“Guys,” I said, touching Marshall’s shoulder.
He yawned and opened his eyes to look at me.
“Take her inside. You can have the guest bedroom. It’s safe, don’t worry, Prudence is doing protection spells right now.” I smiled at the two sleepy-eyed kids.
They crawled out of the back seat and very clumsily made their way inside. I pointed them in the direction of their room for the night. There were still clothes left over from when Nick and Chase had been here. I sat down on the couch and looked at the TV. I was too scared to turn it on. What would be on it? I was told that the media wasn’t covering the attacks on America’s farmlands due to lack of evidence that they had occurred. Still, I wasn’t ready to find out what big city had fallen, if it had happened yet. I knew it was going to happen. I knew that Helen was right. The world was going to turn on itself.
We thought that the American Civil War was bloody. Imagine worldwide civil dispute. This was just the beginning of a huge battle. Even if we succeeded in stopping Sheridan there would be another being who would rise from her ashes like a phoenix.
“What you thinking about?” Prudence had found one of my mother’s old sleeping gowns and put it on.
“This whole thing. Even if we defeat Sheridan, it’s not going to stop. Someone is going to step in and take her place. It’s going to be a constant battle as the leaders fall. For each one that finds death, two more find life,” I said to myself. I had almost forgotten that she had been the one to ask me the question.
“As long as that happens there will be people here to make sure that they aren’t successful.” Prudence patted me on the shoulder.
“You seem so sure.” I looked at her. The similarities between us still haunted me.
“Of course.” She smiled at me. “I think that I’m heading to bed.”
“All right. I have a feeling the first clue will appear in the morning.” I rubbed my eyes. I was incredibly tired. I was shocked that I hadn’t noticed it sooner.
I crawled into my old bed and pulled my blanket up and over my shoulder. I felt my heart break when I realized I was alone.
Chapter Twenty-Five: First of Many
The first light of day brought me out of my dreamless sleep. I sat up, confused about where I was, then realized I was back where all of this had started. I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed and looked at my phone. It was eight in the morning and I was actually awake?
I pulled myself up to a standing position and stretched. The last night I had spent in this room was the night that Aaron had been attacked. The memory alone sent chills up my spine.
I walked to the closet and opened it, amazed that I still had a large amount of clothing in it. We had been so rushed in getting out of there that, even with Shawn coming back and forth, so much was still here. I grabbed a faded pair of jeans and an old Nirvana t-shirt. Walking to the bathroom, I was amazed to find that I was the only one awake. My mother’s bedroom door was still shut and that of the guest room as well.
I took a quick shower. Throwing on my clean clothes I tossed the dirty ones into the hamper. I would try to remember to take them with me when we left. If not, I could always send Shawn to retrieve them.
The fridge was empty aside from a moldy pot of something on the second shelf that made the appliance smell old. I slammed the fridge shut, my stomach turning. The pantry held the same promise. We had managed to take all the food out of the house. I lightly hit my head on the pantry door.
Pulling at the bags that were still on the counter, I came across a box of granola bars. Success! I had found sustenance! I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and rinsed it out before filling it with water. Taking a seat on the couch I had an odd sense of deja-vu.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” The voice was low but too familiar. My palms went instantly cold. My head whipped to the side and there was my nemesis, sitting in the recliner, his head reclined against the plush back.
“John.” I acknowledged him briefly.
“Dawn,” he nodded back. “I admit I find it odd to be here without your family.”
“Yes it is rather odd.” I didn’t think he meant to sit around and talk pleasantries with me.
“You did the right thing,” he said, looking at me with those cold dead eyes.
My body refused to respond as it always did when John was around.
“I would like to think so,” I said, annoyed. “I know you aren’t here to just shoot the shit, John, tell me what you want.” I sat forward, putting my water glass on the coffee table.
“The queen,” he rolled his eyes, “she is a sadistic bitch. The only thing that binds me to her is her daughter. Otherwise I would just find my way into Purgatory for the rest of my damn days.”
“What binds you to Miranda? If I remember correctly you were gloating that when she had Wesley you were free.” I was honestly surprised I wasn’t angrier with him. I suppose it was the time I spent in the camp with him that made him more tolerable.
“Blood,” he said, his eyes flaring up. “She told me that I would be free. Needless to say she lied to me just to get the OK to take him.”
“Then why stick around?” I was actually having this conversation with the man who tied me up and took my innocence, leaving me to die like he had his own girlfriend.
“Loyalty I guess. Plus she really hates you guys.” He laughed cruelly.
“You know that is one thing I have never figured out,” I shrugged. “What did I ever do to her?”
He looked at me like I was stupid. I closed my eyes tight and nodded. Of course I knew what I had done. It had to do with me taking Wesley from her.
“Surprised you even had to ask that stupid question,” he frowned.
“What about Krista?” I raised my eyebrow at him and his lips formed a thin line.
“I loved Krista with all my heart when I was human. When I was in Germany and Lilly showed me what I could do, I felt like the world had come crashing down. I never meant to hurt Krista.” If I wasn’t mistaken I would say there was pain in his eyes. “So why do it?” The questions just kept pouring out. Why not find out what I could while he was so willing to share the truth?
“She was in me. Much like what she has done with Wesley. You know, I would love to know what you did to break that contract because she doesn’t know the strand. She is familiar with yours but it wasn’t you, was it?” He looked at me slyly.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I said simply. The last thing I wanted was to tell him that it was Krista that had taken claim over Wesley’s soul.
“Well you might not know.” He shrugged. “The point is that the queen has your human friend hidden. Now I’m not saying that she is going to be with her but there are some battles you are going to have to fight through.”
The way he referred to Sheridan as “the queen” made me question how he really felt about this whole thing. Was I to understand correctly that John was not as up for this war as I had originally thought?
“Nadine is a good girl,” I said simply, not wanting to divulge too much of her connection with me.
“I remember her. She was there that night.” He closed his eyes.
“Yeah, that night,” I answered him flatly.
“I had to do it. It was in my blood. You are tainted by the blood of God,” he groaned.
“I am well aware of what you are, John.”
“I’m sure you are. Once things started to get out about what you are it all made sense. Why she sent me after you.” He smiled. “I meant what I said when I pleaded for you to be mine.”
“You know, for a man who was so in love with another girl you sure have been hellbent on making me yours.” I sat back and crossed my legs.
“Yeah, well you weren’t alive when I was with Krista.” He smiled at me again with that same disdain. How could a man hate me so much if he wanted to own me?
“I have a feeling I’m supposed to be flatt
ered,” I said flatly, glaring at him.
“I saw the things in Wesley’s head. The drawings. I was there the day that you two first got together. I knew who you were. I could smell the blood.” He bit his lip. “You had a way of bringing the flame to anything. Not to mention you have a strength in you that is unimaginable.”
“Yeah, well I’m still learning things about myself each day,” I groaned.
“Well it has been nice having a conversation with you,” he said like he meant it.
“So back to being a cruel ass, huh?” I bit at him.
“It is what I do best.” He shrugged as he stood up.
“So what is the hint? I’m assuming this is like a scavenger hunt.” I rolled my eyes.
“Yes. Her stupid sense of humor in all of this.” He hunched over and, in a monotonous voice, gave me the hint. “Eye of pink is what she desires, bring it to the place you ran before the time expires.”
“That doesn’t rhyme very well,” I smirked at him.
“Yeah, well I think I forgot the other crap but the pink eye is what she wants most. I would tell you more but you have to figure it out. You take longer than three days to get it to the next location and your friend loses a limb.” He eyed me.
“Well, tell your mistress ‘thank you for the glorious hint’,” I growled at him.
“Until the next time we meet.” He bowed and went up in smoke. The familiar sulfur smell made my nose burn.
I plugged my nose and made a disgusted face. So she wanted a pink eye. I guess it was a good thing that Wesley had that long talk with Edmund the other night. Otherwise I would have no clue what pink eye she was talking about. One obstacle still remained, however. How the hell was I going to find a pink-eyed vampire?
“Who were you talking to?” Prudence’s voice was groggy.
“John,” I said, as if it was an everyday occurrence for me to talk to him.
“What the hell did he want?” She stretched.
“The first clue to this whole stupid adventure,” I grumbled.
“What is it?” She looked at me with sleep in her eyes. If this was how I looked in the morning it was no wonder people were afraid of me.
“She wants the pink eye in three days. Apparently if we are late, Nadine will lose a limb,” I sighed.
“I know you already know what the pink eye is. Now we have to find a coven of them. That is going to be tricky.” She looked at the clock on the wall and grimaced.
“Yeah. Wesley is the only one that I know of that has a pink eye.” I sighed again.
“Well if he has one there is another one that will as well,” Prudence shrugged.
“We have today and tomorrow because we have to drive to El Paso.” I grabbed my glass of water and finished it.
“El Paso, huh?” she asked.
“I’m to deliver it to the place that I ran. It was the only place that I ran to,” I answered her.
“All right, so what do you want to do?” she asked.
“Go to the woods.”
“Why the woods?”
“I was always afraid to go in there. I didn’t want to know what lived in them when we were here last. There has to be a reason.” I wiped my mouth and smiled at her.
“I suppose it’s a good thing we have a werewolf with us then,” Prudence noted.
“She should be able to sniff out the whole lot if they are in there.” Kelly was going to have the greatest gift for this. Marshall second, due to his ability of transmutation into anything.
“I take it you are glad they came along now?” She sat down on the couch and crossed her ankles. She was beyond elegant.
“I’m grateful to Marshall on many levels. If it wasn’t for his soul I would still be in bed fighting my father.” I grinned at her.
I was also grateful for Kelly. Without her I never would have been able to infiltrate the camp. Her performance as me was superb. Even the other girls had no idea that it wasn’t me until I told them. I put my hands on my hips.
“There are some dresses in my closet you may like. I know they aren’t fancy like you are used to but I got them before Wesley left, I just never wore them.” I pointed towards my room.
“I bought a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that I think I will wear. You kids nowadays dress so different to how I did when I was first here. I suppose that women who dress like your stepmother would be considered snooty.” She laughed.
“Mona is a special woman. She has the money so she flaunts her style,” I shrugged.
“I suppose that to be true. I have money, I just have no clue where the hell Sheridan put it all,” she growled.
“I’m sure we can find it once we find her.” I attempted to give her hope.
“You would think,” she groaned.
“I guess I will get the others up. We will hit the woods near midafternoon.” I gave her a nod and she silently agreed.
***
We were standing outside the woods behind Wesley’s father’s house at sundown. Not my ideal place to be at that time of day but, seeing as how I had to acquire a pink eye, there was no other option.
Kelly raised her head, her eyes turned their deep violet. She sniffed the air and smiled at me.
“There is at least one about half a mile in. Not sure if it’s the pink eye you want but I’m getting something at least.” She glanced at Marshall. “Your turn.”
“What do you want? A bunny? A dog?” He didn’t seem pleased with his part of the plan.
“Just something that moves fast and doesn’t draw suspicion,” I said, muffling a laugh.
“Are there mountain lions in the woods?” he asked through narrowed eyes.
“Yes, I’m sure there are,” I nodded.
Marshall gave me an irritated grin as he started to shimmer. The last time he had mutated had been while my eyes were blindfolded so I had not seen the amazing effort it took for him to become another creature. In the seconds that followed, my companion had turned from a man into a mountain lion. The animal Marshall gave me a throaty growl and took off at a run into the woods.
Kelly, as amazing as she already was, also began to shimmer as she transformed into a beautiful gray wolf. She in turn snorted at me and took off after Marshall.
“That was interesting,” I said, looking at Prudence. “What happens to their clothes?”
“You know I have often wondered that myself.” She gave me a shy giggle. “First time, huh?”
“First time?” I looked at her, confused.
“To see them change.”
“Yeah,” I laughed.
“Quite amazing, isn’t it?” she mused, looking in the direction the others had run.
“Quite indeed. Should we follow?” I smiled at her as she nodded politely at me.
“I think we should.” Prudence grasped my hand and together we entered the woods.
I was right in thinking this was a place that I did not want to be. It was bad enough I had been here once before: the night Wesley was attacked. I found myself wondering if I would remember the location or if we were off by a few yards. The trees did hold a bit of beauty in them. They appeared innocent despite all the mishaps that had befallen Midvale since I had first arrived.
It did make one wonder if my appearance had caused the murders to occur in the first place. Or was it strictly a coincidence that I had moved here at the same time that they began? Either way, I had been here, so the original reason was moot at this point.
Kelly and Marshall had run quite a bit ahead of us. I was straining my eyes to see past the trees into the slowing darkness.
“Try opening your mind. You will find that you won’t have to strain so hard,” Prudence suggested.
I did just that. I opened all my senses to the trees around me. I could hear the owls in the branches, the animals on the ground, even the trickle of a creek just ahead. My eyes opened as well. I no longer needed to strain against the darkness to figure out where I was. Everyth
ing ahead of me was shimmering in a makeshift light.
I gave her an appreciative smile as we kept walking. I was starting to get concerned. There was no sign of my two friends anywhere. No footprints in the soft dirt. Not even a sound of their animal forms running through the trees. My concerns were met with fear when, laying six feet in front of us, was Kelly’s motionless body.
I raced for her. Placing my fingers on her neck I was relieved to find that she was only unconscious, something had knocked her out. I looked up at Prudence who was already on guard, her hands moving slowly in circles as electric currents passed between her fingers. The image was as if she was charging up for battle.
I felt my eyes burn as they changed and I looked around. My vision was even better now that I was using my warden powers on top of the additional gifts. I could smell them. A faint musty smell. It was probably a good thing I could, because seconds later we were surrounded by seven of the pink-eyed vampires.
“What do we have here?” one of the males asked. His fangs were extended past his lips. Wesley had said they were the most ferocious, the most likely to attack for no reason.
“Three lost little girls,” another one said and they all laughed at the joke.
I could smell power, great power from one of them and my body took control. I stood up and felt the flames surge through my veins. I could always use a good power boost. My feet slowly rose from the ground.
“You want some? Come and get it,” I taunted them with a cruel smile on my face.
“She smells weird,” one of the females said, lifting her nose to the breeze.
“She smells sweet,” said another one.
I was holding back the flames, just keeping the fire running through my veins. All I needed was the one with the power who I sought to bite.
“No! She’s one of the ones we were warned about,” the powerful one said as he stopped the others from advancing.
“The warden left months ago,” the female said, smiling snidely up at me. “She’s nothing more than an escaped pureblood.”
“No!” the powerful one said again, pushing her back before she could strike.
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