bed and pulled the blankets up to my chest.
You know I can only hide his. Yours will always be there. You will never forget, he warned me.
Do what you have to. It is my pain to hold, I thought as I closed my eyes. Goodnight dear brother.
Goodnight my sister.
***
The war is raging, blood falling from the skies. I have been here before. This is the dream that I had when we were in Dallas. I am wielding my flaming sword against the Queen’s Army. I swing once and my opponent falls. I swing again and another falls. Then I see her, our eyes meet, and she smiles at me wickedly. This is what she wanted the whole time. A chance to end me once and for all. I feel a presence coming up behind me. I swing my blade, tearing through something soft. I look up and into a set of blue eyes. My blade has torn through the torso of my love. Wesley looks at me, gasping, a smile playing on his lips.
“Thank you,” he says as he falls. I scream as fire erupts around me. Pain, searing pain, breaks through my heart and I scream.
“Wesley!” I woke up screaming his name. I felt like I was dying. This was worse than when he had broken the contract that bonded us together. This was the pain of taking the life of the one I loved.
My door flew open and Shawn was at my side, his eyes dark as night, his mouth tight.
“Did you see it?” I asked him softly, my heart racing.
“Yes,” he answered me, his hands finding my face. “I saw it all.”
“Why am I having these dreams?” I whispered, wanting to cry.
“I don’t know. I thought you were being hijacked,” Shawn said quietly, his forehead leaning against mine. I saw a light and suddenly he pulled his forehead away. “These are just daydreams. Possible visions I suppose. I will find out, Dawn. You will not take Wesley’s life.”
“I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to. I could never kill the man I love,” I sobbed.
“You could if the time demanded it. If you knew it was your only chance to save humanity.” He held my hand tightly. “Sleep, Dawn. You only have a few hours till you need to wake. I will keep watch. These dreams will not plague you again tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said as sleep called to me again. “I am lucky to have you as a brother.”
“No, it is I that am the lucky one to have you as my sister.” Those were the last words I heard before I was pulled back into a dreamless sleep.
***
My alarm went off at six that morning and I grumbled, reaching for it to turn it off. Shawn was across the room, asleep in a chair. He must have dragged it upstairs after the nightmare; either that or he created it from the world around him. My brother was talented that way.
I got up quietly and grabbed a spare blanket from my closet, throwing it over Shawn. He said a muffled ‘thank you’ and went back to snoring. This was one of the perks, I suppose, of having a brother like him. Always having a telepathic link, having conversations for the first time without actually speaking.
I got dressed quickly in a black pair of flare-legged hip-huggers and a red short-sleeved baby doll shirt. Throwing on my combat boots I was ready to go. I left the room with a skip, knowing that today was going to be a good day. I had spared Adam of his feelings for me and I could hopefully put behind me the bad blood that had been created between Rose and myself.
“Dawn!” Adam’s voice rang out behind me and I turned, afraid of what I would see. Instead of anger at me for having my brother mess with his memories he looked happy.
“Hey,” I smiled at him.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked, standing at my side.
“Quite well,” I lied.
“I went to bed troubled about something, but woke up no longer worried. In fact, I don’t even remember what it was that troubled me.” He looked lost for a second then looked at me.
“Well I suppose it’s good that you do not remember.” I laughed nervously. I was glad that Shawn’s magic had worked, yet worried that Adam would remember before it was time for him to pull those memories.
“I suppose. Rose is already downstairs, I just wanted to make sure to see you. You know it’s odd having a girlfriend again. I looked at Rose this morning and couldn’t figure out why she wanted to be with me in the first place. So glad she came back with us.” He was rambling, this was the Adam that I remembered. I had my best friend back.
“Breakfast?” I asked him as I looped my arm through his.
“Of course. I could eat a horse right now. Not that I would ever eat a horse, of course.” He raised an eyebrow. I knew he had noticed what he just said.
“I can make us some bacon and eggs.” I grinned. “Maybe some toast.”
“That sounds great but I think Rose was going to make me breakfast this morning.” He laughed. “Did you hear what I just said? My girlfriend is going to make me breakfast. That’s just funny.”
I rolled my eyes. OK, so it was nice to have Adam back but Rose was still a thorn in my side. Why couldn’t the fourth have been some mousy girl into books and historical reenactments? I heard a hysterical giggle. Shawn was finding this amusing.
; “Just means more for me,” I teased as I broke free from him and took off laughing into the kitchen.
He wasn’t kidding; Rose had managed to pull quite a meal together for the two of them. She placed the two plates on the table and smiled at Adam as he entered the room. He raced over and kissed her briefly before sitting down with her and digging in. I decided that I was just going to have cereal instead of the large breakfast I had described to Adam. I finished my bowl before they finished their feast and took off to the study in hopes of being one of the first to get there.
I was never this punctual while in school. It was different now there was an actual reason that I was needed there and it wasn’t so the teacher could glare at me or become possessed and try and threaten me.
“Dawn,” said Max as he entered the room. He was well dressed and walking erect. “You are early.”
“When you say early you mean like five minutes, right?” I asked, smiling. I liked Max, there was something about the man that made me feel happier. He probably wore a cologne that made the people around him feel like they were on cloud nine.
“More like twenty.” He took a seat next to me. My father had the desk pushed against the wall and a large table put in that took up most of the room in the office.
“I can deal with that,” I laughed.
“You are quite odd.” He raised an eyebrow.
“You are not the first to say that.” I grinned wide. What was going on with me?
“I can believe that.” He clapped his hands together.
“Why do you say that I am odd?” I asked with an urgency to know.
“Not many women would be willing to risk their lives to save a boy with whom they just happened to fall in love.” Max looked flabbergasted.
“It’s not just because I love him. There are other factors,” I said softly.
“There are always other factors. What is it about this boy?” he asked. “What makes him so special?”
“He is the only boy I have loved. I mean, there are those that I have cared about,” I explained. “Like the boy who was here the other day. The one that came with the Incubus.”
He grinned at me.
“Just like the boy who was here,” I laughed. “… I never meant to Claim Aaron. I also never meant to bring him into this world. I was hoping that he would live his life blind to everything. I also thought he would break the contract we had long before being turned.”
“Sometimes we don’t mean to do things. Fate just has a way of determining what is going to happen.” He touched my hand.
“I just don’t want Wesley to live his life in a place he doesn’t want to be. He tried to get away from Miranda but she sought him out. She needed his bloodline for a reason. We just found out the hard way what that reason was. Now all those poor people are dead. So it’s not just for him, it’s for them as well. Someone has to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves.” I looked at him and he seemed impressed.
“That is true, young one. Which solidifies what I just said. You are an odd one Ms. Weathers.” He gave my hand another pat as others began to pile into the room.
Chapter Seventeen: The Gathering of the Gifted
“So we will separate those that we feel amplify the Warden’s power. Those that wield fire will be with Dawn, earth will be Helen, wind Krista, and water with Rose. All other troops that are of pureblood and non-element background will be with Vetis and myself,” my mother said as my father looked at her with approval.
“What about those that have multiple powers?” Matilda, the fae leader, asked abruptly.
“They may choose who they wish to assist,” my father said simply, nodding toward the four of us.
“Each Warden will choose two additional leaders. One from each side. We are a melting pot of darkness and light. The common goal is what brings us together. We want to keep all sides happy.” My mother smiled at the room. “Vetis and I will be in the front as the representatives of Heaven and Hell. The other purebloods will fight with us as well as any other member that has no element power but great strength, behind us will be the heads of the allies, and behind you will be each brigade led by their Warden.”
“Who will they choose?” Max asked, his hands on his lap.
“They will choose who they feel complements them best. Unlike Dawn, the others have not worked with members of the group before. They will not know right off the bat who they want at their side. It is their choice. And it is ours, as the heads, to make sure that we do not interfere with their choices,” my father answered and Max nodded.
“When it comes to battle we remain with our troops. While we will be fighting beside them, it is their power that will lead us to victory.” My father smiled. “I have more news as well.” He looked at my mother, then at me, his eyes dancing. “Both God and Lucifer have called out to volunteers. Those that wish to fight with us and keep the Queen from penetrating the gates of both Heaven and Hell will be allowed to fight without punishment. As long as they agree that, if the barriers are broken, they will return to their posts and defend their home.”
There was a mixture of muffled whispers. I could have picked out a couple and listened but I chose to let each being have their own opinion. If they were not allowed to interfere with my work I felt that I should not interfere with theirs. When the room quieted, Hawthorne, a sweet coven leader from New Jersey, stood up.
“So the celestial powers will be assisting. With the angels and demons on our side we cannot lose!” I wondered how he got here, how any of the vampire coven leaders got here to be exact. There were at least four of them in the room with us, and it was morning.
“You would think that,” my mother said softly. “However, many of them feel that this is a battle they should not be involved in. So far, we have only been able to get a handful of each side to agree to assist us. I’m sure more will have a change of heart but first they will want to know what we are up against.”
“Miranda is not a sweet girl. She may look young and vulnerable, like you could break her like a twig. Know this, she is ruthless. She will kill you without thinking,” I said, sitting up straight. “I was the only one to ever face off against her. I was the only one to ever face off against John as well, her second-in-command.”
“What about this boy, Wesley, whom you are so riled up to bring home? We know that two of the strongest beings in the Queen’s ranks have loved and been loved by two of our Wardens.” Lux, the leader of a mixed group of carriers, spoke.
“I can promise you this. If it gets to the point where I must sacrifice my love for the purebloods I will not do it. I just ask that if anyone has to kill him that it be me,” I said loudly, looking around the crowded room.
“The same goes for me. John took my life so it’s my turn to return the favor to him.” Krista had an edge to her voice that I had never heard before. Maybe she was coming to terms with the rival blood in her veins. Either that or she just wanted to get even for what he had done to her.
“The question is, can you both do it, if it comes to it?” Matilda asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Yes, without a doubt,” both of us said at the same time.
“That is reassuring, of course we won’t know until you are faced with the task.” Matilda’s eyes were still narrow. I could tell by the way her eyes shot between us that she did not believe that we could actually do it.
“Are we going to be able to pull the Harbinger before the battle breaks?” Hawthorne asked, changing the subject just a little. I could feel the tension begin to drain from the room.
“The original plan was suggested by Dawn’s friend, Adam. The problem is that the only being that has been able to penetrate the Queen’s protection on the boy is Peter.” My mother sighed. “As we all know, if Wesley was to touch the Reaper he would die. We want him alive.”
“Why?” Matilda asked, her eyes flashing. What was going on with the fae leader?
“He could be of service to us
,” my father said.
“We have our own Harbinger, in fact we have three. What does one more mean to the force?” Matilda was perturbed. Not only were her eyes narrow now but her lips were stretched thin.
“Yes, we do have several in our presence but Wesley has the blood of one of the strongest Harbingers I have known in his veins.” My mother was speaking of Greta of course, the sadness that crossed her face told me she was still grieving.
“You are just attached to the boy, as your daughter is,” Matilda said, growling.
“I have my reasons for wanting Wesley alive. Yes, my adoration of his deceased mother is one of them. The other reason is that her death was caused by the creature that has taken him.” My mother frowned at Matilda. I could tell by the aggravation on her face that she was tired of the fae leader’s constant questioning.
“We have our concerns with the age of those that are following her,” Edmund said, stepping up from the corner. I didn’t even see him come in. “I am ancient and very skilled in a fight, as are my children. We all know that a newly made vampire or were has incredible strength. Is it true that a majority of those that stand with the Queen are newly made?”
“I don’t know the answer to that one. It has been months since Wesley has been able to summon Dawn. The last we knew she was recruiting along the banks of the Rio Grande. However, the groups showing up here have come from all over the country, even stretching into the Canadian provinces. I wish I could answer that question but without a spy I cannot be certain.” My mother looked at me and I instantly looked away. I didn’t want to think of the last time I saw him, the changes that had occurred in him, and the way he denied ever being changed.
“You don’t seem to have many answers,” Matilda huffed. My eyes turned toward her and I growled.
“Why are you being such a bitch?” I bit. Her eyes widened, her lips turned up into a grin.
“Listen. I am not here to be your best friend. I am here to protect my family, nothing less. I don’t need a group of teenage hooligans leading my family into some battle they might not make it through. I will fight, but that does not mean I have to be your friend.” She spoke eloquently, yet her words still managed to piss me off more than she already had.
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