War Cry
“Hey,” said Aaron’s voice when I picked up my phone.
It had been several hours now since Shawn had turned to his phone for help. My parents had gone into town to see Greg and to check on Adam’s father. It would seem that they had taken to protecting them from the beings that were wreaking havoc on our town.
“Hey,” I replied, my heart fluttering.
“How are you feeling?”
“Much better now, thank you.” I rolled over on my bed and put a pillow under my chest.
“I’m still recovering.” He laughed. “I have to ask. What brought on last night?”
“What do you mean?” I asked him.
“I mean, the claw marks on my back. The fact I feel like I haven’t slept in days, and the reason I keep having dreams about a fire.”
“Oh...” I blushed, grateful he couldn’t see my face. “That.”
“Yes, that,” he said, laughing.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged though I knew he couldn’t see me.
“Actually, something a bit odd happened last night. Something that I can’t get out of my head.” His voice sounded strained.
“What?”
“Though I was very much aware of everything that happened, I still felt as if I wasn’t the one controlling my movements. And I could see the fire in your eyes. I mean, real fire, not the metaphorical kind. At one moment it seemed we were surrounded by flames, then my eyes adjusted, and they were gone. You had this look on your face… I can’t explain it. It was like you were rejuvenated. The black circles under your eyes were gone, and your lips were redder.” He sounded like he wasn’t really sure he should be saying any of this to me.
I sat up, trying to remember if any of this had happened or if this was something that he had fabricated in his mind.
“I don’t know,” I told him. “Maybe it was just the heat of the moment. I don’t remember seeing any flames. And I haven’t noticed any changes in my appearance this afternoon,” I said, fidgeting. This was why it was smart to stick to my guns, but it was a bit late to see that now.
“Maybe it was a dream then. Perhaps the excitement was so great that I started hallucinating.” He laughed again. “Man, what with that and all these weird dreams I’ve been having...”
“What do you mean?” I asked quickly.
“Well, first I had this dream that I was being chased by vampires. Then I had one where I saw this creature standing outside my window. It said something to me, but I couldn’t understand it. Do you have dreams where people speak to you in languages you don’t understand?”
“I personally think anything is possible in a dream. That is why they are dreams. They make what we want reality,” I said, trying to sound smart. I wished I just had dreams, instead of being summoned onto astral planes and having to search for beings that wanted to hurt me.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He sighed. “Maybe last night was just so hot that it felt like I was on fire.”
“I’m glad I could oblige,” I said, stifling a giggle.
“I love you, Dawn.” He broke off. “I have to go now. My mother is calling me. I told my dad you would be in the office on Tuesday to see him.”
“Alright,” I said softly. Then I bit my lip and said something I had never thought would come out of my mouth. “Aaron, in a way I know I love you. I just don’t know if it is the same way that you love me.”
There was a long pause at the other end.
“That is the best thing I have heard in a long time,” he said at last. “I can go with that. See you tomorrow.”
He hung up, and I lay back on my bed, wanting to slam my head into the wall. What had I done? This was what I got for letting the darkness control me.
“It wasn’t the darkness,” Shawn said, coming into my room.
“Huh?” I rolled over as he sat down on my bed.
“It wasn’t the darkness controlling you. You want to think that it was because it solidifies what you think of yourself. However, everything that you did you do because you wanted to. The darkness inside only controls a small part of you. It may deepen desires, but it doesn’t make you act on them. Now, the fire part…” He sighed. “Yeah, you set the boy on fire. However, it was a protective fire that would not harm him. I suppose it was something that you did in the heat of passion. Thankfully, he is convinced now that it was a dream.”
“You are far more invasive than our father,” I told him reproachfully.
“Yeah, well, the one thing that Dad has learned over the years is how to ignore the voices in his head and only pick out the ones that matter. I, on the other hand, have an open line to those I care about. I could even hear Aaron, right now, if I chose to.”
I sat up. “Does he really love me?”
“He loves you more than you could imagine. Of course, at the same time, his love for you is young. Next week the feelings could disappear.” He shrugged. “I never have grasped the concept of human love.”
“You know this was never the plan,” I said, looking at my feet.
“It never is. Wesley was gone, you were lonely, and you did something stupid. The consequence is that you now own the boy’s soul until he wills it to someone else.” Shawn patted me on the leg. “Now my news,” he said.
“You have news?” I asked, glad to be off the subject.
“They’re coming.” He smiled.
“Who’s they?”
“Edmund, the friend I was speaking of, of course.” He said it as if I should have known that already. “He will be here in the next few hours. I was lucky he was already in the States on holiday. Along the way, he will pick up pure strays as he sees fit.”
“I hope they get here before the other three,” I said quietly.
“You and me both, sister.” He laughed. “Edmund has never let me down, so we can safely assume they will be here in time.”
****
Shawn did not disappoint regarding his promise. At seven o’clock there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, I found a man in his late twenties standing there. He had long black hair and pale blue eyes. His skin was as white as milk and looked smooth and satiny. I could feel power pouring off him, and I nearly swooned as it swept over me.
“Edmund! Do come in!” Shawn called as the tall vampire stepped inside.
I felt the air around me turn cold, and I shivered. My eyes were transfixed by the vampire’s fluid movement.
“Have no fear, young one,” he said to me as he walked past me. “I do not wish to die just to have a taste of your blood.” He held out his hand to Shawn. “It has been ages since I have seen you, my friend. Do tell me of the adventures that lie ahead.”
“Hybrids are trying to demolish the elements. They are taking out the Carriers to weaken the Wardens, then they plan on taking out the Wardens to weaken the pure. It’s somewhat complicated. A woman came to power, calling herself the Hybrid Queen. We are assuming it is Sheridan, the hybrid love of Xic. Where are the others? You said you were bringing your entire coven.”
“The others are in the woods behind the property. I figured that it was not smart having thirty vampires outside your house. Not to mention the strong human scent in this area. I haven’t trained them not to follow their first instinct.” He smiled at me. “This your sister?”
“Yes, this is her.”
I was still wide-eyed, just staring at this beautiful creature. He had grace, and he had power, everything my blood wanted. I could feel the attraction to this man growing with every second he was near me. It didn’t matter that I knew one drop of my blood could potentially kill him. I just wanted to feel his power.
“She’s a little young,” Edmund said.
His attraction suddenly plummeted. I didn’t want his grace and power that bad.
“She is the reason this is happening,” my brother said, smiling at me.
“Making the wrong friends, huh?” Edmund said, reaching out and touching my face with his cool, smooth hands.
<
br /> “I want to save my Wesley, but things keep happening,” I said, my eyes locked on his again.
“Who is this Wesley?” he asked, glancing at Shawn.
“When Dawn moved here, she found herself head over heels for a Harbinger, before her and her mother knew that he was what he is. Apparently, Sheridan’s daughter had already laid claim to Wesley. When Dawn made her claim on the boy’s soul. Miranda, or Lilliana as you may know her, became intent on finding out what Dawn was. When she made the discovery, she ran off with Wesley and severed Dawn’s claim by threatening to kill both Dawn and his family. Afterward, she told the boy what Dawn was. Now she’s got him up in the mountains of New Mexico, creating an army for her mother in hopes that they can overthrow the purebloods and take over the world.”
Shawn took a deep breath and exchanged a long look with the wide-eyed Edmund.
“I think I’m just going to talk to her for a moment,” Edmund said, turning to me, “because I have no idea what the Hell just came out of your mouth.”
I blushed. He was so beautiful.
“Let me get this straight,” he said. “There is going to be a war between the hybrids and the purebloods?”
“No. Well, maybe. They have to get through the elements first. Right now, they are hitting Carriers, mostly those who had no idea that they have the element in their core. They are murdering innocent people before they have a chance to realize what they are.” I tried to ignore the fact that just looking at him made my knees go weak. “So, if she can deplete the number of elements Carriers, she will directly affect the Wardens.”
“Who are the Wardens?” he asked, his eyes shining.
“We know of three right now. The fourth won’t be known till the third is resurrected,” I said. God, he was gorgeous.
“Okay. So, Lilliana is sending hybrids and their masters to Midvale to take out the Carriers to weaken the Wardens?”
“Precisely.”
“And this Wesley is your boyfriend.”
“Ex-boyfriend, though I still find myself considering him mine,” I said, looking at the ground.
“Too bad you are the Fire Warden. Otherwise, you would make an extraordinary vampire,” he murmured, watching me melt.
“Edmund, my sister is about to have an aneurysm. Can you take it easy on her?” Shawn asked, an eyebrow raised.
“When are these creatures supposed to be here?” Edmund asked, transferring his attention from me to my brother.
“No clue. Puriel says that it will be tonight. Just not sure when.”
“Puriel? The angel?” Edmund asked, looking suddenly uneasy.
“Yeah. Puriel is Dawn’s mother.” It really was a bad habit of his, thinking everyone knew as much as him.
“My, how the mighty have fallen,” Edmund mumbled to himself.
“Dawn, you might want to call Aaron and tell him to lock his door,” Shawn suddenly instructed. He looked slightly uneasy; I began to wonder if his connection to my boyfriend was far more complex than he made out.
“Who’s Aaron?” Edmund asked frowning.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Edmund. To say I was mesmerized by his beauty would be an understatement. There was something else to him that kept drawing my attention. Maybe it had to do with his vampire nature or the fact that he exuded so much power.
“Her boyfriend,” Shawn replied laughing.
I came back to earth with a jolt, suddenly registering what Shawn had said about Aaron locking his door.
“Is he okay?” I asked in sudden alarm.
“For now, but I think with everything going on it would be in your best interest to keep him informed, to a point. Anyway, tell him that he needs to lock his door,” Shawn said seriously.
“How do you know so much about Aaron?” I asked, cocking my head on one side.
“I know all about Adam too, but right now I do not want to share with you the thoughts he has in his head,” Shawn said, pursing his lips.
I looked at my brother and frowned. Something was going on with Adam, and he knew it. Whatever it was had to be bad if he wasn’t willing to share with me what was going on in my best friend’s head.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Aaron’s number. It rang three times and then I heard the groggy voice of my boyfriend on the other end.
“Hey, baby,” he said, yawning.
I lowered my gaze from Edmund’s. “Hey.”
“What’s up? I figured you would be asleep most of the day.”
“I had a bad feeling and wanted to check on you. Is your door locked?” I asked, feeling stupid.
What girlfriend calls her boyfriend and says that he needs to lock his door?
“It’s always locked. My parents insist. Especially now that my mom is acting so skittish.”
That reassured me, yet something was still eating at me. And why was his mother on edge?
“Alright. I’m going to let you get back to sleep. I’m so sorry I woke you,” I said softly, turning my back on the group in the living room.
“Okay, babe. You get some rest too. I’ll see you in the morning.” He hung up the phone, and I turned back to Shawn with a sober expression.
“The doors are secured.”
“Good. We don’t have to worry about something happening to him at least.”
My parents walked through the door a second later. My mother took one look at Edmund and scowled. I could almost hear her repeating how much she hated vampires. Now there was one in her living room, standing between her children. Edmund looked back at her and gave her a toothy smile.
“Angelina,” he said.
“Edmund,” she replied.
My God, did she know everyone?
A smile spread across my father’s face as he stepped forward and wrapped the tall vampire in an embrace that could only be described as awkward. A cold prickle passed over my body, and I shivered. I looked at Shawn and frowned as my phone fell to the floor with a thud. It was the same feeling I had felt earlier.
They were here.
Chapter 23
Changes
My mother’s eyes were already white, and her lips were twitching. My father seemed to realize as well. I watched as his eyes turned black and a tight smile spread on his face. The same happened with Shawn, as he turned toward the door. Edmund’s eyes went a deep red and his fangs extended further. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen. I felt my own eyes burn. I had a nagging feeling that something that wasn’t supposed to be there was standing on my turf. It was our time to save the others. If I could give life to at least one Carrier, then my role here was fulfilled.
We emerged from the house as darkness began to take over the sky. My gaze trailed along the faces of those opposite us across the yard. There they were, the three savage killers. Matthew, with his violet eyes that matched that of the female creature, Penelope, and the smile that matched the other male, Gregory. Gregory hadn’t been created through a bite; he had been created through birth, so in a way, I felt like he was a pureblood hybrid.
“You came,” I said, smiling as if in friendly greeting.
“Matthew gave us your message,” Gregory snapped, with venom in his voice.
“We want to know why you’re killing the town’s people,” I demanded, crossing my arms.
My parents had my flanks, and my brother stood directly behind me. Edmond was standing on the porch, no doubt sending a telepathic message to those in the trees.
“We were hired,” said the woman, smiling.
“Who by?” I could feel the cold prickle in my right hand and a dark burning tingle in my left. I was charged with both forms of fire.
“The queen, of course,” Matthew replied, frowning.
Here we go again with this queen shit!
“You are pureblood. Why do you stand against us?” Edmund asked as he started to walk forward. “After all the things I did for you in the past, Gregory, you stand with a self-proclaimed Hybrid Queen. A woman you once vowed to overthrow when
she tried to take over your coven.”
“Sheridan has changed, old friend,” said Gregory.
“How has she changed? She’s sent you here to destroy the human elements.”
Edmund passed me and stepped in front of the trio.
“She will allow us to continue our work,” Penelope hissed, her violet eyes blazing. She was seconds from turning.
“What works, bitch?” Edmund demanded, snarling at her.
I raised an eyebrow. Apparently, the books I’d read were accurate. Vampires and werewolves were not the best of friends.
“Both our bloods run in Matthew,” she continued, baring her teeth at the vampire.
I felt like I could just walk back inside and go to bed. It seemed like Edmund had everything out here under control. Everyone but me seemed to know who he was and recognize his influences over his kind.
“We came for the element,” Matthew said, pointing at me.
“I don’t think you’ll get it,” Edmund stated, staring down the were-vamp.
“She’ll go down just like the others. Her blood will satisfy my increasing thirst,” Matthew snarled. He was already in the process of changing.
Edmund shook his head and frowned. “Be my guest then.” Edmund moved out of the way and motioned to the creature to go past him.
The moment Edmund stepped aside Matthew lunged for me. I levitated instantly, and flames sprang from my fingers. Matthew didn’t stop. He charged ahead, fangs ready to bite. I looked down at him, and the overwhelming need to take his soul consumed me. There was nothing this creature could do now that would keep it alive.
As Matthew went for the bite, the eyes of the other two widened as they realized by the flames in my hands what I was. Fear flashed across their faces. Gregory screamed at Matthew to stop, but Edmund grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the ground. Penelope transformed into her other body and lunged for my brother, but my mother grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and held her so that two of Edmund’s followers could hold her down. Matthew, meanwhile, had managed to sink his teeth into my skin. I merely laughed. His body started to tremble, and he had a look of utter terror on his face as he began to burn from the inside.
Smoke & Ash (Wardens Series Book 2) Page 20