A Shade of Halloween

by Robin Todd

  “Yeah, you’ve got to be. Ros tried to kill you! He’s killed you in every lifetime before this one and if he gets a chance in this lifetime, guess what? He’ll do it again! So except you’ve got a death wish or a morbid fantasy, you shouldn’t even have such thoughts.” Trina looked at me in disbelief.

  “I understand what he did, but I know he did it out of a broken heart. He’s just hurt, Trina. Ryan and I betrayed him...”

  “...and so he should kill you over and over again for it? You’re unbelievable!”

  “You said I could tell you and it’ll be okay.” I protested, feeling my eyes beginning to sting.

  Trina pulled me into a hug and rubbed her palm up and down my back.

  “Yes I did and I’m sorry I snapped. I’m just in shock.” She whispered.

  “Are you in love with Ros?” She asked against my hair.

  “No. I believe I’m in love with Ryan but Ros is like that affair you know is going to ruin you but you can’t let go of.” I replied.

  Trina laughed and cupped my face in her hands.

  “You have to let go of this one, Selena. It’s bad... terrible... horrible...”

  “I get it.” I laughed.

  “So do you forgive him for everything he did to you?” Trina asked.

  “I don’t, and that’s why this is so complicated. Like I said, I hate him and at the same time, I don’t. Does it even make sense?” I asked.

  “Not really but I think I understand. Besides, I have my own little secret.”

  “Out with it already!” I shook her hand.

  “Well, it’s kind of similar to yours.” She smiled. “...but you can’t judge!”

  “I don’t plan on judging.” I laughed.

  “Okay. Before the cathedral, Ryan took me back to his memory of the first time he met you.” She started.

  “Back in 1889?” I asked with a confused frown.

  “Yeah. Back then. You were so beautiful but that’s not the secret.” Trina laughed.

  “Okay.” I smiled.

  “I saw Ros in the memory and I was attracted to his dark charm.” She continued.

  “So you’re secretly in love with Ros?” I asked.

  “No!”

  “So what’s the secret? Come on, Trina. I’m dying to know!”

  “Promise you won’t be mad?” She asked.

  “I promise.” I replied.

  “Okay. So you already know I had unresolved feelings for Ryan before I turned and now that the initial vampire hormones are stable, I know what I feel for him. I love him... but I respect the fact that he loves you.” She said.

  “It’s okay. I already kind of knew that.” I smiled. “I’m sorry you have to let go for me.”

  “Okay. So the secret is... I kissed him.” Trina finally said.

  I froze for a few seconds, just staring at her. I couldn’t believe what she just told me. I didn’t even know what to feel about it. I already promised not to get mad and I wasn’t... I was furious! Was it before he kissed me and told me I didn’t have to bother about him being with anyone else? Was it after the fact? Why didn’t he tell me? Was it in revenge for what I did with Ros?

  “When?” I asked in a barely audible whisper.

  “I’m so sorry, Selena.” Trina apologized, instead of answering my question. “I couldn’t help myself at the time but I know his heart belongs to you.”

  “I get it, Trina. I just want to know when.” I replied.

  “The day you heard me telling him how crazy I was about him.” She replied.

  “Then it can’t be out of revenge.”

  “It’s okay.” I smiled and hugged Trina.

  It was a sad smile, but I hoped it conveyed my true feelings. I understood the fact that Trina was having a hard time handling her emotions at the time, but what I didn’t get was why Ryan never bothered to tell me. I didn’t want to get emotional because I had promised Trina it would be okay, so I decided to switch to a slightly different topic.

  “Do you remember my history instructor from college?” I asked.

  “That’s random.” Trina smiled.

  “Not really. It’s related to all this. Please tell me if you do.”

  “Yeah I remember. It was Mr...”

  “Ross, right?” I couldn’t wait for her to say it.

  Instead, Trina looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “Schulman. It was Mr. Schulman.” She replied.

  “That was exactly what my mum said, but I know my instructor was Mr. Ross. I think it was Ros. He must have been messing with me the entire time but I can’t prove it.”

  “Okay... Why do you think it was Ros?” Trina asked.

  “How else would he have known where to find me? Before all of this started, I remember seeing a fast moving shadow everywhere I went. Knowing how fast vampires can move, I now believe the fast moving shadow was not a figment of my imagination like I thought it was at the time. It was Ros, or one of his Council vampires and they were stalking me. That’s how Ros knew about Alex and my mum.” I replied.

  “So you’re saying Ros was pretending to be your instructor?” Trina asked.

  “Yes.”

  “So why didn’t you recognize him the minute he showed up at your house?” She asked.

  “Because he didn’t look like Mr. Ross. He looked like himself.” I replied.

  “Now I see why they believed you were crazy back then.” Trina laughed. “But it’s possible. If he didn’t want you to know how he looked, he could easily have compelled you to think he looked like someone else.”

  “That’s it! He must have compelled everyone to think he was Mr. Schulman too!” I yelped.

  “Okay. So let’s assume this theory is true. Why is this important now? It’s not like we can change anything that has happened.” She said.

  “It can change how the future goes, Trina. If I can prove that Ros was there the whole time, and that I was never crazy, then maybe the police will believe me. If I’m absolved of the murder case, I can go back to living a normal life.” I replied.

  Trina laughed.

  “You’re right. I want that ridiculous murder case gone for good. It’s what put me in all this trouble in the first place. Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll ever go back to living our normal lives.”

  I knew she was right. Too much stuff had happened for us to go back to the carefree teens we once were. Even if I managed to go free of the murder case somehow, I was at risk of blasting out uncontrollable fire in public places and being labelled the weirdo of the century. Trina was at risk of attacking people when she felt the need to feed. I still had no idea how to get back to the part of the world with people in it, and even if I did, there was a vicious clan of murderous vampires on my trail for who knew what reason.

  “In that case, I think it’s time we start trying to figure out how to deal with our nature. I’m done shying away from the truth. If I have these powers, I need to learn how to control myself. Maybe even use the powers for some cool stuff. You need to master your abilities and we both need to figure out how to get out of here. Are you with me?” I asked.

  “Always.” Trina squeezed my hand and smiled.

  Chapter Eight

  Ros’s POV

  I walked into my study and poured myself a glass of whiskey. I needed something strong to ease the stress on my mind, and the warm liquid lived up to its reputation. I poured another glass and whirled the liquid around in my mouth before pushing it down my throat and making a pleasurable ‘Ah’ sound. There was something about whiskey that made me feel good. It was warm and smooth, and yet strong enough to take the pain away. I pushed another gulp down my throat and relished the feeling as the liquid burned its way down to my stomach. I placed the glass back on the table gently and smiled.

  “I don’t know why you keep trying, Viktor but I don’t need magic to know when someone tries to sneak up on me.” I smirked.

  “Always so alert, Ros.” Viktor smiled. “You asked to see me?”

  I t
urned around to see the chiseled face of Viktor, staring at me intensely. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought he had a different agenda from simply honoring my request to see him.

  “Yes I did.” I replied, ignoring his look.

  Viktor had always been a creepy one. Little wonder Ry didn’t like him much. I got him though. Being a vampire-wizard hybrid had to be creepy as hell.

  “Have your scouts found anything on the girl?” I asked.

  “What girl?”

  “Don’t play coy with me, Viktor. Selena Ryder is the only girl of interest to me right now.”

  That came out a little differently than the way I planned it. What I meant was that I was interested in Selena because she possessed the power to destroy my kind and not because she was beautiful or that I felt anything for her. I didn’t know why it sounded the other way to me but thankfully, Viktor didn’t notice.

  “Not at all.” He replied.

  “And you? Have you sensed her powers again?” I asked.

  “No. It’s either she completely disappeared, or her powers have not manifested since the blast.” He replied.

  “Is that normal?” I asked.

  “Not the disappearance, certainly. It’s possible however that she’s in hiding and it will take a while for her to build up the will to use her powers again.” He replied.

  “Very well. Remain watchful. If you sense her power or get word of her location, I want to be the first to know.” I stated.

  “I will.” Viktor turned around to leave, but got to the door and stopped.

  “I haven’t seen Ryan since he was delivered to you. Are you keeping him or did you let him go?”

  “My brother remains my concern, Viktor. Thanks for your care. You may leave now.” I gave him a smile that said to ‘buzz off’.

  I didn’t mean to be such a jerk but Viktor needed to be told off. From time to time he pried into matters that shouldn’t concern him and while I let a lot of it slide under the carpet, it was a completely different ball game when it came to Ryan. Little Ry was my only family and regardless of the fact that I enjoyed torturing him at certain times, I wanted to be the only one to do so.

  Viktor stepped out of my study and closed the door behind him. Less than three minutes later, the door opened again. I turned my head sharply in its direction, ready to snap at Victor for returning when I clearly asked him to leave. I was done with our conversation and I needed time alone to think. When I completed my turn however, my irritation disappeared because Oliver’s cheerful face peeked in through the slightly open door.

  “Can I come in?” He asked.

  “Is it important?”

  “I guess.” He replied.

  “Okay, what is it?” I asked.

  “I found this in the hallway and it looked like important Council document.” Oliver said, handing me a brown scroll that was tied at the middle with a thin red ribbon.

  I looked at the scroll with a raised eyebrow and accepted it from Oliver.

  “Thank you.” I said.

  He nodded and walked out of my study, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  “Finally!”

  I opened the scroll and glanced at the text written in it. It was some kind of report, written both in black and red ink. Though I hadn’t read the report yet, I knew what it meant to have red ink on official parchment. Someone was either marked for execution or they had already been executed. If that was the case, why hadn’t I heard about it? I took a seat behind my desk and traced my eyes over the lines...

  “Nikolas Bordain –Approximately two Millennia old, rarely seen, spotted two months ago in River Burn. Taken down by a team of twelve hunters. Defining blow made with the ancient Archibald stake.

  Sergio Lake – Less than a Millennia old, tracked down to the Carine Islands where nest is set up on the icy Covian mountains. Requires a team of hunters and the ancient Archibald stake.

  Ronald Sky – Exactly six Millennia old, location unknown. The only known fact is a harem of Norwegian witches and a fifty strong vampire army. Focus should be on deciphering location. Can be taken down with the ancient Archibald stake.

  Rayna Bold – Oldest vampire known, estimates leave age around twenty-seven Millennia, not spotted in the last twelve centuries. Only known link is the Soille twins. Requires the blood of the Immortal Elect, a vampire sacrifice and a young wolf. Ancient Archibald stake must be dipped in the blood of the Immortal Elect and the sacrifice must take place on the second full moon after ascension. “

  My eyes widened for several reasons. The vampires on the list were the last of the oldest generation of vampires. Was someone planning to kill them all? That would not only be suicide, it would unleash hell on all of us. Who would be stupid enough to plan something of this magnitude? How did they plan this far without my knowledge? 

  I stared at the parchment paper in disbelief. Ronald Sky? The guy was close to being a myth. Rumors had it that he killed before being seen by even the keenest of vampires. Why on earth would anyone plan an assassination attempt on him? The report said Nikolas Bordain was already dead. How possible was that? Could a team of just twelve vampires really kill the great Bordain? Seeing Rayna Bold on the list was almost laughable. However, I couldn’t ignore her name. The bond we shared was way too strong for me to pass this up without digging up whatever information I could find. Whoever was doing this knew about Rayna’s bond with me and my brother. How did they find out?

  A thousand other questions immediately began swirling around in my head as I stared at the parchment.

  “How authentic is this document? How did it make its way into my house? If this operation is truly going to happen, why would anyone be careless enough to drop its report in my hallway? Is my finding the document all part of a grand plan?”

  The first thing I needed to do was to confirm Nikolas Bordain’s death before believing anything else on the report. I had no idea how the person or group behind the crazy annihilation plan got their hands on the Archibald stake in the first place. That relic had been carefully hidden for centuries. It was the only thing that could truly kill a vampire and I certainly wasn’t comfortable with it being in the hands of some rogue vampire group with a twisted agenda. I knew I needed to get to work fast. If this was really being planned, I needed to find out who was behind it and bring them to justice before they rained hell on every one of us. Their actions were tantamount to treason because the rules were clear. Rebellion against the first generation was unimaginable. Death would be an easy punishment for anyone who dared.

  At this point, it was clear I had to get my brother involved. Whatever differences we had could wait. This was bigger than all of us.

  “Oliver!” I yelled in his head.

  Oliver was immediately in my study.

  “You know with modern technology you don’t need to do that.” He said.

  “This is no time for jokes. Where did you find this?” I asked, pointing at the parchment paper.

  “In the hallway. What is it?” He asked.

  “Never mind. When did you find it?” I asked.

  “Right before I brought it to you.” He replied.

  “Very well. Thanks for bringing it to me. Do not mention this to anyone. I need you to call an impromptu Council meeting tonight. Every Council member must be present. We have something very important to discuss.” I ordered, marching out of my study.

  I went straight to my basement to get Ryan. He was the only person I completely trusted in the world, and I knew he would be vital in figuring things out. I couldn’t do this on my own. As soon as I unlocked the door, I turned the lights on and was completely shocked. The silver chain suspenders that once held my brother’s cold body dangled freely in the air... empty.

  Ryan was gone!

  Chapter Nine

  Ryan’s POV

  The invigorating feeling of air rushing into my lungs overwhelmed my consciousness, as my surroundings slowly came into focus. I felt the hollow in my heart as the gap that
formerly held the silver stake that kept me out cold, closed up. My memory slowly coalesced back into place, bringing with it an uncomfortable realization – I was still being held captive by silver chain suspenders, but I was no longer in Ros’s house. The appalling choice of furniture around me, combined with the Gothic themed walls and floor confirmed my suspicion that I was indeed out of little Rossy’s living space. There was no way Ros would own a place as poorly decorated as the room I was. That much was sure.

  “Did he transfer me somewhere else?” It was highly unlikely for Ros to do that.

  As much as he liked to deny it, little Rossy was a hoarder - and that extended to the people in his life. He held on to his relationships, even when they caused him pain. He hardly ever let go of people - whether he was loving them or torturing them. As crazy as it sounded, it was a useful trait. Especially in times like this. Since I knew I was no longer being held by Ros, I took the time to figure out who else would want to take me captive and for what reason. I drew a blank. No one came to mind. It was clearly useless to try fighting against the silver chain suspenders that kept me in place. Silver made vampires weak and rendered us nearly immobile - but it didn’t exactly kill us. Since it was clear that I wouldn’t be able to break free of the suspenders, I knew my best bet was to wait for whoever my captor was. If they took my restraints off for any reason, that would be their undoing. The wait was a long, boring one. No one showed up for hours and I decided to put everything I knew about my current situation together. Whoever took the stake out of my heart had to be a vampire because they were gone by the time I opened my eyes. Only vampires could move that fast. The person also didn’t want to reveal their identity just yet. Why?

  “Could it be little Rossy playing silly games with me? Or maybe someone else who’s too busy doing who knows what kidnappers do?”

  This didn’t look like the kind of game Ros would play at a time like this, especially since he was keeping me in hopes of getting Selena. With that fact known, I was left with just one option - I had to have been taken by someone else. Since I knew that someone else was a vampire, the question became who. If it was a member of Council, my first suspect would be the obnoxious Viktor. However, Viktor was too close to Ros to pull off something like that. Ros would never authorize it.